Short answer: yes, Laos is consistently one of the more relaxed, low crime countries to backpack solo in Southeast Asia. General safety: Violent crime against tourists is rare. The most common issues are petty and preventable, like the tuk-tuk overcharging and motorbike disputes mentioned in our scams post, rather than anything more serious. Solo female …
Lao food doesn’t get the international spotlight that Thai or Vietnamese food does, but it’s one of the most underrated food scenes in the region. Sticky rice (khao niew) is the backbone of almost every meal, served in a small woven basket and eaten by hand, it’s less a side dish here and more the …
Getting into Laos is straightforward for most nationalities, but a few details are worth knowing before arrival. Visa on arrival is available at Laos’s main international airports and most land borders for the majority of nationalities. Bring a passport photo, cash in USD, and a printed or digital copy of your passport’s photo page, the …
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Vang Vieng has a reputation as a party town, and it can be that, but the surrounding landscape is genuinely some of the best in the country if you look past the bars. Hot air balloon rides at sunrise are one of the more memorable ways to see the karst mountains and rice fields, and …
Read more “Vang Vieng Isn’t Just Tubing: Here’s What Else to Do”
Vientiane doesn’t get the hype Luang Prabang does, but it’s an easy, comfortable base for a night or two before heading further north. Look for hostels near the Mekong riverside, this is where most of the city’s evening life happens, with food stalls and a laid-back riverside walk that’s especially nice around sunset. Social hostels …
Read more “Where to Stay in Vientiane: Hostels That Actually Deliver”