Mekong towns, limestone mountains, and temple walks

Laos trip planner: how long to stay, costs and getting around

Updated 24 September 2026

Laos at a glance

Laos suits a slow trip along the Mekong: Luang Prabang's temples, the karst country around Vang Vieng and, further south, the Bolaven Plateau and 4,000 Islands. Allow 10 days to two weeks. Budget travellers spend about US$20-35 a day and mid-range travellers US$45-65. November to February is cool and dry.

Laos quick facts
Best months	November-February (cool and dry)
Trip length	10 days minimum; 2 weeks is comfortable
Daily budget	US$20-35 backpacker, US$45-65 mid-range
Visa	30-day visa on arrival or e-visa for most passports, about US$40 (confirm the current fee)
Currency	Lao kip (LAK), about 22,500 to US$1; bring US dollars, euros or Thai baht to exchange
Main gateways	Vientiane Wattay (VTE), Luang Prabang (LPQ), Pakse (PKZ); Friendship Bridge from Nong Khai, Thailand
Getting around	Laos-China Railway from Vientiane to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang; buses, vans and Mekong boats elsewhere

Where to stay

Find hotels in Laos

Choose a destination to check live rates and availability for your dates.

How many days do you need in Laos?

Allow at least 10 days for Laos; two weeks makes a comfortable first trip.

Ten days covers Luang Prabang (4 days), Vang Vieng (3), Vientiane (2) and a spare day for travel. With two weeks you can arrive on the two-day slow boat down the Mekong from Huay Xai, on the Thai border, to Luang Prabang. Three weeks adds either the far north (Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi) or the south: the Bolaven Plateau near Pakse and Si Phan Don, the 4,000 Islands.

Laos also fits into the 2-week Southeast Asia itinerary and the 1-month route.

Where should you go in Laos?

Most first trips run Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, then Vientiane, with Pakse as an optional southern leg.

Luang Prabang: temples, the dawn alms round and Kuang Si Falls, 29 km out of town. More in the Luang Prabang guide.
Vang Vieng: karst scenery, caves and the Blue Lagoons, on the railway between Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
Vientiane: the riverside capital and main international airport, with Pha That Luang and the Mekong promenade.
Pakse: the base for the Bolaven Plateau and the route south to the 4,000 Islands and Cambodia.

How much does Laos cost per day?

Budget travellers spend about US$20-35 a day in Laos and mid-range travellers US$45-65, before flights.

Hostels and basic guesthouses cost US$4-10, a noodle-stall lunch or night-market dinner US$2-3, and a large Beer Lao US$1-1.50 in local shops. Mid-range money goes on boutique hotels in Luang Prabang (US$15-28) and private vans or domestic flights. The slow boat from Huay Xai costs US$25-35 plus a night in Pakbeng. Pay in kip: US dollars are taken at some hotels and agencies, but at poor rates.

Breakdown and sample routes: Laos travel costs guide, and daily costs in Laos vs the rest of SE Asia.

When is the best time to visit Laos?

November to February: cool and dry, with daytime highs of 27-30°C, cool mornings and very little rain.

March and April are hot, with highs around 33-35°C. The rains run from May to October and are heaviest from June to September, when some mountain roads become impassable and the Mekong rises, though Kuang Si Falls is at its fullest. High-season hotel prices run about 20-35% above the rest of the year.

Monthly temperatures and rainfall: best time to visit Laos.

Do you need a visa for Laos?

Most passports need a visa: a 30-day visa on arrival at the main airports and many land borders, or an e-visa applied for at least 5 days ahead.

The fee is about US$40 for most nationalities, based on a 2022 Consular Department notice (US$20 for Chinese and Vietnamese citizens); bring exact change in US dollars and a passport photo. Apply for the e-visa only on the official Lao e-Visa site; it is accepted at major entry points only. Arrivals at Wattay, Luang Prabang, Pakse and the first Friendship Bridge complete the free Lao Digital Immigration Form within 3 days before arrival. ASEAN, Japanese and South Korean citizens can visit visa-free.

Laos was last fully verified in May 2026 (entry rules rechecked in November), so confirm the fee. Every passport: visa requirements for Laos.

Is Laos safe?

The risks UK government advice highlights in Laos are bag snatching, motorbike rental scams, contaminated drinks, strict drug laws and unexploded ordnance.

Bag snatching by people on motorbikes: hold bags on the side away from the road.
Motorbike rentals: never leave your passport as a deposit; some firms have arranged for bikes to be stolen or damaged, then demanded high fees.
Drinks: methanol-laced alcohol has caused deaths, Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky are banned, and food and drink spiking has been reported.
Drugs: zero tolerance, including for cannabis, with police raids on venues popular with foreigners.

Keep to main routes in rural areas because of unexploded ordnance. The UK advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Emergency numbers: police 1191, fire 1190, ambulance 1195; Vientiane tourist police 021 251 128.

SIM cards and eSIMs in Laos

Unitel and Lao Telecom SIMs are sold at the airport and in phone shops; bring your passport, because SIMs are registered to an identity document.

Unitel's own site offers a travel SIM and eKYC SIM registration, an identity check carried out when the card is activated. Data is cheap: the Laos budget guide puts a SIM at about US$2-3, with several gigabytes from US$3-5. A data connection is useful for LOCA, which the national tourism site describes as the largest ride-hailing and online taxi service in Laos.

Getting around Laos

Take the train between Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, and buses, vans or boats everywhere else.

The Laos-China Railway cut Vientiane to Luang Prabang to about 2 hours, against 7-10 hours by road (details in the FAQ below). Off the rail line, minivans and VIP buses cover routes such as Vientiane to Pakse (8-10 hours), and the slow boat links Huay Xai with Luang Prabang.

Vientiane Wattay (VTE): a shuttle bus run by the state Vientiane Bus Enterprise links the airport with the central bus station at Talat Sao; taxis and LOCA cars are the alternative.
Luang Prabang (LPQ) and Pakse (PKZ): both take regional flights, including from Bangkok.

UK advice warns that road travel after dark is riskier because many vehicles have no lights.

Explore Laos

Luang Prabang

UNESCO town with morning alms, temples, and Mekong sunsets.

Luang Prabang travel guide

Vientiane

Laid-back capital with French-Lao architecture and riverside walks.

Vientiane travel guide

Vang Vieng

Karst mountains, blue lagoons, and adventure activities.

Vang Vieng travel guide

Pakse

Gateway to the Bolaven Plateau and 4,000 Islands.

Pakse travel guide

Visiting Laos

What currency is used in Laos?

The kip (LAK) is the official currency, at about 22,500 to US$1 in November 2026. US dollars and Thai baht are taken at some hotels, agencies and larger restaurants, but usually at a poor rate, so withdraw kip from ATMs or exchange US dollars, euros or baht locally. Carry small notes for markets, tuk-tuks and temple donations, as vendors often cannot break large ones.

Is English widely spoken in Laos?

English is spoken in hotels, restaurants and tour offices in Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Vang Vieng, mostly by younger people. Lao is the national language and English is limited in rural areas, so a few Lao phrases help.

What is the Laos-China Railway?

A rail line opened in December 2021 that runs from Vientiane via Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang to Boten on the Chinese border. Vientiane to Luang Prabang takes about 2 hours by express train, compared with 7-10 hours by road. Since April 2023 cross-border passenger trains have continued to Kunming, a journey of about 10 hours 30 minutes from Vientiane, with tickets for China-bound trains sold through the LCR Ticket app.

Plan your trip