Laos

Quick Facts

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Capital

Vientiane

Population

5,921,000

Government

Communist state

Religions

Buddhism, Animism

Languages

Lao, French, English

Calling Code

+856

Nationality

Local name

Introduction

Snake whisky

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At the end of the Vietnam War, Laos could add to its list of achievements being the most bombed country during warfare. It's not surprising, then, that the communist government which took
control in the 70s was not particularly interested in opening its doors to foreign visitors. Some three decades later, however, a poor economy has brought the country to a time of reconsideration; tourism seems to be the light at the end of the tunnel for Laos.

Still, only a handful of travellers are trickling into Laos' borders, which is odd, given that Laos is considered the highlight of southeast Asian travel. The country's long isolation and lack of the best way to make the experience enjoyable. For the most part it almost always rained hard at night. The days might be overcast with some light showers, or cloudy but still very hot and humid. Also some days the rain would pour down very hard and then the next day would be perfectly sunny with a blue sky.

Brief History

Geography

Laos is a long province with many mountains and dense jungle. The main transport artery for the country until modern times was the Mekong River. The Mekong River runs either in or along the border of most of Laos. Laos shares international borders with Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Myanmar. At the present time a tourist can cross legally with all the countries except Myanmar.

Regions

• Attapeu Province
• Bokeo Province
• Bolikhamsai Province
• Champasak Province
• Huaphan Province
• Khammuan Province
• Luang Namtha Province
• Luang Prabang Province
• Udomxai Province
• Phongsali Province
• Salavan Province
• Saignabuli Province
• Savannakhet Province
• Sekong Province
• Vientiane Province
• Xieng Khuang Province

Cities

• Vientiane, set on the bank of the Mekong River, is the country's capital
• Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a beautiful temple town in the north of Laos
• Luang Namtha, a small town that's the perfect base for inspiring eco-trekking and village homestays in the Nam Ha NPA
• Savannakhet
• Vang Vieng, backpacker town beside the Nam (river) Song, framed by some spectacular karst mountains.
• Pakse
• Thakhek
• Phonsavan, a town booming on the sale of scrap metal, the silver lining in America's bombing campaign that has made Xieng Khouang the most densely bombed province in Laos and probably the world. Base for exploring the nearby Plain of Jar sites.

Sights and Activities

Adventures abound in Laos, with towns like Muang Vang Vieng being a perfect base for exploring the surroundings of verdant rice paddies, majestic karst mountains and the clear, cold waters of the Nam Song. Outdoor activities in Vang Vieng include the ever popular tubing, kayaking, caving, trekking, rock climbing, and even mountain biking and trekking opporutnities, all of which could be arranged easily through one of the many operators in town.

Historical sites include the enigmatic Plain of Jars in mountainous Xieng Khouang Province, and the royal city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO world heritage listed city, where time flows so slowly it almost doesn't feel like it even exists.

For nature lovers Laos offers plenty of natural attractions, of particular note is the marvellous eco-trekking programme in the Nam Ha NPA (National Protected Area) which can be explored from the larger town of Luang Nam Tha or places like Muang Sing, a short 2 hour sawngthaew hop away. The culturally inquisitive can also arrange for homestays in hill tribe villages in the NPA at the end of a day's trekking, providing an experience of the "real Laos" away from major cities and tourist hotspots like Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

• Northern Laos includes the capital Vientiane, the ancient city of Luang Prabang and the lush mountainous provinces of Xiang Khouang and Luang Namtha.
• Southern Laos includes the provinces of Kammouane where the That Skihotabang stupa can be found, the Savannakhet province and the province of Champassak

Events and Festivals

Weather

Clothing

Because of the humidity during the rainy season clothes that are made from quick-drying material is smart. Dryers are virtually non-existent there and if you hand wash clothes, there’s no guarantee it will dry because the sun is so unpredictable. It can get quite cold in the mountains and northern Laos near December, so try to pack a sweater or windbreaker of sorts if you are headed to Xieng Khouang Province or up north towards the Chinese border.

Getting There

By Plane

The two main international airports in Laos are Wattay International Airport (VTE) at Vientiane and Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ). Pakse Airport (PKZ) is smaller and serves international flight to/from Siem Riep.

Lao Airlines^[1] flies from different international cities in the vicinity including Bangkok, Hanoi, Siem Riep and Kunming.

From Kunming they offer a direct flight to Lao every Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays. Tickets can be bought online at the Lao Airlines website and picked up at the Lao Airline office in the Camellia Hotel in Kunming. They accept USD or RMB.

Catching the early Lao Airlines flight back to Kunming? No worries. There is usually a salangwatha hiding around somewhere even in the rain.

AirAsia now provides a budget option for travellers with flights heading from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Vientiane, Laos. For those on a tight budget, another option is to fly domestic from Bangkok to Udon Thani, before catching the Thai-Lao friendship bus at the BKS (Bor Kor Sor) bus station in town to Vientiane.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

The very comfortable Thai-Lao International Bus runs from Nong Khai and Udon Thani (nearest major Thai airport) in Thailand to the Talat Sao bus station in Vientiane. Tickets can be bought, on the day itself, at all stations. First bus leaves at around 0800. Visas have to be arranged beforehand - passports are checked before tickets are issued.

By Boat

The Chiang Kong - Huay Xai crossing from northern Thailand into Laos is a popular riverine route among travellers, largely because of the slow scenic journey. This involves a night stop at Pak Beng before reaching Luang Prabang the next evening.

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

Traveling in Lao means getting up early. From Vientane to Luang Prabang the bus ride can take up to 11 hours if you're on the government bus because of the frequent stops so most buses leave starting at 6:00 am with 10:00 am seeing one of the last buses out.

At this point most of the major roads are paved. The only one that may still present problems is the road from Luang Nham Tha to Huay Xai, the border town of Thailand, but that is currently being cemented now. In worst case scenarios you have to get out and help push the bus out of the mud.

By Boat

The speedboats are safe, even though the helmet they provide can be a little disconcerting. The spaces are cramped though, meaning you sit knees to chin for the entire duration.

Red Tape

If you are staying for 15 days or less a visa upon arrival is issued to foreign travellers. It's very easy and hassle free. Bring two pictures and $30 U.S. They usually give you change in USD unless otherwise specified. For 15 days or more you will have to go the embassy.

Money

The kip (₭ or ₭N) has been the currency of Laos since 1952. Frequently used banknotes are in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000 and 20000 kip. Less frequently you may find banknotes with the denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 or 50000 kip. There are also 10, 20 and 50 att coins, but these are rarely used.

ATMs are becoming increasingly common in the larger cities in Laos, including Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Viang Vieng and Luang Namtha. ^[2]

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

It may be harder to meet fellow travellers in Lao than in Thailand due to the guesthouse lodging system as opposed to hostels. Most of the rooms are either singles or doubles and so being placed with an unknown traveller is not common.

Drink

Health

Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

Post

Visas