How to Buy Weed in Laos: Minimising Your Risks

Disclaimer: Weed and most other substances are strictly illegal in Laos. I do not encourage anyone to seek to break the law in any country, but those who plan on doing so anyway should minimise the risks they take.

Is weed easy to get in Laos? Is weed legal in Laos?

While weed is an illegal substance in Laos, it is fairly easy to get your hands on. You will be able to find lots of locally grown bud in most areas across the country, and some businesses ("happy bars") advertise the sale of drugs freely (shown below). However, be cautious, as there are countless stories of tourists being detained and "fined" heavily from police officers, so you should be as discrete as possible at all times and don't carry anything illegal on you for any longer than is necessary.

Laos bars freely advertising drug sales

Where to get weed in Luang Prabang?

In Luang Prabang, the easiest way to secure weed is by talking to the tuk-tuk drivers. If you hang around larger groups of them you will most likely be offered drugs without even having to do anything. Don't be afraid to just ask too. Specifically, the drivers waiting on the main street nearby the Sunrise Hostel for sure can help you out. The weed aesthetically is relatively poor quality but it packs a punch and the high is all that really matters in these scenarios.

Luang Prabang Weed from Tuk-Tuk

Where to get weed in Vang Vieng?

Vang Vieng is one of the easiest places in Laos to reliably buy weed, as many of the bars in the area sell it. I recommend visiting the Full Moon Bar where you can buy weed, pre-rolls and much more behind the bar. You can ask for the "happy menu" or weed menu and they'll give you one. You can get an outdoor grown 1g preroll for 50,000 kip (£2), which is a good deal if you ask me. As it is so easy to get cannabis here, I recommend keeping your use strictly to the bars, away from the streets. The Full Moon bar has a nice seating area at the back for smoking.

Seating area at the Full Moon Bar

There is also a great view of the surrounding hills from the back of the bar (shown below), making for a great smoke spot.

Sunset from the Full Moon Bar

You can also visit Jai Dee bar next door which also sells many substances, but the joints are a little more expensive.

Where to get weed in Pak Beng?

If you are travelling Laos via slow-boat, you can expect to stop overnight in the small town of Pak Beng. There is very limited nightlife and much of anything really going on here but there is one bar along the banks of the Mekong river called the Happy Bar. Typically this bar is filled with tourists from that days slow-boat and you can recognise it by its massive cannabis leaf graffiti on the wall. Behind the counter you can buy 1g bags of weed and you can expect to pay about $15/gram, less if you pay in kip. Not cheap, but we are in the middle of the jungle so I don't think you've much choice. Be sure to buy rolling papers early before the few shops close as many of the shops don't stock rolling papers.

Laos is a beautiful country with a nice cannabis scene but it does still remain a risk to smoke weed here so it really is best avoided if possible. Thailand is nearby and perfectly legal. If you are going to do it anyway, its best to be as discrete as possible at all times and don't cause disturbance to the locals.

How to Buy Weed in Laos: Minimising Your Risks

U.S. Marijuana Laws by State: Legal Status Guide 2024

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