Laos

Recommended Vaccinations For Laos

For Most Travellers

Hepatitis B Vaccine

There is a significant risk of infection with hepatitis B for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.

Hepatitis A Vaccine

There is a significant risk of exposure to hepatitis A for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended. Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against the disease.

Polio Vaccine

There are currently **no polio** vaccine requirements for travellers who intend to visit Laos for four weeks or more. However, the requirement is subject to change/revision in the coming months.

For Some Travellers

Cholera Vaccine

The U.K. NaTHNaC recommends the oral cholera vaccine for some travellers whose activities or medical history put them at increased risk, travelling to areas of active cholera transmission. These risk factors include: aid workers; those going to areas of cholera outbreaks who have limited access to potable water and medical care; travellers for whom the vaccination would be considered potentially beneficial, such as chronic medical conditions. The U.S. CDC recommends the cholera vaccine for travellers who are 18-64 years of age and who plan to travel to areas of active cholera transmission. CDC notes that most travellers do not travel to areas of active cholera transmission, and that safe food and water practices can prevent many cholera infections.

Rabies Vaccine

Vaccination against rabies is recommended for travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, bikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) who may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk and should be vaccinated.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine

Vaccination is recommended for travelers engaging in activities that put them at increased risk such as such as visiting rural areas, hiking or camping, or staying in places without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets.

Typhoid Fever Vaccine

There is a risk of exposure to typhoid fever in this country through the consumption of unsafe food and water. Since exposure to unsafe sources is variable within this country, the vaccination against typhoid fever is generally recommended, especially when visiting smaller cities or rural areas, where food and water sources may be contaminated.

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccine

A dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel is recommended for infants 6 to 11 months old.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) Vaccine

BCG vaccine is recommended for all unvaccinated adults and children under 16 years of age, going to live for more than 3 months in the country. A tuberculin skin test is required prior to administering vaccination for all children from 6 years of age.

Recommended Medications For Laos

For Some Travellers

Anti-malarial Drugs

For the high-risk areas, atovaquone/proguanil or doxycycline is the recommended anti-malaria medication. For all other areas, atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine are recommended. Drug resistance to chloroquine and mefloquine (P. falciparum) is present.

Diseases To Be Aware of for Laos

For Most Travellers

Dengue Fever

Dengue fever outbreaks occur year-round throughout Laos, and the risk to travellers is significant.

Hepatitis B

There is a significant risk for acquiring hepatitis B in Laos.

Chikungunya Fever

Outbreaks of this disease usually occur during the tropical rainy season, however, outbreaks can occur during the dry season as well.

Hepatitis A

There is a significant risk for hepatitis A virus exposure in Laos through contaminated food or water. Infection can still occur at tourist destinations and resorts.

Cholera

Cholera may occur in this country. It is a bacterial infection transmitted by contaminated food and water. Can cause severe watery diarrhoea although mild infections are common.

For Some Travellers

Rabies

Rabies occurs in this country. Travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, bikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk.

Measles

There is a risk of acquiring measles in the country.

Hanta Virus

There is a risk of acquiring Hantavirus in the country through the consumption of contaminated food or being around someone who is sick with hantavirus

Polio

Although no human cases of wild polio virus have been reported in Laos, this country has recently reported cases of polio acquired from a polio vaccine strain.

Malaria

There is a risk of malaria in all areas of Laos, except the city of Vientiane. There is a high risk of malaria along the Laos/Myanmar border in the provinces of Bokeo and Louang Namtha; along the Laos-Thailand border in the provinces of Champasak and Saravan; along the Laos-Cambodia border; and along the Laos-Vietnam border.

Typhoid Fever

Unvaccinated people can become infected through contaminated food and water in Laos, especially when visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where water and food sources may be contaminated.

Tuberculosis

Travellers to Laos are at risk for tuberculosis if visiting sick friends or family, working in the health care field, or having close prolonged contact with the general population.

Zika Fever

There is transmission of the Zika virus in this country.

Schistosomiasis

There is a risk of Schistosomiasis in the country.This disease is acquired through contact with freshwaters, such as swimming, bathing, or rafting. Well-chlorinated swimming pools and contact with saltwater in oceans or seas will not put travellers at risk for schistosomiasis.

Japanese encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis occurs countrywide, with year-round transmission. The risk for travellers is low, but extensive outdoor activity in rural areas will increase this risk

Safety & Security in Laos

Personal Safety

Laos experiences petty crime in tourist areas but violent crime against foreigners remains relatively low. Pickpocketing and motorcycle bag snatching occur frequently in tourist hubs like Vientiane, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang. Thieves often work in pairs, with one creating a distraction while the other steals unattended items. Bag snatching peaks during major holidays like Lao New Year in April. Reports of being approached and followed when alone have increased. Incidents of drink spiking affect both male and female tourists, with victims sometimes being assaulted afterward. In 2024, several foreign nationals including Australians died from methanol poisoning after consuming spirit-based drinks and cocktails. Lao authorities banned Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to health risks. Vang Vieng has a heightened risk for drug-related incidents, with restaurants offering menu items containing opiates or unknown substances, often advertised as happy or special items. Police corruption exists, with officers sometimes targeting foreigners for bribes over alleged traffic offenses. Drug laws carry severe penalties including possible death penalty, and authorities make no distinction between possession and trafficking. Foreign nationals detained for unruly conduct or property damage are often held without formal charges until they pay compensation. Police stations may be closed at night, emergency numbers go unanswered, and officers may lack transportation to investigate crimes. Legal processes can take months before reaching trial, with long detention periods possible without evidence or charges. In some areas, night-time curfews apply after certain hours, affecting the operations of businesses, restaurants and nightclubs.

Extreme Violence

Laos has no recent history of terrorism, but attacks cannot be ruled out. The country has a low rate of violent crime compared to many neighboring countries, with a homicide rate around 6.9 incidents per 100,000 people, roughly the global average. Most violent incidents affect locals rather than foreigners. Violent crime including armed robbery and muggings has increased in recent years. Local media reported violent muggings involving guns and knives in Vientiane, despite gun ownership being illegal. Illegal firearms contribute to violent crime including robbery and murder in the capital. The region east of Vang Vieng in Xaisomboun Province has historically seen shooting incidents and explosions leading to deaths and injuries among civilians. Random shooting incidents near Xaisomboun town have occurred since late 2015. A low-intensity insurgency continues in remote areas, primarily involving former members of the Secret Army, Laotian royalists, and Hmong ethnic minorities who face reprisals for their support during the Laotian Civil War. Armed conflict between Thai and Cambodian forces along the Thailand-Cambodia border near Champasak Province has included military strikes, violence, and landmines. Security levels have increased at checkpoints on the Lao-Thai border in Bokeo Province following clashes between the Lao army and unidentified armed groups. The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Bokeo Province sees criminal activity including drug and human trafficking as well as employment scams. Two Chinese citizens were killed in an upcountry bomb attack in 2016.

Political Unrest

Laos has experienced more popular unrest in recent years than at any time in decades. From June 2022 to early 2023, the country saw a wave of protests, extraordinary given that protests are completely illegal. Demonstrations began over economic woes including a currency crisis and inflation reaching over 40 percent. In December 2022, protests may have forced Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh from office. Discontent manifested through massive criticism of the government on social media despite obvious risks, and one-off protests saw more intensity and less pushback than in prior years when the government cracked down on virtually all expressions of dissent. In October 2022, villagers in Naxaithong district protested creation of a military camp in their community. In August 2022, residents of a village in Oudomxay province rejected a government compensation offer for farmland planned for an ecoproject, while residents in Xayabury province demanded audits of local development projects following corruption allegations. In January 2024, police arrested four residents of Xang village in Xieng Khouang province participating in a peaceful protest over land registration disputes, then arrested two women visiting the detainees. In November 2019, authorities arrested at least seven activists planning a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Vientiane, with dozens of participants reported missing. The government has no tolerance for public opposition and deals with dissent harshly. People who criticize the government are labeled national security threats, and several have been forcibly disappeared. Civil society activist Sombath Somphone disappeared in December 2012 and has not been heard from since. The country remains one of the most repressive and politically opaque states in the world, consistently ranked as not free.

Areas To Avoid

Xaisomboun Province has seen multiple shooting incidents and civil unrest. The US Embassy restricts personnel from traveling there due to past violence. Travelers require permission from local authorities for certain parts of the province, particularly around Long Tieng. Remote areas along the border with Burma see activity from bandits, drug traffickers, and armed groups opposed to the Burmese government. The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Bokeo Province near the borders with Myanmar and Thailand has criminal operations including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and employment scams. Large amounts of unexploded ordnance from the Indochina War remain in Savannakhet, Xieng Khouang, Saravane, Khammouane, Sekong, Champassak, Houaphan, Attapeu, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane provinces. The Plain of Jars in Xiengkhouang Province and Lao-Vietnamese border areas including those traversing the former Ho Chi Minh Trail have particular risks from landmines and unexploded munitions. Route 7 from Route 13 to the Vietnam border, Route 9 from Savannakhet to the Vietnam border, and Route 20 from Pakse to Saravane run through affected areas. Landmines and unexploded weapons kill people each year, with risks higher after flash floods or landslides during monsoon season. Affected areas are often unmarked. Route 6 near Sam Neua in Huaphan Province sees thieves targeting foreigners in rural and remote locations. Thailand-Cambodia border fighting in areas near Champasak Province has included rocket and artillery fire, with some tourist destinations and border crossings closed. River travel on the Mekong after dark is dangerous, as the Laotian military has been known to shoot at boats.