Laos - 20 Days
- Eoin O'Meara
- Jun 14, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 12, 2019
(Based on June 2019)
High Season - October to April Low Season - May to September
Total Spending - 5,750,000 LAK (585€)
Total Accommodation - 905,000 LAK (90€)
Entering Country:
Visa Requirements: 30 Day Visa purchased for 37USD at Laos Land Border
ATM withdrawals cost 3% each transaction
Laundry 10,000LAK (1€) per Kg
30 Day Unlimited 4G Sim 70,000LAK (7€)
Don Det
Stayed Near: Sunset Side
Peace and Love Guesthouse 30,000LAK (3€) a night
2 Nights
- Bus and Boat from Siem Reap to Don Det for 24USD (200,000LAK)
Itinerary
Kayaking Tour 190,000LAK
- Kayaking around the Mekong River & Small Rapids
- Lipi Waterfall
- Dolphin Watching on the Lao-Cambodian Border
- Khone Phapheng Waterfall
Adams Bar or 4000 Island Bar for nightlife
Advice
I would recommend going to Don Det/4000 Islands if you decide to visit Laos, its down south near Cambodia and it's a small island so you get to meet other backpackers because everyone drinks in the same bars.
Also its worth staying for just 2 nights you get 1 full day to do the Tour.
You could stay longer if you just want to relax and take some time away from WiFi because there isn't great reception on the Islands.
The Island itself is very small so you can walk to your Bungalow from the Pier.
Pakse
Stayed Near: Mekong River
Sanga Hostel 70,000LAK (7€) a night
2 Nights
- Boat and Bus from Don Det to Pakse for 60,000LAK
Itinerary
Rent a Moped 80,000LAK (9,000LAK for Petrol)
- Tad Fane Waterfall 15,000LAK Entry Fee
- Tad Yuang Waterfall 15,000LAK Entry Fee
- Sunset Phu Salao, Golden Buddha
Advice
This is another small town down the south of Laos I would also recommend checking out.
Again 2 nights here is more than enough and you get 1 full day to go to see the waterfalls and the sunset.
The roads were under construction when I was here so for somebody who's not comfortable travelling by moped you can rent a private Tuk Tuk to take you for 150,000LAK.
Theres 4 Main waterfalls in Pakse a tour will bring you too I just done the main two but you cannot swim in these two but the others you can (Tham Champy & E-Tu Waterfall).
The hostel was walking distance from the bus stop which most hostels in the area are also located.
Thakhet
Stayed Near: Main Town
Bike & Bed 55,000LAK (5.5€) a night
4 Nights
- Bus from Pakse to Thakhet for 85,000LAK
Itinerary
Rent a Moped 200,000LAK for 3 Days (9,000LAK for Petrol)
Thakhet Loop
Day 1 Thakhek to Thalang 135km 8-9 hours
Phosy Thalang Guesthouse 30,000LAK (3€) a night
- Buddha Cave 5,000LAK Entry Fee
- Pha Nya in Cave
- Song Sou Waterfall 5,000LAK Entry Fee
Day 2 Thalang to Konglor 160km 8-9 hours
Konglor Eco Lodge Guesthouse 60,000LAK (6€) a night
- Dragon Cave
- Cool Pool & Ban Napavan
- Konglor Cave 65,000LAK Entry Fee (incl Boat)
Day 3 Konglor to Thakhek 180km 8-9 hours
Either spend the night in Thakhek or get a Sleeper Bus that night to Vientiane
- Nam Sanam Waterfall
- Limestone Forest Viewpoint
Day 1 - Great drive really easy to start off with just make sure to leave early because theres a lot of stops on Day 1.
Day 2 - Another fairly easy road more up and downhill but the roads to the cool pool and Kong Lor Cave are not paved so in rainy conditions its quite difficult just take your time.
Day 3 - The 40km road to Kong Lor Cave is the hardest road especially in the rain so I would suggest if you have time and its dry that after visiting the cave to drive back up to the main road and stay in Sanhak Guesthouse. Saves you doing the 40km in the wet if it rains in the morning.
You could easily take 4 days to complete this loop which would be more enjoyable than rushed in 3 days.
You would still spend the first night in Thalang and than drive towards Kong Lor on the second Day.
If you wish to enjoy the cool pool your best off spending the night in Sanhak Guesthouse and do Kong Lor Cave and park the next day. It's a huge national park so you can make a day from it and even visit the Nam Sanam Waterfall in the afternoon.
Than your final stretch of driving will be 140km (40km in the mountains and 100km on the highway)
Also to get to the cool pool the roads aren't paved so if wet it will be difficult take your time it was raining all day when we tried to go so we skipped it.
Vientiane
Stayed Near: City Centre
Dream Home Hostel 50,000LAK (5€) a night
2 Nights (1 night on the sleeper bus)
- Sleeper Bus from Thakhek to Vientiane 110,000LAK
Itinerary
City Sightseeing Tour 60,000LAK
- Pha That LuangBuddha
- Patuxai
- Sisaket Temple
Buddha Park Tour 70,000LAK
Advice
If you wish to do these tours your best staying 2 nights in Vientiane I didn’t catch any sleep on the sleeper bus on the way here and I didn't have the time to stay 1 more night so I gave the tours a miss.
Other than that theres not much more to see in Vientiane most backpackers will only spend the night there if they have to.
Tuk Tuk from bus station to my hostel was 20,000LAK per person (4 people).
Vang Vieng
Stayed Near: Walking Street
Nana Backpackers Hostel 50,000LAK (5€) a night
4 Nights
- Bus from Vientiane to Vang Vieng 50,000LAK
Itinerary
Rent a Moped 50,000LAK (9,000LAK for Petrol)
- Blue Lagoon and Phu Kham Cave 10,000LAK Entry Fee
- Nam Xay Viewpoint 10,000LAK Entry Fee
Tubbing on the Mekong River 65,000LAK
Advice
I would recommend staying 3 nights in Vang Vieng minimum you could also spend a lot longer here as well depends on your flexibility.
Theres a walking street with a night market 2 minutes from the hostel every night.
Also all the main bars everybody goes to are a 5 minute walk from the hostel as well.
When driving to the Nam Xay Viewpoint the roads are very rough especially when it rains so be careful.
You can also rent a buggy out here as well and drive to the sights and theres also organised tours available if you don't wish to drive yourself on a motorbike.
Also the hostel is a 5 minute walk from the bus station theres no Tuk Tuks in Vang Vieng.
Luang Prabang
Stayed Near: Utopia Bar
Sunrise Riverside Pool Hostel 45,000LAK (4.5€) a night
3 Nights
- Bus from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang 80,000LAK
Itinerary
Kuang Si Waterfall 20,000LAK Entry Fee
Mount Phousi 20,000LAK Entry Fee
Bowling 20,000LAK a game per person
Nightmarket
Advice
I recommend spending 3/4 nights in Luang Prabang it's a really nice town to hang out and chill and then has a pool as well.
A lot of backpackers will start there Laos trip off in Luang Prabang coming from Thailand or Vietnam so you will find that Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng are the busiest cities in Laos.
Also when looking to go to the waterfall it would be cheaper to get a group of people together and rent a Tuk Tuk to the waterfall (we paid 180,000LAK between 9 people).
Also for the bowling there will be Tuk Tuk drivers outside your hostel and the main bars offering you lifts it's normally about 10,000LAK return per person.
And after a game of bowling you can give archery a go for 10,000LAK for 5 shots in the same place.
I walked from the bus stop to my hostel you could probably get a taxi for 10,000/20,000LAK.
Mekong River Slow Boat to Thailand
2 Nights
- Slow Boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai 290,000LAK
Advice
This is a two day slow boat (9 hours a day) down the Mekong River to Huay Xai which is near one of the Laos/Thailand Boarders.
You first stop in Pakbeng the first night than take the boat again the next morning at 8am to Huay Xai.
You will arrive at Pakbeng and Huay Xai at 6pm and there will be loads of locals offering home stays for you to spend the night in.
You can get a private room in Pakbeng for 40,000LAK to 50,0000LAK for the night.
And you can get a private room in Huay Xai for 60,000LAK to 70,000LAK for the night.
The Lao and Thai border control offices close at 6pm so you will spend 2 nights in Laos on this route when its advertised as just 1 night.
You can then book a bus to Thailand for 100,000LAK for the next morning which will take you through both border controls and to the town of choice in Thailand.
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