When arranging a trip to China and Laos, careful planning is key to ensuring a smooth and enjoyable journey. Whether you're looking to explore ancient cultural heritage or relax in the beauty of nature, this article will provide you with essential information and tips on how to plan this cross-border adventure.
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How to Choose Cities to Visit in China and Laos
In this section, learn about the most popular tourist cities in China and Laos and how to choose which ones to visit to ensure a diversity of experiences and avoid similar attractions, allowing you to make the most of your time.
In China
If this is your first time in China, Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai are the top classic combination, known as the "Golden Triangle" route. They are the key cities for understanding China's history and modernity.
Besides these classic cities, if you want to explore more, you could consider the following cities:
- Chengdu is best for panda lovers and is also a family-friendly city.
- Zhangjiajie is best for nature lovers and is especially great for spectacular views of towering peaks.
- Guilin is great if you love idyllic scenery and want to enjoy the leisurely pace of life in the countryside. Many of our family guests who go there put down their phones and iPads to fully enjoy the outdoor and cultural activities together.
- Huangshan offers a romantic vibe and beautiful mountain views. We have had guests who have proposed there under a romantic sunset.
In Laos
Laos is not a big country. Luang Prabang and Vientiane are the two main tourist cities.
Luang Prabang brings together most of the main tourist features and experiences in Laos, such as elephant camps, temples, Mekong River cruises, and the most spectacular early morning alms scenes in Southeast Asia.
The capital, Vientiane, is the smallest capital in Southeast Asia. It is dominated by religious temples.
How to Balance Your China and Laos Itinerary
Put China in focus: Generally, we suggest spending more time in China as it is vast with more to explore. The attractions in Laos are mostly concentrated in Luang Prabang. However, if you are more interested in Laos, then you could spend more time there if you prefer.
Consider the diversity: Laos offers a good religious atmosphere and cruise experiences, so you could consider arranging some relevant experiences, such as attending a morning almsgiving ceremony and embarking on a sunset dinner cruise or a Mekong River cruise.
China has rich experiences for cultural immersion. Activities could be included to increase the richness of your trip, such as a family visit to learn about writing Chinese characters, paper cutting, painting Peking Opera faces, learning tai chi, or joining a cooking class.
Avoid similar places, especially if your time is limited. For example, if you don't have enough time in Laos, a tour of Luang Prabang is sufficient. The attractions in Vientiane are similar to those of Luang Prabang, so you could choose to skip it.
How Long to Spend in China and Laos
For your first trip to China and Laos, you need at least 10 days, with 6–7 days in China and 3–4 days in Laos, to see all the main attractions.
For a better experience, we suggest spending 2 to 3 weeks in China and Laos.
A 2-week trip could include a classic 10–12-day China Itinerary that includes culture and nature and a 3–4-day essence of Laos itinerary.
A 3-week trip would enable a more relaxed pace and give you a more comprehensive understanding of the culture and nature in Laos and China. We suggest 2 weeks in China and 1 week in Laos.
Feel free to contact us for a more specific itinerary that matches your available time, interests, and requirements. We offer a personalized tour service for your family/couple/group.
How to Travel Between China and Laos
The two main ways to travel between China and Laos are by train and airplane.
By train: It would be a unique experience to take the cross-border bullet train to travel between China and Laos. If this is one of the travel experiences you want to enjoy on your China and Laos trip, then taking a bullet train is highly recommended. It is currently the only high-speed rail link in operation between China and Southeast Asia.
There is a daily train service running from Kunming to Vientiane and vice versa. It passes through and stops at some major tourist cities, such as Jinghong (Xishuangbanna) in China and Luang Prabang in Laos. The whole journey takes about 10 hours, including security checks at the border.
By airplane: The flight time from China to Laos is about 1 to 2 hours. Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming have direct flights to Vientiane. If you want to go to Luang Prabang, you need to fly to Vientiane first and then fly from Vientiane to Luang Prabang.
When arranging your trip, our consultant would consider the most convenient and reasonable international connection, managing the transportation between China and Laos, and booking flight or train tickets in advance. Private transfers in each country are also included in our tours.
Consider the Costs
The biggest cost could be your international airfares. The cost of airfares varies a lot depending on when you fly and which airline you use. A one-way flight between China and the United States costs between $1,000 and $1,300, and a one-way flight between Laos and the United States costs about the same.
The cost of private touring in China and Laos doesn't differ too much. Laos would be a little higher at about $250 per person per day and China would be about $220–250 per person per day. The cost is based on a 2-person private tour including flights/train journeys within China and Laos as well as transportation between China and Laos, 4- or 5-star hotels, lunches, attractions, guides, and private transport.
This budget maintains a balance between better experiences and sensible expenditures.
The difference between the low and high seasons is mainly due to the hotel prices. During some major holidays, such as Christmas, hotel prices could increase by 50% to 100%.
We recommend booking 3 months in advance to ensure that you have more options and opportunities for comparison.
When booking with us, you'll receive a 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights if you cancel up to 3 weeks before departure. Check out our Cancellation Policy.
Choose When to Go
The best times to visit China are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November).
The best time to visit Laos is in the dry season (November to April).
If you want to match the best times of both countries, then you could consider November, March, and April.
Another good choice could be September and late October. At this time, Laos is at the end of its rainy season. The showers lessen and the weather cools, still averaging 31°C (88°F). China also has good weather at this time with relatively fewer tourists, except in the busy "golden week" at the beginning of October.
It's okay if your travel schedule doesn't match these recommendations though. With a well-planned and flexible itinerary, the weather would not have much effect on your trip. For example, a night tour of the Great Wall is a solution to the heat of summer. A leisurely afternoon tea is a good time to ride out summer showers.
Making the most of good weather with the high-quality experiences we provide and mitigating the impact of bad weather through our arrangements are things we routinely do to enhance your trip. Feel free to contact us for a customized trip.
Check Out the Visa Policy
For Laos: For travelers from the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, etc., a 30-day visa on arrival is available. You could also apply for an e-visa online in advance if you prefer.
For China: A tourist visa (L visa) is needed. You could refer to the requirements for visa applications (for the USA) here.