Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia and borders China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.
About 6.5 million people live in an area of around 237,000 square kilometers. This results in a population density of 29 inhabitants per square kilometer.
A mountain range stretches from north to south, making up about nine-tenths of the country’s area. The highest mountain here is Phua Bia with 2819 meters. The southwest is lowlands, here is also the capital Vientiane.
The Mekong is the most important river in the country and about 1898 kilometers long in Laotian territory and forms the border with Thailand and Myanmar. Mass tourism has not yet arrived in Laos, so the travel options are mainly limited to guided tours of discovery and individual tourism, especially backpackers.
There are airports in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and Savannakhet. These are mainly controlled from the surrounding countries Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Laos.
Climate in Laos
In Laos the typical Southeast Asian tropical warm climate prevails. The weather is determined by the monsoon season. Vientiane is located in one of the warmest areas. In the course of the year, the temperatures fluctuate between 14 and 28 ° C in January and in April temperatures of 23 to 38 degrees can be found. Due to its altitude, the north is the coolest part of the country, with an average of up to 2000 millimeters of precipitation.
From May to October dominates the rainy season in Laos, so that a large part of the precipitation falls in this. During this time, the humidity rises to up to 86 percent and leads to a muggy air. The temperatures are very hot at 30 ° C, even at night the thermometer shows no less than 20 degrees Celsius. From November to February there is a period of still 30 ° C during the day, but the nighttime values drop to 15 degrees.
March and April represent the hottest months of up to 35 ° C, but due to the relatively low humidity, these values are quite bearable.
When to go to Laos
The best time to travel is from October to March. The temperatures are in the pleasant range of 25 to 28 ° C and there is only sparse precipitation. The humidity is also pleasantly low and makes traveling through Laos pleasant. The month of November is a real insider tip. Here the rainy season has just passed and the landscapes are in full bloom.
Precipitation is very low, especially in the south of the country, and the roads are easy to pass. When speaking of a high tourist season in Laos, it is usually December and January. The rainy season is less suitable for traveling through Laos. The partly unpaved roads in Laos can hardly be passed here and many smaller places are not accessible for travelers during this time.
Optimal travel time for the regions
In the following overview you can see the best travel time depending on the region (Laos).
| Place | Best travel time |
| Vientiane | January, February, March, October, November and December |
| Savannakhet | January, February, March, November and December |
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Vientiane (Laos)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 28 ° C | 30 ° C | 33 ° C | 34 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 28 ° C |
| Night temperature | 17 ° C | 19 ° C | 22 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 19 ° C | 17 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 6 | 12 | 36 | 85 | 255 | 273 | 266 | 323 | 295 | 87 | 10 | 3 |
| Hours of sunshine | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Sunrise | 6:45 | 6:35 | 6:20 | 5:55 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:40 | 5:50 | 5:55 | 6:05 | 6:15 | 6:30 |
| Sunset | 17:55 | 18:10 | 18:20 | 18:25 | 18:35 | 18:45 | 18:50 | 18:35 | 18:10 | 17:45 | 17:35 | 17:35 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Vientiane is 25.9 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is April (28.5 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 21.7 ° C.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1651 mm. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of May, June, July, August and September are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, around 1412 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Vientiane.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, December is the sunniest month with an average of 8.3 hours of sunshine per day. In the annual mean, the sun shines an average of 6.7 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following larger towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Udon Thani.
Highlights and attractions
In northern Luang Prabang you will find the Kuang Si Falls as an attraction. These fantastically beautiful waterfalls offer good bathing opportunities and a beautiful landscape. The Living Land Company has settled in the same place. Here you can simulate the life of a farmer for a few days. A great experience, especially for backpackers and individual travelers. Another highlight of the region is the Night Market, here you get culinary and cultural provisions and can discover a lot.
