Is Laos worth it?

[JustGo]

One of the biggest hassles of Southeast Asia is the strict rules governing tourist visits, such as proof of onward travel and 30-day stay limits (with very high costs for immigration services). A foreign guy I talked to in the Philippines said that his six month extension cost him 10,000 pesos, plus a 3000 peso fee for expedition. That's 230 dollars!

My Thailand stay expires January 4th, but my departure flight to Kuala Lumpur has no fee for date changes. It's tempting to hop across the border and pay $40 to get a 30 day Laotian visa. After re-entering Thailand in February, I would get 15 days in country before I have to catch my (postponed) flight to Malaysia.

Alternately, I can pay $54 for a 30 day visa-free extension in Thailand. It's the comfiest option, as there is an immigration office here in Khon Kaen, and I don't have to deal with the ordeal of traveling either north to Vientiane (250 km) or south to Bangkok (450 km) after New Year's Day.

The weather is a major factor in postponing Malaysia. With this dry winter air coming down from China, it is so amazingly comfortable up here. My room is 74 degrees with the balcony door open right now; I haven't used the A/C since I arrived. Why not enjoy this weather as long as it lasts?

 

[AlexBrown84]

khon kaen is nice i was there last year right before christmas

girls in laos aren’t that good and dating apps are pretty much dead. but they have high speed chinese trains if you’re interested in infrastructure and some nice waterfalls

many people stay indefinitely in malaysia on tourist visas just leaving the country for a day without any repercussions

 

[AlexBrown84]

some pics from laos when i was there

 

[Friar Tuck]

Never been to Laos but I might go next year.

I'm going to do 90 days in Thailand then decide.

I'll probably just end up flying straight to Danang in Vietnam. I want to spend some time in Hanoi as well.

I always come to Thailand with a 60 day visa then extend 30 days.

 

[AlexBrown84]

Never been to Laos but I might go next year.

I'm going to do 90 days in Thailand then decide.

I'll probably just end up flying straight to Danang in Vietnam. I want to spend some time in Hanoi as well.

I always come to Thailand with a 60 day visa then extend 30 days.

they still have 60 day visas? i thought it ended last year

 

[Friar Tuck]

they still have 60 day visas? i thought it ended last year

Yeah, in Thailand they've always kept the 60 day e visa.

Beginning of this year it was the Education visa they stopped because of all the Chinese scammers. They've brought it back now though.

I've always come out to Thailand with my 60 days. Never any trouble at immigration.

 

[kamster]

many people stay indefinitely in malaysia on tourist visas just leaving the country for a day without any repercussions

as far as i know there's a limit now, you can be in malaysia 90 days in every 180 days

 

[biggunsar]

some pics from laos when i was there

some pics from laos when i was there

View attachment 3681View attachment 3682

View attachment 3681

jesus christ on a bicycle, that's the ugliest fucking bear i have ever seen. its' like a bear with downs syndrome or something LOL...holy fuck. it's got snot all over its face...wtf....i was not ready for this level of laughter.

 

[JustGo]

Okay, forget Vietnam. Too many people, too much noise, too much hustle and bustle. Pickpockets, scammers, greedy assholes. VN is no place for an introvert who loves peace and quiet. I'd just end up depressed as fuck hiding in my room for 22 hours a day. Plus, getting to Hanoi from Denver is such an ordeal, even if all the connections go smoothly. At least 43 hours with no sleep, fuck that.

So much comfier to fly Denver to Bangkok with a 24 hour layover in Istanbul. Zero stress over missing a connection, zero stress upon arrival with Bangkok's metro system. As an added bonus, Turkish Airlines might even comp my hotel for the night in Istanbul.

I'm once again considering Laos as a geomaxxing destination that will jive well with my introverted, low-stimulation personality. Population density is barely a tenth of Vietnam and the Philippines. My mind gets overwhelmed when dealing with so many damn people, I can't even begin to pick a friend or a potential date out of the sea of faces. Laos has beautiful mountains, small towns and quiet streets perfect for strolling around or learning to ride a rental motorbike.

girls in laos aren’t that good and dating apps are pretty much dead.

That's exactly what I want to hear. Laos' struggling economy and low tourist numbers means that local girls are still relatively unspoiled and not obsessed with online dating, social media vanity and status chasing like the urbanized & booming parts of SEA. Conservative local culture suits me fine, let's notice each other at your mom's restaurant three or four times before I introduce myself. Another big plus, the winter climate in northern Laos is amazingly pleasant. With nighttime temps dipping to 15 C from December through March, I can sleep without A/C and eat the bugs just like the locals.

 

[kamster]

Conservative local culture suits me fine, let's notice each other at your mom's restaurant three or four times before I introduce myself.

how as a low energy sperg would you perform this maneuver in details
i need to stop using dating apps

 

[Marco Pumpo]

Okay, forget Vietnam. Too many people, too much noise, too much hustle and bustle. Pickpockets, scammers, greedy assholes. VN is no place for an introvert who loves peace and quiet. I'd just end up depressed as fuck hiding in my room for 22 hours a day.

wait, what? have you actually been to vietnam before? sure, bangkok is more convenient, but if you are just assuming these things i think you should give it a try before ditching vietnam.

Laos' struggling economy and low tourist numbers means that local girls are still relatively unspoiled and not obsessed with online dating, social media vanity and status chasing like the urbanized & booming parts of SEA. Conservative local culture suits me fine, let's notice each other at your mom's restaurant three or four times before I introduce myself. Another big plus, the winter climate in northern Laos is amazingly pleasant. With nighttime temps dipping to 15 C from December through March, I can sleep without A/C and eat the bugs just like the locals.

that sounds good indeed.

in case you plan on an expedition into the laotian jungle outbacks, you might wanna look into getting the dengue vaccine that has been approved recently (especially if you had dengue before).

another thing to keep in mind about laos: worst english proficiency of ALL countries

 

[JustGo]

wait, what? have you actually been to vietnam before? sure, bangkok is more convenient, but if you are just assuming these things i think you should give it a try before ditching vietnam.

in case you plan on an expedition into the laotian jungle outbacks, you might wanna look into getting the dengue vaccine that has been approved recently (especially if you had dengue before).

another thing to keep in mind about laos: worst english proficiency of ALL countries

View attachment 8098

It's unbelievable how poor Laotians are. Average wage is barely over $100/month, makes the Philippines look wealthy. Seems their country sits at the bottom of a lot of rankings.
Definitely gonna want to bring a water filter and a good stash of Aquatabs to Laos. Right now I'm down to a couple dozen.
Thanks for the tip about the dengue vaccine. Gonna be visiting Laos during the winter dry season, mosquitoes shouldn't be an issue.
I'm not ditching Vietnam completely, just putting it off until later. It is right next door to Laos, after all.
Tentative itinerary: Thailand - 10/19 through 12/17, Laos - 12/17 through 2/15 (one visa extension), Vietnam - 2/15 through 5/15, etc.

how as a low energy sperg would you perform this maneuver in details
i need to stop using dating apps

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