Vientiane Favorites

Favorite thing: Laos currency is called "Kips". They are big notes with big denominations - anyone can easily be a "millionaire" in Laos. You can change kips from the money changers or from the hotels. Kips are usually used in small restaurants and when you purchase small items. US dollars are widely acceptable. Kips are only tradeable in Laos, so make sure you get rid of all your kips when you depart from Laos unless you want to keep some as souvenirs. You can sell your kips back to the bank or to the hotels.

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Favorite thing: For those countries that need visa to enter into Vientiane, you can apply these at the airport, immediately after enter into Watay International Airport. There is a counter beside the Immigration that caters for these applications. For Malaysians, you do not need a visa to enter into Vientiane. I saw a couple of foreigners who applied upon arrival and their applications were processed in quite a speedy manner.

See attached list for application fees for various countries

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Favorite thing: From the plane, looking down, you can see the 4000km magnificent long Mekong river cutting through the plains of Vientiane. You can also see the lustrous greens and blue pools of water - A beautiful landscape!

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Favorite thing: There are a number of ATM's in Vientiane. But as for which ATM, depends on whether you have Visa or Maestro. We have found that the ATM attached to the Joint development bank on Th Lan Xang accepted visa but was having problems with maestro. The limit is 1 million kip per transaction, maximum of 3 transactions which means 3 million kip.

Banque pour le commerce Exterieur Lao (BCEL) have an ATM just to the right of Patuxai which accepts maestro but not visa (despite the visa sign). 700,000 kip transaction limit, but you can do more than one transaction per day. Not sure up to how many. They are putting in more ATM's, so keep an eye out.

Favorite thing: A Must in Vientiane (entrance 5000k), visitors must pay 5000kips and 2000kips for bicycle parking before you go in. That Luang (Royal Stupa) is the name, it is worth go in with 5000 kips, the shining golden stupa is so beautiful.

Favorite thing: Abandoned Cinema, almost all cinemas in Vientiane are left empty like this, I saw more than just one. I think nowadays nobody bother to pay money to cinema, DVD at home with karaoke and self strip naked dancing...

Favorite thing: Tuk-tuk will cost you 20000 kips if you are not local, 5000 kips if you are local. I learnt the lesson after 2 or 3 times. So I get myself one 10000 and one 5000 note ready in hand, and I wave the Tuk-tuk and I bargain with him. Not a perfect idea but at least I need not pay additional 10000 kips.

Favorite thing: Yes, Vientiane mosque (only one), I saw this in the town center at the main tourists street. I went into the mosque to inspect the interior in near disbelief. At night I saw an old man, Indian muslim man, he walked to a Pakistani restaurant, with his white muslim hat on. I saw him sitting alone inside the restaurant, only one customer that evening.