~ AUG 1 2002

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Pharmacies
From: B, Australia
- Are there pharmacies in Laos where I can buy medicine if I need it?

Reply:

Yes there is. What most people do is in fact buy most of their meds in Thailand as it's quite cheap compared to Laos or North America. The rule of thumb is to be sure to bring your own meds before arriving because it cannot be guranteed that you'll find the meds that you are used to using. I've heard of some medical facilities or pharmacies who will order the drugs or other meds for you but this alone will take time.

The two places I know of are: (of course these places are open to expatriates)

• The Australian Embassy's medical clinic facility
• Pharmacies Khamsaat on 51 Thanon Nong Bon

  Remember that healthwise for anything substantial you will probably buy it from Thailand or for example major accidents, surgery or dental work you may decide to go to Thailand. Generally speaking it will be very difficult to get meds when outside main city areas in Laos. Vientiane, being the capital and heavily visited, tends to be the first place choice to get medical supplies and even lesser items such as hydration tablets, chlorine tablets, lotion for insect bites, etc.

  The emphasis here is to bring your own over-the-counter meds to ensure that you'll have what you may need right away, especially if you're keen on brandnames and quality. Some products imported from other parts of Asia and sold in Laos have been found to contain less medicinal value than they advertise - not necessarily the fault of Laos but rather those exporting countries. Also remember to carry your subscriptions with you (airport security may ask what your pills are for and you'll need papers for when your abroad anyway just in case).

Lastly, you can always try visiting the traditional medicine doctors which can be quite helpful and are plentiful.

Reply:

Absolutely. Because Laos does have a lot of terrain which is mostly unpaved or undeveloped it does have great hiking grounds especially in large forested and mountainous areas. Moreover more than half the country is covered by large area plant life, forests and mountains. For a short while this is actually what Laos was known for, its seclusion, hiking areas, and opium smoking. This was back when Laos tourism was an extremely small and limited one, many years ago.

A lot of eco-tourism companies offer hiking, white water rafting and even biking through Laos. And because generally Laos is still a relatively unknown country for tourism, you won't be hit with being completely drowned by other large numbering tourists. You can easily find hiking in areas in every province and those companies offering to take people hiking are widely available on the internet. But be careful which package you choose with these tour-operators because quite frankly they are a bit pricey.

Some more advertising words for traveling to Laos ;-) are that it really is a cheap place to stay and eat. Many travelers report being able to spend less than $200USD per month on living costs (accommodations and food). Unless you do a lot of shopping or staying at expensive places you will end up spending more obviously.