Complete Itinerary & Travel Tips to Laos (4D 3N)

(Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng)

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*prices stated are for 2 person unless stated otherwise – because I travel berdua with a friend*
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Travel date: 5 – 8 November 2017
Exchange rate: USD 1 = RM 4.23
USD 1 = LAK 8332
(Lao Kip)
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Flight: RM 595.80 (return – excluding meals)
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Hotel:
• Phounsab Guesthouse: USD 135 / 3N
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Food (total spent): 331 Kip
*we also brought our own light snacks because we munch a lot haha!
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Souvenir (bought at Luang Prabang Night Market)
• Fridge Magnet (16 Kip/piece): 160 Kip (10 pieces)
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Miscellaneous:
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Day 1
Tentative: Arrived at Luang Prabang International Airport, Kuang Si Waterfall, Luang Prabang Night
Market and Food Alley.
• Tuktuk (airport to Sisavangvong Road – where our hotel is; 15 mins): 32 Kip
• Check in at Phounsab Guesthouse: USD 135 / 3N
• Van (from Sisavangvong Road to Kuang Si Waterfall – return; 1 hour one way): 80 Kip
• Kuang Si Waterfall entrance fee: 40 Kip
• Grilled bananas, mixed fruits, and chips: 22 Kip
• Food at Night Market: 55 Kip
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Day 2
Tentative: Arrived in Vang Vieng, Nam Song River, Tham None Cave (zipline, cave tubing), Blue
Lagoon, Return to Luang Prabang.
• Van (Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng – 6.30am; 6 hours): 180 Kip
• Transport (tuktuk - return) + Nam Song River + Tham None Cave (zipline and cave tubing) + Blue
Lagoon + entrance fee: 240 Kip
• Late lunch at Blue Pool (rice noodle salad): 75 Kip
• Dinner at Vang Vieng (tuna sandwich and Lao coffee): 70 Kip
• Sleeping Bus (Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang – 9pm; 6 hours plus): 200 Kip
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Day 3
Tentative: Arrived at Luang prabang, Mount Phousi, Mekong River, Whiskey Village, Pak Ou Caves,
Nam Khan River, Tad Sae Waterfall, Wat Mai, Wat Visounarat, Night Market and Food Alley,
Massage.
• Arrived at Luang Prabang Bus Station from Vang Vieng at 3.30am
• Tuktuk (Luang Prabang Bus Station to Sisavangvong Road – 10 mins): 40 Kip
• Back to hotel and change
• Hike Mount Phousi – entrance fee: 40 Kip
• Breakfast (tuna sandwich and kuih): 35 Kip
• Pak Ou Caves boat ride through Mekong River (include trip to Whiskey Village – return; 2 hours one
way): 160 Kip
• Pak Ou Caves entrance fee: 40 Kip
• Banana fritter at Whiskey Village: 5 Kip
• Back to Sisavangvong road
• Tuktuk (Sisavangvong Road to Tad Sae Waterfall boat ride– return; 30 mins one way): 160 Kip
• Boat ride to Tad Sae Waterfall: 20 Kip
• Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee: 30 Kip
• Snack – Mango: 10 Kip
• Back to Hotel and change
• Visit Wat Mai and Wat Visounarat
• Night Market (souvenir) + Food Alley (Dinner): 160 Kip + 64 Kip
• Foot Massage (1 hour with light body massage): 80 Kip
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Day 4
Tentative: Fly back to Malaysia.
• Tuktuk (Sisavangvong Road to Luang Prabang International Airport): 40 Kip
• Flight to Malaysia at 9am.
• Chips at airport: 15 Kip
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TOTAL SPENT (overall but exc flight):
~RM 760/person
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TIPS
• From Malaysia, tukar MYR ke USD then sampai Laos baru tukar Kip (LAK), sebab Malaysia takde.
And before balik from Laos, tukar duit Kip ke MYR or USD, jangan lupa.
• Money changer banyak kat Laos especially kat Sisavangvong Road/main town. Kat airport pun ada
tapi kalau flight awal pagi, money changer memang tak bukak lagi, maybe 10am above.
• Rate semua money changer kat Laos lebih kurang sama je kat mana mana outlet.
• Kat Laos boleh guna USD or Kip, tapi lagi save kalau guna Kip.
• Orang sana tak ramai yang boleh communicate in english.
• Kat Luang Prabang, I suggest stay area Sisavangvong Road, great location for everything.
• I personally recommend visiting Laos Oct-Dec; it’s their dry season tapi weather sejuk (as low as 14-
16⁰C), with minimal rain. Kalau tak tahan sejuk, bawak spare sweater/light wind-breaker.
• Ada dua airport kat Laos (Vientiane and Luang Prabang), I chose Luang Prabang sebab banyak
places boleh visit from there instead of Vientiane.
• Kalau nak naik tuktuk kat airport, kena keluar all the way outside airport tu and tahan tuktuk. Lagi
ramai naik satu tuktuk, lagi murah fee for each person.
• Always bargain price for transport especially tuktuk.
• Bring light snacks if korang jenis cepat lapar and suka munching, save duit.
• Bawak swim suit/baju basah sebab banyak waterfall/water activity.
• Laos is not cheap, transport and activity are quite pricey. Luang Prabang overall lagi mahal dari segi
everything compared to Vang Vieng.
• Insect/mosquito repellent could be handy.
• Better to bring wet shoes and waterproof bag sebab sangat useful.
• Kalau travel tempat jauh, better take bus than van sebab tak comfortable.
• Sleeping bus; 1 bed is for 2 pax. So, if you’re alone and terpaksa sleep sebelah stranger, just make
sure to secure your belongings (same goes to yang ada kawan) and pandai2 lah pilih nak sleep
sebelah siapa okay, sebab dia memang akan penuhkan jugak satu bus tu.
• When you wanna buy attraction packages, always walk around first and compare prices. Usually
they’re close at night and open as early as 7-8am.
• My opinion, Tad Sae Waterfall lagi cantik, people-friendly, banyak activities than Kuang Si Waterfall.
Lagi berbaloi pergi.
• If you wanna hike Mount Phousi, hike from Sisavangvong starting point sebab easier, shorter route
and the stairs are less steep. And go down through the other path. Roughly 30 mins hike.
• National Museum and Grand Palace open as early as 7am.
• Kalau nak tengok alms ceremony, around 5-6am kat tepi Wat Mai along Sisavangvong Road.
• Night Market Luang Prabang is along Sisavangvong Road, kena lalu ni dulu baru jumpa Food Alley
kat lorong tepi Indigo Café. Hari-hari ada.
• Makanan/restoran halal ada je kat Laos. Tapi tak banyak and mahal and usually more to indian
cuisine.
• I prefer local food. Always ask for vegetarian meal, no meat or anything suspicious and ensure the
place tak mix vegetarian food with the non-vegetarian ones (ni paling selamat la).
• I tak beli sim card pun sepanjang kat sana, just pakai offline map punya app and wifi hotel je.