Traveling with an Amex - will I be able to use it widely in Laosor should I carry a backup Visa/Mastercard?
Don’t bother with Amex in Laos. It failed at ATMs, restaurants, and hotels. Visa worked without issues everywhere. Meals were cheap - about $5 - and day trips added $20-25, so I spent around $50 daily. Amex has no use in Laos. Carry Visa or Mastercard for a stress-free trip.
Laos was affordable, but my Amex didn’t work anywhere. Restaurants, ATMs, and shops all declined it. Visa worked smoothly, even in small villages. Meals cost about 50,000 LAK, and I budgeted 270,000 LAK daily with tours. Mastercard was fine too. Amex is just not accepted here. Bring Visa instead.
I had Amex with me in Laos but couldn’t use it once. Even hotels in Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng refused it. ATMs only accepted Visa/Mastercard. Meals were $3-5 USD, tours around $20-30, so I spent $40-50 daily. Amex was completely useless. Visa worked flawlessly everywhere.
In Laos, American Express was practically useless. ATMs in Vientiane and Luang Prabang didn’t recognize it, and restaurants wouldn’t accept it either. Visa worked perfectly for both withdrawals and payments. Meals were cheap - 40,000-70,000 LAK - and daily budgets averaged 250,000-300,000 LAK with transport and activities like boat rides. Amex isn’t worth bringing to Laos. Visa or Mastercard is essential.