Best Places to Exchange Money in Vientiane

When you are in Laos, Kip (Lao currency) are your best friends. Although US Dollar and Thai Baht are widely accepted in Vientiane, Kip are still the most preferred, especially at small retail stores and eating houses. You will find Lao banknotes in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000, and 100000 Kips.

There are 2 different ways to stock up your wallet with Kips: withdraw it from ATMs and buy it at banks or forex shops. The latter are the better, as it won’t cost you any transaction fee.

While being in Vientiane, you can rely on the service of banks, especially major banks like BCEL and BFL. The service units of these two banks, which are operated separately from bank branches, are the best places for currency exchange. It is simply because of their good rates and extended opening hours. Some may be surprised to know that BCEL service units are open on weekends.

In this list, we have gathered together the most accessible service units of BCEL and BFL as well as branches of other banks for your convenient use. Also included are the most favorable rate money changers in easily reached locations of Vientiane.

Scroll down for the details.

Banque Pour Le Commerce Exterieur Lao Public (BCEL) is one of the biggest state-owned banks in Laos. This bank brings convenience to visitors through the currency exchange service offering at its BCEL service units across Vientiane.

What to love about BCEL service units is that their opening hours are very customer-friendly, which last until 19:00 on weekdays and 15:00 on weekends. This also means you can engage money exchange service at any BCEL branch on Saturday and Sunday, the times when there are no transactions at bank counters of most of the banks in town.

Those bring traveler’s checks along can have them exchanged at BCEL kiosks.

For their daily rates, click here.

ACCEPTED CURRENCIES

• US Dollar
• Thai Baht
• Euro
• Pound Sterling
• Australian Dollar
• Canadian Dollar
• Japanese Yen
• Swiss Franc
• Renminbi Yuan
• Danish Krone
• Norwegian Krone
• Swedish Krona
• Singapore Dollar
• HongKong Dollar
• Vietnamese Dong

RECOMMENDED BCEL SERVICE UNITS
1) BCEL Head Office & Service Unit @ Pangkham Street

• This head office is just a 1-minute walk from Xieng Nyeun Temple and Chao Anouvong Park
• Address: No 01, Pangkham Street, Ban Xiengnheun, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 213 200
• Opening hours: Mon to Fri 08:30 – 19:00, Sat & Sun 08:30 – 15:00

2) BCEL Morning Market Service Unit

• This branch is nestled inside Morning Market
• Address: Morning Market, Ave Lane Xang, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 740318
• Opening hours: Mon to Fri 08:30 – 19:00, Sat & Sun 08:30 – 15:00*

3) BCEL NOUL Service Unit

• This branch is located across Phonesavanh School
• Address: 13 Dongdok Village Street 2, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 771495
• Opening hours: Mon to Fri 08:30 – 19:00, Sat & Sun 08:30 – 15:00*

4) BCEL Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge Service Unit

• This branch is situated near the Thanaleng Border Crossing
• Address: Thadeua Rd, Dongposy Village, Hadxaiphong District, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 820485
• Opening hours: Mon to Fri 08:30 – 19:00, Sat & Sun 08:30 – 15:00*

5) BCEL Chomphet Service Unit

• This branch sits next to PV Oil petrol station
• Address: Thadeua Rd, Chomphet Village, Sisattanak District, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 353290
• Opening hours: Mon to Fri 08:30 – 19:00, Sat & Sun 08:30 – 15:00*

*Opening hours may vary. Call first before visiting.

Banque Franco-Lao (BFL) is a joint venture between BRED Banque Populaire SA of France and BCEL of Laos. The bank is currently run 11 service units in different areas of Vientiane. Among those, the units at Sihom and Nam Phu are open every day from 08:30 to 20:30.

Good news is that BFL service units accept a wide variety of currencies including non-major ones.

RECOMMENDED BFL SERVICE UNITS
1) BFL Headquarter & Service Unit on Lane Xang

• The BFL Headquarter is located next to Tax Department, which is a 1-minute walk from Wat That Phoun
• Address: Lane Xang Avenue, Hatsady Village, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 285 111
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:00

2) BFL Service Unit – Sihom

• This branch is just a 2-minute walk from Wat Inpeng Temple
• Address: 29 Khun Bu Lom Road, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 265 011
• Opening hours: Daily 08:30 – 20:30

3) BFL Service Unit – Nam Phu

• Its location is within walking distance from Ibis Vientiane Nam Phu
• Address: Sethathirath Rd, Chanthaboury District, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 263 625
• Opening hours: Daily 08:30 – 20:30

4) BFL Service Unit @ Morning Market

• This branch is nestled inside Talat Sao Shopping Mall
• Address: 2F Talat Sao Shopping Mall, Lane Xang Road, Hatsadi Village, Chathabouly District, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 285 330
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:30

5) BFL Service Unit @ D Mart Shopping Mall

• This branch is situated inside D Mart shopping mall
• Address: D Mart Shopping Mall, Dong Palan Road, Dong Palan Village, Saysettah District, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 265 244
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:30

The opportunities Talat Sao Morning Market offers are more than just things to see and buy like fruits, vegetables, textile, woodcraft, jewelry and houseware. This famous market has a number of bank branches with competitive rates in its vicinity to serve visitor shoppers.

You can find the headquarters of banks like ANZ, Joint Development Bank, and Lao-Viet Bank on the same road, Lane Xang, which is within walking distance from Talat Sao Morning Market.

Bear in mind that the general operating hours of Vientiane’s banks are from 09:00 to 15:30 from Monday to Friday.

RECOMMENDED BANK BRANCHES
1) ANZ Bank Head Office

• It is located on Ave Lane Xang, across Talat Sao Shopping Mall
• Address: 33 Ave Lane Xang, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 222 700
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 – 16:00

2) Joint Development Bank Head Office

• Its location is just a short walk from Talat Sao Morning Market
• Address: 82 Lane Xang Road, Hatsady Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 213 531
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:00
• Accepted currencies: USD, THB, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, EUR, SGD, HKD, CHF, NZD, DKK, SEK, NOK, CNY, BND
• Exchange rates

3) Lao-Viet Bank Head Office

• It is situated next to the National University of Lao
• Address: 44 Ave Lane Xang, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 251 418
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:00
• Accepted currencies: USD, VND, THB, EUR, AUD, CHF, GBP, JPY, CAD, SGD, CNY
• Exchange rates

4) ACLEDA Bank @ Vientiane Branch

• Its location is just a 1-minute walk from Talat Sao Morning Market
• Address: 091 Nongbone Road, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 285 199
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 15:30
• Accepted currencies: USD, THB, EUR, AUD, GBP, JPY, CAD, KHR, VND
• Exchange rates

5) International Commercial Bank Lao Head Office

• Its location is just a short walk from Talat Sao Morning Market
• Address: 127/07 Hatsady Tai, Khun Bu Lom Rd, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 250 388
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 – 15:30

Unlike the way it is in busy cities across Southeast Asia, there are not many independent currency exchange shops in Vientiane. You can find only a few, which mostly choose to settle down near commercial areas like the Morning Market.

Although they are not popular, their rates are quite good. Some of them occasionally offer rates slightly better than the bank service units’ so it is best to make a comparison before exchanging any large amount.

RECOMMENDED MONEY CHANGERS
1) Sihome Currency Exchange

• This shop is located across M-Point Mart, just a 1-minute walk from Hotel Lao
• Address: Khun Bu Lom Rd, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 217 683
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00*

2) CK Money Changer

• Its location is across Maybank, a 1-minute walk from Morning Market
• Address: Ave Lane Xang, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 21 241 308
• Opening hours: Daily 08:45 – 17:30

3) SDV Money Exchange

• This shop is situated next to Lao International College
• Address: Rue Lao-Thai, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 23 311 933
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 08:00 – 18:00

4) Vienghai Money Exchange Shop

• This shop is a 2-minute walk from Vientiane Center
• Address: Khouvieng Road, Vientiane, Laos
• Phone: +856 20 55 213 484
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 08:30 – 20:00

*Opening hours may vary. Call first before visiting.