[Chilled]

Hey guys, I'm gonna be heading to Laos for 2 weeks in a little over a month. Any tips for destinations, activities, or just important things to know before I go?

[3extra]

Tubing in Vang Vieng should be top of that list. One of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BKdnmuFoV0

You may have to take this into consideration though, from Wikipedia:

"Sexual relations between a Lao national and a foreigner are illegal unless they are married, and marriage requires special permits. Lao hotels are not permitted to allow a foreigner and Lao national in the same hotel room together. "Number One" condoms are available for 1000-5000 kip for a pack of 3. These are probably the cheapest condoms in the world (and their quality seems to be ok)."

[Spike]

(12-06-2011 11:17 PM)Chilled Wrote:  

Hey guys, I'm gonna be heading to Laos for 2 weeks in a little over a month. Any tips for destinations, activities, or just important things to know before I go?

You can go to the 4000 islands in the south which is a relaxed area where you can smoke weed. accommodation is very basic, expect to see hippies.

The capital vientiane is quite boring with not much places to go out.
Go tubing in Vang Vieng if your into young drunken backpacker girls. mushrooms,weed,pills,opium are easy to get there.

Be careful with picking up Laos girls, its against the law to have sex with a Laos girl if you are a foreigner.Its only allowed when you are married to her. There are scams with girls getting you back to a room and 5 minutes later the police will show up and demand a 500 dollar bribe.

Never have drugs in your room also, hide it outside if you need to use drugs.

[OGNorCal707]

Even though there's not much of a nightlife/party scene I recommend checking out Luang Prabang for a few days, it's just a really beautiful, chilled out, well preserved French colonial town perched above the Mekong River, and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Also there is one of the nicest waterfalls with multiple tiers a 20 min. tuk tuk ride away from town.

Obviously you want to spend some time in Vang Vieng, definitely do a couple days worth of tubing, but I'd plan to take at least a day off between tubing days, because you will get very fucked up. I didn't get any in Vang Vieng, but it does seem like it would be a pretty easy place to get laid with backpacker girls, some of which I thought were really hot.

In addition to tubing, I'd recommend going to the blue lagoon and checking out the caves in that area, (the cave above the blue lagoon is probably one of the coolest I've ever seen).

I didn't go to 4000 islands, but it's pretty isolated and a long bus ride, plus I heard it's really boring there. You can get decent weed/opium pretty much everywhere in Laos, tuk tuk drivers all sell it, and most seem relatively legit. You can get mushrooms in Vang Vieng, if you're into that kind of thing.

[KingofScotland]

Laos is a brilliant country just not for women. Any you fuck will be whores, as mentioned there's a chance of being scammed and busted by the cops. Drugs are readily available everywhere from tuk tuk drivers, bars and cafes. In the bars & cafes just ask if they have a happy menu and you'll get to see the choice of weed, mushrooms and opium. Get caught by the police you'll pay a couple hundred dollar fine but being discreet means you won't get caught. Diazepam and viagra are dirt cheap from pharmacies. The beer Lao is a decent beer.

Luang Prabang is a gorgeous town, UNESCO heritage listed, with some alright bars and even a club. Was dead the night I went. Nearbye are waterfalls, elephant rides and other good trips. See the monks do their daily rituals at 6am.

Vang Vieng is a gorgeous little village in the mountain that's been taken over by tourism. Tubing is one of the highlights of my travels but make sure you actually tube the length of the river and not just party by the riverside all day. Lots of drunk backpacker girls here, everyone is wasted. Bars have a strict 11pm curfew though and there's no clubs though when you've been partying all day you don't care much for being out late. Police roam the streets at night with AK47s and will arrest anyone who's too loud or obviously on drugs.

Vientianne has very little to do and is quite expensive for accomodation considering. Most people don't hang around long.

[OGNorCal707]

(12-07-2011 02:04 PM)KingofScotland Wrote:  

Laos is a brilliant country just not for women. Any you fuck will be whores, as mentioned there's a chance of being scammed and busted by the cops. Drugs are readily available everywhere from tuk tuk drivers, bars and cafes. In the bars & cafes just ask if they have a happy menu and you'll get to see the choice of weed, mushrooms and opium. Get caught by the police you'll pay a couple hundred dollar fine but being discreet means you won't get caught. Diazepam and viagra are dirt cheap from pharmacies. The beer Lao is a decent beer.

Luang Prabang is a gorgeous town, UNESCO heritage listed, with some alright bars and even a club. Was dead the night I went. Nearbye are waterfalls, elephant rides and other good trips. See the monks do their daily rituals at 6am.

Vang Vieng is a gorgeous little village in the mountain that's been taken over by tourism. Tubing is one of the highlights of my travels but make sure you actually tube the length of the river and not just party by the riverside all day. Lots of drunk backpacker girls here, everyone is wasted. Bars have a strict 11pm curfew though and there's no clubs though when you've been partying all day you don't care much for being out late. Police roam the streets at night with AK47s and will arrest anyone who's too loud or obviously on drugs.

Vientianne has very little to do and is quite expensive for accomodation considering. Most people don't hang around long.

I spent about 5 days in Vang Vieng, and not once did I see a police officer, let alone one with an AK47, not sure where you're getting that from. Also, I saw plenty of drunken Aussie idiots making all kinds of noise, even later into the night, and not once did I see anyone get reprimanded.

[Spike]

(12-07-2011 05:06 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 02:04 PM)KingofScotland Wrote:  

Laos is a brilliant country just not for women. Any you fuck will be whores, as mentioned there's a chance of being scammed and busted by the cops. Drugs are readily available everywhere from tuk tuk drivers, bars and cafes. In the bars & cafes just ask if they have a happy menu and you'll get to see the choice of weed, mushrooms and opium. Get caught by the police you'll pay a couple hundred dollar fine but being discreet means you won't get caught. Diazepam and viagra are dirt cheap from pharmacies. The beer Lao is a decent beer.

Luang Prabang is a gorgeous town, UNESCO heritage listed, with some alright bars and even a club. Was dead the night I went. Nearbye are waterfalls, elephant rides and other good trips. See the monks do their daily rituals at 6am.

Vang Vieng is a gorgeous little village in the mountain that's been taken over by tourism. Tubing is one of the highlights of my travels but make sure you actually tube the length of the river and not just party by the riverside all day. Lots of drunk backpacker girls here, everyone is wasted. Bars have a strict 11pm curfew though and there's no clubs though when you've been partying all day you don't care much for being out late. Police roam the streets at night with AK47s and will arrest anyone who's too loud or obviously on drugs.

Vientianne has very little to do and is quite expensive for accomodation considering. Most people don't hang around long.

I spent about 5 days in Vang Vieng, and not once did I see a police officer, let alone one with an AK47, not sure where you're getting that from. Also, I saw plenty of drunken Aussie idiots making all kinds of noise, even later into the night, and not once did I see anyone get reprimanded.

I didn't see any police either and i stayed there 11 days.

[Chilled]

Hmmm disappointing to hear that everything shuts down at 11pm at Vang Vieng. I'd heard that was the biggest party area, but 11pm closing time? Lame.

So far I'm thinking maybe a day to look around Vientenne after getting in, then maybe down to the 4000 islands for a few days. Then Vang Vieng for 4 or 5 days, followed by a a couple days in Luang Prabang. After that, back to Vientienne for a day or so before the flight out.

I'll leave an update here when I get back about these supposed police with AK's.

Thanks for the thoughts guys.

[Chilled]

Oh, one more thing. Should I be on anti-malarial drugs while I'm there? And do I need a yellow fever vaccination?

[takeda]

Laos is an awesome, generally very chilled country.

Kwang Si falls is the name of the falls outside Luang Prabang, which is a lovely little city with great cafes and restaurants. Laos in general is so much more laid back than Thailand for example.

If in Viantiane, the bhudda park is worth a look, google image it, really weird sculptures made by some mad fella.

The best thing i did in Laos was The Gibbon Experience. In thoery this might be about trying to see gibbons ion their jungle environment but its really about the incredible series of zip lines they have for you to soar above the jungle canopy for up to 600m. One of the best things ive ever done travelling. Youtube it and check out people{s videos from the zip lines! You have to book in advance, its a great adventure.

Be careful in Vang Vieng. People get absoltely wrecked on buckets and some drown on the river each year, the tubing is fun but its very touristy. Also, the cops sting tourists who they catch with drugs and extract bribes out of them, so be careful with all the opium, weed etc. The two guys I was travelling with experienced this first hand and it cost them USD$1000 between them to get off the hook. Not a nice experience!

[Chilled]

Damn that suck about your friends Tak. Were they smoking dope out in the open? Randomly stopped?

[travolta]

Laos is amazing. Check out the 4,000 islands. Really chilled out place, easy to get drugs, and there are some cool waterfalls to see.

Also be sure to travel north of Luang Prabong. Most people don't venture further north than Luang Prabong, but I think they are missing out.. Muang Ngoi is a must see place, IMO. One of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The only way to get there is to take a bus from Luang prabong to Nong Khiew, then take a boat ride from there to Muang Ngoi. Muang Ngoi is a great place if you like to trek. There's no need to hire a guide.. just follow the trail and go by yourself. After walking for about an hour you'll come across a HUGE rice field. If you walk to the other side and cross over the river, you'll see a trail. Walk down that trail for about 30 minutes and you'll come across a village.. It cost me $0.70 to stay the night in the village. Incredible experience. If you go to Muang Ngoi, stay in BANANA GUESTHOUSE. The lady who owns it is really nice, and only charged $1.25/night.

If you're feeling really adventurous I'd highly recommend gong up north to Phongsali. It was absolute hell getting there, but it was completely worth it... First you have to take a 5 hour boat ride from Muang Ngoi to Muang Kuah (the scenery along the river is unreal). From Muang Kuah it was a 11 hour bus ride to Phongsali. It's one of those bumpy mountain bus rides where everyone is puking, and if the bus driver messes up, the buss falls off a cliff and everyone dies. The trip sucks, but it's so worth it once you finally arrive. There isn't much to do in Phongsali, but it's one of the most amazing places I've ever seen- it's a small town on top of the mountains. If you really want to go off the tourist track, check out Phongsali.

After you finish up in Phongsali, take a boat back to Muang Kuah, then take a bus across the border to Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam. From there, you can cut across to Hanoi.

Back to Laos... check out Vang Vieng. Get a job at one of the bars (just walk up to a white person handing out free shots and ask if he can introduce you to the bar manager). I worked at bar #1 on the river, and it was a complete pussy fest. Also be sure to stay at SPICYLAO hostel... trust me.. it's the best place to stay in Vang Viang.. one more thing about Vang Viang.. it's a cool party place, but you'd be mad to miss out on the out door adventure in the area.. I went on this bad-fucking-ass trek when I was there, and also went rock climbing (it was only $25 for a full 8 hour day, gear included, and free lunch).

[travolta]

oh yeah, in VV be sure to check out Jaydees bar if you want good drugs. I went there at 2pm one day, asked to see the happy menu, and this 10 year old kid pulled out a bucket. On the bucket it said: "weed bag, weed join, opium bag, opium joint, mushrooms." Really good weed at Jaydees

[KingofScotland]

(12-07-2011 05:06 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  

I spent about 5 days in Vang Vieng, and not once did I see a police officer, let alone one with an AK47, not sure where you're getting that from. Also, I saw plenty of drunken Aussie idiots making all kinds of noise, even later into the night, and not once did I see anyone get reprimanded.

Quote:

I didn't see any police either and i stayed there 11 days.

I don't know maybe you were too wasted or just missed them? They are there, I saw them on several occassions walking down the main street after the bars closed at 11pm all with guns. My mate tried to get a picture taken with them and they went crazy. They were enforcing the curfew and telling everyone to go home. Earlier in the day one of them was hanging around down by the river in plain clothes trying to sell weed, obviously hoping to bust some backpackers.

[Spike]

(12-08-2011 02:17 PM)KingofScotland Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 05:06 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  

I spent about 5 days in Vang Vieng, and not once did I see a police officer, let alone one with an AK47, not sure where you're getting that from. Also, I saw plenty of drunken Aussie idiots making all kinds of noise, even later into the night, and not once did I see anyone get reprimanded.

Quote:

I didn't see any police either and i stayed there 11 days.

I don't know maybe you were too wasted or just missed them? They are there, I saw them on several occassions walking down the main street after the bars closed at 11pm all with guns. My mate tried to get a picture taken with them and they went crazy. They were enforcing the curfew and telling everyone to go home. Earlier in the day one of them was hanging around down by the river in plain clothes trying to sell weed, obviously hoping to bust some backpackers.

Everyone parties in the two bars close to the river in town, gets fucked up on drugs and alcohol and walks back very late at night. It would be a goldmine for police to stop people and try to get money/bribes from them. But there was no police there to do it. It would kill the touristic industry.

Unless things have drastically changed since March 2011 when i was there.

[KingofScotland]

It was 2009 when I was there. Police on the main street street (the only one in town which is paved) walking up and down looking menacing. They only bothered you if you were obviously being disorderly, if you weren't too noisy or being stupid they left you alone. Met plenty of backpackers who had been busted for drugs and made to pay huge fines. Don't be so niave to think it doesn't happen.

[Pilgrim37]

Article on The party town apparently...sounds awful..unless you're under 25!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr...party-town

[OGNorCal707]

(04-07-2012 07:03 PM)Pilgrim37 Wrote:  

Article on The party town apparently...sounds awful..unless you're under 25!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr...party-town

I skimmed over the article and I think it is pretty spot on and accurate, although it does take a some what critical angle.

Vang Vieng is the kind of place, most people love or hate. Personally I was kind of in between, I thought the town itself was a tourist trap, but the surrounding areas are insanely beautiful. One thing I regret is not doing more outdoorsy stuff there, most people just do the tubing thing, but there are some seriously epic mountains, with rock climbing, hiking, caving, etc.

I was there just over a year ago, and at 26 I wasn't exactly old, but I didn't really feel the scene. Most people seem to be 18-24 and there is a serious "MTV spring break" party vibe, almost comparable to Cancun.

A lot of guys on here complain about backpacker women, but when I was in Vang Vieng it was crawling with hot young poon. Unfortunately, I didnt get any, like I said, there is a distinctive vibe, that I couldn't quite fit into.

Everyone is getting completely shit faced drunk by like 3 pm, and you basically just got to go into complete and crazy party mode and just hit on girls like a beast.

I got pretty damn drunk, one day, succumbing to peer pressure. The Lao Lao whiskey is fucking disgusting and not worth taking the free shots IMO. I really thought that the writing all over each other in permanent marker is whack, besides being a OCD hippy and not wanting ink soaking into my skin, I just think it's retarded.

Also, being good looking pays dividends in Vang Vieng, at the time I was pretty out of shape for not having worked out in two months and constantly stuffing my face and drinking beer every day. There are tons of ripped up 22 year old Aussie dudes running around with their shirts off and these are the guys who tend to slay it the most.

Anyways, good catch on posting the article. If anyone has any questions about Vang Vieng I can give you my 2 cents.

[Beyond Borders]

I've been to Laos about 5 times with trips extending up to a month or two and I think about three at the longest.

Definitely the best thing about Laos is the natural beauty, so soak up as much of that as you can. My favorite thing to do in Laos is rent a motorbike and just take off in any direction. Rent a badass dirtbike for the best trips and take it all the way down to 4000 islands or over the Northern mountain ranges to Vietnam. If you talk to the guys in Vientiane, they can usually send someone to pick up the bike at your destination if you just want it one-way, and many hard-core riders say it's the best country in the world for roadtripping on a bike.

Viang Vieng was a bit MTV for me too - didn't even go tubing - but it can be a great time if you're in the mood. The caves around town are epic. The more loose Laos women also go there to bang foreigners and it's pretty much overlooked. Yeah, it's illegal, but just use your dome. And be willing to pay the fine if shit hits the fan, I suppose.

I found the women there to be pretty eager simply because it's illegal, the women outnumber the men, and half the dudes come across as gay. A lot of them are pretty rugged-looking compared to Thai women, IMO, but the Thai guys like them for their white skin - I found their tits to be a lot bigger than Thai women's, which was interesting.

Vientiane gets a really bad rap. Sure, it's not on the level of bigger cities in Southeast Asia, but if you've been living in Thailand for a while, for instance, and need a break from the chaos, it can be a great place to get away. The foreign food there is the most amazing in Southeast Asia if you're missing Western cuisine. Also, there are some pretty big all-night clubs in Vientiane depending on how the police are behaving at the moment you're there. For the best clubs, get in good with some locals, but there are a few later-nighters that are frequented by expats too.

I really find Vientiane to be one of those places that grows on you the longer you stay. At first I thought Laos food was shit and that the town was boring as hell, but the longer I stayed the more it sucked me in. I could have stayed there for years and just got work done and taken side trips to other cities, but the town is probably a bit too small for someone like me to say in without eventually getting in big trouble for partying too hard. Stay long enough and you see people over and over again. I'd also venture there's a lot of opportunity there for the business-minded.

I think all the awesome places worth seeing nature and culture-wise are listed in the Lonely Planet. Study it hard and jot down all the cool-sounding spots because the country has some natural gems like you wouldn't believe.

If you really want a taste of old-school Laos don't underestimate the off-the-map cities. I hear some of them are pretty cool to check out and actually have a decent party scene as well. Shit everyone told me I couldn't stay out past midnight in quiet Luang Prabang but I still managed to find a club that stayed open until 5 in the morning apart from the bowling alley (though this was about 3 years ago). You have to take a tuk tuk when you're on the streets that late in Luang Prabang or you might get picked up by the po-po, but there are some back alley spots.

Getting in with locals is everything in these places. It's not for everyone, but I love it.

I'll close by saying that if you're into the international playboy thing only and looking for cities that pop off and have tons of hot, stylish women, this is not it. But if you're into the cultural surprises of traveling, outdoor adventures, and/or just need a break from Thailand, you'll find plenty of reasons to appreciate the place.

[AlphaTravel]

Quote:

Viang Vieng was a bit MTV for me too - didn't even go tubing - but it can be a great time if you're in the mood. The caves around town are epic. The more loose Laos women also go there to bang foreigners and it's pretty much overlooked. Yeah, it's illegal, but just use your dome. And be willing to pay the fine if shit hits the fan

Shame you didn't actually go tubing as it's a great experience. And by tubing I mean actually floating the whole length of the river not just going down to the river bars, drinking all day with europeans and aussies, buying a 'in the tubing' tshirt, not going in the water then claimed that you tubed. Nothing can beat floating down that mighty river, beer in hand, joint in the other, jungle and mountains passing you by. It was epic.

I never heard anyone mentionining Laos women going to the caves to get banged by foreigners before. The only women that seemed eager to me were the pros in Vientianne and LP aside from maybe a couple of waitresses but the risk for them to come and get fucked by you is too much for most to actually go through with it seeing as it's illegal for them to even be with a foreigner. Plus you risk it being a set up or your hotel calling the police on you, if they even let you bring a girl back at all.

For most people who visit a bang will not happen.

Oh and I thought food in Laos was really good, big BBQ bits of meat, spicy meat and rich dishes, mint and lime shakes, baguettes.

[billy]

(12-07-2011 01:37 AM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  

Even though there's not much of a nightlife/party scene I recommend checking out Luang Prabang for a few days, it's just a really beautiful, chilled out, well preserved French colonial town perched above the Mekong River, and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Also there is one of the nicest waterfalls with multiple tiers a 20 min. tuk tuk ride away from town.

Luan pra bang has two of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen and I have seen plenty around the world. Vang Vien is an alright back packer hangout, tubing water rafting, and visiting the underground caves are all good to do. I went to visit the plains of jars which were also cool but I am weird so not for everyone. You can boat trip back from the north along to the thai border of you like as well.

[billy]

some pics I took around luan pre bang

[Beyond Borders]

(04-08-2012 01:20 AM)AlphaTravel Wrote:  

Quote:

Viang Vieng was a bit MTV for me too - didn't even go tubing - but it can be a great time if you're in the mood. The caves around town are epic. The more loose Laos women also go there to bang foreigners and it's pretty much overlooked. Yeah, it's illegal, but just use your dome. And be willing to pay the fine if shit hits the fan

Shame you didn't actually go tubing as it's a great experience. And by tubing I mean actually floating the whole length of the river not just going down to the river bars, drinking all day with europeans and aussies, buying a 'in the tubing' tshirt, not going in the water then claimed that you tubed. Nothing can beat floating down that mighty river, beer in hand, joint in the other, jungle and mountains passing you by. It was epic.

I never heard anyone mentionining Laos women going to the caves to get banged by foreigners before. The only women that seemed eager to me were the pros in Vientianne and LP aside from maybe a couple of waitresses but the risk for them to come and get fucked by you is too much for most to actually go through with it seeing as it's illegal for them to even be with a foreigner. Plus you risk it being a set up or your hotel calling the police on you, if they even let you bring a girl back at all.

For most people who visit a bang will not happen.

Oh and I thought food in Laos was really good, big BBQ bits of meat, spicy meat and rich dishes, mint and lime shakes, baguettes.

I did do a kayaking mission down the river. I wouldn't mind actually doing the tubing trip in Viang Vieng once - I'm sure it's a riot. Just never got around too it - yet. I'm sure I'll be back sooner than later.

There are definitely some Laos women who trek up there to meet foreigners and party - usually the rawest of the party girls. I only banged one in Viang Vieng though - she was very cute and didn't speak a lick of English. No money asked for and she skedaddled out quick in the morning. I've often had girls send their friends over to introduce me in a couple different parts of Laos.

I've also banged a handful in Vientiane and went back to a rich Laos girl's place in Luang Prabang. I'll admit there are definite risks and it's not for everyone. I have a friend who has gotten laid by non-pro locals while riding a motorcycle across the country as well. Some hotels do overlook it, and the locals don't really seem to care.

A common problem in Vientiane, however, are women who say they don't care if you don't pay, but when morning comes they're hitting you up for "taxi money." I'm personally against paying women for sex so this annoys me to no end. I'd rather they were upfront about it so I could refuse to take them back from the get-go.

If you get caught in a scam or someone doesn't like you though, well, you're on your own there so proceed at your own risk...It's a definite concern and you might be better off sticking with tourist women or importing from Thailand.

[AlphaTravel]

It was rare for me to see Laos girls out partying, I went to one club in LP that had a load of local guys and about 3 girls in it. Me and a friend were the only foreigners and we couldn't even get close to the girls, the locals just would not have it.

Quote:

A common problem in Vientiane, however, are women who say they don't care if you don't pay, but when morning comes they're hitting you up for "taxi money." I'm personally against paying women for sex so this annoys me to no end. I'd rather they were upfront about it so I could refuse to take them back from the get-go.

I had a situation like this in Thailand recently. Met a girl in a club that is well known for being full of freelancers. I told her early on in the convo that if she was working and looking for payment to go find someone else. She denied she was working yet when we get back to my hotel she pulled the 'no money, no honey' line so I tell her to leave. She tells me she was joking and stays. Then in the morning she asks for money and a massive argument kicks off. Not worth the hassle.

[DareP]

Way to bump a thread from 2011.

That said, I did love Laos. Recommend Vang Vieng for partying, Luang Prabang and 4,000 Islands for nature. Avoid Vienteinne, boring as hell.

Volunteer at SaeLaoProject (http://www.SaeLaoProject.com) if you have a week or two to spare.