Budget Travel in Laos: How much do you need

In this blog we will talk about budget travel in Laos for your next trip. Laos is famous for its mountainous terrain, French colonial architecture, hill tribe settlements and Buddhist monasteries. These are the main reason why tourist visit the country, not only to know their culture but to also see the scenery Laos has to offer.

Most travelers either came from Western Countries and Asian Countries because of its currency. But there are many places to explore in Laos and we will tell you how much budget travel in Laos you need per day for backpacking Laos.

Read here how to get from Vientiane airport to city center, top 10 Most Instagrammable places in Laos and our favorite Laos tourist spots!

Is it safe/difficult to travel in Laos

Yes, it is safe to travel in Laos based in my experience as a backpacker. I’ve experienced traveling by public transportation all throughout my stay. And I was able to reach all those destinations without any problem. I also have met people both traveler and backpacker that had told me they haven’t had a problem traveling in Laos.

The main problem is communication language sometimes. But being a responsible traveler you should learn to ask and be cautious. So yes! It is safe for people to travel in Laos.

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

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Best time to visit Laos

Many of us know that in Asian Country have 2 types of weather, called the wet and dry season Visa in Laos. Start of wet season is from May up to October. And July and August is the months where rain is falling hard. In my experience as a backpacker the best time to visit Laos is through the Months of November to February.

Also December has a cold temperature where it is going down to 5 degrees. And this info is for travelers who are visiting the country and want to experience the beauty of place. The months of November to February is perfect for you, because most of you itinerary will be walking.

Click here to know more about the weather in Laos.

Cash and ATMs in Laos

The currency of Laos is called kip and this is the one you will use while traveling the country. The rate is around $1= 20000 Kips. You will find ATMs all throughout the country like me when I was backpacking I used to see ATMs everywhere, in which you will be able to withdraw money.

There are also available exchange shop through banks and in some famous tourist place. Click here to know the exact rate!

Visa in Laos

If you live in a Western country and a passport holder of that country you will need to pay for a visa to enter the country. Also you can get visa on arrival if you are coming from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. And the prices are around $35-45 USD.

Make sure that you check and research everything about the visa so you will not have a problem entering the country. There are 19 countries which can get free visa to visit Laos. You can check this list if you want to know if you are one of the participating country or you will have to apply for a visa.

Internet in Laos

If you work online like us, the connection in Laos wasn´t the best. We can usually find stable internet connection in coffee shops and tourist areas. We had issues with internet in Laos a few times as we usually had in the Maldives and the Philippines in remote areas.

WiFi connection is famous in this millennium you can access the WiFi for free. May it be in your hotel room and or cafes around the country. The cellular connection is also accessible through ETL and Unitel.

Read here best Laos eSim and Best Laos sim card for tourist

Food budget travel in Laos

You will find street food everywhere Laos mostly in places where tourist visits. You can be full with a budget of only $5 for the whole day if you are traveling in a low budget in Laos eating street food. For $1 you can but a cheese roti (pancake), a beer or a bowl of noodle soup.

And Laos have a bigger portion of food serving. For breakfast you can buy a breakfast meal for m $2 depending on what you like to eat. But food in Laos are cheap compared to other country. From noodle soup to sandwiches and sticky rice in Laos.

Accommodation budget travel in Laos

You can get accommodation in Laos guest houses as low as $12, the room has aircon, fan, TV and also has a free WiFi. There are dorms where you can sleep for $5-6 and you get a nice hotel starting for $20-30 in Laos.

Read more about all the places to stay in Laos and book your stay with Booking and Agoda!

Tour/Entrance Fees in Laos

There are not many entrance fees in Laos, you will find places that they charge. Prices are $3-4 for the entrance to magical places like Kuangsi waterfalls in Luang Prabang area. Buddha Park entrance cost less than $1.

Mountain terrains are free of entrance fee, but some famous spot in Laos has a fee. For example, if you want to visit Pak Ou Caves and ride a boat and cross the river i will cost you for as low as $1.30.

But just a reminder before going to any country you should always research about this information so you would know your budget. You can rent a motorbike in Laos for $10 per day and going around, Laos is an affordable country for budget travelers.

Click here to get a discount booking activities with Klook in Laos

Local transportation in Laos

There are many local transportation available in Laos. You can ride the bus for as low as $1 depending on the trip. There are many available taxi in Laos you can hire them by trip, by hour or just for the whole day. Taxi fare can cost up to $6 and you can rent the whole taxi for $30 up to $50.

You can also ride a tuktuk which is a three-wheeled motorized vehicle, you can ride the tuktuk depending also for the trip but you can ride the tuktuk at a price of $6 for 5km. For long distance buses expect to pay around $12-15 for a night bus since distances are big in Laos and roads aren´t the best is pretty convenient night buses in Laos.

Budget Travel in Laos per day

A travel budget of $20-25 would be enough in a day to travel and experience Laos. You can spend $5-15 for accommodation depending on your likes there are a lot of cheap budget hotels available for you. And you can also sleep in a dorm or a guest house if you are on a low budget.

For food the minimum budget would be $5-10 per day depending on where you eating and what are you eating. And the remaining would be for entrance fees for tourist spots and for transportation to get around the city. If you are renting motorbikes and hiring guides or excursions for day trips expect to pay $30-35 per day for your trip in Laos.

If you continue traveling around Southeast Asia, check our travel budget in the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.