Padded bums are happy bums on the slow boat down the Mekong

1.    ATMs in Laos only let you withdraw 700,000 kip at a time (about $80 USD), so it makes the most sense to withdraw as much as you can in Thailand (which lets you withdraw up to 20,000 baht, or about $650 USD) and then exchange it as you go

2.    Always check the expiry date of packaged food before you buy it – almost everything here is past the expiry date

3.    On a similar note, turn the water bottle upside down before you purchase it, to make sure there are no green floaties in it (I don’t know what they are, but they were in a bottle I almost bought)

4.    A pillow will make your life easier – comfort is a thing of luxury in Laos, and therefore there does not seem to be much of it. If you want help surviving those long boat rides, bumpy bus rides, or board-hard mattresses, some extra padding will go a long way

5.    Don’t bring your camera tubing in Vang Vieng – I lost mine and many others have done the same; it makes it an extremely pricey day

6.    On a similar note, make an effort to not accept all the alcohol that each bartender will try to pour down your throat when you’re tubing in Vang Vieng – it’s much more fun if you can actually remember the tubing experience

7.    The bowling alley in Luang Prabang is overrated (it’s eerie and the lighting is clinical) – the locals head to a club nearby (about 3km away) called Dao Fa, which is open until about 1-2am

8.    Check out Vientiane for yourself before taking other people’s advice on it – many people say it’s not worth staying there more than one night, but I actually found it quite charming

9.    ATMs in Southern Laos are extremely rare (there are a couple in Pakxe, and that’s pretty much it) – exchange or withdraw any money you might need before you head down there

10.    Similarly, internet in Southern Laos is rare, and when you do find it, expensive – you might find yourself disconnected for a while

11.    If you’re going to Cambodia from Laos by bus, do not book your bus ticket farther than Stung Treng (the closest Cambodian border town). Many travelers have been ripped off by purchasing tickets as far as Siem Reap in Cambodia, only to cross the border and find that no one will honour the second leg of their ticket

12.    Bring a stack of pens with you on trip to remote villages. The sweet Lao children will run up to you and ask only for a simple pen. It’s so adorable and heart-wrenching at the same time their faces light up  if you have one to give them. Best is if you have enough for all the children – about 15-20 should do

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