Money Matters
The currency of Laos is the Kip. The Kip is not freely convertable, which means that you can't get it outside of Laos, and any you leave with can't be exchanged.
The Kip is not very stable, but fluctuates widely around the 10,000 Kip per US$1 mark. For the purposes of this guide, we've shown approximate rates using this figure.
Kip notes come in 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 denominations. There are no coins. With the largest note just 10,000 Kip, if you change just US$50 you're going to end up with a huge wad of bills. The good news is that you don't really need much cash in Kip. Many larger purchases may be made with US Dollars or Thai Baht. You just need Kip for small purchases like entrance fees, taxis and meals.
Most tourist centers will have bank operated exchanges where you'll get the best rate. These will most typically be open until the early evening hours and on Saturdays.