Indochina Travel Destinations

What to Expect

Laos is the least developed and least populated of all Southeast Asian and Indochinese countries. Laos is a landlocked country, and its landscape is dominated by mountains and rivers. The Mekong River is the main waterway in the country and is the source of much fishing and farming activity, and village life. Your travel in the country will take in some of the gorgeous river and mountain scenery in the country, as well as two of the most intriguing towns in all Asia – the sleepy waterside capital of Vientiane, and the fabled monastery town of Luang Prabang. Laotian people are warm and welcoming to foreigners who are able to visit after several decades of relative isolation from much of the western world.

The travel industry is slowly developing in Laos. While the freshness and novelty of tourism in the country is why many people choose to visit Laos, it should be remembered that facilities and services do not always reach western standards. Travelling throughout more remote areas involves bumpy road travel and the use of clean but basic accommodation.

Visa Requirements & Departure Taxes:

Travellers on all of Travel Indochina’s small group journeys can easily obtain 30 day tourist visas on arrival in Laos, subject to the furnishing of $35USD (an extra $1USD on weekends and public holidays) and one passport photo per person. Laos visas can be obtained on arrival at the following border crossings:

• The Friendship Bridge crossing (near Vientiane, bordering Thailand)
• The Vientiane International Airport (Wattay Airport)
• The Luang Prabang International Airport
• Pakse International Airport
• Nam Maew (Hua Phan Province, bordering Vietnam)
• Nam Kan/ Nong Haet (Xieng Khuang Province, bordering Vietnam)
• Lak Sao (Bolikhamsao Province, bordering Vietnam)
• Lao Bao (Savannakhet Province, bordering Vietnam)
• Thakaek (Khammouane Province, bordering Thailand)
• Chong Mek (Champasak Province, bordering Thailand)
• Huay Xai (Bokeo Province, bordering Thailand)
• Boten (Luang Namtha Province, bordering China)

Travellers on Travel Indochina’s Bangkok Hanoi Overland, Thailand and Laos Experience, Laos and Cambodia Experience and Inside Laos small group journeys cross into Laos from Chiang Khong (Thailand) to Huay Xai (Laos). These travellers are therefore able to obtain a Laos visa on arrival at Huay Xai. This is a simple and efficient process. Travellers on the Khmer Kingdoms Explorer tour cross into Laos at Chong Mek. Here, getting a visa on arrival is also straightforward.

Indochina Explorer and Highlights of Laos travellers can obtain their Laos visa on arrival at Vientiane’s international airport. Images of Indochina travellers can obtain their Laos visa on arrival at Luang Prabang international airport. Please note that Indochina Explorer, Bangkok Hanoi Overland and Images of Indochina travellers will need to obtain their Vietnam visas in advance of arriving in Indochina.

Please allow $10USD for international departure tax, and $2.50USD for domestic departure tax.

A Responsible Travel Indochina:

Travel Indochina practices a thorough, realistic responsible travel policy. We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of Asia’s beautiful natural environments. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel.

Money:

The official currency of Laos is the kip, however United States dollar cash is accepted almost everywhere. The exchange rate fluctuates but at time of writing, $1USD was the approximate equivalent of 10,000 kip. Thai baht is readily acceptable, although at less favourable rates. As you will accumulate kip as change from payments you make in USD, we recommend you change either nothing or very little (eg. $30USD) into kip upon your arrival in Laos. For current exchange rates please visit www.xe.com

As your time in Laos will be limited, please bring enough money for the duration of your trip. We suggest you allow approximately $5USD to $7USD per person for a main course meal at a nice restaurant.

Climate:

Laos is affected by the annual Southeast Asian monsoon cycle. The ‘wet’ season is from May to October. During this time, the tropical lowlands average 30 degrees Celsius, while the mountains remain cooler. The first half of the ‘dry’ season is from November to February; temperatures during this time range from 10 to 25 degrees Celsius. Mornings and evenings in the north of Laos around Luang Prabang can be quite cool at this time of the year. People travelling between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang on the Mekong should bring at last one layer of warm clothes. During the second half of the ‘dry’ season – from March to June – the temperature can rise to up to 35 degrees Celsius. Many travellers prefer Laos outside the dry season; there are fewer tourists, and rainfall is often limited to brief afternoon showers which lend a different atmosphere to the country and towns.

Health & Fitness:

Some of the diseases known to exist in Laos include malaria, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever, diphtheria, tetanus, and HIV/ AIDS. We recommend you take adequate preventative measures to minimise your risk of exposure to these health risks. We are a travel company and we are not qualified to provide detailed medical information appropriate to your individual needs. We recommend you consult with your local doctor or a specialist travel medical centre for up to date health information on vaccinations and medicine for your trip, at least one month prior to departure. Medical facilities are limited throughout the country (even in the capital Vientiane) compared to western standards.

Food/ Water

Lao cuisine is somewhat similar to Thai food and can be quite spicy. Ingredients include vegetables, freshwater fish, beef, duck, pork and chicken. Food is generally flavoured with fermented fish sauce, coconut milk, peanuts and chillies. Vegetarians are well catered for. Breakfast is included each day on our tours and is usually a mix of buffet and continental style. You should only drink bottled water – available everywhere for purchase.

Tipping Policy:

If you are happy with the services provided by your local guides, drivers and your tour leader, a tip is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, tipping inspires great service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across Travel Indochina destinations. As a general guide on Small Group or Special Group Journeys, please allow $2USD to $3USD per day per traveller for each of your local guide, driver and tour leader. If your tour is private, please allow $3USD to $5USD per day per traveller for each of your local guide and driver.

Safety & Security:

Laos is a safe country by world standards, but the usual commonsense safety precautions should be adhered to. Cities are small, and even at night you will feel quite safe walking outside. Most Laotians go to bed fairly early so streets will usually be very quiet after 9 pm. When outside your hotel, spending money should be kept in a secure place, close to your body. Wear as little jewellery as possible. You should leave valuables in hotel safety deposit boxes at all times and make sure you have photocopies of your passport, airline tickets, and a detailed record of your traveller’s cheques and credit card numbers.

Hotels

Most hotels we use have private western style bathrooms, hot water, air-conditioning, IDD telephones, laundry and other facilities. Where possible we endeavour at passenger request to accommodate couples in double rooms. Please note however that on occasions during your journey, this may not be possible and a twin room will be provided. Our Bangkok to Hanoi, and Inside Laos journeys involve at least one overnight stop at towns where only simple accommodation is available. The standards at some hotels will not always match western standards, as Lao tourism infrastructure is still developing.

Asia is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and historic hotels. With this in mind, we designed our range of Deluxe (Essence of Asia) journeys. The emphasis by day is unchanged – small groups and an authentic experience of Asia. At night however, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the ambience of these specially selected hotels. Please note that in some cases Deluxe accommodation is not available. In these places we use the best hotels available. This will be clearly marked in your itinerary.

Check in and check out times can vary but most hotels in Laos require guests to check out by 12 noon and do not allow check in until 2pm. Many hotels may allow an earlier check in or later check out subject to availability on the day.

Transport:

There is only 2000 kilometres of sealed road in Laos. When travelling by road we generally use late model air-conditioned minibuses. Larger vehicles are used for bigger group sizes. Modern sedan cars are used when there are only one or two people in the group. Some tours involve at least one domestic flight. Lao Airlines operates a relatively modern fleet, however schedules frequently change which can result in alterations to your tour programme. Some tours also involve boat journeys along the Mekong River. This is a great opportunity to view the way of life for most families living along the banks of the river and will provide you with terrific photo opportunities. Toilets on the boats, where available, are generally of the Asian squat style. There is no train network in Laos. the train are generally Asian squat style although many also do have a western style toilet.

Tour Leaders/ Guides:

Providing the group tour reaches a minimum of seven passengers a Western tour leader will guide you on your entire journey through Laos. All of our tour leaders have an in-depth knowledge of Laos and an enthusiasm for the country that is contagious. Your tour leader is your link with Laos and is there to ensure the smooth running of the trip. Your tour leader will try – wherever practical – to cater for your individual interests. Local English-speaking guides also accompany you on your tour. They impart local information about history, customs and culture that can only come from living in the area. Generally, we have a different local guide for each city or region we visit. Thus, local guides are usually only with the group for a few days.

Shopping:

Laos has much on offer for shopping. Textiles, ceramics, lacquer ware, wood carvings and jewellery are just some of the many good buys.

Language:

The Lao language is written in a Thai-Khmer script. Because the language is tonal the same written word can have several different meanings. This makes it fairly difficult to learn, but any attempt to speak the language will be well received by local people. Many Laotians recognise the importance of learning English for business and tourism purposes and for this reason English is becoming more widely spoken throughout the country. The Lonely Planet Lao phrasebook is recommended for those wanting to learn more about the language.

Recommended Reading:

Compared to neighbouring Thailand, China, Vietnam and Cambodia, there is a paucity of good reading on Laos. Better titles are difficult to find and are often best sourced from Asia Books, Kinokuniya or Bookazine bookstores in Bangkok.

Guide Books

• ‘The Rough Guide to Laos’ – This guidebook provides detail and (generally) accuracy where others are lacking. Great maps, and the best of the English language guidebooks on the land of a million elephants.
• Inside Guide to Laos and Cambodia by Inside Guides.

Travelogues

• A Dragon Apparent, by Norman Lewis – A wonderful book by the doyen of English travel writing, perceptive, and full of detail based on the author’s travels in Indochina in 1950.
• Ant Egg Soup, by Natacha Du Pont De Bie – Best-seller in the United Kingdom, this travelogue is focused around the author’s quest for authentic Lao food, and includes recipes collected during her travels. A light, very enjoyable read.
• One Foot in Laos, by Dervla Murphy – Easy to read account of an intrepid Irish travel writer’s cycling discoveries of Laos, with a focus on the wonderful encounters she has with local people.

Lao Culture and Politics

• Culture Shock: Laos(Times Books International), by Stephen Mansfield – useful insights into the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of Lao culture. Easy to read and very interesting.
• Laos: Politics, Economics and Society by Martin Stuart-Fox.

The war years (including the ‘secret war’)

• Shooting at the Moon, by Roger Warner – lucid, moving, and fascinating account of the CIA’s role in Laos in the 1960s and 1970s, of events leading up to American carpet bombing of the Plain of Jars, and of the ultimately futile and tragic role played by the Hmong in the Indochina arena.
• The Ravens (Asia Books) by Christopher Robbins – A thriller read about America’s ‘secret war’, the daring pilots who fought it, and the tragic fate of the Hmong people who sided with the CIA.
• Air America: The story of the CIA’s Secret Airlines’ (Asia Books), by Christopher Robbins. Appeals to those with a specific interest in aviation, however some fine recounts of the role of the Air America airline in Laos’s secret war.

Lao history

• A History of Laos by Martin Stuart Fox.
• A Short History of Laos, by Grant Evans. Concise yet very useful history of the ‘land of a million elephants’. Interesting discussion on reform attempts of the past decade, and the future of this under-populated country surrounded by growing giants, Thailand, China, and Vietnam.
• A Brief History of Southeast Asia, by Mekong Osborne – Provides very good context to the empires of Angkor, Lane Xang, Sukhothai and Ayuthaya, by also referring to highly influential empires in Indonesia and the role the Arabs, Europeans, and Japanese.
• Mekong, by Milton Osborne – A book with a focus on history which entertains as if a novel of fiction. This is a great read about a great river and the French explorers who tried to navigate it from Saigon to China in an effort to create a trade conduit through Indochina.

General

• Stalking the Elephant Kings, by Christopher Kremmer – The first edition of this light read recounts the author’s intrepid investigation into the fate of the last King in Laos, his wife, and son. ‘Bamboo Palace’ by the same author has just been published, shedding new light on the mystery of the Royal family disappearance.
• Bamboo Palace, by Christopher Kremmer – somewhat overlaps with Kremmer’s ‘Stalking the Elephant Kings’, however an excellent and interesting read which includes new material on the fate of the last king and queen of Laos.

When is the best time to travel to Laos?

All year is fine. Travellers should note that Laos is especially hot and humid (highs of 35 degrees plus) between March and June. The winter months from October to February are generally the most pleasant. The country is at its greenest and most attractive (for photographers) during the wet season months from June to October or immediately afterwards. Smoke haze from traditional agricultural practices can dull the skies from March to May.

How much English is spoken in Laos?

As Laos continues to open up to the outside world more and more people are learning English. In our hotels, most staff members can speak moderate English. However, on the streets and in local restaurants very few people can speak English and street signs and menus are written in local script. With the help of our local guides and tour leaders these communication problems are easily overcome.

Will I be spending too much time at religious sites?

No. Much of Laos’ most spectacular architecture and thriving traditional culture is to be found in and around its temple complexes. We believe our Laos tours are a nice balance of people, culture, history, natural landscapes and food.

How much money will I spend per day touring?

Approximately US$12 per person for day to day living. Laos is a country that offers great value for your money. For around US$12 you will be able to buy lunch and dinner at good restaurants, as well as refreshments during the day. Western meal costs are higher.