Source of map: https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/laos.html
With about 70% as much land area as Vietnam, but less than 10% of Vietnam’s population, landlocked Laos is a beautiful, uncrowded, remarkably inexpensive gem that has so far largely escaped mass tourism. Only its enchanting medieval capital of Luang Prabang can really claim to be on the Southeast Asian “tourist trail”.
That’s partly because outside of the central corridor (Vientiane - Vang Vieng - Luang Prabang), Laos simply doesn’t have the infrastructure or the health & safety standards to attract wealthy (often older) high-paying tourists. Everyone can (and should) visit Luang Prabang. Everyone can also visit Vientiane, but opinions on whether Vientiane is worth it are much more divided. Much of the rest of Laos remains the exclusive preserve of adventurous low-budget backpackers.
If you find that plane tickets from America or Europe to Laos are insanely expensive, split it into two itineraries. Book a long-haul flight from your home town to Bangkok — everyone flies to Bangkok, so fares are competitive. Then separately, buy a short-haul flight on Air Asia, Bangkok Airways or some other low-cost short-haul carrier from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Laos’ magnificent medieval capital (more info here).
Or catch a train or domestic flight to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and then cross into northern Laos (more info here).
Or if you want to see southern Laos, get more info here.
You can find cheap flights between any cities in the world at www.skyscanner.net.
Dangerous areas:
Petty theft is common in Laos, so keep an eye on your valuables. But violent crime is generally extremely low. Be extra careful if you go to the Golden Triangle near the Burmese border (a lot of drug trafficking), and stay away from the Chinese SEZ (Special Economic Zone) there, which is run by the Chinese mafia and does a lot of people-trafficking.
If you go to beautiful Xaysomboun Province east of Vang Vieng (home of Phou Bia, Laos’ largest mountain) be aware that large areas are a military restricted zone and you will need advance permission and a military escort. More info here.
Vaccinations and malaria tablets:
No vaccinations at all are required for entry to Laos, but here is what the UK National Health Service recommends (the Center for Disease Control in the US has a similar list):
Definitely have Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and Tetanus.
Other vaccines to consider: Hepatitis B, Rabies, Typhoid.
For those individuals at highest risk: Cholera; Japanese Encephalitis.
Take your vaccination records to any travel clinic, and they will tell you what new shots or boosters you require.
Whether to take malaria tablets or not is entirely up to you. It will depend in part on whether they give you unpleasant side effects or not - maybe buy one week’s worth and try them at home before going. The WHO reports that malaria rates in Laos fell 99.5% in 25 years . Remaining cases are in remote areas, usually in wet season (June to October) or shortly after. So the risk is very low, but of course not zero. Absolutely use DEET, but beware that aerosol sprays are not allowed on the Lao train and will be confiscated).
Planning your travels within Laos
Don’t plan on using 12go.Asia or similar websites to book buses. The vast majority if buses in Laos are not listed on the internet at all anywhere. Sites like booking.com, hotels.com, hostelworld.com etc. likewise have incomplete lists of lodging, focused mainly on higher-priced lodging in cities. Laos is a country where you book most things locally, on arrival, and you pay cash. More info here.
IF YOU WANT TO SELF-DRIVE A CAR IN LAOS, as far as I know you can only rent cars without drivers in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. I personally don’t think it’s worth the cost and risks, given that drivers will approach you every two minutes everywhere in Laos offering their services. But if you want to, more info here.
I loved renting motorbikes within Laos (more info here), but IF YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR OWN MOTORCYCLE ACROSS BORDERS, be warned that rules vary by border crossing and can change rapidly. Here is my understanding as of 25 November 2023 — I welcome updates and corrections:
You can bring motorbikes in both directions across the Lao-Cambodian border at the main crossing near the 4,000 Islands.
You cannot take motorbikes between Thailand and Laos in either direction
On the Lao-Vietnamese border, the rules seem to change constantly. As of 25 November 2023:
You canNOT bring a motorbike from Vietnam into Laos at Lao Bao / Quang Tri, Cha Lo / Quang Binh, or Nam Phao / Ha Tinh - at least, that’s what people who tried it recently were told by the border guards who happened to be on duty at that moment
But in recent weeks, a few people HAVE successfully brought motorbikes into Laos at Bo Y / Kontum and Na Meo / Hanh Hoa. Remember to bring your bike's Blue Card. Will you be successful there too? I wish I could say for sure, but I can’t.
Note: if you will enter Laos at any Vietnamese land crossing other than Lao Bao, then you cannot use visa on arrival — you will have to get your Lao visa in person at a Lao consulate anyway, so try to get the latest information at the consulate when you’re there. (More info on Lao visas here).