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Quick Guide to Laos

Laos is located in South East Asia. It shares borders with Thailand, Myanmar, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. It is the only landlocked country in the area, with the Mekong River as the primary body of water. Vientiane is the capital and Laos has a total population of about 7.2 million people. Lao is the official language. Buddhism is the largest religion in Laos, with approximately 66% of the population identifying as Buddhist.

TIME ZONE

Time zone in Laos is GMT + 7 (UTC+07:00). It is 7 hours ahead of London, 15 hours ahead of Vancouver, 12 hours ahead of New York, 3 hours behind Sydney, and 5 hours behind Auckland.

CLIMATE

Laos is similar to the rest of Southeast Asia and experiences a hot and humid tropical climate with two distinct seasons, wet and dry.

The dry season

The dry season is usually October through March the temperature is typically cooler and can get to a low of 15°C (58°F). These are the months you’ll be most comfortable in all parts of the country.

Rainy Season

The wet (rainy) season is from May through to September. The hottest temperatures are in the south of the country and the temperatures can peak at 40°C (100°F). So, make sure you can handle heat if you travel in these months. But you'll be rewarded with fewer tourists and a real tropical adventure.

SUPPORT & INTERNET

Support

  • Our office is located in Luang Prabang, making it easy to stay in touch with volunteers. We are available 24/7 through our hotline, and our local team is fully trained in best practices for volunteer management and First Aid. We meet with volunteers daily to ensure everything is going well and that they feel as comfortable as they would at home.

Internet

  • Many volunteers wonder about internet connectivity when joining our program. In major cities such as Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Vang Vieng, WiFi is widely available in cafes, restaurants, hotels, and popular tourist areas. Even smaller towns now offer basic WiFi access. With a little planning, it’s easy to stay connected while exploring the country. For more reliable internet, we highly recommend purchasing a prepaid Laos SIM card upon arrival at international airports, from mobile provider stores, or convenience shops. We’ll be happy to assist you with this, or you can even arrange it online before your trip.

CURRENCY

Laos’ currency is the Kip (LAK), pronounced “Kip.” Banknotes are available in denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 Kip. Most ATMs dispense up to 2 million Kip per transaction. In larger towns, Thai Baht and US Dollars are often accepted, but it is more culturally appropriate to use the local currency. Currency exchange into Kip can only be done within Laos, and once you leave the country, you cannot exchange Kip back into other currencies.