Laos Cycling Information Laos The Granular Detail Expectations Visas Shopping Insurance Internet What to wear Donations Food Sleeping Money Packing Photography Emergencies Weather Electricity Flights Safety Bathrooms Arriving Cycling Vaccinations Laos The Granular Detail Expectations Visas Shopping What to wear Insurance Internet Donations Food Sleeping Money Photography Packing Emergencies Weather Electricity Flights Safety Bathrooms Arriving Cycling Vaccinations Your expectations.. From Brett Brett is the founder of Social Cycles Laos is considered to be the melting pot of South East Asia. A truly remarkable blend of it’s landlocked neighbours and beyond, yet a distinctive and unique character that is exquisitely Laotian. There is a saying about South East Asia… the Thai grow the rice, the Cambodian’s harvest the rice, the Vietnamese sell the rice and the Lao people listen to it grow! Obviously a vast generalization and to be taken with a grain of salt, but gives an indication as to how relaxed and laid back the people of Laos really are.When I first cycled through Laos, I was blown away by the incredible scenery, especially in the north. But like so many countries, it is the people that create the greatest impressions and the best memories. I think to truly appreciate Laos, you really need to immerse yourself into the culture. The best way to do that is to travel by bike. It will take you through some of the most remote villages, and in turn, introduce you to some of the most amazing people and characters. Laos is not nearly as popular as a tourist destination as it’s neighbours of Thailand, Vietnam and even Cambodia. It is also probably the least developed country in the region, but what it may lack in infrastructure, it more than makes up for in it’s remote character and charm. The thing about Laos is that, for some reason, it just doesn’t attract the quantity of tourists that make their way to neighbouring countries. And while that isn’t great for Laos, it’s great for you.The cities of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and even Pakse and Savanaket can draw in a few toursist and for all the right reasons. But when you get well off the beaten track, up high in the mountains, cycle up the lonely roads and witness the breathtaking scenery surrounding you, then you know that you’ve really ventured into an incredible paradise, reserved only for adventurers.You’ve so much to look forward to… Insurance Travel and medical insurance is mandatory for all Social Cycles clients. It is one of the most important criteria foranyone who travels and in the very unlikely event that an emergency occurs your insurance must deliver. What having an insurance policy actually means in practise if someone does get sick:• You can get 24-hour medical support from the insurance company doctors• If treatment or a hospital visit is required, the insurance company will ensure that this is at the best local facility• We would provide all necessary assistance (for example, sending someone with you to the hospital to help with any language difficulties). • You must be adequately insured for medical and health cover – in case of a sudden illness or injury. Your insurance policy should also cover 24-hour emergency service and assistance, hospital fees, lost, damaged or stolen property (we are not responsible for any loss or damage to personal belongings while on tour). Your insurance policy must cover any necessary extra travel (rejoining tour or repatriation) as well as curtailment and cancellation.• Insurance provided by standard credit cards does not always provide adequate cover and I suggest that you check your policy. If you do travel with insurance provided through a credit card, we will need details of the participating insurer, the insurance policy number and emergency contact telephone number. The Bank’s name and the credit card number will not be enough information.• You must satisfy yourself that your policy covers medical emergencies resulting from any/all of the activities that you propose to undertake during the course of your trip and you should request a full policy document from your insurer if one is not automatically provided.• If you are from the US and do not usually travel with insurance, you may wish to look at either www.travelexinsurance.com or www.travelguard.com• There is a space for your insurance details on your online Social Cycles Booking Form. However, if you have yet to arrange your insurance it is essential that before you begin your SC adventure you email to me the details of your travel insurance documentation.This must include:• The name of your insurance company• The 24-hour emergency assistance number• The policy number Your NGO Donations Your money. Your decision. Based on your new learnings. Countries NGOs Riders $ your donations so far These numbers change lives. Not only the lives of the beneficiaries involved, but the lives of the riders who have witnessed and learned the complexity of community development in foreign countries. This is your chance to speak to local experts as part of your adventure, as you cycle across the country and gain a true understanding of life outside the tourist bubble.We ask for a A$200 minimum commitment from all riders. The money is given directly to the NGOs that are chosen by you. All of it. No bank fees, no commissions. The group from every tour engage in a ‘Donation Debate’ on our last night together. We’ll discuss what impressed us, confused us and inspired us. As a group, we’ll make a decision as to how we’ll divide the total money. It’s your money and your experience. It can, and will, go to whatever NGO touched you the most. Money, budgeting and tipping MoneyThere’s plenty of opportunities to get money out from an ATM in Laos, although you’re likely to be stung with about US$5-6 of fees every time you withdraw cash. It’s pretty much a cash economy in all the places you’re likely to spend money. The only places that take card payments are bigger establishments, such as hotels and bigger restaurants (all of which are paid for as part of the SC tour).BudgetingSo the obvious next question is, how much should you bring with you? It really depends on what your movements are outside of the tour. You’ll need to budget $150 for the NGO donation (optional), and about $20-$80 for any hotels you might be staying in before or after the tour. Meals are anywhere from $2 to $10 and transport is cheap. For the actual tour itself, you should budget around $200 (plus visa, tip (US$100 optional) and donation). This will cover meals outside of the itinerary, souvenirs and other personal expenses. And you’ll have money left over to bring home. CurrencyIn Laos, they operate on the Lao Kip, also known as LAK. It is about 8500 LAK to 1 USD. There are some places that may accept Thai Baht (particularly close to Thailand) and even USD (but mainly bigger establishments). TippingTipping in hotels and restaurants in Laos is not common. Sometimes there would be a small tip box at the front of some restaurants, should you choose to leave something for exceptional service. Our team work hard to make your experience a truly once in a lifetime adventure. If you would like to tip the team, it would be graciously accepted, but certainly not expected. The amount is always hard to suggest as it is always a personal gesture and different amounts mean different things to different people. Previous riders have tipped the team anywhere from US$50 to $150, depending on the length of the tour. Changing MoneyYou can bring in all major currencies. this includes Australian & New Zealand dollars, Euros, British Pounds and of course, American dollars. There are money exchanges in all the major cities but the smaller towns might struggle to exchange anything other that US$. Emergencies In case there is an emergency in Laos – it depends on the severity of the situation but this is a brief guide to our emergency plan that we put into action when an event requires it:• Deal with the on the ground situationIn case of an accident that requires administering of first aid at the scene, our staff are trained in basic emergency response techniques, and all trips carry basic first aid kits checked. We check, replenish and/or replace our kits on a regular basis.For relatively minor injuries including cuts, sprains, dehydration, fractures etc., local hospitals (if needed) will usually be able to provide adequate medical provision. In most instances you will be within 0-2 hours’ drive of a local hospital. • If the incident requires it, we contact the travel insurance company of those affected and also the relevant embassy. Contact the emergency contact listed on the booking form. This is why it is imperative that you have travel insurance. In case of an emergency, it is YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY that puts into action your evacuation plan. We contact your insurance company on your behalf and they take over the situation. Flights Flights are easy to come by for these cities but it’s more than likely that you will travel via a transit city, depending on where you’re coming from. More common long haul flights look like this:AUST/NZ: Flying into or out of Vientiane and Luang Prabang (LPQ), you will most likely either fly via Singapore, Bangkok or Malaysia depending on what carrier you choose. Flight prices can vary from A$700 return (budget airlines) to $1500 depending on the time of year and the airline. Late December and January are the most expensive times to fly but you can get a good deal if you book in advance. We can help with flights from these regions. Get in touch for more details.EUROPE: Coming from Europe and UK, there’s a range of options and prices. You’ll probably fly either Bangkok (BKK, Thai Airways), China (CAN, China Southern) or Hong Kong (HKG, Cathay Pacific). Flight prices range from £350 to £750 return, again depending on the time of year you’r going to travel.USA/CAN: Prices can vary from US$900 to $1500 depending on the time of year. You’re pretty much going to be going via China, depending on your airline. Could be China Eastern or China Southern. Flight times are in excess of 20 hours, so I’d recommend you arrive a day or two early to acclimatize. Arrivals and Departures On Arrival • In Vientiane, you’ll need to get your visa. Visas for Laos can be obtained on arrival at the airport. Follow the signs once you arrive to get this. You’ll need to pay in cash, and USD is best for this so it’s worth having some handy before you arrive. The price is anywhere from US$30 to US$42 depending on your nationality.• Then proceed downstairs to collect your luggage before exiting to the arrivals hall.• After collecting baggage, you may be asked by customs officials to screen your luggage in a machine before exiting and/or check your luggage tags against the corresponding labels that you were given when checking in, to make sure you have taken the correct bags.On Departure• Check-in 2 hrs prior to flight time is ample for all international flights• There is no departure tax to pay (all taxes are included in ticket prices)• Fill in a departure card and hand in at passport control counters after going through security• There are shops and cafes in the departure area near the gates. Boarding announcements are made in English for all flights. Airport Transfer:On clearing customs and collecting your luggage, please look for a sign with your name on it. Please do not leave the arrivals hall. If it is crowded, it may take you time to locate the sign. You will be transferred to your accommodation. You can exchange money at the airport but it’s better to change a small amount as the exchange rates are better in the city. You can also get a sim card at the airport. This is probably the easiest and most convenient place to get a sim.Arrival airport transfer are included in Social Cycles tours. Somebody will be there to meet you. If your flight has arrived early then the transfer driver may not yet have arrived. Please just take a seat and wait a little while longer. You may be approached by someone offering you a taxi – don’t take it, just wait until you see someone with a sign. You will be provided with a phone number to call once you have booked. If you arrive prior to the tour date, we can assist you with your hotel booking for the same hotel as the tour. In this case, your arrival transfer is still valid. Should you choose to stay in a different hotel or book independently of Social Cycles, then you are responsible to arrange your own transfer. Obtaining a Visa The visa process is not too much of a hassle, but most passport holders will need at least a Laos visa, if not a Vietnam visa as well.Visa for LaosPassport holders from all countries except Singapore. Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines (and a couple of others) will need to get a visa for Laos. This is easy to do and can be done on arrival at Vientiane or Luang Prabang airport. You will need (approx) US$40 cash. There are some e-visas available but the process is quite straight forward at the airport. See the arrival section on this page to read more.Visa for VietnamMost passport holders will need a visa for Vietnam, except for the following nationalities: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Korea, Russia and Norway. All of these nationalities can get into Vietnam for a maximum period of 15 days without a visa, provided they have not been in Vietnam in the last 30 days.All other nationalities (Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, American, South African etc) will need to get a visa prior to entry. The border we cross into Vietnam is a land border crossing. You can also get an e-visa though the official government channels. You can find the link to the application form here. Please ensure you fill it out correctly and upload the passport photo and page correctly. The border crossing is “TAY TRANG LAND PORT” and your address in Vietnam will be Phoenix Palace Hotel, Hanoi . The cost is US$25 and the time is usually three to five days, but please allow at least a week, if not longer. The date of the land crossing will be on the itinerary, but you can calculate it as five days AFTER the group arrives in Luang Prabang. Check with us to confirm you have the right date. Internet and local sim cards Sim CardsThere’s plenty of options for sim cards in Laos and I’d highly recommend getting one in each country when you arrive. In Laos, I’d recommend going with UniTel, but any of them are good enough to get you coverage. It’s best to get it at the official telco retail outlet, either at the airport or in the city. Ask them to set you up with a data package to suit your needs. If you just put credit on your phone, it will allow you to make calls, but not use the internet (or use it at very high rates). You want to buy credit and purchase a data package plan. Make sure that the plan is valid for your length of travel. For example, you could buy the sim card for $3 and purchase $3 of credit, then purchase a data package of 2GB that lasts 15 days. (prices are indicative examples only, check local suppliers for exact packages). InternetWifi is pretty good in most places and is often free. Even some remote, off the beaten track places will have wifi. Saying that though, I’d still recommend a sim card. It really helps if you need to contact anybody in the group, especially in the case of emergencies. We will be communicating via a Whatsapp group (and you can also call home for free). There are no blocked websites in Laos (that I’m aware of), and should you want to, you’ll even be able to watch movies from your Netflix account. Food What’s the food like in Laos?Sticky rice, fresh vegetables, mountains of fresh herbs, fish and meat, fish sauce, chilli, spices, fruit and more sticky rice… one of the wonderful features of the Lao diet is the almost complete absence of processed foods. Ironically, it’s the poor economic status of this small, landlocked South-East Asian country that has kept its cuisine fresh, vibrant and healthy for hundreds of years. Lao’s culinary offering includes universal hits, like steamed fish in banana leaf and pork laap salad, alongside options for the adventurous eater, such as duck’s blood salad. At our dinners, we’ll order a variety of local specials and eat ‘family style’, ensuring everybody gets to try as much as possible! Vegetarians and Vegans?Not into the idea of duck’s blood salad? That’s no problem. There’s a huge variety of vegetarian local specialties available and there will always be vegetarian dishes on the table at every meal. If the majority of the group are vegetarian, it will be reflected in the food on the table.Dietary requirements?If you have any dietary requirements or allergies, please indicate on the online form you will fill out once you have paid a deposit and booked your place. We’ll cater to all dietary requirements as best as possible. Please get in touch with us if you have life threatening allergies.What’s the deal with alcohol?There’s plenty of beers around Laos and Vietnam. And a cold beer after a hard day on the bike is pretty inviting! They’re quite cheap too, with some places selling draft beers from as little as 50c. Wine is a little harder to find (good wine anyway) and is closer to Western prices. Cocktails on the other hand are excellent, well made (the places I’ll take you too) and inexpensive ($5-6). Just be wary that the weather can be a little warm and a couple too many beers or cocktails will knock you about a bit more than usual the next day. Dehydration will have a huge effect and it doesn’t take much to have a hangover. To be honest, most of the time, we’re in bed by 9pm! Packing suggestions Everyone’s packing style is different and we all have our own travel needs so these are only ideas and there will be gaps! These are merely suggestions and not ‘compulsory’ items. See the ‘weather’ section for details about the time of your trip. CYCLEFull sleeve sports top for sun protection (high breathability)Lightweight full length top Comfortable (padded) shorts to cycle inVisor/Caps for under your helmetClosed shoes (bikes do not have clip in pedals)GlovesHelmetSports water bottleLightweight backpack (optional)Removable padded seat for your bike (optional)Light Khmer scarf to protect your neck from the sunSunscreen EXTRASCash (see notes on money)Passport & passport photoInsurance copyCamera, SD cards & chargersSmart phone & chargersTropical strength insect repellantHand sanitizerGels & hydrolytes to stay hydratedAdequate prescription medicationWomens sanitary needsHat for sun protectionUsual toiletries Weather High SeasonThe high season in Laos is from November to March. The temperatures are quite pleasant , although it can be a bit cold in the mountains. You’ll need a jumper and a jacket at imes, especially in the evening. During its ‘coldest’ months (December and January), temperatures can settle at around 17°C and nights and early mornings can be chilly. Once you reach March temperatures start to rise. This period is largely considered to be the best time to visit, and as a result, can bring in most of the annual tourists within these few short months.Wet SeasonJust before the wet season really kicks in, March, April and May start to really warm up. Not just in temperature, but in humidity too. As a result, we choose not to ride in these months. Although we think it is still a great time to visit, it can be a little taxing when you’re on the bike. By September, the humidity drops and the cycling season starts again. Both September and October are still technically part of the wet season. Further north and in Luang Prabang, rainfall tends to be lighter and you can often expect rain during the night or mornings with some relatively clear afternoons. Across Laos, throughout much of the rainy season, daytime temperatures average around 29°C in the lowlands and 23°C in the mountain valleys. Safety & First Aid SafetyWe take your safety extremely seriously and ensure that all the activities we host have been assessed in regards to health and safety aspects, from cycling routes to where we eat. Saying that, we’re not there to hold your hand the entire time and you will have to assume general common sense in Laos. We’d recommend exercising a little more caution than if you were back home. For example, we wouldn’t advise getting drunk in any of the cities as you may be vulnerable to assault or theft. We’d recommend you take extra care when crossing the road as a pedestrian (we’ll be there with you when you’re on the bike and direct the traffic around you). The traffic can be a little daunting. If in doubt, cross with a local. Common sense can go a long way here.What should I be cautious of?The biggest risk in the larger cities is ‘snatch and grab’ crime, where a passing motorbike may snatch your phone or bag off your shoulder. This is more common in the lead up to national holidays. To prevent or minimise your chance of becoming a victim, use your headphones whilst making a phone call on the street. If you’re using your phone as a camera, ensure you look around first and hold onto your phone tightly. Take your photos quickly and be vigilant of those around you. When walking with your bag, have the strap over your opposite shoulder. Be wary on crowded trains and in markets.How can I find out more?Due to the amount of positive experiences we have had in Laos, we can sometimes see it through rose coloured glasses. To keep us in check, we refer to the safety guide produced by the Australian government. It is based on fact, not hysteria. Laos and Vietnam are both currently rated as green. Which means exercise general safety precautions. Other countries with the same level are New Zealand, Samoa, Canada, UK etc. Check out the latest about what Australian Govt thinks about travelling in this region by following this link. First AidMedical facilities in Laos are basic, outside of major cities. There are international standard hospitals in all the major cities on route. We assume you are in good health and have a sufficient level of fitness to complete your chosen tour. It is very important that any illness, disability or medical condition that you suffer or are recovering from, have been brought to our attention at the time of booking. Please make sure you have informed your insurance company of any existing conditions to provide adequate cover.If you are taking medication, please bring your own adequate supply, as you will probably not be able to obtain suitable medication en-route.Each vehicle has a basic first aid kit but you may also like to bring your own small medical supply for minor wounds etc. We are not permitted to administer medicine or drugs so if you suffer from a bad back, travel sickness, hay fever or headaches etc please bring your own supply of medicine. You may also want to consider including a generic antibiotic such Amoxicillin.Is the cycling dangerous?At first impressions, the volume of traffic in the cities looks like utter chaos! It is in fact, a beautiful mess that really works. All the cities in Asia have a much greater amount of motorbikes than they do cars. As a result, the relationship between bikes and cars is very good, unlike Australia. There is little to no road rage, and as a result, the riding is a lot more peaceful than it may first appear! The vast majority of our cycling though is on remote back roads between rural villages. We don’t take any highways and never share any roads with fast moving traffic. We have a support van on hand at all times to give you a ride if there is a particular section that you don’t feel comfortable with. To date, every rider has felt that the riding in Laos is safer than the conditions in Australia. I tend to agree. Cycling details Below are the details of each cycling day for the ride between Vientiane and Hanoi. Please note these routes are NOT stuck in stone and are indicative only. The nature of these adventures is that conditions change, such as weather, traffic, road quality, roadworks and everything in between. Therefore, use the below as a guide only, not a map.The distances between one hotel to the next can be extensive, so we have cherry picked the best part to cycle in between, but it may only be 40 to 60km of the route. Each Social Cycles tour is fully supported so there is an opportunity for riders to take a rest in the van. Our goal is to exhibit the beauty of travelling Laos and Vietnam by bicycle. It is not to rack up thousands of kilometers. Therefore, our style is recreational and casual. We aim to cater for beginner to intermediate recreational cyclists, not professionals or Strava enthusiasts. See our FAQ on Social Cycles tours for more info on whether this is the right tour for you in regards to cycling. 3. Vientiane to Long Ngum- 68km We’ll get out of the city hustle by van for the first 22km, making Tha Ngon our launching pad for the days ride. Our morning destination is 39km away on paved roads, as we make our way to the Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife. Cycling on from LCTW, we’ll find a local restaurant for some sustenance, then tackle the remaining 28km to Long Ngum View Resort on the Nam Ngum Lake.+532 m/-464 m 4. Vang Vieng Dirt Loop- 31km We’ve created a round trip of 31km that takes us to Blue Lagoons 2 and 3, where we can have a dip in the open pools and grab some lunch from one of the food stands. We’ll also have the chance to explore Patong Cave Temple and a feast of surrounding attractions. The cycling is mostly on dirt roads, reasonably flat with 286m of incline and decline.+286 m / -286 m 5. Vang Vieng to Kasi- 80km There is every opportunity to ride from Bearlin Bungalows to Kasi Hot Springs Resort, where we’ll spend the evening. The total distance is 81km on a paved but patchy road, we’ll aim to ride to Kasi for lunch (62km) and the final 19km in the afternoon.+1302 m / -865 m 6. Kasi to Phonsavan- 50km We have approximately 160km to get to Phonsavan, so the first 110km will be covered in the van, which should take just over 3 hours. From the small village of Muang Souy, we’ll tackle the final 50km over some undulating paved roads. The road is a thoroughfare for transport around Laos and can be busy at times.+568 m / -574 m 7. Phonsavan to Phou Khoun- 50km We’ll head back West and transfer by van some 90km (2hrs), allowing us to cycle the final 50km to Phou Khoun. The road is paved with the usual pot holes and is not foreign to some traffic, but it’s the most direct and only way to get to our destination.+1,416 m / -1,088 m 8. Phou Khoun to Luang Prabang- 76km We’ll skip the first 53km of climbing by jumping in the van to the viewpoint. From here we’ll attempt to cycle all the way into Luang Prabang, with twice as much downhill as up in the remaining 76km.There’s no rush and a support van that’s with us the whole way. +1,279 m / -2,378 m 9. Luang Prabang The relaxed road out of Luang Prabang will take us as far as Kuang Si Falls, one of the most spectacular swimming holes on the continent. Along the way we’ll visit the Lao Buffalo Dairy, whose initiative provides an insight into the issues surrounding village farmers and water buffalo care. The dairy also provides animal husbandry nutrition programs to the rural communities close to the falls. It’s a ‘there and back’ ride, totalling 57km with 694m in incline and decline. If you’re keen to get back to town and make the most of Luang Prabang for the evening, you can jump in the van and halve the cycling for the day.+694 m / -694 m 10. Luang Prabang to Nong Khuay- 21km Some 30km out of Luang Prabang is Nong Khuay Village. A very remote community, home to 80 families of both Hmong and Khummu origin. To get there, we will cycle 21km on a mostly dirt track, with some pretty reasonable climbs. Be prepared to get your sweat on! Then the road finishes and we need to trek through the mountains for almost 9km. The van will meet us in the village, so you can always hitch a ride if mountain trekking is not your thing.+510 m / -157 m 11. Nong Khuay to Nong Khiaw- 42km We cycle out of the village on dirt roads for 6km and tackle a pretty decent downhill, almost 15% at some parts. Then there’s a flat 7km of paved road before we jump in the van and head to Pak Mong (127km, 3 hrs). From here it is a further 29km through little villages nestled in between spectacular Karst peaks, on undulating paved roads. There is a good chance to increase the 29km should time permit.A. 13km | +130 m / -677 mB. 29km | +364 m / -402 m 13. Vietnam border to Dien Bien Phu- 34km We start the day getting to the Tay Trang border crossing, into Vietnam. The 66km drive will take just under 2 hrs, but we’ll get to the border nice and early, then it’s time to say goodbye to the Laos team!The Social Cycles Vietnam team will be waiting on the other side with a new set of bikes for you to take on the ride down to Dien Bien Phu. The ride is mostly paved and just 41km away with a nice drop in elevation.+362 m / -970 m 14. Dien Bien to Muong Lay- 95km Today we cycle along windy valleys on a paved road that snakes through the beautiful countryside. We are surrounded by rice fields and villages. We climb to an elevation of over 1000m and are rewarded once again with stunning views before descending (20km) to Muong Lay town.It’s a long ride, but the support van is always within sight.+1,644 m / -1,879 m 15. Muong Lay to Lai Chau- 70km After breakfast at the hotel, we will transit the first 50km (1 hr 30). A vast landscape opens up beneath you: endless mountains stretching into the distance and craterous valleys dotted with stilt-home villages clustered around clear streams. Today is a hard day’s cycling, but definitely worth it. The reward at the end of it is some of the best views in the whole region.+ 1,718 m / – 2,387 m 16. Lai Chau to Sapa- 73km This climb takes you to an elevation of over 2000m, with the lowest point of the day at 600m. The views and stunning scenery will provide lifelong memories and will forever be ingrained as some of the most majestic and spectacular natural imagery on the planet.This is the hardest riding day of the tour. The total distance from hotel to hotel is 73km with an overall climb of 2291m and a descent of 1700m. The road is mostly paved and the van is always close by and will be available should you want to take a break or even leap frog the group.+2,291 m / -1,700 m What to wear The most important thing here is to be comfortable. Laos is still relatively conservative and you should address accordingly. You won’t see Lao people wearing revealing clothing and our clothing should be the same. It is disrespectful to wear short shorts and have exposed shoulders around some temples. We’ll guide you beforehand though. Shorts, t-shirts and singlets are all fine to wear for everyday use, but please be aware of sun protection. There is no significant difference between what should be worn for men and women. Many people prefer padded shorts to make the ride more comfortable. I’d recommend a Khmer scarf for sun protection. We’re providing Social Cycles jerseys that have pockets in the back to help you carry your possessions (money, phone etc). Men Women Shopping Laos is not known as a shopping mecca and compared to many countries around the world, well, frankly, it just isn’t. That’s not to say that there are not things to buy and bring back home though… especially if you need to pick up a few gifts.All the bigger towns and cities have a nigt market, which is great to stroll through and brouse an always impressive display of locally made handicrafts and jewellery. My go to take home item is always locally grown coffee beans, but there are a plethora of great finds including wood carvings (can be difficult to get back into Australia and New Zealand customs though), silks, arts, homewares and quality textiles.Many stores operate on fair-trade principles – proceeds go back to the artisan who created your purchase, which help preserve ancient methods such as weaving and hand-dying. Vientiane also has a few markets, where you’ll find fresh produce and cheap street food, as well as a handful of souvenir stalls close to the Mekong River. Sleeping The hotels.We choose hotels that are clean and comfortable. More often than not, we’ll find a hotel that has a pool for a bit of down time. There’s always a massage not too far away. The rooms are clean and secure. They will usually (but not always) have a fridge and a safe for you to put your belongings. All rooms have private bathrooms and will come with amenities and fresh towels. The tour is based on twin share accommodation, however, a single supplement is available if you would like your own room for the duration of the tour. At times, we will stay at local guesthouses with rather basic facilities. This is due to the remote locations of the tour. Photography Laos is an incredible place to photograph. And like anywhere else in the world, it should be carried out with respect to local culture. In essence, if you are going to take a photograph of a person, it is always polite to ask for their permission. They will tell you straight out if they do not want their photograph taken and it is important that you respect their decision. You may well find though that many locals will approach you and ask to have their photograph taken with you. In some places that we go, it feels like we are the attraction!Photographing children without the consent of the parents is against the Social Cycles Child Safety policy. As cute as local kids can be, don’t take photos of children without their parents around. It’s just creepy. Electricity & Charging ElectricityElectricity is 220V, 50Hz. Standard sockets throughout the country accommodate the Type C European-style 2-pin plugs Please bring your own adapter as we do not provide these – there are more details in the What to Pack section further on.Recharging BatteriesIf you can’t live without your devices (like me), it’s a good idea to bring a battery pack that you can re-charge when we’re out on the road. Each vehicle has a connector that plugs into the cigarette lighter, but it’s slow to charge and shouldn’t be relied on. And there’s only one! Bathrooms Toilets in Asia are generally squat toilets. However,all the hotel rooms we stay in have a Western style toilet and a private bathroom. Local restaurants and homes will all have squat toilets.If you’re not used to this style, it can be a little daunting at first. If you’re really not comfortable with this, or your knees just aren’t what they used to be, it’s worth waiting to the next Western style toilet. Just be aware before you leave the comfort of the hotel!Toilets On The RoadIf we’re on the road and you suddenly near to use a toilet, just let our local guide know and we’ll find a family home that can host you for a few moments. The community lifestyle in rural villages makes this incredibly easy, but the local assistance from the SC team is essential. Bring toilet paper or tissues with you, but use a bin instead of flushing down the squat toilet, as the system cannot take it and you may end up blocking their drains.Toilet Paper The Asian style of toilet does not usually have toilet paper with it. The custom is to use water and your left hand to clean yourself. If this is the first time you’ve heard this, I’d imagine you might be squirming in your seat a little. However, it s commonly considered to be a cleaner method than the Western style. Think of it like this…. if you were sitting in a park and as you sat down on the grass, you put your hand in dog shit. Would you A) wash your hands with soap and water or B) wipe your hand clean with dry paper. It’s obvious, but just another way of thinking. If you’re not comfortable washing, then you’re welcome to bring toilet paper with you.LaundryEvery few days we have a day off the bikes. In almost all of these towns and cities, you will find a place to get your laundry washed. It’s usually $1 or $1.50 per kilo and takes 24 hours. Vaccinations Please consult your doctor or local travel clinic for any required vaccinations – although there are no compulsory vaccinations, typhoid/tetanus/infectious hepatitis and polio are recommended. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain proper and detailed medical advice prior to travel. Malaria and other insect borne diseases exists in Laos, although our route does not go through highly prevalent mountain areas. Some riders choose to take malaria tablets, some choose not to. We recommend whether you take tablets or not, to exercise preventable measures such as tropical strength repellent and loose clothing.Details of recommended health requirements are available on www.traveldoctor.info and other websites. It is much better to seek the advice of a professional doctor over any website (including this one!) 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