Mobile/Whats App:(+84) 977 89 05 45Email: contact@ilotustours.com
Mobile/Whats App:(+84) 977 89 05 45Email: contact@ilotustours.com
Laos exudes a calm serenity, guided by the flow of the Mekong River, the country's true backbone. It is also a land of water, fertile plains, landscapes that are sometimes mountainous, sometimes karstic, and temples that stand as witnesses to its past splendor.
Laos boasts a still-preserved natural environment. Mountains cover more than 80% of the Laotian territory, where fertile valleys and authentic villages can be found. Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, Pakse, and Vientiane are the most important cities.
While the city of Luang Prabang is the dream of every traveler thanks to the richness of its architectural and artistic heritage, the Bolaven Plateau is the ideal place to enjoy the coolness of the Laotian mountains and taste one of the best coffees in the world. The region of 4,000 islands in Si Phan Don offers a stunning natural panorama.
This country has more ethnic minorities than any of its immediate neighbors (Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam), making it the most heterogeneous country in all of Southeast Asia. Indeed, more than 50% of the Laotian population consists of ethnic minorities of mountainous origin, including the Hmong and Khmu, the most prominent groups.
Welcome to this land where smiling is an art, through the tailor-made tours offered by iLOTUS TOURS!
Laos' climate is tropical in most plain areas, while it is subtropical in the far north and in the mountains. The country is affected by the monsoon: that of winter, which brings good weather and a freshness at night from November to February, and that of summer, which brings humid air and rains from May to mid-October. However, the monsoon is irregular: it does not always happen at the same time, and does not always have the same intensity. The period between March and May, before rains comming, is the hottest of the year, and it is quite dry, but some afternoon thunderstorms may occur; the summer months are humid. It is around 30/32°C, but the high humidity. April is the hottest month. It is around 35°C, sometimes 40/42°C in the center-south, and even 45°C in the north. In May the temperature begins to decrease in the south, while in the north, where the monsoon arrives later, it is still very hot, especially in the first part.
Rainfall in Laos is normally between 1,200 and 2,200 millimeters per year on the plains, and can exceed 3,000 mm on the slopes of the most exposed mountains. The rainiest months are generally August and September.
The best time to visit Laos is from November to February, the coolest period during the dry season.
In November, however, a typhoon or a tropical storm may still possible come, and sometimes even in the first half of December. Usually in February the heat begins to rise. The temperature can exceed 35°C.
The best period will be from middle of December to the end of January, although it can sometimes be very hot even in January. In this period the humidity level is not high and the nights remain cool. It should be noticed that in the winter, it can be cold at night throughout the country, so the minimum temperatures can drop below 10°C; especially in the north where in some cases the temperature can even reach zero degrees.
In March, April, and May are the season of monsoon, the heat is very strong in the cities and plains, while in the mountains it is more cooler. The weather is still good, although there may be showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
During the rainy season, from May to September, the heat is suffocating, the sky is often cloudy, and sometimes torrential rains can make travel difficult.
The travelers need a visa to go to Laos. The validity period of the passport must be at least 6 months longer than the time of stay in Laos. Tourist visas are valid for one entry for a stay of 30 days. They can be renewed. You can contact the Vientiane Immigration Office to renew your visa for a sum of USD 2 per day. A penalty of USD 10 per day will be applied if the validity of the visa is exceeded.
You can get your visa upon arrival at the airport or at the border gates. You should prepare your valid passport, an ID photo and 35 usd in cash. You will have your 1 month visa after a few minutes without formalities. If you don't have a photo with you, don't worry, you will have your photo taken on the spot with 1 usd.
If Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai cuisines are the best known in the world, Lao gastronomy deserves to be discovered for its use of herbs and spices and especially for its variety, like its multi-ethnic population. (68 ethnic groups). It is also recognized as one of the healthiest cuisines, taking into account the pharmacological properties of food in conceptualization of recipes (antioxidant properties of onion, garlic or chilli, vitamin C from basil or lemongrass, virtues on blood circulation with galangal, a kind of ginger ...).
Vegetables, very abundant, served with meats (pork, buffalo), poultry (duck, chicken) and fish.
Laos also offers some unusual dishes for Westerners with dogs, bats, moles, rats, squirrels and many insects, eaten raw or cooked.
We suggest you taste some traditional dishes during your stay in Laos:
The famous spicy green papaya salad (tam mak hung)
Noodle soup (Pho), garnished with sliced or dumpled meat, peppers, mint, bean sprouts, coriander and basil. It is one of the most popular dishes in Laos. You can taste it at almost every street corner.
The "tom yam", soup of Thai origin, composed of meat, fish or shrimp with lemongrass, coconut milk, pineapple and many other ingredients.
The "laap" or "lap", spicy salad made of vegetables, fish or minced meat and accompanied by sticky rice.
The "Mok", meat or fish pâté steamed in a banana leaf.
Regarding beverages, the national drink of Laos is "lao-lao", it is a strong rice alcohol (40 to 50°) is consumed in all taverns. Laotians are also beer lovers and consume Lao beer, famous for the tiger head present on the label of its bottle.
Like in Vietnam or in Cambodia, local people and tourists prefer to use cash. The Kip is the currency of Laos. There are banknotes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 kips. In 2019, one USD is worth 8,890 kips. Even if some big hotels or shops tend to accept bank cards, we advise you to always keep the kip banknotes on you.
In big cities like Luang Prabang, Vientiane or Pakse, you can find very easy change offices. In remote areas or in mountainous regions, it's a bit difficult. ATMs are also found in major cities, that allow you to withdraw cash with your MasterCard and Visa, for a 3% commission.
