Updated October 18, 2026
Always agree on the price before you set off
The golden rule: agree the price clearly before the vehicle or boat leaves. Once you're moving, your bargaining power drops sharply.
Ask three questions
- Per vehicle / per boat, or per person? — songthaews and shared boats charge per person; charters are per vehicle or per boat.
- Kip or baht? — near the Vang Tao border, "fifty" may mean 50,000 LAK or 50 THB.
- What's included? — on a Bolaven waterfall or Wat Phou charter, are waiting time, extra stops and the return trip included?
Hotspots to watch
- Outside the Southern (Lak 8) and Northern (Lak 7) bus terminals when sleeper buses arrive before dawn.
- The taxi stand outside the airport.
- Combined van + boat tickets to Don Det — check that the boat is really included.
Use this site's tools
- Open the fare table and Fare Calculator to see a fair price range.
- Show the Driver Card in Lao with the destination, price and number of passengers.
- Choose verified drivers with a QR badge on their vehicle.
Carry small notes
Paying with a 100,000 LAK note can lead to "no change". Have the exact amount or close to it.
Festival times
Around Boun Ok Phansa, the Wat Phou Festival and Lao New Year, fares often rise by 20–50% (sample). Check the warnings on the site's events pages.
If you're asked to pay more
- Stay calm — don't argue loudly.
- Show the Driver Card or a screenshot of the agreed price.
- Pay the agreed amount.
- Note the plate number, time and place.
- File a complaint through the form on this site.
If you ever feel unsafe, put your safety before the money.
Information is sample data — please verify before relying on it.