Vang Vieng experiences two main seasons due to the annual monsoon cycle. May to October is wet while November to April is dry. Average temperatures drop to 59F (15C) in the dry season which is the best time for tourists to travel to Vang Vieng. During the wet season average daytime high hovers round 86F (30C) and tropical downpours are frequent, especially during the months of July and August.

Lao is the official language, but some English and French are spoken.

The Lao Kip (LAK) is the legal currency unit, currently available in denominations of 1, 000, 5, 000, 10, 000, 20, 000 and 50, 000 kip. US Dollars, Euros and Thai Baht are also accepted in many places and are more convenient to carry than large stacks of the local currency. Banks, hotels, and jewellery shops all offer currency exchange services. For everyday expenses, carry a mix of US dollars and kip. For larger items, or when the exchange rate works in your favour, use US dollars. For local transport, street food stalls and minor purchases, it is best to use kip. When in rural areas, ensure you carry a supply of small notes as change can be hard to come by. Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are accepted at most international hotels, many shops and restaurants, and a few tourist-orientated establishments in Luang Prabang and Vientiane - but in other parts of the country assume that only cash is accepted. Travellers cheques can be cashed at most banks in Vientiane and other major towns. Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm, and then again from 2pm to 3pm. In Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and other major towns, ATMs are available from which money can be withdrawn. Note that ATMs distribute only Lao kip, with a maximum of around 1, 000, 000 kip per transaction.