Laos

🇱🇦 CAPITAL | VIENTIANE

💷 CURRENCY | KIP – 14,875 = 1 USD

🙊 LANGUAGE | LAO

Laos is a land locked country is Southeast Asia.  Nestled between Cambodia, Thailand, China, Myanmar and Vietnam, this country often gets skipped because its not directly on the ‘banana pancake’ backpacker trail.

This “forgotten” nation is filled with beautiful waterfalls, culture and a struggling past.   Most visitors only visit Laos on a stop over or visa run from Thailand and thus miss all the beautiful places to visit in Laos.

Laos has much to offer and is worth a trip to witness her untouched beauty first hand.  This is your Laos travel guide.

Top 5 things to do in Laos ↓

More Things to do in Laos

• Kuang Si Falls is one of the best places to visit in Laos.  Located only 45 minutes outside of Luang Prabang sits this famous waterfall.  The three tiered waterfalls hidden in the jungle cascade down each level creating natural infinity pools. 
• Every morning locals rise early to give alms (tak bat) to the monks and show their appreciation. The monks only eat before sunrise and the food is all donation from the alms they received that morning.  This was a highlight of all the things to do in Luang Prabang.
• Tubing in Vang Vieng used to be a giant ‘rager’ at all times.  You rent a tube, then float down the Nam Song River getting lassoed in by people so you can come to their bar along the river for a drink.  Rope swings and slides have since been taken down.  Now only a few bars line the river.  Although its not the large production that it once was, its still a highlight on this Laos travel guide.
• Explore the Bolaven Plateau by motorbike.  Southern Laos is full of roaring waterfalls and ruins.  The Thakhek motorcycle loop is the best way to explore the area.  Less populated than the north.  Come here to be in nature and have the place all to yourself.
• Slow down in the 4,000 Islands.  Don Det is an one of the many islands that make up Si Phan Don.  They are a labyrinth of sandbars and islets located in the middle of the Mekong Delta.  Getting to it will take several bus, boat, and tuk tuk rides but its worth the trek.  
• Plain of Jars is Laos’ quirkiest landmarks.  The stone “jars” date back thousands of years.  Jars is a bit of an under statement as they range from 3 to 10 feet tall and weigh around 14 tons each.
• Cross the border into Laos from Thailand on a 2 day slow boat journey.  The journey takes you from Chiang Khong, Thailand to Luang Prabang.  Two 8 plus hour days crammed on a slow boat.  

📍 Laos Travel Tips

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💲 Laos Travel Guide Costs

You can spend $40 a day in Laos, living comfortably and not denying yourself any comforts or pleasures.  It is possible to get by on $15 -20 a day traveling through Laos but that’s roughing it.

You’ll be glad for your own bathroom and shower at the end of the night after being muddy all day so it’s worth having the slightly bigger budget.

🛖 Where to Stay in Laos

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✈️ Getting to Laos

By Plane:  international flights fly into Laos capital airport of Vientiane (VTE), Luang Prabang and occasionally Vang Vieng.

If you’re flying from a neighboring country such as Thailand or Cambodia, tickets are  around $100 USD which is worth it as you save days of travel time.

Jetradar, Skyscanner and Kayak are sites that are flexible and give you the cheapest rates.  AirAsia, JetStar, Tiger amongst other budget airlines are all listed through these search engines.  This always ensures getting shown the latest and cheapest prices.  Just don’t expect much frills on these budget airlines and luggage will cost extra.

By Bus:  If you’re traveling slow and/or throughout Southeast Asia, it’s likely that you’ll be taking a long bus journey at some point or another.  International buses are cheap, plentiful and comes from all the neighboring countries including Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.  

Overnight trips are a doozy.

Read Next: Border Crossing Laos to Cambodia with AVT

By Boat:  The 2 day slow boat journey is by far the most memorable way to get into Laos.

Transportation around Laos

Transferring between towns is straight forward and easy to navigate.  Download the apps Bookaway and 12Go Website.  They are very helpful to check bus, boat, and train schedules ahead of time.

Getting around in Laos is an adventure in itself.  I was on an overnight bus and completely over slept our stop by several hours.  Needless to say, that was an insane bus ride.

By Bus:  The easiest way to get to Laos and transfer between cities will be by bus.  Buses are frequent within the country.

The roads are filled with pot holes and its not uncommon to have a road destroyed by a land slide especially in monsoon season.  

By Tuk Tuks or Sawngthaews: Hire a driver to take you to places like Kuang Si Falls or the blue lagoon.

Moped or Motorbike: The best way to explore the country.

🎒 What to pack for Laos

Packing is always the hardest part.  You’ll most definetly want a rain jacket  for wet season and comfortable clothing that are suitable for the warm, humid weather of the warm months.  A warm jacket and comfortable yoga pants are also essential for the winter months.

Laos is a conservative country and you’ll need to be covered up when entering the temples.  I always bring a wrap skirt that I can throw on when I need to be covered up.

Don’t leave home without theses Laos travel guide essentials.

For more packing inspiration, check out these posts.

• Nifty Travel Gadgets for Backpackers
• 20 Travel Accessories Every Traveler Needs
• Travel Essentials for Long Haul Flights  

🧷 Safety in Laos

Laos Travel Guides