Luang Prabang By Slow Boat

[WaldoPepper]

Any advice/tips for doing this trip with the minimum of hassle would be appreciated. I would prefer to make my own arrangements, rather than book an all-in package with a travel agent in CM. Any info on the following would be useful:

1. Reliable travel agent (and cost) for minibus to Chiang Klong from CM.

2. Visa price for UK passport at Houayxai (passport photo needed?)

3. Places to stay in Houayxai and Pakbeng.

4. Good boat company to use at Houayxai. Cost?

Thanks

[isanbirder]

I did this a few years ago; things may have changed. I took a bus (from the Arcade bus station) to Chiang Kong, stayed there overnight. In the morning a ferry to the Laos side, through immigration etc, and booked a boat there. It left, as I remember, about 11 a,m, We stoopped for the night at Pakbeng, which is a horror of a place to stay. We managed to get the last room in the concrete hotel on the right hand side of the road as you go up the hill; others who were not so lucky had tales to tell of guesthouses with unspeakable toilets etc! Things may be better now!

But, that said, it was a trip to be made if you can,,, arriving at LP by plane is just not the same. This way, you get into the pace of the Laos countryside before you reach LP, and this is all to the good.

[wimpy]

Take a comfy pillow. You will need it.

[mcgriffith]

Haven't done the river trip, but know from several people who have, that the above suggestion is correct.

First hour or so, very cool, lots of river views, etc.

The boats are generally rather cramped; hard seating, etc.

It's a bit of an "adventure" I know.

For a young 20 something, the thrill will overcome the minor discomfort.

Myself, I'd rather ride my CBR from Huay Xai to LP, and Vientiane.

Any takers for a motorsai trip along this route, soon as rainy season ends? Come back through Isan, return to CM.

gpdjohn, got that pink Vespa fixed up yet?

[ChouDoufu]

i've looked into the package deal. minivan from cm-ck, breakfast in ck. once across and through immigration, boat from hx to beng,

overnight in the guesthouse, next day boat to lp. total cost from a local cm agent was 1800 baht.

i was hoping to take a bicyle along, then ride from lp to vientinne. sadly no room in the minivan for a bike.

[Ave]

I did the same trip a couple of years ago, didn't get a package, can't remember the total cost but it was around the amount you mentioned. I remember getting annoyed about the visa surchage because I was given the excuse that it was Sunday. Beautiful cruise, a bit too long for my backside, sat on the floor with lots of cheerful young people getting drunk and loud, a bit rough if you are not used to backpacking style. I agree Pakbeng is the only thing I wouldn't repeat, not only the guesthouses are awful, the staff offered me sex and failing that immediately tried to sell me some drugs, unsuccesfully. I slept with one eye open for the rest of the night. Amazing view from the top of the mountain range by gentle bus trip from Vanvien (spelling?) to Luang Prabang. Missed the tubing, they say it's 'awsome man!', I'm happy as it went.

[ballzafire]

Any advice/tips for doing this trip with the minimum of hassle would be appreciated. I would prefer to make my own arrangements, rather than book an all-in package with a travel agent in CM. Any info on the following would be useful: 1. Reliable travel agent (and cost) for minibus to Chiang Klong from CM. 2. Visa price for UK passport at Houayxai (passport photo needed?) 3. Places to stay in Houayxai and Pakbeng. 4. Good boat company to use at Houayxai. Cost? Thanks

1. Dunno. I started in Chiang Rai and took the local bus to Chiang Khong (55B; 3+ hours). It drops you off at the river in time to cross that day if you catch an early-enough bus, so you can book your ticket to LP for the morning slow boat and still have time to hunt down a decent room. If you overnight in Chiang Khong you might waste a day because the slow boat only leaves in the morning around 9:30 (pickup time from GH is 8:30), and I'm pretty sure it's booked solid from the previous day (it's a Lao operator, too, not Thai, so it's best to book direct from the Lao side, not Chiang Khong). You might try booking the earliest CM->CR bus that is available, then picking up the CC bus to the river (leaves every half hour).

2. I don''t know what they're charging Brits now but just bring two CRISP USD 20s are you should be fine. They also accept baht but it is not as good a deal.

3. Houayxai: Sabaidee Guesthouse. The nicest, cleanest rooms I've seen for only 200B. Take a left at the T-intersection (as you're heading up the inclined street from Immigration) and it's down on the left about 200 meters or so.

Pakbeng: Depends upon how fast you can exit the boat and secure a room. Not much to speak of, BUT, there is a hidden gem or two. So, try this: instead of heading up the paved street like everybody else is, go left, up the dirt road. There is a small, two-story place (can't remember the name, sorry) but it is just past the entrance to a smaller boat ramp, and its main building runs perpendicular to the river. If you're lucky, there is one room there that actually has a terrific, front-facing view of the river (#4 or #6, can't remember). I had switched to this place from another GH way up the paved street because of noise and was fortunate enough to be treated to this riverfront room with a moonlight view (or was it just intense starlight that night...can't remember exactly...had a pretty good buzz on, too.....LOL!) of the Mekong (and a young Lao woman to go with it! In fact, it was HER room... but that's another story.....) There is a little porch/balcony directly across from the entrance to this particular room which faces the river where you can sit and watch the boats go by. Very relaxing and scenic, especially in the afternoons (how do I know this? I stayed an extra day!) The other rooms at this place are unremarkable, but probably quieter than rooms you'd find along the inclining paved road. There is also a restaurant between the boat ramp and the dirt road. We ate there. Food was fine.

4. There is a standard slow boat and then another operator which offers a more cushy ride. Up to you, but I would just opt for the standard boat and bring your own cushions (like I did for both my trips), one to sit on and one for your back (the "seats" are just wooden planks). Try to secure a seat as close to the front as you can, too, of course, to avoid the deafening roar of the diesel in back. Also, the cooler holding all the drinks is nearer the front, too. And, as I've stated, first off the boat gets first choice on rooms, so remember that.

Have a great time in Luang Prabang. Make sure you visit the Pak Ou Buddha caves and Wat Xieng Thong World Heritage Site while you're there.

Here's some great Quicktime pano views to whet your appetite:

http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/search....t=luang+prabang

Edited October 16, 2009 by ballzafire

[mcgriffith]

Very informative and helpful post, ballza.

Thanks for that!

[ballzafire]

Very informative and helpful post, ballza. Thanks for that!

You're welcome. Hope it helps.

I had an absolutely UNFORGETTABLE time on this, my second trip to LP via slow boat.

Hope your next trip is equally adventurous.

Edited October 16, 2009 by ballzafire

[el jefe]

Any advice/tips for doing this trip with the minimum of hassle would be appreciated. I would prefer to make my own arrangements, rather than book an all-in package with a travel agent in CM. Any info on the following would be useful:

1. Reliable travel agent (and cost) for minibus to Chiang Klong from CM.

2. Visa price for UK passport at Houayxai (passport photo needed?)

3. Places to stay in Houayxai and Pakbeng.

4. Good boat company to use at Houayxai. Cost?

1. if you book the minibus, you may have to book the whole trip thru that travel agent. I've never done it that way so I can't be sure. The bus to Chiang Rai and then the local bus to Chiang Khong is the fastest method. If you can find 4-6 other passengers you can negotiagte a songthiew from CR to CK.

2. it should be $35, with a $1 surcharge after 3:00 or 4;00pm and on weekends.

3. The nicest place to stay in CK is the Riverside, probably about 700 baht. You should have no trouble taking the ferry across in the morning, negotiating immigration and making the boat. The boats could leave at 9:00am but they wait for every last passenger. If you want to stay in Houi Xai, imho the hotel at the top of the walkway on the right, right after you leave immigration is the best value. Every room is different so check a few.

4. It all depends when you go and what the demand is. Sometimes there is only one boat. Even if it holds 50 passengers and they sold 80 tickets!

I've got two suggestions that I'm surprised no one else suggested:

1. Think about doing it backwards. Fly CNX-LPQ and then book the slow boat north. the trip will take an hour longer but the boat will be nearly empty. They sometimes make it into Pak Beng before the southbound boat which would give you your choice of accommodations.

2. For a more beautiful river trip without the hordes of backpackers, take the slow boat down the Nam Ou from Muang Khua to Luang Prabang instead. (You can break up the river boat trip in Muang Ngoi and Nong Kiaow.) You can either take a bus from Houi Xai to Luang Namtha and then on to Oudom Xai and Muang Khua. Or, take the bat down the Mekong only as far as Pak Beng. From there take the bus to Oudom Xai and Muang Khua.

[ballzafire]

Very informative and helpful post, ballza. Thanks for that!

You're welcome. Hope it helps. I had an absolutely UNFORGETTABLE time on this, my second trip to LP via slow boat. Hope your next trip is equally adventurous.

Oops. I think the correct word here is adventuresome. (Not everybody is as adventurous as me...LOL)

[el jefe]

i've looked into the package deal. minivan from cm-ck, breakfast in ck. once across and through immigration, boat from hx to beng,

overnight in the guesthouse, next day boat to lp. total cost from a local cm agent was 1800 baht.

i was hoping to take a bicyle along, then ride from lp to vientinne. sadly no room in the minivan for a bike.

Then skip the minivan. I've asked too and none will take a bike. Take your bike on the bus to Chiang Rai. Ride from there to Chiang Khong or take the local bus. ferry across the Mekong. Follow either of the routes i mentioned above. No problem with taking a bike on any of the boats and buses.

LP to Vientiane is extremely mountainous but equally scenic.

Good luck.

[ballzafire]

... You can either take a bus from Houi Xai to Luang Namtha and then on to Oudom Xai and Muang Khua. Or, take the bat down the Mekong only as far as Pak Beng. From there take the bus to Oudom Xai and Muang Khua.

I've taken the Houi Xai - Luang Namtha "bus" (it's a crowded songtaew, actually) and I don't recommend it. It's a harrowing ride down mostly unpaved, very dusty roads, with the occasional semi blasting past you on its way to the Chinese border, creating an enveloping cloud of dust in its wake. You have to remember to quickly "duck" from these encounters (not to mention hide your camera, too), so it's not much fun. The other buses, such as to Udom Xai are probably no different. Sure, there's countryside to see, but then it's whatever you're after -- roadside jungle or riverside jungle. I personally prefer the latter when it involves travel to LP. Then, once you're finished with LP, you can treat yourself to some quite stunning scenery by taking the road to Van Vieng -- a nicely paved road, that is...

[Ruperts]

Why the slow boat to LP remains so popular after so many years is a mystery to me. It seems to be that because it's quite nasty and uncomfortable that it is 'authentic' in some way. But no locals ever make the trip.

[ballzafire]

...... 4. It all depends when you go and what the demand is. Sometimes there is only one boat. Even if it holds 50 passengers and they sold 80 tickets! ....

Yes! This is quite true.

On my first trip, there appeared to be a serious "overbooking" [ahem] of the second leg of the trip, where a nearly equal number of passengers from the day before were transferred to a smaller boat with FAR fewer seats. There was an uproar over this with the boat operator (which I participated in, I might add...), but nothing was done to remedy the situation. Since everyone had already paid up front for the whole trip, he basically just thumbed his nose at us.

So, as a result, about an eighth of the passengers -- who had a seat the day before -- NOW HAD TO SIT ON THE FLOOR IN THE BACK FOR THE WHOLE SECOND LEG OF THE TRIP! Talk about some unhappy, incensed campers! And don't be surprised if you encounter the same thing, yourself! It's probably a regular scam they pull on unsuspecting tourists.

Like I said before, it's imperative that you get there as early as possible to ensure a good seat near the front. If you don't, you may very well have an uncomfortable trip...

Edited October 16, 2009 by ballzafire

[WaldoPepper]

Thanks for all that useful info.

[ChouDoufu]

as we're discussing boat travel, has anyone left huay xai in the opposite direction, heading north-ish?

i would like to take my bicycle on the boat from huay xai to xieng kok and cycle from there, taking the long way to luang namtha.

or could cycle to the end of the dirt road at xieng doa, and hope to catch a boat the approximately 25 km to

the next road terminus at xieng kok.

[cmdream]

All I can add is do not take the "fast boats" in any direction. They are very dangerous plus they do not take you to the destination. They drop you at a place about 30 KM from your destination in the middle of nowhere. You have to climb up the riverbank to a small village. Then you find out you have been scammed, there is a local with a pick-up truck that wants 500 Baht per person to take you the rest of the way. You have no option ! Hard to believe this kind of <deleted> goes on.

[wimpy]

All I can add is do not take the "fast boats" in any direction. They are very dangerous plus they do not take you to the destination. They drop you at a place about 30 KM from your destination in the middle of nowhere. You have to climb up the riverbank to a small village. Then you find out you have been scammed, there is a local with a pick-up truck that wants 500 Baht per person to take you the rest of the way. You have no option ! Hard to believe this kind of <deleted> goes on.

We took the speedboat from LP to Huai Xai. Very uncomfortable. We were let off a short distance out of town where a shared tuk tuk was waiting. I think we paid about 20 baht a person for the ride into town.

[Ave]

Why the slow boat to LP remains so popular after so many years is a mystery to me. It seems to be that because it's quite nasty and uncomfortable that it is 'authentic' in some way. But no locals ever make the trip.

They actually did when I was there.

As for the seats I much more preferred to be sitting on the floor and take a snooze every now and then than sitting on those stiff chairs.

[ballzafire]

All I can add is do not take the "fast boats" in any direction. They are very dangerous plus they do not take you to the destination. They drop you at a place about 30 KM from your destination in the middle of nowhere. You have to climb up the riverbank to a small village. Then you find out you have been scammed, there is a local with a pick-up truck that wants 500 Baht per person to take you the rest of the way. You have no option ! Hard to believe this kind of <deleted> goes on.

We took the speedboat from LP to Huai Xai. Very uncomfortable. We were let off a short distance out of town where a shared tuk tuk was waiting. I think we paid about 20 baht a person for the ride into town.

I haven't heard about the 500B "second leg" scam, but I wouldn't doubt it.

There IS, however, a rule (for at least LP that I know of) that speedboats are not allowed to drop off at the city itself like the slow boats can due to the noise pollution they cause. I think the minimum distance is one km, and I'm sure they have a designated drop off point for this.

As has been reported by many others on the web, Mekong speedboat rides are the following:

1. noisy (you must wear ear plugs)

2. dangerous (a lot of the drivers are on a combination of speed and heroin; when accidents happen, they are serious)

3. exhausting (since you must remain in a cramped seat the whole time; no opportunity to stand up and stretch, visit the can or buy a beer)

4. require you to wear an ill-fitting, bug-infested helmet

5. no opportunity to shoot the breeze with your fellow passengers during the ride

6. and, as I stated, require a connecting taxi ride of some sort

But hey, many still opt for them 'cuz they think they're "cool". Personally, I'll stick with the slow 'n sure method...

Edited October 17, 2009 by ballzafire

[el jefe]

... You can either take a bus from Houi Xai to Luang Namtha and then on to Oudom Xai and Muang Khua. Or, take the bat down the Mekong only as far as Pak Beng. From there take the bus to Oudom Xai and Muang Khua.

I've taken the Houi Xai - Luang Namtha "bus" (it's a crowded songtaew, actually) and I don't recommend it. It's a harrowing ride down mostly unpaved, very dusty roads, with the occasional semi blasting past you on its way to the Chinese border, creating an enveloping cloud of dust in its wake. You have to remember to quickly "duck" from these encounters (not to mention hide your camera, too), so it's not much fun. The other buses, such as to Udom Xai are probably no different. Sure, there's countryside to see, but then it's whatever you're after -- roadside jungle or riverside jungle. I personally prefer the latter when it involves travel to LP. Then, once you're finished with LP, you can treat yourself to some quite stunning scenery by taking the road to Van Vieng -- a nicely paved road, that is...

You obviously haven't done this trip in a long time. I've done it 3 times in the past year and a half. The road has been fully paved for the past 2 years and is in as good a shape as the road from Vang Vieng to LP. The buses currently used between Houi Xai and Luang Namtha are full size buses for 50 passengers (assigned seating) and are as nice as any bus in Laos. The last time I was there there were 3 buses a day in each direction. A pleasant trip of less than 4 hours.

[el jefe]

as we're discussing boat travel, has anyone left huay xai in the opposite direction, heading north-ish?

i would like to take my bicycle on the boat from huay xai to xieng kok and cycle from there, taking the long way to luang namtha.

or could cycle to the end of the dirt road at xieng doa, and hope to catch a boat the approximately 25 km to

the next road terminus at xieng kok.

That's almost do-able. Most people do that loop in an anti-clockwise direction, but you should be able to do it your way too with one modification -- most boats only go from Xieng Kok to Ban Mom. You'd have to ride from Ban Mom to Houi Xai. the first half of that road is horrendous.

Here's how most cyclists do it:

Houi Xai to Luang Namtha on the new road (2-3 days)

Luang Namtha to Muang Sing

Muang sing to Xieng Kok

boat to Ban Mom

Ban Mom to Houi Xai.

I plan on doing it that way in early January, taking a day off in Luang Namtha for the festival. PM me if you're interested in joining me.

[F4UCorsair]

Well you don't need any more advice on what to do, how much, etc., so I'll just give my observations.

I'm sure you will love Luang Prabang. What a town!! Beautiful architecture, great coffee at a couple of stalls down on the river, good restaurants, and best of all, Beer Lao.

LP is worth the 2 days on a hardboard seat on the slowboat, but the operators treat the pax with contempt. Our boat was seriously overcrowded, and took on a few more at Pak Beng. The advertised departure time ran over by an hour the first day and almost 2 hours the second, arriving into LP almost on dark. If the current hadn't been so strong, it would have been dark.

Apparently the speed boats have a high accident rate, so are best avoided. When you see them zip past your slowboat, you'll wonder why they all don't have prangs.

Pak Ou Buddha caves back upstream from LP are a must see, but negotiate hard with the boatman, and don't pay him a single baht until you're out of the boat on your return. I heard some nasty stories about those guys.

Edited October 18, 2009 by F4UCorsair

[wimpy]

When we did the slow boat, we saw several go by with just a couple passengers. Apparently they had chartered their own private boat. That looked pretty civilised to me - budget permitting. Stock it with lots of fruits, French bread, cheeses, and Beer Lao, and you are all set!

[Greenside]

I've done it once in both directions and for me (or anyone into photography) it's one of the best trips around - in fact I'd have been happy to go further north for a day or two if I'd had the opportunity.

I've been on the middle sized boats that do this route and the smaller ones too. I actually preferred the smaller ones because they stopped at lots of tiny villages and even though we stayed on the boat it gave a good chance to see some really isolated places. There's a big luxury cruise boat that also travels this route although I don't know how it negotiates the rockier shallows.

The Speed Boat: The guy sitting by the engine probably still has ringing in his ears three years later. Most people in these boats looked terrified rather than exhilarated.

The Biggish Boat: This might actually have a bucket for a toilet in the back somewhere...

The Smaller Boat: This one had seats of a kind...

..... and then there's the one that I was travelling on.

.... which did have seats but not much else.

Really, it's a great trip. A few more pictures here.

[samuibeachcomber]

great pics. i did that same trip from LB to huai sai,such a great trip up the Mekong.

[mcgriffith]

Most excellent photos, Greenside.

I particularly liked 15 of 18 on the site, of the schoolroom. Very nice light.....

[Greenside]

Most excellent photos, Greenside.

I particularly liked 15 of 18 on the site, of the schoolroom. Very nice light.....

Thanks. I like that one too.

The school had recently been built by a charity (or maybe a mission) and the villagers were very proud of it. Two small kids insisted on taking me to see it and showed me everything in detail!

[davidgtr]

The best way to go - get your own group & rent a whole boat for yourself, & do Houei Xai - Luang Prabang in a day.

Overnight in Houei Xai & stay at the Oudom Phone Guesthouse.

Mekong Boat Trip

Notes on the roads

Houei Xai - Luang Namtha is all asphalt now, although it may not be in very good condition right now after the season.

The road from Na Toei - Oudom Xai is the pits after the wet & under re-construction.

Oudom Xai - Pak Mong is "ok" & asphalt.

Pak Mong - Luang Prabang is "perfect" winding asphalt.

With dams planned for Pak Beng & Pak Ou, this fantastic Mekong boat trip will eventually disappear & just be a cruise on a lake. The waters from the dam at Pak Beng will back up 90 kms to near Pak Ing, just south of Chiang Khong.