Why visit Laos?

Laos has a heavy historical past linked to the Kingdom of Siam, France and then the Laotian Civil War which lasted nearly 20 years. This opposed the Pathet Lao, a supporter of a communist and anti-royalist regime, and the Kingdom of Laos, in a conflict which began after the Indochina War and jointly with the Vietnam War.

Today, like Vietnam, the country is a one-party communist regime often described as Thailand 20 or 30 years ago, because much poorer than its powerful neighbor.

Despite all this, oThey say Thailand is the land of smiles, so Laos would be the country of the double smile! Despite these more rustic living conditions, Laos exudes the joy of living.

Laotians are very welcoming and the country offers a range of superb places, mostly in mountainous areas, and despite, it is true, the absence of the sea.

And I'm not the only one to praise it, Laos attracts few, but those who go there never regret their choice and appreciate its side defined as more GENUINE (see an example 10 good reasons to visit Laos).

Traveling in Laos requires timeIt is a country that is appreciated gently, through contact with its inhabitants.

The road network is often disastrous, infrastructure is developing slowly and the country still does not have a railway, for example. (even though China is seriously putting a strain on it whip).

Most of the sites visited are located along the Mekong, a mythical river which acts as a natural border over a good part of the 1 km of common borders between Laos and Thailand.

Here is a summary of some essential information to know before any stay in Laos.

Yes. That's the short answer. But it should be noted that this concerns holders of a French passport, which is above all the most representative nationality on this blog.

Because there are variations depending on the country, including the cost of the visa. And I'll start with this:

• French passport: cost of visa = $30
• Belgian passport: cost of visa = $35
• Canadian passport: visa cost = $42

So sorry Canadian friends, but you pay the most in Laos, all nationalities combined... (what do you have for them??).

And there you could tell me, and if I am Swiss, or from Luxembourg, how much is it? Well, that's the whole subtlety of advantages based on nationality, because we come into the case of two exceptions.

The Laotian visa.

Laos has concluded visa exemption agreements with some partner countries, most of them part of ASEAN. (Association nations of Asia South East, a political, economic and cultural organization bringing together ten countries in Asia South East), the rest being former USSR countries like Ukraine, Armenia, etc.

And in this list of "lucky" countries, we find at the very bottom the 2 exceptions, Swiss and Luxembourgers who benefit from 15 days of visa exemption. If however this is not long enough, you can always apply for the 30-day visa, in which case you will be charged $35.

In any case, your passport must not expire within six months of the date of entry into Laos.

Apply for a visa for Laos at the Embassy

If you are the forward-thinking type, you can apply for your visa in advance via a Laotian embassy in your country of residence.

In France, there is only one in Paris:

To apply, it's pretty simple. Equip yourself and complete the downloadable form on the embassy website.

You must provide an ID photo and amount indicated by the embassy depending on your nationality (in this case, the fees are €35 for France). count 48 hours after receiving the file to obtain your visa.

It is possible if the embassy is too far away, do the procedure by mail (see information on the process here). In this case, an additional fee of €5 applies and the delay will then be between 7 and 10 days.

La The validity period of the visa is 3 months., this means that upon receipt of your visa, you have up to 90 days to arrive in Laotian territory.

E-visa for Laos

Laos is modernizing a bit, it is now possible to obtain an electronic visa online. To do so, go to the official website: https://laoevisa.gov.la/ (English version only to date).

Unfortunately, its use remains limited to only 3 entry points to date:

• Vientiane Airport (Wattay International Airport)
• Luang Prabang Airport
• The Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge (number 1, the one connecting Nong Khai to Vientiane)

Screenshot of the official website for e-visa applications in Laos.

Obtaining a visa on arrival in Laos (Visa on arrival)

This is usually the most common option, as the process is quick and easy. This is the cheapest option unfortunately the entry points will be reduced.

To do this, if you arrive by air, there are only three international airports:

1. Wattay International Airport, the one in the capital, Vientiane
2. Luang Prabang International Airport
3. Pakse International Airport

At land borders, it is possible between Laos and Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand or China. On the other hand, there is no land border open to foreigners between Laos and Burma.

At the immigration crossing between Mukdahan (Thailand) and Savannakhet (Laos) before crossing the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.

The authorized crossing points are as follows (crossed out were the borders where it was previously possible to obtain a visa for Laos on site but for which the service has been stopped):

Cambodia-Laos border

• Dong Calor – Veun Kham (Trapaingkriel International Border Checkpoint, Stung Treng Province in Cambodia to Champassak Province in Laos) Attention, particularly corrupt border!

Vietnam-Laos border

• Nậm Can Border Station (Nghệ An to Xieng Khouang province) (no longer available)
• Nam Phao Intl. Checkpoint (Khammouane province) (no longer available)
• Phou Keua Border (Attapeu province) (no longer available)
• Na Mèo – Ban Na Mang (Thanh Hoa towards Houaphan province)
• Cau Treo Border Pass (Hà Tinh to Nam Phao, Borikhamxay province)
• Lao Bao Border (Dansavanh towards Savannakhet province)

China-Laos border

• Boten Border Crossing (Mohan, Yunnan Province to Boten, Luang Namtha Province)

In case of excess

Coming to Laos

The two international points you are most likely to arrive at are the capital and luang Prabang, the most visited city and region in the country.

Your best options, assuming you are arriving by air, will be with the airlines Vietnam Airlines (which stops in Hanoi) and Thai Airways (stopover in Bangkok).

Given that prices are around €700, it may be even more interesting to come somewhere other than Laos first, as there will probably be few of you making the round trip from the same point in Laos.

Given that we find prices around €500 for a Paris – Bangkok flight and that a Bangkok – Vientiane flight can be done for less than €60 with local companies like Nok Air ou Air Asia (which also serves Luang Prabang), this comes to at least €100 or even €150 cheaper.

In this case, it is possible to land in Bangkok, take a flight to Luang Prabang and visit Laos from North to South, returning to Bangkok by bus from Paksé for example.

Cross-border bus between Nakhon Phanom (Thailand) and Thakhek (Laos).

If you are on a trip to Asia, you can simply arrive by land via one of the above-mentioned posts accepting foreigners (outside Asia). There are Lao-Thai cross-border buses, notably between Nakhon Phanom and Thakhek, Mukdahan and Savannakhet, or even Bangkok – Paksé buses for example.

Getting around Laos

The choices are actually quite limited. Assuming two target areas are far enough apart, it is still possible to take the plane (for example to do Luang Prabang – Pakse or vice versa), otherwise, the bus will remain your only option, as Laos does not have (again) of railway network.

The only train to hit Laotian soil to date is the one crossing the Friendship Bridge of No Khai in Thailand to the train station Thanaleng (west of Vientiane), either… just over 2 km.

Road transport

Laos is a country where much remains to be done in terms of transport management. Lacking budget, the country is also largely mountainous, so the roads are winding or, failing that, longer and more expensive to build. There are therefore many unpaved roads as soon as you leave the main roads and roads undergoing endless expansion and therefore dusty.

As a result, on average, it is necessary to count 5 hours of road for a journey of 150 km, a journey which, in Thailand for example, with better infrastructure, would typically take 2 or even 3 hours Max.

But there too, Laos is trying to improve its network, with the help of neighboring countries (China in the lead) in order to improve trade.

Thus, no less than 6 highways are currently planned, most of them starting from one border to join another on the other side of the country.

An example being the one, partially in progress. A highway is under construction between Vientiane and Catch Vieng. The latter, 30% complete, should open by 2021. This will reduce the journey time to 1h30 from at least 5h at present.

Eventually, just like the train line, this road should reach the border with China at Boats.

The buses

There are no specific companies I can recommend, as I just took the bus every time, going between this city and that.

The choice being mainly on the schedule, we still distinguish two types of transport: local buses and so-called “VIP” buses. These are often buyouts of Chinese or Korean buses, so old models, but not rotten either and therefore more comfortable than local buses.

If you do any long journeys, there are bus berths. An example, the journey luang Prabang - wow Xai, which I took when returning from the cruise (see below). It is necessary to count 12 hours to cover the 475 km, and this can be done at night.

Night bus between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai.

The shortest journeys can be made with mini vans. (this was the case between Vientiane and Catch Vieng withaller).

It is possible to book trips, either via 12go which I offer below (and earns me a welcome commission), or via this site, which I have not personally tested but seems reliable for popular destinations: https://www.laosbuses.com

Bus terminal in Thakhek.

Tuk-tuk or samlo

In the local version, we find our friends on 3 wheels or other homemade “sidecars”. And as all over is hard to know the exact rates, on the other hand it can be easy and economical to share your journey with other people to reduce the cost. A common case is to reach the city from the bus terminal, often a few kilometers outside the city, as if on purpose...

A concrete example, between the bus terminal just after the border at Huay Xai and the center, 7 km away, you are asked for a minimum of 80 baht per person.

Another example being the tuk tuk after the border between Mukdahan and Savannakhet. Typically they will wait for you just after the border crossing; whereas the Mukdahan – Savannakhet bus, which normally goes to the terminal which is well into town, often (intentionally) omits to wait.

And there, they don't hesitate to charge you up to 200 Bahts to go to the Thai consulate (which many expats like me do), to go 4 km. Speaking Thai (very close to Lao), it is generally possible to ask for 100 Bahts. A more realistic rate would be 60 Bahts.

Motorcycle rental

As everywhere in Asia, Motorbike rental is a convenient way to get around independently and popular since it is easy to get a two-wheeler and for next to nothing (generally around 70 Kips, or €000).

However, if you will rarely be asked (not to say never) a license to rent, it's not something I particularly recommend. Get an international license even if the latter is not sufficient since to drive in full compliance, you must have a valid A license in good and due form.

My little petrol boat wandering towards the Thakhek caves.

The risk is not necessarily the fine itself, but rather the fact of not being covered in the event of an accident, regardless of your insurance (who will cover you if you drive illegally??).

If you are a biker and are looking for good, well-maintained motorcycles for a trip to Laos, a good address:

https://rideinlaos.com/fr/index_fr.html

Rail transport

As I mentioned above, There is currently no railway network in Laos.. However, given China's ambitions in the region, a line is currently under construction.

The latter must join Thailand at the level of No Khai and crosses the country from Mohan on the Chinese side (in Yunnan) and Boten on the Laos side.

There are 4 major cities planned in the stops: Luang Namtha – Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng and Vientiane.

The only railway currently operational in Laos, crossing the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.

River transport

Since there is no sea, there is obviously no maritime transport. On the other hand, with the Mekong River crossing the country on both sides, it offers the possibility of moving around by boat, generally in the form of a cruise in the possible sections (and in the possible seasons).

There are actually two types of boats. Long barges called " slow boat » (slow boat) as opposed to the " speed boats"

On our slow boat between Huay Xai and Luang PrabanG.

Boats parked in Pakbeng, at the end of the first day.

For example, I used the slowboat to get me from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, a two-day “cruise” along the Mekong (which stops overnight in Pakbeng).

Fares vary depending on the company and type of comfort. For my part, being there with my parents, I had opted for a more comfortable version (with Shampo Cruise if you are interested), including meals but the night in Pakbeng is to be paid separately ($155 for the boat and $80 for the triple room at the Mekong River Lodge). 

Landscape along the Mekong.

The cheapest version ($25 or 170 ₭), classic of backpackers, do not guarantee depending on the season that you will have a seat.

During this cruise, I saw these streamlined racing boats pass by, the " speed boats" It's so sporty that passengers often wear helmets. (not sure if this helps if falling into water at that speed).

A speedboat passing on the Mekong.

These latter, for example, connect these same cities (wow Xai - luang Prabang) in only 5-6h for 1500 Baht. On the other hand, you are exposed to the rain and there are no benches to sit on, it is on the ground so quite uncomfortable. (and you have to find a way to fit your bags somewhere).

There are also ferries to cross the river in areas where the bridges are easily separated from each other. This is what I did with my small motorbike to return to the left bank from Champassak.

Crossing the Mekong from Champassak.

Ferry carrying cars crossing the Mekong at Luang Prabang to reach a village on the other bank.

Air transport

Until recently, domestic flights within Laos were prohibitively expensive and therefore limited only to those with a comfortable travel budget.

To my great surprise in writing this page, I realize that it is becoming a little more democratic and we are arriving at prices similar to domestic flights in Thailand. However, given the limited number of airports and airlines, you will have not much choice for domestic flights.

• Lao Airlines, la national company. Besides domestic connections, you also have connections to Cambodia, China, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.. Included in the fare, 20 kg checked baggage + 7 kg cabin baggage. The fares remain quite high, around $120 for a Vientiane – Paksé flight.
• Lao Skyway (formerly Lao Air), to my knowledge, the only other Laotian company. It was they who had a surprise in store for me in terms of prices with flights from Vientiane to Paksé starting at €40!

There are currently seven airports throughout the country:

1. Houay Xai (Houeisay)
2. Luang Namtha.
3. Luang Prabang
4. Oudomxay (Oudomsai)
5. Pakse
6. Vientiane
7. Xieng Khouang

Hotels in Laos are slowly starting to develop. I'm not saying there weren't housing options before, just that the choices were more limited between small guest houses simplistic or the larger, more luxurious hotels.

It is therefore a range of intermediate hotels that we can describe as "charming", or in any case, guest houses decorated and furnished with more taste than before.

For many travelers to Laos (I am obviously thinking of the backpackers), which keeps this “adventure” side, it will only have little of importance, but for others, having more choice is always appreciable since it covers a wider range of prices, so everyone can find something within their budget.

Returning regularly to Laos, I am not going to list here all the hotels that I have tested (you have that on the page dedicated to hotels in asia). However, I offer you my 2 favorites below.

Do I need travel insurance?

Knowing that many of you will rent a motorbike in Laos at some point or another, being covered in the event of an accident makes perfect sense. And in any case, travel insurance, especially if you are going to Asia for several months, can be more than welcome in the event of a problem, because credit card insurance is limited.

The maximum amount for healthcare costs covered by traditional credit cards may prove insufficient (around €10 compared to €000 for dedicated travel insurance) and does not cover civil liability.

I advise you ACS Travel & Expatriation Insurance Solutions.

I would like to point out that if you subscribe to the insurance via the link, I will receive a small commission. This is a simple way to help keep the site running, because insurance is preferable anyway and it will therefore be beneficial for both you and me.

What vaccines and what do I need to know for my health?

We find the same recommendations as for many Asian countries, with the idea being that there is no compulsory vaccination, but a whole series remains recommended.

Starting with being up to date on your standard vaccinations (DTP for adults, MMR for children). Then, depending on local travel conditions (extended stay in the countryside, close to borderetc.). :

Recommended vaccines:

• HEPATITIS A
• HEPATITIS B
• RAGE
• TYPHOID
• ANTITUBERCULOSIS

The Japanese encephalitis vaccine is especially necessary in the event of a prolonged stay in rural areas. Since the latter is transmitted by mosquitoes, protection against them is particularly vital, because there are many other not-so-great diseases to catch in these regions.

Against mosquitoes

The most important thing is to protect yourself with a good mosquito repellent, because in Laos, there is a risk of contracting several diseases transmitted by these insects. Starting with malaria, particularly during the rainy season from May to the end of October, which is conducive to the proliferation of mosquitoes.

Apart from malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya or even the zika virus can hang around (pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to it). In short, mosquitoes are not our friends, protect your skin, but also your clothes, by also impregnating them with repellents and preferring light colors.

If you develop a fever during your trip, do not hesitate to contact medical services.

Hygiene in Laos

Hygiene conditions obviously do not have the same standards as in France, so if you have a sensitive stomach, it is better to take some precautions.

• Wash your hands frequently before each meal (possibly with an antimicrobial solution since it is used without water).
• Tap water is not drinkable. Drink only capped bottled water or, if this is not possible, water boiled for 30 minutes and then filtered (Lifestraw straws can be an alternative).
• Avoid drinking fruit juices squeezed in the street. Avoid eating food from street stalls (well, this is an official recommendation, but if you are used to traveling, it is not necessarily worse than elsewhere).
• Meat and fish/shellfish must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

At the Pakse market, the meat section is on the right.

And general hygiene rules:

• Avoid swimming in stagnant water (risk of parasitic infection).
• Avoid walking barefoot on sand and wet ground.
• Do not pet animals you meet on the street, even if they do not seem aggressive.
• Remember to wear a seat belt (if possible), wear a helmet on two wheels, this is valid everywhere in the world (don't try to imitate the locals to appear "cooler").

As medical standards are not as high as in neighbouring Thailand, it may be advisable to be evacuated to Thailand if necessary, although there is a local branch of Bangkok Hospital in luang Prabang (hospital with a very good reputation).

For your safety

The biggest risk in Laos remains road accidents, due to the generally poor condition of road infrastructure.

Isn't life beautiful? An example not to follow anyway...

Although northern Laos is prone to earthquakes, they remain quite rare and should not exceed 6 on the Richter scale, but I wanted to point this out.

Scams, fraud and crime 

Crime remains low in Laos. After that, as everywhere, there are snatch thefts (especially by motorcyclists, stealing your bag placed next to you on the tuk tuk), and several thefts sometimes violent or armed are reported but this is especially true for tourist cities like Vientiane, Paksé or Luang Prabang and for many at night.

Personally, I had heard of a resurgence of attacks targeting buses between Vientiane and Catch Vieng (surtout in the sense Catch Vieng – Vientiane). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website does not mention it, so I don't know if it's because the problem has been resolved or not made too public.

Risk areas

Laos still bears the scars of the Vietnam War. The Americans aimed to cut off the supply lines of the North Vietnamese fighters, allied with the communist Laotians, Laos was heavily bombed, even worse, this made it the most bombed country In Action .(for information, it is estimated that 1/3 of the bombs dropped are unexploded, or around 1 million tons of bombs!).

As a result, there are still a lot of unexploded ordnance in the border areas of Vietnam. (especially in the north, like the province of Xieng Khouang). There are regular explosions killing or seriously injuring farmers and children playing with found objects whose dangers they are unaware of.

For these reasons, avoid venturing off the roads bordering Vietnam, especially without being accompanied.

Practical information

– Emergency numbers –

• POLICE EMERGENCY: 191
• VIENTIANE POLICE: +856 21 21 27 06
• TOURIST POLICE: +856 21 24 36 47
• FIREFIGHTERS: 190
• FRENCH MEDICAL CENTER: +856 21 21 41 50
• Bangkok Hospital branch in Luang Prabang  : +856 20 2864 1240, +856 20 2864 1248 or +856 30 200 9379
• Aek Hospital in Udon Thani (Thailand) for emergencies : +66 42 34 25 55 or +66 42 34 10 33

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on Laos

Here is a map to locate and summarize all the destinations and places of interest in Laos:

Banknotes used in Laos: 500, 1, 000, 2, 000, 5, 000 will be the most common. There are also notes of 10, 000, 20, 000, 50, 000 for small amounts and 1 as a larger denomination.

It seems obvious that with a 100 note, you would quickly be in trouble with the exchange rate... If in Laos the Baht and the Dollar are accepted, this remains especially true in border towns and cities, in the countryside, you should favor not only the Kip, but also cash.

The few places that accept credit cards will charge a fee. 3% additional to your bill.

Tourism is still relatively underdeveloped in Laos. With 4 million visitors, we are quite far from what our neighbors can attract. (except Burma which shows similar figures).

As a result, the hotel offering is not as substantial as in Thailand and the prices are therefore not as competitive. Above all, there is a clear lack of range between the 2/3 star hotels, with reasonable prices, and the comfort of the 4 stars, which directly increase the bill.

In summary, the prices are not as low as one might think, without being excessive.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• For guesthouses in dormitory or single room (fan and shared bathroom), possible from 30 ₭ (000 €) - more often around 3 ₭ (84 €)
• For guesthouses with air-conditioned rooms and basic hotels, it varies around 90 – 000 ₭ (150-000 €)
• For decent and mid-range hotels, expect to pay around 200 – 000 ₭ (250-000 €)
• For the top of the range, it goes straight up, possible from 630 ₭ (000 €), many offers around 65 ₭ (1 €)

Like all Asian countries, it's not the food that will break the bank.

Between street food, present almost everywhere and offering simple dishes (noodles at 10 ₭ for example, or €000), small sandwiches at 1 ₭ (€6), and more "classic" restaurants, offering rice dishes at less than 000 ₭ in general (€0,6), you will be spoiled for choice.

Below, I remind you that these are averages, particularly for meals. Because those in restaurants more oriented towards international food (often offering dishes with French, Italian or even Indian influences), a dish often comes back in the 50 ₭ (€ 5).

A baguette stand for small street sandwiches in Laos.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• A small bottle of water costs on average 2₭ (000€)
• A meal costs an average of 35₭ (000€) per person
•  Hot/cold coffee: 12/000 ₭
• A local beer 10₭ (000 liters)

Transport is also inexpensive and should not pose too much of a problem for your budget, if you prefer buses and trains. tuk tuk locally (also called jumbo).

They often try to abuse the fares at the exits of the bus terminals and it is always better to share your "ride". Do not hesitate to negotiate and it is better to check the distances beforehand to verify the coherence of the given fare.

In addition to intercity buses, you will find, as in Thailand, shared taxis called songthaews, which will charge you around 10 to 000 ₭ per person (30 to 000 €) depending on the distance.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• Motorbike rental: usually 70₭ per day (000€) + 7₭ per litre
• Local bus: for long journeys, expect to pay 80₭ to 000₭ (100-000€) per person
• For tuk tuks (jumbos), expect to pay around 20 ₭ per trip (for a few kilometers)

Any opinions, suggestions? Leave me a comment!