Laos Travel Guide

Walk shoulder to shoulder with monks through breathtaking scenery

In the “Land of a Million Elephants”, you’ll find aqua waterfalls and rolling green hills, rich cultural heritage, and a warm welcome like no other

Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Southeast Asia’s hidden gem: Laos

Why visit Laos?

Laos is criminally underrated and doesn’t get as many visitors as it’s neighbouring countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. So it offers more “off the beaten track” experiences and untouched scenery.

It will steal your heart with its incredible natural beauty, amazing food, and a rich and diverse culture. Plus, Laos is extremely affordable to travel through on “Western” wages. The mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls (and the resident wildlife) make it a paradise for hikers and nature lovers in general.

The food of Laos is reason enough to book a trip. It’s extremely aromatic with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables. While the locals eat EXTREMELY spicy versions, everything is cooked fresh and can be easily adjusted for more sensitive palates. If you’re familiar with Isaan food of Northeast Thailand, the cuisine of Laos is pretty similar.

The more you explore, the more you will find a nation like no other. The villages on the banks of Laos’ many rivers have barely changed in 40 years (though more hotels and guesthouses are starting to pop up). With 50 ethnic groups around the country, there is extensive ethnic and cultural diversity and you can shop the stunning crafts unique to each.

Not sure where to start? Check out our Laos itinerary guides:

Things to do in Luang Prabang (Ultimate List + Prices)

Hiking Nong Khiaw – Detailed guide to the best hikes

3 Day Luang Prabang Itinerary: To get the most from your visit

<

>

Key facts

Best time to visit

November-February

Currency

Laotian Kip

Lowest ATM fees

• BCEL: 30,000 kip flat fee
• Phongsavanh: 2% (minimum 20,000 kip)

Electricity Sockets

230V / 50Hz

Types A, B, C, E, F

Language

Lao

Helpful phrases

• Hello: Saibaidee (suh-bai-dee)
• Thank you: Khop jai add lai lai (ly ly) for “thank you very much”
• Goodbye: La gon
• Excuse me: Khaw toot
• Yes: Doi or Men
• No: Baw
• 1: Ning , 2: Song, 3: Sam, 4: See, 5: Ha

When to visit Laos

Laos has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons: wet season and dry season. The monsoons start in May and really ramp up by mid-July where flash flooding becomes more likely.

Best Time to Visit: Dry Season

November – February

Highs: 33°C (92°F), Lows: 10°C (50°F)

Average rainfall: 30mm (1.2″)

Shoulder Season

June – Mid July

Highs: 33°C (92°F), Lows: 21°C (70°F)

Average rainfall: 220mm (8.7″)

Burning Season

March – May

Highs: 36°C (97°F), Lows: 14°C (57°F)

Average rainfall: 50mm (2″)

Wet Season

Late July – October

Highs: 33°C (92°F). Lows: 17°C (63°F)

Average rainfall: 400mm (15.8″)

Like almost everywhere, climate change is shifting the start/end of seasons pretty dramatically year to year. So if you travel right at the start or end of a ‘traditional season’, it’s best to stay flexible in case the weather’s not what you were expecting.

Best: Nov-Feb (Dry Season)

The start of dry season offers the best of the weather AND the scenery. All the plant life and fields are still lush and green, plus you get to explore with limited rain and pleasant temperatures. It gets cold at night, especially in the North. It even sometimes snows above 900m altitude. But the days are still warm and not too humid.

March-May (Burning Season)

Temperatures start to soar in March and it’s also the beginning of “burning season”. This is when the farmers clear and burn their land and it can make the air extremely unpleasant. Like hard to breath and eyes constantly watering kind of unpleasant. While the rainfall is still very low, the combination of extreme heat, humidity, and smoke in the air can make this a deeply unpleasant time to visit. We wouldn’t recommend visiting Laos at this time other than *maybe* for Pi Mai – the New Year celebration in April.

June-Mid July (Early Wet Season)

The beginning of the wet season is the end of burning season. But we separate out “early” wet season from the full thing as it’s often still a great time to visit. Yes, the temperatures and humidity are still very high but the rain brings them down. Rains tend to be light and mostly in the evening, especially in the north.

Late July – October (Wet Season)

As wet season gets into full swing, rain becomes extremely heavy, especially in the south. This can cause issues with infrastructure and natural attractions so it can be very difficult to get around Laos at this time (roads and traditional bridges can wash completely away). We’ve been in Laos during the height of wet season and were constantly drenched – either from the rain or from the crazy humidity in between the downpours!

Top places in Laos

Luang Prabang

We’ve never met anyone that didn’t love their time in Luang Prabang. There are so many things to do from cafe hopping to visiting the many temples to sitting on the banks of the Mekong enjoying some great food including the famous Night Market. Don’t get us wrong, as the cultural capital of Laos, the old town gets insanely busy with tourists (especially at weekends thanks to the direct train from China) but it’s well worth a visit.

Vang Vieng

Known for “tipsy tubing” down the Mekong. Vang Vieng can be party central. But it’s also close to some of the most beautiful scenery in Laos. Choose your accommodation carefully if you want to avoid the drinkers and hire a scooter to explore the surrounding area.

Nong Khiaw

This sleepy little town in northern Laos is a great spot for hiking lovers. There are lots of trails, of varying lengths and difficulties, and all offer incredible views.

Luang Namtha

The area around Luang Namtha offers amazing hiking and cultural experiences visiting many of the communities living on the Mekong and some of the 49 ethnic groups present in Laos. Be prepared for a slightly rougher travel experience but one that is unique and fascinating.

Huay Xai

The end point of the slow boat up the Mekong is the gateway to Thailand for many but also home to the office of “The Gibbon Experience”. The town itself is not very interesting but if you’re looking to do Northern Thailand and Laos in one trip then you’ll come through here. The Gibbon Experience is worth the trip by itself.

Pakse

Khmer temple ruins, numerous coffee plantations, and gorgeous waterfalls. Pakse is more than just a stopover on your route through Southern Laos. If you don’t fancy taking the bus around the country then you can also fly to/from here.

Don Det

A stunning island in the Mekong River in the 4,000 island archipelago in Champasak province. If you’re getting the bus to or from Cambodia then this should be your first or last stop in Laos to enjoy the incredible scenery.

Top things to do in Laos

There is SO MUCH you can do in Laos depending on how long you have and what you’re into. So this is certainly not an exhaustive list, just some things we think are worth prioritising when putting together your Laos travel plan.

1. Chase waterfalls

All over Laos, there are waterfalls that will take your breath away. Two of our favourites are Kuang Si which you can get to via tuktuk from Laung Prabang’s Old Town and Khone Phapheng in Don Det. The latter is Southeast Asia’s biggest waterfall (by water volume) and is nothing short of spectacular.

2. Go to the Gibbon Experience

A collection of treehouses and zip lines high in the canopy. The Gibbon Experience is a combination of wildlife and excitement. They have a couple of options, though one is much more likely to see Gibbons than the other. Often booked out well in advance.

3. Meet sun & moon bears on a Bear Care Tour

This is one of the best things we’ve ever down in Laos and is a total hidden gem as not many people realise there are TWO bear sanctuaries in Luang Prabang (both run by the non-profit, Free the Bears). At their bigger property – Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary – you can see the insanely adorable sun and moon bears… and question why anything with such big claws looks so cuddly! You get to prepare some snacks for them and get a deeper insight into the rescue and rewilding work that goes on during a 1:1 tour.

Read next: Our experience at a Laos Bear Sanctuary

4. Drive the Thakhep Loop

A 3-5 day loop through 220 miles of stunning Central Laos. Still relatively unknown compared to Ha Giang in Vietnam, but popular enough to make completing it doable for even intermediate riders.

5. Learn a new skill

The craft skills of the Laos people are incredible, and some of them are willing to try pass these on to you. Weaving silk, carving wood, making jewellry, and crafting knives are some of the classes available in Luang Prabang.

6. Take a cooking class

Laos food deserves to be talked about in the same way as its Neighbours in Vietnam and Thailand. A rich cuisine absolutely bursting with bold flavours. Cooking some Laos dishes at home can help beat those post-trip blues a little.

Read next: Cooking class options in Luang Prabang

7. Go hiking

So much of Laos’ breathtaking natural beauty can only be enjoyed by hiking. This is no bad thing as it means there are no huge crowds at stunning viewpoints and a feeling of landscapes “unspoiled” by human intervention. From a couple of hours to a couple of days. There are amazing hiking options for all abilities.

How to get around Laos

Laos China Railway

The fastest and most comfortable way to travel between the tourist hotspots of Vientiane, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang is to take the train. You can even take the train into China or Thailand. Tickets for internal trains only go on sale 4 days in advance and must be booked through an agent or using the LCR app (which needs a Laos phone number).

If you get the train that started or ends in China, there’s a good amount of storage space. But the trains within Laos often don’t have enough to meet the demand of lots of tourists with suitcases and backpacks.

As the railway line is pretty new, the trains and stations are clean and comfy. The downside, however, is that the stations are all far out of the cities though most stations have shared taxi services to get you in and out of the city.

Internal Flight

Travelling longer distances to places not covered by the railway (anywhere south of Vientiane) are most comfortably navigated by flight. More places than you’d expect have an airport, though you might need to transfer in Vientiane on many routes.

It’s definitely not the cheapest option but it’s 10x faster and 10000x more comfortable than the vans or buses.

Shared Van

For short-ish trips of around a few hours, the shared vans are the most convenient way to get around. They’re pretty easy to book at agencies throughout the cities or at your hotel/hostel front desk.

Don’t go into it expecting the most peaceful, comfortable journey though. You’ll be packed in like sardines – they usually put a cushion on beer crates in the space the aisle should be so they can fit more people. Then you have to navigate the not great road system. But it is air conditioned and they run frequently between the main hubs of the country, so it’s not all bad. We travelled this way from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw with a lady in her 70s who loved every second of it and kept asking us to take her photo for her grandkids.

Bus

For very long journeys (12 hours or more), there are buses with regular seats, reclined seats, and sleeper berths. And yes they do put 2 people in each small berth, so be prepared to be little spoon to a stranger if you’re solo travelling.

We’ve heard a lot of horror stories about the buses so we chose to skip them (about the comfort levels, not their safety). Generally, they’re pretty uncomfortable (a lot worse than sleeper buses in Vietnam, for example) and it’s not uncommon for the drivers to blare music all night long. That said, they’re a cheap and easy way to get around especially in south Laos where the train doesn’t run.

Motorbike

Outside of the Thakhek Loop, not many places will rent you a scooter or motorbike to travel between the cities/towns in Laos. Though they’re very easy to get hold of for travelling to the sites relatively close to your hotel. If you can get one for longer distances, we’d only recommend it for very experienced riders.

I know we’ve mentioned it a few times in this Laos travel guide, but we can’t stress enough how bad the roads can be. Between the pot holes, the chaotic driving of other people (especially the trucks), and the fact that hospital care isn’t great, you need to be prepared for an adventurous journey. It’s undoubtedly an amazing way to see the country but only for those who really know what they’re doing.

Day trips on a scooter to the popular tourists sites tend to be much safer. But still more dangerous than Thailand or Vietnam for example, if only because medical care is lower quality. It’s not uncommon for hospitals (particularly in rural areas) to not have blood or oxygen available.

Tuktuk

This is the preferred day trip method for most visitors, especially in Vientiane and Luang Prabang to get to popular and beautiful sites that are just outside the main towns, like Kuang Si Waterfall. The tuktuks are usually pick up trucks with benches in the back rather than the style you might associate with Bangkok or Sri Lanka.

Drivers usually charge quite a lot (by Lao standards) for relatively short journeys though the price per person goes down as there’s more of you, so it’s best to share if you can. We recommend asking your accommodation what a reasonable price is so you can negotiate fairly.

Taxi

The bigger cities have taxis as well as tuktuks for getting around. But only the big cities.

You can use the “Loca” app to get a taxi as a tourist (it’s like Uber) which allows you to pay by cash or with a foreign card. Card payments come with a fairly hefty fee though. For now, it’s very limited in use and not available in many places.

Slow Boat

The Mekong River is the lifeline of Laos and it’s neighbours. So there are plenty of ways to get around by boat for both short distances (like visiting Pak Ou caves from Luang Prabang) or for longer distances like going all the way to Thailand.

The slow boat is an experience in itself for travelling between Laos and Thailand. It’s a 2 day journey and a great way to meet other travellers and locals alike.

Read next: Taking the Slow Boat in Laos

Bicycle

If you’re not confident on a scooter then hiring a bike to cycle around Luang Prabang or the other towns in Laos is a good option. Just remember that Laos is a very hilly nation so a decent level of fitness is required. Plus a lot of water in the humidity.

Eating out

Laos is a foodie paradise. If you like big powerful flavours that are sometimes a little challenging then you’re going to have a very good time. The food in Laos is very similar to Isaan food from NE Thailand, which makes sense since most people in that area are ethnically Lao.

Soups and stews are an important part of daily life. As are vibrant salads of meat and fish, dipping sauces, noodles, sandwiches, BBQ and a wide variety of things made in a wok and served over rice.

Lao people joke that “you add one chilli for each year since you were born”. So if you’re eating with locals, you might blow your head off with the insanely spicy food. But don’t let it put you off if you’re big on spice as most things are cooked to order so they’ll happily tone everything down for you if you ask. In places that see a lot of tourists, they’ll do this automatically if you don’t look Southeast Asian and like you can handle the heat.

Some Laos dishes that are worth looking out for are:

Papaya Salad (Tum Mak Hoong) – Shredded green papaya, aubergine, tomato, peanuts, and shallot with a lime, palm sugar, chilli and fermented fish sauce dressing. When made traditionally, Laos papaya salad is very different to the ones you find in Thailand – it will be super spicy and pretty funky.

Laab/Laap – Finely chopped meat or fish mixed with herbs, chillis, and other aromatics. This can be raw meat or cooked.

Khao Soi – Very different to Thai Khao Soi found around Chiang Mai. Here, it’s thin rice noodles in a broth with minced meat with herbs, bean sprouts, chillis, and sugar on the side

Festivals/ Celebrations

There are many festivals and celebrations in Laos, particularly around the Buddhist calendar. So this is just a few of the biggest ones that are worth planning a trip around, if you can. It’s also worth keeping in mind that transport options will be reduced around holiday celebrations too.

The exact dates will vary for the festivals depending on the year so we’ haven’t put the exact ones in this Laos travel guide. So make sure to check if you’re visiting in these months:

Boun Ma Kha Bu Saar (February)

Also known as “Sangha Day”, this day commemorates when 1250 Buddhists spontaneously came together to pay their respects to the Buddha. In the evening, the temples will hold a candlelight procession which is very beautiful to see.

Boun Pi Mai (April)

This is a pretty major celebration and the only reason we’d ever consider visiting Laos during burning season. It’s the celebration of Buddhist New Year in Laos (like Songkran in Thailand) and is a multiday celebration that includes throwing water on each other in the streets. So basically a huge, fun-filled water fight! Beyond the fun part, the Buddha statues get washed in Holy water too.

Boun Visakha Bu Saar (May)

Commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. This festival is also celebrated with candlelight processions by the monks in each temple.

Boun Ok Phansa (October)

The end of Buddhist lent is maybe the best festival to see in Laos. Monks return to their daily social activities after 3 months and there are candlelight processions and illuminated float parades in the streets.

Safety

Laos is generally a safe country to visit. The Global Residence Index has the capital city, Vientiane, at the same safety rating as Boston. Don’t get us wrong, crime rates aren’t zero -there are instances of petty crime, as there are in every country. So be careful around ATMs and when walking at night, especially if you’re travelling alone.

A lot of Laos is rural and these places are generally much safer than Vientiane. Unless you’re walking at night without a torch and whilst wearing dark clothes…

The biggest possible danger is on the roads: accidents involving scooter and motorcycles are very common. As a wildly sweeping generalisation, Laos people don’t drive particularly safely (often without helmets) and the roads aren’t very good. Plus there are a lot of tourists with little to no experience on scooters too.

Only rent a scooter or motorbike if you are confident riding one, use a reputable company and check the bike thoroughly before setting off. Without sounding like your mother, always always always wear a helmet.

Cars, buses, and minivans don’t always have seatbelts, or even proper seats, despite the roads being narrow, twisty, and not in great condition.

Common Scams

Being charged a higher price than a local is NOT a scam. That’s just the price we pay for travelling, and happens a lot in Laos just like the rest of Southeast Asia.

These are just the most common scams in the country, for a more detailed guide, check out our full breakdown, here.

Banknote scams – Torn, damaged, or marked US dollars or Thai baht won’t be accepted in Laos. So if someone has some of these notes, they might try to get you them in change since they can’t use them within the country. Obviously, if you’re going to be travelling to Thailand or the US, this isn’t a problem. For everyone else, check any USD or THB you’re given to make sure they’re pristine and simply don’t accept any that aren’t. Though most of the time, you’ll be given change in Kip even if you pay in dollars or baht.

Motorbike rental – Motorbike rental companies have been known to “steal” the bike they have just rented to you and then demand compensation. Always use reputable companies, preferably with plenty of reviews.

Slow boat scam – If you’re getting the slow boat to/from Luang Prabang, someone may come on the boat and claim that all the hotels in Pak Beng are full (where you spend the middle night on the 2 day journey). They then very kindly offer to sort a room for you. The scam isn’t that they take your money and run; they will reserve somewhere for you, just at a much higher price. You can avoid this by booking your room online – there are plenty as long as you do it in advance.

Foreign Exchange/ATMs

The local currency, Kip, is accepted everywhere and dispensed from ATMs which are plentiful in cities but very scarce outside of them. If you’re going rural, you might need to withdraw enough money for your whole trip before you set off.

USD and THB are also accepted as long as they are newer notes in perfect condition – no marks or tears, however small, will be tolerated.

All ATMs in Laos charge a fee for withdrawal and have low single withdrawal limits. Most (not all) will accept foreign bank cards and we found BCEL to be the cheapest option.

FAQs