The land less travelled
Laos was a forgotten country for most people. There are few destinations here of global popularity, resulting in less tourists compared to neighbors like Vietnam. We wanted to cover Laos during our visit to Vietnam, as we would not possibly make it again only to Laos. Kuang Si falls was something I wanted to visit since a long time
The connections are relatively lower from hubs like Singapore, Bangkok, HCM and bit expensive. As Laos is landlocked, it imports most of the goods making it relatively more expensive compared to its neighbors
I felt Luang Prabhang to be similar to some of the spiritual destinations in south India. It is peaceful, slow, laid back, so wanted to visit the place for tranquilty
Best time to visit
October to April dry season is the best time
Visa
Indians can get e-Visa or visa on arrival. E-Visa costs $50 and Visa on arrival costs $41 (includes 41 processing fee). We opted for on arrival visa since it was cheaper. We had a small queue with waiting time of 20 minutes
Getting In
Luang Prabhang and Vientiane are most popular entry points through flights. We entered in through Luang Prabhang and went back through Vientiane
Laos air operated domestic flights and flights to Vietnam. They don’t have a lot of surge pricing, so you can book closer to date. Keep monitoring capacity to ensure they don’t get sold out
Currency- Kip
USD is accepted at larger stores, hotels and for Visa on arrival. You can get KIP from ATMs and exchange offices at airport/ city center. We exchanged USD at Dara Jewelry store in Luang Prabhang which offered rates similar to bank rates, but were open beyond banking hours. Kip is not easily converted back to USD, so exchange sparingly
Getting around
You can get local tuk-tuks after bargaining and aligning on a price. Check with your hotel to book one or get an estimate of prices. Ensure you are clear about shared/ private and one way/ return fares
You can also use apps like Loca for taxis
Luang Prabhang and Vientiane are connected by high speed rail and buses. Train tickets open only 3 days in advance. If you have a local SIM, you can book tickets on LCR app. You can book through agents like 12Go Asia, Laos train, Laos train tickets, Baolau, Discover Laos etc.
We used Laostrain.com– They were prompt in sending tickets 3 days before departure
Do not carry sharp items like knives of going on trains
Things to know
- Laos means land of million elephants. You will find many elephant rescue centres and camps in the country. Sayaboury centre is quite popular
- Laos is landlocked with lot of imports, so prices are bit expensive vs. neighbours
- Buffaloes are more common than cows. You can visit a buffalo farm close to Kuang Si falls
- There are many less popular caves similar to Vietnam. You just need time, patience and lots of research to explore
- Many hotels accept USD, but need exact change and fresh notes
- Hotel in Laos typically don’t have lifts unless you opt for 5 star ones
Where we stayed
- Chaliya Boutique Garden, Luang Prabhang: They made nice vegetarian fried rice for breakfast and gave a never seen before large banana on New Year’s day
- Vientiane Boutique Hotel: Centrally located close to Patuxay monument and helpful in arranging transfers
How much does it cost
We combined our tour to Vietnam and Laos. Expect to spend $1000 if visiting Laos standalone
- Flights: $750
- Hotel : $75 at $25 per night
- Tours and local transport: $50
- Food: <$50 (We carry our own food/ shop at supermarkets)
- Visa: $40
- Insurance: $15
Places to see
We visited Luang Prabhang and Vientiane
