Vientiane

[BoomBoom0]

I just finished my second long stay of the year. This time for 60 days. One visa on arrival plus one 30 days extension. Extension price the same $2 a day. Can do it easily yourself at Vientiane immigration or give it to travel agent to run for you $10-15 service. Spending a longer time here, I easily made quite a few regulars, most of them non pro or very semi working, I feel better and better with repeated meetings. So did not venture new grounds too much this trip. But did find more and more new suburban Lao and Viet joints of all kinds of formats, karaoke, massage, restaurants, hair salon or old style brothels.

But during this trip, I actually enjoyed a tourist trap that I avoided before. The Vientiane Plaza spa had brought in a few nice young providers. I tried 4 of them during my 60 day stay, and all very consistent in service and attitude. The system is very easy for newbie. You pick a massage package and pick a lady, as for me I always pick 60 min 130,000 kip. The play fee is negotiable. But they will quote you about 400,000. You can try bargain down to 300,000 or 350,000.

I will check out this place again next trip after new year for my next long stay. This place definitely very easy for Lao newbies.

I second that. Very easy. Go reception, a girl will greet you, choose massage package; I chose the cheapest one. We went to room, she washed me and I asked for boom boom right away (no massage). She said no problem I got a real stunner and she asked 500 k. She naturally over charged me, but this was something I really wanted to taste. Sex was mediocre at best but she was a 10 in looks.

[Mogwai]

I have read on another forum that there's a brothel here:

https://www.google.nl/maps/dir/17.95406 . 4005?hl=NL.

Is this correct and is it still open? Is this Wonderland?

Sorry, the link doesn't work. These are the coordinates: 17.9540641, 102.6241749
It's next to the Wonderland Guesthouse.

[Mogwai]

I have read on another forum that there's a brothel here:

https://www.google.nl/maps/dir/17.95406 . 4005?hl=NL.

Is this correct and is it still open? Is this Wonderland?

[Red Kilt]

Thanks RK. I don't think I will need more than 1 M Kip per day but I have to pay my bank a fee for every withdrawal I make. And maybe the banks in Laos have a fee on top of that, like the banks in Thailand?

Maybe I make one withdrawal and use the Kip when I get a price quoted in Kip only.

One million kip ends up like a house brick of currency in your wallet or bill-fold mate, especially if it comes out of the ATM in 50,000 notes and then you combine it with the hundreds of smaller bills that you will collect as you go.

The kip is the official currency so by Government decree there will always be a price given in kip for regular transactions in all Lao businesses, unlike Cambodia where everything is quoted in USD.

The Morning Market merchants always quote prices in baht because they deal with large tourist buses coming across the bridge from Thailand with Thai shoppers. If you ask for a price in kip they bring out the calculators, and that's when you need to be able to do the arithmetic in your head, because they are professional price manipulators.

Let us know how you get on in Vientiane Mog.

[Mogwai]

Not sure why you would ever need more than 1 M kip per day?
SNIP
If you do use baht to pay, just be very aware of the conversion rates so you are not getting ripped off if you get a price quoted to you in kip and you offer to pay in baht (and vice versa).

Thanks RK. I don't think I will need more than 1 M Kip per day but I have to pay my bank a fee for every withdrawal I make. And maybe the banks in Laos have a fee on top of that, like the banks in Thailand?

Maybe I make one withdrawal and use the Kip when I get a price quoted in Kip only.

[Red Kilt]

Going to Vientiane by the end of this week. I have understood that Thai Bahts are widely accepted and that you can only withdraw 1.000.000 Kip at a time from the ATM's. So I guess it's best to bring Bahts with me?
Some people on internet forums advise to exchange Bahts for Kip once you've arrived in Laos and other people advise against it. So what to do?

I travel regularly to Vientiane for business and never take any currencies with me.

Plenty of ATMs all over the city and they dispense kip easily enough.

Not sure why you would ever need more than 1 M kip per day?

Many restaurants and coffee shops give the bill in USD, Kip and Thai baht so you can pay whatever suits.

Many girls quote prices in baht so the baht is a medium of currency too.

I have found that there is no preference by the locals. It's up to you sir. If you already have a pocketful of baht just take it with you and use it without exchanging it.

If you do use baht to pay, just be very aware of the conversion rates so you are not getting ripped off if you get a price quoted to you in kip and you offer to pay in baht (and vice versa).

[Mogwai]

Is it easy to find girls through WeChat in Vientiane? Or any other chat app that's popular there?

[Mogwai]

Going to Vientiane by the end of this week. I have understood that Thai Bahts are widely accepted and that you can only withdraw 1.000.000 Kip at a time from the ATM's. So I guess it's best to bring Bahts with me?
Some people on internet forums advise to exchange Bahts for Kip once you've arrived in Laos and other people advise against it. So what to do?

[Red Kilt]

Are there many nice girls to choose from in Home disco? How is it there compared to a similar place in Bangkok? Price is cheaper I guess than in Bangkok.

Agree with B/ Dog.

Lao ladies are very sweet (if you can find one with reasonable English skills). In general, English is fragmentary.

As Dog says, prices are not cheaper.

As an aside, the plethora of massage places in and around the tourist areas now have a number of girls who are now more inclined to offer extra service if you ask for it (but you should ask discreetly). You may not get it on your first visit but if you return and they become comfortable with you it is much more likely.

[Member #4591]

Are there many nice girls to choose from in Home disco? How is it there compared to a similar place in Bangkok? Price is cheaper I guess than in Bangkok.

The girls are nice but if you think it's cheaper than Bangkok, your wrong. Everything is the same price or more.

[Pussycheck]

Every time I'm in Vientiane, I always end up here. This is where the good talent goes. There are a few bars in the downtown area but they close at midnight where At Home disco is open till about 2 or 3 in the morning. I am planning a trip in May or June and hope this place is still up and running. Laos is better for the freelance game than massage places.

Are there many nice girls to choose from in Home disco? How is it there compared to a similar place in Bangkok? Price is cheaper I guess than in Bangkok.

[Member #4591]

Every time I'm in Vientiane, I always end up here. This is where the good talent goes. There are a few bars in the downtown area but they close at midnight where At Home disco is open till about 2 or 3 in the morning. I am planning a trip in May or June and hope this place is still up and running. Laos is better for the freelance game than massage places.

[HumanPerson2]

Kind Sir, can you help locate these joints up near the airport? Street name? Big Road? Side street? Past the airport, or between city and airport? I am here a couple more weeks, and WeChat is way too full of ladyboys, and other scammers!..

There are two spots I'd recommend on the north side of town:

1. A cluster of 4 adjacent bars on Chou Anou Rd. It's few kilometers out of town so you need to make sure you've got a scooter / car, but well worth it. Great selection. Exact coordinates are 18.030708, 102.625696.

2. Many bars along Sithong Rd between Asian Rd and the connector that joins Sithong to Asean. Rough coordinates are 17.978719, 102.587877.

Happy hunting!

[NspectHerGadgt]

I was in Vientiane right before the new year just for a couple of nights.

... We ended up at a string of beer bars up near the airport ...

Kind Sir, can you help locate these joints up near the airport? Street name? Big Road? Side street? Past the airport, or between city and airport? I am here a couple more weeks, and WeChat is way too full of ladyboys, and other scammers!

Thank you for any help.

[HumanPerson2]

I was in Vientiane right before the new year just for a couple of nights.

I had most success with a tuktuk driver who I paid to show me spots all over town. We ended up at a string of beer bars up near the airport and settled in at one where the girls looked fresh. The four of us (mama gave the driver a consolation girl in addition to the one I chose) went through 8 bottles of beer and all ended up good and drunk. I took my girl for the whole night at 500 k +90 k for beer and 60 k for tuktuk driver. Certainly not the cheapest way to enjoy Laos but a good value. Back in the room the girl was very cooperative and ended up leaving around 10 the next morning after several rounds.