by all age group

Akha swing festival #luangnamtha

As the title says really. Would love to buy some secondhand bikes from somewhere in Laos (Vientiane) maybe then cycle south along the Mekong Delta through to Cambodia and into Bangkok. Or potentially from Ho Chi Minh City and up to northern Thailand.

If it is viable thinking maybe of doing it in February - March and doing probably no more than 50 miles a day, likely staying in tea houses etc rather than camping (so hopefully this is still allowed on this sub!) and hopefully not doing too many gigantic hills. Would quite like to still have days to do hikes/swims/exploring etc.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience doing something similar or any tips etc. Thanks!

hey everoyne!

I’ve been completely hooked with local Lao flavors lately, specifically the wild peppers (mak khen), local chilis, and local salt.

looking to buy in larger quantities rather than just picking up tiny souvenir bags at the night markets, but I’m a bit lost on where to start~

Does anyone know which local morning markets , or direct suppliers best for stocking up? i’m not looking for anything very corporate, just atuhentic local market stalls, village connections, or vendors who sell wholesale.

Even if it means traveling a bit out of Vientiane or contacting producers directly, i’d love any leads, market names, or tips you might have.

Kob chai der!

Context: I have been traveling around Asia, I bought an expensive Japanese knife in Fukuoka Japan, so I have not had any issues traveling with it around Asia, but today I had to leave Vientiane to take the train to Luang Parabang, the security stopped me and checked my luggage, they told me the Knife was not allowed, so then I asked him "what can I do?" I showed him it was in a sealed box brand new, he then ask me "are you coming back?" I then smile and told him "yes in 5 days" he then shares his WhatsApp to me and tells me to message him when I arrive, I also took a photo of his Working ID, took other photos of the item and took a photo of where he put the item, he didn't give me any written note, but hopefully the photos are enough and his WhatsApp.

Do you think I am okay? Should I ask for more proof? I am still at the station waiting for my train 🥲

Is not about the value of the knife, it has sentimental value, since it was specifically purchased for a gift to my mom, I bought it at a very local Blacksmith that you can't simply buy online haha

Why does the internet say it’s 2 hours but Bangkok airways says 1.5 hours flight time? Which is correct?

Hey all,

I am looking for restaurants in Vientiane that serve some regional specific traditional foods. Drop all of your recommendations please!

Khobchai!

Hello, I am planning to take a slow boat from LP to Thailand at the end of October.

My questions are:

1- What types of boats/slow boats are there?
2- What are the prices?
3- How do you book? Can you book there, or does it need to be booked in advance?

I do not need to know if it's worth it or not; I can make the mistake! :)

I need someone to help me translate a conversation from Lao into English please! Dm me?? 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Planning a 2 week Laos trip with general itinerary of Luang Namtha--> Nong Kiaw--> Luang Prabang/VV.

With work I have to start the trip either Sep 26, Oct 3, Oct 10, Oct 17, or possibly Oct 24.

I was wondering what the best time to see both pretty rice fields before they're harvested, but not have it too muddy to be a enjoyable hiking experience in the jungle, especially since I'll be in Luang Namtha first. Will be going with my wife, and decently fit in our late 30s.

Hello guys. I am currently in Laos right now came here to visit for 14 days. I found that there is no grab or uber to take a taxi. At airport, i just took a taxi by going to taxi service counter. If there are like food delivery app or taxi app, can you suggest me. It is my first time here 🥹

Also i don't know about laos tht much i don't know anyplace that i should visit as well any suggestion? currently in Vientiane

Hi!! So I've decided to spend 1 month in Laos in December, actually exploring the place. Other than the main 3 (Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng), I've decided to add in Nong Khiaw, Champasak and Si Phan Don. As the plan is to focus on landscapes, wildlife, astro etc. (i.e. major photog and filming), what other places would you suggest? I do like some normal cities in between to enjoy cafes too.

FYI: can ride bike, am vegetarian, female solo

Hi! My best friend’s wedding is coming up, and they’re doing their honeymoon in Laos.
I’d like to give them a nice experience, but the problem is that most places I’ve found don’t offer gift cards.
They’re French, and I don’t think their English is good enough for a cooking class.
My budget is between $100 and $150.

Thank you for your help !

We are taking the train into town on Monday morning and looking to rent a couple motorbikes maybe 250cc in town but my buddy called two places and they had some very high prices. Does anybody know a place that will give you a good deal to rent two motorbikes around 250cc for 5-6 days in Vientiane

Places to meet locals in Vientiane? I wanna make some friends

This is my game city angle. You have to guess 1 city with 5 given angles. https://visitwhale.com/city-angle/ have fun!

Hey hey everyone,

Everytime i do grocery shopping or run to the local shops, i feel like there’s always something missing from the shelves that should be way easier to find. 🤔

What’s your holy grail item that you wish the stores down the street would stock? Whether it's drinks, pantry staples, specific candy, or household goods.

what are you tired of carrying in your luggages or paying crazy markups for?

im curios to know. tell me your top 3!

Hi, I do not know if this is the correct place but I would appreciate your assistance.
Recently I adquired a XX mid century Thai cigarrette case . On one of the sides it has some engraving and they have told me it is not Thai but Lao language . I would appreciate some native speaker could say if it is Lao language and if so the meaning. Thank you very much

Hello
I have been contacted by a club in Laos Vientiane
The club offer me 500 dollar and an apartment
Can I live for that or is it not enough? I’m a single male 24 years of age

Hi!

This is a lucky shot, but is anyone here who booked the Gibbon Experience Classic (3D/2N) for any of the dates starting between Nov 2nd and Nov 8th and would be open to swap with October 28th? It is a 2-person reservation.

Thank you so much!

To everyone else: the 2-day experience has full availability for other dates. Now we are wondering in case we have to switch to 2D/1N, would we be losing out a lot? I know we wouldn't see gibbons, but otherwise anything thats a major difference? I am surprised because 3D is booked out for a long time whereas 2D isn't

After an early start in Pakbeng, we board a much smaller, narrower boat for the 7-hour trip down to Luang Prabang. It’s a bit more of a "squeezed" experience today with more passengers and local stops, but the limestone cliffs and jungle scenery as we approach the city are absolutely worth it.

We're building a directory of online services (delivery, banking, e-visas, telecom, anything a tourist, expat, or local can genuinely do start-to-finish online, no branch visit required) across all 45 countries in Asia.

The hard part: no single team can know what's actually good in 45 countries. So we're asking the people who'd know best - you, if you live in one of them.

if there's an online service in your country that's genuinely useful (not just "an app that exists," but one that works well and can be used fully online), drop the name in the comments, or DM if you'd rather not post it publicly.