Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'Laos From North to South'

Useful addresses

Embassy of the Lao Peoples's Democratic Republic 2222 S. Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20008
Tel: (202) 332-6416
Fax: (202) 332-4923
www.laoembassy.com

Embassy of the Lao Peoples's Democratic Republic
Victoria Road 12-14
London W8-5rd, UK
Tel: 93 71 912
Fax: 93 76 108

Embassy of the Lao Peoples's Democratic Republic
74 Avenue Raymond-Poincaré
75116 Paris
Tel: (33 1) 45 53 02 98
Fax: (33 1) 47 27 57 89
Email: ambalaoparis@wanadoo.fr
Office Hours Consular Section: Mon-Fri: 0900–1200

You need a visa for Laos and a passport that is valid until 6 months after you leave Laos. You need to get it in advance from a Laotian embassy or consulate. It is valid for 4 weeks after entering the country.

Getting a visa on entry (US$ 30 and 2 passport photos) is only possible in Vientiane, at Luang Phabang airport and at the Friendship Bridge near Vientiane. For all other border crossings you have to get a visa in advance.

General information

Laos is wedged between Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia. It is a sparsely populated country with only 22 people per square kilometer. Seventy percent of its surface is covered by mountains. The country measure from north to south a thousand kilometers. It is among the poorest nations in the world, but there is no visible poverty like beggars or slums. The majority of the population are farmers who live simple lives and are self-sufficient. Two-thirds of the Laotians live in the fertile region in the south. The mountain tribes are extremely poor and do not have sufficient medical care and education. The Lao form half of the population and the rest belongs to 68 minority groups. Most people are Buddhists.

Language

Lao is the national language in Laos. The mountain tribes in the north have their own languages. In more touristic areas people also speak English or French. "Good day" is sabaai dii and "thank you" khob tjai.

Climate and best time to travel

November through February is the best time to visit. There is not much rain and the temperatures are pleasant. In the mountains it can be very cold in the evening and at night. In the daytime, the temperatures are 25-30 degrees centigrade on average.

Clothing and equipmemt

Because of the cold at night during the best time to travel, it is advisable to bring a warm sleeping bag and a sheet sleeping bag. The latter in case an accomodation isn't very sanitary. It's a good idea to dress in layers. Shorts and revealing T-shirts are not done in the north. Women wear sarongs when they swim.

Most hotels and other accomodations provide mosquito nets. But they often have holes in them, so some tape or scotch comes in handy.

Money

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Laos only has paper money; the monetary unit is the "kip". One euro is approximately 11,500 kip. Larger cities have ATMs; there is a maximum of 700,000 kip and you can only withdraw once a day.

If you know in advance which places you're going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's where you can use your MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa to withdraw money.

Safety and security

Traveling in some countries or regions can be dangerous. That isn't always a reason not to go there, but part of preparing well for a trip includes finding out about possible risks.

The CIA World Factbook: Laos is a good place to look. As is the US Foreign Department site. Of course you always should consult your own country's Foreign Department web site.

Health

Find current information on the web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Laos. Always consult your family doctor and your country's Health Department web site.

Plan your trip to Laos online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.

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