It includes new information under Local travel car rental discounts (boats travelling on the Mekong River in the golden triangle area have been have been robbed and shot at in the past). The overall level of the advice has not changed. We continue to advise Australians to exercise normal safety precautions in Laos.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
You are advised to avoid any protests or demonstrations car rental discounts and follow the instructions of local authorities. Curfews may be enforced car rental discounts and can include roadblocks, spot roadside checks and occasional raids on premises.
We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Laos. Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible car rental discounts safety or security risks.
Violence, including bombings, has in the past been used in business and personal disputes. Local law enforcement agencies often lack the resources and capability to effectively deal with such threats. Although foreign travellers are not ordinarily targeted, there is the potential for bystanders to be caught up in such incidents.
Some restaurants in popular tourist locations offer drug-laced car rental discounts food and drink which may contain harmful and unknown substances. The unknown additives in these foods and drinks can be dangerous and may result in serious illness car rental discounts and death. Travellers have been assaulted after accepting 'spiked' food and drink. Never leave food and drink unattended.
Petty crime, including bag snatching by thieves on motorcycles and theft from guest houses, occurs frequently. In the lead up to local festivals, such as Lao New Year in April, there is a significant increase in theft and violent crime.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' car rental discounts cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether car rental discounts your ATM card will work overseas. The ANZ Bank has a head office and various ATMs in Vientiane and an office in Pakse. There are very few other ATMs that accept foreign credit and debit cards in Laos, especially outside car rental discounts of Vientiane, and those that do may be out of order.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone car rental discounts at home.
Your passport is a valuable document car rental discounts that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
Extreme caution is recommended if undertaking river-based sporting activities, including in Vang Vieng. Tourists, including Australians, have been killed or seriously injured while participating in river-based activities such as tubing or jumping into the river. River levels can vary during the year and the presence of debris in the river can make diving or jumping into the river dangerous. Travellers considering participating in river based activities should carefully consider their personal safety and take appropriate precautions. See our Partying Overseas travel bulletin for advice on some of risks and tips on avoiding becoming a victim.
The safety standards car rental discounts Australians might expect of tour operators are not always met, especially when undertaking adventure sports. 'Fast boat' river travel, in particular, can be dangerous due to excessive speed and natural hazards.
Unexploded ordnance is prevalent in many parts of Laos, particularly in Xieng Khouang province (location car rental discounts of The Plain of Jars) and the Lao-Vietnamese border areas along the Ho Chi Minh trail. Straying from established walking paths and roads can be dangerous as affected areas are often unmarked.
Australians travelling independently (not part of a tour group) should contact provincial or district offices, which can provide information on travelling to specific areas. Tourists who wish to camp must obtain permission from local authorities in advance.
It is a requirement to carry identification at all times. Police undertake frequent checks of motorists in towns and have checkpoints in rural areas. Failure to provide car rental discounts identification when requested may result in fines or detention.
Transport within Laos does not generally meet Australian safety standards. Driving in Laos can be hazardous due to poorly maintained car rental discounts roads and vehicles, local driving practices, livestock on rural roads and a lack of road lighting. The number of road accidents and fatalities, particularly at night, has risen sharply in recent years. For further advice, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety .
When you are in Laos, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Non-marital sexual relationships and co-habitation between Lao citizens and foreigners are not permitted car rental discounts under Lao law. Permission for marriage or engagement to a Lao citizen must be granted by the Lao authorities. Penalties for failing to register a relationship include fines and imprisonment.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties for up to 25 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.
Laos does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular services to Australian/Lao dual nationals who are arrested or detained. We recommend you travel on your Australian passport at all times.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, car rental discounts you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations car rental discounts (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. car rental discounts The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while travelling overseas.
Medical facilities in Laos are extremely basic. It is recommended that travellers access medical services across the border in Thailand. The Australian Embassy in Vientiane operates a small medical clinic that may be accessed by Australians. Many doctors and hospitals require cash payment prior to providing services, even for emergency care. In the event of a serious illness car rental discounts or accident, medical evacuation to Bangkok, Thailand would be necessary, costing car rental discounts up to $A18,000 depending on circumstances.
Malaria is a risk in rural areas of Laos. Other mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis, are prevalent in Laos, especially during the rainy season. We recommend you take prophylaxis against malaria and take measures to avoid mosquito bites, including using insect repellent at all times, wearing long, loose-fitting, light coloured clothing and ensuring your accommodation is mosquito proof.
The mosquito-borne disease Japanese encephalitis is found throughout many regions of North, South and South-East Asia and Papua New Guinea. A Japanese encephalitis vaccine is registered for use and is currently car rental discounts available in Australia. For further details please consult car rental discounts your travel health doctor.
Water-borne, food-borne and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, cholera, hepatitis, rabies and tuberculosis) car rental discounts are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, car rental discounts and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
Avian influenza : The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world, including Laos. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website . For more information see our travel bulletin on avian influenza . The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported human deaths from avian influenza in Laos in February and March 2007.
If you are travelling car rental discounts to Laos, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register car rental discounts with the Department of Foreign car rental discounts Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, car rental discounts High Commission or Consulate . The informatio
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