Landlocked Laos is rich in culture, history, cuisine, and Buddhism. Its hilly environment makes it one of the most picturesque countries in all Southeast Asia. While it lacks the stunning beaches of its neighbors, the area is a popular destination for adventure tourists. On the same day, you may do ziplining, kayaking, hiking, and cave tubing. While the nation is no longer a “secret,” it is still far less frequented than its neighbors, and I had a wonderful time there.
Further, I can never understand why more people don’t travel to Laos to see its many wonders, from the dramatic mountain sunsets in Vang Vieng to the teeming night markets in Luang Prabang.
The Five Best Attractions in Laos
Vang Vieng
This little village further was “discovered” by backpackers in the late 1990s. A wild, hedonistic metropolis sprung up there rapidly. Even yet, the party scene has shrunk to a select few watering holes. It’s not the same as it used to be, but I appreciate the change. Several of the backpacker pubs that used to line the waterfront further have now replaced with chic boutique hotels and upscale restaurants, and these days Vang Vieng’s downtown is a bustling tourist destination. The town is also a popular destination for those seeking forest treks and riverside relaxation. Spending at least a couple of days in this area is highly recommended.
Check out the Four Thousand Islands
Moreover, Si Phan Don, or the 4,000 Islands, is a group of small, mostly deserted islands in the Mekong River in Champasak Province, southern Laos, not far from the border with Cambodia. As the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, travelers tend to frequent them. Only on Don Khong, Don Kon, and Don Det further are there any places to stay. Spend a few days here reading in hammocks and leisurely touring on bikes because everything is inexpensive. Except for taking a dip in the river and sleeping in, there isn’t much else to do here. Getting to the islands requires a boat ride, which may be arranged from Pakse.
Luang Prabang
The peacefulness and easygoing vibe of Luang Prabang further are legendary. Nothing beats sitting back and taking in a sunset over the Mekong River, wandering the charming streets dotted with colonial French architecture, visiting the majestic Kuang Si Waterfalls, and perusing the wares at the bustling night market. moreover, go on a river cruise or see one of the town’s many temples. You may find groups of monks on the city’s busiest streets every morning shortly after sunrise, pleading with passers-by for alms. Initially, I planned to spend only a few days there, but I ended up staying for a week.
Hike to Kuang Si Waterfall
Incredible beauty further can be seen at this waterfall not far from Luang Prabang. The turquoise waters cascade down limestone cliffs into a series of stunning, tiered pools. Some of these infinity pools are shallow enough to float in, while others are deep enough to leap into from a tree. It’s a fantastic destination for a vacation. It costs 20,000 LAK to get in, and it’ll run you between 30,000 and 40,000 LAK to take a shared tuk-tuk from Luang Prabang.
Jars’ Plain
On the Plain of Jars, you may see the hundreds of stone jars that helped it become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in three unique locations. One of the largest and most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, it is speculated to have used for funeral rites during the Iron Age. Further, urban legend has it that these jars were originally designed and created by a race of giants to store alcoholic beverages.
Due to the presence of landmines, you should exercise great caution and stay inside the demined areas. There are a total of eight tourist attractions in Thailand, with Sites 1, 2, and 3 all clustered together at Phonsavan. Site 1, which has the finest preserved jars, charges 15,000 LAK for admission, whereas Sites 2 and 3 charge just 10,000 LAK each.
Vieng Xai Cave City is one of the top attractions in Laos, although there are many more to choose from. Laotian troops in the 1960s made their homes at Vieng Xai Cave City, which was located close to Sam Nua (not far from the Vietnamese border). The cave dwellings in Kaysone Phomvihane are preserved in their original state, complete with a functional air-circulation pump. The Visitor Center at Vieng Xai Caves is where you may arrange for guided excursions. An audio guide is included with the 60,000 LAK admission price. A tuk-tuk will cost you 150,000 LAK whereas the bus will just set you back 20,000 LAK.
The Gibbon Experience: Try It!
This is a top-notch Laotian attraction. You may spend one or two nights in the world’s tallest treehouses, which are connected by a network of zip lines in Bokeo Forest. You may expect to see gibbons and go on strenuous excursions in the wilderness while there. The “Classic” package, which includes lodging and meals for three days and two nights, costs around 5,600,000 LAK per person.
Observe the Great Stupa (Pha That Luang)
Vientiane’s Great Stupa is a gilded structure that is 45 meters (148 feet) tall (a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine). It’s the most famous landmark in the land. The façade is a fortress with thick walls, yet the interior filled with Buddhist symbols and paintings of flowers and animals. Looking at the stupa from the outside is completely free.
Vientiane.
The Great Stupa and the Sisaket Temple are only two of the many major national monuments and temples in Vientiane, Laos’ capital and biggest city. Visit Buddha Park, a sculpture garden housing several enormous sculptures of the Buddha, while you’re in the area. It is the most diverse and international city in the country, and its cuisine is on the rise. It’s well worth taking a few days to go sight-seeing around here.
Elephant Conservation Center
Established in 2011 in Sainyabuli by a group of elephant experts, the ECC’s mission is to ensure the continued survival of Laos’s elephant population. The greatest approach to experiencing elephants in a way that doesn’t exploit them or do them damage is through ecotourism. Prices start at 3,800,000 LAK for a one-night stay and increase by 1,200,000 LAK for each additional night. It usually costs about 8,500,000 LAK for a weeklong volunteer stint.
Six, cruise the Mekong River at a leisurely pace aboard a long, narrow boat outfitted with comfy seats, home-cooked meals, and a panoramic view of the landscape. Getting transport to Luang Prabang is simple from the border at Huay-Xai. Two or three days is typical for slow boats. Costs might range from cheap to expensive depending on the level of your travel operator. A public boat leaves every day at 11 a.m.
Go for a Hike at the Phou Hin Poun Conservation Area
The protected Phou Hin Poun region in Laos has mountains, a limestone forest, rivers with rapids, and caves. Macaques, tigers, and gibbons are just a few of the exotic animals that call this area home. Certainly tigers. The guided excursions, which often run for a few days, take place in a beautiful region. When you arrive, your hotel should be able to help you arrange a tour.
Nong kiew’s outdoor activities
Nong Kiew is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts despite its sleepy riverside setting and languid pace of life. Trekking routes lead to adjacent waterfalls and caves, and the towering limestone cliffs are perfect for experienced climbers. Take a bus from Luang Prabang to Pak Mong, and from there a tuk-tuk will take you the rest of the journey.
Have a discussion with a Buddhist monk
The monks of Vientiane’s Sangha College get together on the first Sunday of every month to meet and greet visitors. You may help them improve their English by asking them questions about their work and routines. Having a conversation with someone whose daily life is vastly different from your own is a fascinating and illuminating method to get insight into the religion and culture of the country in question.
See the Buddha Caves
There are Buddhas in every conceivable position, from standing to sitting to lying down. There are two ways to get there: a songthaew (a river taxi) or a boat voyage up the Mekong River for 25 kilometers (16 miles) (a truck converted into a shared taxi). From that point on, you may go on foot tours of the two major caverns. The fee to visit the caverns is over 20,000 LAK, while the cost of a round-trip on a shared boat is around 65,000 LAK (the boat takes two hours there and one hour to get back).
Attend a Lao cuisine lesson
Learn how to create classics like leap (a salad made with ground pork and spices), or (a spicy stew), and mok pa (a rice and curry dish) by enrolling in a cooking class (steamed fish in banana leaf). A typical cooking lesson begins with a trip to the market, moves on to preparing many meals, and culminates with a group meal. Class costs might range from 250,000 LAK to 400,000 LAK on average. I highly suggest enrolling in Madam Phasouk’s course if you find yourself in Vientiane. Her private cooking lessons cost 150,000 LAK and feature instruction in preparing three to four different meals.
Pricing a Trip to Laos
Buddha Park, a park in Laos close to the capital city of Vientiane, is home to dozens of Buddhist and Hindu temples.
Affordable lodgings in Laos are available
Private hostel rooms average roughly 80,000 LAK per night, with dorm beds going for as little as 65,000 LAK. Prices in Vientiane hostels tend to be more than average. Prices for air-conditioned private rooms range from 195,000 LAK to 350,000 LAK. Most hostels also provide a complimentary breakfast in their rooms. Don’t plan on making your own meals at the hostel, as that is extremely unusual.
There is an abundance of cheap hotels and guesthouses to choose from, with rates for a double or twin room starting at under 150,000 LAK. The going rate for a room in a luxurious four-star establishment with a swimming pool is at least 400,000 LAK per night.
Private rooms on Airbnb in Laos start at roughly 200,000 LAK per night. Apartments and houses may be had for as low as 500,000 LAK, while the going rate is closer to 1,000,000 LAK. Plan ahead for the best prices.
Cuisine in Laos
Laotian cuisine is quite similar to that of its neighbors, with rice and noodle dishes being the backbone of most meals. Green papaya salad and leap (sometimes spelled larb) are two of the most well-known dishes (a minced-meat salad that is the national dish, usually featuring fermented fish).
The night market is a great place to purchase inexpensive local fare including grilled meats, spicy papaya salad, and noodle soup, all for less than 22,000 LAK. A three-course meal with wine at a high-end restaurant would set you back about 150,000 LAK.
A six-pack of beer only costs about 14,000 LAK, which is incredibly inexpensive for this country. The going rate for a cappuccino or latte is about 30,000 LAK. The average price of bottled water is 5,000 LAK.
Traveling Laos on a shoestring?
Here are some suggested itineraries and costs. You should anticipate spending about 300,000 LAK each day as a traveler. This sum accounts for a stay in a hostel dorm, a few drinks, some street cuisine, bicycle rental, and participation in relatively inexpensive activities like swimming and hiking. If you want to drink more often, you’ll need to allocate an extra 15,000 to 30,000 LAK each day from your budget.
With a daily budget of 650,000 LAK, you may do more activities like rock climbing and ATV riding, stay in a private hostel dorm or Airbnb, drink more alcohol, eat more street cuisine, ride more cabs and tuk-tuks, and so on.
You can do everything you want on a daily “luxury” budget of about 1,800,000 LAK if you stay in a hotel, eat all your meals out, drink a lot, use tuk-tuks, or rent a motorbike/scooter. Yet this is only the first level of opulence. You can do everything you set your mind to.
Use the following table to estimate your daily budget based on the number of days you plan to be away. Don’t forget that these are daily averages; some days will cost more, and other days will cost less (you might spend less every day). Our goal here is only to provide you with a framework within which to construct a workable budget. You will need to exchange your dollars for LAK.
How to Save Money
Unless your trip is incredibly frugal, you probably won’t be able to save a lot of money in Laos. Staying in hostels or guesthouses, taking public transit, and eating from street vendors will keep your expenses to a minimum. Typical vacationing doesn’t leave much room for extravagant spending. Having said that, here are some tips for cutting costs while visiting Laos:
Food purchased at a market stall is a lot less costly than eating out (not that they are even that expensive, however). Yet, local markets are your best bet if you’re trying to save money. They provide the best deals on fresh produce.
Make good use of the public transportation system instead of spending all your money on taxis and tuk-tuks. Use only public transit if you must travel. If you find yourself in need of a tuk-tuk or taxi, it’s a good idea to find out from your hotel or hostel how much you can anticipate spending to avoid being overcharged.
Never eat Western food since it is always more expensive than the stuff served locally. Even while individual costs aren’t large, they’ll build up over the course of your journey. Bring a reusable water bottle with a filter to save money and cut down on plastic waste. To ensure that your water supply is always pure and safe, consider investing in a LifeStraw reusable bottle with a built-in filter.
Layover Options in Laos
There is an abundance of cheap hostels all around Laos. Hence, I’ve compiled a list of hotels that I recommend:
- Somewhere to Stay in Indigo: The Indigo House (Luang Prabang)
- The Nana Backpackers Hostel (Vang Vieng)
- The Freedom Guesthouse of Vang Vieng (Vang Vieng)
- Inn of Your Dreams Hostel (Vientiane)
- Village of Environmental Stewardship in Vongkham (Vientiane)
- Hostel Sanga (Pakse)
Traveling Around Laos: A Guide
Aerial image of Laos’s verdant Luang Prabang, with distant mountains. It might be difficult to get to Laos. Poor roads and many mountain passes required to reach most destinations. Nothing ever happens when it’s supposed to, and even short excursions might feel like they go on forever.
There is public transportation in some of the major cities, with fares beginning at about 5,000 LAK and increasing with the distance traveled.
The most frequent mode of intercity transportation in Laos is the bus. For a trip that takes anywhere from four to six hours, expect to pay anything from 80,000 to 130,000 LAK. Buses may not be the most luxurious mode of cross-country transportation due to their lack of amenities like air conditioning, but they do the job at a relatively low cost.
Moreover, almost any retailer in a major city will sell you a tour ticket. Transportation from your lodgings to the station is included in this price. Other than that, you may just show up at the city’s bus terminal. A taxi ride from Vientiane to Luang Prabang or Pakse shouldn’t set you back more than 100,000 LAK.
There are also several “VIP” buses available with air conditioning. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang, a “VIP” excursion will set you back at 410,000 LAK. From 170,000 LAK to 400,000 LAK is the price range for an overnight bus ride. Often, your hotel or hostel will sell you a ticket for one of these buses.
Traveling by bus from Vientiane to Hanoi will set you back around 500,000 LAK. It is possible to go directly from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai for 425,000 LAK, but be aware that the trip will take at least 15 hours. It takes roughly 15 hours and 425,000 LAK to get from Vientiane to Bangkok via bus.
One of the most common methods to travel across Laos is by taking a leisurely boat down the Mekong River from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. Two days are needed to complete the trip. You may take a river taxi from Luang Prabang to the Pak Ou Caves, for example, for around 65,000 LAK.
Further, if you are not in a major rush, I would advise against taking a flight. Domestic flights are expensive and often delayed or canceled. A flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang takes around 50 minutes, but it can cost as much as 500,000 LAK even if you plan months in advance. The following are Laos’ airlines, nonetheless, if you really must: