the troubadour

Anyone on here been to or would like to go or have any views on Laos?
I was there back in 07 for a month and could see some potential then.

Perhaps a little too rustic to be considered as an option for most retirees but saying that did meet a few that had moved over from Thailand,claiming that country had passed it's sale by date and they found Laos more relaxed or the Lao folk nicer.

Being able to puchase a year long Business Visa,without actually having to do business there was a big plus in Laos's favour also.(same applies for Cambodia)

An Australian friend of mine has now lived there for over four years and has a business as well as loving the country especially it's laid back nature.
Tell's me he is coming across more and more,especially Australians asking him how they could live in the country.

Any opinions on this very attractive little country?

the troubadour

Forgot to mention Beer Lao is perhaps the best brew in Asia.

Lao coffee is superb. I mean really,really good.

The French bread, Baguettes et le pain is as good as France.

Not forgetting the wonderful Swedish Bakery for breakfasts and company.

Nor Luang Prabang,UN declared world heritage city.

nonthaburi

I quite like Laos to visit and I've been there many times over the years going back about fifteen years or so. But that is it for me. It is a nice place to visit but to live there at this stage in my life, no way !!

Retirement maybe , but to work there for any serious money you would have to be into mining or possobly some NGO.

Nice people, very laidback , which is good when you are on holiday but I reckon it might get frustrating when you wanted stuff done.

Great bread definitely, but for a range of foodstuff I think Cambodia is a better bet plus it has beaches too whereas Laos is landlocked.

Beer Laos is a nice beer on tap but then most beers are. I quite like beer in Burma. Myanmar beer with the green label and Blue Mandalay were great. But then again any beer that's cold and on tap when you are hot tastes great.

Been to Laos a few times with my wife ( Thai ) who speaks Laos so she knows what they are talking about and she sort of put it that the people in Laos were just the same as the people in Thailand. They would still rip you off and rob you blind but they did it in a less confrontational and nicer way. I sort of agree with her a bit on this. Everyone always says how much nicer they are then the Thais but are they really ?

Anyway, still a nice place to go and unwind but a bit too quiet for me. It has improved a lot though development wise. I remember going there when there weren't any ATMs in the whole country . Lot of roads getting builty too and the new Friendship Bridge in Mukdahan province to improve links to Thailand. It will be interesting to see what happens if the proposed high speed rail link ( Chinese funded ) from China to Thailand through Laos ever gets built.

the troubadour

Not a lot of big money to be made in Laos but that's not the attraction as if it's money there are many places one would venture to first.

The French influence in my view adds to the Lao experience and it is only a short trip across the Bridge to stock up in Thailand at Tesco,what is unavailable in Laos.

Beer Lao,would rank as my favourite in Asia,but yes indeed a cold Tiger also does the trick on a sultry South East Asian evening.

I am not qualified myself to comment on how nice the folk there are but found them as you say less confrontational than Thais at least for now.

This came up in discussion with some expats that had moved over from Thailand,whom seemed to prefer the Lao.

I think anywhere that has such an inbalance in wealth between local and expat/visitor there is bound to some degree of rip off. It is a question to what extent and how it is done.

Laos is a quiet place but Vientiane is a very manageable city and seems to be developing nicely.

Also they have laws in place to prevent it becoming another Cambodia or Thailand,as i'm sure you'll be aware,with regards to relations with Lao women.

Not having beaches is a draw back and somehow swimming down the Mekong at Van Vieng,doesn't quite make up for that.

Some very refreshing waterfalls out of Luang Prabang, though.

Perhaps a little premature to be a retirement place yet,but every chance in the future.

therover

I will be spending a reasonable amount of time in Vientiane in the near future and would welcome details of groups of expats - meetings when and where etc?

Jaques2go

Im looking to buy my son who lives in vientiane a people carrier, or van, one with enough room for his wife, 2 babies and room to carry goods in the back.............i heard from him that these are expensive and we just want to get a second hand one, can anyone recommend what and where please and what prices we are likely to pay?

bakedbean

First post pussyfoots around retirement issue... you really have to think seriously about retirement place. No-one wants to think about illness, cancer and the like... but sensible folks will plan for that. If you're young, then not so much of an issue

bahrain saudi

probbabloy best not to plan one's life around the possibility of getting a serious illness. Best to live life whilst you can.

bakedbean

Yes absolutely, shouldn't plan your whole life for sure. I was just talking about Retirement years, especially the senior retirement years. You need to make sure that you have decent medical facilities close by for the older years.