Laos - Luang Prabang

[dleodleo]

Hi,

I couldn't find any thread on Luang Prabang. Planning to go with kids in December.

Has anyone been there and would appreciate if you could share your experience. How's the food and accommodation?

The only direct flight is Scoot. Coming back from Luang Prabang to Singapore has a stopover in Vientiane for 50mins. Do we need to get down from the plane and rescan the hand carried items again?

Thank you.

 

[Uniquesg]

food is ok, accomdation is cheap. yes you need to disembark at vientiane airport i believe, back then i took silkair. with scoot it shld be the same

 

[Battery Operator]

Hi,

I couldn't find any thread on Luang Prabang. Planning to go with kids in December.

Has anyone been there and would appreciate if you could share your experience. How's the food and accommodation?

The only direct flight is Scoot. Coming back from Luang Prabang to Singapore has a stopover in Vientiane for 50mins. Do we need to get down from the plane and rescan the hand carried items again?

Thank you.

Yes, need to get down from the plane and all hand carried bag etc will be re-scanned before entering the boarding area to continue with the connecting flight from Vientiane back to Singapore.

As for accommodation, best to stay around the main street area (Sisavangvong Road) for convenient access to restaurants, tour companies organizing day trips, main attractions such as Royal Palace, Mt Phousi, river cruises, the morning and night markets. As for food, quite a good variety of local as well as western theme. Depending on who you ask, it can be cheap, reasonable or expensive.

 

[toolbox03]

Is loca trust worthy?

 

[dleodleo]

Yes, need to get down from the plane and all hand carried bag etc will be re-scanned before entering the boarding area to continue with the connecting flight from Vientiane back to Singapore.

As for accommodation, best to stay around the main street area (Sisavangvong Road) for convenient access to restaurants, tour companies organizing day trips, main attractions such as Royal Palace, Mt Phousi, river cruises, the morning and night markets. As for food, quite a good variety of local as well as western theme. Depending on who you ask, it can be cheap, reasonable or expensive.

OIC. Thanks a lot for the info.

 

[dleodleo]

food is ok, accomdation is cheap. yes you need to disembark at vientiane airport i believe, back then i took silkair. with scoot it shld be the same

OIC. Thanks a lot for the info.

 

[Ekspakk]

Is loca trust worthy?

Overall they are okay, I didn't feel unsafe or they trying to scam me. But still need to use common sense, I met a traveler who die die must repair his iPhone in Luang Prabang when it got wet and stopped working. The model he was using just newly released at that time and not sold in the country yet. End up, the repair shop took all the parts, give the phone back to him, say spoil parts not available and will take few days. He only realized what they did on his next destination.

 

[beanstalk6]

It should be worthwhile to visit Luang Prabang with kids now that the destination has moved into the big league with mass tourism since my visit in 2007. I stayed in a local-run guesthouse not far from the Mekong. Now the international chains are present. It may still be possible to have quiet moments at the Kuang Si Waterfalls and Phousi Hill.

 

[toolbox03]

Overall they are okay, I didn't feel unsafe or they trying to scam me. But still need to use common sense, I met a traveler who die die must repair his iPhone in Luang Prabang when it got wet and stopped working. The model he was using just newly released at that time and not sold in the country yet. End up, the repair shop took all the parts, give the phone back to him, say spoil parts not available and will take few days. He only realized what they did on his next destination.

I mean their local ride hailing app

 

[dleodleo]

It should be worthwhile to visit Luang Prabang with kids now that the destination has moved into the big league with mass tourism since my visit in 2007. I stayed in a local-run guesthouse not far from the Mekong. Now the international chains are present. It may still be possible to have quiet moments at the Kuang Si Waterfalls and Phousi Hill.

Oic. Thanks.

Will go in Dec if the airfare is not exp. Weather in Dec should be cooling right?

 

[ApeTruelove]

Do they still accept Thai baht??? Many years back when I went to Laos they prefer Thai baht more then their currency

 

[dleodleo]

Do they still accept Thai baht??? Many years back when I went to Laos they prefer Thai baht more then their currency

Oh ya. I forget to ask about the currency. Read that Singapore money changer has no Laos Kip. Have to change in Laos.

However some bloggers posted that best to change sgd to usd in S'pore then change USD to Kip in Laos cos Sgd to kip in Laos very low rate.

So is above true? Anyone can share?

 

[beanstalk6]

Oic. Thanks.

Will go in Dec if the airfare is not exp. Weather in Dec should be cooling right?

Yes. It may be cold, like Hanoi in winter.

 

[dleodleo]

Yes. It may be cold, like Hanoi in winter.

Oh! Tat's great! Thanks @beanstalk6.

 

[Battery Operator]

Oh ya. I forget to ask about the currency. Read that Singapore money changer has no Laos Kip. Have to change in Laos.

However some bloggers posted that best to change sgd to usd in S'pore then change USD to Kip in Laos cos Sgd to kip in Laos very low rate.

So is above true? Anyone can share?

Above is true. The best option for you is to bring US$ cash, preferably big denomination such as US$100 notes for best rates. SGD rates are not attractive as compared to US$ to Kips.

When I was there, I brought 2 Debit Cards, YouTrip and BigPay (issued in Malaysia). I used BigPay to withdraw cash (Limit to KIP 2 million per withdrawal, and up to KIP 8 million per day) from BFL (Banque Franco Lao) ATM. As you stepped out of the airport entrance, you will find one of their ATM there among 4 or 5 other machines. There is a nominal charge (can't remember exactly, about KIP 40,000 for KIP 2 million withdrawal) but my debit card exchange rate was excellent. You may want to consider applying for a YouTrip card for ATM cash withdrawal in Lao. Although I didn't get to use it to withdraw KIP cash, I believe it should work well.

Enjoy your trip. (Make sure you spent every KIP there by the time you leave Vientiane, for light snacks and drinks on your transit back as no money changer will accept KIP in exchange for SGD.

 

[dleodleo]

Above is true. The best option for you is to bring US$ cash, preferably big denomination such as US$100 notes for best rates. SGD rates are not attractive as compared to US$ to Kips.

When I was there, I brought 2 Debit Cards, YouTrip and BigPay (issued in Malaysia). I used BigPay to withdraw cash (Limit to KIP 2 million per withdrawal, and up to KIP 8 million per day) from BFL (Banque Franco Lao) ATM. As you stepped out of the airport entrance, you will find one of their ATM there among 4 or 5 other machines. There is a nominal charge (can't remember exactly, about KIP 40,000 for KIP 2 million withdrawal) but my debit card exchange rate was excellent. You may want to consider applying for a YouTrip card for ATM cash withdrawal in Lao. Although I didn't get to use it to withdraw KIP cash, I believe it should work well.

Enjoy your trip. (Make sure you spent every KIP there by the time you leave Vientiane, for light snacks and drinks on your transit back as no money changer will accept KIP in exchange for SGD.

Thanks.

 

[toolbox03]

How to travel around luang prabang? Got grabcar there?

 

[R3DDRAG0ON]

Hi anyone going soon? Have 450k laos currency to get rid of lol.. anyone wanna exchange to use for their trip?

 

[kapotasana]

Hi anyone going soon? Have 450k laos currency to get rid of lol.. anyone wanna exchange to use for their trip?

I can help. What denominations and rate would you like to exchange? I’m going on the 10th and can meet around Raffles MRT area around 5.30+ on Tues or Valley Point at 6pm on Wed.

 

[kapotasana]

Hi! I just came back from Luang Prabang! It’s a wonderful place to visit. Before I left, I checked out this thread and so I want to share some things that may help someone.

Laotian food is similar to Thai and Vietnamese and it’s delicious. Depending on where you go, they sometimes use less spices, so people from Singapore may feel like the food is needing more spices and chili sometimes. Just ask for some fish sauce and cut chilli. Food wise they have tonnes of cafes, western restaurants and local restaurants, so no problem for food. Just google and you will see a whole list.

My favorite porridge place next to the Mekong was Pasaneyom Coffee Shop. Don’t forget to try the porridge and go sit at a shed across the road to get a view of the Mekong. Another local seafood restaurant that my friends and I enjoyed was Xieng Thong Phonsavanh Restaurant. It’s a local Zichar place next to the Mekong.

Best noodle soup (pork or beef) is opposite Wat Sen and it’s called Khao Soi Noodle Soup. It’s next to a travel agency called Galaxy. This is the best according to locals. There are many along the street so make sure it’s the corner one next to Galaxy.

You can go cafe hopping everyday. It’s all good. Best is Saffron Coffee flagship at the Mekong side across from the ferry shed.

My favorite local food in a nicer restaurant was Cafe Toui (went there 3 times) and a fancier one is Manda De Laos with a beautiful lotus pond. Going at 6pm is recommended.

Change your USD at the main street. The rates are better than xe.com and a good rate that I got was next to the post office or a few money changers towards the middle (around Mini Sou and towards the end of that block). There are many so you can check the board. Best rate I got was 1 USD = 9,080 kip (50 to 100 USD big note fetches the best rate). Change as you need as you want to spend all your kip before leaving.

There’s food and drinks at the airport if you have spare Kip (20,000 to 35,000 kip for local drinks and food). You can check in 90 mins before departure. Check in takes no longer than 15 mins and customs is a breeze.

Stay on the main strip if you like to walk around without transport. Some nice hotels away from the main street provide shuttle rides to and from the town throughout the day.

For people who like nature, a beautiful and green hotel I stayed at was My Dream boutique across the town on the Nam Khan River side and the town is easily accessed by shuttle rides or walking across the hand-made bamboo bridge that costs 70,000 kip return trip.

But if you want easy access, staying on the strip is much easier and especially if you have kids or older folks.

Best massage I got was at Khmu Massage with Vone. I usually do 1hr foot reflexology and 1 hr traditional (like Thai) and it was a lot less than 150,000 kip I forgot the exact amount. The hot compress I also enjoyed a lot. First massage provides pick ups. It was 160,000 for the same treatment.

Hope you enjoy!