Photo: Wattay Airport in Vientiane

All Western visitors need visas and you can get one at the Vientiane Airport upon arrival for US $ 50, 2 photographs is needed and you have to show your roundtrip flight ticket.

You can also booked arrangements with tour agencies. The arrangement does not necessarily have to cover the entire validity of the visa. Those having booked only short term arrangements for Laos can stay for additional days, but have to follow several regulations.

The Laotian border checkpoint at the border to China, with a Chinese business development in the background.

Laos is still a strongly regulated country. In order to see more of the country travellers staying longer than the initial arrangement provided, will have to book an additional arrangement at a local tour agency.

Only a small number of travel agencies are allowed to cooperate directly with the Laotian departments. Most tour offices and travel agents offering Laos arrangements have to turn to those few major travel agents, for bureaucratic procedures including visas, the booking of hotel accommodation and other touristic services. The Laotian embassy requires the applicant's passport for two working days. No vaccination certificate is needed.

A transit visa only permits a stay in the Vientiane district; travel to other places is not permitted.

Business visa allows a stay of up to one month but don't allow travel outside the Vientiane district. Business visa are issued to travellers stating, for instance, as reason for their journey to Laos an intention to survey investment possibilities.

The direct bus from Vientiane in Laos to Mengla in China