Is Laos Safe? Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

Is a vacation in Laos dangerous?

If you ask us: No. We felt very safe during our road trip through Laos.

All the other travelers we met had no safety issues in Laos either.

As with any trip, you should still keep a close eye on your valuables, never hand over your passport, and walk through the streets with your eyes open.

If you’ve read the horror stories from Vang Vieng — tourists who died while tubing or from adulterated alcohol — try not to let it freak you out too much.

Tubing has since been regulated, and as long as you don’t drink alcohol or take drugs while doing it, it’s a pretty safe activity.

As for alcohol, we’d be cautious. We didn’t drink any alcohol in Laos ourselves and therefore had nothing to worry about. We’ve written a dedicated section on that topic below.

You should also be mindful of riding scooters and road traffic — there aren’t many traffic rules to speak of.

Crime in Laos

We found Laos to be quite safe when it comes to crime.

Petty crime does occur in tourist areas, though — so there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are our top tips.

#1 Don’t leave your valuables unattended

Even though we didn’t hear of any thefts in Laos, always keep a close eye on your belongings. It’s best to keep valuables on your person at all times rather than in a backpack you set down somewhere — for example, on buses.

#2 Don’t hand over your passport

Scooter rental places in particular often want your passport as a deposit. We’d never do that. Instead, offer a different document or cash as a deposit. Better safe than sorry!

#3 Don’t do drugs

Unfortunately, drug abuse is currently on the rise in Laos. So: stay away from drugs. If you’re under the influence, you become an easy target for theft, abuse, and worse.

#4 Watch out for inflated prices

In Laos, people will sometimes spin you a story to get money out of you. If prices seem too high, don’t hesitate to negotiate.

If you can pay in US dollars or baht, the exchange rates are often very unfavorable. Always compare prices with the kip prices.

#5 Don’t go to remote areas at night

To stay safe, avoid wandering down deserted alleyways after dark — especially outside the tourist areas with the main attractions in Laos. We personally had no issues walking the streets at night, but we always stayed in the center.

Traveling solo as a woman in Laos

You can travel to Laos alone as a woman without any problems.

The tips in the crime section above apply to solo female travelers too — above all, don’t wander into deserted areas at night.

We traveled as a pair (two female friends) and never had any problems. People rarely called anything out to us on the street, and we were treated respectfully pretty much everywhere — similar to Thailand.

The only time we found ourselves in an uncomfortable situation was on the night bus. The driver pestered us with inappropriate questions during the stops — but he backed off pretty quickly.

Road traffic in Laos

Road traffic in Laos isn’t as chaotic as in Vietnam, for example, but in larger cities like Vientiane it’s still pretty hectic.

In general, always look left and right before crossing the street — even if you have a green light. Scooter riders will happily run red lights.

If you’re riding a scooter yourself, be careful too. Always wear a helmet and keep an eye on traffic and pedestrians. If you don’t feel confident enough to ride, it’s better to skip it.

Many roads in Laos have potholes or are unpaved, so don’t drive too fast.

If you’re wondering whether taking buses in Laos is safe, it depends a bit on the route.

Some routes are seriously winding — for example, from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng — and those aren’t for the faint of heart.

Bus accidents can happen, but the chances of being involved in one are pretty low.

We took buses in Laos and had no problems.

Adulterated alcohol in Laos

The story of six backpackers who allegedly drank adulterated alcohol in Vang Vieng and subsequently died made a lot of headlines.

Since then, many travelers have been wondering whether Laos is safe to travel to and whether you should drink alcohol at all.

To answer that, let’s first clarify what adulterated alcohol actually is.

What is adulterated alcohol?

Normally, the alcohol in alcoholic beverages is ethanol. When alcohol is adulterated, it contains an excessive amount of other substances such as methanol.

Methanol and ethanol are similar, and the difference can’t be detected by smell alone.

While methanol is present in almost all spirits, it’s usually in very small amounts. Too high a dose of methanol is dangerous and can cause nausea, vision problems, and even death.

Methanol is generally cheaper to obtain than ethanol, which is likely why alcoholic beverages sometimes get contaminated with it.

Mistakes can also easily happen when making homemade alcohol, resulting in methanol levels that are dangerously high.

Should you be afraid of adulterated alcohol in Laos?

You should definitely be cautious when it comes to cheap drinks and home-distilled alcohol.

There have been deaths linked to adulterated alcohol in the past — not just in Laos, but also in Indonesia and Turkey, for example.

Vang Vieng is known for its cheap alcohol and party scene, so be especially careful here.

That said, adulterated alcohol alone doesn’t make Laos a dangerous destination — if you’re really concerned, the simplest approach is to skip alcohol altogether.

Dangerous animals in Laos

There are dangerous animals in Laos, but it’s very unlikely that you’ll encounter them.

Honestly, the most dangerous animals in Laos are probably mosquitoes.

They can transmit diseases like dengue fever and malaria — both of which occur in Laos. Before your trip, check with a travel health clinic and talk to your doctor about possible vaccinations and prophylactics.

Always protect yourself from mosquitoes with insect repellent and light, long-sleeved clothing.

This is especially important during the rainy season. When we were in northern Laos during the dry season, for example, there were hardly any mosquitoes at all.

Find out more about vaccinations and illnesses in our travel tips for Laos

Laos is also home to several venomous snake species and even tigers — though the latter are very rare and unfortunately endangered.

Running into snakes is also relatively uncommon, as they mainly live in rainforests. If you do a lot of hiking, though, it’s quite possible you’ll spot one.

There are also scorpions and spiders in Laos — but most of them are harmless to humans.

Natural disasters in Laos

Laos is located in a seismically active zone, which means earthquakes can occur — though strong ones are rare.

There are no active volcanoes in Laos, and since the country is landlocked, tsunamis and similar events aren’t a concern.

During the rainy and monsoon season (May through October), landslides and flooding can occur. If you’re traveling to Laos during this time, always keep an eye on the weather.

Also read our article on the best time to visit Laos

Unexploded ordnance in Laos

Did you know that Laos is considered the most heavily bombed country in the world? As a result, bomb remnants are scattered throughout the country.

Every year, people are still being killed and injured by unexploded cluster munitions.

As a tourist, however, it’s fairly unlikely that anything will happen to you — the tourist areas are no longer really affected by this. It’s more of an issue in remote regions.