Laos Trips & Tours

The soulful kingdom of Laos is often part of a longer exploration of Southeast Asia, so many travellers choose to travel by land. The crossings from Thailand near Vientiane and at Houayxai are the most popular. At present, there are no direct flights to Laos from outside the continent, which makes flying to Laos expensive. Most visitors fly into Bangkok, which is just over an hour away from Vientiane and around two hours from Luang Prabang. There are various connections available across Asia including Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Malaysia as well. Most flights from the UK will involve a change of plane in Bangkok or Vietnam and your yotal flying time will be at least 15 and a half hours with Thai Airways offering the fastest option. Flying to Laos from North America usually involves a stop in Bangkok (19 hours) and if you leave from the west coast, it’ll mean a stop in Hong Kong and Bangkok (23 hours). Flights from Perth travel via Bangkok (13 hours) and if you fly from elsewhere in Australia, you will have a change of plane in Vietnam or Hong Kong (the latter includes a second change in Bangkok) at a total journey time of 16 hours. Wattay International Airport in Vientiane is around 6km from the city centre, Luang Prabang International Airport is 4km from the old town and Pakse International Airport is 8km to the north of the town. Domestic flights are on the increase but travelling by road is the preferred way to reach Laos’ more remote destinations. If you’re continuing on to see more of Southeast Asia after Laos, there are a number of open border crossings. The most popular and scenic is to cruise along the Mekong River to the Thai border.

Yellow fever is the only vaccine required to enter Laos and proof of vaccination will only be requested if you have visited a high-risk country within six days of your visit to South East Asia. It’s best to visit a doctor four to eight weeks before departure to ensure immunity. There are a number of other vaccinations that are recommended when travelling to South East Asia including: - Adult diphtheria and tetanus - a booster is recommended if you haven’t had any in the last 10 years. - Hepatitis A and hepatitis B, which can often be combined. - Polio, if you haven’t had a booster shot. - Typhoid, unless your trip is shorter than a week and only to large cities. - Measles, mumps and rubella, which requires two doses unless you have already had them. We recommend visiting a doctor well before your trip for a full and up-to-date list of vaccination requirements. As is the case with most South East Asian countries, the tap water isn’t safe to drink and only properly sealed bottled water is recommended. Laos has a reputation as a pleasantly safe place to travel with only minor theft or scams being experienced in recent years.

Money The national currency is the Lao kip but Thai baht and US dollars are also commonly accepted. ATMs are now found across Laos but the maximum withdrawal is quite low with high charges. A growing number of hotels, upmarket restaurants and gift shops accept credit cards but outside of the major towns, they are unusable. Gratuities This is just a guideline as tipping is discretionary and the amount you give is up to you. Tipping can be in the local currency or USD. It is best to tip at the end of the day, end of the activity or at the end of your stay, given to the guide, driver or the manager to be distributed amongst the staff. Gratuities suggestions: Private guide: $10 per person per day Private driver: $5 per person per day General staff: $10 per person per day Waitstaff in a city restaurant: 10% (large group may incur automatic service charge - please check)

Insurance It is a condition of booking that you carry the correct comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover yourself, as well as any dependents/travelling companions for the duration of your trip. This insurance should include cover in respect of, but not limited to, the following eventualities: Compulsory Insurance: a. Emergency evacuation expenses b. Medical expenses c. Repatriation expenses Recommended Insurance: a. Cancellation or curtailment of trip b. Damage/theft/loss of personal luggage, money and goods

Unless you hold a passport for Japan or one of the ASEAN member countries, you will need a visa to visit Laos. As long as your passport is valid for at least six months from the time of entry, you can obtain a 30-day visa on arrival for approximately US $35 but it’s important to remember a passport-sized photo. Laos online eVisa Authorization Application: laoevisa.gov.la If you are passing through the below entry/exit points, you will be required to complete a Digital Arrival or Departure Card within 3 days of doing so - https://immigration.gov.la/en/home. A QR code will be generated for you, which you are required to present at the border. Entry/exit points include: 1. Wattay International Airport, Vientiane 2. Luang Prabang International Airport, Luang Prabang 3. Pakse International Airport, Pakse 4. First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, Vientiane

Laos has quite distinctive seasons, ranging from the sunny high season to the September rains. And, of course, if your journey includes the mountains, the temperature tends to drop. To help you pack right for your trip, we’ve listed some essentials: - Lightweight, comfortable clothing including modest items for temple visits - Warm items for cooler evenings / days in the north - Comfortable walking shoes and sandals - Refillable water bottle - High-factor sunscreen - Earplugs - Universal travel adaptor (Laos operates on 220 volts and two-pin sockets with flat prongs are the norm). - Camera - Dry bag - Torch (many small towns only have electricity for a few hours in the evening)