Hiya,

Im planning a journey at the start of next year.

Therefore, I wud like to know whether the border crossing Chiang Kong in Chiang Rai province is open for foreigners or not ?

On the Laotian side, are there any buses to Vientiane in service ?

Edited November 10, 200817 yr by lucky2103

Hiya,

Im planning a journey at the start of next year.

Therefore, I wud like to know whether the border crossing Chiang Kong in Chiang Rai province is open for foreigners or not ?

On the Laotian side, are there any buses to Vientiane in service ?

Yeah Chiang Khong is certainly a full international border crossing & has been since 95.

In Houei Xai, Laos, you get a month visa on arrival.

I dont think there is a one-bus service from Houei Xai to Vientiane, but there are mini bus services

Houei Xai - Luang Nam Tha

Luang Nam Tha - Oudom Xai - Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang - Vientiane.

If you want to see the roads / know about accommodation from Houei Xai - Luang Prabang, check out this report on GT Rider.

Cheers

most people travel by slow boat to Luang Prabang takes about two days do not not use the fast boats very dangerous

there IS also reported a through bus-Lao style!-maybe only every 2nd day HXay-via the new roads LNamTha-then LPrabang-then VTE-a total of some 24 hrs+. If your aim is to reach VTE-dont take this way-from that part of Thailand take the overnight VIP-bus to Udorn and change to the direct bbus to VTE there-or the usual border hop via bridge if you need to buy the visum for Laos.