| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
sligo
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 4:54 pm Post subject: Going to laos for 8 days... |
 |
|
| How much cash and what currency should i take? i have heard weird stories about the Laos kip and the use of thai bart and us dollars. please inform me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
losing_touch
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Location: Ulsan - I think!
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
As for how much, that would entirely depend on what you are going to be doing. When I first went to Laos, I easily got by on about $25 a day. I was staying in the cheapest of guesthouses and sharing though. I would probably have $500 on hand to be safe.
As for which currency, take US Dollars. They are accepted everywhere. You will get a lot of Kip if you change to that currency. It can be quite bulky. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
D.D.
Joined: 29 May 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 3:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Whats the cheapest and easiest way to get to Loas. 25 bucks a day sounds expensive for crap accom and food, ect. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
losing_touch
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Location: Ulsan - I think!
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 5:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| D.D. wrote: |
| Whats the cheapest and easiest way to get to Loas. 25 bucks a day sounds expensive for crap accom and food, ect. |
To be fair, I was putting back a ton of Beer Lao on a daily basis and constantly involved in activities. Massages, rafting, waterfall tours, boat rides .... fun stuff! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
visitorq
Joined: 11 Jan 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
I go to Vientiane often. USD or Thai baht are both accepted everywhere - just change to kip like $20 or 1000 baht at a time (left over kip can be traded in at a Laos bank, but not outside Laos). 10,000 kip =~$1.
$5 for a cheap guesthouse. $2 for a cheap meal ($1 for a nice baguette Vietnamese style sandwich). $1 for a beerlao. $10 per day is not hard to do, $25 per day is living very well, actually. The most expensive part is actually taking the stupid tuk tuk from town to the border... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
D.D.
Joined: 29 May 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| How do you get to loas? Do you fly to Thailand first? Or can you fly direct from Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
losing_touch
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Location: Ulsan - I think!
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| D.D. wrote: |
| How do you get to loas? Do you fly to Thailand first? Or can you fly direct from Korea. |
Personally, I had been traveling in Vietnam. When it was time to go to Laos, I took a bus from Hanoi to Vientiane. It was a long, long bus ride! Exiting Laos, I took a boat up the Mekong from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai and crossed into Thailand at Chiang Khong. From there, I made my way to Chiang Mai. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hogwonguy1979
Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| D.D. wrote: |
| How do you get to loas? Do you fly to Thailand first? Or can you fly direct from Korea. |
most flights are from thailand though there are some Siem Reap, Pnom Penh and Vietnam. You can fly from Bangkok to Vientiane, Luang Prabang or Paske (in the South) flights also run from Chiang Mai to Luang.
Couple of alternative routes are the classic backpacker trail of the slow boat from Huay Xia to Luang Prabang, its a 3 day trip, first you need to get to Huay Xia its about 5-6 hours from Chiang Mai you cant get to the boat landing before it leaves so you overnight it on the Thai side, boat leaves around 9 am next morning, you overnight in Pak Beng and get to Luang the 3rd day at around 6p. Another route is either flying or taking a train to NE Thailand (Udon Thani or Nong Khai) and taking a bus to Vientiane.
Cash registers will give you totals in kip baht or us dollars, small places will only take kip most take baht or dollars |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sligo
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 4:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I was due to meet my friend in Laos for a few days, but he had an accident and had to cancel, so i will be alone. Is anyone here going to laos from june 10th to the 18th? Or have some ideas of great things to do during that time. i am pretty rubbish at planning, but am great at following a plan. Let me know if you fancy joining me, or have some great ideas. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 6:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| sligo wrote: |
| I was due to meet my friend in Laos for a few days, but he had an accident and had to cancel, so i will be alone. Is anyone here going to laos from june 10th to the 18th? Or have some ideas of great things to do during that time. i am pretty rubbish at planning, but am great at following a plan. Let me know if you fancy joining me, or have some great ideas. |
i think you'll do fine without a friend traveling with you. i was there on my own for 3 1/2 weeks in 2007 and i met people on their own or in smaller groups at literally every turn. that's the great thing about places like laos.
while there i had a similar budget to losing touch. tons of great food and even larger amounts of beer laos. really nice accomodations for $5-10 a night, so you can't go wrong. the joma bakery in ventianne and luang prabang puts anything "similar" in korea to shame, and they've also go some seriously spicy food in laos!
i suggest bringing us dollars. they really seem to favor it over the baht and their own currency. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rokgryphon
Joined: 12 Apr 2005
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The bills also have to be in stellar condition, so when you change money do not accept any bills with staple holes, tears, or large wrinkles that might easily tear.
while there you can follow the usual route, Vientienne, Vang (Vegas) Vien, Luang Prabang, I would try to go to Phonsovan too, to see the plain of jars. It is very mysterious and cool, it is about 5 or 6 hours from LP by bus. If you want to see some great trip ideas and pictures check out www.gt-rider.com and go to the forums link and check out the Laos forums, it has the most up to date travel information on Laos.
I say fly to BKK arrive in the afternoon and take the overnight sleeper train to Nong Khai, you will be in VT by 10 am the next day, I think the train is about 2000 Baht RT for an AC sleeper car, get the bottom bed if you can because they are the person that controls when the chairs are made into beds! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
okayden223
Joined: 05 Jun 2009
Location: Incheon
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Beer Lao is 50 cents! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| okayden223 wrote: |
| Beer Lao is 50 cents! |
the weather's hot and sticky and the beer tastes good. it's a recipe for an awful lot of bottles if you're like me and have very little will-power when it comes to beer and vacation. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ernie
Joined: 05 Aug 2006
Location: asdfghjk
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| my favorite thing to do in vientiane was to go swimming at Sokpaluang Swimming Pool. rent a bike and ride east along the river. turn left near the australian embassy. it's near the 'forest wat'. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
losing_touch
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Location: Ulsan - I think!
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
| definitely maybe wrote: |
| okayden223 wrote: |
| Beer Lao is 50 cents! |
the weather's hot and sticky and the beer tastes good. it's a recipe for an awful lot of bottles if you're like me and have very little will-power when it comes to beer and vacation. |
No kidding! I put back a lot of Beer Lao in Laos! When I say a lot, I mean I was drinking it like water. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
