Money & Currency
Lao Kip (LAK)
The national currency is the Lao Kip (LAK) — one of the weakest currencies in the world. The exchange rate is about 1 EUR ≈ 24,000 LAK (2025). Notes range from 500 LAK to 100,000 LAK. You will regularly be a millionaire — a lunch costs 30,000 LAK, a hotel 200,000 LAK.
The Three-Currency System
In Laos, three currencies circulate in parallel:
- Lao Kip (LAK): The official currency. For local restaurants, street food, tuk-tuks, small shops.
- Thai Baht (THB): Widely used, especially in border regions with Thailand and at markets. Accepted almost everywhere.
- US Dollar (USD): Accepted in tourist areas. Hotels and travel agencies often quote prices in USD.
Rule of thumb: Pay in Kip — you get the best exchange rate. If you pay in Baht or USD, the vendor rounds in their favor.
ATMs
- Availability: Easily available in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Pakse. In Nong Khiaw and 4000 Islands: NO ATMs!
- Withdrawal limit: Usually 1,000,000–2,000,000 LAK per transaction (about 40–80 EUR)
- Fees: 20,000 LAK (about 0.80 EUR) per withdrawal, plus your home bank's fees
- Recommended banks: BCEL (Banque pour le Commerce Extérieur Lao) — widest ATM network
Credit Cards
Accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants in Vientiane and Luang Prabang (often with a 2–3% surcharge). Everywhere else: cash only!
💡 Tipp
Withdraw enough cash in Vientiane or Luang Prabang for the entire onward journey. There are NO ATMs in Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi, 4000 Islands, and on the Bolaven Plateau. Expect to spend 200,000–400,000 LAK per day (8–16 EUR) as a backpacker.
