new posts
Krabi 4 Islands Tour: About The Islands and...
Longtail Boat Sea Fishing in the Phi Phi...
Samet Nangshee Viewpoint. Phang-Nga Bay, Thailand.
10 Things To Do in Phi Phi Islands
Ha Long Bay Boat Cruise: How To Plan,...
Weed is Legal in Thailand: And Now Tourists...
Where To Stay in Bangkok: Discover The Best...
BTS Skytrain Bangkok 2023 – A First Timer’s...
Two Weeks in Malaysia. The Perfect 14-17 Night...
Orangutans in Malaysian Borneo: Meeting Them On a...
Backpack Bob's:  Travel Guides and Asia Blogs
Banner
  • Home
  • Thailand
    • All Guides
    • Where To Stay in Bangkok
    • Thailand Legal Cannabis Guide
    • Thailand Travel Itinerary
    • Bangkok Temple Guide
  • Vietnam
    • All Guides
    • Ha Giang Loop Guide
    • Hanoi Travel Guide
  • Malaysia
    • All Guides
    • Malaysia Travel Itinerary
    • Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide
    • Langkawi Travel Guide
    • Melaka Travel Guide
    • Ipoh Travel Guide
  • Laos
  • Contact
  • About
  • Shop
  • Travel Planning
    • Plan a Trip with Backpack Bob
    • Travel Resources
  • Popular Guides
    • 2 Weeks in Thailand Itinerary
    • Thailand Packing List
    • Bangkoks Best Temples
    • Phu Kradueng National Park
    • Ride Scooter for Beginners
    • Ha Giang Loop – Vietnam
    • Mae Hong Son Loop
    • Koh Jum: Travel Guide
    • Koh Libong: Travel Guide
    • Koh Rok Thailand
    • Private Phi Phi Island Tour
Coronavirus TravelLaos

Laos Entry Requirements and Travel Restrictions: Is Laos Open and Do You Need a COVID Test

by BackPackBOB 10 January 2023
3.7K
FacebookTweetPinPrint

The year is 2025, and the world is open once more. People are travelling once again and Covid lockdowns are (hopefully and thankfully) a thing of the past.

In This Guide:
All Laos Entry Requirements
When Will Laos Reopen To Tourists
Is Thai Laos border open?
Do I need PCR test to enter Laos?
Can I travel to Laos unvaccinated?
Do I Need Health Insurance To Travel To Laos
Conclusion

But figuring out the current Laos entry requirements is still confusing as hell.

Can I travel to Laos unvaccinated? Do I need a PCR test to travel to Laos, do you need a Covid test to travel to Laos? and are Laos land borders open? There are all question I struggled to find answers for, when planning my trip, and I will answer them all in this post.

So I wanted to to re-visit Laos. A place I’d travelled extensively before the pandemic hit. But is Laos even open for tourism right now? We’ll yeah it is, but it difficult to find a clear answer about that. Oh and, there is no need to take a COVID PCR test anymore, despite what some sources would have you believe.

From my own personal experience, I can safely say, that all the Laos entry requirements have now been dropped.

If you’re looking for travel options into Laos you can book flights right here, or on a budget, you can book train or bus tickets at the lowest rates with Baolau. But my recommendation, if you have the time, is to travel to Laos on the Slow Boat.

But let me tell you, I found a ton of misleading Laos travel updates out there while I was researching the travel restrictions and entry requirements.

So I’ll try and help you out. Because I guess, if your reading this, then you are looking for answers to the same questions as I had. So I’ll clear everything up in this post.

Laos is open right now and the borders have also reopened.

In this ‘Laos travel update, I’ll clarify the following:

  • Is Laos open again?
  • Can I travel to Lao right now?
  • Do I have to quarantine in Laos?
  • Do I Need a COVID test to travel to Laos?
  • Do I need PCR test to enter Laos?
  • Can I travel to Laos unvaccinated?
  • Laos entry requirements
  • Laos travel restrictions
  • Laos travel restrictions 2023
laos passport entry stamp is laos open for tourists
Can I travel to Lao right now? Passport stamp granting entrance to Laos in 2025.

Laos is a country I love, and a place where I spent a lot of time, pre-pandemic. Crossing the Mekong River on the slow-boat was one of my favorite experiences. But when travelling now, things are different. Before the Coronavirus hit you would only really need to figure out flight plans and visa requirements to travel to a new country. Now you also need to figure out if you’ll need a COVID test or vaccination, etc.,. etc..

All Laos Entry Requirements

Is Quarantine a Laos Entry Requirement

❌ No, there is no requirement to quarantine when travelling to Laos right now.

Is Having a Visa a Laos Entry Requirement

❓ Depending on your nationality it is likely that you would need a Visa to enter Laos. Visa on arrivals are being processed as normal, the same as pre-pandemic. The best way to check if you need a visa is on the embassy website of your passport country.

Is Proof of Vaccination a Laos Entry Requirement

❌ There is no travel restriction which states travelers a need to show proof of vaccination to travel to Laos.

Is a Negative COVID Test a Laos Entry Requirement

❌ No, when I travelled to Laos I was not asked to provide a negative PRC or coronavirus test. It is not an entry requirement anymore.

Laos reopen border
Visa on arrival at the Laos – Thai Border. The Border is open as usual again with all Laos Entry Requirements have been revoked.

When Will Laos Reopen To Tourists

Top of the list when figuring our the current Laos entry requirements is figuring out if the country is even open. Is Laos open again?

Laos already opened to tourists! Good news for anyone planning to visit the country this year. Laos was actually one of the first country’s to reopen in late 2021, but there was still a lot of entry requirements at that time.

Laos has now undergone a full reopening meaning all nationalities can enter Laos without proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test, I travelled there at the beginning of the year and can confirm this is still the current situation.

This report from the Laotian Times suggests the full reopening occurred at the end of 2022.

So if you trying to find out if you travel to Lao right now? or has Laos reopen then border. Then worry no more, because, yes you can travel to Laos and all the borders are open exactly as they where pre-pandemic! 😁

Book Cheap Train and Bus Tickets To Laos

Is Thai Laos border open?

  • Can I cross the border from Thailand to Laos?
  • Is the border between Laos and Thailand open?

Yes, The Thai Laos border is open for all travelers again, with no travel restrictions in place. I travelled to Laos across the Friendship Bridge Border (Nong Khai Thai – Laos Vientiane). The border is far quieter than I had ever seen it before and I was across in under 15 minutes or so (including making a visa-on-arrival application). The process is exactly the same as it was when travelling across the land border before the pandemic and the lockdowns.

Do I need PCR test to enter Laos?

Does Laos require PCR test? One of the most frustrating things about travelling to a different country right now is trying to figure out if you need a vaccination certificate, PCR test, COVID test, ATK Test or any other kind of documentation. 😵

Everyone tells you something different, and most will say something along the lines of “Hmmm, I’d probably take a test just incase“.

And it’s no less confusing when it comes down to figuring out the latest Laos travel restrictions.

Most websites, blogs, even government websites and the Lao Airways site, suggest that you must have proof of coronavirus vaccination or a PCR test in order to travel to Lao right now. But after travelling to Laos myself I can safely say that is not the case anymore.

You do not need a COVID test or vaccination proof to travel into Laos anymore.

I arrived at the border, half-expecting to be turned away, for not having taken a coronavirus test and lacking vaccination proof. But that did not happen. I crossed the border as if it was pre-pandemic. Very few people, including border agents were wearing facemasks. And there was no request made to provide a a PCR test in order to enter Laos.

Can I travel to Laos unvaccinated?

The same goes for proof of vaccination when travelling to Laos. There is no current travel restriction which states you need to show proof of vaccination.

Do I Need Health Insurance To Travel To Laos

Health insurance or travel insurance is not a Laos entry requirement. However, even just because it is not required it doesn’t mean you should go without. I wouldn’t even dream of traveling without insurance. World Nomads provide my insurance, and have done for the past 6 years now. Thankfully I’ve never had to claim for anything more than messed up travel connections, but the peace of mind is worth every single penny.

Conclusion

In 2025 anyone can now travel freely to Laos. You don’t need to stress over what the current entry requirements are because all the Laos travel restrictions have been removed.

Take advantage of this unique time where the borders are fully open but few travelers are crossing.

Travel like the coronavirus pandemic never happened, enjoy yourself and claim back those precious years that were stolen from us all by the lockdowns.

Want to visit Laos yourself? You can book travel tickets to anywhere in Laos here: https://backpackbob.com/traveltolaos or read my other post about taking the train to Vientiane from Bangkok here.

FacebookTweetPinPrint
FacebookTwitterPinterestRedditWhatsappLINE

2 comments

George 15 November 2023 - 8:13 am

Travelling by train in Laos
Do you need a vaccination certificate?

Reply
BackPackBOB 22 December 2023 - 1:28 am

Nope, haven’t heard anything about a vaccination certificate anywhere in South East Asia in well over a year now. You should be good.

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

BackPackBOB

Hi, Im Robb. And I live on holiday. Welcome to 'Backpack Bob. No, I didn’t quit my job and sell everything to travel the world. I initially funded all my travels by working abroad. But that doesn’t mean I’m here to save you money, or to help you travel smarter. I just enjoy writing about the places I’ve been. It’s more of a memoir for myself, to look back on in the future. But if you find my guides useful, then you are very welcome here. My journey started in 2016 when I decided not to return from a one-month vacation. And when the lockdowns happened in 2020. I found myself stranded in Thailand, (where I now live for six months of the year). I used that time to finally start this blog and share my stories. People have often told me I should write a book about my adventures, so this is the next best thing. For the love, not the money.

previous post
Do You Need a Covid Test For Thailand – New Entry Requirements
next post
Bangkok to Vientiane on Train: Thailand to Laos (via Nongkhai) 🚂

related posts

Thailand Quarantine Hotels: All You Need...

12 October 2020

Bangkok to Vientiane on Train: Thailand...

10 January 2023

When Will Bali Open For Tourists...

28 November 2020

Nong Khai Border Crossing: Crossing The...

20 January 2023

Do You Need a Covid Test...

9 January 2023

Laos Visa on Arrival: Applying for...

12 January 2023

Flights To Bali: 3 Top Tips...

3 November 2020

What’s Life In Bali Like During...

1 December 2020

When Will Thailand Open Borders? You...

4 October 2020

What Is It Like To Fly...

7 July 2020

About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Robb, and I live on vacation. Welcome to 'Backpack Bob'. I didn’t quit my job and sell everything to travel the world. And I didn't quit my job.

I initially funded travel by working abroad. But that doesn’t mean I’m here to save you money. Honestly- I just enjoy writing about the places I’ve been. It’s more of a memoir for myself, to look back on in the future. But if you find my guides useful, then you are very welcome here.

My journey started in 2016 when I decided not to return from a one-month vacation. And when the lockdowns happened in 2020. I found myself stranded in Thailand, (where I now live for six months of the year). I used that time to finally start this blog and share my stories. People have often told me I should write a book about my adventures, so this is the next best thing. For the love, not the money.

Search My Travel Blog

backpack bobs first thailand itinerary how to spend two weeks in the south of thailand icon
thailand esim
shortcut to backpack bobs travel guide about the ha giang loop tour in vietnam man
covid 19 lockdown story about how backpack bob got stuck on phi phi island for 6 months
backpac bobs tourists guide to buying the best and cheapest sim card in thailand
backpack bobs travel guide to see the best temples in bangkok

Connect With Me

Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Email Reddit
Facebook

Instagram

backpackbobs 2023 guide on the best things to do in thailand

Latest And Hottest Posts

  • Krabi 4 Islands Tour: About The Islands and Booking a Boat

    21 November 2024
  • Longtail Boat Sea Fishing in the Phi Phi Islands (Marlin and Tuna)

    24 October 2024
  • Samet Nangshee Viewpoint. Phang-Nga Bay, Thailand.

    20 October 2024
  • 10 Things To Do in Phi Phi Islands

    20 October 2024
  • Ha Long Bay Boat Cruise: How To Plan, How To Book, and How To Choose The Best Cruise

    28 April 2024

BOOK CHEAP TRAVEL IN ASIA 🔽

klook banner thailand is calling
Phi Phi Island Tour Banner
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Reddit
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • ABOUT ME
  • CONTACT ME

DOGE: DKzFay5rWEwEL3XQPkgfTdGaaZRxV5nAyY
BTC: 3Me2N4HNCN42CfLsZkrL5H9BVxHQY3rmry
ETH: 0x7372f12D0416e06533783d30f82e3268f286560f

BOOK ACCOMODATION:
BOOKING
AGODA
TRIP
HOSTELWORLD

©2012-2025 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BACKPACK BOB.

You are welcome to use any photos which I publish on my blog, and own the rights to free of charge. Providing that credit is given in the form of a link to this website. 💙📸 Contact me for full resolution images. or check out my profile on Shutterstock.

Backpack Bob's:  Travel Guides and Asia Blogs
  • Home
  • Thailand
    • All Guides
    • Where To Stay in Bangkok
    • Thailand Legal Cannabis Guide
    • Thailand Travel Itinerary
    • Bangkok Temple Guide
  • Vietnam
    • All Guides
    • Ha Giang Loop Guide
    • Hanoi Travel Guide
  • Malaysia
    • All Guides
    • Malaysia Travel Itinerary
    • Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide
    • Langkawi Travel Guide
    • Melaka Travel Guide
    • Ipoh Travel Guide
  • Laos
  • Contact
  • About
  • Shop
  • Travel Planning
    • Plan a Trip with Backpack Bob
    • Travel Resources
  • Popular Guides
    • 2 Weeks in Thailand Itinerary
    • Thailand Packing List
    • Bangkoks Best Temples
    • Phu Kradueng National Park
    • Ride Scooter for Beginners
    • Ha Giang Loop – Vietnam
    • Mae Hong Son Loop
    • Koh Jum: Travel Guide
    • Koh Libong: Travel Guide
    • Koh Rok Thailand
    • Private Phi Phi Island Tour

Shopping Cart

Close

No products in the cart.

Close