Money and costs


The national currency of Laos is the Kip (LAK). The Thai baht and the US dollar circulate on a large scale in the country and are accepted in cities for payments involving higher amounts. At the time this text was created, there were ATMs only in Vientiane. The existing ones allow withdrawals of only 700.000 kips (approximately €6,50). In addition, the Lao bank BCEL (Banque pour le Commerce Extérieur Lao) charged a fee of around $2USD which, added to the probable 7$ to 10$USD fees of the non-Lao banking entities involved in the electronic transaction, made this solution little. advisable.

Many travelers continue to carry dollars with them or turn to the BCEL to obtain cash advances – possible only in kips - with a 3% rate. After leaving Laos, the kips they have no value abroad.

ACCOMMODATION

The towns and villages on the Laos tourist route are the only ones with guest houses adapted to receive foreigners. You will find them in Vientiane (still low in abundance), Luang Prabang (very abundant), Vang Vieng, Champasak and elsewhere. Those with more dedicated owners offer comfort and even some elegance at negligible prices, in the order of €3 to €7 per night for a double room with fan and shared bathroom, probably cold water, €5 to €10 for air-conditioned double rooms , private bathroom, possibly TV and hot water which, anyway, will only be indispensable in mountainous regions where, unfortunately, it is more unlikely. In hot weather, in the lower parts of Laos, you will be grateful if you have cold water in the shower. 

Other types of hotels of a more commercial nature are appearing, but not for that reason they can be said to be sophisticated. They are most abundant in the Vientiane capital, in Luang Prabang and Savannakhet. Their prices are possibly even more affordable than those of the guest houses. 

At the top of the scale are the larger hotels, most of them state-run and targeting Asian business entourages and, increasingly, foreign tour groups visiting Laos. These hotels offer much higher rates, in the order of €30 to €60 per double room with air conditioning, hot water, TV and room service. 

FOOD

Laos cuisine resembles that of the northeastern border region of Thailand. It is based on raw herbs and vegetables, rice (almost always sweet and glutinous) and on fish or poultry, pork or buffalo – also some wild animals and even endangered animals – cooked with bittersweet and very spicy final flavours. The national dish is the sleep a sort of salad with shredded meat, herbs, spices, lime juice and lots of chillies. 

Similar to the accommodation, meals are reasonably priced, slightly inflated in the center of villages visited by hordes of foreigners who small businessmen quickly realized to have a much higher purchasing power than Lao citizens. The city with gastronomy and prices best suited to outsiders is Luang Prabang. There, in the streets and alleys with French-speaking colonial architecture, the small bars serve crepes and pancakes, fruit salads with yogurt and muesli, omelets, baguettes and everything that backpackers appreciate. As you might expect, they charge substantially more than Lao places used to serving only Lao customers. Depending on where you sit, expect to pay between €2 and €6 for breakfast; €3 and €8 for lunch or dinner. 

INTERNET

Wi-fi is becoming popular. It is increasingly offered by guest houses, hotels, bars and restaurants. Even so, internet cafes are plentiful and some of the cheapest in all of Asia with prices in the order of €0,40 an hour. 

In the case of longer stays, it may pay to obtain a SIM card from one of the operators that compete for communications in the country: Lao Telecom, Beeline, ETL Mobile and Unitel.