Travel Answers

This may sound crazy - however, my friend and I live in the US where we both own Yamaha waverunners. We have been in Laos and Thailand recently and we are now interested in buying two new waverunners, in Thailand/Laos, and traveling down the Mekong River from the Golden Triangle to Mukdahon. (flexible on locations actually)

We would want to purchase the waverunners - take the trip - and then sell them back as used. We would also be looking to hire a Yamaha mechanic to try and follow along our trip with a truck with a double waverunner trailer in case we need to have repairs - or need to pull the boats out of the water. Do you know of anyone that has done this? Would it be allowed?

Not even sure where to look to find out about this.

Thanks in advance.

I'm planning a 14 - 18 days backpack trip next year and this is what it looks like:

1. arrived at Vientiane
2. Vientiane to Vang Vieng (VIP bus about 5 hours)
3. Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang (minivan about 7 hours)
4. Luang Prabang to Muang Ngoi Neua (boat around 7hours or should I go to Muang Ngoi via land transport before taking the water transport to Muang Ngoi Neua?
5. Muang Ngoi Neua to Muang Khua (boat around 4 hours)
6. Muang Khua to Dien Bien Phu (overnight bus?)
7. Dien Bien Phu to Sapa (morning border bus at around 8 hours)
8. Sapa to Hanoi (night train around 8 hours)
9. Sapa to Hanoi (sleeper bus, travel time unsure)
10. Hanoi and back

Can any one who has done this before especially the transportation part are they viable? Any suggestion if not?
Thanks in advance.

We are planning a 2 week trip to Laos with our children of 10 and 11 years old in august. Do you know of a reliable driver with car and what would be the costprice. Arriving in Vientiane go to VFan Vieng,Luang Prabang,Nong Khiaw,Nam Neun,Phonsavan,plaif of jars,Thaton and back to Vientiane. Any help would be very welcome.

which is less touristy ;)

hey nomads...anyone know some off the beaten track hidden gems in laos? preferably without UXO risk ;) cheerssss

Is it true only vientiane has ATMS??

What are the options for transportation from Vientiane center to airport?

Hallo,

I just begin to plan our first trip to Laos, and before I can plan, I have some questions:

Is it possible to drive through the country with a rental car, but without a driver? We are used do drive by ourselves and had done this almost all over in the world, but not in Asia.

Can we go to Laos without reservation of hotels in advance? We want to be independent.

Is February a good time? We don't like to much of heat.

Thank you

Beate

Hi All - I'll be landing in LP on 7 April, and am looking on making my way down to VV after a couple of days in LP. I've heard stories about the busses, and have limited time left on this leg of the trip, so was thinking about hiring a private car. I hear they go for around 100 USD. Worth it? Anyone interested in splitting during this time? Also, if anyone has any must-do, must-see things in LP or VV, please share!

Thanks!

In early July, I will be crossing from Laos to Cambodia. Is this crossing as bad as they say?

hello everyone,

I kindly ask what options would be the best to get to Vang Vieng, and also what options might be the best from the Thai-Lao freindship bridge to the city of Vientiane, thank you

I am planning on heading to LP from Chiang Mai and someone suggested getting to the border from Chiang Mai and then getting a slow boat down the Mekong to LP with one stopover along the way....any advice on this would be appreciated...

What is the best currency to use in Laos

Hi guys, My girlfriend and I will be traveling through Laos for 10 in December and have a fair idea where we want to go but are a little unsure about the best way to do it. Ideally we want to go to: Vientiane for 2 nights Luang Prabang for 3-4 nights Plain of jars 1 nights Vang Vieng 2-3 nights I guess I'm just not sure which way to go weather to start in Luang Prabang and work my way back to veintiane or vice versa. When to fly or when to catch a bus. Given our time frame we don't want to spend heaps of time traveling from place to place but at the same time would like to see so county side. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks :)

Planning to enter Laos at Xieng Kok from Kentung in Myanmar, have any members made this crossing? Is it possible to get visa on arrival? How easy is onward travel to Luang Prabang?

if anyone is interested in sharing a minivan to Vientiane for an earlybdeparture Thursday Dec 20 please let me know. We are two people and capacitybis apparently for nine. idea will be to stop to,see a few sites on the way with late evening arrival in vientiane doug

Hi everybody I am looking for a local travel guide in Laos speaking both italian and english thanks

Anybody traveled here by boat? If yes, from where and how was it? What did you think of Phongsaly in the area around it? Thanks Jordan

Hello all, We 4 adults would like to travel from Vientiane to paske by VIP bus but would like to stop over in a couple of towns en- route I.e savannakhet.with luggage we would not prefer local transport.we know there is one to thakhek but are struggling there on,any suggestions would be greatly appreciated? Thanking you, John.

Hi Fellow VTers - Was wondering if anyone could please give me some contact details of a reliable person or company that i could use to provide us with a car and driver for a one way trip from Luang Prabang to Phonsavan. I have read all of the reports etc about the bus trip and am not really that keen to spend 8-10 hours on a bus full of sick travellers - i can cope with feeling carsick myself but not with everyone else!!! Given the option I would dealing love to hire a car and drive ourselves but that doesn't appear to be possible with Europcar only operating out of Vientiane. thanks in advance for your help. regards Robyn

Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone could help me to find a gym/fitness center in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. I was just looking for some basic facility where I could work off some of the beer Laos I've put back. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi guys I will be going to laos on the 10th of december this year and I would like to know if all the bars/ tubing on the river has closed down. If anyone can respond that has been there this year (recently)

We are planning to have a week in Luang Prabang in December, staying at a guest house. Can you pay to go to a hotel pool for a day or afternoon? Or are they for guests only?

Hello all, a friend of mine will be visiting Laos and is wondering if there is a restriction/limit on the amount of US$ that she can take into Laos. I thought there is no limit. I don't remember seeing a question about how much money one has on the enter/depart form that needs to be filled out before entering the country. Can anyone help me with this question? Thank you very much.

Excuse my ignorance ,but as Vang Vieng is on the Mekong river is it possible to get there and travel on via the river. Thanks in advance

Hi everyone, My friend and I are planning a trip to Laos. We 'll spend a few days there. As this country is quite new to us, we're looking for some local tours with a guide (if possible). We'd like to see if there're any good or trustworthy local agencies or guides recommended. We would like to contact them before we start . Thanks very much. Philip

We're going to Siem Reap and onto Laos in October and want to know the best way to get from SR to either Pakse or Luang Prabang. Airfares are expensive so are there any alternate methods that aren't too time consuming or uncomfortable?

Hello everyone!, I plan to go to Vang Vieng from Thailand next March or April. I request for some suggestions on which is the best way to get there: I mean whether I fly from Suvarnabhumi to Vientiane on then how to get to the bus station from the airport, or travellin by land all the way to the border also to Vientiane and same to jump in a bus to Vang Vieng. Thanks

My girlfriend and I are going to Laos in January or February. I am looking suggestions on places to go during that time. Beach, jungle, history, people of laos and a bit of night life are our main likes. Please give me suggestions!!!!!!! Christy

Hi all, myself and a friend will be arriving in luang prabang on the 2july and staying for 3 nights we want to stay at spicylaos backpackers but can't seem to find any online booking for it. Can anyone recommend the best way to book, we have been recommended this place by our friends so pretty keen on getting in there! Thanks in advance! Abbie