Laos forum

Sorry, I forgot to add that I don't have a credit card so I will bge using debit cards.

Although I didn't use them, I saw ATM's in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and That Teng). I was surprised to see them (two of them!) - in That Teng, a small junction town in the Plateau. I guess it means that are starting to pop up in the small towns now as well, which is good news for travellers and local alike.

I chose not to use them though because of the fees and the ridiculous minimal withdrawal amounts allowed, and instead preferred to carry enough cash to see me through.

"You should be able to change Dong into Kip when you arrive, but I'd carry some US$ as well."


We flew into Vietienne last week from Hanoi, and you can not change Dong into Kip at the ariport. They told us it was worthless now we were out of the country. However there is a Western Union in Vietienne that will change Dong into Kip, but only the plastic notes.

Thanks for your help It seems that ATM is not the way to go I like to use the country's currency whenever possible so I guess that the best option is to carry some cash and exchange it at the border. Are Euros ok or it has to be Dollars?

Don't get me wrong - you can still use most ATMs most of the time where they exist in major towns, but just have a backup plan. I usually bring a stack of Thai 1000 baht notes (or for you it could be Euros) change to kip as needed and use ATMs to get more. $USD are only useful when paying for your visa, airline tickets, and if staying at a posh hotel that lists prices in $. Otherwise it's pretty much kip all the way.

Laos is one of the few places where I still use travellers checks. I keep a few as an emergency back up. But on my last few trips, I noticed that Lao Development Bank gave a slightly better exchange rate for TCs and did not have a service charge either.

As Bob-O says, kip is the way to go these days, but you can always swap those dollars or euros or 1000 baht notes into kip as needed. If you carry a few smaller notes with you then you can buy just those few extra kip you need before you cross the border into your next destination.

The ATM network in Laos is much much better than it was even 5 years ago, but they are still few and far between when compared to places like Thailand or Indonesia. It is smart to have a back up plan, which for me includes a few TCs in addition to at least two days cash on hand - just in case. Regards.

I tried to use my debit card over the counter in Thailand & no go. We have a different system in Canada in that your debit card is not linked to your credit card.

I was under the impression TC's were a hassle in Laos and that there was a high commission?

Found this: "*American Express does not approve the sale or use of its products, or any services related to its products in the following countries: Burma (Myanmar), Cuba, Iran and Sudan. American Express further does not recommend the use of Travelers Cheques in Syria, North Korea, Albania, Algeria, Laos, Libya, Nigeria, Haiti, Congo, Lebanon, Pakistan, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, SAO-Tome and Ivory Coast."

yes on the AMEX site: http://www.aetclocator.com/us/ - fine print

"At ANZV’s ATM you can withdraw up to 2 million Kip (US$241.5) at a time and up to 4 times a day (total of 8 million Kip per day). The transaction fee is 20,000 Kip per transaction." - Another source says it's a 40,000 Kip fee.

If I understand correctly, there are ATMs in noted cities in Laos, and, given the cost of living and the ability to make multiple withdrawals (early in the day), an ATM card can be very useful in Laos?How about Cambodia? Thanks.

I'm wondering if this might be a better idea to cut down on fees... as the withdrawal limit in Thailand is 20,000 baht, I might be better off withdrawing the max amount there and then changing it to KIP ?