Things I love about Lao

[ozyjon]

Things I love about Lao

Lao the beer

or Laos the country?

If we are talking about the country, i love the place

most people are very short so me being 5foot

nothing makes me feel really tall. all you foreign

tall chaps stay out please, nothing to see here.

[Smurkster]

Beer Lao dark!

Try the Beer Laos Gold - scrumptious

I didnt think Beer Lao gold was good..I like the standard better personally

[Smurkster]

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

it is a pity, but also a blessing...It's in everyones best interest to delay turning Laos into another Thailand with a disneyland atmosphere..

Thai culture/influence has already had a hand in the degradation of its culture and we shouldn't want to see Thai toxicity leak into this place any faster

[Smurkster]

Laos is ONE big family, forgiving, natural and innocent.

Drugs(Ya baa) however ruin the country from capital all the way down to the poorest villages.

But family like for sure.

I think yaba is a much bigger problem in Thailand...one thing Lao has done right, they have given up going after grass..they realize it just isn't worth it....not gonna lie, i enjoy a puff once in awhile, but Thailand is Draconian and I'm not gonna risk it there....in Lao (places like 4,000 Islands to even the center or Vientiane) as long as your not openly smoking and an ass about it, you aren't going to get in trouble...(

People are just far less aggressive and I have yet to meet a Lao youth just looking for a fight (like so many Thai youth) and I have spent enough time there now (a total of 1 year on and off since 2009) so spent some time there

[ROGER DUNN]

Such a fantastic country, usually stay in Luang Prabang

in a little guest house overlooking the Mighty Mekong

and all the riverside eateries, Just Heaven.

[Elfin]

Some pics I took in 2012 in Vientiane while doing a visa run:

The Thai Embassy and one happy camper with a 12 month WP

[Elfin]

French influenced architecture

[Elfin]

Thai Embassy Vientiane

[Smurkster]

Ok. You guys have convinced me.

Cruisemonkey. Do you have any route maps?

I am up that way in early December and prefer minimal dirt and mud but love mountainous twisted ribbons of bitumen.

Are there any issues taking a Thai registered bike into Laos?

There is a ride through central Laos (Khammouane Province to be exact) called "The Loop" it is about 400 KM i believe and it goes past one of the biggest caves in Southeast Asia (Khonglor cave). It is getting bigger and bigger with the lonely planet group year after year, so do it soon. I have attempted to do it twice but have ended up getting stranded on my own will (it was too much fun) at the "Sabaidee Guesthouse" in Thalang village (about 120 KM into the loop if starting out going East from Thakhek) . Had so much fun, brought my brother the second time. I will go back in early September for my third attempt at it

as for bringing in a bike, I have heard different stories, I cannot confirm either way. If you do end up doing this trip and want some more first hand information feel free to PM me, I really enjoyed the parts I did, so it would be fun to help someone else out.

[Elfin]

Mighty Mekong River

[Elfin]

Temple on the River

[EmptyHead]

Things I like:

1. The beer (much better than Thai beer)
2. The coffee (slightly better than Thai coffee)
3. The bread (there is no such thing as Thai bread)
4. The nature is probably less spoiled than in Thailand.
5. Cheap prices (unlike Thailand)

I haven't spent too much time there so can't mention much more I like than that.

Things I dislike:

1. I have been scammed there more than any other place in Asia ...even by my own hotel and even the immigration).
2. The lack of massage. And I find the massage parlors they do have very uncomfortable, since there are usually several underage girls working there. Something which you don't notice in Thailand in most massage parlors all year round.
3. Being offered opium in the street (often).
4. Very little to do..gets a bit boring
5. And I'm sorry, but I never noticed any exceptional friendliness. More in Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia from my experience.

Sorry if my balanced post upsets anyone.

[onionluke]

I liked the view from the roof of the Santypab Hotel as the sun set in Thailand , across the Mekong .

[Elfin]

Looking back from The River Hotel, Vientiane

[Elfin]

Street view-some good restaurants in this Vientiane street

[Elfin]

 

I've never been. Anybody got pictures to post?

 

I have very clumsily posted some pics I took in Vientiane, "Oneday"

[brewsterbudgen]

Many people forget about Southern Laos (Pakse and beyond). Not dissimilar to Isaan but still very much Laos and not Thailand. Relaxing, friendly but, apart from the great beer, not cheap.

[sgtsabai]

It has been years since I went to Lao. 1st time was around xmas '06 it is was great, cheap food, cheap Lao Beer, friendly people (except for the tuk tuk mafia). Great conversation with Lao younger man (probably gov't) who was thrilled to find out I was an anti-American War in Vietnam (Lao/Cambodia) Vet (VVAW). The next time prices doubled, farang backpacker types all over. I was with Thai wife at the time so the fear of the sex police wasn't too bad. What I loved later, Lao ladies and particularly my former Lao mia noi. Ahem, she has a son in the Laotian army that hates farangs in general, not me. Unfortunately they are becoming more like their Issan sisters. Yes, if you know where to go the ladies are available, but that fear is still there. Life is not bread and beer alone...lol. Oh, and the Lao people hate the Chinese that have made their country a "colony". Basically good people, but I don't wear "rose colored glasses".

[CapeThai]

Lao girls rules !! And of course the fact that there is NO shit piles laying around....

Of course I would also agree with above mentioned beer Lao..

The girls are just a bit expensive at 3000 baht for short time......NOT that this is my experience but just observing the scene......????

[thailandforumaddict]

The problem in laos is that anything that you can get is a dark girl... It seems that the white skin girls do not mess with foreigners yet !

But yes, it's the only place around that is worth living if you want to retire from Thailand !

[Ban Merry]

Things I like:

1. The beer (much better than Thai beer)
2. The coffee (slightly better than Thai coffee)
3. The bread (there is no such thing as Thai bread)
4. The nature is probably less spoiled than in Thailand.
5. Cheap prices (unlike Thailand)

I haven't spent too much time there so can't mention much more I like than that.

Things I dislike:

1. I have been scammed there more than any other place in Asia ...even by my own hotel and even the immigration).
2. The lack of massage. And I find the massage parlors they do have very uncomfortable, since there are usually several underage girls working there. Something which you don't notice in Thailand in most massage parlors all year round.
3. Being offered opium in the street (often).
4. Very little to do..gets a bit boring
5. And I'm sorry, but I never noticed any exceptional friendliness. More in Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia from my experience.

Sorry if my balanced post upsets anyone.

Things I dislike,

1. Find this hard to believe.

2. Haven't seen any under age.

3. Yes, this does happen.

4. Depends on what you want to do.

5. Again find this hard to believe.

[Ban Merry]

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.

[louse1953]

Doesn't say much for you lot or Laos,if the best you can come up with about a country is beer.

[Ban Merry]

Having a great beer to drink just makes it all that much better. Must have woken up on the wrong side this morning! Happy Camper

[victor70]

I find it a nice country better than Thailand and nicer people only in mine opinion the east of Isaarn is friendlier than the rest, most of them have Lao blood in the veins.

The country for me is Laos I have traveled north east Central alle the complete country.

Petty I can no more travel whit my health problems

[brewsterbudgen]

Lao girls rules !! And of course the fact that there is NO shit piles laying around....

Of course I would also agree with above mentioned beer Lao..

The girls are just a bit expensive at 3000 baht for short time......NOT that this is my experience but just observing the scene......

How much is that in local 'income'?

A million times the minimum wage?

Great!

So you think they should only ask for, or be paid, minimum wage?

[phuketrichard]

having driven over much of the country i would say the scenery makes laos fantastic.

Friendly people all over

Great beer

good food and lots of it

Prices for hotels a bit less in some places but places like LP ( in the off season) some great deals

Bad roads in many places

Gets a bit boring

not much going on at night ( not that i care)

As most of Essan is populated by Laotians u get the same food as well.

[Smurkster]

Doesn't say much for you lot or Laos,if the best you can come up with about a country is beer.

Oh Louse

can i Venture to say you have yet to visit yourself??

BeerLao is a very essential part of Lao culture...whether you are a drinker or not!

.....that is only the tip of the iceberg!

[Smurkster]

As most of Essan is populated by Laotians u get the same food as well.

but a very different mindset!

[kaorop]

Why is everyone mentioning beer lao? you can get it in thai 7-11s