toursfrom vientiane toluang prabang

Hello, sawahdee and thank you for your help

I am travelling to Laos on 1/12 arriving at Vientiane and leaving from LP on6/12.

I am looking for a group tour leaving Vientiane on 2/12 ( after presumably staying overnight on 1/12)and arriving LP on the fifth ( possibly 6th).

I am a single guy aged 58

I prefer a group tour as the prices I have been quoted for private are a bit too high.

my budget is maybe 6-800 dollars.

I would be interested in the usual highlights of Laos , eg vientiane, LP, Pak ou%26lt; possibly plain of Jars and/or waterfalls, possibly visiting minority vialllge

my email is reubenlewis@talktalk.net

Very many thanks for your help

toursfrom vientiane toluang prabang

Hi Reuben!

There are quite a few travel agencies in Vientiane and you could probably just belly up and book a tour when you arrive. The ones you pre-book online from your home country are pretty pricey. Here is one example and you have to submit a request before you even get a price quote, but have a look anyhow.

www.alllaoservice.com/classictours.html

Your timeframe will not allow for a trip to Phonsavan to see the jars, but I highly recommend doing a walking tour of Vientiane (a tour is hardly needed!), spend a day or two there, then embark on your tour to Luang Prabang. Additionally,you could opt to just get an air ticket from Vientane to Luang Prabang and joing little excursions to see the caves, falls, etc. 2-3 days is plenty for that. It is totally doable on your own, and a piece of cake to figure out once you%26#39;re there. Any travel agency in Vientiane can help you get the plane tickets and book you a hotel. Cheers!

toursfrom vientiane toluang prabang

Hi Maneki

Thanks for rreply and yes, they are a bit pricey. I have been slowly coming to exactly ther same conclusion as you suggest.

I am doing similar in Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok and Pnom Penh/ Seam Reap but just felt a bit lazy for Laos LOL but think now I will just boook the internal and trot out from Luang Prabang

P. ANd yes, me and my Lp ( strangely similar initials) will be doing walking circuits of both caps.

Thanks again

Reuben

PS Maneki, I intend booking the plane ticket and hotels from here via internet ( unless you think its better from Ventiane?

Reuben

If you%26#39;re traveling in December, book the flights and hotels (especially in Luang Prabang) NOW!

Plugs

Hi!

We are traveling to Laos and I would like to know what kind of plugs they use there. Are they the same as in Spain (2 rounded holes?).

Thanks!

Plugs

The plugs I saw and used had those blade prongs, but they also had round holes for those other plugs as well. I always travel with a plug adaptor just to be sure, but both my cell phone and digicam recharger (flat prongs) could be used all over Laos.

Plugs

Different voltage to Europe though. 230 volts here.

OK, if you want to get technical, have a look here-

http://kropla.com/electric2.htm

Simple answer to this question; take nothing electrical. I see folks traveling with more baggage than one would need for a move. BTW, I was in Laos 2 years ago and have been traveling to Asis for several years. We will spend December in Laos and Viet Nam. Laos is a wonderful country.

Well, I am not the expert in electrical, but I can tell you that everywhere in this world peoples used electricity in 220 volts plus/minus 20 volts except in the great USA we used 120 plus/minus 20 volts.

Some places have round and/or flat outlet, some place have both. It is best if you carry adapter that can be plug into round or flat.

Using traveller's cheques in Laos

The A$ has lost some 35% against the US$ in the past 2 months (after almost being at parity) and it looks like it is going to keep depreciating, (thankyou Wall St.) As most Asian currencies are still pegged to the US$ then I need to look at locking in an exchange rate for upcoming trip to Thailand/Laos. The easiest and cheapest way to do that is with travellers cheques.

Can anyone please confirm the commissions charged by BCEL to cash US$ TCs into kip and into US$. I have read that it is 1% to exchange TC for kip and 3% to exchange TC for US$. Just looking for confirmation as I have read 3% and 5% on another forum. Please only answer if you actually know, not if you think you know. (I tried calling BCEL by the way, but couldn%26#39;t get through.)

Are there any restrictions on the amount to be converted each time. Will probably want to convert $2000 each time.

And we plan on using kip rather then US$. Is there any disadvantage in that. Is kip just as accepted as US$, everywhere.

Using traveller's cheques in Laos

I can ask at BCEL on Thirsday or Friday. Everything is closed today due to the boat racing. Kip is fine, just be aware as I guess you are, that you will be carrying around a fair few notes. Btw, I suspect the $AUD will appreciate a bit, but don%26#39;t take my word for it.

Using traveller's cheques in Laos

Thanks for offering to ask BCEL direct, that would be much appreciated. Can you also ask if there is any restriction on the ammount that can be cashed. It seems a bit odd but I read somewhere there was $300 limit/day on TC cashing in Laos, maybe that is only if you want actual US$ rather then kip. The reason for TCs is just to lock in a rate and we only want to visit a bank to cash them maybe 2 or 3 times, couple of grand each time.

Let%26#39;s hope A$ appreciates, but it%26#39;s looking grim.

I posted those rates and that was from BCEL on Fa Ngum across from lane xang hotel 1% for kip 3% for us $ and $300 total but you can get around that by going to another bank exchange somewhere else in town. it may be possible to exchange that much inside the bank but that I don%26#39;t know,$2000 in kip you might need a wheelbarrow to carry that much kip (17,400,000 kip)just kidding callao

I asked them today. 3% for Traveller%26#39;s cheques with a maximum of $500.USD that you can cash at any one given time.

Hi..i just changed TC in any bank and also small money changer in Laos at always the same commission that is 2% at the actual rate of 1USD= 8.530 kips

(i have AMEX TC)

A suggestion: bring dollars AND kips because somewhere they use both for paying (u can choose) and sometimes can be different and good for you to use USD or KIPS

Example:

Our hotel was charging (as they listed)

- 50.000 kips OR 7 USD for a double no bathroom

- 70.000 kips OR 8 USD for a double with bathroom

The first option in USD with the actual rate is 5.8 USD and not 7, while 70.000 is 8.2 USD

I khown..small difference but could be a cheap breakfast no?

Ciao

I do appreciate the info being provided, but you can see the confusion. So far in this post I have 1%, 2% and 3%.

Rufuscat, is that 3% when you exchange for actual US$ or does that 3% also apply when exchanging the TC for kip.

That is a 3% comission for changing the cheque, regardless of what currency you change it into. The info I gave you was direct from the ';tellers mouth';, so to speak. I have an account at BCEL and had to make a withdrawal yesterday.

Cheers,

Ron

OK, A$ has pretty much collapsed now, 45% depreciation over the past 3 months. Our planned 6 week trip is curently going to cost double what we had planned, and that is a very significant ammount of money. If you%26#39;ve read some of my other recent threads, you get the idea that I%26#39;m pretty annoyed about it.

I might be wrong, but I think we are getting close to the bottom for the A$. So the travellers cheque idea has gone out the window, not much point in locking in a lousy exchange rate. Probably better now to use ATMs and hope we have seen the bottom in the A$.

Rather then start a new thread I will ask here. As our trip is now going to cost double I need to cut costs whereever I can. So I don%26#39;t want to be hit with 3% every time I make an ATM withdrawl in Laos. I can get around this by using baht, i.e. take a wad of baht cash into Laos. My question is, is baht just as acceptable as kip or US$, everywhere, like Pakse, Si Phan Don, Pak Beng etc etc. and will whoever you are paying give you the official exchange rate for it.

Baht is fine throughout Laos.

eyeshadow color

What is the best way to get from Pakse to Vientiene?

I want to take a 3 day trip from Pakse to Vientiene and back. I know about the bed bus and Lao Air..any other way to do it? Really what i am looking for is a 3 day side trip out of Pakse, Ive done the falls and the Bolavan plateau..so looking for something else..

What is the best way to get from Pakse to Vientiene?

I%26#39;ve been down in that area on two seperate trips. First trip I opted to go by bus- night VIP bus from VTE to Pakse. On the way back I broke up the trip with a day %26amp; night in Savannakhet. This Sept. I took the VIP bus to Pakse agian and flew back. If your time is limited, you might opt to fly.

What is the best way to get from Pakse to Vientiene?

Thanks. I think flying seems to be my best option given the time limitations.

Laos Itinerary Advice

Dear Laos Travelers,

I am planning a trip to Laos in November for 8 days.

I%26#39;d like to see both Plain of Jars and Vang Vieng (in an earlier post I asked for feed back on which was better- please let me know your opinion if you didnt see the earlier post) but am wondering if I will be squeezing in too much. I put my itinerary below.

Also, I waa considering renting a car and driver since I%26#39;ve read buses breakdown quite a bit. Cost aside, I was wondering how easy it is to find good, safe transport, I am a single female traveling along and I%26#39;ve read that Laos is quite safe but all the posts seem to involve public transit.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

DC Traveler

DAY1: Arr Luang Prabang

DAY2 Luang Prabang

DAY3 Travel to Plaing of Jars

DAY4 Plain of Jars

DAY5 Travel to Vang Vieng

DAY6 Vang Vieng

DAY7 Travel to Vientiane

DAY8 Vientiane

DAY9 Dept

Laos Itinerary Advice

Looks like a decent schedule, but I would really consider skipping Vang Vieng and spending another day in Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang (Plain of Jars). LP has a lot of culture to see, and the jars sites are fairly spread out and it would be worth at least a day and a half there (full day + half day of sightseeing). Dependign on your flight/bus schedules, you might be arriving inthe late afternoon and by the time you get settled in your hotel, you will have lost the better part of the day for seeing the sights. So I%26#39;d recommend this-

Luang Prabang

Xieng Khouang (Plain of Jars)

Vientiane

Take your time- there is a lot to see! And don%26#39;t worry about traveling solo- I travel solo (female) there quite often.

AJAX in .net

Rental of automatic Bikes in Pakse

Hi, I would like to ask if automatic-geared bikes are available for rental in Pakse? Im a beginner in riding and i would love to ride the bike around Bolaven Plateau to visit the waterfall these december.:)

Thanks!

Rental of automatic Bikes in Pakse

Didn%26#39;t see them. I rented a mountain bike that fell apart on me mid-way (which sucked- avoid Langkham hotel%26#39;s bicycles!)...

Take the bus.

Rental of automatic Bikes in Pakse

mopeds can be hired from several of the hotels in Pakse town.

Cheers

lee

www.luang-prabang-hotels.com

Booking Laos Airlines Online

According to the website (laoairlines.com) it says you can book online where a flight has a red ';e'; by the side of it. Tryied to book a vientiane to pakse flight which had this but keeps erroring when you go to the next page. All the flights are the same. Its been like this for sometime now. Is it just impossible to book online? How would you go about booking this route?

Booking Laos Airlines Online

There is great confusion about which airlines are actually operating in Laos. I found a list of several names, all but one of which no longer operate.

I had the same problem you mention until I realized I should be on this site:

http://www.laos-airlines.com/airfare.asp

If you have a problem booking, they are pretty good about getting back to you if you email info@laos-airlines.com.

Booking Laos Airlines Online

There is no confusion at all about which airlines operate in Laos. There have been legion posts on this and all you need to do is use the search function.

From the previous poster:

I had the same problem you mention until I realized I should be on this site:

http://www.laos-airlines.com/airfare.asp

WRONG! This is a bogus site set up by a French company. It is NOT the Lao Airlines site, which is

www.laosairlines.com

Shows you how careful you have to be using information from the web.

Also don%26#39;t use Firefox, use IE. However as I said all of these have been posted here before.

Well done again Rufuscat.

Many have been caught by the French bogus site (which I thought had been closed down)

E booking works perfectly on the correct site using Explorer.- I booked 3 sectors with no problems but you still have to confirm the seats 24 hours before your flight.

Well i%26#39;m looking at the correct site now and ebooking isn%26#39;t working (and i%26#39;ve tried this on 2 PCs) both of which using IE???

also Please note that the correct site is laoairlines.com not laosairlines.com

phiphi

Change your browser! Mozilla Firefox does not work for their site, for some reason. Internet Explorer does, though...