In Laos there are two distinct seasons, the dry season and the wet season. During the wet season, it is not pouring all day, but you can expect some heavy rainfall for a couple of hours daily. The wet season runs from May to October. In the northern provinces, the rainy season might start a little earlier. In the wet season, road travel is often difficult, as the roads are often damaged by the rains. River travel might be a good alternative then.

The dry season comes in two parts, starting with the cool dry season, followed by the hot dry season. The first part - the cool dry season - is the most attractive time for making a trip to Laos. This period runs from November to February. After that, in March and April, comes the hot dry season. It might be a little bit too hot in the lower areas then, but if you wish to visit the mountainous areas, this is not a bad time to do it.