Laos travel guide – Journey to a hidden gem

Laos travel guide
Photo made by GoAsiaDayTrip

Contents

LAOS – SOMETHING WONDERFUL.

Laos is a neighbor of Vietnam named “Country of Million Elephants”, beautiful and peaceful. When research information to schedule, specifically see that there are too few articles about Laos and not many Vietnamese people choose Laos as the destination. And so we decided to go to Laos to explore. Journey 7 days 6 nights to explore Laos officially started for the best Laos travel guide.

Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – ourbackpackjournal

In Laos, although Vietnamese people are crowded, most of them come to work and do business. Partly because of unfavorable traffic conditions. For example, airplanes are too few and the fare is quite high. As for the passenger car, it is too far to make the move become very tiring. But all that makes me more curious about this country. The country is close to Vietnam but it is strange to too many Vietnamese people. Therefore this Laos travel guide is born for all of you.

1. GENERAL ITINERARY FOR LAOS TRAVEL GUIDE.

Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – explorogist_
  • The first day: DANANG – SAVANNAKHET – VIENTIANE
  • The second day: VIENTIANE
  • The third day: VIENTIANE – VANG VIEN
  • The 4th day: VANG VIEN
  • The 5th day: VANG VIEN – LUANG PRABANG
  • The 6th day: LUANG PRABANG – VINH
  • The 7th day: VINH – ĐÀ NẴNG

TIME: 7 days, 2 days of travel (February 15 – February 22)

EXPENSES: ~ 5,000,000 all disability

OUT: In Da Nang, go to Laos by car bed

THROUGH 3 CITY: Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang

TEAM of 6 members.

2. PREPARATION.

PAPERWORK:
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – anacarolina_bm

Laos is as well as other Asian countries, Vietnamese citizens just need passports, they do not have to apply for a visa, but they must pay an entry fee of VND 10,000. We started from DA NANG and moved to the nearest border gate of Lao Bao (Quang Tri) – Daen Savanh.

At the border gate, we do the procedures for seal and fee payment (20,000 VND – 50,000 VND depending on the time. Normally, the Saturday and Sunday fees will be higher and between the different border gates, the fee level will be also different). When you arrive at the gate, the driver will call you down, then you will take your passport to go inside to close the carpentry side of Vietnam to exit.

Next, you will have to continue to move to the border gate in Laos to pay the fee and enter the entry procedure (fee 10,000 Kip or 20,000 Kip depending on your passport. As far as I know, the passport if If there are visas from European countries, the fee will be cheaper).

CLOTHES:

Because Laos is a Buddhism country and local people are really respect religious culture, you should pay attention to how to dress appropriately, especially when visiting places of worship and worshiping places such as temples, pagodas, and churches … You should wear discreet and best clothes should not wear short-sleeved, lack of dignified shorts.

MEDICINE:

You should bring a stomachache with you in case It does not like Laos food. In Laos, people eat spicy food and many fried dishes in style remix Lao style quite strange and very fat.

Remember to prepare anti-motion sickness because the distance from Vietnam to Vientiane is 900km and you will have to stay in the car for about 18 hours.

3. BEST TIME FOR TRAVELING LAOS.

The best time to travel to Laos is in the dry season from October of previous year to May of next year. We went right after the Lunar New Year, on February 14, so the weather was quite favorable, sunny and warm, not too hot and humid.

Photo by Instagramer – riyardiarisman

You can travel to Laos at any time of the year, but before you need to know the exact season of the country to prepare sunscreen or rain gear. You notice that Laos also has two seasons: summer and winter. The rainy season lasts from May to November, followed by the dry season from December to April next year, which also can be considered the best time to travel to Laos.

4. TRANSPORTATION.

DA NANG – VIENTIANE:

We bought tickets from Da Nang of Son Huong bus with 1,000,000 VND / person from Da Nang – VIENTIANE

Depart from Da Nang bus station: 8:30

Stop eating lunch in Quang Tri: 11:30

Stop dinner at Savannakhet: 4:30

Arrive in Vientiane: 4:00 am the next morning

Phone number of Son Huong bus: + 84 914.081105 / +84 905.677700

VIENTIANE – VANGVIEN:

We book tickets to Vang Vien near the hostel for $ 7 / person

The bus runs in the morning and takes 4 hours to VANG VIEN.

Photo by Instagramer – verarybakova77
VANG VIEN – LUANGPRABANG:

We bought the bus for Luang Prabang directly at Hostel for 80,000 Kip / person.

LUANGPRABANG – VINH (Vietnam):

Tickets from LUANG PRABANG to VINH, you can buy a bus ticket at the ticket service counters along Luang Street. However, I encourage you to go ahead to the Luang station to buy, the price will be cheaper than buying directly there. We do not know whether to buy in the old town near the night market in Luang with more expensive tickets about 80,000 VND compared to buying at the bus station. Tickets purchased in the old town are 270,000 Kip / person.

5. MONEY EXCHANGE.

Photo by Instagramer – whoislouis

CURRENCY AND PRICE: The currency unit of Laos is “Lao Kip” which stands for “Lak”, denoted by “₭”. 1 LAK (1 Lao Kip) is approximately equal to 2.7 VND. So 1000 LAK = 2,700 VND; 10000 LAK = 27,000 VND. Depending on which bank you choose to convert money, the difference will be different.

Current banknotes in Laos have the following denominations: 50’000, 20’000, 10’000, 5’000, 2’000, 1’000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 ₭ (coins are no longer used in Laos) Thai Bath and US Dollars are the most widely used currencies and the most convertible foreign currency in Laos.

6. SIM CARD – CONTACT IN LAOS.

In this Laos travel guide, I recommend you can roaming (international roaming) for your subscriber when going to Laos but the cost will be quite expensive. If you want to save, you can use Unitel sim. This is a popular network in Laos. You can buy sim directly at the gate (someone will bring it to the bus to sell or sell right at the gate) for 50,000VND and add 10,000 Kip for 4G registration to use the internet. The seller has instructions on how to register for 4G and activate the SIM card, so keep your mind on it. We mainly use 4G sim to communicate with each other via Facebook.

7. HOW TO MOVE IN LAOS?

Photo by Instagramer – aleelaoboy

In Laos there are no public motorbikes like in Vietnam, public transport is not developed. Taxis are available only in big cities but not much because private vehicles are quite cheap here (because there is no import tax, most people buy Lao cars). The main means of transportation for tourists, Tuk Tuk vehicles are reclaimed from cargo vehicles or tractor trucks. They charge according to the itinerary, so the more crowded, the cheaper it will be. When you go with a group of friends, remember to bargain.

8. ACCOMMODATION:

You can refer to the hotels or guesthouses on Booking.com or Agoda to make it easier to compare prices and preview in advance, where I will stay. Book before you go to avoid looking around, especially if you arrive in the middle of the night.

Photo by Instagramer – hotelsland

You will be surprised to enter some hotels in Vientiane capital, receptionists and waiters speak Vietnamese because there are many Vietnamese people living and doing business in Laos.

When traveling to Laos you can easily find hotels from 1 star to 5 star in tourist cities. Hotel prices in Laos are similar to prices in Vietnam.

9. HIGHLIGHT DESTINATIONS FOR LAOS TRAVEL GUIDE.

PATUXAI / PATUXAY.
Photo by Instagramer – 2hyejeong

Patuxay (or Patuxai) is made by the people of this Million Elephants country such as the triumphal arch of the city. The work was built to honor soldiers during the anti-French resistance of the Lao people. Patuxay is located in the middle of the main road of the capital, where you can recognize it from any direction.

Moreover, in the middle of the street intersection, Patuxay welcomes the dawn of a new day and is the place to watch the sunset most clearly.

BUDDHA PARK.
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – deenatalia

It is so guilty for not mention this wonder in a Laos travel guide. Buddha Park is also known as Xieng Khuan, in Xieng Khuan Park with over 200 Buddha statues and Hindu gods. In addition to the Buddha statue, the statue of the god also has some mascots, demons, and humans (musicians, dancers). These artworks are casted in cement.

PHA THAT LUANG.
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – iam._.yj

Pha That Luang is the central architecture of That Luang Pagoda and one of the largest Buddhist towers in Laos. Center of the tower is a majestic mass of people rising high like an arrow. The base of this central block is a square lotus, which is spreading golden wings to four sides. On the lotus station is a high pedestal with a square shape and a rather complex structure. The base of the pedestal is the square steps up and down as small as they are, then bulge out on the side into a large floating edge, slightly leaning out to make a firm foothold for the shape of a slender gourd above.

VANG VIENG – Romantic and peaceful town.
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – amilioscope_

Located only a few hours away from the capital Vientiane, the lovely town of Vang Vieng with charming water will be a lovely stop on the journey to discover Laos. In particular , Vang Vien is worth going for believers who like to live slowly and adventurers like to climb the mountain pass.

It is known as a small, peaceful village without lack of outdoor activities for tourists. If you have seen enough of the unique architecture, when you arrive in Vang Vieng, you will only have beautiful friends and nature, with bike trips, hovering over hot air balloons or floating in the river by kayak.

LUANG PRABANG.

Luang Prabang, ancient capital of Laos. This famous town is ancient and peaceful with hundreds of temples and is an attractive and economical destination of Laos.

Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – hieu_onthego

Once visiting the old town in Luang Prabang, chances are you will remember Hoi An ancient town in Vietnam. The old and quiet houses bring a feeling of peace and hard to describe. Both the moss-roofed roofs, the old walls, the old wooden doors … Here you will find the streets extremely clean, though there are many vehicles like cars or motorbikes circulating. Vehicles rarely use horns and increase the inherent tranquility of the town.

Looming distance is the shop selling souvenirs to visitors; the space is just small and pretty, not encroaching on sidewalk space and roadway. Because of this peace, the old town has become the most popular tourist destination in Luang Prabang in general and Laos in particular.

10. MUST-DO ACTIVITIES.

KAYAKING:
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – laughtraveleat

Sailing on Nam Song River is a great experience to be able to fully capture Vang Vieng’s spectacular beauty. Businesses such as GADT Tours provide kayaking related services with experienced guides so you can get the most pleasant days here.

Trying ATV:
Laos travel guide
Photo by atvaddiction

If you do not like bicycles because there is no challenge, ATV is another experience that will definitely appeal to those who love speed and love to drive. ATV is a car-like form, but it is much smaller and does not have a roof that is suitable for mountain forest roads.

CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN:

Vang Vieng is one of the most suitable places in Southeast Asia for climbing because there are many caves and limestone cliffs.

Trying HOT AIR BALLOON:

For a memorable Laos travel guide, seeing Vang Vieng from above is an experience that every tourist who wants to try here wants to try. Indeed when looking at this town from above, you will certainly be for the scenery, because the majestic mountains that have loved more and more love this land.

Be on the NAM XAY TOP VIEW:
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – theresa_antonia

11. Laos cuisine.

KHAO NIAO (sticky rice):
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – v_a_let

Commonly used in meals in Laos, however, it is more flexible and sticky than regular white rice in Vietnam.

KHAO NIAO MAMUANG:
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – akashwalia87

Like sticky rice dishes in Vietnam. However, in Laos famous for durian and mango flavors, this dish is also used as dessert after meals.

LAAP:
Laos Travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – socialdelicious

In addition, known as Lard, is a dish of stir-fry meat, including: minced meat, vegetables, tubers, garlic, onion, chili, lemon juice, served with rice or Khao Niao in main meals.

LAO LAO:
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – yujinpark

In addition, known as Lard, is a dish of stir-fry meat, including: minced meat, vegetables, tubers, garlic, onion, chili, lemon juice, served with rice or Khao Niao in main meals.

LAOS BEER:
Laos travel guide
Photo by Instagramer – gauvinclaire

The beer of Laos, dubbed the most delicious beer in Southeast Asia, you must try to enjoy it.

Other notes for Laos travel guide.

  • Phone in Laos is quite cheap; you can easily buy a Sim Card to pay before you arrive at the gate to use.
  • Electrical equipment in Laos is similar to other Southeast Asian Countries.
  • In Laos, you cannot drink tap water directly. Must drink boiled water or bottled water to ensure hygiene.
  • Law in Laos stipulates that when traveling on the street, it is necessary to bring identification as police can check any person when necessary.
  • Laos is considered a safe tourist destination, now. However, you should keep in mind when entering crowded places or at too late hours. Note when there are strangers, especially be wary of people who want to be acquainted or want to see your passport.
  • In tourist areas such as temples, pagodas, memorial temples, and sanitation are strictly managed. If someone spits, dumps garbage on the road, urinating at the wrong place will be severely punished.

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