The Lack of Culture
What I mean by lack of culture is the outside, in-your-face culture. If you’re a traveler it’s hard to find. Lao food, for example, is not readily available. The majority of cafes have one thing on the menu: sub-standard imitation Vietnamese noodle soup pumped up with MSG. I didn’t see any real Lao food until I went to the Vientiane night market (which I was very impressed with).
The Thais and Vietnamese have things that make them distinct, and the Laotians really don’t. A reason for that may be their small population of 7 million, compared to 64 m in Thailand and 90 m in Vietnam, and because of the 61 years of recent French colonial rule.
Being an optimist, I’m thinking perhaps there is more Lao culture inside the home. My travels have taught me that there are outside cultures and inside cultures. Unfortunately I was unable visit inside the home of a Laotian family, so I can’t comment.
The People
Every traveler had told me, Lao people will be the friendliest, most laid back people you will meet. And I agree with that statement for the most part. I did meet many friendly people and Laotians are so laid back almost to a fault.
I would even go so far as to say the majority of the population are friendly and decent. However, I would add that the majority of people in the tourism industry (or those who deal with foreigners) are unfriendly and dishonest. Countless times my bill after eating included items I had not consumed and in most towns I walked three km or more from the bus station into town with my pack instead of paying an inflated price to a tuk-tuk driver.
Furthermore, Laotians are at times the laziest people I’ve ever met. So it’s hard sometimes to get things done that a traveler might need.
In addition to this, I was treated much differently while traveling with my Asian friend compared to when I was alone. I was left wondering whether racism played a role in this.
Two Economies
Most frustrating for me while traveling is not being able to operate on the local economy. Prices in Laos were inflated for foreigners, and we are not given the chance for any other option. Well, I thought, maybe that is the price we pay being “rich” visitors in one of the “poorest” countries on earth. Well, bordering Cambodia is also near the bottom of that “poor country” list and travelers are able to operate on the local economy there.
I think one of the main differences with Laos is the fact that most locals can’t even afford to travel around their own country or eat outside of their home. This is just one example of what keeps prices for two of traveler’s necessities higher.
The rest of the time I was quoted higher prices because I’m a foreigner and many travelers just pay higher prices without thinking too much about it and locals know they are “rich” because of several reasons I don’t need to mention.
I still like to be treated equally and I like to be given a fair price in the local economy. I like to bargain in a friendly way with vendors at the market or with guesthouse owners. Getting an honest price makes me feel like everybody else; makes me feels accepted by the people of the country in which I’m traveling.
The Rise of Tourism
Part of the development of two economies may be due to such a rapid rise in tourism. In the past 20 years, international tourists have gone from 80,000 to 1.8 million. That is a huge increase: difficult for a sleepy landlocked country to digest. One in every 11 jobs is in the tourism sector.
Tourism is affecting Laos and its people in a tremendous way. The Lao people are either changing due to their constant contact with westerners or else they have simply adjusted by treating foreigners in a different manner.
The Value
Most travelers coming either to or from Thailand will notice a huge drop in quality from everything Thai to that of Laos. In Laos, you’ll pay more for pretty much everything and it will be of much lesser quality. One reason for that is because almost nothing is made in Laos, and therefore imported goods are more expensive. For other things, like accommodation and local food, I don’t have an explanation.
The one exception is Beer Lao, the ubiquitous national beverage. It is cheaper than any Thai beer and is actually better quality too. However, every ingredient except the rice is imported.
The Final Word
I traveled in Laos for almost a month to nearly every part of the country. I very rarely speak negatively of a destination, and had I visited Laos 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have had the opinion I do today.
I wouldn’t even say that I would not re-visit Laos. I might (certain places, like Champusak, Muang Ngoi, and Si Phan Don were among my favorite in all of southeast Asia). And I certainly wouldn’t recommend that you skip Laos on your tour of southeast Asia.
All I’m saying is that Laos wasn’t the county that people described to me. It is a changed place, affected by tourism, and a difficult place to travel within the local economy.
Go to Laos; check it out for yourself. There are still great places for independent travelers to visit, lots of friendly people, and plenty of adventures to be had.
I felt the same way! Laos was my least favorite country in all of SE Asia, even though everyone else seemed to love it.
I haven’t actually been to Laos but I have been to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. I feel very sorry for Laos; as a landlocked country it has very little to offer tourists and can’t compete with its neighbouring countries. It is also significantly poorer.
During the American/Vietnam War, Laos was used as a dumping ground for the US bombs that were not dropped on Vietnam and this was not a common fact so it did not recieve the media interest (and aid that comes from that) that Vietnam received. Apparently Laos remains the most heavily bombed country in military history and it has not had the aid to help it recover. It does not have the beautiful beaches of Thailand, the ancient temples of Cambodia or the historical interest of Vietnam. All it seems to offer is a dirty river that tourists float up and down in tubes in whilst getting very drunk. And let’s face it, backpackers do not bring in a lot of money. I am not surprised to hear that the Laotians try to make an extra buck out of those that do venture there. That’s not to say that I think this is a justified approach to tourists that visit the country, just that on some level I can see where they are coming from.
Unfortunately wherever backpackers and tourists go, morals and values of the local community are affected.
I would still like to go to Laos as I have heard that the mountains are beautiful but I think I’ll give the tubing a miss!!
Interesting. I don’t actually agree with a lot of what you’re saying, but I do recognize some similar experiences that you had (rip-off tuk-tuks, etc). I actually really loved Laos: the people and the food especially.
This. So this.
Before I went to Laos I’d heard nothing but good things so I was pretty disappointed that I didn’t enjoy my 30 day stay. I’ve been struggling to pinpoint what I didn’t like about it (aside from the obvious three of prices, food and transport) – you’ve covered it so well.
Next time someone is trying to grill me on why I didn’t like Laos, I may just send them here!
Hi all,
Really sorry that you had a poor time.
We had a great time and it’s on the places to definately go back to.
I don’t want to advertise where exactly we went as it’s really for life to invite you to these places based on your travelling open heart.
All I can say is smile and say sabadie, take a tour down the mekong, elephant ride through the jungles, trek the mountains, saty in villages and experience the real Laos.
Laos is beautiful spirtual and a place where the people are just the best.
Good luck.
Peace
@ I love Laos Thanks for leaving a comment. I’m glad you had a great time in Laos. I agree, It’s nice for travelers make their own experiences and follow their own hearts.
I have to say I agree with I love Laos – Laos for me was my second favourite place in our 6 months in Asia just behind India… I found it soo much easier to get to know people and see the culture in Laos than I could ever have done in Thailand… Which I must admit I feel very much the same way about Thailand as you do about Laos –
The northern parts of Laos had to be among some of the most beautiful untouched areas I’ve encountered and for us it was a relief to be in an environment where we could do our own thing again – whereas Thailand felt a little bit like a tropical europe to me
All I’d say to anyone reading the above is that different places at different times capture peoples hearts in a very different way and I’d really not be put off by the views above – try it out and if you don’t like it really has a lot of places you can jump over too, being so much in the middle
Hi Sunblind, Thanks for sharing your point of view. It’s good to hear different people’s perspectives. I’m actually in Laos right now for the second time and I’m hoping to see it in a different way. I already visited Luang Namtha, a place I had not been the first time around. I enjoyed Luang Namtha, found the countryside around it beautiful and the locals extremely friendly. Right now I’m in Luang Prabang, a place I enjoyed the first time around, but this time it’s high season and prices are double and tourists are everywhere.
I doubt Lao people can bargain in the US, Europe or Australia. Yet I see foreigners haggling all over Laos, even over half a dollar. So what if they charge a foreigner a bit more. That extra dollar goes a long way in Laos. As for food, I’ve never been charged more than the locals. In fact, places that cater mostly to tourists have a menu with pricelist. Tuk tuk drivers do tend to charge more but I never paid over two dollars more than locals. Uh…Apple charges the same in Laos as it does over in the US…or elsewhere, no matter the per capita income. You don’t see Lao people complain about that, though. They want it, they pay for it.
Disagree with everything – been back to Laos 3 times and can’t wait to go back again. Friendly, respectful and honest people, some of the most amazing food ever (on the other hand, we never eat at typical backpacker’s places where menus are standardized to keep the average beer-drinking farang happy), beautiful guesthouses in old colonial architecture, unbelievable cultural diversity from an ethnographic perspective, beautiful traditional crafts…
But then, we avoided backpackers’ enclaves so maybe it’s a matter of knowing where to look?
Hi Illi,
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your perspective. I returned to Laos since writing this post and had some better experiences this time.
“The Thais and Vietnamese have things that make them distinct, and the Laotians really don’t. A reason for that may be their small population of 7 million, compared to 64 m in Thailand and 90 m in Vietnam, and because of the 61 years of recent French colonial rule.”
Are you kidding me? What is distinct about Thai food? Green papaya salad originated in Laos! Eating sticky rice from bamboo containers is a Lao thing. What you really should be saying is there is nothing distinct about Thai food considering the foods in Thailand are immensely influenced by Lao cuisine. Almost half of the Thai population are of Lao origins so many of the foods that you’ve associated with Thailand actually originated in Laos. So instead of insulting Laos, why don’t you go to Thailand and complain about why there is nothing distinct about Thai food? Especially since what you consider as Thai food is nothing more than offerings from Laos, India, Myanmar, China, Malaysia, and Cambodia. So what exactly is distinct about Thai food? Yellow curry? Sorry, that’s Indian and it’s eaten all over Southeast Asia…Red curry? Sorry, that is also Indian-inspired but first made popular in Laos, and then introduced to Thailand from Laos. Green curry? Sorry, that is eaten all over Southeast Asia, but mainly in Laos and Cambodia. Thailand adopted green curry from those countries. So please, name a single distinct Thai dish that is well-known. Tom Yum soup? Sorry, that one also originated in Laos, but the millions of Lao people who also live in Thailand made it popular in Thailand as well, which resulted in a Thai version of Tom Yum. How about Satay? That surely must be a distinct Thai dish, right? WRONG! Satay is an Indonesian creation. So again, what is distinct about Thai foods?
Curries, noodles, and stir-fries are eaten all over Southeast Asia due to the Indian and Chinese influences. Those dishes don’t belong to Thailand solely. Anyone with eyes should take a look at a map of Asia and you will see that Laos is closer to China, which means that both Laos (and Vietnam) have even more right to flaunt Chinese food more so than Thailand flaunting Chinese food. Pad See Eew, Khao Mun Gai (chicken and rice), bbq pork, cashew stir-fry, fried rice, and countless other dishes are all Chinese foods that are served in both Laos, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries. But unlike Thailand, Laos also has its own very traditional dishes that are out of this world good.
Now, let’s move on to Vietnamese food. Please do tell us what is distinct about Vietnamese food. Anyone who has been to Vietnam and has studied Vietnamese cuisine knows that Vietnam is influenced by China, Laos, Cambodia, and French cuisines. So would you like to write an article about Vietnam and complain about why there is nothing distinct about Vietnamese food? Pho, sandwiches, baguettes, crepes, and coffee are French-derived. Yes, even PHO! Pho is actually a Vietnamese spelling of Feu (French word). Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia were French colonies, so don’t be surprised to see all of those French dishes in Laos and Cambodia as well! They do not belong to Vietnam, but to France, which Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam are entitled to. Noodles, stuffed noodles, steamed buns, and countless other dishes in Vietnam are Chinese-derived. Curries in Vietnam and Lao-derived and Cambodian-derived. Fish sauce dips that accompany many dishes were derived from the Champa kingdom, which included parts of southern Laos, southern Vietnam, and eastern Cambodia. None of those dishes from Champa were originated by the Vietnamese. So please, what is distinct about Vietnamese food? Rice vermicelli? Sorry, those are generic Asian rice noodles that are eaten all over Asia.
Just because you had experienced all of those dishes in Thailand and Vietnam first does not mean that they originated in Thailand and Vietnam. Many of those dishes in Thailand actually originated in Laos. That type of thinking regarding the origins of foods based on which country you traveled to first is very naive, which many tourists are unfortunately guilty. That would be like an Asian traveler trying cheese for the first time while traveling in Italy, and then visiting France and insulting the French for also having cheese in their cuisine, because that Asian traveler had associated cheese with Italian food.
My point is that when you go to Thailand, you don’t care that most of the foods served in Thailand originated in neighboring countries. You just eat the foods without spending your time insulting Thailand for not being distinct. The same thing happens in Vietnam. The majority of the dishes in Vietnam are actually Chinese foods, Lao foods, Cambodian foods, and Champa foods. Yet, when traveling in Vietnam, there is no need to insult Vietnam for not being distinct. You would just eat the foods and simply consider them all as just Vietnamese foods despite their actual origins.
Therefore, why do you feel the need to insult Laos? Because Laos is land-locked? But so is Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic, just to name a few. Just because those countries are land-locked does not mean they don’t have the power to influence neighboring countries. In fact, Austria influencing France (i.e. croissant) is no different than Laos influencing Thailand (i.e. green papaya salad originated in Laos). As far as the physical aspect of being land-locked, those land-locked countries including Laos are more shielded from tsunamis, so there are some perks with being land-locked! As far insulting Laos for having French influences…ummm Vietnam and Cambodia were also once ruled by France. So what’s with the double standards? In fact, Vietnam was under French rule longer than Laos! Laos was the first country out of the three Indochinese countries that had the power to kick the French out, which inspired the Vietnamese to do the same! Don’t forget that Vietnam was under Chinese rule for more than 1000 years! Laos was never under Chinese rule, so if you want to insult a country for being under foreign rule for “61 years”, then you should be insulting Vietnam because it was under not just at least 61 years of French rule, but also more than 1000 years of Chinese rule!
I encourage you to travel to foreign countries by leaving your prejudices and misunderstandings behind especially when it comes to foods. Remember, the origins of Southeast Asian dishes don’t revolve around your itinerary. Don’t go to Laos and insult its foods for what you thought to be lacking distinct features without first doing your research and then maybe you’ll learn that those foods actually originated in Laos, but were adopted by neighboring countries including Thailand and Vietnam. Remember, Thailand and Vietnam share borders with Laos, so it’s no surprise that both of those countries have Lao elements in their cuisines. Since those are Lao elements, this means Lao cuisine is actually very distinct and also very delicious might I add. But if you do feel the need to insult countries for lacking distinct culinary elements, then really you should be insulting Thailand and Vietnam if only only you knew the truth behind their cuisines. So travel in Laos with a clear mind and lose the negativity. I especially love Laos and its Lao cuisine. It’s my favorite in Southeast Asia.
To Runaway Brit,
There is no need to feel sorry for Laos. I actually feel sorry for you for insulting a country that you’ve never even visited. Laos does not need an educated tourist like you.
Laos is known for its beautiful mountains, Luang Prabang’s processions, and amazing Lao silk making culture.
Thailand is known for its beautiful beaches.
Cambodia is known for its Angkor Wat.
Using your logic, should we insult Thailand for not having an Angkor Wat? Or should we insult Thailand for not having mountains as beautiful as that of Laos? Should we also insult Thailand for not having Luang Prabang or its Luang Prabang culture? Remember, Laos has won numerous tourism awards for it’s tourist attraction called Luang Prabang. Should one go to Thailand and complain about it for lacking its own Luang Prabang?
Should we insult Cambodia for not having mountains as beautiful as Laos’? Or beaches as beautiful as Thailand’s? Or a Buddhist city that is rich in culture and as lively as Luang Prabang, Laos?
My point is each of those countries have their own tourist attractions, which is what makes them unique! Don’t be a fool by insulting a country for not having a tourist attraction that exists in ANOTHER country. That would be like insulting Thailand for not having Egyptian pyramids. Please don’t be so foolish.
To the author of this article,
Even when you’ve found a nice thing to say about Laos in regards to its Beerlao, you’ve managed to insult it at the same time. What is with your desire to insult Laos every chance you get? Yes, Lao beers are of better quality than Thai beers, but guess what? The ingredients that go into making Thai beers are also imported except for the rice! What is with your double standards? Lao beers are delicious, so just enjoy the beer and leave out your negativity.
You believe that quality is decreased going from Thai to Lao? If that were the case, then why do Thai people buy products from Laos to sell in Thailand? Lao goods are usually organic and/or made by hand unlike in Thailand that have crops that use a lot of pesticides or goods that are of lower quality because they were machine-made. Have you not seen hand-made Lao silk textiles? They’re amazing! Based on what I’ve seen, quality actually goes down from Lao to Thai. Beers and silk textiles are examples of that.
For goods that are imported, Laos is also definitely not the only country that imports goods. Have you heard of America? Even goods in Thailand are imported. Thailand even imports goods from Laos and Vietnam. So what is the big deal with Laos importing goods from other countries including Thailand? If you think imported goods in Laos are of lower quality, then blame the country that manufactured those goods! Blame Thailand or another neighboring country for manufacturing such low quality items. For example, if Thai goods are of low quality, then that’s Thailand’s problem. They’re the ones that made those exported goods, not Laos! Judge Laos for its own quality goods rather than goods that were manufactured in another country. Please use common sense.
By the way, Laos has 4G cellular service, whereas Thailand only has 3G. That’s another perk of traveling in Laos.
If you’re claiming that most of the goods in Laos are imported from neighboring countries including Thailand, then Thai goods must be inferior, since those are the goods that you’ve claimed to have been imported into Laos. So blame Thailand or another neighboring country for manufacturing goods of lower quality. Why blame Laos for a product that it didn’t even make? When in Laos, judge Laos for its own goods. Many people travel to Laos to buy its exquisite goods in lovely places like Luang Prabang. I don’t go to the U.S. and insult the country for having low quality Chinese products that were imported into the U.S. I would blame China, not the U.S. The same principle applies when judging low quality Thai products sold in other countries including Laos. Blame Thailand for not having higher manufacturing standards. Look into Lao manufactured goods if you want to judge Laos’ quality of goods.
Lastly, higher prices does not mean lower quality. Everyone pretty much knows that goods sold in America are more expensive than goods sold in Asia. Using your logic, does this mean that every product sold on U.S. store shelves are of low quality? I don’t know about you, but I don’t equate higher prices with lower quality. Most people actually don’t think like you. Lower quality goods are cheaper than higher quality goods. That’s just common sense.
You’re the dumbest traveller ever. All the things you mentioned you did not like, are actually part of Lao culture. If you’re an actual “traveller” you would have noticed and “got with it”. P.S. I mentioned already, but you’re a dumbass and you should stop travelling and stay in your own country because obviously it is better.
Kind regards,
A real traveller
Hi Stephen,
Just seen your site by chance. I like your frank opinion. Forget about Seeker and Rik’s comments. Those are more emotional than realistic. 3G versus 4G? that’s bull…I have been to both Thailand and Laos three times and also to Vietnam once.
IMO, I cannot really compare Laos with Thailand and especially not with Vietnam, as Laos is an underpopulated and landlocked country, also Vietnam is much more crowded and Thailand is more developed. And the people are also different, especially between the laid-back Lao and the more dynamic and aggressive Viet. Most people who were disappointed by Laos are usually those who had been “hyped” by other travelers who themselves fell in love with the laid-backness of the country. Laos is too different, compared with other ASEAN countries. You love it or hate it. If you hate the chaos/rudeness of Vietnam or Thailand chances are that you may like Laos.
For the first time in 2000 when I went from Thailand to Laos it was a big shock. It was like going from a big crowded relatively modern city suddenly back in time to a small city in 1970. People looked at you and smiled while leaving you alone. I liked it.
As for the food, the Lao people actually have their own dishes that are very unique to people of Lao ethnicity in Laos and in northeastern Thailand (Isaan). But the Thai have now created their own varieties out of Lao-Isaan dishes, and most young Thai have no idea that those are actually Lao food. When I once looked at the dishes shown in Thai food list as being among one of the world top ten best cuisines, I was surprised to see several of them are actually what the Lao people have always considered as their national dishes.
The big difference is that Lao people don’t hurry (or are too lazy as you said) to improve/multiply and promote/advertise their food, unlike the Thai and Viet. As you can see Lao people are not good at doing business. Quite a few dishes that you eat in some Thai restaurants are actually of Lao origin (varieties of beef jerky, of paya salad, non-noodle soups etc). Some foreigners have mistaken some dishes they eat in Lao restaurants as cheap imitations of Thai food (or dirty Thai).
IMO Lao food is influenced to some extent by Viet food (Pho, Nem, etc..) because of the French colonization, but not by Thai food. Unlike the Thai, Lao people acknowledge what is Viet dish in Laos by calling it by its original Viet name, even though those dishes have been changed to suit Lao taste. On the other hand, most Lao people can’t really pinpoint what is real Thai food the way they can do with Viet, Chinese or Indian food. It’s like something not too distinct from Lao food or something made with curry and noodles like Chinese and Indian. If you look at menus in Thai restaurants you can see that many of them are preceded by the word “Thai” (the mark of not being original). Myself I like Thai food because it can be anything (variety and choice) and most of them taste good.
Anyway, the Lao themselves are now learning the art of improving/mordernizing/promoting their own food to foreigners as the number of tourists to the country keeps increasing rapidly in recent years. If you have a chance to go to Laos again try some of those Lao restaurants, like Vientiane Kitchen on HengBoun Road that I liked.
Cheers,
Jim
Are you serious? Talking about racism and lack of culture when your own country has barely a couple of hundred years of racist history?
Hey Simon, Thanks for your thoughts. Laos is a great place to travel and I would still recommend traveling there. I have even been back to Laos two times since writing this. There are reasons I like (and even love) Laos, but in this post I was just expressing some things I didn’t like about Laos. You are right, I didn’t expect or deserve such hateful comments, but I got them anyway. I appreciate your comments.
Thailand is also a great place to travel (especially the north) and can be easily combined with a trip to Laos. Please let me know if you’ve got an more questions.
I have been wanting to visit Thai and Lao for quiet a long time, and serious reconsider this my number one option to where I should go this holiday. For those that can read this comment, it is probably a long time forward since this discussion about Lao’s culture started. I worked as a bartender in a LAO/THAI restaurant for four years and the kitchen staff composed of people from both countries. I believed my knowledge of That and Lao food to an extent is a lot better than most people and I aggree with what most of the people saying above. Before someone start to critisize my comment let it be a reminder that the topic of this discussion created by Stephen is “why I don’t like Lao”. Now i know everyone has their own opinion, and I respect them no matter what it is, since it is your own point of view. However, to disagree or even insult other people comment about Lao or wherever is quiet rude, biased and not to mentioned, a quality of racism. Every one got a thing they don’t like or like about something, what is wrong of not liking something if it doesn’t fit your taste, like I said, everything has two sides to it. My point is, before wanting to comment or disagree with other people opinions, think carefully about what you would says. In another words, your tone and type of languages. It is 2013 people. We are all civilised people. Please act that way. It hurt me to see people fighting over and over about who is correct, while I just want an honest and simple answer about the place I’m going this holiday
To Seeker: Thai food are diiferent north east central and south. I’m from Chiang mai(Lanna) (Laos is Lan Xang)we have different food then Laos , we use almost same Language. I think the east part of Thailand (Isan) is very very similar to Laos they use the same Language and same cuisine as papaya salade and more…
and Thai food that we eat at home is not green curry red curry or pad thai. you have to learn more. you shoud come to visit my house in Chiang mai my mother and sister make really good food Lanna cuisine and you will see the different naja hihi
Thank You for your thoughts im actually doing a project for my IB English class and this was very helpful thank you keep it up!
I am Laotian and your article is very insulting. Yes my country isn’t perfect and we may seem insignificant to the world, but you don’t need to insult a country that has gone through so much during the war. You do not know the history. You are evidently a racist towards Laotian and you are blindly classifying every Laotians as lazy and unfriendly. How dare you compare Laos to other countries. You don’t need to belittle a country that is struggling to develop and modernize. It seems you have not really looked at Laos or even the history, but instead you magnified all the little things you didn’t like or isn’t up to your standards. You have an unlikable and pompous attitude. I would never say anything bad about any country, I am not like that. and you would be the most unpleasant guest to any country.
which Thai dishes originated from Lao? what’s the evidences? when Lao dishes prepared by using Thai products like fish sauce or shrimp paste. Seriously people who claim that they’re the original recipe, but can’t produce their own food products and your people don’t usually eat out, while Thai food can be found in almost every corner of Thailand. Lao people also live abroad like Thai or Vietnamese, but can’t make their own food popular like others. That says a lot! it means you don’t have good recipes. I suggest you find good recipes on Youtube or Thai TV programs that you always watch. Good luck!
The double pricing system for locals and foreigners definitely does not sound very pleasant to any visitors in any part of the world. But as you have also noted that the locals needed an economic boost as some of them can’t even afford a domestic travel, I don’t see why people would still make it a big issue out of it. I felt very sad whenever people have traveled to South East Asia and talked about how little they have spent and yet got so stingy when it comes to spending an extra dollar or two for the economic benefits of the locals.
I’m in Laos at the moment. I’m a solo female middle age traveller. I have been in SE Asia for two and half years. I love it here but not Laos, for all the reasons mentioned in this article. I feel amongst a lot of the Lao people I’m not even considered a human being. I would have stayed only for four or five days but unfortunately I have a plane ticket and too expensive to change it.
I believe the fairly recent history of the heavily USA bombing of this region has a lot to do with the attitude of the people towards Western looking people. They see us as all the same regardless which country one comes from and perhaps the reason why, as per the article, travelling with an Asian looking person got a different response from the locals.
Anyway, I can’t wait to leave.
Currently in Laos this is my second visit here, its a beautiful country and not full of old fucking Americans with really young Asian girls. I’ve found the place to be welcoming and super relaxed perhaps the opposite to southern Thailand, where people are waiting to rip you off all over the place. Don’t believe too much of the review this guys given,Laos is a magical place despite what that that Toto says…love Laos…
It is normal to barter with merchants even if you are a native. How do you know that you are paying more? You can always bargain down to whatever price is acceptable to you, just like everybody else (Laotian or foreign). I’ve bargained things down to ridiculous prices and then regretted it when I realized it was so little in dollar terms. I’ve also paid a lot more than a native would for some things (when I didn’t care to bargain), even though I look and talk like a native. But restaurant prices are fixed, and you are going to pay the same rate as anybody else that sits down there.
Many things are imported and are more expensive. You will get what you pay for. Someone in another blog post was complaining about how his tuk tuk fare was the equivalent of a meal or something like that, without realizing that all fuel in Laos is imported and expensive. There is no “local price” for fuel.
I’m a Laotian-born American, and I don’t fault you for your observations. You’re not the first or only one who has made them. The country has long had a reputation as Lao “Please Don’t Rush.” And that can be frustrating. I found myself yelling at the tailor once in Vientiane after coming back over and over again and the job never getting done. I don’t think there’s a need to get to the bottom of the why of it, because nobody really cares. I mean you can take a jab at it. It’s a pre-industrialized country, there’s no rule of law, a despotic regime, corruption, landlocked, underpopulation, poor, hot climate, religion/superstition, wars and so on. One can hope that things get better, but it will be at a slow pace.
As for culture, as some people in this thread have observed, it’s a little bit clouded by the fact that the majority of Lao people live in Thailand and so what you might think is Thai is actually Lao. Papaya salad, sticky rice and so on. Musically, the khene and lam music are distinctively Lao. Female attire is distinctively Lao. There may be some subtleties that foreigners find hard to see, because of the close cultural affinities between Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. But the Lao do have a unique textile tradition, a unique architecture, a unique style of buddhist statuary, unique music and unique cuisine. The baci ceremony, rocket festival, fireboats, etc. are Lao. So I think they have a unique culture. I would not argue that it is radically different from their Thai (both Central and Northern) neighbors, because they come from the same ethnolinguistic stock, speak nearly the same language and diverged relatively recently in human history. But it is unique. And keep in mind that both the Thai and Lao were equally influenced by the Khmer who established their civilization well before the Thai/Lao migration into that region.
Whether Lao culture will be resilient or not in the long term, is debatable. My impression is that generally Lao people are more than happy to assimilate whatever they like (pho for example) and don’t get nationalistic over food and other things.
Another thing to mention is that Laos has numerous cultures besides the Lao: Hmong, Mien, Khmu, etc. And they all have their unique traditions and represent a fairly sizable minority.
I love Laos. Of course I’m kind of biased, but I think you could do a lot worse than Laos. I do wish a lot of things would change, but I don’t think they will anytime soon, at least. And I wish some things never change, but I know they will.
I found your article to be racist. After the events at Ferguson, I cannot ignore instances of racism when I come across it.
This is the worst article I have ever read!
Yours truly,
Too Lazy to Hate
Maybe they’re still mad about the 270 million tons of cluster munitions we dropped on their heads. -/(‘-‘)\-
Hi!
I wrote my blog about Laos two days ago (after being here for 2 weeks) and then I found your one. It’s impossible how similar our blogs are! Now it is 3,5 years from your one and not much has changed here, apart from tourists being scammed even more and on every corner. If we did not do the Gibbon Experience in Huay Xai I would say the Laos has been just one expensive mistake on our SE Asia trip. We planned to go to Cambodia via Laos but now we changed a plan – going to cross Thailand. And I can’t wait to be in Thailand again. It’s pity for Laos but I feel I do not have any more energy to spend more time here.
I have been to Laos in 2011 and found that everything in Vientiane was more expensive than Thailand. It’s made me surprised a lot. Standard living in Laos higher than Thailand although Laos is one of the poorest country in the world. At that time, I crossed border Thailand-Laos at north-eastern Thailand (Isaan) to Vientiane and planed to stay overnight in their capital city. Big different between Thai and Laotian. Thais are always friendly to foreigner and always smile to visitors (and also scare to our pockets and thought that how to pull our money out…haha). Too opposite way in Laos, Laotian hardly smile and not so friendly personality. At that trip I felt Laotian guide tried to attack Thailand and said a lot of bad things in Thailand such as problem of politic, prostitute, imitated cuisines, history, etc. but I never heard Thai guides attacked any neighboring countries. After one day trip in Vientiane, I cancelled overnight planning in Laos because of several reason. The first one was hotel charge. Accommodation in Vientiane too expensive when compare with the Thai quality, around twenty-five US dollars we can get the fair accommodation near the Thailand-Laos bordered bridge in Thailand. Therefore, at that time after one day trip in Vientiane, I came back to take overnight in Thailand. The second reason was, in addition to expensive room, hotel service was not so good. For example, there were no free wifi service in Vientiane hotel. You must pay around 1-2 US dollars per hour and the hotel charge was not including tax and service charge (you have to pay more). I remembered that I returned back to find out Thai hotels and I took a rest in small aircon hotel with totally 800 bahts(26-27 US dollars) including tax, service charge, wifi, light breakfast. Someone above said Laos has 4G cellular service and Thailand has only 3G. It’s wrong. Laos also has 3G service in Vientiane. You can rent cellular phone in mobile shop in Vientiane and seem that the mobile shop warned me about 3G area only in Vientiane and can’t use in sub urban and countryside area. Far different from Thailand, 3G cellular services are almost full endorse capacity in every corner of Thailand.
Hmm firstly its sad to see people fighting over one persons expression of how he feels. I am in laos right now and seriously its one of the most beautiful place and i have met some really noce people… but sorry to say that this place is a rip off by all means.. transport sucks and they charge u alot for it… they dont stick to whay you agree on.. thats y i have stopped paying them beofre hand.. i tell them.. the money is in mynpocket..i pay you the moment you drop mr where i want to go.. yes the beer is good .. so is the weed and the mushrooms.. and most of the people.. but i am really upset, with the money value of thos country.. everything is imported here.. its not a rich country.. i so dont understand how people even live here.. seriously i feel bad for the local nice people here… all in all i love how laos is naturally but i dont like this place becuz of what the people made me feel…
I am in Vientiane right now and will sum it up in 4 words – Not for the fussy.
Yes, I admit I am a fussy traveler who has been to India (lived for 3 years), Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, England.
Nothing prepared me for Laos and I am authentic Chinese born in another country (won’t tell you which one), no different color from them, I am polite and smile often.
Today I already met a few people whom I sense was mocking me, asking me all sorts of questions why I travel alone, what I am doing, how much money do I make or jealous of the fact that I am a young Asian woman traveling solo and have $ to burn (just paid 400 000 kip at a famous spa) the therapist treated me badly.
I hate Loas too ! fuck Loas !
I was not surprised to read this. In my experience is that much travel is ‘heaven and hell.’ You pay for one with the other. In Laos the heaven far outweighed the hell. That was in 2003, 2006, 2010. Yes the impact of increased tourism grew over that time. You must remember the people you meet who are in the tourist industry do not reflect the population as a whole. I remember thinking I hope the backpacker set stick to Vang Vieng where they can tube drunkenly, and leave the rest of the country alone. I met very few Westerners where I went. A little Thai language goes a long way.
https://picasaweb.google.com/101225433989328313056/Laos2003
https://picasaweb.google.com/101225433989328313056/Laos2006LuangPrabang
https://picasaweb.google.com/101225433989328313056/Laos2006VangVieng
https://picasaweb.google.com/101225433989328313056/Laos2006Vientiane
https://picasaweb.google.com/101225433989328313056/Laos2006RoadToNongKhiaw
https://picasaweb.google.com/101225433989328313056/Laos2006LastLegPakBengSayabouriToVientianeTheBackWay
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I am Lao, I am doing this comment does not mean to prevent my country.
However, I guess the writer might had unlucky days visiting Laos. For myself, I love traveling across my country and I still confirm that Laos will make you impress, but it should not the way you wish it to be, but they way it be.
I have friends in many countries, when they ask me what is best things to do in Laos? what should they plan to visit, to eat, to rock? I don’t have answer for them, but what my advise for my friends is When you go to Laos, you just do nothing. Throw away all your busy life and just walk to Laos, let the day lead you to enjoy its charm, particularly in Laung Prabang, Oudomxay, Thakhek, Pakse, Don Deth.
If you really want to find best thing of Laos, never build high expectation, but enjoy with day to day, and enjoy the real Laos, do not compare with France, Thailand, Vietnam or Korea.
Cheers,
PS: if you go to Laos, email me [email protected] I will give your free Beer Lao… LOL
Love you all
I am Laotian 1000%. You don’t know about Laos people well. Lao people are friendly with foreigners people if you do something good. the Lao nation people are friendly with any nation in the wold. If you have some problem contact me i guaranty you you are king! Do not say Lao nation like that! I give you one case of Beerlao. Thank you!
Hey guys, I used to be tour guide with Wildside Asia before but now study MA in Hungary, I read almost you guys feedback, Some feedback you pitch in is worthy for us Laotian to be improve but however so far I read and I agree positive more than negative! some is true negative!!
I would love to visit my birth place!. But know nothing about it besides reading and researching. To my understanding i left Laos as the reflection of the Vietnam war. And as i understand it i was about 2 yrs old. My parents dont talk much about it. It must have been bad to leave feeling to leave home. But im 43 now and Laos is in my bucket list! You my friend are very lucky to travel and be there. But did you have to say Lao people are Lazy?. Man i sure hope they are! as i will be one of them when i go!. Im very tired or working over here in the West!. Its almost time for retirement!. Can’t wait!!. Hi to all the Lao people over there!!. Hope to see that beautiful country soon!.
Tholakhong (July 21, 2015), sounds like a pretty good reflection of the Lao people I know and love from my visits.
Keep smiling man. Haterz gonna hate. I will send you an email, as I hope to be back there in December; we’ll have a Beer Lao!
And Billy Lakkham, I hope you see your birthplace real soon.
I agree. They’re some friendly ones, but most of them are fake.
They’re loud, talk mean things, and are racist.
I hated Laos. I had food poising and insects (termites) crawling over my clothes . When I complained to the owner of the syri 1 guest house in Vientiane I was attacked by one of the staff and they called the police (four of them). I was then mugged in the street near the Mekong river and my passport stolen. I will never set foot in that fucking country again !
I couldn’t agree more, Stephen.. We actually have the same experienced during my travels in Laos and Cambodia. Exactly what had happened. But will still visit these countries in the future. Enjoy travelling!
Fully agree with Seeker.
Saying that Lao doesn’t have much to offer in terms of food when compared to Thailand is plain ignorant. As seeker said Thai food is just Lao, Indian and Chinese food. It doesn’t matter that they successfully brainwashed the people and made them believe they invented those foods, the facts are the facts. Som Tam? Tom Yam? Hahah They tried to make the dishes from the people they berate (even their own national from Lao origin) their own.
I am from Laos living in Australia, maybe you should spend some time with a host Lao family to get a real experience. Laos people like to live in communities and once you are immersed within this community, you are generously loved and looked after. Your experiences as a tourist or feelings as an ‘outsider’ is common as a traveller and being in Laos is no different to any other country. You probably need to make more of an effort to the people of Laos and they will welcome you warmly. I am not a haggler and in all of my travels, I have actually overpaid for some items but to me that extra dollar goes a long way over there where as it is nothing to me and it is a small price to pay for their living. In terms of Laos food, I think you really need to have experienced food cooked in a Laos home. Only then will you understand if you like it or not. Laos food is quite strong and not for the faint hearted! It is definitely something you need to need to get used to in terms of taste and smell, smell is a big one! My boyfriend, who is French cannot stand the smell of Laos food! The Laos style Paw Paw salad is not for a weak stomach – the Thai salad is not even similar so you cannot compare. What you say about Lao people being lazy i don’t know. A lot work very hard but they also will rest a lot too. Perhaps it is the weather, but to me they just prefer life over work, I mean don’t we all. They can live happily with little earnings and be satisfied with their lives without the consumerism that we are thrashed with. It’s just their way of life. I wouldn’t call it lazy. They are very easy going people with a huge focus on family and community so in that sense they know what is important in their lives. Make an effort to speak Laos to the people and they will return with generosity and kindness. Don’t go there as a tourist and expect to be treated as a Laotian. Same goes for any country to be honest.
I have spent about a total of a month in Laos now. Been to Suvannakhet, Four Thousand Islands, Wat Phu in Champasak, Vang Vieng, Vientiane, and Luang Prabang, planning on going to the plain of jars next week. I’ve enjoyed all of the places that I’ve been to. Cycling through the countryside and taking in the scenery is one the best things. Swimming in the rivers, lagoons and waterfalls is another. Laos is not really that expensive. The only place where I paid more than 100,000 kip to stay somewhere was in Vientiane. I quite liked Vientiane, despite unfavourable reviews on the internet. The food has been OK, so long as I can get pizza and coffee I’m happy! I have had some nice local food here too. Vang Vieng was probably the worst for food, but manageable. I have lived in Thailand for twelve years, but being English I can only eat rice for so long before craving bread, cheese, pizza etc. One thing that makes my travels easier in Laos is that I speak Thai, and Lao is the same as one of the Thai dialects. Because of this, I can speak with people quite easily and find people to be quite friendly on the whole. I think that trying to live like a local would be hard-going. I’m quite happy to live like a tourist. The question is: can I have a nice holiday here? and the answer is yes.
Know the real history of Laos. Thailand – Vietnam… why you think they are out there. Lao still hold tradition compared to the other two.
Laos is known for papaya salad…sticky rice…laaaap(poultry)….gang(poultry stew)…dried beef or fied fish…..and volleyball with your feet lol
I thinks some Laotian are nationalism without fact.
Somtam (papaya salad ) is not origin from Laos. Don’t forget Laos is landlock country and papaya is the native plant of latin America. It’s impossible that Laotians would known papaya before Khmersor Thai. Chili also origin from Latin. With same reason Laotian can’t claim papaya salad as Laos origin.
notice: every that Laotians claim. you must request evidence from them. In ASEAN culture page. No one see any evidences from Laos. But for Vietnamese or Thais, they chat with evidence such as antiques book, portrait, etc.
Pho from Vietnam or Tom yam from Thailand also. OK,it may be origin from outside their countries but they adapted into their uniques recipe which everyone on earth accept but Laos can’t accept.
I visited Vientiane and was assaulted and robbed. I will never visit Laos again !!