Air
access
Laos has three
International Airport :
Wattay International Airport in Vientiane Capital.
Cities with directs flight to
Vientiane/Wattay Airport are
Bangkok, Chiengmai, Phnom Penh, Siemreap, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, Kunming, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Luang Prabang International Airport in Luang Prabang Province. Cities with
directs flight to
Luang Prabang
International Airport
are
Bangkok, Chiengmai and Hanoi,.
Pakse International Airport in Champasack Province.
Cities with
directs flight to
Pakse
International Airport
are Siemreap.
Airline Companies currently serving in Vientiane are
Lao Airlines, Thai Airways International, Vietnam Airline,
Siemreap Airway, The
Southern China Airline, Silk Air, Malaysian Airline.
Domestic flights are served by
Lao Aviation only.
A departure tax of 10US$ in levied
for international flights, while 5.000 kips is levied for
domestic flights.
[See
price and timetable of domestic flights]
Overland
You can also
get into Lao by land from China,
Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.
Tourists can pass the border at the following Entry Points:
From Thailand
-
Chiangkhong - Houixay, Chiang Rai to
Bokeo Province.
-
Nakaxeng - Kaenthao, Loei to
Sayabouly Province.
-
Nongkhay - Friendship Bridge ,
Nongkhay-Vientiane Capital.
-
Bungkan - Pakxan,
Nongkhay-Bolikhamxay Province (no visa on
arrival).
-
Nakorn Phanom - Thakhaek, Nakorn
Phanom-Khammouane Province.
-
Moukdahan - Savannakhet, crossing
the Mekong River by boat.
-
Chongmek - Vangtao, Ubol Ratchathani
to Champasack Province.
-
Arrival by Train: Although there is currently no rail
connection to Laos yet, an extension of the Bangkok-Nong Khai
railway is planned and a line from Vientiane to Nong Khai is
scheduled to start operating in near future.
From China
-
Mohan - Botene , Yunnan to Luang
Namtha Province .
-
Arrival by Boat:
From
Kunming or Xishuangbanna, China, it is possible to travel by
boat through the Mekong river straight to
Xiangkok riverport on Mekong River
in Luang Namtha Province (no visa on
arrival).
From Vietnam
-
Taichang - Sobhoun, Laichau to
Phongsaly Province (no visa on arrival).
Nameo - Banleui, Thanh Hoa to Huaphanh Province.
Namkan - Namkan, Nge An to Xieng Khouang Province.
Keoneua - Nampao (Lak Sao), Ha tinh to Bolikhamxay Province.
Napao - Chalo, Quangbinh to Khammouane Province (no
visa on arrival).
Laobao - Dansavanh, Quang tri to Savannakhet Province.
From Cambodia
Entry formalities
Entry visas are obtainable at
Lao Embassies or Consulate and required for all visitors
with valid passports irrespective of nationality. Please allow
ten days for processing. Travel permits are only required for
trips to off-limit areas such as border provinces, military
bases and remote islands.
The visa fee varies from between
US$8- 42 depending o the agreement with the various governments
It is also possible to obtain a
Visa-on-Arrival at the following international checkpoints:
-
China (Mohan) - Luang Namtha
Province (Boten)
-
Thailand (Chiang Khong) - Bokeo
Province (Houay Xay)
-
Thailand (Nong Khay) -Vientiane
Capital (Friendship Bridge)
-
Thailand - Xayabouly Province (Nam
Heuang Friendship Bridge)
-
Thailand (Nakhon Phanom) -
Khammouane Province (Thakhaek)
-
Thailand (Moukdahan) - Savannakhet
Province (Friendship Bridge II)
-
Thailand (Chong Mek) - Champasak
Province (Vang Tao)
-
Vietnam (Nam Kanh) - Xieng Khouang
Province (Nong Haet)
-
Vietnam (Kao Cheo) - Bolikhamxay
(Nam Phao)
-
Vietnam (Lao Bao) - Savannakhet
Province (Dene Savanh)
-
Wattay International Airport
(Vientiane capital)
-
Pakse International Airport (Champasak
Province)
-
Luang Prabang International
Airport (Luang Prabang)
For those wishing to extend their
stay, it is possible to extend your visa at the Immigration
Office in Vientiane, through travel agencies.
In case visa
approval is arranged by Threeland travel we would like to offer you two ways
to obtain visa: through
Embassies &
General Consulates of Lao
or
Visa on arrival.
Customs regulations
Antique items for
example Buddha images and other old artifacts are prohibited to
be taken out of Laos. If you have already traveled from
neighboring countries, you are advised to declare you belongings
to the customs to avoid any problems when leaving Laos.
It is
prohibited for any visitor to bring into Lao the followings:
* Weapons,
explosives and inflammable objects.
* Opium and other narcotics.
* Cultural materials unsuitable to Vietnamese society.
Climate
Laos
enjoys a tropical climate with two distinct seasons - the rainy
season from the beginning of May to the end of September and dry
season from October through to April. The yearly average
temperature is about 28 C, rising to a maximum of 38 C in April
and May. In Vientiane minimum temperatures of 19 C are to be
expected in January. In mountainous areas, however, temperatures
drop to 14-15 C during the winter months, and in cold nights
easily reach the freezing point.
The
average precipitation is highest in southern Laos, where the
Annamite mountains receive over 3000 mm annually. In Vientiane
rainfall is about 1500-2000 mm, and in the northern provinces
only 1000-1500 mm.
See
Lao in BRIEF
Health equipment
No
vaccinations are presently required
other than the usual requirements if having recently travelled
in a yellow fever affected area. If travelling to remote or
border areas, travelers should check with their doctor or travel
immunization clinic regarding the advisability of inoculation
against Typhoid, Cholera, Dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria,
rabies, tetanus and Japanese encephalitis.
In any case, the best
prevention is not to get bitten by mosquitoes:
-
Sleep with a
mosquito net outside towns
-
Wear long sleeves
and trousers around dusk
-
Use plenty of strong
insect repellant - some brands can be applied directly on
clothing.
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