AIR
There are four international airports in Laos, where you can
get visa on arrival : Wattay International Airport in Vientiane Capital, Pakse
International Airport in Champasack Province, Luang Prabang International
Airport and Savannakhet.
Wattay in Vientiane has regular service from Bangkok, Chiang
Mai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kunming, Guang Zhou,
Singapore, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur.
Direct flights are available to Luang Prabang from Bangkok,
Hanoi and Chiang Mai. Lao Airlines has regular service to all domestic
destinations and a number of regional capitals. Major international carriers
with flights to Laos are Bangkok Airways, Thai Airways International, Vietnam
Airlines , China Southern Airlines and Air Asia.
BOAT
If you enter Laos from Thailand at Houai Xay (Bokeo), it is necessary to take a short
ferry ride across the Mekong River. After crossing from Chiang Khong in
northern Thailand to Houai Xay, many people proceed directly to Luang Prabang
via the Mekong.
If you are heading north to Luang Namtha, a two-day journey
on the Namtha River is a memorable adventure. The boat takes you through
beautiful forest. You need an overnight stay in boatman's home. There is also a
regular boat service on the Mekong from Pakse to the UNESCO World Heritage Site
at Wat Phou, and through the Four Thousand Islands in the far south.
LAND
You can access Laos by road from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia
and Yunnan Province in China. There are presently 24 international border
crossings where 15-day visa on arrival can be obtained. The most popular entry
point is Vientiane's Friendship Bridge that crosses the Mekong and connects
Laos to Thailand.
INTERNATIONAL CHECKPOINTS
International Airport
• Wattay International Airport in Vientiane Capital.
• Luang Prabang International Airport in Luang Prabang
Province.
• Pakse Internatioanl Airport in Champasack Province.
• Savannakhet International Airport in Savannakhet Province.
Border Checkpoints
China-Laos
• Bohan - Boten (Yunnan - Luang Namtha Province)
Myanmar
• Vang Poung - Ban Muang Mom (Yangon - Bokeo Province)
"No Visa-on-arrival"
Thailand-Laos
• Chiang Khong - Houai Xay (Chiang Rai - Bokeo Province)
• Nakaxeng - Nam Heuang (Loei - Sayabouly Province)
• Houai Kon – Nam Ngeun (Nan - Sayabouly Province)
• Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I (Nongkhay - Vientiane
Capital)
• Train Station (Nongkhay - Vientiane Capital)
• Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge II (Moukdahan - Savannakhet
Province)
• Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge III (Nakorn Phanom - Khammouane
Province)
• Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge IV (Chiang Khong-Bokeo
Province)
• Bungkan - Pakxan (Nongkhay-Bolikhamxay Province) "No Visa-on-arrival"
• Chongmek - Vangtao, Ubol Ratchathani to Champasack
Province.
Vietnam-Laos
• Taichang - Pang Hok, Dien Bien to Phongsaly Province
• Nameo - Nam Soi, Thanh Hoa to Houaphanh Province.
• Namkan - Namkan (Nge An - Xieng Khouang Province)
• Kao Jeo - Nam Pao (Ha tinh - Bolikhamxay Province)
• Napao - Chalo (Quangbinh - Khammouane Province)
• Laobao - Dansavanh (Quang tri - Savannakhet Province)
• Bo-er - Phou Keua (Kom Toum - Attapeu Province)
Cambodia-Laos
• Pra Preng Krian - Nong Nok Khian (Cambodia - Champasack
Province)
A train operates daily between the Lao-Thai Friendship
Bridge (Vientiane Capital) and Nong Khai (Thailand) connecting Laos to Thailand
VISA
All visitors entering Laos must possess valid passports.
Visas can obtained from Lao Embassies and Consulates abroad. In addition, visas
can also be obtained on arrival at the international checkpoint.
Visas can be secured in advance of arrival at Lao Embassies.
This can be done in several ways through a tour company recognized by the Lao
PDR, from Lao Embassies or Consulate in countries.
For those wishing to extend their stay, it is possible to
extend your visa at the Immigration Office in Vientiane, through travel
agencies. It is also possible to obtain a Visa-on-Arrival at international
checkpoints.
Validity starts from day of entry into Laos. Tourist/Business:
30 days (can be extended twice in Vientiane for 30 days). Visas must be used
within three months of being issued.
Passport/Visa Note: Those requiring visas should obtain them
in their home country before travelling to Laos. Visas are available on arrival
at international checkpoints. On entering Laos visitors must ensure they
receive an entry stamp in their passport as fines for not having one are high.
All visitors' passports should be valid for at least six months.
Laos Visa Extension
If you find your visa is about to expire and you wish to
stay longer in Laos, don't worry, it is possible to get all types of Laos visa
(except for a Transit Visa), extended at the immigration office in Vientiane.
It cost US$2 per day if you apply before the expiry date. However, if you leave
it until your visa expires you will be finded for US$10 per day for the days
you over stayed.
If you are in Vientiane, your Laos Visa extension can be
done at the Immigration Office behind the Joint Development Bank (JDB) on Lane
Xang Avenue, opposite the Morning Market. The office is open Monday-Friday,
from 8:00am-4:00pm (closed 12:00 to 13:00 at lunchtime). The office is closed
for applications on Friday afternoon.
Requirements
Your passport
One passport type photo
Service fee of US$3
Application fee of 3,000 kip per person
Visa extension fee : $2 per day if you have valid visa, $10
per day if your visa is already expired (overstayed days)
Get a travel agent or specialist provider to do your Laos
visa extension for you.
Most travel agents can arrange a Laos visa extension for you
with a small overhead fee. This varies between providers, so shop around for
the best deal.
The process is straight forward, just fill out the
application form then submit together with your passport and pay the fees. In
normal circumstances your visa is usually ready the same day.
If you only plan to stay for a few more days this option
could work out best.
If you are in Vientiane it is very easy, you can take a
public bus (around 10,000 kip) to the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge. Complete the immigration procedures on the Lao side;
the take the shuttle bus (5,000 kip) to the Thai immigration point and enter
Thailand. If you want to come straight back into Laos you simply have to cross
the road to the Thai immigration to exit the country. Once again, get the
shuttle bus and then arrive at the Lao side, where you can apply for a Laos
Visa on Arrival.
Your passport must have at least 6 months of remaining
validity and a blank page for a visa stamp and don’t forget to take enough cash
(US dollars) for the visa fee and two passport sized photos.
HEALTH
Laos has only basic healthcare. Precautionary measures like
eating onely well cooked food, drinking bottled water, staying hydrated,
avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes and wearing protective clothing will help
prevent most common ailments.
Hotel
Hotel rooms are available in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Vang
Vieng, Savannakhet and Pakse. The rooms are varied with or without
air-conditioning, hot water, bathtub, TV, etc. Prices are from about US$25 to
US$150 per night depending on the facilities available.
Guest
House
Typically occupying large
two-storey homes of recent vintage, but occasionally you will find them
in more historic and charismatic wooden houses. In places such as Don Det in
southern Laos or Muang Ngoi Neua in northern Laos you will come across guesthouses consisting
of simple bamoo-thatch huts with shared facilities.
Homestay
Staying in a village home is becoming popular. Homestays are
invariably in rural areas, provide a chance for travellers to experience Lao
stylelife. Homestays can be arranged through tour companies, and sometimes you
can talk directly with families for homestay.
Resort
The term "resort" in the Lao context may be used
for any accommodation situated outside towns or cities. Resort are varied. Some
resorts provide sport facilities, spa, etc. while others provide more
eco-tourism style stays.
FOR YOUR COMFORTABLE STAY
Because of small differences in each culture, people
sometimes feel uncomfortable each other. We hope you enjoy our country without
experiencing uncomfortableness.
When you visit temples (call "Wat") avoid wearing
sleeveless shirts and short skirts/pants.
When you enter a Wat or a private home please remove your
shoes. In traditional homes, people sit on low seats or cushions on the floor.
Men usually sit with their legs crossed or folded to one side, women prefer the
latter. Upon entering, guests may be served fruit or tea. These gestures of
hospitality should not be refused.
Since the head is considered the most sacred part of the
body and the soles of feet the least, please don't touch a person’s head nor
use one’s foot to point at a person or any object. Men and women rarely show affection in public. It is also
forbidden for a woman to touch a Buddhist monk.
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