Laos - a practical guide
TIPS AND ADVICE - LAOS
How to get there? Contrary to appearances, getting to Laos is not that difficult at all. I suggest flying from Poland to Bangkok. Sometimes, on special offer, tickets from Poland to the Thai capital can be had for as little as PLN 1,500. From Bangkok's Don Mueang airport, flights leave for the Laotian capital, Vientiane, or for the country's main attraction, Luang Prabang. In both cases the flight takes about an hour. Another interesting option is to combine a visit to Laos with northern Thailand. You can also fly here from Chiang Mai in Thailand (I have written about northern Thailand here and also here). On long international routes there are "sleeper buses", as such a journey can take more than 30 hours.
Visa? A Laotian visa costs $30 and can be obtained at the airport. I got mine in Luang Prabang. Besides the $30, you need two lots of one dollar for handling fees. It is worth having the exact amount ready, as getting change can be a problem.
Currency, prices and accommodation
Currency? 1 euro is roughly 10,000 kip (LAK). Because of the proximity of the tourist giant that is Thailand, you can pay in Thai baht in Laos. US dollars are also accepted. I would, however, opt for paying in the local kip. All prices are quoted in kip, and when you pay in another currency the exchange rate is always rounded, naturally to your disadvantage. In Luang Prabang I was surprised by the number of cash machines, and there are also currency exchange offices. I found the best rates on Ratsavong Street, the one with the jewellery shops.
Health? Medical care is said to be poor. I say "said to be" because, fortunately, I had no occasion to find out. In many places I read that it is "basic". In more serious cases, patients are taken to Thailand.
Prices? It is cheap. A filling bowl of "pho" soup at the night market costs 15,000 kip, and a main course in a restaurant 25-50,000. A BeerLao costs between 10 and 15,000 LAK (1 EUR = 10,000 LAK). A 3% surcharge is often added to credit card transactions. Places to stay want to be paid in cash.
Accommodation? Finding a place to stay is not much of a problem. I met travellers who had already been wandering around the region for 2 months and had another 2 ahead of them. They had usually been to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. They often slept in dormitories in hostels, where a night costs $3-4. I went for luxury: I chose a single room with its own bathroom, air conditioning and breakfast. That package cost me $10-15 a night.
Transport and etiquette in Laos
Transport? Various forms of transport are available. Between towns you most often travel by van. The popular Toyota Hiace drives around town picking people up from their guesthouses and then hits the road; from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng it takes 5 hours/10€, and on to Vientiane 4 hours/5€. There are 2-3 stops along the way. In towns you can rent a bicycle or a scooter. In Vang Vieng you can hire powerful buggies. A machine like that, with a 1.0 engine and automatic transmission, costs 10€ an hour. No driving licence is needed; your passport is left as a deposit. Tuk-tuks are not only three-wheelers but also small trucks with benches in the back.
Etiquette? Tourist information offices and some leaflets feature a fun comic strip showing the most common mistakes foreigners make in their behaviour. Watch out for feet, heads and displays of affection. Feet are considered an unclean part of the body. You should not point your feet at anyone, including statues of the Buddha. That is why, when sitting in a temple, you should tuck your legs under you. You should not step over anyone's clothes or luggage (for example on crowded public transport). The head is a sacred part of the body, and you should not touch anyone's head, not even a child's. You should not get carried away by emotion or raise your voice. Hugging, kissing and even holding hands are frowned upon.
