Take along sweater or jacket during the dry and cool season as it may be cool at night. Otherwise, the rest of the year, light clothes, hat, raincoat and sunglasses are recommended. You should bring long dress or pants when visiting temples and pagodas.
Insurance
We strongly advise visitors to have a good medical insurance that also covers evacuation. In case of serious health problem, medical facilities in Laos are rather limited. It is much wiser to purchase a good insurance.
Social Convention
Ansara Hotel encourages its guests to respect Laos’ religious beliefs. Lao people should not be touched on the head and women should not touch monks. Handshaking is not that usual;
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Time
Laos is GMT+7, same time zone as Bangkok, Hanoi, Phom Penh with no Summer Time / Daylight Saving Time used.
Travel documents
For the list of countries requiring or not a Visa to enter Laos, consult your nearest Lao Embassy or Consulate. Note that some nationalities are restricted from obtaining a Visa on Arrival. Check out if you are concerned with updated information from official bodies.
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Travelling from/to Vientiane
Vientiane is connected by air to the world:
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Useful Links
- Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA): Ecotourism Laos or Tourism Laos
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR
- Vientiane Times (local only daily newspaper in English language)
Weather
Laos weather is tropical and as for Vientiane is marked by three distinct seasons:
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All visitors to Laos must hold a valid passport with at least six months remaining validity and one blank page in order to stick the Visa inside.
To enter Laos in Vientiane, it is possible to obtain a Visa on arrival at Wattay international airport (VTE) or at the Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River when coming from Nong Khai, in Thailand. One ID photo is enough and should be prepared in advance to obtain your visa. Simply fill in the Visa Application Form and hand it in along with your photo and passport. Your Visa is to be paid in cash in US dollars (note that small extra fees apply for over times, weekends and national holy days. Costs of Visas vary on the nature of the Visa itself and your nationality). Then, move on to the Immigration counter and get your passport stamped.
- Bangkok
- Hanoi
- Chiang Mai (with touch down in Luang Prabang)
- Siem Reap (with touch down in Pakse)
- Bangkok
- Kunming
- Kuala Lumpur
- Hanoi
- Phnom Penh
- Ho Chi Minh City (with touch down in Phnom Penh)
- Luang Prabang
- Pakse
- Phonsavanh (site of the Plain of Jars)
- Houey Say (in the Golden Triangle, bordering north Thailand and Myanmar)
- Savannakhet
- Luang Namtha
- Oudomxay
Note that airport departure taxes in Laos are already included in the price of your ticket and no fee is weaved neither on domestic nor on international flights.
- Dry and cool: from November to February with average temperatures around 20-25°c in the day and around 15°c in the night
- Dry and hot: from March to May when day temperatures average 35°c and evenings 25°c.
- Wet and hot: from June to October with scattered showers once or twice a day with rare pouring rains over several consecutive days. Average day and night temperatures are somewhere around 25-30°c.
Lao people traditionally greet each other with their palms together and a slight bowing of the head. Take care when discussing politics and related subjects in conversation so as not to cause offence. Shorts or revealing clothes are not always acceptable. Preferably wear a sarong or long pants and cover shoulders when visiting temples (Vats). Shoes must be removed when entering a religious building or somebody's home. Note that the Lao government prohibits sexual relationships, including sexual contact between foreign citizens and Lao nationals, except when the two parties have been married in accordance with Lao family law. Penalties for failing to register a relationship range from fines to imprisonment.