9th Asian Conference of Arachnology 2025, Vang Vieng, Laos

Updated on 7 January 2025

In the name of the Asian Society of Arachnology, we cordially invite all arachnologists to attend the 9^th Asian Conference of Arachnology in Vang Vieng, Laos from 10th to 14th November 2025!

The conference will be held in the beautiful town of Vang Vieng, in northern Vientiane Province. The venue will be the Thavisouk Hotel on the banks of the Song River, which has stunning views of the surrounding limestone landscape. The conference will be open to all scientific presentations dealing with Arachnida (excl. Acari). It aims to communicate the latest results in the field of arachnology and to bring together colleagues from Asia and all other continents.

Vang Vieng is connected with the capital Vientiane and its airport via an Express Highway (ca. 1.5 h drive). Shuttle buses will take participants from the airport to Vang Vieng. In addition, Vang Vieng can be directly reached by train from Kunming.

The town was first settled in 1353 and became popular in the late 1990s with tourists due to the opportunities for adventure tourism along the Song River and in the spectacular limestone karst landscape surrounding the town. Recently, more activities like zip-lining, ballooning, etc. are offered.

Exploring Vang Vieng

In addition to the scientific programme, there will be many opportunities to explore the karst landscape and the various limestone caves and their fauna. It will be starting dry season and, thus, villagers will start harvesting rice in the paddy fields. Everyone, who would like to pay a longer visit to the only landlocked SE Asian country, may head to one of the two World Cultural Heritage sites, Luang Prabang, the old emperor town in the North or Wat Phou, an old temple in the South dating back 200 years earlier than Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Registration

Registration is open from 1 January 2025 to 13 October 2025. Participants are required to submit their travel details (arrival and departure) by uploading a photo or screenshot of their flight or train ticket. Registration will only be confirmed after receipt of the travel itinerary, but you may still register early and update your registration later after your tickets are booked. You must log in to the ASA website to register for the conference.

Questions about the registration process should be directed to Nicky Bay ([email protected]). All other questions may be sent to Peter Jäger ([email protected]).

Costs

There is no registration fee. Participants have to book and pay for their travel, accommodation and meals. To confirm their registration, participants must submit proof of their travel itinerary.

There will be a free shuttle from Vientiane Wattay Airport to Vang Vieng. The congress dinner is covered by the Inthira Group and will be held at the Inthira Hotel Vang Vieng (650 m from the venue).

The organisers will try to cover more costs for coffee breaks and excursions. Nominal fees may need to be imposed on participants on-site for any additional services. Updates will be posted on this page.

Getting to Vang Vieng

There will be a free shuttle service provided from Wattay Airport, Vientiane to Vang Vieng on 9 November and back from Vang Vieng to Wattay Airport on 15 November. Please indicate in the registration form whether you would like to use the shuttle service or not.

The following guidelines are for those participants who would like to travel on their own to Vang Vieng.

Arrival at Wattay Airport Vientiane

If you get to Vientiane by noon, take a taxi (ca 6 US$; alternatively download the InDrive-App and order a driver for 2 US$) at Wattay Airport to the minivan bus stop in Ban Mixay (close to National Cultural Hall) and by a ticket for a Mini Van to Vang Vieng (ca. 150.000 LAK; ca. 7 US$). The travel takes 1.5–2 hours. The bus will drop you at the main road in Vang Vieng. You may walk to your hotel or take a Tuktuk or a Songthaew.

If you arrive in the afternoon, you may ask at the airport whether there is still a bus or minivan driving to Vang Vieng. It may be that you have to go to the Northern Bus Terminal instead of the minivan bus stop. In case there is no bus you have to stay in Vientiane (recommended: Ban Mixay, close to the minivan bus stop).

Arrival at Luang Prabang Airport

If you arrive in Luang Prabang, you may travel further by bus or train to Vang Vieng. There is no conference shuttle service.

Arrival by Bus

If you enter Laos by bus to Vientiane on 9 November 2025, please proceed to Wattay airport to get a shuttle bus to Vang Vieng and let us know the time of your arrival at the airport.

Arrival by Train

There is a train connection from Kunming (Yunnan, China) to Vang Vieng via Xishuangbanna, Luang Prabang and Luang Nam Tha. Participants have to pay for the taxi from the Railway Station to the respective hotel by themselves. The train option from Vientiane to Vang Vieng is not recommended since local transport to and from the railway station takes more time than a bus ride.

Venue and Accommodation

The Thavisouk Hotel is located at the Song River (Nam Song). It consists of two parts: Thavisouk Island with a 7 storey-building, breakfast room and pool area, and Thavisouk Riverside with 2-storey buildings and the conference hall for 120 persons. Both buildings are connected by a pedestrian bridge across the Song River. All room bookings include a daily breakfast buffet at Thavisouk Island on the 7^th floor and access to the Thavisouk Island Swimming Pool.

To enjoy the special rates above, participants of the ACA should send inquiries and booking requests with the keyword “ACA 2025” to [email protected]. The manager will book ACA participants on one floor at Thavisouk Island and close together at Thavisouk Riverside.

Lunch buffet will be available for 10 US$ and offered on the 7^th floor of Thavisouk Island. There are plenty of other restaurants around (usually 2-5 US$).

For those who would like to get a different accommodation, there are plenty of hotels and guesthouses in Vang Vieng (please visit the usual booking platforms like agoda.com, booking.com, etc.).

Getting Around Vang Vieng

Public minivans will drop passengers off close to the main road in Vang Vieng centre. The conference shuttle service will drop participants off at Thavisouk Hotel.

On the town map, Thavisouk Hotel (yellow), and a choice of money exchange/ATMS (green), restaurants (red), street food (orange), and bars (blue).

The Maps.Me app is recommended for orientation, where one can navigate offline with updated versions of Laotian maps.

Excursions

There will be a midweek excursion to a nearby location (ca. 8 km to the West of Thavisouk Hotel). It is planned that participants can hike to viewpoints, explore caves, collect in the limestone forest, or just enjoy nature. Transport will be organised.

Details and costs will be updated later.

Alternatively, participants may enjoy a day off by kayaking or tubing down the Nam Song, visiting temples, having a massage or getting some handicrafts as souvenirs. Renting a motorbike is ca. 7 US$ per day (passport as deposit) and can lead to more remote destinations. The organising committee will advise everyone interested.

Preliminary Schedule

09.11. Arrival in Vientiane (Wattay Airport) and transfer with shuttle to Vang Vieng

10.11. Opening ceremony, oral presentations and poster session

11.11. Oral presentations and conference photo

12.11. Midweek excursion and Peace Party (aka Russian Party) at Pool side

13.11. Oral presentations, ASA General Assembly, and conference dinner (Inthira Hotel)

14.11. Oral presentations and closing ceremony

15.11. Departure and transfer with shuttle to Vientiane

Further Information

Currency: The official currency in Laos is the Lao Kip (LAK). Notes are: 100.000, 50.000, 20.000, 10.000, 5.000, 2.000, 1.000, 500. You usually pay in cash at hotels, restaurants, rentals, etc. Credit cards are usually not accepted. Bigger hotels may accept US$ or Thai Baht. 1 US $ ≈ 24.000 LAK.

ATMs: Available in Vientiane at the airport (outside) and Vang Vieng (700 m from the venue). You may exchange money at the airport (before and after customs) and in Vang Vieng (1 km). For money exchange, ensure your notes are in good condition as the smallest tears in your notes may be rejected.

VISA: Not required for ASEAN citizens. VISA on arrival at 20 US$ for Chinese and Vietnamese citizens and 40 US$ for all others.

Electricity: Bring your universal plug and charger for 220V. Laos uses the Type F plug. Type F electrical plugs used in Laos are manufactured to the CEE 7/4 and CEE 7/7 standards and is commonly referred to as a Schuko plug. The line and neutral plug contacts for Laos Type F plugs are two round pins with a 4.8 millimetre diameter.

SIM-card: Get your SIM Card at Wattay Airport or any shop in Vientiane or Vang Vieng from Lao Telecom or other companies.

Sunblock & insect repellent: Vientiane and Vang Vieng are malaria-free regions. Mosquitoes are mostly active for two hours during sunset. However, few mosquitoes are active at the start of the dry season anyway. It is more important to bring your sunblock or sunscreen, especially for the excursion day.

WiFi: Free WiFi is available at the ACA venue and almost in every restaurant.

Organising Committee

Peter Jaeger, Germany
Liphone Nophaseud, Laos
Johnny Souwideth, Laos
Ondřej Košulič, Czechia
Radek Michalko, Czechia
Varat Sivayyapram, China
Natapot Warrit, Thailand
Wimolwan Chotwong, Thailand
Warbota Khum, Cambodia
Connor Kennedy, Great Britain
Jasmin Wohlschieß, Germany
Pedro Castanheira, Australia
André Prado, Australia
Nicky Bay, Singapore

Current Registrants (ordered by country and last name)

Pedro DE SOUZA CASTANHEIRA, Australia
Andre WANDERLEY DO PRADO, Australia
Warbota KHUM, Cambodia
Varat SIVAYYAPRAM, China

Ondřej KOŠULIČ, Czech Republic
Radek MICHALKO, Czech Republic
Peter JAEGER, Germany
Jasmin WOHLSCHIESS, Germany

Connor KENNEDY, Great Britain
Johnny SOUWIDETH, Lao People's Democratic Republic
Nicky BAY, Singapore
Wimolwan CHOTWONG, Thailand

Charles KRISTENSEN, United States