Laos - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 764

Pakse ( 031-214199; www.vietnamconsulate-pakse.org ; Th 21, Pakse; 7.30-11.30am & 2-4.30pm
Mon-Fri) and Savannakhet ( 041-212418; Th Sisavangvong, Savannakhet) issue one-/three-
month tourist visas for US$50/60 (one photo, three working days).
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS
Laos has a liberal attitude towards homosexuality, but a very conservative attitude towards
public displays of affection. Gay couples are unlikely to be given frosty treatment any-
where; lesbians won't be bothered, but do expect some strange looks from Lao men. Laos
doesn't have an obvious gay scene, though Luang Prabang has Laos' first openly gay bar,
Khob Chai (opposite Hive Bar ( Click here ) ), and has the rainbow-coloured gay pride flag
flying in a few places around town.
INTERNET ACCESS
You can now get internet access in all major towns for around 7000K per hour. Most inter-
net cafes have air-con, fans and also Skype (some with cameras). Wi-fi is widely available
in most upmarket bars, hotels and Western-style bakeries.
LEGAL MATTERS
There are virtually no legal services in Laos. If you get yourself in legal strife, contact
your embassy in Vientiane, though the assistance it can provide may be limited. For Brits,
contact your embassy in Bangkok.
It's against the law for foreigners and Lao to have sexual relations unless they're mar-
ried. Travellers should be aware that a holiday romance could result in being arrested and
deported.
MAPS
The best all-purpose country map available is Laos by GT-Rider ( http://gt-rider.com ) , a
sturdy laminated affair with several city maps. Look for the 2005 edition or more recent
ones.
Hobo Maps has produced a series of decent maps for Vientiane, Luang Prabang and
Vang Vieng. These maps are widely available in the relevant destinations.
MONEY
Despite recent nationalistic attempts by the government to impose the Lao kip (K) more
rigorously, US dollars and Thai baht are still widely accepted. At the time of research the
US dollar was yielding a mere 8000K.
ATMs