On the spot 15 day tourist visa available at Wattay airport (Vientiane), Luang Prabang Airport and at Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge (Nong Khai (Thailand) opposite Vientiane). Might need to show onward ticket and proof of money you have. Costs US$30 with one extension possible.

Visa on Arrival at Houay Xai. You can now get a 15 day Visa on arrival at the Immigration Office on the riverside at Houay Xai. Cross from Chiang Kong (Thailand) on the boat (20 Baht). One photo and US$30 / 1500 Baht. Currency exchange office is nearby as well. Get to the Slow Boat pier by Tuk-Tuk (20 Baht/5000 Kip). fare to Pak Beng is 65,000 Kip, to Luang Prabang is 130,000 Kip. Insurance for the boat trip is available for 100 Baht but is not compulsory.

In Thailand:
The Bangkok Embassy supplies 15 and 30 day visas in two days, application only accepted in the morning, 1000Baht. Consulate in Khon Kaen issues 15 and 30 day visas for about 1500-2000 Baht., 123 Thanon Photisan, Tel: 223698,221961. About 1 to 3 days. Travel Agents in Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani,Chiang Mai, Chiang Kong can supply a visa, but its more expensive, 2000Baht plus, 1 to 5 days, maybe a bit suspect, they send your passport to the nearest Embassy.

Embassies in Rangoon (Yangon) ,Myanmar (laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia) , Beijing and Kunming (China), Australia, France, Japan and USA will issue visas.
Travel Agents can also supply visas, but more expensively.

Business visa is available for 30 days with sponsor from Laos.
Transit Visa for 10 days in Vientiane only is also available (US$12).
If you overstay a few days and just pay 5 dollars per day at the border or airport while leaving the country.
You can extend your visa at the immigration office in Vientiane for US$1-2 a day. At Luang Prabang it costs US$2.5-3 per day. Worth trying other offices if you outside Vientiane and desperate,but not guaranteed.

Schedules:
Lao Aviation:
Vientiane--Bangkok--Vientiane. Monday A.M., Tuesday P.M., Wednesday P.M., Thursday P.M., Friday P.M.
Vientiane--Yangon (Rangoon)
Vientiane--Saigon--Vientiane. Friday A.M.
Vientiane--Phnom Penh--Vientiane. Friday A.M. two flights, one direct, one via Saigon.
Thai Airways:
Bangkok--Vientiane--Bangkok. Tuesday A.M., Thursday A.M., Saturday A.M., Sunday A.M.
Air Vietnam:
Hanoi--Vientiane--Hanoi. Monday A.M., Thursday A.M., Sunday A.M.
Silk Air (Malaysian Airlines):
Kuala Lumpur--Vientiane--Kuala Lumpur. Monday and Thursday. Arrives 12:30
China Southern Airlines:
Beijing--Kunming--Vientiane. Saturday A.M.
Cambodia Airlines:
Phnom Penh--Vientiane--Phnom Penh. Wednesday P.M.

Overland Entry.
From Thailand:
Nong Khai--Vientiane. Mukdahan--Savannakhet. Chiang Khong--Houay Xai. Ubon Rachathani--Pakse. Nakhon Ratchsima--Savannakhet
From Vietnam:
Vinh/Cau Treo--Lak Sao. Lao Bao--Ban Dong. Quangtri--Savannakhet
From China:
Jonghong Mengla--Boten (near Luang Namtha)

As in many Asian cultures, the head is considered the most sacred part of the body, and the soles of the feet are the lowliest.
One should not touch a preson's head nor use one's foot to point at a person or any object.
Men and women rarely show affection in public. It is forbidden for a women to touch a buddhist monk.

It is cutomary to remove one's shoes or sandals when entreing a Buddhist temple or private home. In Lao PDR, homes are raised off the ground, shoes or sandlas are left at the stairs. In a traditional home, one sits on low seats or cushions on the floor. Men may sits with legs corssed or folded to one side. Women sits with legs gracefully folded to the side. Guests may be served tea or fruit, which should not be refused. On should at least take a taste.

These minorities can be classified into three groups: 56% in Lao Lum (Lowlanders), 34% in Lao Theung (uplanders), and 9% Lao Soung (hill tribes)  
The population density is 19.0 persons per square km, with a life expectancy of 50.9 years, and an adult litteracy of 50% in 1992. 

The Mekong river flows through 1,865 km of Lao PDR territory and forms the major portion of the border with Thailand (1,835 km). 60% of the water entering this major river system originates in Lao PDR.  
The three highest "phu" (mountains) are all located in Xieng Khuang province. The highest is Phu Bia (2,820 km), then Phu Xao (2,690 km), and Phu Xamxum with 2,620 m. 

People began living in the present territory of Laos more than 10,000 years ago. Stone tools implements and skulls discovered in Huaphan and Luang Prabang provinces certify the existence of such settelements. The giant jars in Xieng Khouang province and stone columns in Huaphan province date from the neolithic period. As clearly as the last century B.C. humans in Laos used iron to forge their tools.
The rural community grouping of people slowly formed into muang (townships) between fourth and eight century on both sides of the Mekong River and along its tributaries.
In 1349-1357, a movement emerged under the command of King Fa Ngoum, a national hero, to group the muang into a unified Lan Xang Kingdom, the capital of which stood at Xiengdong Xiengthong, now known as Luang Prabang.
From then on, the Kingdom of Lan Xang entered into an era of national defence and construction under King Fa Ngoum who first introduced Hinayana Buddhism from the Khmer Kingdom into Laos, which is still the religion professed by the majority of Lao people.

From 1479 to 1570, the Lao people were forced to defend the country against foreign aggressors.
Under the rule of King Setthathirath, the capital was moved from Xiengdong Xiengthong to Vientiane in 1560. A moated rampart was built to protect the new capital whose name means "the rampart of sandalwood". King Setthathirath built a shrine to house the Phra Kaeo, the Emerald Buddha. He also erected the That Luang Stupa, a venerated religious shrine which is now the symbol of the Lao nation.
In the seventeenth century, under the reign of King Souliyavongsa, the Kingdom entered its most brilliant era. It was respected by neighbouring countries and was reputed in many countries of the world. in 1694, a Dutch merchand of the East Indian Company, Geritt Van Wuysthoff, and later, two Italian misssionaries, Leria and Marini, visited the Kingdom of Lan Xang. They wrote awed reports on the rich and beautiful palaces and temples, and the splendid religious ceremonies, saying Vientiane was the most magnificient city in South East Asia.

At the end of the reign of King Souliyavongsa, the feudal lords of Lan Xang became contenders for the throne which led to the division of the country into three Kingdoms in 1713: Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champassak. The division created opportunities for new foreign aggressors. The Lao people fought relentlessly to recover their national independence, and the most firece but unsuccessful struggle (1827-1828) in the Kingdom of Vientiane was led by King Anouvong, now a National Hero. Vientiane was ransacked completely destroyed by the Siamese (Thai), with the exception of That Luang and Vat Sisaket. The Emerald Buddha was taken to Bangkok.

In 1893, Laos became a French colony. The Lao people of different ethnic groups under the leadership of the Communist Party of Indochina, founded in 1930, continued to struggle for the self determination and independence of Laos as well as that of Vietnam and Cambodia. Lao independence was recognized by the Geneva Agreement on Indochina in 1954.
Despite the agreement, neo-colonialist stepped into Laos to replace the old. During this time, the ethnic Lao people suffered enormously. The pain of the people and the destruction of land and property was beyond physical measure.

Because of the perseverance and struggle of the Lao people, victory after victory was scored until the people was able to seize power throughout the country, and the Lao People's Democratic Republic was established on December 2, 1975.
On August 13-15 1991, the sixth session of the People's Supreme Assembly adopted the new and present Constutition.