Vientiane, Laos Report of what it's like to live there - 12/02/24
Personal Experiences from Vientiane, Laos
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No. I have lived in the U.K., EU, South Asia, Latin America.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
East coast U.S. It takes about 20 hours of flying time to get from the U.S. to Vientiane. Be sure to add in time for a layover. For example: 15 hours from D.C. to Seoul, overnight layover because you have to exit the airport and reenter for a different airline, and then five hours to Vientiane. People regularly travel through Seoul and Bangkok to get to Vientiane. There are other options, but those seem the most popular.
3. What years did you live here?
Starting 2023
4. How long have you lived here?
One year.
5. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
US diplomatic mission.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
The housing is the low point of Vientiane, sadly. No one I know is truly happy with their housing. Layouts are awkward, the materials used are old, and insulation is direly insufficient. It seems like you either live somewhere near trash burning, or you have cobras, or both. There are decent housing options available, but they are not in the U.S. diplomatic housing pool as of 2023-2024.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Groceries are low cost, easily available, and if you're willing to pay more or travel for an item, you can find almost anything. You can spend less on fruits and vegetables if you go to local markets, or spend more for convenience by going to Rimping, the higher-end Thai grocery store in town. A French cafe called La Vanille carries select products from Carrefour, a few locally produced goods that are higher quality, such as soap, plus butter, cheese, ice cream, wine, and bakery items.
A small shop called Siavone is surprisingly well stocked. If you drive over the border into Thailand, you can shop at a Costco-like store (no membership required), and down at the shopping mall in Udon Thani (1.5-2 hours by car) is a fancy grocery store. Eating out is relatively inexpensive, but not dirt cheap.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
I brought a lot of cleaning products, contact lens solution, and personal care items (lotions, hair products, deodorant). I'm glad I did. Canned tomatoes are expensive. Vinegar is oddly expensive, and apple cider vinegar is the only type you can find reliably. Olive oil is expensive. Good olives are nowhere to be seen. U.S. diplomatic mission people can order from the Bangkok commissary once per month, and there is a very good selection of items on that list.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
I find myself gravitating to the same three or four places for delivery: Suzette (crepes, salads), Privet (Georgian and Russian food), pizza, Osemann Bakes for You (German food and sandwiches). There is good Lao food for delivery if you eat meat and seafood. Not many Laos restaurants that deliver have vegetarian food.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Insects are plentiful, especially during the wet season. Ants of all sizes can be problematic, and it's very much case-by-case, house-by-house. Snakes are all over. Dogs are not kept indoors, so they seem like strays but they usually have homes. Vientiane is more like a collection of small villages than it is a developed city, so there are pockets of uncleared jungle and thus animals and bugs all over.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
U.S. embassy personnel have access to DPO and pouch, though the pouch is now highly restricted (paper mail and prescription medications only). There is DHL, but it is expensive and difficult to use. You are best off shipping anything by going to Thailand and using DHL there. I do not know anything about local mail, but I literally don't even know my own residence's address, so things are very unstructured.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Household help is inexpensive. You can pay maybe $300-$400 per month for a maeban (housekeeper) for nearly full-time work. Gardeners cost much less, maybe $25-$40 per month. Based on prior experiences in other countries, I would recommend having low expectations for household help in Laos and hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I do know some people who are very happy with their housekeeper or gardener, and I have heard of some housekeepers and nannies who speak English, but it does not seem to be the norm. Deep cleaning is not something you should expect. Having someone who cooks, buys groceries, and does some basic laundry and cleanup is helpful.
3. Do you feel that it is safe to walk, run or hike outside? Are there areas where bike riding is possible? What is the availability and safety of outdoor space for exercising? Are these easily accessible?
Being outside is a crapshoot. I walk avidly and manage to do so in Vientiane. Often I'm frustrated at the amount of car exhaust, smoke, and other air pollution I breathe in, however. Cycling to get from point A to B is doable, but risky, though that is the case almost everywhere around the world. But people do it. Sadly, the number of cars in Laos grows by the day and fewer locals cycle.
4. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
They are widely available and well-used. I do not know about prices.
5. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards are difficult to use. Some larger stores accept them and add a 4% fee. When someone accepts Visa or Matercard, it is safe. ATMs are generally safe. Laos still runs on a cash economy. The smallest bill is equivalent (as of late 2024) to about $5USD, so to carry around about $100 US is 1 million Loa kip, and it's a wad of bills. You can set up a local bank account and use a QR code payment system called BCel as long as you are comfortable with the amount of information that will be collected about you during setup and throughout the usage. I make do with the wad of cash.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
You can get by with no Lao language, but you will hit stopping points. Local teachers and tutors are plentiful, though the quality is debatable.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes. This is an underdeveloped city with very poor infrastructure. No matter your disability, it is difficult to live here. Health care is poor. Services are poor. Infrastructure is poor and its maintenance is below poor.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Loca is the equivalent of Uber/Lyft and it works well enough. It is affordable. There is a bus system but it runs infrequently and is not well set up for foreigners to use. A train connecting Vientiane to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang is well used.
2. What kind of vehicle(s) including electric ones do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, infrastructure, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car or vehicles do you advise not to bring?
Chinese made electric vehicles are widely available here. Because there are many dirt roads, unpaved roads, and pot holes, it is recommended to have a car with good clearance. Motorcycles and scooters are common on the roads, and they are extremely dangerous. First-aid is not well known. Hospitals are not well equipped. Drivers are not well educated.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes, it is available. The quality fluctuates due to throttling and power outages.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
To set up a local plan, you absolutely need someone to help you. It is possible, and it is cheap. I tried to set up a local SIM and failed, and by the time I was able to ask someone for help, the card's expiration date had passed. So I gave up and stuck with Google Fi which works well and is not very expensive.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
There is a decent vet in town. There is no quarantine. The US embassy was very unhelpful in providing information for pet import. The Laos government is also unhelpful. It is possible to travel to Laos via South Korea with a pet in cabin the whole way—I did it—but most people pay for a pet shipper.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Remote jobs for U.S. people are more and more common. The U.S. embassy also has a good number of EFM jobs.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Many if you seek them out.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
It would be unwise to dress too nicely, as you will be in dust, mud, rain to even get from a restaurant to a car. Formal dress occasions are rare.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Traffic collisions, food-borne illness, mosquito-borne illnesses, and accidents are the most common health and safety problems. Personal safety in terms of crime is not too much of a concern. Home invasions are up year over year, but crime overall is not high in the expat/international community. A few people have had motorbikes stolen.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Medical care is so poor that the U.S. embassy requires you to have a valid Thai visa at all times so you can get to a hospital in Udon Thani quickly if needed. If you break or fracture something, you might not be able to find a brace to buy. Medical care is really very poor. Medivacs are not uncommon. Even medication can be difficult to obtain in Laos.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
For me, the air quality is the worst part of this city. It would be one thing if you could close your doors and windows and feel protected from the smells of burning plastic and tires, but the houses are old and are not well constructed. During the entire dry season, people burn trash and vegetation, so depending on where you live, there could be many small fires at all hours. It is quite bad, worse than I have seen in other countries with very bad air pollution. The burning season (April-May) is the worst. It makes the quality of life so much lower and really puts a damper on the experience of living here.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Because education is low in Laos, you may not get correct information about food allergens if you ask someone at a restaurant or store. You need to be vigilant. Fish sauce and nuts are probably the biggest culprits. Gluten-free food is not widely advertised. "Vegan" does not have a consistent meaning. As to environmental allergies, there are times when it flares up, but it doesn't seem too bad here for most people.
5. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
The burning season takes a toll on mental health, physical health, and wellbeing. And if you live near trash-burning, you will experience it all year long except during the wet season when it rains every day.
6. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
It is very hot, hot and wet, and hot and smoky.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
The international community is big. You can easily meet people from Europe, Australia, India, Canada, and the US who are living in Laos for a variety of reasons. Morale is pretty good.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
People love tennis and badminton. I believe there is a weekend road cycling group on Facebook. If you are not on Facebook, you can still connect with a lot of people on WhatsApp groups. There are other festivals and events that attract the international community, too.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
I think it's a good family post, though some people complain about the quality of the international school. Childless couples have good options for regional travel, and cafes and restaurants are plentiful and inexpensive, but it's not a big city by any stretch. It's a "make your own fun" kind of place for sure. There are some neat things to do, but not a ton.
4. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
I don't think it's easy to make local friends as an international person. Laos people are tolerant, and they kind of mind their own business. People do not stare at me or try to touch me or ask to take selfies with me, which are things I've experienced in other countries.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Laos people are pretty tolerant, but Vientiane is not a big city, so the LGBTQ+ community is small and quiet. There is more of a scene in Luang Prabang.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Certainly there are gender inequality issues, but people tend to mind their own business.
7. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Fabrics/textiles are the main things to buy. You can also have furniture custom-made though it would be wise to get multiple opinions about a purveyor's quality beforehand.
8. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
It's inexpensive. If you need to save money for a few years, this is a good place to do that. The coffee scene is also much better than I expected—very high quality.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I wish I knew just how bad the air quality can get and how much it depends on localized burning and the quality of your residence. If you can't close your windows and feel protected from the air pollution, living here is extremely rough.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Sadly, probably not. Laos has potential, but you need a lot of resilience and support to see it and feel happy here. I thought I could cut it, but it's been so difficult to get any help mitigating problems that I feel burned out often. The people in my sphere who should be helping frankly aren't, and as such, my basic health and safety needs are not being met.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Winter clothes, fancy clothes,
4. But don't forget your:
Sun- and mosquito-protective clothing
