Laos to allow visitors from 17 countries, including Vietnam

By Hoang Phong December 19, 2021 | 10:23 pm PT

An aerial view of Luang Prabang, a popular tourist destination in Laos. Photo by Shutterstock

Laos is set to reopen its doors to tourists from 17 countries, including Vietnam, on January 1, nearly two years after it shut them following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Visitors from Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Thailand, the U.K., and the U.S. will also be allowed in as the country begins a three-phase international tourism reopening plan.

Tourists are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid at least 14 days prior to arrival and furnish a negative PCR test done within the last 72 hours, the Laotian Times reported.

They can only come on package tours with designated travel agencies, and have insurance, including for Covid treatment, worth at least $50,000.

They need to download and register on the LaoKYC and the LaoStaySafe mobile apps prior to arriving in the country, and upload their vaccination certification and test results.

They will be tested on arrival and placed quarantine in their hotel for a day.

During the first phase from January to March 30, tourists will be able to enter Laos by air and land across the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge in Vientiane.

The second phase will be from April 1 to 30 June, and the third phase from July 1.

Vietnam has approved the resumption of commercial flights to nine destinations on Jan. 1 including Vientiane.