Ban Merry

Is it possible to get a 1-year business extension if you're on a tourist visa on arrival with no documents, just pay the money like Cambodia? Or is it a more involved process?

No, not possible unless you find a job or a fixer that usually costs around 600usd for the year. New Government now and they are starting to clamp down. All documents need to be intact.

Now he has to leave the country for a month?

I was told that if you're 65 or over you can get the extra 60 days for free but then have to leave for 1 month. If you just pay all the time and don't get the 60 free days then you don't have to leave.

Any updates from travellers that have been in Laos recently?

Glad you enjoyed your time in Vientiane.

"Sad to say The Drop Zone closed 3 months back. All back in the UK now. Mekong Sunshine is a good location with the Papasack restuarant next door. Better hotels to stay at though. You get what you pay for."

Oh dear that's terrible news it was a great little place,how long had it been open for it was a long time I think?Always liked to sit on the terrace outside with a big Beer Lao and watch Vientiane go by,very slowly of course!

Was that your bar then?

No it wasn't my bar but did know the guy a few years back. It was open for over 4 years, could be a bit longer. Rumour has it that the Lebanese Kebab restaurant on the opposite corner has bought the place out. Not sure on this though as it's in early stages of refurbishment. Also, not sure where the girls from DZ have gone to now.

One last thing for the OP and others. The New Vientiane Plaza Mall has a cinema complex on the top floor with movies in English, Lao and Thai. Same owners as the complexes in Thailand. Very comfortable. Be careful ordering the pop corn though as this is more expensive than a ticket.

Beert Lao

I like the Inter City Hotel,unbeatable location and that faded glory of a colonial mansion,converted into a mid-range hotel all wrapped up in a package next to the best bar in Vientiane next door,Bor Penyang of course!

Mekong Sunshine at the end of the riverside is relatively new and the same sort of range,it has a great restaurant full of locals only,very few Westerners in there and live music plus cold Beer Lao and pretty serving wenches with big smiles!

I tried Best Western once but it was around USD $100 per night and my room was right next to the lift shaft,so I wasn't impressed at all,view was awful as well!Vientiane is what it is,you don't get Bangkok quality accommodation there so you just have to put up with it.

BTW a good little bar near to Samlor on the road behind the riverside is The Drop Zone,owned by an ex-Army British guy but like all bars in Vientiane has to shut by midnight,apart from Samlor and the nightclubs such as @Home.

Sad to say The Drop Zone closed 3 months back. All back in the UK now. Mekong Sunshine is a good location with the Papasack restuarant next door. Better hotels to stay at though. You get what you pay for.

I agree that the Inter City Hotel isn't the best. I forgot to mention that in about 2 more months the bar on the 10th floor of the Capitol Hotel will be open all day, 360 degree views of the city with fine food all at a reasonable price.

The Highland Bar now has a Sunday roast starting from Midday. 240baht

The new Irish Bar O'Grady's also has Sunday roast starting at 4pm. 260baht . You'll have to Google Map as it's about 4km from the center of town. Guiness on tap for 240 baht a pint.

Both very good roasts for those that might need something different to eat in VTE.

All Hotels below are on the waterfront with Korean BBQ , Japanese , Western and Local restaurants all opposite so plenty of choices with quite a lively atmosphere. Prices for Hotels may have gone up a little since last time I checked.

VANSANA Hotel: Standard room 1760 baht - Deluxe room 2080 baht

SEANSONS Riverside Hotel: Standard Double 1530 baht

SENGTAWN Riverside Hotel: Standard room 1440 baht - Deluxe room 2080 baht - Great Restaurant with outside balcony on the 5th floor.

Sabai dee @ lao is a decent enough hotel. Same price as the Ibis but you will get a balcony room. Ibis rooms are clean but tiny. If you stay at Sabai Dee @ lao ask for a room with balcony facing the courtyard not the street. It is a little further back from the river than the Ibis however, around 2 blocks from the fountain. Still easily walkable to anything you would want. Around 2,500 Baht. If you have around 3,500 Baht then Sala Na is quite a good place. Hotel rooms on the lower spectrum of the budget are all invariably insufferable.

The two main foreign bars in town are Khup Chai Due across from Joma bakery and Bor Pen Yang on the riverside on the 4th floor with a great view. Eat somewhere else and then drink at these places.

Pimenton is a great restaurant if you feel like a splurge on eating. One of the better steaks I have had an SE Asia, they also offer tapas. Sputnik burger is a decent place for a burger. Some people say it is expensive but 50,000 Kip for a burger is an okay deal I think. Their Cobb salad was pretty good.

Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a decent room. Drinking and everything else is pretty much dirt cheap anyway.

All Great Hotels above if you have enough money and are spending most of your time in the bedroom. I'm a bit of a New Rose Hotel boy and have had no bad feed back from the 20 odd people I've recommended at staying there. EXCEPT, there was no BACON at the breakfast buffet. Pimenton is the best for steak and expensive but well worth it for that special occassion. I'll leave Khop Chai Deu and Por Peng Yang bars up to the visa runners. The New Capitol Residence Apartments is new with a Roof Top on the 10th floor. Only open from 6.30am till 11.30am for breakfast at the moment. 3 pieces of bacon, 3 eggs and big hash brown for 150baht. Yes, you can buy beer at this time too. Best view in Vientiane as of last Month.

The New Rose Boutique Hotel is 1500baht per night and is no problem for ladies to stay, about a 150m walk to center of town.. Highland Bar and Billabong Pub are Falang hangouts. Lucky man for having the lady pick the extra girl for the night.

Try the Vansana hotel near Itecc for around 50-70usd per nite. It has a nite club to pick up ladies, the hotel doesn't care about taking women back to rooms. As mentioned before, as long as you're not an idiot and causing drama the police will leave you alone. Plenty of Guest Houses in the suburbs to stay at for a night for 10-12usd with your girl, am sure she'll know where to go unless she's really out in the sticks and doesn't know Vientiane at all. The river front area is completely new with the night market and new restaurants along it now. Tex Mex is now Dairy Queen. Samlor pub is full of the same skanks. Try along T4 road for ladies of the night as well. GL

Laos.....is pricing it self OUT of competition.

Ordinary salery around 7-8 k bath

Rents min,500 $ and up to 4000 $ a month

Land 10 times higher in 5 years

etc etc

Expats don't earn 7-8k bath per month. Laos Nationals, yes. If you look, rents are cheaper than 500$. People who get houses paid for them through work usually pay 1200-2000$ per month. Lao don't pay this. ARE YOU STUPID!!!

Merry Christmas by the way!!

Laos.....is pricing it self OUT of competition.

Ordinary salery around 7-8 k bath

Rents min,500 $ and up to 4000 $ a month

Land 10 times higher in 5 years

etc etc

Expats don't earn 7-8k bath per month. Laos Nationals, yes. If you look, rents are cheaper than 500$. People who get houses paid for them through work usually pay 1200-2000$ per month. Lao don't pay this. ARE YOU STUPID!!!

Second hand cars might come down as people can't repay debts owed to dealerships.

My friend opened bank accounts with Phongsavanh Bank just recently with passport (non Lao) and hotel address in Vientiane and residential address and mobile phone number in Bangkok. So, essentially, only passport was the documentary requirement, as has been the case with this bank.
http://www.phongsava...st_rates&lg=ENG

Doubt this has happened as I have 3 bank accounts here with all asking for my work permit and ID stay permit.

cant say what and where, but its a big business.

We are talking about the Lao government 'pulling the carpet' from under the foreigner's business. I can't recall reading about the government doing this; they actually have some pretty strong guarantees for foreign investors.

Surely you can remember just one example??

Agree with you Simon on this issue, Big Business, Baloney!

It's no problem with doing this. Just turn around in Nongkai or stay the nite. I know people who do this every month. You might-probably will get asked by Laos customs at some stage. Usually after a year anyway.

Whether every 3 months, or each one month to Nongkhai, from Vientiane, what kind of visa will the Thais issue, and............... how long wil they be willing to alowing such visits?

And "asked by "Laos customs at some stage"----asked what? To stop these crossings, or what?

A Laotian limit on 30 days (extended for another 60)?

A Laotian limit on continual 30 day runs?

Thanks.

How did the crossing pan out?

Also, I am curious if there are any other crossing options. Laos to Vietnam, Laos to Cambodia, Laos to Burma?.

If you want to go to the 3 countries mentioned, you'll need to pay for visas. Thailand is free! so a much better option.

It's no problem with doing this. Just turn around in Nongkai or stay the nite. I know people who do this every month. You might-probably will get asked by Laos customs at some stage. Usually after a year anyway.

Whether every 3 months, or each one month to Nongkhai, from Vientiane, what kind of visa will the Thais issue, and............... how long wil they be willing to alowing such visits?

And "asked by "Laos customs at some stage"----asked what? To stop these crossings, or what?

A Laotian limit on 30 days (extended for another 60)?

A Laotian limit on continual 30 day runs?

Thanks.

The Laotian side won't stop you from crossing but would like to know what your doing in Laos. Their just making sure that you're not working. This may or may not happen, just depends on the customs official.

On the Thai side it's no problem as you haven't stayed in Thailand longer than 90 days, plus they can see you're only doing a visa run.

Thailand gives you 15 days for land crossings.

It's no problem with doing this. Just turn around in Nongkai or stay the nite. I know people who do this every month. You might-probably will get asked by Laos customs at some stage. Usually after a year anyway.

Such a pity Laos doesn't have a retired ( O-A ) visa like Thailand

There are several unofficial ways to retire in Laos, each of which carries its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The first, most popular, and undoubtedly quickest method for remaining in Laos for the long term is to make use of successive thirty-day tourism visas, each extended to ninety days of validity from inside Laos.

These visas can be applied for back to back as you leave and return to Laos, with no formal limit on quantity of validity of the tourism visas. Thousands of foreigners in Laos reside in the country legally using this method, and an informal ‘visa run’ bus and tour industry has emerged for the sole purpose of serving foreign expatriates.

When I was in Vientiane just last week I again noticed the same signs "Mr. so and so, 1-year visa extension". I presume that like in Cambodia, you pay a few hundred dollars, hand in your passport and a photo and get it back a few days later with a 1-year visa extension no other paper work required?

However, why is it that there is almost absolutely no information about long-term Lao visas online? The only thing you will find is endless blog or forum post about how tourists can get the easier than easy 30-day visa on arrival but we all know that already. Am I right about the 1-year visa extension I have mentioned, or does it involve more paperwork than I have assumed? And why is it that there is so much readily available information available about 1-year Cambodian visa extensions but nothing about the process in Laos, other than the occasional mention of Lao business visas involving a lot of paperwork? Even long-term Burmese visas are shrouded in less mystery than Lao ones, despite Myanmar only having emerged from it's long-held isolation 4 years ago.

You are correct that you only need money and hand in your passport and a photo.However this only applies if you already have an existing 1-year business visa.

If you're 60 years old, you can enter the country for 30 days. Once finished you then need to go the immigration office and you can another 30 days extension for free. And so forth after this. All up you can stay for 90days for the cost of 30. You will have to leave the country for 1 month after this and then start the process again. This started at the beginning of this year but no one really knows. An Irish friend of mind has been doing this of late

The architecture French influences and the food. I was surprised at the variety of farang food. Everything's cheap. Rickshaw drivers going anywhere for about the price of a bottle of water.

Perhaps rickshaws but motorbike rentals, food and accommodation all higher than Thailand with less infrastructure. They generally source many items from Thailand and mark it up. However, I like Laos but it is not cheap compared to Thailand.

Accommodation is more expensive than in Thailand but you can still find guest houses for 350-450 per night. Western food is very much the same price as restaurants in Thai, Beer and Cigarettes ar much more cheaper than Thailand. Get in the Burbs a bit more and you'll see the difference in pricing.

Is English language schools available in Laos?

If so, is they more expensive than Thailand or is they much more cheaper?

Vientiane International School round 15,000-18000usd , Phayathip Inter school round 4000-5000usd , Pattana School 2500usd all per year. Don't know prices in Thailand so couldn't say whether Laos is cheaper or not for schools.

The architecture French influences and the food. I was surprised at the variety of farang food. Everything's cheap. Rickshaw drivers going anywhere for about the price of a bottle of water.

Perhaps rickshaws but motorbike rentals, food and accommodation all higher than Thailand with less infrastructure. They generally source many items from Thailand and mark it up. However, I like Laos but it is not cheap compared to Thailand.

Accommodation is more expensive than in Thailand but you can still find guest houses for 350-450 per night. Western food is very much the same price as restaurants in Thai, Beer and Cigarettes ar much more cheaper than Thailand. Get in the Burbs a bit more and you'll see the difference in pricing.

in all honesty...

Laos will never be a major destination for western ex pats for retiring unless they desire a laid back, quiet, low key life style

lets be honest without judgement here, many falangs don't want to retire in Laos because the nightlife/woman lifestyle just isn't as prevalent there....

you know what I say...

Thank the lord.

I have been bitten by a virus, its called LPDR.

There are a few retirees that I know who like the low ley life style and enjoy playing golf.

It's not everyone's place though.

Such a pity Laos doesn't have a retired ( O-A ) visa like Thailand

There are several unofficial ways to retire in Laos, each of which carries its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The first, most popular, and undoubtedly quickest method for remaining in Laos for the long term is to make use of successive thirty-day tourism visas, each extended to ninety days of validity from inside Laos.

These visas can be applied for back to back as you leave and return to Laos, with no formal limit on quantity of validity of the tourism visas. Thousands of foreigners in Laos reside in the country legally using this method, and an informal ‘visa run’ bus and tour industry has emerged for the sole purpose of serving foreign expatriates.

And the other unofficial ways to retire there? Care to expound on them? Thanks.

Go to Google and type in RETIRE IN LAOS and all the information is there.

Girls that speak English will try to get 3000baht as most of them have returned from Thailand and are used to getting this amount.

As for white skinned girls, You need to go about 5km from the center of town on T4 road to find these, and you'll pay less than 1000baht. Just ask a tuk tuk to take you to T4.

you must be fat bald and old, I have never seen nor heard of such prices in Asia in 5 years.

It is a polite way of saying they don't want to go with you.

The Lao people are so much friendlier than Thais.

I have never seen scams or been offered drugs.

I love the country

Obviously you've never been to Laos or to T4. I live here so I sholud know. Just another d... who knows nothing!