Laos is off the hook!

[Paradox]

I came here to renew my Thai visa and I honestly wasn't expecting much from Laos. The Thais I know always rag on the country as there is a bit of a historical rivalry/animosity between Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand :rolleyes:. I have to say this trip has been a very pleasant surprise. There are a lot of tourists in Laos but the overall vibe is pretty good here. It seems the tourists are more family orientated and the backpackers seem to be looking for a nicer relaxed atmosphere. I have to say this is a stark contrast to some of the shady/rowdy foreigners you encounter in Thai holiday destinations.

The Laos people are also extremely nice. I have to say they are even nicer than Thais and seem to be much more sincere. Overall they are probably the nicest bunch of people i've met anywhere. I figured that they would be jaded by now with Vientiane being sort of a backpacker stop off point but they seem to be taking it all in stride.

The city itself is small but it's charming in its own way. It is right by the Mekong and there are a lot of small quirky shops and restaurants everywhere. There isn't a single chain restaurant or fast food place in Vientiene which is also very nice change of pace. The dollar has remain unchanged here unlike many other places in the world where it has fallen drastically. As a result nice hotels and food are very affordable and a great value. The food is awesome and at roughly 1/5th the price of what it would cost in the U.S. It's even cheaper than Thailand and Vientiane, Laos has a very international flavor to its restaurants. This is also an excellent place to pick up wine because they don't pile on import taxes like they do in Thailand.

Overall, I give Laos two big thumbs up. It's arguably better than most places in Thailand as a holiday destination.

[SunWuKong]

It seems the tourists are more family orientated and the backpackers seem to be looking for a nicer relaxed atmosphere. I have to say this is a stark contrast to some of the shady/rowdy foreigners you encounter in Thai holiday destinations.

ever since my trip to Thailand, i've always wondered if the country would actually make more money by making its tourist industry more family-oriented at cities like Pattaya. well, i'm not sure if the industry would make more money, but things like international image isn't so easily counted in monetary terms. and how do prostitutes in places like Pattaya support themselves when they get older? there are so many of them, i can't imagine they have very long shelf lives. is it a burden on the government to make sure they don't all become homeless? if the industry was more family-oriented, they can likely keep doing what they do to support themselves well into their 50s and 60s.

[yoMAMA]

Did you see any Hmong people in Laos?

[urbia]

Yep, Laos was the highlight at the end of my Asia backpacking circuit. I only stayed in Thailand long enough to get scuba-certified then moved on.

[tommyhtown]

I came here to renew my Thai visa and I honestly wasn't expecting much from Laos. The Thais I know always rag on the country as there is a bit of a historical rivalry/animosity between Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand :rolleyes:. I have to say this trip has been a very pleasant surprise. There are a lot of tourists in Laos but the overall vibe is pretty good here. It seems the tourists are more family orientated and the backpackers seem to be looking for a nicer relaxed atmosphere. I have to say this is a stark contrast to some of the shady/rowdy foreigners you encounter in Thai holiday destinations.

The Laos people are also extremely nice. I have to say they are even nicer than Thais and seem to be much more sincere. Overall they are probably the nicest bunch of people i've met anywhere. I figured that they would be jaded by now with Vientiane being sort of a backpacker stop off point but they seem to be taking it all in stride.

The city itself is small but it's charming in its own way. It is right by the Mekong and there are a lot of small quirky shops and restaurants everywhere. There isn't a single chain restaurant or fast food place in Vientiene which is also very nice change of pace. The dollar has remain unchanged here unlike many other places in the world where it has fallen drastically. As a result nice hotels and food are very affordable and a great value. The food is awesome and at roughly 1/5th the price of what it would cost in the U.S. It's even cheaper than Thailand and Vientiane, Laos has a very international flavor to its restaurants. This is also an excellent place to pick up wine because they don't pile on import taxes like they do in Thailand.

Overall, I give Laos two big thumbs up. It's arguably better than most places in Thailand as a holiday destination.

It depends on what you want out of your trip. Night life is definitely better in Thailand. And there are a lot more things to do as well. Other than that, I think Laos have a lot to offer also. I would love to do a backpack trip in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Wait, how does one do a backpacking trip in Asia? Most of the times you just fly instead of driving or riding the train, right?

[snow ninja]

you can take train from north to south vietnam and back

[Paradox]

ever since my trip to Thailand, i've always wondered if the country would actually make more money by making its tourist industry more family-oriented at cities like Pattaya. well, i'm not sure if the industry would make more money, but things like international image isn't so easily counted in monetary terms. and how do prostitutes in places like Pattaya support themselves when they get older? there are so many of them, i can't imagine they have very long shelf lives. is it a burden on the government to make sure they don't all become homeless? if the industry was more family-oriented, they can likely keep doing what they do to support themselves well into their 50s and 60s.
To give the Thais credit I think there have been steps to clean up its image. They are trying to go "upscale" with their tourism and some places are doing their best to phase out the prostitution or drive it underground. I don't think it will happen anytime soon though. There are entire villages supported by prostitution and it's become too much of a cottage industry.

I've seen the destruction that sex tourism brings. I have nothing against regulated prostitution per se but with the way it's done in Thailand it's really ruining several generations. You have families that send their daughters off to "work" in the city with the implicit understanding of what they are doing. Then the males of the household sit around collecting whatever the daughter sends home while becoming alcoholics. It's a sad scene and the problem is much bigger than Thais are willing to admit.

It depends on what you want out of your trip. Night life is definitely better in Thailand. And there are a lot more things to do as well. Other than that, I think Laos have a lot to offer also. I would love to do a backpack trip in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

True the nightlife is certainly better in Thailand but the natural surroundings and the overall local vibe of Laos is superior to anywhere i've been in Thailand. I don't know..it just seems Thais are so westernized and cynical these days. There's a lot of cultural traditions still intact in Laos. I don't see teenage girls wearing mini skirts and carrying 3 cellphones or guys doing their best to look like boy band members. Laos is just still innocent and untainted. There's also no beer bars catering towards farang sex tourists. The class of western tourist i've met in Laos has just been completely different.