Visa and entry requirements Laos:
Passport required
German citizens need a visa to enter Laos. Visas can be applied for for 30 days upon entry at international airports and at international border crossings.
Visa costs: 30 USD

Information from the Foreign Office about your trip to Laos:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/laossicherheit/201048

Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia with around 7.3 million inhabitants. The country borders Vietnam to the north and east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west and China to the northeast.

The official language of the Asian state is Laotian and the national currency is the Laotian kip, where 1 euro corresponds to around 10,000 LAK.

The largest cities in Laos include Vientiane, Savannakhet, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Phonsavan, Muong Xay, Muang Phiang, Phonhong and Thakek. About two thirds of the Laotian population profess Buddhism.

The land area of Laos is partly very hilly, with the 2,819 meter high Phu Bia as the highest point. The country's most important and largest river is the Mekong, which winds almost 2,000 kilometers through the national territory or along the border.

The territory of Laos is half forested and partly consists of dense tropical rain or monsoon forests. Tigers, leopards, reptiles and numerous bird species can be found in these areas.

The most important export products of the local economy include gold, copper, tin, wood, leather, coffee and cardamom. The agrarian state of Laos is largely based on agriculture, which employs almost 85% of all employed residents. Rice, tea, sugar, soybeans, corn, potatoes, yams, peanuts and cotton are also grown for their own needs.

Tourism is a constantly growing sector of the economy and therefore another important source of income for the country. The country's most important sights include the city of Luang Prabang with its old quarter, the botanical garden, a butterfly park, the Vat Xienthong Temple, the Wat Xieng Mouane Temple, a local history museum, the morning and night market, the Wat Mai Temple, the City Library, the Royal Palace Museum and the Kuang Si Waterfalls, the Great Stupa “Pha Tha Luang” - the country's landmark, the Wat Si Saket Temple, the Wat Si Muang Temple, the King -Anuvong Statue on the Mekong, the Night Market, the Great Reclining Buddha “Vat that Khao”, the Buddha Park, the Grand Archway, the Textile Museum, the Promenade on the Mekong River, the Phat Tich Temple, the Bridge of Friendship with Thailand and the well-preserved colonial buildings in Vientiane, the cultural landscape of Champasak and the Golden Buddha in Pakse.

The capital and largest city of Laos is Vientiane with around 900,000 inhabitants. Vientiane is the political, economic and cultural center of the country. The city stretches along the Mekong River, not far from the Friendship Bridge, on the Thai border.

In October 2012 I traveled to the Southeast Asian state of Laos for the only time so far. After a flight with the airline “Air Asia” to Udon Thani, in the north of Thailand, I took a short taxi ride to visit the Laotian capital Vientiane for two days.

After I moved into my hotel, which is located directly on the Mekong River, I persuaded my previous taxi driver to take me on a full-day city tour. The city of Vientiane really had an incredible amount of attractions to offer and we were out and about until nightfall. With these dimensions, the Great Stupa and the reclining Buddha are almost unique in the world and offered fantastic photo opportunities.

I then spent the evening in one of the many cozy bars in the middle of the city center, not far from my hotel.

The entire territory of Laos has a lot to offer in terms of tourism and is definitely worth it even for a longer stay. The country with a fantastic green landscape is one of the cheapest travel destinations in the world. This is why Laos is particularly popular with backpackers or young visitors with smaller budgets.

At some point in the near future I will definitely return to this beautiful Asian country for a longer period of time.