Laos
Cards, ATMs and cash in Laos: what to expect
Credit cards are accepted in Laos mainly at hotels, upscale restaurants and larger shops in Vientiane and Luang Prabang; almost everything else runs on kip cash. Plan to withdraw LAK 1,000,000–2,000,000 at a time from a bank ATM, carry small notes, and treat your card as a backup, not your daily wallet.
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GuideLaos
Key facts
- Where cards work
- Hotels, upscale restaurants, some tour agencies and larger shops in Vientiane and Luang Prabang
- Where they do not
- Markets, guesthouses, tuk-tuks, small cafés, most of the north and south
- ATM withdrawal limit
- Often LAK 1,000,000–2,000,000 per transaction
- ATM fee
- Around LAK 20,000–40,000 per withdrawal, plus your own bank's fee
- Cash is king
- Kip for daily spending; Thai baht and US dollars sometimes accepted in border towns
- Cards for deposits
- Scooter rentals and some guesthouses may hold your passport or a cash deposit instead of a card
- Best backup
- Two cards from different networks plus a cash reserve in USD or baht
Details
Laos is a cash economy with a card layer on top. In Vientiane and Luang Prabang, mid-range and upscale hotels, restaurants aimed at visitors, and some tour operators take Visa and Mastercard. Outside those two cities, and in most local businesses even inside them, you will be asked for kip. Guesthouses, market stalls, tuk-tuk drivers, bus tickets bought at the roadside and small cafés are cash-only.
ATMs are common in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Savannakhet and other provincial capitals, and they generally accept foreign Visa and Mastercard. Limits per withdrawal are often LAK 1,000,000–2,000,000, and the machine adds a fee of roughly LAK 20,000–40,000. Your own bank will usually add a foreign transaction or cash advance fee on top. Because the limit is low relative to the fee, withdrawing the maximum each time is cheaper than making several small withdrawals.
Cards can fail. Machines run out of cash, especially at weekends and holidays, and some foreign cards are rejected. Carry a second card from a different network, keep some US dollars or Thai baht as a reserve, and do not rely on a single ATM in a small town. If a machine eats your card, the branch that owns it is your only realistic route to getting it back, so keep the receipt and note the bank name.
Paying by card when you can is convenient, but check whether the terminal charges in kip or in your home currency. Choosing kip and letting your bank convert is usually cheaper than accepting the merchant's conversion rate. For cash, kip is the default; in border towns and some tourist businesses, baht or dollars may be quoted, often at a worse rate.
| Situation | What to expect | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel or upscale restaurant in Vientiane or Luang Prabang | Visa and Mastercard often accepted | Ask before ordering; keep a cash backup |
| Guesthouse, market, tuk-tuk, small café | Cash only | Carry small kip notes |
| ATM in a provincial town | May be empty or reject your card | Try another bank; keep a second card |
| Scooter rental | Passport or cash deposit may be held | Agree the deposit and get a receipt |
| Border town or tourist shop | Baht or USD may be quoted | Compare with the kip price before paying |
Tips
Withdraw the maximum each time to reduce per-withdrawal fees, and take a mix of notes so you can pay small amounts without waiting for change.
Keep LAK 200,000–500,000 in small notes for tuk-tuks, markets and entry fees, and store the rest separately.
Tell your bank you are travelling to Laos, and check your card's foreign transaction fee before you go.
Carry a photocopy or phone photo of your passport and card details in case a card is lost or swallowed by a machine.
If you run short, ask at a hotel reception or a currency exchange counter; many will change USD or baht, but rates vary.
Questions people ask
Are credit cards widely accepted in Laos?
No. They work at hotels, upscale restaurants and some larger shops in Vientiane and Luang Prabang, but most daily spending — markets, guesthouses, tuk-tuks, small cafés and most of the north and south — is cash only. Treat your card as a backup.
Which ATMs have the lowest fees in Laos?
Fees vary by bank and change over time, so check the screen before confirming. Withdrawal limits are often LAK 1,000,000–2,000,000, so taking the maximum per transaction usually costs less overall than several small withdrawals.
Should I pay in local currency or my own?
Pay in kip when you can. If a card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, choose kip and let your bank convert; merchant conversion rates are usually worse. For cash, kip is the default outside border towns.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBank of the Lao PDR
- secondaryWikivoyage – Laos