How to Find Cheap Hotels in Vientiane, Laos
Home to many of the world's most famous and beautiful Buddhist temples, Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is the bustling center of this peaceful, mostly rural nation. Its heavy French Colonial influences are a marked contrast to the golden temples and agricultural economy.
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Instructions
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Accommodations in Vientiane, Laos
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To book accommodations, contact National Tourism Authority of Lao PDR at 011 (+66) 76 236 550 or visit their Web site (see Resources, below). Consider a luxury hotel, which can still be relatively cheap. Nightly accommodations can cost from $50 to $120 per night.
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Pick one of the city's more basic accommodations, such as a guest house or a budget hotel, which can be as cheap as $5 per day.
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Ask for the amenities you want. In most cheap guest houses, air conditioning is only available in some rooms, and most (if not all) share a common bathroom.
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Check Airport Road, as well as central Vientiane, for cheap guest houses. The waterfront is mostly occupied by mid-level tourist hotels.
Transportation in Vientiane, Laos
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Fly into the international airport at Vientiane.
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Use a cab to get from the airport to your hotel.
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Use tuk-tuks, which are basically rickshaws attached to motorbikes, for a cheap way to get around town.
Explore Vientiane, Laos
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Visit Pha That Luang, also known as the "Golden Temple," which serves as a symbol of Buddhism for most of the world.
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Visit Patuxai, which resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and demonstrates the French influence in Vientiane.
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Hire a guide to take you through some of the city's most famous temples.
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Venture out into the suburbs and explore neighborhoods full of French Colonial architecture.
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Tips & Warnings
All phone numbers include the international prefix "011." When calling internationally but not from the United States or Canada, substitute that "011" with "00." All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
When arriving at the airport in Vientiane, proceed directly to the queue for your visa, and fill out your application while waiting in the long line. Be sure to carry extra passport photos and approximately $30 for the visa fee.
Consider flying to Thailand instead, and taking a van from Bangkok over the Laos-Thai Friendship Bridge directly into Vientiane.
Wear sunglasses when visiting the temples. In the sunlight, the golden surfaces of the buildings can be blinding.
Rooms can be very small in Laotian hotels, often containing just enough space for a bed and a shower.
Avoid traveling by bus through the more remote parts of Laos, where highway robberies can be common.
Flights in Laos can leave early in order to create a buffer for delays that can happen later in the day. Always arrive early at the airport.
Many of the temples do not allow photographs to be taken of their interiors. Check with the officials before bringing your camera inside.
Laos, as a result of the Vietnam War, is the world's leader in UXO, or unexploded ordnance. Land mines are still common in the rural areas, so hiking through the countryside without a knowledgeable guide can be deadly.
