Trip to Laos, advice about hotels, interesting places to visit

[momtaz]

Hi guys,

We planning to visit Laos in the second week of January,

I would like to ask about interesting places, I have heard about rive trips by boat or something like this,

however, any advice, suggestions or recommendations from your own experiences will be highly appreciated,

Kindly for hotel as well, I head the clean hotels are so expensive there !,

However, looking forward to hear from you soon, many thanks and happy new year ahead !

[phuketrichard]

Vientiane, ( capital) Vang Vieng ( great scenery), Luang Prabang, a world heritage city ( book ur hotels early as it fills up)

Phonsavan ( Plain of Jars)

Laos is not so much a place u go to visit places, but a place u go to relax / enjoy

[momtaz]

Thanks phuketrichard,

I heard there is a trip by boat from somewhere north Thailand, not sure, just heard about this,

Yes, just to try something new,,

[lonewolf99]

Been several times - I enjoy more than Thailand as Phuketrichard said - much more relaxed and a lot less frenetic than Thailand.

That said finding cheap good accommodation is difficult. You don't get the same bargains available in Pattaya Bangkok etc.

There is slow boat up the Mekong from Vientiane also boat trips in Luang Prabang and floating down rivers on inner tubes in Vang Vieng.

I found eating out cost is about the same as Thailand, but trips are more expensive unless there is a large group to bring down the individual costs.

Check these videos out on youtube of bus trips thru the country side.

vientiane to luang prabang by bus site:youtube.com

People are friendly and polite, Vientiane has great coffee shops bakerys - legacy of French colonilism.

Enjoy your trip - you have to pay 35 US to get a 30 day visa - but can extend in country......

[blueyeshk]

Many trips by motorbike made: average 30% more expansive, 10% less value for money, 80% more genuine Asia and friendlier than Thais and Thailand. Even there is a lot of mining going on they still have lots of original forest with all the big trees which you will hardly find in Thailand. North to south I recommend best by motorbike only than you will experience the genuine friendliness which they will not show so much in the cities

Edited December 31, 2015 by blueyeshk

[recom273]

I like Laos for the feeling of pure adventure but you get the best value accommodation in Vietnam.

If you are after a bit of luxury, this place, in tahkhek .. There's some cool rock formations and caves outside the town, if you want to cross from nakhon phanom rather than Nong khai > vientiene.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/860439-A-different-visa-run-to-Savannakhet

I was really impressed with the boutique hotel, the service was clean and professional and they are an expanding chain.

I was looking for something similar in Phonsavan but didn't find it, for sure if I had, I would have stuck around for a couple of days - if your traveling by bike you will stumble upon lots of guesthouses that look like short time hotels to stop, they are ok but the longer established places are pretty grotty.

There doesn't seem any reason for the pricing either - sometimes ( I think ) I was paying 50,000 for a 'short time' hotel room and I walked away from a fair of places that asked 200,000 kip for similar rooms.

Hope you enjoy the trip!

Edited January 1, 2016 by recom273

[momtaz]

Thanks recom273, what about the rate of currency equivalent to THB? to calculate the amounts,

do you think is a better option to change Laos currency at super rich directly from THB?

thanks for the quick reply,

[sandyf]

We stayed at the Riverside Palace hotel in Vientiane back in July, quite reasonable but breakfast a bit chaotic.

[recom273]

Thanks recom273, what about the rate of currency equivalent to THB? to calculate the amounts,

do you think is a better option to change Laos currency at super rich directly from THB?

thanks for the quick reply,

Can you buy kip outside laos ?

You can change THB anywhere, hotels will accept it, restaurants .. I never know what's a good rate or what's not, you can go a currency shop or you can chase around looking for a better deal somewhere but I guess you just waste time for peanuts.

I have a currency conversion app for my phone that I use to tell if I'm getting a good deal for a hotel in comparison to THB.

[momtaz]

We stayed at the Riverside Palace hotel in Vientiane back in July, quite reasonable but breakfast a bit chaotic.

How much per night? approximately in Thai baht?

[sandyf]

We stayed at the Riverside Palace hotel in Vientiane back in July, quite reasonable but breakfast a bit chaotic.

How much per night? approximately in Thai baht?

About a thousand with agoda.

http://www.agoda.com/riverside-palace-hotel/hotel/vientiane-la.html