Laos weather

Laos weather: wet season

The rainy weather in Laos lasts from May to October and rainfall is usually limited to a very heavy downpour in the afternoon. Expect the rain to last for a few hours rather than all day.

Roads in Laos are generally sealed and therefore weather-proof. Consequently you would expect it to be much easier travelling around Laos in the wet season than in neighbouring Cambodia. This would be true, however the mountainous terrain lends itself to the development of landslides and swollen rivers can cause long delays when bridges are down. For this reason you should definitely allow extra time because of slow travel and expect to get drenched as bad weather sets in rather quickly.

River travel comes into its own during the wet season. Rising river levels allow boats greater speed and access to areas of Laos that might be inaccessible by boat during the dry season.

During the wet season daytime temperatures are generally slightly cooler than in the hot dry season. The air is clean and free from the dust and the local attractions attract smaller crowds.

A climate chart showing the weather in Vientiane, Laos. Featuring monthly temperature forecasts and mean expected rainfall.

Laos weather: dry season

Cool Dry Season

The cool dry weather lasts from November through to February. This is the most popular time to visit Laos due to lower daytime temperatures and cool breezes that blow across the land.

In the month of November, flooding from the rainy season will have subsided however river levels usually remain high enough to give good speed and access. Between January and June the hot weather means that river levels become low and some routes will be difficult or impossible to navigate.

Hot dry season

The hot dry weather in Laos lasts from March to April. At this time the temperature in southern Laos has been known to break 40°C and the nights are not much cooler.

From March to May the farmers in Laos set fire to crops and areas of forest in order to fertilise the soil for the next growing season. The result of this is a layer of smoke that can become uncomfortable on the eyes and detract from photo opportunities.