Quick facts

Business Hours
Government offices are open from 08:30am-12:00pm, 01:00pm-04:00pm on Monday through Friday. Banks open from 08:30am-03:30pm on Monday-Friday, shops around 09:00am-06:00pm (individual shops choose which holidays to observe).
Electricity
24 hour electricity is available in all major population centers and many district capitals.
Internet
Internet access is available in many hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in big cities. Although internet cafes are often available in provincial capitals, it is difficult to connect to the internet in rural areas.
Phone
International direct dial is widely available. You can also purchase a local pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone.
Time
The time in Laos is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +7).
Weather
Laos generally enjoys a mild tropical climate, but it can get quite chilly in the cool season. Temperatures range from 10-40 degrees celsius in the Mekong Valley.
April to October is Green Season — a time of cooling rains, clear mountain views, and flowing waterfalls.
November to March is mostly dry, a little cooler, and a great time to explore.

Currency
The Lao Kip (LAK) is the official currency of the Lao PDR and the following bank notes are currently in circulation: 500; 1,000; 2,000; 5,000; 10,000; 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 Kip.
Credit Cards
Visa is the most commonly accepted. Master Card and American Express are accepted in the big hotels,restaurants and souvenir shopsin the large cities (such as Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champasack).
Language
The national language is Lao, but English is commonly used in major tourist centers. Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai are widely understood. French, German, Russian and a number of otherEuropean languages are also spoken by many educated Lao as many students received higher education in Europe during 1970’s-1990’s.
Post and Parcels
There are post offices in all provincial capitals where you can send letters and parcels to your home country. Both DHL and FedEx have offices in Vientiane Capital.
Travel with Children
Laos is a safe, quiet country with a lot to explore for both adults and children. Lao people love kids. If you bring children, you will have good opportunities communicating with Lao people.

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