This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Bringing things into Laos

Leave at home

  • E-cigarettes and vapes

Laos bans e-cigarettes, and the Buddha images sold in the markets are the thing that gets stopped at the airport.

  • Electronic cigarettes are prohibited to import and sell, and they are taken at the border.
  • Buddha images and antiquities may not be exported without permission. It is a rule the market sellers do not mention and the airport does check.
  • The allowance is 200 cigarettes and a small quantity of spirits per adult, plus personal effects.
  • Cash above the declarable threshold must be reported, in kip, dollars or baht - all three circulate.
  • Drug offences carry very heavy sentences, including death for trafficking, and the Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang backpacker routes are policed.
  • The Friendship Bridges to Thailand are customs borders with their own hours and their own queues.

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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.