Is Laos Worth Visiting?

Laos is not as popular as its neighbors like Thailand or Vietnam and is often overlooked. Laos is a small, landlocked country with a population of over 7 million people. And was it once a French colony but is it worth visiting?

Laos is worth visiting as not only are the Laos people friendly and very laid back but Laos is relatively unspoiled with development offering beautiful unspoiled scenery and temples. You can explore the jungles, see epic waterfalls, and visit amazing temples.

In this post, we will go through whether is Laos worth visiting. Let’s get started!

Learn More About Laos

• Things To Do In Vientiane Laos
• Things To Do In Luang Prabang Laos
• Can You Drink Tap Water In Laos?
• How Much Does Beer Cost In Laos?
• What Adapter Do I Need For Laos?

Tourist Visa on Arrival

A lot of nationalities do not need to get a visa and do not need to apply for a visa before they travel to Laos if the visit is less than 30 days. You can get the tourist on arrival visa at all international airports and most international border crossings.

You will need two passport-sized photos, the name of your accommodation, and roughly between US$30 and US$50 in cash for the application fee. The fees vary depending on the country you are from.

Also, you can apply for an E-visa. You can get more information on visa requirements if planning on going to Laos, you can visit their nearest embassy or visit their website.

https://laoevisa.gov.la/

Is Laos Worth Visiting?

Laos is definitely worth visiting as Laos people are welcoming and friendly as well as the laid-back vibe Laos has. Also, Laos has relatively unspoiled amazing beautiful scenery, epic caves, and temples. You can explore the jungles, see epic waterfalls, and see amazing temples.

There are three reasons that Laos is worth a visit, these are as follows.

• Scenery.
• Coffee.
• Friendly People.

Scenery

Laos’s beautiful scenery is unspoiled by development as a result is blessed with beautiful dramatic mountains, gorgeous waterfalls, and epic caves. You can enjoy the tranquil vibe of admiring mountain scenery while listening to the meandering rivers.

Laos as a tourist destination is attracting tourists interested in going for hikes into the jungle and seeing the fantastic waterfalls and caves as well as that Laos has a sleepy relaxed vibe and is a very peaceful place to rest and relax.

Coffee

Surprisingly, not only does Laos produces some exceptionally good coffee, it is considered by some that it is the best in the world. Laos coffee is rich and strong. There are 2 main coffees that Laos produces, they are Robusta and Arabica.

Robusta is generally used for regular coffee and Arabica is mainly used for espresso. The Bolaven Plateau which is also known as Paksong is where the coffee is produced. This is where you will find coffee plantations.

To find the best coffee in Laos, just watch where the locals get their coffee.

Friendly People

The people of Laos are generally friendly and tourists get a warm welcome from the locals. Lao people are very happy to welcome visitors from other countries and are happy to help visitors.

Is It Safe In Laos?

Yes, Laos is a safe place to visit but as long as travelers use common sense. There are odd reports of petty theft, and bag snatching but these can be avoided by being careful with your belongings.

Is Laos Expensive?

Laos is a little bit more expensive than its neighbors such as Thailand and Vietnam. Generally, anything imported is expensive but the prices are similar to what you would pay in Thailand or Vietnam.

Things To Do In Laos

Laos is a small country with a lot of unspoiled beautiful scenery and temples. Laos, in general, has a very relaxed vibe, even the capital city maintains a sleepy chilled vibe to it. There is plenty of things to do in Laos that will keep you busy for a while.

These are the main things to do in Laos, let’s go through the list.

Visit Buddha Park

The capital city of Vientiane has several parks with Buddha Park worth visiting. This park is also known as Xieng Khuan. The park is located 28 km south of the capital city, precisely on the edge of the Mekong River.

At the park will you will see Buddha statues 50 meters high on the river bank. The park has other statues and flower gardens, fountains, and colorful lights. It also has rides for children and a small museum.

Visit Iconic Patuxai

Patuxai is a gate-type monument inspired by one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions in Paris. This is a war monument located in the center of Vientiane. It was built between 1957 and 1968. And is dedicated to those who fought for independence from France.

Although similar to the building in Paris, the decor is very Laotian, which is decorated with kinnari which is a Laotian mythological creature in the form of a half-bird woman. The paintings of gods such as Wisnu, Brahma, and Indra are drawn inside the dome.

Visitors to Patuxay can go up to the top of the monument and enjoy the views of Vientiane city.

Enjoy Views From Mount Phou Si

In Luang Prabang, Mount Phou Si looks over the town of Luang Prabang. Mount Phou Si is a 100 meters high hill in the center of the old town. As well it offers amazing views of Luang Prabang and offers an opportunity to see the stunning sunset.

Couple that with the mix of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and beautiful scenery in the background. To reach does require climbing up 355 steps, this isn’t too challenging as long as you are reasonably fit. The reward is the views.

See Kuang Si Waterfall

Kuang Si Falls is properly the most popular tourist attraction near Luang Prabang. The waterfalls are about 25 km miles north of the jungle. You should bear in mind that this is a landlocked country, making it a surprising fact that one of its stunning features revolves around water.

The waterfall has a cascading drop that stands at 50 meters. The water is cool and wonderfully refreshing from the heat. There are changing rooms and toilets provided with a seating area.

Visit Temples In Luang Prabang

There are plenty of temples in Laos but if you are in Luang Prabang there are around 30 temples. There are walking tours that visit the best ones. These temples have an ancient architectural feel and other French architecture.

As you visit each temple, you can not help but be embarrassed by the design and marvels, and architecture. You should also consider scheduling an evening walk so this will give you a chance to see the chanting monks at Wat Mai.

Wrapping Up

Finally, Laos is definitely worth visiting as Laos offers amazing scenery, epic waterfalls, caves, and of course temples. Not only that the local Laos people are friendly and welcoming to visitors from other countries.

Now Laos is slightly more expensive than Thailand and Vietnam but really the difference is very small and shouldn’t be a deciding factor in visiting Laos.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on is Laos worth visiting has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.

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