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Laos
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== How to hitchhike ==
'''if you raise your thumb people will think you just doing 'like' and dont understand it's mean to stop. for hitch-hike take your hand and 'hit' the air''' [[moriya :]]I found Laos really easy to hitch-hike (march 2016) just get out of the city, and wait for trucks. tell them where do you want to go, and try to say it correct becouse they don't know a lot english, but they will know the places. I had "hitch-hiking helmet" for motorcycle, and then they take you without a question. Hitching in Laos is very different between the north and south part of the country. While in the south it is relatively easy to hitchhike 300 kilometers a day and people don't commonly expect money, in the north it's hard to go more than 150 a day -- on some roads, expect to cover only as much as you can walk in a day. It can take a long time to be picked up, as few cars drive on the so called 'highway', often just a dirt road with random pavement sections. Looking at the amount of cars (in January 2011 and 2012) there are '''around 1 (pick up, car, truck) per 6 minutes'''. This makes travel in Laos very different from hitching in Thailand. But even in the north it is still possible to get a lift. Solo hitchhikers can get a ride between villages with one of the many motor bikes that roam all over the country .
Near the border with Vietnam, on the road 7, there are many logging trucks, coming from China. They speak no English most of the time. Try the pickup trucks and point that you want to sit in the back. It helps to say in advance that you have no money and it can also be a good idea to have a local person write down a few sentences like "have no money", "short distance is ok" etc.
'''Experience in November 2016'''
I entered Laos in Na Meo at the Lao-Vietnamese border. After I hitchhiked from there to Vientiane and Pakse I wouldn't say this article is very accurate. During my time I didn't have a single lift who wanted to charge me anything. Yeah in remote areas it can be hard to get a life since there is less traffic, but I don't know about the car/calculations above. Laos is an awesome country and hitchhiking is definitely possible!
'''Experience in october 2017'''[[User:indogerm|indogerm]]
Entered via [[Boten]] border from china, hitched to [[Vientiane]] to go to thailand straightaway. Maximum of kilometres per day were 200 something, lots of hills and curves. Road is in good to very good shape([[Kunming]] - [[bangkok]] highway, payed by china and thailand and some other). As described above, few cars. Chinese cars normally mean long distance rides, cigarettes and good food. Can also always stop motorcycles, just do some eyecontact and wave them down smiling. Most people dont wear helmets. When approaching pick ups, try signalling them that you want to go in the back when the car is full- lots of them think they cannot offer this to you. Hitching Laos-Totally possible! I always sad "Bo KIP"(no money) before entering, nobody refused to take me. Enjoyed the awesome nature between rides. Dont forget to get rid of your kip before exiting lao-they are shit. All three citys in the nortern part of Lao are tourist shit. Avoid them.
Go for it!
'''Experience in September 2019'''
I've entered Laos in Na Meo, Vietnam. No problems with getting the visa on the crossing, got charged 40$ though.
First 10 or so kilometers on Laos side is dirt/mud/clay road, almost 0 traffic BUT there was a dude on a bike and when he saw me we both knew and he gave me a ride. Later on I couldn't complain. I had no letter, no translator, no sign, just my smile #1 and hand signs.
I've hitchhiked from VN border down to 4k islands and back to Thai border close to Pakse. Usually I'd walk along the road and wave everyone down - cars, single riders, trucks. Got rides from all of mentioned. No one asked me for money. Waiting time from 15 minutes to 3 hours, you know the drill. Took bike riders by surprise - when they stopped I'd point at the road, at the bike and sit on the bike before they'd shake the shock off, hahaha. They never protested, took some selfies etc. Average speed for pickups was 60 km/h, 30-40 for bikes and trucks. I had one strange incident, nothing dangerous though - an American dude driving a pickup stopped just to tell me "it's a poor country, you don't hitchhike here" wished me good time and splitted. Besides that hitching in Laos was very uplifting and allowed hours of staring at beautiful Asian mountains, go for it guys.
[[nomad:Laos]]
Hitchhiking South East Asia: some tips, at [https://anaimlesshitchhiker.com/2015/02/02/hitchhiking-south-east-asia-some-tips/ an aimless hitchhiker]
