Money is always an important part to be considered when you are preparing to go abroad. Good preparation will make sure that there is no unexpected situation happening and you are well-prepared to deal with it. Recently, we have received a lot of questions about currency, money or tipping customs in Laos, etc. If you are planning a Laos Tour, this article will help you make clear
What Laos Currency Can I Use in Laos?
The national currency in Laos since 1952 in Kip (ກີບ) ₭ or ₭N and absolutely, it can be used everywhere in Laos. 1 kip is divided into 100 att (ອັດ). However, its value is very low comparing to other currencies; it is considered to be inconvenient to carry kip. Normally, you will have to spend “many sheets” of kip to buy something. Therefore, it is usually used to purchase the product with low value when you use the credit card. One more thing is the international code for kip is LAK.
Another currency is widely accepted all over the world or maybe throughout Laos is US Dollar. There is nothing to debate here. Almost all Laotian will accept USD, especially for restaurants or expensive stores. You will easily encounter a shop with the entire price written in USD in Luang Prabang, Paske, or the capital Vientiane.
The good news is that if you are traveling from Thailand to Laos through the border, Baht can also be accepted, there is no need to change all your money in Baht to Kip or USD. Baht is said to be suitable when you purchase medium value products, but in case there is no emergency, you should change your money into Kip and USD.
Notice: Kip should be got rid of before you leave Laos, you can buy some foods or small souvenirs back to your hometown. The main reason is that its value will be reduced when you are in other countries or even worthless.
Laos Currency Tips
Can I Pay VISA on Arrival in Other Currencies except for USD?
The legal price for Laos VISA in written in USD, but if you want you can pay in Baht. One tip for tourists is that if you pay in Baht, the price will be much higher so we advise you to pay in USD. It also will cause any problem when doing the entry.
Can I Use Credit Card in Laos?
The credit card is only accepted in a restaurant or shop which uses POS. When you are traveling in Laos, Credit Card is not always convenient. You might buy a snack from a food stall and apparently, they will never have POS. Or in the night market, when most of the sellers are sellers and retailers, you can only pay by cash. At that time, a credit card becomes useless.
So a Credit Card is nothing in Laos? Not exactly, you still can use it in ATM to withdraw money in case you are run out of cash, but they have a limitation for withdrawing in a day, please notice this point. Moreover, some Laotian domestic bank does not accept foreign card, you should search for international bank ATM such as ANZ or Citibank. In restaurant and shop, sometimes they offer price in US Dollar, the Credit card is accepted, but in vice versa, they you charge you 3%-5% of the total value.
What is the Average Amount of Tipping in Laos?
Tipping is a Western custom and is not from Asia. For some restaurants and hotels, the service fee has been included in the price. Therefore, there is no forcing to tip anyone. But based on your satisfaction with the services, you can tip them an appropriate amount that you want. All Laotian would be happy to receive it.
