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Laos is the kind of place that’s incredibly rewarding—but it can also come with little “why didn’t I bring that?” moments (spotty Wi-Fi, early nights, very different toilets, rough roads, dark side streets).
I put this list together from the standpoint of someone who actually travels in Laos, focusing on items that aren’t strictly “mandatory,” but can remove common hassles fast.
If you’re traveling with kids, arriving late at night, or just want a smoother trip, this will help you decide what’s worth packing—and what you can simply buy locally.
Quick packing checklist for Laos (copy/paste-friendly)
| Checklist | Item to pack | Why bring it / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| □ | Flight comfort kit (eye mask, earplugs, neck pillow, seat/leg cushion, face mask) | Makes long flights and buses easier. You can also use them in hotels or on night buses in Laos. |
| □ | Motion sickness medicine | Useful not only on the plane but also for long, bumpy bus or taxi rides in Laos. |
| □ | Laptop / tablet | Helps kill time during flights and quiet nights. You can sort photos and videos while traveling. |
| □ | Guidebook (e.g. “Lonely Planet Laos / The Rough Guide to Laos” ) | Good backup when internet is slow. |
| □ | A book to read / audiobook | Perfect for flights, layovers, hotel downtime, or café time. Audiobooks are great too. |
| □ | Movies / shows downloaded in advance | Great for slow evenings. Wi-Fi can be weak, so download before you go. |
| □ | Noise-cancelling earphones | Cuts engine noise on planes and helps you watch movies or sleep in noisy rooms. |
| □ | Swimsuit | Waterfalls, rivers, and hotel pools are common. Brings way more play options. |
| □ | Folding umbrella / light raincoat | Sudden rain in rainy season. A UV/parasol-style umbrella is extra useful in strong sun. |
| □ | Travel hair dryer (strong airflow) | Many hotels have dryers, but they’re often weak, especially in humid weather. |
| □ | Tissues / toilet paper / wet wipes | Tissue can be hard to find on the go. Wet wipes are handy for hands and cutlery. |
| □ | Mosquito & bed bug spray (for the room) | Give the room a quick spray when you check in so you can sleep comfortably. |
| □ | Action camera (e.g. GoPro / Insta360; rental OK) | Great for waterfalls, rivers, and outdoor activities. Easier to carry than a phone. |
| □ | VPN app | Safer when using hotel / café Wi-Fi in Laos. Helps protect your data. |
| □ | Small padlock (combination lock) | Handy “just in case” for bags, lockers, or buses. A dial lock is easiest. |
| □ | Small keychain flashlight | Some streets are very dark at night. Clip it to your bag for safety. |
| □ | Travel power strip / extension cord (with USB-A & USB-C) | Some hotel rooms only have one outlet. This keeps charging stress-free. |
| □ | Coffee grinder | Laos coffee beans are excellent. You can grind and brew fresh coffee right in your room. |
| □ | Translation app (Google Translate / Google Lens) | Lets you translate Lao text and talk with locals even if you don’t speak the language. |
| □ | Ride-hailing apps (Loca / inDrive / etc.) | Especially useful in Vientiane. Local alternative to Uber/Grab, which don’t operate in Laos. |
1. Flight comfort kit
These help you create a comfortable “mini environment” on the plane—and many of them stay useful once you arrive.
| Eye mask | Useful on flights and in hotels, and especially good if you’re taking long buses in Laos. Disposable or washable types are easiest. |
| Earplugs | A noise-cancelling type is ideal; also helpful when you get that “my neighbor room is loud” situation. |
| Neck pillow | an inflatable travel pillow is easiest to pack. If the storage bag doubles as a pump, it’s more hygienic than blowing it up yourself. |
| Flight cushion | Works for lower back support, under your legs, or even as a substitute pillow at a hotel. Memory foam is bulkier, but it’s the most comfortable. |
| Face mask | Planes get dry, so I like having one. A “moisturizing” style mask is even better for protecting your throat, plus some individually wrapped disposable masks for Laos. |
2. Motion sickness medicine
This is useful not only for flying, but also for buses and taxis in Laos.
The roads aren’t always in great shape, so even people who normally don’t get carsick may be glad they packed it.
If possible, choose the kind that works even after you start feeling sick.
If you’re prone to motion sickness, keep it in your day bag—not buried in your suitcase.
3. Laptop or tablet
A laptop or tablet helps a lot during layovers, on long flights, and in Laos itself—because nights tend to be early, and there’s often not much to do late in the evening.
It’s also great for viewing travel photos/videos on a bigger screen (and even editing them if you want).
Most hotels in Laos offer free Wi-Fi.
4. Guidebook
Most people gather travel info online now, but a guidebook is still handy—especially in a country where reliable info can be scattered.
“Lonely Plane / The Rough Guide” has a Laos edition that’s surprisingly detailed.
The Kindle version is great because it doesn’t add weight.
5. A book (or audiobook)
Books are perfect for killing time: flights, airport waits, and that quiet hour before bed.
Laos also has plenty of stylish cafés—bringing a book for café time is genuinely nice.
Recently, I often use audiobooks when I travel.
It’s perfect for:
- waiting at the airport,
- killing time on a plane,
- winding down before bed in your hotel,
- relaxing in a café (Laos has lots of nice cafés).
6. Movies/series downloaded for offline viewing
Because Laos nights are early, you may wonder what to do after dinner.
A great solution is watching movies or dramas you never have time for at home.
But depending on local internet quality, streaming can be difficult—so download content in advance and watch offline.
Prime Video and Netflix allow downloads through their official apps (including on a PC in many cases).
7. Noise-cancelling earphones
These are useful for music and movies—and they’re especially helpful on planes, where engine noise is constant.
Turn on noise cancelling and reduce the fatigue.
Wireless is far more convenient than wired, but it’s also easier to lose.
If you lose them abroad, they rarely come back—so I recommend an affordable noise-cancelling wireless pair rather than your most expensive one.
8. Swimsuit
Laos has many places for water activities.
Bringing just one swimsuit can expand what you can do: waterfalls, rivers, and in places like Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng.
Some higher-end hotels also have pools, so check your hotel and decide.
9. Folding umbrella / lightweight raincoat
In the rainy season, rain can be frequent, so one umbrella or raincoat is reassuring.
Because the sun is strong, a dual-purpose umbrella (rain + sun) is especially useful.
If you plan to rent a motorbike, a raincoat that works with a backpack is a smart pick.
10. Travel hair dryer
Many Laos hotels have hair dryers, but airflow is often weak.
If you have long hair, drying can take time—especially in humid conditions.
A strong, travel-compatible dryer solves this.
EBringing your usual dryer + a voltage converter is an option, but converters are heavy.
11. Tissues, toilet paper, wet wipes
Toilet paper is usually provided at hotels, but tissues can be surprisingly hard to find locally.
Wet wipes are especially useful.
If you bring disinfecting wet wipes, you can wipe spoons/forks before use, and you’ll find more situations to use them than non-alcohol wipes.
Keep some in a small day bag—you’ll be glad you did.
12. Mosquito & bed bug spray (for the room)
If you can protect your hotel room from mosquitoes and bedbugs, you’ll sleep easier.
You can also buy mosquito coils locally.
13. Action camera
Action cameras match overseas travel extremely well.
Compared with a phone, they’re often easier to handle, small, and don’t add much weight.
Models like GoPro and Insta360 are waterproof, so they work for waterfalls, river time, and sudden rain.
If you only use one on trips, renting can be the best value.
I personally rent a DJI Osmo Pocket when I travel—it’s a gimbal-style camera and genuinely fun to shoot with.
14. VPN
If you plan to use hotel or café Wi-Fi, a VPN adds peace of mind.
There are free options too, so it’s worth considering.
A VPN helps encrypt your communication and protect information when using public networks.
This applies to laptops and phones.
15. Small padlock (combination lock)
A small padlock on your bag can be surprisingly useful.
A dial/code type is the easiest to use.
Laos is still a country where you may genuinely think, “I’m glad I had a lock,” so bringing one “just in case” makes sense.
It’s useful for:
- locking a zipper when you leave bags in your hotel room,
- attaching your bag to something on long bus rides,
- using lockers at guesthouses or hostels.
16. Small keychain flashlight
In Laos, even a short distance outside central areas can mean very few streetlights.
And even in town, narrow unmaintained roads can get very dark at night.
Keeping a keychain light on your bag makes walking at night feel safer.
A phone flashlight often isn’t bright enough, so choose a genuinely bright one.
17. Travel extension cord (ideally with USB-A + USB-C)
Hotels have outlets, but the number varies—sometimes you might get only one.
A travel extension cord can instantly make a room more comfortable.
A model with both USB-A and USB-C ports is especially useful.
18. Coffee grinder
Laos grows coffee beans, and you can find surprisingly high-quality beans.
If you bring a grinder, you can grind beans in your room and enjoy great coffee privately.
Most hotel rooms have an electric kettle.
If not, you can usually ask staff for hot water.
Having a grinder genuinely makes the trip feel more elegant—an electric grinder is the easiest option.
This is not flashy luxury—it’s the quiet kind, where you sit on the balcony, drink a fresh cup, and feel like the time (and the river, in some places) is yours for a while.
19. Translation apps
A translation app is a powerful ally when communicating with locals.
Having one on your phone is reassuring.
Among many options, I especially recommend Google Translate.
It supports Lao language selection, and you can also use Google Lens to translate Lao text you see around town.
20. Ride-hailing apps in Laos
This is one of the most practical things to prepare on your phone.
In Laos, “Uber” and “Grab” are not available.
Major ride-hailing apps in Laos include:
- Loca
The most widely used ride-hailing app in Laos.
It also supports QR / barcode-style cashless payments inside Laos.
Prices tend to be a bit higher than the others. - KOKKOK Move
Recognizable by its orange cars.
Often cheaper, but the number of available cars is limited. - inDrive
A newer option in Laos, but already popular worldwide.
In Vientiane especially, fares can be noticeably cheaper than Loca — sometimes half or two-thirds of the price.
For Luang Prabang, “Loca” is recommended.
It can also be used for barcode payments in Laos, which may be unexpectedly handy.
For Vientiane, “inDrive” is a safe choice—locals use it a lot.
I’ve tried it myself, and in Vientiane it can cost around half to two-thirds of Loca depending on the ride.
All of these apps work similarly, and all require phone number registration—so finish setting up your account before leaving.
Final thoughts: pack smart, then enjoy the “imperfections” too
This list is full of Laos-specific items that can make your trip smoother and more enjoyable.
You’ll probably think of more things you could bring—but realistically, you can’t pack everything.
Sometimes it’s healthiest to decide, “If I really need it, I’ll buy it locally.”
Enjoy not only what you packed from home, but also the little gaps and improvisations along the way.
Laos travel is absolutely “won by the people who enjoy it”—prepare well, then go have an amazing trip.
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