Changes

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. There are more than a few improvised pickups that will give you a ride for less money than the organized busses. sometimes it seems cheaper to go with these pickups as out of 10 hitches, you need to pay 3 of them if you don't make clear in advance that you're looking to travel for free. [rule of thumb: 30-40,000 kip per 100 km for a "hitch", or 10,000 per person (per 30km) for a bus-truck.

There are more than a few improvised pickups that will give you a ride for less money than the organized busses. sometimes it seems cheaper to go with these pickups as out of 10 hitches, you need to pay 3 of them if you don't make clear in advance that you're looking to travel for free. [rule of thumb: 30-40,000 kip per 100 km for a "hitch", or 10,000 per person (per 30km) for a bus-truck. Still, if you are determined to hitchhike for free through Laos, it can be done, even in the north (the south is very easy, similar to Thailand). Since almost nobody can speak English, and they will expect a payment for the rides, it is essential that you make yourself understood: a [[hitchhiking letter]] may help a lot with that, and will also help you to be helped by the locals in order to find free rides to your destination. Another way that works well in Laos to make cars stop is to prepare a universal sign that only says "2km". As soon as the car has stopped you can still ask them where exactly they go. It's a great way to get outside of the city or just to get going when you are stuck. People understand spoken "kilomet" and the written shortage "km".Aside from that, be prepared for the long waits (or walks), have lots of patience and do it mostly for the fun!