About Laos
Planning a Trip to Laos
Laos does not follow daylight savings time.
Business hours
Normal Business Hours in Laos, from Monday to Friday are:
08:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00 (public sector)
08:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00 (private sector)
Banking Hours Monday to Friday:
08:30 - 15:30
Holidays & Festivals
There are many Lao festivals and holidays throughout the year. Festivals are generally linked to agricultural seasons or historical Buddhist holidays. Public holidays in bold.
January
Business hours
Normal Business Hours in Laos, from Monday to Friday are:
08:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00 (public sector)
08:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00 (private sector)
Banking Hours Monday to Friday:
08:30 - 15:30
Holidays & Festivals
There are many Lao festivals and holidays throughout the year. Festivals are generally linked to agricultural seasons or historical Buddhist holidays. Public holidays in bold.
January
- International New Year’s Day (1st)
- Pathet Lao Day (6th)
- Army Day (20th)
- Boun Pha Wet (movable) celebrates Buddha’s reincarnation
- Magha Puja (movable) celebrates the end of Buddha’s time in the monastery and the prediction of his death; principally celebrated in Vientiane and at Wat Phu in Champassack
- Chinese / Vietnamese Lunar New Year (movable)
- International Women’s Day (8th)
- People’s Party Day (22nd)
- Boun Khoun Khao (movable) is a harvest festival celebrated at wats
- Boun Bi Mai (mid-April) celebrates the Lao New Year and is the largest holiday of the year; celebrated with parties, visits to wats, and water throwing (around Apr 13-15)
- International Labour Day (1st)
- Boun Visakha Puja (movable) celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha
- Boun Bang Fai (movable) is a rain-making festival celebrated with rockets
- Children’s Day / Reforestation Day (1st)
- Boun Khao Phansaa (movable) is the first day of Buddhist Lent
- Lao Issara / Free Lao Day (13th)
- Liberation Day (23rd)
- Haw Khao Padap Din (movable) is a celebration of the dead
- Boun Awk Watsa (movable) is the end of Buddhist Lent and marks the end of the rainy season; celebrated with boat races
- Freedom from the French Day (12th); celebrated in Vientiane
- Boun That Luang (movable); celebrated mainly at That Luang in Vientiane
- Hmong New Year (movable)
- Independence Day (2nd)
- Christmas (25th); celebrated by Christians
Last edited Oct 20, 07 3:15 PM. Contributors:
The overall best time to visit Laos is during the cool dry season, between November and February, when the rains are usually over. All rivers are navigable and before the river volume dries up too much roads are passable.
Last edited Oct 16, 07 5:21 PM. Contributors:
Ban Dondet, Laos
If you have braved the way through southern Laos, you deserve Don Det. I never felt more at home. It was, hands down, the most authentic SE Asian place I ever visited. The villagers live in the same manner as the generations before them, with only the addition of a few rows of guesthouses. You share the same toilet facilities with your adopted family. All the tiny naked toddlers stare and wave at you - goggle eyed. And napping in hammock over the Mekong River is forever etched in my mind's eye.
Warning : The mosquitos are intense. After the sun falls, your flashlight is the only electric light for miles. No amount of deet can save you. I typically went to bed early, like the locals, seeking refuge under my mozzie net.
I stayed at: ponepasak guesthouse.
Don Det is my heaven. This tiny 1 x 2 kilometer island is charmingly sweet. One well-worn path loops the island, and renting a bicycle from a guesthouse is the best way to see things (although walking is the best way to make new friends, which you will). When I was there, I doubt there were a dozen other travellers, and those there were all very like-minded and open to the warmth and stories of the locals. Take a walk in any direction and any local in earshot will holler a "sabaidee!" your way, and a trail of little kids will creep behind you. I had one little guy in stitches when I started whistling - it cracked him up trying to mimic me. For some reason, I had John Denver's "Country Roads" stuck in my head during my stay, and I whistled it constantly. Mama at rasta cafe will win your heart, "you EEEAT! goooood! suh-peak lao!" which is your prompt to say something in lao. On the west side of the islands, at the aptly named "Sunset Cafe", you can have a Beer Lao and some fantastic food, served up with a sparkling show of reds and oranges burnt across the sky. Thomas and I biked over the bridge to Don Khon, where we found a guide to lead us to the Somphamit Falls (1.5 kilometers from the bridge). These falls are nothing like Kuang Si (Laos), Somphamit is thunderously powerful.
My home on don det was at phonepasak, run by the dynamite madame pihm and her precious family. She's a fabulous cook - ask for the delicious moc pa . One morning Mr. Pihm came in with twitching catfish hanging from his fingers, "Dinner!" he hollered and laughed. Madame Pimh steamed it for most of the day, wrapped in banana leaves, coconut and sweet seasonings... delicous. Stay any length of time and you'll feel like part of the family, eating at the table with kittens rolling around under the daughter's chair, and eating what's served not what you order. There were days I hardly left my hammock though, a good mafia book and some music, you hardly noticed time pass. As I was half-way through my trip, and I felt I'd earned some dedicated hammock-time. I could not have imagined or dreamed a better place on this planet. Even the mozzies couldn't dampen my joy!
...... Written in 2005 when I visited ( travelogue photos ). God willing, life on Don Det hasn't changed much hasn't been bombarded by the Bankok hippie-backpacker crush.....
Warning : The mosquitos are intense. After the sun falls, your flashlight is the only electric light for miles. No amount of deet can save you. I typically went to bed early, like the locals, seeking refuge under my mozzie net.
I stayed at: ponepasak guesthouse.
Don Det is my heaven. This tiny 1 x 2 kilometer island is charmingly sweet. One well-worn path loops the island, and renting a bicycle from a guesthouse is the best way to see things (although walking is the best way to make new friends, which you will). When I was there, I doubt there were a dozen other travellers, and those there were all very like-minded and open to the warmth and stories of the locals. Take a walk in any direction and any local in earshot will holler a "sabaidee!" your way, and a trail of little kids will creep behind you. I had one little guy in stitches when I started whistling - it cracked him up trying to mimic me. For some reason, I had John Denver's "Country Roads" stuck in my head during my stay, and I whistled it constantly. Mama at rasta cafe will win your heart, "you EEEAT! goooood! suh-peak lao!" which is your prompt to say something in lao. On the west side of the islands, at the aptly named "Sunset Cafe", you can have a Beer Lao and some fantastic food, served up with a sparkling show of reds and oranges burnt across the sky. Thomas and I biked over the bridge to Don Khon, where we found a guide to lead us to the Somphamit Falls (1.5 kilometers from the bridge). These falls are nothing like Kuang Si (Laos), Somphamit is thunderously powerful.
My home on don det was at phonepasak, run by the dynamite madame pihm and her precious family. She's a fabulous cook - ask for the delicious moc pa . One morning Mr. Pihm came in with twitching catfish hanging from his fingers, "Dinner!" he hollered and laughed. Madame Pimh steamed it for most of the day, wrapped in banana leaves, coconut and sweet seasonings... delicous. Stay any length of time and you'll feel like part of the family, eating at the table with kittens rolling around under the daughter's chair, and eating what's served not what you order. There were days I hardly left my hammock though, a good mafia book and some music, you hardly noticed time pass. As I was half-way through my trip, and I felt I'd earned some dedicated hammock-time. I could not have imagined or dreamed a better place on this planet. Even the mozzies couldn't dampen my joy!
...... Written in 2005 when I visited ( travelogue photos ). God willing, life on Don Det hasn't changed much hasn't been bombarded by the Bankok hippie-backpacker crush.....
Good tip?
(0)
With the exception of Lao nationals and diplomats in certain countries, a visa is required for entry into Laos. It is possible to obtain a visa in advance from a Lao consulate or embassy, as well as at certain border crossings. It is not recommended to enter Laos without valid travel documents or outside official points of entry. Sometimes immigration offices at some of the lesser frequented border crossings are not well marked. It is imperative that travelers complete the complete immigration procedures and formalities. Those who enter without official processing may be subject to fines, detention, imprisonment or deportation.
Be careful when purchasing visas. Sometimes third party agents may try to sell you visas that are either false, or are have been marked up in price. Visas can be obtained in advance or upon arrival at the following international checkpoints:
Official immigration border and checkpoints
There are 5 possible types of visas available. They are:
Transit visa
Transit visas are issued to foreign visitors who transit through the Lao PDR. Employment is prohibited.
Maximum five days for stay (in Vientiane only).
Proof of an entry visa and air ticket to the third country.
Tourist visa
Tourist visas are issued to foreign visitors of Laos upon arrival at one of the international checkpoints. Employment is prohibited.
Valid for Fifteen days (technically non-extendable).
Department of Immigration in Vientiane will extend the 15 day tourist visa for up to 15 days at a $2 USD per day extension. An additional 15 day extension can sometimes be obtained from a tour agency.
Visa processing should be made through an eligible tour company which has a contract with a tour company in the Lao PDR or directly through the Lao Embassy or Consulate in many countries such as France, Russia, Sweden, USA, Poland, Germany, Cuba, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, The Philippines, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Australia and USA.
Penalty for overstaying is arrest and upon departure, a fine for $10 for each day of overstay
Visit Visa
A visit visa is issued to foreign citizens holding ordinary passports intending to visit relatives in Laos. Employment is prohibited.
One month for stay (can be extended for two additional months).
Visa request can be processed either through a guarantor in Laos or the Lao Embassy
Business Visa
Business visa: A business visa is issued to persons investing in or registering a company in the Lao PDR. As the time taken to approve such investments is officially 60 days, a 30-day multiple-entry visa is initially given. In practice approving investments takes much longer and extensions to the initial visa are given. These visas can be obtained in the Lao PDR only if there is a guarantee from a company set up in the country. The DDFI, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, and the State Employment Enterprise are responsible for this.
Business visas can be granted for three months, six months or one year, costing US$38, US$75 or US$141 respectively, though these rates have a history of changing from time to time.
Visa authorization is arranged by sponsor in Laos and the Embassy can not process visas until it receives authorization or approval from the authorities concerned in Laos.
One month for stay (can be extended until completion of your business term).
Multiple entry Visa
Available only from the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lao PDR.
Documentary Requirements for all visas
The following documents are required in order to obtain a Lao visa:
Two application forms filled out in duplicate
Three recent photographs
A passport with at least six months validity
If applying by mail, a enclosed prepaid envelope for the return of the passport
Visa validity
All visas types (except the multi entry) are issued for one entry and must be used within two months of issue date.
When applying by mail, allocate at least 20 business days prior to the intended departure date for the processing of visas.
When applying at the Thai embassy, allow 1 full working business day prior to the intended departure for the processing of visas. Express visa processing services are available in Bangkok for 200 Baht.
Be careful when purchasing visas. Sometimes third party agents may try to sell you visas that are either false, or are have been marked up in price. Visas can be obtained in advance or upon arrival at the following international checkpoints:
Official immigration border and checkpoints
- Wattay International Airport ( In Vientiane Capital )
- Luang Prabang International Airport ( In Luang Prbang Province )
- Pakse International Airport ( In Pakse Province )
- Mittaphab Bridge Laos Nongkhai Thailand
- Houaixay Laos Xiangkong Thailand
- Thakhek Laos Nakhonphanome Thailand
- Savannakhet Laos Moukdahan Thailand
- Vangtao Laos Xongmek Thailand
- Namphao Laos Caucheo Vietnam
- Ban Densavanh Laos Laobao Vietnam
- Naophao Laos Jalor Vietnam
- Namkan Laos Namcan Vietnam
- Boten Laos Bohan China
There are 5 possible types of visas available. They are:
Transit visa
Transit visas are issued to foreign visitors who transit through the Lao PDR. Employment is prohibited.
Maximum five days for stay (in Vientiane only).
Proof of an entry visa and air ticket to the third country.
Tourist visa
Tourist visas are issued to foreign visitors of Laos upon arrival at one of the international checkpoints. Employment is prohibited.
Valid for Fifteen days (technically non-extendable).
Department of Immigration in Vientiane will extend the 15 day tourist visa for up to 15 days at a $2 USD per day extension. An additional 15 day extension can sometimes be obtained from a tour agency.
Visa processing should be made through an eligible tour company which has a contract with a tour company in the Lao PDR or directly through the Lao Embassy or Consulate in many countries such as France, Russia, Sweden, USA, Poland, Germany, Cuba, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, The Philippines, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Australia and USA.
Penalty for overstaying is arrest and upon departure, a fine for $10 for each day of overstay
Visit Visa
A visit visa is issued to foreign citizens holding ordinary passports intending to visit relatives in Laos. Employment is prohibited.
One month for stay (can be extended for two additional months).
Visa request can be processed either through a guarantor in Laos or the Lao Embassy
Business Visa
Business visa: A business visa is issued to persons investing in or registering a company in the Lao PDR. As the time taken to approve such investments is officially 60 days, a 30-day multiple-entry visa is initially given. In practice approving investments takes much longer and extensions to the initial visa are given. These visas can be obtained in the Lao PDR only if there is a guarantee from a company set up in the country. The DDFI, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, and the State Employment Enterprise are responsible for this.
Business visas can be granted for three months, six months or one year, costing US$38, US$75 or US$141 respectively, though these rates have a history of changing from time to time.
Visa authorization is arranged by sponsor in Laos and the Embassy can not process visas until it receives authorization or approval from the authorities concerned in Laos.
One month for stay (can be extended until completion of your business term).
Multiple entry Visa
Available only from the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lao PDR.
Documentary Requirements for all visas
The following documents are required in order to obtain a Lao visa:
Two application forms filled out in duplicate
Three recent photographs
A passport with at least six months validity
If applying by mail, a enclosed prepaid envelope for the return of the passport
Visa validity
All visas types (except the multi entry) are issued for one entry and must be used within two months of issue date.
When applying by mail, allocate at least 20 business days prior to the intended departure date for the processing of visas.
When applying at the Thai embassy, allow 1 full working business day prior to the intended departure for the processing of visas. Express visa processing services are available in Bangkok for 200 Baht.
Last edited Oct 16, 07 5:30 PM. Contributors:
Pakxe, Southern Laos, Laos
The red clay is pretty when its wet...
After a visa-crunch and 14 hour overnight bus ride through southern Laos, and a busdriver who blared Lao pop karaoke tapes at top volume, Pakse was a welcome site. Extensive Laotian travel is exhaustive, mentally and physically. You feel bones rattling in your body you didn't know you had, you wonder if chinese-water-torture could be much worse than this. You fantasize about pillows and ice cubes.
Dawn had just broken, and everything was dewy. The early morning air was cool and refreshing, the first specs of sunlight bouning off the red-tiled roofs of Pakse. Thomas I had an early-morning, getting-off-that-stupid-bus beer with a Canadian artist. There are a handful of internet cafes and backpacker-friendly eateries, even some good Indian cuisine. The locals are shy but friendly, and life is noticeably slower than in Northern Laos. You can feel the kinks in your neck start to unwind a little bit as you sit by the side of the road, watching the schoolkids ambling by, smiling shyly at you. After a nap in grungy-hotel-from-Lonely-Planet, we were off again for the 4,000 Islands
Coming back through Pakse afterwards was a much... grittier... experience. Stef (enroute at the time) got an email from me warning "Welcome to the sand storm known as Pakse". The lovely red clay roads, when not sufficiently watered down, swell up. Operation "get out of pakse" was in full force, my resolve was unstoppable. "Cambodia, here i come" I muttered into the crook of my arm as I staggered through the red swirls, trying to cover my eyes. The Lao Aviation office was naturally on the other side of town. The town seemed to freeze in the dust, I thought of Pompeii. Although i could have just as easily shown up at the airport been fine, as it turned out. The Pakse airport is a one-gate, one-desk, one-ticket-taker kind of deal. all 4 people working at the airport knew of my plans by the time I left. A french guy I had a good chuckle at how we were the only two passengers for the day. I highly recommend Lao aviation from Pakse to Siem Reap - a full lunch was served on a 40 minute flight, plenty of comfortable room for a little plane, and sweet attendants.
... written in 2005 when I visited ( check out my travelogue photos ).
After a visa-crunch and 14 hour overnight bus ride through southern Laos, and a busdriver who blared Lao pop karaoke tapes at top volume, Pakse was a welcome site. Extensive Laotian travel is exhaustive, mentally and physically. You feel bones rattling in your body you didn't know you had, you wonder if chinese-water-torture could be much worse than this. You fantasize about pillows and ice cubes.
Dawn had just broken, and everything was dewy. The early morning air was cool and refreshing, the first specs of sunlight bouning off the red-tiled roofs of Pakse. Thomas I had an early-morning, getting-off-that-stupid-bus beer with a Canadian artist. There are a handful of internet cafes and backpacker-friendly eateries, even some good Indian cuisine. The locals are shy but friendly, and life is noticeably slower than in Northern Laos. You can feel the kinks in your neck start to unwind a little bit as you sit by the side of the road, watching the schoolkids ambling by, smiling shyly at you. After a nap in grungy-hotel-from-Lonely-Planet, we were off again for the 4,000 Islands
Coming back through Pakse afterwards was a much... grittier... experience. Stef (enroute at the time) got an email from me warning "Welcome to the sand storm known as Pakse". The lovely red clay roads, when not sufficiently watered down, swell up. Operation "get out of pakse" was in full force, my resolve was unstoppable. "Cambodia, here i come" I muttered into the crook of my arm as I staggered through the red swirls, trying to cover my eyes. The Lao Aviation office was naturally on the other side of town. The town seemed to freeze in the dust, I thought of Pompeii. Although i could have just as easily shown up at the airport been fine, as it turned out. The Pakse airport is a one-gate, one-desk, one-ticket-taker kind of deal. all 4 people working at the airport knew of my plans by the time I left. A french guy I had a good chuckle at how we were the only two passengers for the day. I highly recommend Lao aviation from Pakse to Siem Reap - a full lunch was served on a 40 minute flight, plenty of comfortable room for a little plane, and sweet attendants.
... written in 2005 when I visited ( check out my travelogue photos ).
Good tip?
(0)
Don San, Laos
At the Golden Triangle you can do a quick trip into Laos from Thailand, to the island of Don Sao. You do not need any official visas, and you can't go to the mainland from there, but you can send a postcard home from Laos :)
Good tip?
(0)
In many ways Laos relies heavily on natural daylight; in 2005, only 40% of the households had access to electricity, mostly in the developed towns. There are plans to build electricity and powerlines. By 2020, it is estimated that 70% of the households will have electricity. Often rural villages live by the sunrise and sunset, with some reliance on small power generators. Power outages are not uncommon and villages that do have access to electricity typically only run it for one or two hours after sunset.
Electricity in Laos operates at 230 V and 50 Hz. There are many different plug types in use, including several variants of the North American prong plugs and the European rounded pins.
Electricity in Laos operates at 230 V and 50 Hz. There are many different plug types in use, including several variants of the North American prong plugs and the European rounded pins.
Last edited Oct 16, 07 5:33 PM. Contributors:
Due to the low cost of living, expenses in Laos will be quite reasonable. Average food costs are around $1-3 USD per meal, and reasonable accommodations can be had for around $10 per day. Due to low excise duties, the cost of imported beer and alcohol is typically half that of Thailand.
Meals
Budget: US$0.50 -1
Mid-range: US$1-3
Top-end: US$3 and upwards
Lodging
Budget: US$2.50-8
Mid-range: US$8-15
Top-end: US$25 and upwards
In larger cities, the prices will increase correspondingly. Expect to pay $5 as a minimum versus around $2 in other parts of the country.
Staying in Vientiane will cost you more than accommodation elsewhere - expect to pay from US$5 in the capital and about $1.75 in the country for a basic room. In a flashier tourist hotel you'll pay from about $15 a night, up to around $60. An average meal will set you back less than $2 - a cup of coffee costs about 15c, a bowl of rice noodle soup about 50c to $1 and a litre of beer about 70c. If you want air conditioning, hot water and foreign food, you'll be paying between $25 and $75 a day.
Meals
Budget: US$0.50 -1
Mid-range: US$1-3
Top-end: US$3 and upwards
Lodging
Budget: US$2.50-8
Mid-range: US$8-15
Top-end: US$25 and upwards
In larger cities, the prices will increase correspondingly. Expect to pay $5 as a minimum versus around $2 in other parts of the country.
Staying in Vientiane will cost you more than accommodation elsewhere - expect to pay from US$5 in the capital and about $1.75 in the country for a basic room. In a flashier tourist hotel you'll pay from about $15 a night, up to around $60. An average meal will set you back less than $2 - a cup of coffee costs about 15c, a bowl of rice noodle soup about 50c to $1 and a litre of beer about 70c. If you want air conditioning, hot water and foreign food, you'll be paying between $25 and $75 a day.
Last edited Oct 16, 07 5:32 PM. Contributors:
Pakxe, Southern Laos, Laos
If you don't like rain, mud, or walking much, I suggest not to go to Pakse during rainy season (June-August). However, if you can stand all that, you might appreciate the jungles and waterfalls in southern Laos near Champasak and Pakse. I found it more beautiful walking around in the rain. Everything was green and the mud was...mud. It made it more fun. Everything gets wet and dirty and you might slip a little here and there. In my opinion rainy season is the best season. Just bring some extra clothes for changing. If you are scared of getting a cold, just wear a pancho and some rain boots and you'll be fine.
Good tip?
(+1)
Luang Prabang, Northern Laos, Laos
Really quiet, really relaxing... peaceful town on the Mekong River. I could have stayed here longer than I did.
Good tip?
(0)
Luang Prabang, Northern Laos, Laos
This is a trekker's dream city. It remains very culturally true to its history but also has the luxuries of the French colonial influce which means you can get an incredible chocolate eclair in the middle of Laos! Many great guest houses located along the Mekong River. If they wash your underwear for you, expect to see it hanging on a clothes line near the road for all to see!
Good tip?
(0)
Luang Prabang, Northern Laos, Laos
Cycle to waterfall and spend a night in the middle of no-where.
Good tip?
(0)
Muang Vangviang, Laos
The town itself is a little depressing. CAN I SCREAM LOUDER I DIDN'T GO TO LAOS TO GET STONED EATING HAPPY PIZZA AND WATCH 'FRIENDS' REPEATS!!!!!!!!!!!! Got very very sunburnt- Don't do the inner tubing in the dry season!
All that said, a walk to the caves through the farms against the beautiful limestone mountains and jungle backgrounds, waving to the friendly farmers as you pass is definitly wonderful.
Good tip?
(0)
Laos is considered to be a high risk country in terms of disease risk. All travelers should visit either their personal physician or a travel health clinic 4-8 weeks before departure. For more information, refer to the Traveler Precautions – Health.
Last edited Oct 16, 07 5:33 PM. Contributors:
The following are recommended items to bring to Laos
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Multivitamins
- Mosquito repellent
- Prescriptions - may be difficult to fill in Laos
- $100 bills (you can draw money against a credit card, but cash is easier)
- 1 pair sandals and 1 pair of shoes
- 2 pairs loose cotton pants
- 2 shirts (I always buy more after I arrive)
- Wide brimmed hat
- Camera
- Calculator
- Alarm clock
- Flashlight or headlamp
Last edited Oct 16, 07 5:35 PM. Contributors:
Internet access is only available in cities with telecommunication infrastructure, though creative solutions have been implemented in more rural regions, including bicycle-powered internet access, and solar powered internet cafes. Internet service providers in Laos include ETL, LaoTel, Lanexang Internet Ltd, Planet Internet, KPL Internet (previously GlobeCom), Champalao Internet and Lao National Internet Committee (LANIC).
Within Vientiane, internet access is available at:
Within Vientiane, internet access is available at:
- Lao Hotel Plaza
- Novotel Hotel
- Parkview Executive Suites
- LAO-ITECC Exhibition Hall
- Don Chan Palace
- Inter Hotel
- Internet Cafe 209 Setthathirat RD, Vientiane
- Khemkong Minimark Fargnum Road, Mixay Village, Vientiane
- Millenium Cafe Simuang Village, Vientiane
- ECK SA VANG Repairs No. 11, Sihom Village , Vientiane
- Phimphone Supermarket Xanggneng Village, Sethathirat Road , Vientiane
- Lom Phaune Shop Haysok Village, Vientiane
- Udom Development Supermarket 119/14 Dongpalane Thai Village, Dongpalane Road , Vientiane
- SDS Electronic Thongthom Village, Vientiane
- TH Computer Fai Village, Vientiane
- Data Com Sihom Village, Vientiane
- Tai-Pan Hotel Mixay Village, Vientiane
- Bounthavy Shop SibounHeuang Village, Vientiane
- Luangprabang Cafe Laungprabang Province
- MicroInfo Computer Sibounhuang Village, Sydumdaun Road, Vientiane
- Planet Online 6th Floor, Vientiane Commercial Bank Building,Vientiane
- IT Computer 2 Sisavat, Vientiane
- MICROTECH Sithane Neau Village, Laungprabang Road, Vientiane
- Phimphone Kao Xoengngeun Village, Vientiane
- V&T Computer Thatluang Village, Vientiane
- Pracha Trading Nongdoung Village, Vientiane
- IN Minimart Simuang Village, Vientiane
- Saysiri IT Phonthan Village, Vientiane
- Speed Shop Fai Village, Vientiane
- UniCom Watchan Village, Khunboulom Road, Vientiane
Last edited Oct 20, 07 3:18 PM. Contributors:
Pakxe, Southern Laos, Laos
The red clay is pretty when its wet...
After a visa-crunch and 14 hour overnight bus ride through southern Laos, and a busdriver who blared Lao pop karaoke tapes at top volume, Pakse was a welcome site. Extensive Laotian travel is exhaustive, mentally and physically. You feel bones rattling in your body you didn't know you had, you wonder if chinese-water-torture could be much worse than this. You fantasize about pillows and ice cubes.
Dawn had just broken, and everything was dewy. The early morning air was cool and refreshing, the first specs of sunlight bouning off the red-tiled roofs of Pakse. Thomas I had an early-morning, getting-off-that-stupid-bus beer with a Canadian artist. There are a handful of internet cafes and backpacker-friendly eateries, even some good Indian cuisine. The locals are shy but friendly, and life is noticeably slower than in Northern Laos. You can feel the kinks in your neck start to unwind a little bit as you sit by the side of the road, watching the schoolkids ambling by, smiling shyly at you. After a nap in grungy-hotel-from-Lonely-Planet, we were off again for the 4,000 Islands
Coming back through Pakse afterwards was a much... grittier... experience. Stef (enroute at the time) got an email from me warning "Welcome to the sand storm known as Pakse". The lovely red clay roads, when not sufficiently watered down, swell up. Operation "get out of pakse" was in full force, my resolve was unstoppable. "Cambodia, here i come" I muttered into the crook of my arm as I staggered through the red swirls, trying to cover my eyes. The Lao Aviation office was naturally on the other side of town. The town seemed to freeze in the dust, I thought of Pompeii. Although i could have just as easily shown up at the airport been fine, as it turned out. The Pakse airport is a one-gate, one-desk, one-ticket-taker kind of deal. all 4 people working at the airport knew of my plans by the time I left. A french guy I had a good chuckle at how we were the only two passengers for the day. I highly recommend Lao aviation from Pakse to Siem Reap - a full lunch was served on a 40 minute flight, plenty of comfortable room for a little plane, and sweet attendants.
... written in 2005 when I visited ( check out my travelogue photos ).
After a visa-crunch and 14 hour overnight bus ride through southern Laos, and a busdriver who blared Lao pop karaoke tapes at top volume, Pakse was a welcome site. Extensive Laotian travel is exhaustive, mentally and physically. You feel bones rattling in your body you didn't know you had, you wonder if chinese-water-torture could be much worse than this. You fantasize about pillows and ice cubes.
Dawn had just broken, and everything was dewy. The early morning air was cool and refreshing, the first specs of sunlight bouning off the red-tiled roofs of Pakse. Thomas I had an early-morning, getting-off-that-stupid-bus beer with a Canadian artist. There are a handful of internet cafes and backpacker-friendly eateries, even some good Indian cuisine. The locals are shy but friendly, and life is noticeably slower than in Northern Laos. You can feel the kinks in your neck start to unwind a little bit as you sit by the side of the road, watching the schoolkids ambling by, smiling shyly at you. After a nap in grungy-hotel-from-Lonely-Planet, we were off again for the 4,000 Islands
Coming back through Pakse afterwards was a much... grittier... experience. Stef (enroute at the time) got an email from me warning "Welcome to the sand storm known as Pakse". The lovely red clay roads, when not sufficiently watered down, swell up. Operation "get out of pakse" was in full force, my resolve was unstoppable. "Cambodia, here i come" I muttered into the crook of my arm as I staggered through the red swirls, trying to cover my eyes. The Lao Aviation office was naturally on the other side of town. The town seemed to freeze in the dust, I thought of Pompeii. Although i could have just as easily shown up at the airport been fine, as it turned out. The Pakse airport is a one-gate, one-desk, one-ticket-taker kind of deal. all 4 people working at the airport knew of my plans by the time I left. A french guy I had a good chuckle at how we were the only two passengers for the day. I highly recommend Lao aviation from Pakse to Siem Reap - a full lunch was served on a 40 minute flight, plenty of comfortable room for a little plane, and sweet attendants.
... written in 2005 when I visited ( check out my travelogue photos ).
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Muang Vangviang, Laos
Vang Vieng today is mainly a backpacker town. The main street is littered with guest houses, bars, restaurants, internet cafes and tour agencies. It surrounded by mountains rivers. The main attractions are caves, Hmong villages, and the natural mountain scenery. A favorite with travelers - many stay longer than planned.
I had a tour into a big cave guided by a local guy, but you don't have to look for them, you will find you, and offer theis service! :o)
So this cave was 1 hour into and 1 hore out, with a headlight, everywhere dripstones, but unfortunately everybody touch the wall....
And if you rent a bicycle you can ride arond the area.
I want to go back! :o)))
I had a tour into a big cave guided by a local guy, but you don't have to look for them, you will find you, and offer theis service! :o)
So this cave was 1 hour into and 1 hore out, with a headlight, everywhere dripstones, but unfortunately everybody touch the wall....
And if you rent a bicycle you can ride arond the area.
I want to go back! :o)))
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Male speaking Female speaking
Hello........................... Sabbai dee Sabbai dee
How are you? .............Chao pen cheung day Chao sabbai dee boh
I am fine...................... Khoy sabbai dee Khoy sabbai dee
Goodbye..................... Laa Koon Laa Koon
Please......................... Gahluna Gahluna
Thank you................... Khopjai Khopjai
Excuse me................... Khawtort Khawtort
Welcome.................... Yin dee tohn hap Yin dee tohn hap
Yes............................. Chao Chao
No.............................. Boh Boh
Hello........................... Sabbai dee Sabbai dee
How are you? .............Chao pen cheung day Chao sabbai dee boh
I am fine...................... Khoy sabbai dee Khoy sabbai dee
Goodbye..................... Laa Koon Laa Koon
Please......................... Gahluna Gahluna
Thank you................... Khopjai Khopjai
Excuse me................... Khawtort Khawtort
Welcome.................... Yin dee tohn hap Yin dee tohn hap
Yes............................. Chao Chao
No.............................. Boh Boh
Last edited Oct 16, 07 5:27 PM. Contributors:
Ban Na Xay, Laos
We went for a 2 day experience in Laos to go to the villages of Ban Na Ban HatKai. After leaving Nong Khai/Thailand at 8 a.m. in the morning we arrived in Ban Na at 12.30 p.m on Saturday.. After a good lunch we were finally ready to go into the jungle. The first thing you notice when you enter the jungle is the sign that says “NO ENTRY”. You can never go in the jungle in Ban Na without a guide because you’ll probably get lost. After a long walk through the jungle of almost 3 hours we arrived at the elephant tower, the place where everybody stays the night. A great meal of sticky rice, pork, vegetables and a spicy sauce was prepared for us by the guides. When everybody had eaten enough it was time to go to bed. In the tower you just sleep on a small matras in a sleeping bag, it’s really a big adventure. You might even see wild elephants at night. When they come you are wide awake in no time. Although we got up at night to go to the toilet we didn’t see any elephants. Finally we woke up in the morning to return to Ban Na village. Even though we hadn’t seen any elephants, just the experience of walking through the jungle with the idea that you might ran in to them is amazing. When we arrived at 10 a.m. in the village of Ban Na again we asked Buntanom, the man who arranged our trip into the jungle, to take us to Ban HatKai.
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Ban Dondet, Laos
If you have braved the way through southern Laos, you deserve Don Det. I never felt more at home. It was, hands down, the most authentic SE Asian place I ever visited. The villagers live in the same manner as the generations before them, with only the addition of a few rows of guesthouses. You share the same toilet facilities with your adopted family. All the tiny naked toddlers stare and wave at you - goggle eyed. And napping in hammock over the Mekong River is forever etched in my mind's eye.
Warning : The mosquitos are intense. After the sun falls, your flashlight is the only electric light for miles. No amount of deet can save you. I typically went to bed early, like the locals, seeking refuge under my mozzie net.
I stayed at: ponepasak guesthouse.
Don Det is my heaven. This tiny 1 x 2 kilometer island is charmingly sweet. One well-worn path loops the island, and renting a bicycle from a guesthouse is the best way to see things (although walking is the best way to make new friends, which you will). When I was there, I doubt there were a dozen other travellers, and those there were all very like-minded and open to the warmth and stories of the locals. Take a walk in any direction and any local in earshot will holler a "sabaidee!" your way, and a trail of little kids will creep behind you. I had one little guy in stitches when I started whistling - it cracked him up trying to mimic me. For some reason, I had John Denver's "Country Roads" stuck in my head during my stay, and I whistled it constantly. Mama at rasta cafe will win your heart, "you EEEAT! goooood! suh-peak lao!" which is your prompt to say something in lao. On the west side of the islands, at the aptly named "Sunset Cafe", you can have a Beer Lao and some fantastic food, served up with a sparkling show of reds and oranges burnt across the sky. Thomas and I biked over the bridge to Don Khon, where we found a guide to lead us to the Somphamit Falls (1.5 kilometers from the bridge). These falls are nothing like Kuang Si (Laos), Somphamit is thunderously powerful.
My home on don det was at phonepasak, run by the dynamite madame pihm and her precious family. She's a fabulous cook - ask for the delicious moc pa . One morning Mr. Pihm came in with twitching catfish hanging from his fingers, "Dinner!" he hollered and laughed. Madame Pimh steamed it for most of the day, wrapped in banana leaves, coconut and sweet seasonings... delicous. Stay any length of time and you'll feel like part of the family, eating at the table with kittens rolling around under the daughter's chair, and eating what's served not what you order. There were days I hardly left my hammock though, a good mafia book and some music, you hardly noticed time pass. As I was half-way through my trip, and I felt I'd earned some dedicated hammock-time. I could not have imagined or dreamed a better place on this planet. Even the mozzies couldn't dampen my joy!
...... Written in 2005 when I visited ( travelogue photos ). God willing, life on Don Det hasn't changed much hasn't been bombarded by the Bankok hippie-backpacker crush.....
Warning : The mosquitos are intense. After the sun falls, your flashlight is the only electric light for miles. No amount of deet can save you. I typically went to bed early, like the locals, seeking refuge under my mozzie net.
I stayed at: ponepasak guesthouse.
Don Det is my heaven. This tiny 1 x 2 kilometer island is charmingly sweet. One well-worn path loops the island, and renting a bicycle from a guesthouse is the best way to see things (although walking is the best way to make new friends, which you will). When I was there, I doubt there were a dozen other travellers, and those there were all very like-minded and open to the warmth and stories of the locals. Take a walk in any direction and any local in earshot will holler a "sabaidee!" your way, and a trail of little kids will creep behind you. I had one little guy in stitches when I started whistling - it cracked him up trying to mimic me. For some reason, I had John Denver's "Country Roads" stuck in my head during my stay, and I whistled it constantly. Mama at rasta cafe will win your heart, "you EEEAT! goooood! suh-peak lao!" which is your prompt to say something in lao. On the west side of the islands, at the aptly named "Sunset Cafe", you can have a Beer Lao and some fantastic food, served up with a sparkling show of reds and oranges burnt across the sky. Thomas and I biked over the bridge to Don Khon, where we found a guide to lead us to the Somphamit Falls (1.5 kilometers from the bridge). These falls are nothing like Kuang Si (Laos), Somphamit is thunderously powerful.
My home on don det was at phonepasak, run by the dynamite madame pihm and her precious family. She's a fabulous cook - ask for the delicious moc pa . One morning Mr. Pihm came in with twitching catfish hanging from his fingers, "Dinner!" he hollered and laughed. Madame Pimh steamed it for most of the day, wrapped in banana leaves, coconut and sweet seasonings... delicous. Stay any length of time and you'll feel like part of the family, eating at the table with kittens rolling around under the daughter's chair, and eating what's served not what you order. There were days I hardly left my hammock though, a good mafia book and some music, you hardly noticed time pass. As I was half-way through my trip, and I felt I'd earned some dedicated hammock-time. I could not have imagined or dreamed a better place on this planet. Even the mozzies couldn't dampen my joy!
...... Written in 2005 when I visited ( travelogue photos ). God willing, life on Don Det hasn't changed much hasn't been bombarded by the Bankok hippie-backpacker crush.....
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Muang Vangviang, Laos
Thavisouk guest house in the center (there is an hotel same name, on the riverside) price:4us$, clean and shower and toilet.
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Muang Vangviang, Laos
I was very happy with my accommodation in Vang Vieng. As soon as I got of the bus and started thinking which way to go to look for a place to stay, some guys stopped and handed me in a flyer about this new guesthouse Jamie's guesthouse or Jaemie's... smth like that... 40 000 kip, that's around 5 USD.. free bananas and tea haha further away from the bar zone... exactly what I needed! I was told it is new, so I won't find it in my Lonely Planet book... I decided to check it out. And it was just amazing.. The room was very clean, spacious with 1 double and 1 single bed and brand new, private toilet and hot shower, and I slept like a baby!!! The Australian man who checked me in was so great and such a help. It seems everywhere I go I meet Aussies and I love them!!! One of the best places I have stayed in while traveling around Laos and Thailand.
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Strict control is maintained over the media in Laos, although foreign materials (with some censorship) is available.
Newsheets
The KPL Newsheet Khao is issued daily in Lao, French and English to embassies, hotels and organizations
Newspapers
Vientiane Times is an English language state run newspaper
Vientiane Mai is a Lao language daily
Pasason is a Lao language
Bangkok Post – Thai newspaper in English
The Nation – Thai newspaper in English
Le Mekong – a French language newspaper dealing with Mekong countries
Magazines
Discover Lao’s is a monthly magazine promotion Lao tourism.
Magazines are available at the reading hall of the Russian Cultural Centre Coffee Shop. Thanon Luang Prabang at the corner of Thanon Boulom. Tel. 212030, Fax. 216192.
The government Bookstore on Nam Phou Circle also has foreign language books and periodicals. Other magazines can be found in various bookshops.
TV
It is possible to receive some Thai channels in Laos.
Newsheets
The KPL Newsheet Khao is issued daily in Lao, French and English to embassies, hotels and organizations
Newspapers
Vientiane Times is an English language state run newspaper
Vientiane Mai is a Lao language daily
Pasason is a Lao language
Bangkok Post – Thai newspaper in English
The Nation – Thai newspaper in English
Le Mekong – a French language newspaper dealing with Mekong countries
Magazines
Discover Lao’s is a monthly magazine promotion Lao tourism.
Magazines are available at the reading hall of the Russian Cultural Centre Coffee Shop. Thanon Luang Prabang at the corner of Thanon Boulom. Tel. 212030, Fax. 216192.
The government Bookstore on Nam Phou Circle also has foreign language books and periodicals. Other magazines can be found in various bookshops.
TV
It is possible to receive some Thai channels in Laos.
Last edited Oct 20, 07 3:20 PM. Contributors:
Ban Dondet, Laos
If you have braved the way through southern Laos, you deserve Don Det. I never felt more at home. It was, hands down, the most authentic SE Asian place I ever visited. The villagers live in the same manner as the generations before them, with only the addition of a few rows of guesthouses. You share the same toilet facilities with your adopted family. All the tiny naked toddlers stare and wave at you - goggle eyed. And napping in hammock over the Mekong River is forever etched in my mind's eye.
Warning : The mosquitos are intense. After the sun falls, your flashlight is the only electric light for miles. No amount of deet can save you. I typically went to bed early, like the locals, seeking refuge under my mozzie net.
I stayed at: ponepasak guesthouse.
Don Det is my heaven. This tiny 1 x 2 kilometer island is charmingly sweet. One well-worn path loops the island, and renting a bicycle from a guesthouse is the best way to see things (although walking is the best way to make new friends, which you will). When I was there, I doubt there were a dozen other travellers, and those there were all very like-minded and open to the warmth and stories of the locals. Take a walk in any direction and any local in earshot will holler a "sabaidee!" your way, and a trail of little kids will creep behind you. I had one little guy in stitches when I started whistling - it cracked him up trying to mimic me. For some reason, I had John Denver's "Country Roads" stuck in my head during my stay, and I whistled it constantly. Mama at rasta cafe will win your heart, "you EEEAT! goooood! suh-peak lao!" which is your prompt to say something in lao. On the west side of the islands, at the aptly named "Sunset Cafe", you can have a Beer Lao and some fantastic food, served up with a sparkling show of reds and oranges burnt across the sky. Thomas and I biked over the bridge to Don Khon, where we found a guide to lead us to the Somphamit Falls (1.5 kilometers from the bridge). These falls are nothing like Kuang Si (Laos), Somphamit is thunderously powerful.
My home on don det was at phonepasak, run by the dynamite madame pihm and her precious family. She's a fabulous cook - ask for the delicious moc pa . One morning Mr. Pihm came in with twitching catfish hanging from his fingers, "Dinner!" he hollered and laughed. Madame Pimh steamed it for most of the day, wrapped in banana leaves, coconut and sweet seasonings... delicous. Stay any length of time and you'll feel like part of the family, eating at the table with kittens rolling around under the daughter's chair, and eating what's served not what you order. There were days I hardly left my hammock though, a good mafia book and some music, you hardly noticed time pass. As I was half-way through my trip, and I felt I'd earned some dedicated hammock-time. I could not have imagined or dreamed a better place on this planet. Even the mozzies couldn't dampen my joy!
...... Written in 2005 when I visited ( travelogue photos ). God willing, life on Don Det hasn't changed much hasn't been bombarded by the Bankok hippie-backpacker crush.....
Warning : The mosquitos are intense. After the sun falls, your flashlight is the only electric light for miles. No amount of deet can save you. I typically went to bed early, like the locals, seeking refuge under my mozzie net.
I stayed at: ponepasak guesthouse.
Don Det is my heaven. This tiny 1 x 2 kilometer island is charmingly sweet. One well-worn path loops the island, and renting a bicycle from a guesthouse is the best way to see things (although walking is the best way to make new friends, which you will). When I was there, I doubt there were a dozen other travellers, and those there were all very like-minded and open to the warmth and stories of the locals. Take a walk in any direction and any local in earshot will holler a "sabaidee!" your way, and a trail of little kids will creep behind you. I had one little guy in stitches when I started whistling - it cracked him up trying to mimic me. For some reason, I had John Denver's "Country Roads" stuck in my head during my stay, and I whistled it constantly. Mama at rasta cafe will win your heart, "you EEEAT! goooood! suh-peak lao!" which is your prompt to say something in lao. On the west side of the islands, at the aptly named "Sunset Cafe", you can have a Beer Lao and some fantastic food, served up with a sparkling show of reds and oranges burnt across the sky. Thomas and I biked over the bridge to Don Khon, where we found a guide to lead us to the Somphamit Falls (1.5 kilometers from the bridge). These falls are nothing like Kuang Si (Laos), Somphamit is thunderously powerful.
My home on don det was at phonepasak, run by the dynamite madame pihm and her precious family. She's a fabulous cook - ask for the delicious moc pa . One morning Mr. Pihm came in with twitching catfish hanging from his fingers, "Dinner!" he hollered and laughed. Madame Pimh steamed it for most of the day, wrapped in banana leaves, coconut and sweet seasonings... delicous. Stay any length of time and you'll feel like part of the family, eating at the table with kittens rolling around under the daughter's chair, and eating what's served not what you order. There were days I hardly left my hammock though, a good mafia book and some music, you hardly noticed time pass. As I was half-way through my trip, and I felt I'd earned some dedicated hammock-time. I could not have imagined or dreamed a better place on this planet. Even the mozzies couldn't dampen my joy!
...... Written in 2005 when I visited ( travelogue photos ). God willing, life on Don Det hasn't changed much hasn't been bombarded by the Bankok hippie-backpacker crush.....
Good tip?
(0)
Pakxe, Southern Laos, Laos
The red clay is pretty when its wet...
After a visa-crunch and 14 hour overnight bus ride through southern Laos, and a busdriver who blared Lao pop karaoke tapes at top volume, Pakse was a welcome site. Extensive Laotian travel is exhaustive, mentally and physically. You feel bones rattling in your body you didn't know you had, you wonder if chinese-water-torture could be much worse than this. You fantasize about pillows and ice cubes.
Dawn had just broken, and everything was dewy. The early morning air was cool and refreshing, the first specs of sunlight bouning off the red-tiled roofs of Pakse. Thomas I had an early-morning, getting-off-that-stupid-bus beer with a Canadian artist. There are a handful of internet cafes and backpacker-friendly eateries, even some good Indian cuisine. The locals are shy but friendly, and life is noticeably slower than in Northern Laos. You can feel the kinks in your neck start to unwind a little bit as you sit by the side of the road, watching the schoolkids ambling by, smiling shyly at you. After a nap in grungy-hotel-from-Lonely-Planet, we were off again for the 4,000 Islands
Coming back through Pakse afterwards was a much... grittier... experience. Stef (enroute at the time) got an email from me warning "Welcome to the sand storm known as Pakse". The lovely red clay roads, when not sufficiently watered down, swell up. Operation "get out of pakse" was in full force, my resolve was unstoppable. "Cambodia, here i come" I muttered into the crook of my arm as I staggered through the red swirls, trying to cover my eyes. The Lao Aviation office was naturally on the other side of town. The town seemed to freeze in the dust, I thought of Pompeii. Although i could have just as easily shown up at the airport been fine, as it turned out. The Pakse airport is a one-gate, one-desk, one-ticket-taker kind of deal. all 4 people working at the airport knew of my plans by the time I left. A french guy I had a good chuckle at how we were the only two passengers for the day. I highly recommend Lao aviation from Pakse to Siem Reap - a full lunch was served on a 40 minute flight, plenty of comfortable room for a little plane, and sweet attendants.
... written in 2005 when I visited ( check out my travelogue photos ).
After a visa-crunch and 14 hour overnight bus ride through southern Laos, and a busdriver who blared Lao pop karaoke tapes at top volume, Pakse was a welcome site. Extensive Laotian travel is exhaustive, mentally and physically. You feel bones rattling in your body you didn't know you had, you wonder if chinese-water-torture could be much worse than this. You fantasize about pillows and ice cubes.
Dawn had just broken, and everything was dewy. The early morning air was cool and refreshing, the first specs of sunlight bouning off the red-tiled roofs of Pakse. Thomas I had an early-morning, getting-off-that-stupid-bus beer with a Canadian artist. There are a handful of internet cafes and backpacker-friendly eateries, even some good Indian cuisine. The locals are shy but friendly, and life is noticeably slower than in Northern Laos. You can feel the kinks in your neck start to unwind a little bit as you sit by the side of the road, watching the schoolkids ambling by, smiling shyly at you. After a nap in grungy-hotel-from-Lonely-Planet, we were off again for the 4,000 Islands
Coming back through Pakse afterwards was a much... grittier... experience. Stef (enroute at the time) got an email from me warning "Welcome to the sand storm known as Pakse". The lovely red clay roads, when not sufficiently watered down, swell up. Operation "get out of pakse" was in full force, my resolve was unstoppable. "Cambodia, here i come" I muttered into the crook of my arm as I staggered through the red swirls, trying to cover my eyes. The Lao Aviation office was naturally on the other side of town. The town seemed to freeze in the dust, I thought of Pompeii. Although i could have just as easily shown up at the airport been fine, as it turned out. The Pakse airport is a one-gate, one-desk, one-ticket-taker kind of deal. all 4 people working at the airport knew of my plans by the time I left. A french guy I had a good chuckle at how we were the only two passengers for the day. I highly recommend Lao aviation from Pakse to Siem Reap - a full lunch was served on a 40 minute flight, plenty of comfortable room for a little plane, and sweet attendants.
... written in 2005 when I visited ( check out my travelogue photos ).
Good tip?
(0)
