Laos is a small and sleepy country. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit. A lot of people do. It provides a nice break from the hubbub of Thailand. It’s a quiet place with an idyllic lifestyle and lovely ladies. Vientiane is the capital and gateway into Laos for most people. So if you are headed to Laos, you probably want to know how to get from Vientiane airport to your room.
Vientiane airport is officially called “Wattay International Airport.” Everyone in Vientiane just calls it “airport.” The city is really small so there is no confusion. There’s not much of a trip between the airport and town either. It’s basically just one main road. So getting from Vientiane airport to your room is not that difficult.
Getting from Vientiane Airport to your room
Wattay International Airport isn’t very big. It’s fitting for the small city of Vientiane. Most people don’t even go to Vientiane by airplane. They just cross the border with Thailand. It’s just across the river.
If you read our guy’s guide on where to stay in Vientiane, you already know that you should book a room at a guest friendly hotel. There are a few centrally located hotels of varying quality that will let you bring women to your room. They are:
- City Inn Vientiane (Rue Pangkham)
- Lao Plaza Hotel (Rue Samsenthai)
- Mekong Breeze (Rue Ban Sisomsuen Kaulieu)
There is a bus that goes from the airport to the city center. It costs 15,000 Kip. At current exchange rates of 1 US dollar to 8,500 Lao Kip, that is $1.75. It’s not expensive, but it’s not much cheaper than a bus ride in a major western city either. It’s not convenient either. You have to wait for the bus to arrive. Plus, the bus might not stop at your hotel.
Of course you could also take a tuk tuk. The drivers wait outside of the airport. The tuk tuks in Vientiane are big and expensive. They don’t have set prices even though they show you an official-looking “price sheet.” You have to negotiate. That’s never fun to do. Especially when you don’t speak Lao and it’s either hot or raining outside.
We recommend that you just go the taxi counter near the exit. It is clearly marked and you can get a taxi from Vientiane airport to your room easily without a wait. Why ride on a public bus when you can take an air conditioned taxi service door-to-door for just $7? That’s the price for a private taxi to town. Taxi drivers will know where your hotel is located. You won’t get lost or run into trouble.
If you are more of an independent-minded guy you can also rent a car. There is little traffic in Laos, and the driving isn’t crazy like Thailand and Cambodia. Having your own car lets you explore around Laos and gives you a leg up on the competition.
Get a ride from your Lao girlfriend
Do you have a Lao girlfriend? If not, you should. There’s no better feeling than coming out of the airport and seeing your lovely Loation there waiting for you. Chances are she has a motorbike to ride you from the Vientiane airport to your room too. Even if she doesn’t, she can negotiate a great rate for you in the local language.
Laos is one of the few places where it is easier to get a girlfriend online than in person. You’re not going to have a lot of opportunity to chat up women in Vientiane unless you aim for the prostitutes at Bor Pen Nyang. So why not take the time to meet some Laos ladies online? By the time you arrive you can have a cutie ready and waiting for you.
We recommend that you set up an account on Asian Dating so you can start talking to some Lao women before you get to Vientiane. We also recommend a membership to Thai Friendly. There are lots of Lao women on that website. Lao and Thai are close languages and they share a lot across the border including music and dating sites. Plus, if decide to you jump over the border into Thailand you have millions of potential women to meet.
