Packing list for Laos, travel insurance for Laos, and taking your belongings

To take or not to take to Laos, leave at home or arrange locally?

Sufficiently insured or not for your activities in Laos?

Sufficiently insured or not for your trip to Laos?

What to take with you to Laos: spotlighted

Essentials:

• Documents: passport valid for at least 6 months upon arrival. An online and/or offline copy of your passport is also always useful.
• Money: US dollars and Thai baht both work well for buying a visa, the first few days and for emergencies. You can then exchange them for Laotian kip (the money!! Not real kip). You can also use your debit or credit card to withdraw money in the big cities.
• Care: high factor sunscreen. Harder to find there and often whitening.
• Outdoor and conveniences: good sunglasses and a hat.
• Clothing: light clothing for warm conditions, so cotton or linen. Covering clothing is also useful for temple visits. A warm layer for the mountains.
• Shoes: hiking boots, because the paths are not always that good.
• Protection: a mosquito net, because many budget accommodations do not have them. Rain gear and rain covers if you go in the rainy season. Medicines and travel kit: a small first aid kit with plasters, painkillers, disinfectant, anti-diarrhea and ORS (dehydration is a thing). Mosquito repellent.
• Safety: it is relatively safe, but a money belt is still recommended.
• Technology and equipment: Laos uses almost all the electrical sockets in the world, so a world plug is handy. A flashlight and power bank are also nice in case of a power outage.
• Women: tampons, which are hard to come by.

What are some other options for packing as well:

• Reusable water bottle with filter, so you can drink water everywhere.
• Toilet paper for the public toilets.
• A quick-drying towel for when you go on a swimming adventure.
• A sarong for temple visits.

What should you know when you bring your stuff with you to Laos?

• Knowledge of Buddhist and cultural practices and what clothing is appropriate when.
• How to deal with your waste - there are few options for waste disposal. What you can bring into the country, including any medication you are taking.

Are there mosquitoes in Laos?

• There are many mosquitoes in Laos and dengue is a problem all year round.
• Numbers increase in the warmer and wetter months, usually between May and October.
• Malaria is less common than dengue, but is found in the south of the country in Attapeu, Sekong, Savannakhet, Champasak, Khamouane and Salavan.

Are there sandflies in Laos?

• There are many sand flies, spread throughout Laos.
• They are less common in higher and colder regions.
• They can bother you at any time, but you are most at risk during sunrise and sunset.

Can you buy DEET, or other mosquito repellents, in Laos?

• Mosquito repellents are available in the cities of Laos. You won't find them in the countryside.
• The options are limited though. Strong DEET or Picaridin, for example, are hard to find.

Can you buy a joint or weed in Laos, or take it with you to Laos?

• Cannabis is illegal and Laos has very strict laws.
• It is strangely enough available in many places, but using it can lead to a very long prison sentence. And, although it has not been implemented since 1989, even the death penalty is an option if you bring drugs into the country!