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Laos |
Facts about country
| Capital | Vientiane |
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Population |
4.75 million |
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Main Languages |
Lao & Lao dialects (closely related to Thai), French |
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Electricity |
2 Plug System 220 50 HZ |
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Currency |
kip |
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Exchange Rate for US $ as of Dec 2001 |
9,500 kip per 1 US$ |
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Safe to Drink Tap Water |
No |
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Size |
236,000 sq km |
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Transport |
bus, plane, taxi, minibus, truck, boat, motorbike, tourist bus |
| Cash Machines (ATMS) | No |
| Credit Card Usage | No |
| Religion | Buddhist, animist and spirit cults |
| Measurement System | Metric System |
Recommended Budget per Day in US $
| Total Budget per Person | Accommodation | Meals | Transportation | Other |
| 13 $ | 2 $ | 5 $ | 3 $ | 3 $ |
Main things to See (we give descriptions only on places we visited)
| Things to See | Visited | Brief Description | Recommend (10 is best 1 is don't bother) |
| Vientiane | Y | The Capital of Laos with only 300.000 inhabitants. The main attractions are Pha That Luang (the Great Sacred Stupa), Wat Pha Kaew, Wat Si Saket, Wat Xieng Khuan. | 7 |
| Luang Prabang | Y | A nice town along the Mekong river that is slowly becoming a little touristy. The main things to see are the Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xieng Thong and Wat Wisunlat. There are also the Pak Ou caves outside the town. It is World Heritage Site. | 7 |
| Vang Vieng | Y | Vang Vien is a small town where one can hang out by the river or visit a few of the caves nearby or inner tube on the river. | 6 |
| Luang Namtha | Y | This northern town in itself has nothing much to offer. From here one can go on 1, 2 or 3 day treks to local villages. One can also rent a bike and cycle through different villages which is really nice. | 8 |
| Ho Chi Minh Trail | N | ||
| Plain of Jars | N | ||
| Bolaven Plateau | N | ||
Popular activities and Tours (Being not included does not mean they do not exist)
| Hiking / Trekking | x |
| Scuba Diving | |
| Historical Sites | x |
| Sightseeing tours | x |
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Ballooning |
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Bungy Jumping |
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Safaris |
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| Boat tours | x |
| Fishing | |
| Horseback riding | |
| Canoeing | |
| Camping | |
| River Rafting | |
| Sky Diving | |
| Abseiling | |
| Surfing | |
| Windsurfing | |
| Kayaking | x |
| Sailing | |
| Mountain biking | |
| Rollerblading | |
| Motorbike | x |
| Sand boarding | |
| Snorkeling | |
| Water Skiing | |
| Skiing | |
| Bicycling | x |
| Others Inner Tubing | x |
Feeling and Opinions on Laos
Laos is changing quickly and becoming really touristy. It is less touristy than Thailand and cheaper, but is making it's way up there. We did a one day trek though some tribal villages which was good. We recommend to get there before it turns into a small Thailand and the people become hooked on tourism.
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Maren & Kirk