Violent crime is low, but rented scooters come with a well-practised damage claim on return. Film the machine before you take it with the owner present, and never leave your passport as a deposit - a copy and cash will do.
- Laos is a safe destination with a low level of violent crime, and what happens in tourist areas is property crime.
- Rented scooters come with a well-practised damage claim on return. Photograph and film the machine before you take it, with the owner present.
- Never leave your original passport as security for a rental - give a copy and a cash deposit instead.
- "The site is closed today" is a tuk-tuk driver's route to an affiliated souvenir shop, not information.
- Unexploded ordnance is a serious residual risk off the beaten path, particularly in Xieng Khouang, Salavan and near the Vietnamese border. Never leave marked paths or touch unidentified metal.
Safety and the most common scams
Laos is a safe destination with a low level of violent crime. What does occur in busy tourist areas is property crime, plus one hazard that is not crime at all.
- Rented scooter "damage" claims - some shops demand large sums on return for scratches that were already there. Protect yourself: photograph and video the scooter thoroughly before you take it, with the owner present; use your own lock; and never leave your original passport as security - give a copy and a cash deposit instead.
- "The site is closed today" - tuk-tuk drivers at stations or near monuments claim an attraction is shut, so they can take you to affiliated souvenir shops instead.
- Snatch theft - bags taken from bicycle baskets or from open tuk-tuks in motion.
- Unexploded ordnance (UXO) - a serious residual risk off the beaten path and in rural provinces, particularly Xieng Khouang, Salavan and the border areas with Vietnam. Never leave marked paths, and never touch unidentified metal objects.
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