In Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Vang Vieng, you will find that hotel staff, restaurant servers, shop owners, and tour guides can communicate in basic to good English. Younger Laotians are more likely to speak English than older generations.
In rural areas and smaller towns, English is rarely spoken. Learning a few basic Lao phrases is helpful and appreciated by locals. French is also spoken by some older Laotians and among the educated elite, a legacy of the colonial period.
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