Laos is characterized by beautiful natural scenery and well-preserved Buddhist temples.
Benefiting from the Mekong River, the longest in Southeast Asia, the country has a rich and beautiful natural landscape, attracting many travelers looking for peace and quiet or interested in culture and history.
1. Laos Quick Facts
Language Lao
Religion Buddhism
Currency Lao kip (LAK)
Visa 30-day visa-free
Capital Vientiane
ATM There aren’t many ATMs, so bring lots of cash to exchange.
Use card It’s still not easy to use credit cards except in restaurants, hotels and shops
Useful APP
Google Maps
Grab
Loca
Power Plugs 230 V 60 Hz (A /B/C/E/F Type)
2. Packing for your trip
Air plain Ticket
Dollar Flight Club has made it easier and cheaper to buy flights to the Airport.
SIM card
Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving you access to 200+ eSIMs (digital SIM cards) globally at affordable prices.
New member one-time use 15% discount coupon
10% discount coupon for multiple use by all members.
Pacsafe Pro safe 800 Luggage Lock
Good protection against snatchers or impulse thieves.
Universal Power Adapter
One of the most essential but most forgotten items in your travel gear? A power adapter!
Travel insurance
Prepare for risky situations Travel insurance can be a big help in the event of an emergency
GoPro HERO11
If you want to capture your own memories of your travels, GoPro is the way to go. It’s small, has great image quality, and is easy to carry around
Bug spray
Laos has a tropical climate and lots of bugs like mosquitoes. Pack bug spray and use it.
3. Transportation
The main modes of transport in Laos are tuk-tuks, motorbike taxis, buses and songthaews, with no metro.
A tuk-tuk or motorbike taxi is a basic 2km 30,000LAK haggle, and there are sometimes rip-offs, so we recommend the Loca app.
Songthaew 30,000LAK
Buses are more affordable, priced at 5,000-10,000LAK in town and 30,000-3,000,000LAK out of town.
Trains have recently opened to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang.
Tuk-tuk 30,000LAK-, Songthaew 30,000LAK -, city bus 3000-600LAK -.
4. Safety
Laos has one of the safest safety records in Southeast Asia. The main crimes in Laos are theft, robbery, drunkenness, fraud, street robbery, molestation, and traffic accidents, and as the number of non-national tourists has increased, the number of crimes against tourists has also increased. It is recommended that travellers do not keep valuables in their accommodation and carry them close to their body or store them in a safe at the hotel or accommodation. Excessive consumption of alcohol and carrying excessive amounts of cash can increase your exposure to crime.
Useful phone numbers for tourists
Police and general emergency : 191
Tourist Police : 1155
Public Ambulance : 1669
5. Climate
Laos has a tropical monsoon climate, with temperatures ranging from 24°C (75°F) to 33°C (92°F) during the rainy season from May to October. Torrential downpours can occur several times a day for several hours. Humidity is also high at night. Rainy days are followed by sunny days.
Cool dry season November to February Temperatures average 17°C (63°F) to 32°C (90°F) with large temperature differences between night and day, but it is sunny and a great time to travel.
Hot dry season March-April temperatures can reach 40°C (104°F), which is far too hot.
6. price
The cost of living in Laos is very low, whether it’s transport, accommodation or food, so travelling to Laos can be a relaxing and comfortable experience without breaking the bank.
McDonald’s Combo Meal:
Water (0.5 litres): 3,000 kip
Coca-Cola (1,500ml): 12,000 kip
Restaurant/Cafe: Coffee 2USD-.
7. Travel precautions
Laos is a country where Buddhism is the state religion and the majority of the population is Buddhist. Buddhist statues and related paintings have a very deep meaning to the Lao people, and it can be very disrespectful to disrespect them.
It is considered unacceptable for women to smoke, with some even thinking that a woman who smokes is a ‘whore’, so take care if your female traveller is a smoker.
When visiting temples or local people’s homes, it is not advisable to wear clothing such as shorts, sleeveless or short skirts that expose the knees.
You should buy and drink bottled water, and be careful about the hygiene of outside food.
Most public restrooms charge a fee of around 2000K in cash.
8. Etiquette & Service Tip
Use your right hand when passing or receiving objects. You should be careful not to pass objects with your left hand.
When entering someone’s home or a temple, you should always remove your shoes before entering.
For Lao people, the head is considered the most important part of a person’s body, so touching someone’s head should be avoided and children should not be touched because they are cute.
Tip
There is no native tipping culture, but it is customary to tip at high-end restaurants and massages. 15 per cent for fine dining, 20,000 kip for massages and 10,000 kip for other services.
9. Holidays
The public holidays in Laos in 2024
1 Jan Mon New Year’s Day
8 Mar Fri International Women’s Day
13 Apr to 16 Apr Sat to Tue Lao New Year
1 May Wed Labour Day
22 May Wed Visakhabousa Day
1 Jun Sat Children’s Day
20 Jul Sat Boun Khao Phansa
20 Jul Sat Lao Women’s Union Day
17 Oct Thu Boun Ok Phansa
28 Oct Mon Boat Racing Festival *
1 Nov Fri That Luang Festival
2 Dec Mon National Day
2025 National Public Holidays:
Wednesday, 1 January : New Year’s Day
Saturday, 8 March : International Women’s Day
Sunday to Wednesday,13 April to 16 April : Lao New Year
Thursday, 1 May : Labour Day
Monday, 5 May : Visakhabousa Day
Sunday, 1 June : Children’s Day
Sunday, 20 July : Lao Women’s Union Day
Thursday, 24 July : Boun Khao Phansa
Tuesday, 7 October : Boun Ok Phansa
Wednesday, 8 October : Boat Racing Festival *
Wednesday, 5 November : That Luang Festival
Tuesday, 2 December: National Day