VIENTIANE

GENERAL AND USEFUL TIPS FOR LAOS

• Check your passport validity and whether you need a visa for Laos.

• Attention: It is mandatory to complete both an Arrival Card and a Departure Card for Laos.

  You can only submit each one up to 3 days in advance.

  This means you should complete the Arrival Card within 3 days before arriving in Laos, and the Departure Card within 3 days before leaving the country.

  You can do this online, which is much easier. You’ll receive a QR code immediately, allowing you to avoid wasting time and filling out paper forms upon arrival and departure. Simply keep the QR code handy on your phone.

  You can complete the process via the official website HERE. Then click “Submit Online” and choose either “Arrival Register” or “Departure Register”.

• You’ll definitely need internet, right? We always install an eSIM on our phones and it worked really well. Just make sure your phone is eSIM-compatible and unlocked for other networks.

  We have partnerships with several providers that offer discounts when you purchase through our links. Check the plans, compare them, and choose the one that suits you best. Depending on whether you’re visiting just one country or multiple countries in Asia, you can choose either a local or a regional eSIM. We recommend the following:

  Holafly: get 5% off through THIS LINK

  Nomad: use the promo code ARTUCWFEMY to get USD 5 off

  Airalo: use the promo code ARTUR7072 to get €3 off

• Weather matters. We went in January. Days were hot but nights were cooler, so light trousers and a jacket were useful. Always check the forecast a few days before travelling.

• Yes, Grindr works in Laos ;)

• The local currency is the Lao Kip (LAK). There are no coins, only high-value banknotes, so expect to carry thick stacks of cash.

• Install a currency converter app. It makes life much easier.

• To make payments in Laos, there’s a fantastic app that we installed and that worked really well for us: LOCA.

  This app works similarly to Uber, allowing you to call cars. However, it also has a very useful feature called LocaPay. You simply add your bank card details, and you can pay almost everywhere by scanning a QR code, which many places have—including markets.

  It’s extremely convenient and saves you from constantly having to withdraw cash. We used it quite a lot. That said, we never actually needed it to call cars!

• If you’re traveling between cities in Laos, especially between Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane, the most commonly used means of transport is the train.

  However, booking train tickets isn’t that straightforward. You can only book them up to 3 days before the travel date, and the official app only works on phones with a Laotian phone number. For this reason, the most practical option—and what we did—was to ask the hotel reception to buy the train tickets for us, and then we paid them back.

  To make the reservation, they only need your full name and passport number. You can speak to your hotel reception, they’ll show you the available schedules in the app, you choose one, and they’ll book it for you. It’s important to do this as soon as the tickets become available (3 days in advance), as there’s a risk they may sell out.

  We traveled by train from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng. By car, the journey is long (around 5+ hours) and the roads are in very poor condition. By train, the journey takes about 1 hour, it’s comfortable, and seats are assigned.

  Online, you’ll find many stories about having to X-ray all your luggage at the train station and being told you can’t take certain items, etc. After reading all of that, we were a bit worried—especially about aerosols.

  Here’s our experience: we arrived at the station about one hour before departure. We were allowed in immediately, and our luggage (two large suitcases and two backpacks) went through the X-ray.

  They asked us to open the large suitcases and asked if we had whisky. We did—we had bought small bottles of rice whisky in Luang Prabang. We opened the suitcases, they checked, and that was it; we could pack everything again.

  Then they asked if I had scissors. I said yes—one small pair and one large pair. I showed them, and they said the large one was not allowed and kept it.

  As for aerosols—perfume, shaving foam, deodorant, etc.—they didn’t ask to see them or say anything. Everything went through, including my lighter. All our items were small-sized, which may be why they didn’t say anything.

  We noticed a couple behind us who had a large can of shaving foam, and they were asked to show it.

  So, based on our experience, the advice is to relax—they don’t seem overly strict. Try to bring aerosols in small sizes, and everything should be fine.

  The train journey can also be done from Vang Vieng to Vientiane, and of course the other way around, from Vientiane to Luang Prabang.

• If you’re booking any tours in Laos and using GetYourGuide, please use our link below or the ones we recommend throughout the page. This helps us keep our website always up to date. Thank you!

• Final tip: relax, take things slow, and enjoy Laos at its own pace. That’s part of the magic.