Tips for travelling in Laos

The land of million elephants’ has always fascinated tourists with its original temples, wonderful waterfalls, strange Buddha statues and last but certainly not least, the friendly people here.

Transportation

The main mean of transportation in Laos is ‘Tuk Tuk’ and ‘pickup’ ( a type of small trucks). Car schedules are always available at any bus station or travel company.
Some tips to save your time and money when traveling around in Laos:
- Share tuk tuk with other visitors
- Buy pickup tickets one day in advance and should not buy round – trip tickets

When to visit?

Visitors will need at least 5 days to visit all the most famous destinations but normally, people will spend 8 to 9 days for the trip. Travellers may visit the country at any time in the year. However, you need to know exactly in which season you will visit so that you can decide what to bring, sunscreen or a raincoat.

Cuisine

Basically, Laos cuisine has many things in common with its neighbor, Vietnam. Some dishes that visitors should try when visiting Laos are the grilled dishes, sausages or sticky rice. And Beer Lao, which is hailed as one of the best type of beer in the Southeast Asia, would be a perfect option for drink.

What to bring?

- Passport
- Laos guidebook
- Hat, gauze mask, sunglasses, sunscreen
- Drugs
- Insect repellent
- You can use Kip (Laos’ currency) or USD  in Laos but it is advisable to use Kip.

Places to visit

Among all those destinations in Laos, Luang Prabang is the place that deserves spending your time and money the most. Visiting this ancient capital, you will have the chance to discover lots of magnificent temples such as Wat Visunarath, Wat Mai, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Aham or Wat Sene temple.

Also, don’t forget to visit the top of Wat Tham Phousi in the afternoon to enjoy the sunset over Mekong river and the panoramic view of Luang Prabang. Doing some shopping at the night markets (which are open from 5p.m to 10p.m), buying some souvenirs or trying some original dishes would be great options. Other no less interesting places are the Royal Palace Museum, Tat Khuangsi waterfall, Pak Ou caves, Phanom  and Xieng villages which located on the other side of the river.
The temples are located quite close to each other and are open from 8a.m to 5 p.m. If you want to get inside the temples for visit and praying, you will be charged a fee.

Xieng Khoang, which is home to the famous Plain of Jars, is the second suggested destination in the journey to conquer the ‘Land of temples’. After having discovered this amazing place, if you have time, you may also want to wander around in Ang, Lat Sen and Sua villages to know more about the country’s life and culture.

There is a daily bus from Xieng Khoang to Luang Prabang every morning.

The most recommended mean of transportation for discovering Vientiane is bicycle (with the leasing fee of around 1USD per hour). There are many famous places for you to visit in Vientiane including Patuxay statue, Black Stupa, Pha That Luang, Wat Simuang (also known as ‘Mother Temple’, where the monks tight some small red threads on the wrists to bless their people) or Sisaket temple (a museum with thousands of large and small Buddha statues).

By Gray Line Vietnam

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The destinations that cannot be missed when visiting Laos

Laos is the ‘Land of a million elephants’ and home to numerous temples of original architectures. Laos is sandwiched between Me Kong river and Truong Son mountains. The most attractive tourist sites in this country are Vietiane,  Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng town with spontaneous natural scenes and adventure tours. If you have time, you are advised to visit Chum field in Phonesavanh (Xieng Khuang). Also, you should not overlook any temple in Laos. You are sure to find the temples here very special and different from the ones in Cambodia or Thailand. If you visit the country in April, you will have an opportunity to enjoy the traditional splashing water festival - the most interesting festival in Laos.

Vientiane – the capital of Laos

Vientiane is located on the bank of Mekong river and became the capital of Laos in the mid 16th century.
This is also home to numerous national relics in Laos such as That Luang – the symbol of sovereignty and Buddhism.

Must – visit destinations in Vientiane:

Wat Sisaket temple: The temple which was built in 1818 by King Anouvong is one of the oldest temples in Vientiane. It is situated in the central of an old city. Hundreds of small houses and 6840 Buddha statues can be found at the temple. The temple welcome visitors everyday from 8 am to 4 pm.
That Luang Stupa: It was first built in the 3rd century on the order of the first governor of Vientiane – Mr. Phaya Chanthabouri Pasitthisack. The Stupa is 45 meters high and surrounded by 30 small stupas. That Luang Stupa is believed to be preserving a holy relic of Buddha. Today, it is the most important cultural relic of Laos.

Hor Pha Keo museum

The museum was built as a temple in 1656 by King Sayasetthathirath and rebuilt in 1936. The temple was turned into a museum in 1970. It is now preserving numerous national collections and Buddha sculptures. From the terrace of Pra Keo lake, people can have an overview of the Royal Palace.

Patuxay Gate

The monument which was built in 1957 is probably the most stand – out destination in the centre of Vientiane. It is located on Lanexang avenue. Visitors can get to the top of the monument and have a stunning panoramic view of Vientiane.

Xieng Khuang Buddha garden

The Buddha garden which was built in 1958 displays a collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. Xieng Khuang  is located 28 kilometers from the South of Vientiane on the bank of Mekong river.
There are also some other tourist destinations that you can visit such as Wat Simuang temple or Tri Pitaka library.

The main transport in Vientiane in particular and Laos in general is tuk tuk. But note that it would be really difficult to find a tuk tuk when you go out late at night since almost every family in Laos has their own car.

By Gray Line Vietnam

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