Laos to Install More Immigration Checkpoints at First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge

The immigration authorities in Laos will construct a dozen more checkpoints before the Lao New Year next month at the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.

Vientiane Mai reports that the construction of 12 more checkpoint units will be completed in time to facilitate the return of Lao workers and visitors from Thailand during the Lao New Year.

Lt. Col Kidone Kivongxay, Deputy Head of Immigration Control at the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, said in the interview that around 6,000 to 7,000 people enter and exit the bridge with 1,000 vehicles crossing over per day on public holidays or festivals.

To help in the effective movement of tourists and residents, several stores inside the immigration area have been removed to provide more space, and the installation of twelve more immigration checkpoints will conclude before next month. Also, the number of parking spots at the bridge will be increased during this time.

Immigration officials in Laos expect to see around 8,000 to 9,000 people crossing the border daily around the Lao New Year when there will be a total of 24 checkpoints in place to aid immigration procedures.

During his recent visit to Laos, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and former Lao PM Phankham Viphavanh, both expressed a desire to develop more friendship bridges between Laos and Thailand.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/03/07/laos-to-install-more-immigration-checkpoints-at-first-lao-thai-friendship-bridge/

Laos-China Railway Ticket Reservation App to Go Live This Month

he Laos-China Railway Company has announced that its long-awaited ticket reservation mobile application will go live from 15 March.

The mobile application, LCR Ticket, is already available for Apple devices on the app store and for Android devices in the Play store.

Visitors and locals alike have been eagerly awaiting the new mobile app since the announcement of its development on the first anniversary of the railway.

The mobile application will make booking train tickets for the Laos-China Railway much more convenient for passengers, allowing them to easily book and manage their journeys on their smartphones. The app will offer various ticket options, including first-class, second-class, and sleeper tickets. Additionally, it will provide information on train schedules, stations, and routes.

After purchasing a ticket via the app, physical tickets will be available at the railway station, while users can reserve a ticket seven days in advance.

Payment methods have yet to be confirmed by the company, but appear to include UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay.

While the railway has been lauded as a groundbreaking and convenient new mode of transport, the Laos-China Railway Company suffered major setbacks throughout its first year of operations due to mismanagement of ticketing systems, leading to continued complaints from the public.

The new online ticketing system via the mobile application is expected to provide greater convenience, satisfying the public and easing the frustration of tour operators.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/03/06/laos-china-railway-ticket-reservation-app-to-go-live-this-month/

Laos-China Railway Sets Record With 10,000 Travelers in One Day

The Laos-China Railway made a new record when 10,000 passengers availed of its services on Saturday, marking the highest passenger transport record since the railway opened in December 2021.

According to a recent Laos-China railway report, the railway also transported 417,400 passengers in the first two months of 2023, which is a 256.2 percent increase over the same period last year.

The railway also ferried 647,700 tons of goods, a 320 percent increase over the same timeframe in 2022, indicating a positive trend in the transportation of passengers and goods.

The Laos-China railway has been monitoring the flow of passengers and organizing sufficient trains to provide services to support the volume of passengers and ensure their safe and convenient travel.

Additionally, the railway now allows more time for passengers to buy their tickets to ensure that they use the train as a preferred mode of transport. It also operates two EMU trains in a row to accommodate more travelers and has increased the number of normal-speed train carriages to 12.

For better customer service, the railway staff has also been trained to communicate in Chinese, English, Thai, and other languages required for international passenger services.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/03/06/laos-china-railway-sets-record-with-10000-passengers-traveling-in-one-day/

Luang Prabang Hotels on Full Capacity Thanks to Chinese Tourists

Following China’s lifting of international border restrictions last month after the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Laos has been on the rise, especially in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang where hotel room reservations are at an all-time high.

According to Vientiane Times, Vice President of the Hotel and Guesthouse Association in Luang Prabang province, Mr. Daophet Bouphaphanh, many Chinese visitors are entering Laos traveling in tempo travelers or private vehicles.

Some tourists have also been visiting and staying in Luang Prabang in motorhomes or campers causing concerns among residents of the peaceful town.

However, Mr. Daophet said that the provincial tourism authority is now working with other stakeholders to improve accommodation and hospitality services to handle a huge visitor influx while assuring that tourists have a great experience during their stay in the popular northern town.

Additionally, several hotels and restaurants in popular areas have started hiring staff who speak English and Chinese to communicate effectively with tourists as well.

Officials at Boten International Checkpoint in Luang Namtha also recently confirmed that many Chinese nationals have been entering Laos for tourism purposes since the reopening of the borders.

Last month, The Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism chaired by the Deputy Minister of Information of Culture, Mr. Ounthouang Khaophan hosted a forum to discuss Laos’ readiness for a prospective inflow of Chinese tourists, with input from various private sector and government authorities.

Laos expects about 368,000 Chinese tourists to visit the country this year.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/02/27/luang-prabang-hotels-on-full-capacity-thanks-to-chinese-tourists/

China Eases Covid Regulations for Travelers from Laos

The Embassy of the Republic of China to Laos has issued a statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform them that starting Wednesday, passengers from Laos will no longer need to provide a negative RT-PCR test result, as an Antigen test will be sufficient.

The statement from the Chinese Embassy stated, “From 1 March 2023, the Republic of China will allow passengers traveling from Laos to be able to enter the country after completing an ATK test, including tests conducted by the individual.”

“Passengers who have tested negative will be able to apply for a health form via QR from the Chinese customs authority, through the application WeChat,” the statement continued.

From 1 March onwards, authorized airlines will also no longer check for a PCR or ATK test for passengers flying to China.

PCR test or in medical terms, polymerase chain reaction, is a test to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a virus. This test must be carried out by medical professionals.

Whereas the ATK (antigen test kit) can be administered by the individual taking the test, although it could be less accurate than the PCR test.

Close to three years after the pandemic was first detected, countries around the world are starting to ease their Covid-19 regulations. Recently, Hong Kong lifted its mask mandate, ending the city’s last major restriction post-pandemic.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/03/01/china-eases-covid-regulations-for-travelers-from-laos/

Laos’ Nam Et-Phou Louey Listed Among Best Night Safaris Globally

Condé Nast Traveler published an article last week on the ten best night safaris in the world, and Laos was the only country from Southeast Asia that made it to the list.

The article featured night safaris from countries like Australia, Tanzania, Ecuador’s Amazon, India, as well as Laos’ national protected park, “Nam Et-Phou Louey.”

The night safari in Laos was recommended as one of the best places to “enjoy the animal kingdom’s after-dark excitement—up to 70 percent of species are active from dusk to dawn, after all—with a soft place to land and dine between excursions.”

According to the article, the park offers “an evening boat ride, followed by a hike and dinner by a campfire, then the ultimate twilight treats: floating down the river beneath a blanket of darkness—with only one torchlight per boat to illuminate the potential leopards, porcupines, and gibbons en route.”

The suggested tour wraps up with a stay in one of the traditional Lao bungalows at the Park Ecolodge.

“Local guides run the tour with support from partners like the Wildlife Conservation Society; this tourism model encourages park-adjacent communities to protect the region’s endangered species,” says Condé Nast Traveler.

Laos has garnered a lot of international acclaim recently after being featured in 2023 travel articles by renowned publications including CNN, National Geographic, Wanderlust, Traveler’s List, and Fodor’s.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/02/21/laos-nam-et-phou-louey-listed-among-best-night-safari-globally/

Lucky Air Resumes Direct Flights To Laos

The airline plans to restart its flights to Vientiane on 13 March followed by direct flights to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang on 19 March.

Flights from China will depart Kunming at 8:00 am before touching down in Vientiane at 8:40 am local time. Flight 8L862 will start its return journey at 9:40 am on the same day reaching Kunming at 12:15 pm.  

On the Luang Prabang route, the plane will depart Kunming at 8:00 am landing in Luang Prabang at 8:30 am. Return flights will leave Luang Prabang at 9:30 local time, reaching Kunming at 11:55 am on flight 8L684.

Lucky Air plans to fly to Vientiane every Monday and Wednesday, whereas flights to Luang Prabang will be on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Apart from direct flights to Laos, Lucky Air also flies to Suvarnabhumi and Chiang Mai airports in Thailand, Kucinta-air reports.

Since Laos reopened its borders, many airlines continue to resume direct flights to the country. Direct flights from several low-cost airlines in South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand will also resume in the first half of this year.

Lao Airlines to Start Direct Flights to Da Nang Next Month

Lao Airlines will resume direct flights from Vientiane Capital to the coastal city of Da Nang, Vietnam in March this year.

Direct flights between the two cities will ply weekly on Thursdays and Sundays from Wattay International Airport in Vientiane Capital.

The flights will depart Vientiane at 11:00 am for Da Nang and reach at 12:15 am and leave from Da Nang at 13:00 and touch base in Vientiane at 14:15 pm.

A round-trip will cost about USD 260 with a flight time of 1 hour and 15 minutes.

In 2012, Lao Airlines flew to Da Nang on a Vientiane-Savannakhet-Pakse-Da Nang route, but the service was suspended because of low demand. In 2020, the airline intended to reopen the route, but was stopped in its tracks due to the Covid-19 outbreak, said an official from Lao Airlines.

The airline also operates daily direct flights to the cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam from Vientiane Capital.

Lao Airlines recently announced its plans to also launch new routes from Pakse to major cities in China, including Hong Kong, Haikou, Sanya, Chengdu, and other prominent cities of China starting mid-2023.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/02/21/lao-airlines-to-start-direct-flights-to-da-nang-next-month/

Laos Touted as Cheapest Country to Visit in 2023 by American Publisher

Kiplinger, a Washington, D.C.-based publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice, ranked Laos first in a list of 10 cheapest countries to visit in 2023.

In the article, the publisher said that despite soaring inflation Laos along with nine other countries namely Turkey, Cambodia, Thailand, Hungary, Costa Rica, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Portugal, and Greece, won’t be too heavy on one’s pockets.

According to the calculations, the average daily expenditure for a traveler in Laos is roughly USD 15, including USD 5 for food, and USD 8 for accommodation.

The cost of airfare is not included in the calculation since that seems to vary a lot depending on what time of the year one is traveling. As Kiplinger states, “Our ranking is based on the average total daily cost you might pay once you reach your destination — including accommodation, food, and the daily cost of living.”

The website also describes Laos as “one of the few countries in the world that haven’t lost its natural beauty to sprawling development” and that it is jam-packed with activities for even jaded tourists, from cooking schools for foodies to climbing hills, exploring caves, and jungle excursions for thrill-seekers and temples galore for those with a more cultural bent.

An article from Condé Nast Traveler last week also listed Nam Et-Phou Louey in Houaphanh province of Laos as one of the ten best safaris in the world.

Laos has recently received widespread international attention after being included in 2023 travel stories by prominent publications such as CNN, National Geographic,  Wanderlust,  Traveler’s List, and Fodor’s.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/02/22/laos-touted-as-cheapest-country-to-visit-in-2023-by-american-publisher/

Construction Begins on Giant Khaen Hotel in Southern Laos

The Sithandon Special Economic Zone has begun construction of a hotel complex shaped like a giant khaen in Champasack’s Khong District at the four thousand islands.

The construction of the hotel is a part of the Sithandone Special Economic Zone’s (SEZ) first phase, which was approved in 2017 and valued at USD 600 million.

Project plans were finalized on 25 July last year, with the Mekong Intercontinental Hotel, shaped like a khaen, the traditional national instrument of Laos, expected to be the tallest hotel in Laos at 238 meters.

The project design also includes a giant sticky rice container.

Meanwhile, Siphandone Tourism Company, based in the Siphandone SEZ, signed an official aircraft lease agreement with Lao Airlines earlier this month to commence charter flights between Laos and China.

At the same time, Tourism Management Co. Ltd, based in the SEZ, has partnered with local tour company Green Discovery to develop the nearby Li Phi Somphamit Waterfalls.

In March, construction is to begin on a golf course, while a fish breeding facility is to be constructed in May, according to Sithandone Joint Development Co.

The company is set to construct a residential housing project in June, while a boutique hotel is set to open its doors by September this year.

A new ring road was built on Don Khong Island in Khong District in 2021 as part of the initial phase of the New Economic Development Zone of Sithandone.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2023/02/21/construction-begins-on-giant-khaen-hotel-in-southern-laos/