Vientiane Lao: any safety issues / scams to look out for ?

[FACTOR]

Nope, not rubbish.

"The Lao Government prohibits sexual relationships between foreign and Lao nationals, except when the two parties have been married in accordance with Lao family law."

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/laos/local-laws-and-customs

http://www.laos.embassy.gov.au/vtan/AEV001002.html

If it is a law, they are as lax as Thailand about enforcing their laws.

I did not partake, but on my last trip to Vientiane at least four Lao women in bars made offers.

In fact, speaking of law enforcement, I did not see a single law enforcement officer during my three day stay.

To the Op..

I felt very comfortable there, safer than I do in Bangkok.

Some tuktuk drivers can be a little pushy, but no big deal.

A fool is a fool anywhere and will have problems.

But, if you are street wise enough to get by in Bangkok, you should have no problems in Vientiane.

Exactamento! However, make no mistake about it, the plain-clothed cops are everywhere in Vientiane

"...plain-clothed cops everywhere..."

BS

[Ban Merry]

There are some plain clothed cops in the centre of Vientiane but not everywhere. They're just keeping the piece.

[FACTOR]

BS; they aren't that well organized.

[koo wallety tourist]

well organised enough to deny their existence on here. they are the bad news arse sniffer that follow you around and hassle you whenever you go outside. the ones who offer you hard drugs on the riverfront. get outta the place as fast as you can. dont spend any more money there than you have to.

[Ban Merry]

Yes we know you don't like Laos Ms. Koo Wallety. Sounds like you got fleeced by the plod, shagged and had all your money stolen by a lady boy! Just because you had a bad experience of Laos doesn't mean others do. If Slagging the place off makes you happy then so be it. Drugs aren't in your face everywhere, you don't have to buy or have it. If the plod was always hassling you then maybe it was because you looked like you needed a fix. Would like to read of your other bad incidents in Laos and then everyone can make up their mind on Ms Koo Wallety.

Cheers, Have a great day.

[koo wallety tourist]

fleeced by the plod, shagged and had all your money stolen by a lady boy!

it is you that associate with these characters not me.

my main other objection is that pieces of slime feel they have the god given right to follow you around, and approach and talk to you. you obviously enjoy this. i dont. this happens multiple times daily.

[koo wallety tourist]

>>>

[BradinAsia]

During my last 2-day stay in Vientiane in 2013, the tuk-tuk drivers invariably demanded 300 baht

for a trip that would normally be 30-40 baht. I did a lot of walking.

[recom273]

You claim there is no info here ..

1. Tuk-tuk's - they will try to maximize their profit, if you are there for a month, wise up quickly. I have had a fight after some guy picked me up, drove me 20m and said 100b, I didn't know where I was going. We spoke in Thai, a Thai driver would have said, yeah, just walk up there 20m and laughed at you. The Lao rider took the fare, knowing he was walking into a row.

2. Drugs seem to be cheap there - May not be your thing, but, I bumped into a couple of visa runners before, you meet at the border, share a taxi, hang out at the consulate, get a beer afterwards .. The next day they appear after over indulging, try a blag beers and then try to "borrow" some money for their bus fare from their new "mate".

That's about all mate, and avoid the sandwiches in the plastic boxes but catch the ones on the street.

[torpedo1970]

IT is in general a nice and safe place.

I love the French influence,

Been in Thailand a long time and found it more expensive in Vientiane.

Taxi and food vice.

The expats I talked too said get a motorbike.

Tuk tuk will start at 100-150 baht regardless of short distance so I tend to walk a lot when I am around there.

If your friend have been around Bangkok he will not be ripped off because he will know it already

Tuk Tulks are the biggest scams

Very French means most places close early appart from bars and clubs, meaning many deserted and empty streets meaning normal safety don't walk around in dark alleys

Your friend should be ok

[GuyL]

Just my 2 kip about tuk-tuk fares in Laos...

I am not an expert on Vientiane, but I regularly visit this city, mostly for getting a new visa at the local Thai Royal Consulate. During the recent years, I have paid:

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 80 baht for the fare from the Lao side of the Friendship bridge to the Thai Royal Consulate (Bourichane Road), depending on the number of persons already waiting in the tuk-tuk when I arrived. On average, this ride cost me 50 baht.

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 60 baht from the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane to my hotel (Anou Paradise) located in the center of this city.

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 60 baht from the center of the city to the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane.

- from the Thai Royal Consulate to the Friendship Bridge, I usually share a van with other foreigners. Usually, one is charged 100 baht for this ride, but I paid less on a couple occasion (50-80 baht), when the departing van was almost full already.

Note that I don't take any tuk-tuk that is waiting near my hotel or near the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane. I just walk to the nearest road and stop a tuk-tuk that is not full and going to my direction. I usually state my own price for the ride. For instance, when I am near the Thai Royal Consulate, I just say: "15000 kip (or 60 baht) to go to Anou Paradise Hotel, OK?" and the tuk-tuk driver almost always agree, which shows that it's a fair price when you are the only passenger. I state a lower price if the tuk-tuk already has other passengers.

I must add that I can speak Thai a little bit, which is helpful because it is understood here, and I usually have a look on a map before stating a price for a fare that I have not practiced yet, which helps a lot too. In doubt, I ask how much for the ride to the driver, and often, the fair price is about 50% of the driver's first offer.

And it's always interesting to travel with locals and to have a look at how much they pay for their rides. Then, adjust your own offer accordingly for your next rides.

[Ban Merry]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Just my 2 kip about tuk-tuk fares in Laos...

I am not an expert on Vientiane, but I regularly visit this city, mostly for getting a new visa at the local Thai Royal Consulate. During the recent years, I have paid:

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 80 baht for the fare from the Lao side of the Friendship bridge to the Thai Royal Consulate (Bourichane Road), depending on the number of persons already waiting in the tuk-tuk when I arrived. On average, this ride cost me 50 baht.

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 60 baht from the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane to my hotel (Anou Paradise) located in the center of this city.

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 60 baht from the center of the city to the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane.

- from the Thai Royal Consulate to the Friendship Bridge, I usually share a van with other foreigners. Usually, one is charged 100 baht for this ride, but I paid less on a couple occasion (50-80 baht), when the departing van was almost full already.

Note that I don't take any tuk-tuk that is waiting near my hotel or near the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane. I just walk to the nearest road and stop a tuk-tuk that is not full and going to my direction. I usually state my own price for the ride. For instance, when I am near the Thai Royal Consulate, I just say: "15000 kip (or 60 baht) to go to Anou Paradise Hotel, OK?" and the tuk-tuk driver almost always agree, which shows that it's a fair price when you are the only passenger. I state a lower price if the tuk-tuk already has other passengers.

I must add that I can speak Thai a little bit, which is helpful because it is understood here, and I usually have a look on a map before stating a price for a fare that I have not practiced yet, which helps a lot too. In doubt, I ask how much for the ride to the driver, and often, the fair price is about 50% of the driver's first offer.

And it's always interesting to travel with locals and to have a look at how much they pay for their rides. Then, adjust your own offer accordingly for your next rides.

Very informative, I live here but haven't taken a Tuk Tuk for many years. I agree that the drivers are the only scammers if you want to call them that in Vientiane. Western food is more expensive than in Thailand, and all food for that matter. The beer is cheaper but not always cold at some establishments. Tammy Don Chan restaurant opposite the Don Chan palace has very well priced food for somewhere a bit cheaper for those on a tighter budget. Do walk though as a Tuk Tuk might be too expensive.

[Ban Merry]

fleeced by the plod, shagged and had all your money stolen by a lady boy!

it is you that associate with these characters not me.

my main other objection is that pieces of slime feel they have the god given right to follow you around, and approach and talk to you. you obviously enjoy this. i dont. this happens multiple times daily.

Would still love to hear the real story behind your vengeance towards Vientiane and the Lao people??

Anyone else had a problem with people following you around and god forbid actually talking to you?

Lao people are fairly shy so doubt this happens except for a Tuk Tuk driver trying to get a fair for the day.

[Gonki]

Vientiane is sill my favorite place in SE Asia. Quiet and quaint. I spend months there at a time. No rip offs to report. Some fat girl has told me she was horny for my laptop in a cafe once but I'm in a relationship.

[SoiBiker]

Great place, delicious sandwiches. As others have said, not much to worry about beyond the odd greedy tuktuk driver.

[thefactoryoutlet]

Nope, not rubbish.

"The Lao Government prohibits sexual relationships between foreign and Lao nationals, except when the two parties have been married in accordance with Lao family law."

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/laos/local-laws-and-customs

http://www.laos.embassy.gov.au/vtan/AEV001002.html

So let's say BS if now rubbish ?

[thefactoryoutlet]

There are some plain clothed cops in the centre of Vientiane but not everywhere. They're just keeping the piece.

Wrong.

They also get money from people smoking weed when looking at the view.

But yes, it's cheap compared to Thailand !

[Ban Merry]

There are some plain clothed cops in the centre of Vientiane but not everywhere. They're just keeping the piece.

Wrong.

They also get money from people smoking weed when looking at the view.

But yes, it's cheap compared to Thailand !

Yes, don't smoke on the waterfront or anywhere in the city centre. Vang Vieng is also a hot spot for getting caught.

[humqdpf]

It depends on what your friend wants to do. How will they travel around? If by motorbike or car, they need to have license and papers with them at all times and obey the road signs, otherwise the traffic police will get them. Parking is now a bigger issue in central Vientiane and the police like to put braces on wheels so they can get money to remove them.

If your friend lives near the centre, s/he can go to most places on foot. Most of the tuck-tuk drivers are not to be trusted though and there are almost no taxis except to and from the airport. Your friend can rent a motorbike for about 80,000 kip per day (foreigner price) or perhaps less if they bargain a rate for a month. Make sure you lock the bike as sometimes people target rental bikes (rental bikes carry a sticker) and always wear a helmet otherwise you will be stopped by the cops and will have to pay.

I guess that you could bring a Thai vehicle to Laos for a limited period but remember there will be issues with the steering wheel being on the wrong side of the vehicle.

Yes, there are attempts at stealing/robbing - a couple of years ago a motorbike passing by at night tried to grab my computer bag but failed. So always a good idea not to stand in the road where someone can do this. Wandering around outside the centre at night on foot is not a great idea and occasionally there are attempts to rob motorbikes late at night but it is quite seldom. House breaking, especially of houses where foreigners live, is a national sport for some - always a good idea to stay in a place where the security is good or downtown where the secret police are plentiful.

You have to watch for spiked drinks in bars late at night. Most of these kinds of behavior happen periodically and then they stop. There were several home-invasions of foreigners a couple of years ago and then it stopped as suddenly as it started.

Personally, as a Westerner I would not frequent the large discos that are a bit out of town as I have heard some bad stories about them. As in Thailand, it is always best to stay away from places with large numbers of drunk Lao men, especially if they are hi-so.

Although the hi-so immunity before the law operates in Laos as it does in Thailand, there is less of it and it is unlikely to affect a visitor. This is probably because people are quieter and more relaxed and non-confrontational especially if you are polite. The exception would be police, especially the plain-clothes police if they belong to the "army."

Generally, I would say that with a bit of basic awareness, Laos is safer than Thailand. And unless you are in a location late at night where drugs are being consumed, you are not going to have police trouble. There are no police stops to shake down the tourists like you have in Bangkok at least in recent times. Vientiane is a relaxing and welcoming place. I hope your pal enjoys it.

[Mangkhut]

I have just been riding around on motorbike for 30 days in most provinces of Laos, from Phongsali in the north to Attapeu and Champasak in the south. Actually it is my fifth trip to Laos and my third on motorbike. Its the safest place I have ever been, maybe except from my homecountry. Never had any problems with scams or thieft or similar. Ok - a busticket rip off the very first time I was there, but thats all.

The tuktuk drivers in Vientiane are mentioned several times in this thread. Yeas most of them are not very friendly or serviceminded. A real PITA, And they do overcharge farangs ridicously. Luckily Vientiane are a small capital city and walking around on your feet are very easy. And its free and healthy too.... For a longer stay, consider to get a hold of a motorbike or bicycle.

If you indulge with drugs and prostitutes you will probably get into trouble most places in the world. So also in Laos.

Food and drinks are in genral more expensive, but beer Lao is cheaper than its thai equivalent. And much better too!

And watch out for 4 day old sandwiches in plastic containers.... ;-)

For the rest - enjoy!

[cruisemonkey]

Watch out for all the one-way streets in Vientiane (especially around the Victory Monument). The cops are on the 'lookout' for foreigners (going the wrong way)... will pull you over and try to tell you you have to go to the police station tomorrow... and be fined 400,000 kip. Say "I pay now" and negotiate it down to 200,000.

Usually, if you're not doing anything wrong, they leave you alone and target female Lao nationals for their 'tea money'.

Edited February 27, 2015 by cruisemonkey

[nithisa78]

When he is an honest man, it will be a great trip.

[nithisa78]

[ozyjon]

The only thing that pisses me off about Vientiane is that

after 9pm, if you have to walk home you will be harassed,,

intimidated by ladyboys on motorcycles who are aggressive.

The girls aren't scammers like in Thailand, dating a local

girl is against the law, sleeping with a local girl and getting

caught = loss of passport, loss of much money, jail time.

Prostitution is business, not the same, go to Borpanyang

Bar, good food, good beer, good women.

[Dumu Ali]

Lao people are very very good and honest and it is a very safe place indeed compared to most of the planet so relax and enjoy there is no need to worry in Lao

[MAJIC]

I don't know if the Bars still close dead on midnight? if they do,it's quite an experience to be escorted to the Bar to pay your check bin,and then almost thrown out in the space of 3 minutes!

Things to look out for? again unless it's changed,watch out for heaps of Cannabis available,which can get you in big trouble,just being in the same Bars with users!

Edited March 1, 2015 by MAJIC

[bangmai]

I bought a casio watch there, and the band lasted 4 hours. Some chocolates were ant infested. There are still places in America that I like less. Find a friend and do Lao beers from the mini-marts.....

[Tomtomtom69]

Bag snatching does happen mainly to Woman who ride thier bikes alone late at night. Don't leave bags-purse etc on a resturant table as people walking by sometimes grab as well. Thai ID card is okay if you get stopped. Tuk Tuks can be expensive but if your Thai then should be the same price as Lao. Mainly they hike up the price for the white face. Renting a motorbike is the best way to get around.

As for sleeping with Lao woman. The police are a bit more relaxed on that front but if the girl your with doesn't get paid or you treat her bad she might get the cops onto you. The only people I've heard get arrested were complete dicks anyway. Vientiane is okay for the woman, be more careful outside of the capital.

Depends on your local language skills. The tuk-tuks will happily charge Thais more, since they are foreigners too. Unless said Thais can speak Lao, rather than just Thai. While I drive my own transport in Laos, in the past when I caught local transport, my local language skills easily got me the local price. But if you can't speak the language, it may be different. Even so, the Lao are far less likely to rip you off compared to their Vietnamese, Thai and Cambodian counterparts.

[Tomtomtom69]

I found the following warnings in a restaurant menu. See attachment

I don't think there's a curfew anymore. I was out until 2am in Vientiane just last month. I was driving my own car though and it was indeed quiet. BUT, the bar I was in stayed open until like 1.30am. Times have changed (I think).

[Tomtomtom69]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Just my 2 kip about tuk-tuk fares in Laos...

I am not an expert on Vientiane, but I regularly visit this city, mostly for getting a new visa at the local Thai Royal Consulate. During the recent years, I have paid:

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 80 baht for the fare from the Lao side of the Friendship bridge to the Thai Royal Consulate (Bourichane Road), depending on the number of persons already waiting in the tuk-tuk when I arrived. On average, this ride cost me 50 baht.

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 60 baht from the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane to my hotel (Anou Paradise) located in the center of this city.

- from 10000 kip (about 40 baht) up to 60 baht from the center of the city to the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane.

- from the Thai Royal Consulate to the Friendship Bridge, I usually share a van with other foreigners. Usually, one is charged 100 baht for this ride, but I paid less on a couple occasion (50-80 baht), when the departing van was almost full already.

Note that I don't take any tuk-tuk that is waiting near my hotel or near the Thai Royal Consulate in Vientiane. I just walk to the nearest road and stop a tuk-tuk that is not full and going to my direction. I usually state my own price for the ride. For instance, when I am near the Thai Royal Consulate, I just say: "15000 kip (or 60 baht) to go to Anou Paradise Hotel, OK?" and the tuk-tuk driver almost always agree, which shows that it's a fair price when you are the only passenger. I state a lower price if the tuk-tuk already has other passengers.

I must add that I can speak Thai a little bit, which is helpful because it is understood here, and I usually have a look on a map before stating a price for a fare that I have not practiced yet, which helps a lot too. In doubt, I ask how much for the ride to the driver, and often, the fair price is about 50% of the driver's first offer.

And it's always interesting to travel with locals and to have a look at how much they pay for their rides. Then, adjust your own offer accordingly for your next rides.

Very informative, I live here but haven't taken a Tuk Tuk for many years. I agree that the drivers are the only scammers if you want to call them that in Vientiane. Western food is more expensive than in Thailand, and all food for that matter. The beer is cheaper but not always cold at some establishments. Tammy Don Chan restaurant opposite the Don Chan palace has very well priced food for somewhere a bit cheaper for those on a tighter budget. Do walk though as a Tuk Tuk might be too expensive.

Western food is NOT necessarily more expensive than Thailand, but food in Laos is generally more expensive than Thailand. Street food and food court food certainly is, although not much more expensive, however, you're not going to find 25 Baht noodles in Laos, certainly not in Vientiane anyway. 40-60 Baht, yes as that's about the average price. For western food try Le Vendome, a French restaurant, excellent lunch specials only 22,000 Kip or 88 Baht. You won't find western food for that cheap in Thailand, except at an excellent Canadian restaurant in Mae Sot called Khrua Canadian, but certainly not in Bangkok. Otherwise you're quite right and I agree with you.