This post contains affiliate links. ChoiceCheapies might earn commissions when you click through and make purchases. Please see this page for more information.
China Southern are offering return flights to Vientiane, Laos for $608 return from Auckland and $679 from Christchurch. All fares include seats, bags and meals. We've never had a deal for Laos however supposedly these fares are usually double the price. Dates are October & November.
All flights have a layover in Guangzhou en route, and the outbound stop will be approximately 10 hours long. It's during the daytime, so you can either choose to explore the city or rest up with free transit accommodations from the airline.
ex. Auckland $608 - Google Flights - Skyscanner
ex. Christchurch $679 - Google Flights - Skyscanner
That's actually a good time to visit Laos — the rainy season ends in mid-Sep and the main tourist season doesn't hit until mid-Dec.
Remember to bring two passport-sized photos and some US currency (visa-on-arrival fee must be paid in US cash) — US$30 is normal but bring $40 just to be safe.