Green Season runs from May-October. For years, misguided guide books have called this “Rainy Season”, or worse, “Monsoon Season”, frightening tourists away. What they forget to tell you…Laos is at its best during Green Season. No one comes to Laos to get a tan. They come for nature, culture, heritage, and activities, which you can experience all year round.

Green Season Myths: It rains all day, every day. Monsoons come all the time. I’ll be stuck in my room. I can’t go trekking to villages and nature sites. Roads are impassable.

Green Season Facts: It rains on many days, but the downpours usually last less than an hour and generally occur in the pre-dawn hours and in the evenings. Laos is hit by a few monsoons a year, and mostly in the South. There’s plenty of tourist attractions and things to do indoors. Most trekking trails remain open, but can be slippery.

Green Season is Better: More river stretches are open for kayakers and rafters, and the rapids become more challenging. Waterfalls plunge off cliffs and ledges in their full glory, while the “High Season” only gives you a taste. Mekong River cruises between Vientiane and Luang Prabang and on to China generally operate during Green Season. Hotels and airlines offer better deals during Green Season. And if a brief shower catches you out on a bicycle or scooter, you can stop at a roadside noodle shop and hang out with the locals until it passes.

What is Effected: Some trekking trails get sloppy, and a few trails are rerouted or closed. Mountain bikers and motocross riders find challenging muddy trails. Some unpaved mountain roads become extremely difficult to navigate.

Not Effected: If you catch a rainy day, visit temples and museums, take a cooking or handicraft course, grab an umbrella and go shopping, hang out in a bar/restaurant, or get a Lao massage or sauna.