Before you trust anyone with a trip
You should know who you are dealing with, who will actually drive the car or steer the boat, where your money goes and what happens if something changes. Here are the plain answers.
Who does what
Who you are dealing with
Laos Explore plans routes through Laos and handles bookings for the services in them. We communicate by email, so everything agreed is in writing. You can reach us at hello@laosexplore.com. The business that contracts with you is identified in your proposal.
Who delivers your trip
Local providers: drivers and car owners, boat operators, guides, guesthouses and hotels. Laos Explore does not own vehicles or boats and does not employ drivers or guides. Your proposal names the provider for each service, so you know before you pay who will deliver it, and your confirmed plan gives you their contact for the day.
What we check before sending a proposal
- That the provider can deliver the service on your dates, confirmed in writing by the provider.
- The provider's price for your exact route, and what it includes and excludes.
- Practical conditions for your dates that we can reasonably check, such as known road closures, schedules and seasonal limits.
We do not publish ratings, rankings or "verified" badges, and we do not claim to have inspected every vehicle or tested every route. If something about a provider or a leg is uncertain, your proposal says so.
Where your money goes
Nothing is payable until you accept a proposal. You then pay a prepayment to Laos Explore to secure the booking. Where your proposal says so, a balance is paid locally to the provider. Both amounts, their due dates and how to pay are stated in the proposal, and together they equal the total price shown.
If plans change or something goes wrong
- You cancel: your prepayment is refunded, as set out in the cancellation policy.
- A provider cannot deliver: we tell you as soon as we know, and offer a suitable alternative or refund your prepayment for that service.
- Weather or floods: some services, such as the boat through Kong Lor, can be suspended by high water. We help you and the provider rearrange what is affected.
- During your trip: contact the provider for that leg first, then us. Both contacts are in your plan.
Safety and expectations
No trip is free of risk, and we do not promise otherwise. We plan long road days to finish in daylight, prefer boats that carry life jackets, and point you to official guidance. Read our safety guide and your government's travel advice. Travel insurance with medical cover is strongly advised.
Reviews and feedback
We publish feedback only from real travelers, with their permission and without changing its meaning. We do not use invented, paid or incentivised reviews.
What every proposal contains
Written proposalLE-YYMMDD
- Your route, day by dayOvernight stops, every transfer with its mode and a realistic time range, and what each day involves.
- One total priceIn US dollars unless agreed otherwise, with exactly what it includes and excludes (fuel, boat fares, entry fees, meals, rooms).
- Who provides each partThe named local driver, boat operator, guide or tour company responsible for each service.
- Prepayment and balanceWhat you pay Laos Explore to secure the booking, any balance paid locally to the provider, and when each is due.
- Cancellation termsIf you cancel your booking, your prepayment is refunded. Any conditions specific to your trip are stated before you pay.
- Contacts for each dayWho to call or message for each leg, and how to reach us while you travel.
Nothing is booked until you accept the proposal and pay the prepayment.
Plan with Laos Explore
Tell us where you want to go, not how to get there
Share your dates, the places on your list and how you feel about motorbikes. We reply by email with a realistic route, and when you are ready, a written proposal with transfers, prices, inclusions and who provides each part of the trip.
