Laos Travel Guide: A 9-Day Itinerary 📚 This guide is based on thorough research from official tourism and government sources rather than a personal visit. Written by Debarun Sana. Laos is landlocked, genuinely less developed for mass tourism than its neighbors, and moves at a noticeably slower pace — a mix of French colonial heritage, deep Buddhist tradition, and a UNESCO-listed former royal capital that still feels like a living town rather than a preserved monument. This 9-day route covers Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and the capital, Vientiane. Entry Requirements U.S. citizens need a visa to enter Laos — there's no visa-free arrangement, and the U.S. isn't among the ASEAN-adjacent nationalities that get free entry. Visa on arrival is available at major airports (Vientiane, Luang Prabang) and most land borders, costs roughly $35 for U.S. citizens, requires a passport photo, and takes about 10-15 minutes to process — genuinely one of...