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Laos Currency |
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Money:
The Lao Kip (LAK) is the legal currency unit, currently
available in denominations of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and
50,000 kip. US Dollars, Euros and Thai Baht are also accepted in
many places and are more convenient to carry than large stacks of
the local currency. Banks, hotels, and jewellery shops all offer
currency exchange services. For everyday expenses, carry a mix of
US dollars and kip. For larger items, or when the exchange rate
works in your favour, use US dollars. For local transport, street
food stalls and minor purchases, it is best to use kip. When in
rural areas, ensure you carry a supply of small notes as change can
be hard to come by.
Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are accepted at most
international hotels, many shops and restaurants, and a few
tourist-orientated establishments in Luang Prabang and Vientiane -
but in other parts of the country assume that only cash is
accepted. Travellers cheques can be cashed at most banks in
Vientiane and other major towns.
Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm, and then again
from 2pm to 3pm. In Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and other major
towns, ATMs are available from which money can be withdrawn. Note
that ATMs distribute only Lao kip, with a maximum of around
1,000,000 kip per transaction.
Currency Exchange Rates
| LAK 100.00 = | AED 0.04 | A$ 0.01 | C$ 0.01 | € 0.01 | NZ$ 0.02 | £ 0.01 | US$ 0.01 | R 0.10 |
Note: These currency exchange rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.