Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Electricity
Supplied at 220 volts AC. Two-pin sockets taking plugs with flat prongs are the norm. Many
smaller towns, including several provincial capitals, have power for only a few hours in the
evening or none at all, so it's worth bringing a torch.
Information
Good, reliable information on Laos is hard to come by and, because everything from visa re-
quirements to transport routes is subject to frequent change, your best bet is often to get the
latest advice from internet forums, guesthouses and fellow travellers.
The government-run
Lao National Tourism Administration
(LNTA for short;
tour-
ismlaos.org
), which has offices around Laos, including Vientiane and Luang Prabang, should
be able to supply decent brochures and maps.
Privately owned travel companies such as Green Discovery and Diethelm Travel can
provide reliable tourist information in provincial capitals, as well as some free fold-out maps.
The best road
map
of the country is the Laos PDR Map published by Golden Triangle Rider
and available at bookstores in Thailand, or online at Wgt-rider.com. Other detailed maps of
the country are available at bookshops in Vientiane. For town maps, in addition to those
in this guide, Hobo Maps (
hobomaps.com
) provides easy-to-use maps of various tourist
towns, which are available online or from local bookshops.
ONLINE RESOURCES
travelfish.org
Reliable, no-nonsense website with features, travel tips and accommoda-
tion reviews covering Southeast Asia, plus lively Laos forums.
vientianetimes.com
Features news, accommodation listings and links to hundreds of oth-
er websites on Laos.
laoembassy.com
Website of the Lao embassy to the US features tourist info and the latest
visa regulations.
ecotourismlaos.com
An informative website by the Lao National Tourism Administra-
tion that features helpful tips on exploring Laos's national parks.
laos-guide-999.com
Good, locally made website with information on transport, visas and
Lao culture.
theboatlanding.laopdr.com
An excellent site on travel in northern Laos. Features in-
formation on independent trekking and eco-tourism.
tripadvisor.com
User-generated reviews of hotels, guesthouses and tourist attractions in
Laos.
