Motorcycle Travel Guides
LAOS

Budget

Cheap: £10 - £20 per day
Mid: £20 - £35 per day

Money: ATMs are not hard to find and issue both USD and Laos Kip. Card is accepted in some hotels and restaurants but be prepared to have cash. 

Currency: Lao kip ₭

Food: Local meals and street food £0.50 – £3, Restaurant £4 – £8

Accommodation:
Some wild camping spots, dorms £2-£8. mid-range hotel £8 – £25

Petrol: £0.87 litre

When to go

High Nov - March
Mid: July - Oct

High: Nov – March

Hot but can still be breezy. Best all-round time to visit although mountains can be cold.

Mid: July – Oct

Wet in most parts and very humid, but nice scenery and greenery.  

Low: April – June

Hot season up to 40°C.

Paperwork

Visa: Visa on arrival
Carnet required: No

Visa: You can get a visa on arrival in Laos for 30 days for 35USD. 

Carnet: Not required. 

Temporary Import: Sorted at the border. Can be extended in country at customs. 

International Driver’s Permit: Not compulsory but definitely worth having in Southeast Asia. 

Insurance: Sorted at border. 

Facts

Capital: Vientiane
Country code: +856

Emergency: 190 – fire, 195 – ambulance,  191 – police

Language: Lao

Time: GMT/UTC + seven  hours

Land Mass: 237,955 km²

Don't miss

4,000 Islands
Luang Prabang

4,000 Islands: Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, but the south is home to the incredible 4,000 Islands – a river archipelago of the mighty Mekong. 

Luang Prabang: No visit to Laos is complete with stopping off in Luang prabang. The ride from Vang Vieng is spectacular. 

For more information on both, check out our Loving Laos Life Blog Post. 

Getting in/out

Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Your main access points are from Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. It’s relatively easy and straight-forward to cross into Laos from any of these three countries. 

Laos is the undiscovered gem of Southeast Asia. A few miles off-piste and you’re riding in another world, far removed from the tourist bustle of Thailand and its neighbours. It’s an incredibly varied, rugged and beautiful country. It offers some of the best adventure bike riding in Southeast Asia. Laos will surprise you. Guaranteed.

Welcome to the Laos Motorcycle Rentals and Tours page. Here you’ll find our recommended rental companies, prices, info and guides.
From sleepy islands in the south to jagged karst mountains in the north, we fell in love with Laos and everything in between…