Laos Travel Forum

There seem to be two options one nearly three times as much as the other. Has anyone used either and can give some feedback please.

Both seem to offer the same trip, overnight in the same place, Pak Bang / Pakbeng.

1 - Luang Say - Mekong River Cruise, Euro 283
2 - The Nagi of Mekong, THB.4,600 about Euro 93

To me it seems a no brainer on price but am I missing something?

Thanks

Hello! We are staying 4 nights during Xmas in LP, and much to our surprise have been finding everything, except really pricey places, booked! Out of desperation, I finally snagged the last room at Riverside Guest house for $66USD, but it seems overpriced to us, for what they offer! Anyone know anything about that place? Or have any ideas on another place to stay in case I can cancel this reservation? Thanks for any help! Should have planned earlier I guess!

Has anyone been here. I plan to visit from Vintienne for two days in November.

How do I get here from VTE? What bus route should i take, or what price can I expect a taxi to be?

Can I just show up and stay here at the watch tower?

Anyone familirar with the chances of seeing elephants here in November?

Thanks,
Matt

Dear fellow VT member,

As per my previous post, I'll be leaving to LAOS on 7th Nov.... am having difficulty in finding place to stay, I am more on the budget side, has been looking on the NET and found quite a handful .....

Would like to have some recommendations for a basic, clean and convenient place to stay in this area:-
- Vietianne
- Vang Vieng
- Luang Prabang
- Phonsavan

By the way, any general RULE of THUMB I can adopt while looking for a place to stay in LAOS??

Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

Hello, I will be visiting Luang Prabang in 2 weeks and have heard so much about the wonderful quality of the local silk and cotton. I would very much like to have a tailor made silk suit made while I am there and am wondering whether anyone has any recommendations? Any help much appreciated!

We are of to Laos in January and would prefer to spend a few days in Vang Vien then to do the long bus trip to Luang Prabang-I realise on can fly but óne wont see the countryside

Any recommendations on hotel in Vang Vien please.

Thanking you

Hi fellow VT members,

I'll be in Laos from 7/11 till 17/11 (appx 11days), my flight tix is fr Kuala Lumpur(KL)-VTE-KL.
With this limited time, i think i'll only be visiting Vietianne, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and Phonsavan.

I would like some suggestion how to plan my route and how long to spend on each place!!
I would be deeply grateful if someone can give me the travelling time from each city by bus and by boat.....

Thanking everyone in advance :)

Cheers!!

Hi,

I was hoping someone could tell me how long it takes to get from Chiang Mai Airport to Huay Xai(Laos Border)

Thanks in advance
Ben

I have a window of opportunity (Sept 19 ~ Oct 11).
In this time, can anybody give their opinions on how to split my time between Laos and possibly Cambodia.

Should I stay 100% of my 3 weeks in Laos, or will that be too much time and spend a few days in Cambodia?

Hi there!

I just came back from my Viet & Cambodia trip about 3 weeks ago.. Lovin' every minute of you. Tks to all the advices that I've got from VT forum.

Anyway, I'm planning for another backpacking trip to Laos this time in Dec. Am planning to fly out from Singapore - BKK on the 24th Dec (ya, eve of X'mas eve.. sigh). From there there would be 2 options :

1) Taking a train (overnite in train) and reach border of Laos and from Laos - Vientiane via tuk-tuk ride (about 20km???)

2) Flying out from BKK - Udon Thani via Air Asia (which is relatively cheap) and save time.

Though I'm not sure how to get into Luang Prabang from Vientiane? Would love to tour from Luang Prabang first...

Anyone has any other good options or have any experiences coming from Singapore? I have about 10 days to play around with (24th Dec - 3rd Jan 2010). I read the best time to go to Laos is between Nov - Feb/Mar... :)

Your feedback would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

Cheers!
Jen

hello.
i am on my way to vientiane via bkk- overnight train, and was hoping if anyone might know if the pharmacy's sell any valium, and for how much.. ive on my last 2 for this long trip!!

thanks

Hi,

I've been trying to sort out a two-day white water rafting trip in September on the Nam Ngum river in the Xaisomboun Special Zone, near Vang Vieng, without much success.
One company told me it was too dangerous (despite advertising the trip) and another i found hasn't responded. We've been rafting on grade 5 rapids before, so aren't novices.
I was wondering if anyone could suggest a tour operator to use or the best way to go about sorting out the trip. Should we just chance it and turn up in VV?

The co that said it was too dangerous offered an alternative trip, but it was all grade 1-2 rapids and we want something a bit more terrfiying. The trip doesn't have to be Xaisomboun, just somewhere within a few hours drive of one of VV/ Luang Prabang/ Vientiane...

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Cheers....

Hope you can help
I'm wondering if anyone has stayed at Sunset Guesthouse in Nong Khiaw recently – and if so, how was it? It's just that I seem to get the exact same review, no matter how I search the net.
How's the accomodation, the food, the sanitary conditions, does the internetconnection run smoothly etc. any comments are most welcome.
Thank you

Hey,

Nearing the start of my trip. I'm traveling to Laos alone, and arriving in Vietiane. I'm on a tight budget, so looking at guesthouses, can anyone recommend any? I'm hoping to stay somewhere with other travellers like myself, whilst being in a good location with regards to the Mekong.

Thanks in advance.

We are older retired Aussie who are well travelled and would like to hear from anyone who has made their way from Vientiane, Laos to Vietnam by road.Also anyone who has flown from Vientiane we would also like to hear from...Thanking you

can I use THB (Thai currency) for all my trip in Laos?

We shall be leaving for Vientiane at the end of July. Originally we planned to visit Phonsavan. As it is the rainy season, is the road from Vangvieng safe? Someone described it as a journey from hell. Also is it worth visiting the Plain of Jars as I was told the place may be very muddy at this time of year. If we skip Phonsavan we could have more time in Luang Prabang and Vangvieng.

Would be grateful for some advice. Thanks

I'm visiting in the final week of August for 20days. Any suggestions about what I should include in an itinerary?

Who is most reliable/affordable air carrier between Bangkok and Luang Prabang in September 09?
I also need to book air from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap and then on to Ho Chi Minh City. Any assistance greatly appreciated! Thank you.

My friend and I will be heading to Laos this fall. The tour itinerary we're looking at has us starting at the border crossing at Huay Xai and ending at the border crossing at Chong Mek. Effectively, the trip starts in Huay Xai and ends in Pakse.

Questions:

(1) Can we fly between Bangkok and Huay Xai (or somewhere nearby)? If not, how does one get to Huay Xai from Bangkok? It seems like a very long drive.
(2) I see that there is a flight between BKK and Pakse, but it's only three days a week, and I'd like to do the trip on a Saturday (no flight that day). How long does it take to drive back to Bangkok from there?

I realize these questions are probably more about Thailand than Laos, but hopefully people who have been to Laos have dealt with these issues already!

My fiancée and I are planning our honeymoon in Laos next year and as well as going to Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng we were also thinking of travelling to Don Det & Don Khon. Are there any decent mid-range or boutique hotels there at all? And what is the quickest way to get there? Is there anywhere else that you would suggest visiting in the country for a really memorable holiday?

I backpacked around the country when I was a student about 10 years ago but guess it must have changed a bit since then …!

Hello,
I am hoping to travel from Bangkok to Laos in January and then onto Hanoi approx 2 weeks after.

I have been doing my research and have heard about an excursion pass which will allow me to fly from Bangkok, then catch a flight from Luang Prabang and then another to Hanoi at a later date. This might be through Laos Airlines.

I was wondering if anyone has heard of Laos airlines or another other carrier doing such a deal? I have looked at individual flights from Bangkok to Luang Prabang and was shocked at how expensive they were. The 'pass' seems to be a much cheaper option.

If you have heard of this please could you tell me how I could go about booking these flights and any idea on prices. I have also heard that Bangkok air may do a similar pass called discovery pass?

Thanks.

Your answers will be really appreciated

My partner and I are planning to travel from Loeï Thailand to Luang Prabang Laos with my partner on the 8 october 2009. We are both holding a Laos visa and we would like to pass the border of Tha Li in Thailand near Loeï to Kenthao in Laos. My question is: does anybody know if there are any buses from Kenthao to Luang Prabang via Muang Sayabouri? or even from Loeï? I read on travelblogs that a few travellers did the opposite way, Luang Prabang to Thailand by bus, bus from Luang Prabang to Paklay and then from Paklay to Kenthao.
But nothing on the opposite way. My question is: Does anybody know if there are buses from Loeï to Luang Prabang via Sayaboury? If anyone has some info, bus timetable, are welcome. Thanks to all

Marcel & Pracha

HI there travellers! My partner and I are going from Luang-Prabang to Chiangrai on the 13th of october 2009, does anyone have details regarding (direct)bus, timetable, prices or whatever would be helpfull? What is the fastest way? maybe airplane but "may mee enough neugn!
All infos are warmly welcome.

Thanks to all

Hello, Im planning a trip this December starting in BKK heading north to Chiang Mai. Then my plan is to head to Louangphrabang overland somehow, then heading south to Vientine and onwards basicaly to Phnom Phenh, Cambodia. Looking at the map my entire route is along the Mekong river, would that be my only way of travel throughout Laos and onwards to Cambodia ? Ive done a little bit of research and it seams roads dont really exist throughout Laos ?

Anyways, any information would be appreciated

Cheers, Ryan (Wales, UK)

Hi!
We are a group of six and will be flying to Vientiane by Air Asia in late july. We have 6 nights and would like to cover Vang Vieng and L. Prabang as well as Vientiane. We would like to rent a minivan to take us straight to VV when we arrive and leave Vientiane for the last 2 days. Would be grateful if anyone could suggest the name of a tour agency/van driver whom we could contact beforehand or on arrival. This way maybe we will have time to see Ponsavan as well. It will be our first visit to Laos and we're really looking forward to seeing as much as we possibly can.

What will the weather be like in late July and early August? Also will it be easy to get accomodation on arrival at the various places? We hope to stay in guesthouses or familyrun budget hotels.

Thank you.

How to carry many:
Can i practice to pick cash at bancomat with Visa and Maestro card?
Should i take euros or dollars with me?

Must i take slipping bag and camping tend with me?
Or there are camping with small houses (bungalows) easy to find?
I'm little worry because of rain season (mont of may).
I'm looking for camping with divine nature to get a feeling to be in haven.
Maybe in some natural park.

Then if a rent a motorbike and live passport there what document should i have then with me?
Is a driving license good?

Do i must have medical insurance?

I know that in Laos are many Buda temples? I'm looking for some particular, which may me give me the best experience.

What about food?

Thank you

I'm interested in nature(falls where can i swim).
I have two weeks. Maybe three or for diferent places to spent time.
Could it be posible to rent some motorbyke (ower 250 ccv)and make circle round north Laos from Vientiane?

Hi all!
I'm planning on visiting Southern Laos in late June/ Early July, which is about a month or two in to the "wet season".

According to guide books "southern Laos and Cambodia" are the "exception" when it comes to the wet season not complicating travel.

I have grown to not fully trust guide books.. not only because they encompass a vast amount of information usually gathered by one single person in each region, but because they have liabilities that an individual does not when giving advice.

So, I'm back on TravelFish to find out,
CAN I EFFECTIVELY TRAVEL IN THE DEEP SOUTH/ BOLAVEN AREA DURING THE WET SEASON???
IF so, what are my strongest obstacles? limits? Impediments?

I plan to enter in Pakse and branch out from there.. Options on my table include but are not limited to;

Attapeu
Salavan
Sekong and
Champassak provinces and their respective centres..

I am most interested in hikes, treks and overnights in hill tribe communities..
And I will be trying to visit the plantations, waterfalls and National Parks in the area.

**Can anyone tell me if it will be veritably impossible for me to reach any of these places...
or may anyone add any feedback in and of these places that could also help me narrow down my focus and slim down my options to real terms~?***

Any recommended guides? Preferred bases?

MANY THANKS!!

P.S>
I will be traveling solo, economical and without schedule... and will continue on to Vietnam (hopefully via the Bao Y/ Yalakhuntum crossing) any reviews on the Attapeu-Bao Y/KonTum/Pleiku bus also?!
haha THANKS!

dear all , Hi.
I`m planing to have a trip to laos in 3 weeks.
I start my trip from thailand to laos & from there to hanoi in Vietnam.
has any one ever tried this rout?
as I found out I must not neglect Luang prabang in laos besides I`m thinking aobut visiting Vientiane.
your kind suggestions & advices are most welcome.\
yous
shadi