LAOS
PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION 2017
VIETNAM | CAMBODIA | LAOS | THAILAND | MYANMAR | INDONESIA |
SINGAPORE | HONG KONG | CHINA
Peaceful, land-locked Laos is one of Southeast Asia’s hidden gems. Mostly undeveloped and
with a fascinating Buddhist culture – most evident in the UNESCO world heritage town of
Luang Prabang – Laos is best enjoyed when visitors adapt to Lao-time. That is, to slow down
and take the time to soak in the atmosphere of this special part of the world. We wish you a
memorable trip here, and offer the below information to help you prepare.
VISA INFORMATION
All nationalities with exception of some Asian countries must have a tourist visa to enter Lao.
You may apply for a visa through a Laotian embassy or consulate in your country. You are
required to submit an application form with 2 passport-size photos, your passport and fee to
process the visa. If you do not want to send off your passport or need your passport for your
current travel, you can obtain a visa on arrival at international airports/borders. (There are
several countries in Africa and Middle East who cannot obtain Visa on Arrival. Also, Turkish
nationals cannot obtain Visa on Arrival. Please check with your travel agent or Trails of
Indochina for the latest information.)
The visas fee for most nationalities is US$ 35 per person for visa on arrival (though some
countries such as Canada are as high as $42). Please note an additional service fee of US$ 1
will be added to each visa. Bring payment in US dollars and one passport photos or allow an
extra US$1 if you do not have a passport picture. Please be aware that sometimes there can be
long queues at the airport when obtaining a visa on arrival.

Even when organizing your own visas from home or other countries, it is a local
requirement to provide Trails of Indochina with your full passport and visa
information prior to entering Laos. This is also applicable for the airlines to issue the
air-ticket and for the hotels to prepare the check-in procedure.

Please make sure your passport is valid more than 6 months from the date of
departure of each country you are visiting. Also, make sure you have enough blank
pages – you may need up to 1.5 pages for each country you visit in Southeast Asia.
ARRIVAL INFORMATION
ARRIVAL TRANSFER TIPS

In most gateway cities you will be met
by a Trails of Indochina representative
wearing the Trails of Indochina uniform
(cream-colored polo shirt with logo) and
carrying the Trails of Indochina
signboard with your name. However, in
some airports, there are restrictions on
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signboards in which case the representative may just have your name printed on a
sheet of paper.

In smaller cities or towns, you may be met by our regional partner who may not be
wearing the Trails of Indochina uniform or have the Trails of Indochina signboard.
However, the representative will still have your name printed on a sheet of paper.

If you are unable to find the Trails of Indochina transfer staff, please call our
Operations Manager for immediate assistance on (+856) (0) 20 23 333395 or the local
emergency number listed on your voucher (+856) (0) 20 55971123.

Please keep a copy of your completed Departure Immigration form as you will need to
present it at Immigration upon departure from Laos.
VIP ARRIVAL SERVICE (Available only in Luang Prabang)
If you have booked our VIP arrival service, please kindly look for our Representative who will
be holding the signboard with your names on it when you arrive inside the arrival terminal.
Pass your visa form, visa fees, passport and 1 passport photo to our Representative, who will
assist you with the visa handling through the immigration. You and your guide will head
directly out without standing in line while your passport and luggage will be delivered to your
hotel later.
INSURANCE
It is compulsory to have comprehensive travel insurance whilst travelling in Laos.
Comprehensive travel insurance, may cover you for unforeseen circumstances prior to
departure should you be forced to cancel. Comprehensive travel insurance should cover you
for emergency and medical evacuations, hospital fees, loss of property etc. Trails of Indochina
Laos would like to a copy of your insurance in case of emergency, please forward your policy
details to your agent who will in turn advise Trails of Indochina.
HEALTH
Please consult your doctor to discuss your particular health or immunization requirements.
If you would like to have a source of further information, please refer to the Center for Disease
Control (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov
AIRLINES
Domestic Airlines:
Lao Airlines serves the domestic routes and connects the capital city Vientiane to major
destinations in the country. They use either ATR 72-200 (70 seats) or MA 60 (56 seats) or
A320 on certain domestic and international routes.
Seat Assignment
Seat assignment (reserving specific seats such as a window seat or a seat with more space for
the legs, etc.) is not possible in advance as the airlines does not allow it. The best way to
secure a seat of your choice is to arrive at the airport early and request our tour guides
directly to assist during the check-in process, check in desk opens two hours prior to flight
departure time.
Airport Security
Please be aware that our courtesy check in service is now limited due to the current world
security climate. You must have an airline ticket to enter the check-in terminal. Some
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airports will stipulate that you must check in your own bags. We thank you for your
understanding on this matter.
Luggage allowance
Each airline has its own luggage allowance policy, with most allowing 20kg checked baggage
and 5kg carry-on. Excess baggage is charged at a specific rate depending on the route and
airline.
LAOS AIRLINES (no business class available)
Checked baggage - 20kg (44 lbs)
Cabin baggage - 5kg (11 lbs)
Excess baggage charge: US$ 5 per kg for both domestic & international flights
Limited size: the three dimensions of your checked luggage is not over 150 cm3 (58.5 in3)
BANGKOK AIRWAYS (no business class available)
Checked baggage - 20kg (44 lbs)
Cabin baggage – 5kg (11 lbs)
Excess baggage charge: US$3-5 per kg for both domestic & international flights
Limited size: the three dimensions of your checked luggage is not over 150 cm3 (58.5 in3 )
VIETNAM AIRLINES (no business class available for flights operating from Laos on VN
airlines)
Checked baggage - 20kg (44 lbs)
Cabin baggage - 5kg (11 lbs)
Excess baggage charge: at US$ 3-5 per kg
Limited size: the three dimensions of your checked luggage is not over 150 cm3 (58.5 in3)
MONEY
The Laotian currency, the Kip, exchanges at a rate of about 7500-8000 Kip to the US Dollar.
However, the US Dollar is also widely accepted. Bring new, clean US Dollars and small
denominations ($1 and $5) which are useful for making local purchases.
Cashing traveler’s cheque is not possible anymore in Laos. ATMs are now available in main
towns and are widespread in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. They will only issue the local
currency, the Kip. Many banks (open Monday to Friday) issue cash advances for Visa and
MasterCard, usually for a small commission.
TIPPING
Tipping is not compulsory but it is greatly appreciated throughout Southeast Asia, especially
in the service industry. For reference, we have provided a general guideline below.
Tour Guide/Drivers
If you are pleased with the services provided by your tour guide and driver, then a tip for
their hard work will be very much appreciated. In general, we recommend around US$10 15/day for guides and US$5-7/day for drivers if less than 4 people in a group. We recommend
around US$5-10/day/traveler for guides and US$3-5/day/traveler for drivers if there are 5
people or more.
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Hotel & Restaurant Staff
A tipping of 5-10% of the total bill in restaurants is appreciated. If you stay a couple of days in
the same hotel, a tip to the maid service of $2-3/day is appreciated. For porters, US$23/time/room is acceptable.
Boat Cruise
If you travel on a local basic boat such as in Mekong River Day Trip, a small tip from US$3-10
per boat, depending on the group size, is appreciated. For an overnight boat trip such as on
board Luang Say or other over night boats, the suggestion is $5 - $10 per person/night to cover
all the boat crew.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions or encounter any problems please contact our General Manager,
Mr Michael Roehrig, immediately at our Laos office so we can provide an immediate
solution.
Trails of Indochina - Laos
83 - Chanboupha Street, Unit 06, Village Meaun Na, Luang Prabang, Laos
Tel: (+856) 71 260 456 | Fax: (856) 71 260 457
24-Hour Emergency Contact: (+856) (0) 20 55971123 - (+856) (0) 20 23 333395
[email protected]
www.trailsofindochina.com
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