Using Vientiane Airport For 'transit'

[simon43]

This post is more concerned with visas than with travel

I'm considering relocating to Nong Khai. The nearest Thai airport is Udon Thani, which has flights to BKK, Chiang Mai and Singapore. But just over the Mekong is Vientiane (Wattay) airport which has flights to interesting places such as Phnom Penh and Siem Riep etc.

Would it be feasible to enter Laos via the Friendship Bridge, travel the short distance to Wattay Airport, fly out to visit eg Angor Wat, return to Wattay and thence back over bridge to Nong Khai? What sort of Lao visa would be required and the cost? (I'm thinking of doing short trips - 3 to 4 days - from Wattay Airport).

Simon

[wornoutcowboy]

Well, even if you are in the country for an hour you still get to pay the visa fee at the bridge. Depending on where you are from this will be about 30 US$.

Maybe cheaper to backtrack to BKK and do the Air Asia flight.

Lao Air isn't really cheap and also famous for canceling the Cambodian flights.

Sorry to sound negative.

[farangsay]

Hi Simon

It's a long time since I popped over to Vientiane from NK

and it was a day tour from the hotel so the visa cost was

bundled.

From what I see on the web you will get stung for $30

VOA each way.

It's two rubber stamps (visa and entry) so you only lose

half a passport page as opposed to having a full page

stick-in plus entry stamp.

HTH