Traveller Tips | Get in (Visa information) | Dos and Don'ts | Destinations

Why Travel to Laos Welcome to Laos travel. Visit and spend some time in a less known, but interesting country. Meet the charming, friendly Lao people. Visit the unspoiled natural environment, and admire the marvellously decorated old and new temples of a country waiting to be discovered. General travel informations : 1. Best time of year to travel. 2. Visa on arrival. 3. Where to go? 4. Travelling alone or in group? 5. Health matters. 6. Is there any nightlife, entertainment? 7. Regarding visa runs (for foreign residents in Thailand) 8. Dangers? 1. Best time of the year to travel. It seems like the temperatures and rainfall in Laos mimic the pattern in Thailand, a country I am quite familiar with. So the most agreeable temperatures are in the months December and January. Second best are November and February. It can actually be somewhat chilly in Luang Prabang in the early morning hours, so you will need some protective clothing. Rainy season seem to last from May till November. I have not experienced it, but I bet it will be a real mess with all the dirt roads that still abound all over the country. So possibly best to avoid the rainy season. It will be hot during the months March till May for sure. 2. Visa on arrival. Most people spend less than 2 weeks in Laos. For this purpose, a visa on arrival will do. At the friendship bridge between Thailand and Laos, and at the 'international' airports of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, you can get one without difficulty. Fee 30 US$. 3. Where to go? My advice here is quite limited. Despite having gone to Laos on four occasions, I still have only gone to Vientiane and Luang Prabang. That seems to be quite enough if you have about one week to spend. There are no really 'big' cities in Laos. Vientiane can be seen on bicycle, just as Luang Prabang. While in these cities, you can also go and expirience the country side around. You will not have to travel far to see people living in very basic conditions. If you have the time, visit the Plain of Jars, I am sure I will do on one of my next travels. Road travel in Laos takes time, but things improve ever so slowly. I used air travel with Lao Aviation between Vientiane and Luang Prabang on different occasions. Once take off at Luang Prabang airport was delayed because some water buffalos were walking on the tarmac (this happened about three years ago). American authorities have advised against using Lao Aviations, because of safety concerns (that is , concerns about airplane quality and maintenance) 4. Travelling alone or in group? This is rather easy to answer. There are some, but very few organized tours through Laos. It is still quite uncommon to see tour buses, certainly so in Luang Prabang. There simply are still no really good roads between major cities, to allow tour travel of acceptable quality. If you want to join a group, one possibility is to contact Diethelm Travel in one of the surrounding countries. They also have an office at the Central Fountain, Vientiane. So basically you travel alone or with friends. While the number of tourists is still small, their street presence does not go unnoted. Especially in a really small place like Luang Prabang, you will encounter quite a few travellers. It is not that difficult to join together with others on local tours etc. 5. Health matters. Regarding recommended travel precautions, vaccinations etc. I would advice to go the the Center of Disease Control of Atlanta website. They cover South East Asia as a whole, not country by country, but you can use the informations for travelling in Laos. While in some countries of South East Asia, medical facilities are quite good, this is certainly not the case in Laos. For this reason alone, it is advisable to be more careful than usual. My old 'Lonely Planet' guide says there is a clinic at the Australian embassy. For any serious conditions, it is better to head out of the country to Thailand. This possibly is not of much help if you have an accident in some remote province, but I hope it serves as a warning to be more careful than usual. Don't forget that you have to take care of yourself. Drink enough fluids, avoid sunburn and heat stroke. Spend some money so you have at least a room where you can take a good shower. Hygiene in hot conditions is paramount, otherwise you skin will suffer. 6. Nightlife in Laos. No way you should go to Laos if you need to enjoy a lot of entertainment and nightlife. In Vientiane, outside cafes close by 10.30 PM. There are some probably expensive discos in the big hotels. Luang Prabang likewise has no nightlife. I understand there are some seedy massage places (not the red cross one). Some hotels feature traditional dancing shows in the evening with dinner etc. It is possible to receive CNN in Vientiane. I remember watching BBC World in Luang Prabang. Otherwise, maybe you have not read a book in awhile, well, Laos is the place to pick up the habit. Having a beer in the evening at one of the outdoor restaurants or cafes in Vientiane or Luang Prabang, and just watch people go by, is not too bad either. 7. Visa run (for foreigners staying in Thailand) First of all, go to the right place. The Thai consulate is located opposite the market in Vientiane, at Thanon Lan Xang. If you apply for a tourist visa in the morning (check the Thai holidays first, to avoid disappointments!), you can pick up your visa the next day afternoon. It can be very busy at the Thai embassy. During my last visit I had to wait about one and a half hours just to submit my application. Picking up the passport, is not such a problem. Probably because of the long queues, some shops provide a service to do it for you. I would never consider sending someone else of with my passport though. As in most Thai consulates, the local consul and employees have some freedom in applying certain rules. I was able to get a double entry tourist visa last time around, without difficulty. But I understand one is not always able to get a double entry. Visa are cheap at Vientiane, 300 bath for a single entry tourist visa. In my opinion, when dealing with Thai consulate personnel, it is helpful to be properly dressed, and not to be excessively assertive. 8. Dangers. While you should be careful, being always regarded as rich in a country of very poor people, I would think you can safely travel in Laos. However, keep track of news. While it is calm at the moment, in the last few years there have been some minor terrorist bombings reported. These are reportedly targeted at the government, but sometimes public places like the Central Fountain and Asian Pavillion hotel, have been the target.

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