BASICS - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 85

Insurance
It is important to purchase a good travel insurance policy before travelling that covers against
theft, loss and illness or injury. Good medical coverage is particularly important in Laos
where the poor healthcare system means that any serious accident or illness while there would
most likely require you to travel to Thailand for treatment.
ROUGH GUIDES TRAVEL INSURANCE
Rough Guides has teamed up with WorldNomads.com to offer great travel insurance
deals. Policies are available to residents of over 150 countries, with cover for a wide range
of adventure sports, 24hr emergency assistance, high levels of medical and evacuation cov-
er and a stream of travel safety information. Roughguides.com users can take advant-
age of their policies online 24/7, from anywhere in the world - even if you're already
travelling. And since plans often change when you're on the road, you can extend your
policy and even claim online. Roughguides.com users who buy travel insurance with
WorldNomads.com can also leave a positive footprint and donate to a community devel-
opment project. For more information, go to roughguides.com/travel-insurance .
Internet access
Internet cafés are found in most major towns and cities in Laos, though there are still a fair
few smaller places that don't have access. Prices are usually around 10,000K per hour; con-
nections can be excruciatingly slow. Almost all Western-style cafés and many hotels and
guesthouses across the country now offer free wi-fi. For day-to-day use within towns and
cities, a much more reliable option is to use the excellent 3G network , which covers even re-
mote population centres.
Laundry
Most guesthouses and hotels offer a same-day laundry service, and in larger towns a few
shops offer laundry service which can be cheaper than what you'll be charged at your ac-
commodation. In either situation, the charge is usually per kilogram. Your clothes may take a
beating, so it's best not to entrust prized articles to these services. If you want to wash clothes
yourself, you can buy small packets of detergent in many general stores and markets around
the country. Hang out your underwear discreetly - women should take particular care, as wo-
men's undergarments are believed to have the power to render Buddhist tattoos and amulets
powerless.
Money
Lao currency, the kip , is available in 100,000K 50,000K, 20,000K, 10,000K, 5000K, 2000K,
1000K and 500K notes; there are no coins in circulation.