Umbrella Rec: Travel Information of Laos in June 2013

Laos is a safe country. I personally feel that it's safer than Malaysia/Thailand/Vietnam although I've heard about a German lady being a victim of attempted robbery at Luang Prabang. Everyone seems to be not in a rush. There's a joke that Laos PDR actually stands for Laos Please Don't Rush. Food is not cheap in this country comparing with other South-East Asian countries. Each meal costs minimum about 15,000 kip (about RM6) without any drinks. If you are worried about flies, you will be starving in Laos. So far I have never fallen sick by eating their street food despite of the flies. The Laotians are generally friendly although there are some not so friendly ones too - the unfriendly ones are minorities anyway. I encountered more beggars than my previous trip - it kept me wondering whether they were parts of the syndicates seen in Malaysia as well. It is a country that you can easily travel on your own without any tourist guide especially you don't mind hot sun and walking long distance. The waterfalls and Hmong Village are reachable by tuk tuk. Remember to negotiate for the price before spending your money in Laos, especially taxi/tuktuk and during shopping.

Places of Interest

Vientiane

Chao Anouvong (statue)
King Srisavangvong statue
Wat Sisaket - not so impressive in my opinion
Ho Pra Keo (old temple)
Chao Fa Ngum statue
Patouxay monument - must visit
That Dam stupa
That Luang stupa - must visit
Revolutionary monument
National Museum (near That Luang stupa)
Wat That Foun
Night market at river side at night (varieties are less than Luang Prabang but sometimes cheaper)

Luang Phrabang

Wat Visoun
Wat Aham
Royal Palace Museum
Phousi Hill/That Chomsi (wat)
Night market
Wat Xiengthong
Wat Sene
Kuang Si waterfall
Hmong Village (on the way to Kuang Si waterfall)
Tad Sae waterfall (rainy season only - best time is August to September) - I missed it due to lack of water at the waterfall
Pak Ou Cave - I didn't visit this due to lack of personal interest

Language

The language of Laotian is very similar to Thai with minor differences. The following are some useful Laotian words:

hello - sabaidee
thank you - kwop jai
how are you? - sabaidee baw?
yes - maen leeo
no - baw
goodbye & take care - sohk dee deuh
how much is this? - anee tor dai?
expensive -phaeng
cheap - tuke
soap - saabuu
shampoo - saapom
pen - bik
writing paper - jiia
0 - soon
1 - neung
2 - song
3 - saam
4 - sii
5 - haa
6 - huk
7 - chit
8 - paet
9 - kao
10 - sip
11 - sip et
12 - sip song
20 - sao
21 - sao et
22 - sao song
30 - saam sip
40 - sii sip
50 - haa sip
100 - loi
200 - song loi
300 - saam loi
1000 - phan
2000 - song phan
10,000 - meun OR sip phan
100,000 - saen OR loi phan
1,000,000 - laan
1,000,000,000 - teu OR phan laan
1,000,000,000,000 - laan laan
number (train, bus, etc) - nam boe
half - kheung
less - nawy kwaa
more - iik
now - diow nee
later - lai gon
morning - dthawn sao
afternoon - ton tang
evening - ton lang
night - kaang keun
today - meuh nii
yesterday - meuh wan nii
tomorrow - meuh euhn
this week - aa thit nii
last week - thit laeow
next week - thit naa
sunday - wan aa thit
monday - wan jan
tuesday - wan ang khaan
wednesday - wan phuut
thursday - wan pha hat
friday - wan suk
saturday - wan sao
red - sii daeng
orange (colour) - sii som
yellow - sii lueang
green - sii khiao
blue - sii faa
purple - sii muang
brown - sii nam taan
gray - sii ke thao
black - sii dum
white - sii khao
pink - sii bua
chicken - gai
pork - moo
fish - bpaa
naam - water
warm water - naam yen
eggs - khai
rice - khao
bread - khao jii
rice noodle - pho
wheat noodle - ba mii
coffee - khaa feh
hot tea - saa hawn
juice - naam mak mai

Accommodation

In Vientiane, I stayed in:

Family Hotel at 39, Pang Kham Road - Friendly & helpful employees. Free wifi in the room. The breakfast is reasonably good - even noodle is served. Nearer to Patouxay Monument but further from night market. This hotel has improved a lot since my last visit. It has an elevator now. Pain in the ass to climb the stairs at the entrance of the hotel if you have a heavy luggage.
Sinnakhone Hotel, Francois Ngin Road - Not so friendly & helpful employees. Free wifi in the room but my netbook failed to connect to their wifi. Breakfast is nothing to shout about - just 2 slices of toast with margarine & jam with self prepared Boh tea or coffee. The room is larger than Family Hotel.

In Luang Prabang, I stayed in:

Villa Suan Maak, 92, Noradeth Road, Ban That Luang - Very friendly & helpful employees. It's a family run guesthouse. They treated visitors like family members if you're not stuck-up. The staff even turned my sister into a model and used their office as a photo studio. I am amazed! The chicken crowing in the neighbourhood at 4am may annoy you. It may be further from the town centre and you may be concern about the windows in the toilet that can be seen from a coconut tree/rooftop if someone climbs up but this is a typical village life that I miss in my own country. Breakfast is simple baguette with butter & jam, egg (scrambled, fried, boiled or omelette) with green tea, Boh tea or coffee.

Expenses

It is advisable to look out for banks for exchanging currency as the rate is better. You may change the currency at the airport too as the rate is better than private currency exchange companies. You can only exchange to Laotian currency in Laos. Exchange the currency as you see the need to use them. You will get better rate for the notes of USD50 and USD100. Dirty and old notes are not acceptable. The currency rate was between 7681 kip to 7692 kip per USD during my visit.

Currency conversion rate as of 09 June 2013:

USD1 = 7681 kip = RM4.04

The following are some hints to assist you with your expenses estimation when traveling to Laos - to be more specific Vientiane and Luang Prabang. The information provided is dated June 2013.

Vientiane

Airport to hotel in Vientiane (purchase taxi coupon at the airport) - 60,000 kip (4 persons)
Hotel in Vientiane to airport (got a tuk tuk/taxi at the roadside by negotiating the price) - 50,000 kip (4 persons)
Admission fee to Sisaket Museum - 5,000 kip
Admission fee to Ho Phra Keo Museum - 5,000 kip
Admission fee to Phra That Laung Museum - 5,000 kip
Rice with chicken/pork - 15,000 kip
Woman's silk scarf - 40,000 kip
Tigerhead drinking water 1.5 litre - 5,000 kip
Tigerhead drinking water small bottle - 300 kip
Cheap t-shirt - 15,000 kip
Places I missed out: Buddha Park, National Museum near That Luang Museum (Note: there are 2 national museums), King Srisavangvong Statue

Luang Prabang

Airport to hotel in Luang Prabang (purchase taxi coupon at the airport) - USD6.50 (4 persons)
Hotel in Luang Prabang to airport (got a tuk tuk at the roadside by negotiating the price) - 50,000kip (4 persons)
Hand made queen sized blanket (took 8-10 months to make 1 blanket. Purchased at the night market from a friendly couple in their late 20s or early 30s at a stall facing a massage parlour at the right hand side [2nd row on the right side]) - 400,000 kip
Less complicated queen sized blanket (Purchased at the night market from two ladies at the left side [2nd row]) - 160,000 kip
Tuk tuk to Kuang Si Falls & Hmong Village - 170,000 kip (4 persons, 2 ways + 3 hours at the waterfalls [exclude traveling time])
Admission fee to Kuang Si waterfall - 20,000 kip
Admission fee to Phousi Hill - 20,000 kip
Tuk tuk to Tak Sae waterfall (best time is August - September) - 150,000 kip (I didn't go due to lack of water at the waterfall)
Tigerhead drinking water 1.5 litre - 5,000 kip
Fried rice 20,000 kip
Cheap t-shirt - 15,000 kip
Woman's simple bag - 3 for 80,000 kip
Native's purse (medium size) - 3 for 40,000 kip, 1 for 15,000 kip
Native's purse (small size - not the super small one) - 1 for 10,000 kip
Vegetarian dinner buffet style at Night Food Street - 10,000 kip regardless of the amount you take to fill up a plate
Laotian rice noodle with pork floss, peanuts, lots of vegetables (similar to laksa) at Night Food Street during lunch hour - 7,000 kip