Insects and Spiders in Southeast Asia

Hi there,

I’m planning a solo road trip through Northern Vietnam and Northern Laos (Muang Khua, Nong Khiaw, Luang Prabang) / train to Bangkok, but I have a slight (okay, big) phobia of insects and especially spiders... And of course, Laos has a reputation for having plenty of them! Can you tell me if the "risk" of running into any is real with my route through this magical-sounding country?

Thanks! !

Hi there,

There are also scorpions and centipedes. But statistically, I think mosquitoes do the most damage.

Anyway, you were already scared of bears in Japan and nothing happened to you! !

There was no Japan because of COVID. Yep, animal phobias aren’t something you can control, which is why I ask questions....

Given the appearance of these types of animals and how dangerous some of them can be, it’s easy to understand any phobia. It’s still better than being afraid of flying, though. 😛

Day or night, watch where you step. There are places where locals flush the toilet before using it.

In the end, just remember that the most dangerous critters are the two-legged ones—the ones that talk.