Traveling Laos with children can be both rewarding and challenging, but its merits definitely outweigh the cons. Here are some of our practical tips for traveling Laos with children.
We’re just returned from a trip to Laos with our two-year-old toddler Kaleya and it turned out to be one of our favourite trips with her to date. In all honesty, we didn’t expect much from Laos – having heard about the notorious party scene in Vang Vieng in the 2000s – but it proved us wrong. The trip was so much more rewarding and less challenging than we thought it would be.
Laos may not have great sanitation, healthcare facilities and infrastructure, but the outdoor activities, warm climate, and fresh food and people’s warm attitude towards kids completely won her – and us – over.
The thing we love most about Laos is its slow pace and peaceful, calm atmosphere. You won’t find the chaotic traffic in Vietnam or gritty red light districts of Thailand here. With the government shutting down the party scene in Vang Vieng in 2011, plus an increasing number of family-friendly activities now available, Laos allows travelers to experience the Southeast Asia of yesteryears.
In general, Laos is easy to travel with Children, especially if you stick to the well worn but still worthwhile path of Vientiane – Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang. You can always fly between the major cities to spare your kids the long bus trips. In these three main cities, you are never too far from a decent hospital in case of emergency.
Regardless, Laos is one of the most underrated countries in Southeast Asia but it has such a rich, well-preserved heritage and beautiful natural landscapes that make it a great – and easy – place to explore with children regardless of age.
People’s Attitude to Children
People in Laos love children. They adore babies especially, so expect some attention if you’re traveling with an infant like us. We love how people would come up to Kaleya, tickle her belly, pinch her cheeks or even give her something to eat. The attention isn’t excessive or bombarding — embrace their interest and make some new friends!
It happens quite a lot everywhere we go — that’s part of the reason why we love traveling with Kaleya, because she is our ice breaker — but Lao people definitely take it up a level. Men or women (and monks) would stop and smile at her, talk to her in Laotian and ask her if they could carry her (sadly she would usually say “no”!).
Health and Safety for Kids
Laos’ s lack of adequate healthcare facilities is a major concern for parents, so having travel insurance is a must. I’ve written about why it’s important to have travel insurance and tips on how to choose the right travel insurance.
Remember to consult your travel doctor about necessary vaccinations a few months ahead of your trip to ensure plenty of time for any series of shots required. We didn’t get any vaccinations for Kaleya after checking the CDC website.
Rabies is a problem in Laos, so avoid letting your children play with animals and consider a rabies vaccination before departing. Be wary of mosquitoes — while malaria is very rare outside of remote areas, dengue fever affects a substantial number of people and has no preventative treatment other than avoiding bites — mosquito nets, coils and repellents are especially important during the rainy season.
In case of sickness, the Vientiane French Medical Centre has a paediatrician who speaks English and French. There’s also a newly established pediatric hospital, Laos Friends Hospital for Children, in Luang Prabang that provides free treatment to kids in Laos.
As you should with any trip to Southeast Asia, bring your own well-stocked medical kit and any children-specific medication. It’s essential to bring rehydration solution in case of diarrhoea, which can be quite dangerous in young children. Don’t count on the pharmacies in Laos having what you might need. That said, Kaleya had slight fever during our trip but we brought our own medicine and managed to find more of it in Luang Prabang.
Transportation in Laos
Before the trip, we’d read about the long, bumpy journeys and sub-par transportation throughout the country and that was our main concern.
But we honestly had nothing to worry about. Things have improved in Laos — and now comfortable (and still cheap) minivan transportation is easily available to get from one city to another. We booked ours from travel agencies that are scattered all over town in Vientiane and Vang Vieng. You can even compare prices between agencies.
There are usually various types of transportation available on major routes. We chose the minivan, an air-conditioned Toyota van that takes up to 15 people. The trip from Vientiane to Vang Vieng took 3 hours and cost around US$5 each. While the van was full, we were quite comfortable and Kaleya literally slept throughout the journey. From Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, the van took 4 hours and cost $10. We booked Kaleya a seat just for her to be more comfortable, but the van was just half full and it was very comfortable.
That said, roads can sometimes be windy and hilly, and motion sickness is common. Driving can be quite reckless too. Our first driver was cutting lanes and taking over other cars without giving a hoot for safety. I got a bit queasy towards the end of that journey. Thankfully Kaleya sleeps really well on moving vehicles.
Remember to bring your own paper bag in case your child gets sick on the van. The vans usually make one or two stops along the way, so don’t worry if your child needs to use the loo. It can take some getting used to the safety concerns here in Laos, especially for those who are very cautious. You won’t find seatbelt on most tuktuks (only in taxis and minivans) and tuktuk rides can be quite intimidating for young children — although Kaleya loves it!
Food in Laos
If you’re traveling with kids who are already eating solids , feeding them nutritional food is probably another area of concern. Lao food is delicious and healthy, but also very spicy (many dishes will contain chillies). Fried rice, congee, noodle soup (pho) or grilled chicken are easy options for the young ones. Kaleya loves the noodle soup here.
Food is generally safe, although stomach upsets aren’t entirely uncommon. We ate at mostly street side stalls as it’s important to us to eat authentic, local food. We didn’t have any stomach issues, neither did Kaleya. A meal at these simple eateries usually costs around US$3 per person, including a fresh fruit shake.
Around Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, you’ll also find plenty of more familiar Western dishes such as pizzas, spaghetti, and burgers with fries. Even local eateries have some of these options, so rest assured you’ll still get to eat local.
What to do with Children in Laos
Laos is a great place to explore for easygoing parents and curious, adaptable children — but not children who must have access to modern distractions as you won’t find cinemas, malls or flashy theme parks here. Instead, there are plenty of outdoor activities, interesting museums and temples that will grip any kids imagination and interest.
The country is developing into an eco-friendly destination for outdoor lovers and active travelers. Since the government shut down many of the party businesses in Vang Vieng, it has transformed into a hub for outdoor activities. It’s now a great place for older children to try kayaking, climbing and ziplining. If they’re strong swimmers, tubing down the river together can be a fun way to spend an afternoon. Jungle treks are available through a number of tour operators, although most of them will require relatively sure-footed hikers — the trails, if any, aren’t always easy to walk along.
In the outskirts of Luang Prabang, you’ll also find several waterfalls (and a bear sanctuary) that make great day trips with kids. There are also a number of elephant camps near the city that can provide interactive experiences with the animals (please don’t ride the elephants!). The elephant festival in Sayaboury, in mid-February lasts three days and would offer a great experience for the whole family.
Other than that, there are dozens of intricate cave systems dotted across Laos. The Pak Ou caves are filled with hundreds of carved Buddha statues and images to which locals pay their respects, while the Tham Kong Lo, is an underground lair that extends for 7km and can only be chugged along in small motorised boats.
Family-Friendly Hotels in Laos
Hotels in Laos are cheap, with pretty decent standards. For US$40/night, you can usually stay somewhere comfortable, with air-conditioning, an extra bed for your child and swimming pool. We stayed in mainly budget hotels that are centrally located and within walking distance to main sights or night markets. Here are the hotels we stayed at and why we would recommend them:
Champa Garden Hotel (US$50) — This is a cosy hotel located just a block away from the night market and the Mekong River in Vientiane. Most of the rooms face the swimming pool and there’s a small outdoor eating area great for enjoying breakfast under the sun. Besides us, there was another family with young kids and an infant.
Vang Vieng Boutique Hotel (US$40/night) — Set amidst the rice fields of Vang Vieng, this budget hotel has a few traditional wooden huts alongside two brand new blocks. It’s just a 5-minute walk to the main road and heart of town, but we didn’t like crossing the old airstrip (now an area of street food stalls and cars criss crossing without any order) to was into town.
MyLaoHome Boutique Hotel (US$25/night)— This was the cheapest place we stayed at and also the best. It may not be luxurious, but its enormous bed, newly refurbished decor and excellent location just steps from the night market made it our favorite. Rooms are rather spacious and each room has a table/chair on their patio (which I use as an office). Highly recommend this for budget family travelers!
Practical Tips
Be warned that the sun in Laos can be intense in the middle of the day, even during “winter” from December to February (when we visited). Slap on sunscreen and a hat, stay hydrated, cool off at a waterfall or pool and make plans for down time. Temperatures drop quite a lot at night in winter, so be sure to pack layers, socks and a jacket.
Take advantage of low season rates (May to October), when hotels reduce their rates to half of their high season rate. Temperature and weather is best in October, November and February. Check with the hotel and give them notice about requests like extra beds .
As mentioned, the time spent traveling from one city to another can be long and facilities may be few and far between – kids who are toilet-trained may have to do a lot of peeing behind trees. It’s easy for us as Kaleya is still using diapers. We usually change her diapers in discrete corners, by the riverside, or just on her stroller.
Other than that, we really didn’t find that many challenges traveling Laos with a child. If you’re a intrepid family who prefers to throw caution to the wind, you will be absolutely welcomed in Laos with open arms.
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