Bathrooms are the small thing nobody warns you about. Hotels, malls, and tourist-oriented cafés in Vientiane and Vang Vieng have Western sit-down toilets and are fine. Step into a local restaurant, a market, a bus station, or anywhere rural, and you will meet the other kind. None of it is difficult once you know the routine.
Squat toilets
A squat toilet is a porcelain pan set into the floor with a foot grip on each side. Face the hooded end, plant your feet on the grips, and squat all the way down — it is more stable than a half-squat. Roll up trouser legs and empty your back pockets first. Many people find them perfectly hygienic since nothing touches your skin.
No paper, or paper in the bin
Many local toilets do not provide paper. Carry a small pack of tissues and hand sanitizer at all times — this one habit solves most bathroom problems. Where paper is provided, look for a small bin beside the toilet: in most of Laos, used paper goes in the bin, not down the pipe, because the plumbing clogs easily. A sign or simply the presence of a bin tells you which rule applies.
The hose and the bucket
Next to most toilets you will find a small hand-held spray hose, often called a bum gun. It is the local alternative to paper: spray, then dry with tissue. Test the pressure away from you first. Squat toilets frequently have no flush lever; instead there is a bucket or tub of water with a scoop. Pour two or three scoops into the pan to flush, and top the tub up if there is a tap.
Small fees
Public toilets at markets, bus stations, and popular sights are often looked after by an attendant who collects a small fee in kip. Keep a few small notes handy for this. Paid toilets are usually the cleaner ones.
Where to find a clean toilet
In Vientiane, shopping malls, chain coffee shops, and hotel lobbies are reliable. On the road between Vientiane and Vang Vieng, the railway stations have proper toilets; bus rest stops vary. Temples sometimes have public toilets on the grounds — use them respectfully and dress appropriately. In Vang Vieng, restaurants along the main street will usually let customers use theirs.
What to pack
Tissues, hand sanitizer, and small kip notes cover almost every situation. Add a small dry bag or zip pouch for your phone so it never has to sit on a wet floor. Menstrual products are sold in pharmacies and minimarts in the cities, but bring your preferred brand from home; selection is limited outside Vientiane.
Stomach trouble
Most visitors are fine, but a change of food and water sometimes brings a day of trouble. Drink bottled or filtered water, be cautious with ice at street stalls, and carry oral rehydration salts and a basic anti-diarrheal from home. Pharmacies in Vientiane are well stocked if you need more.