Korat To Luangprabang

[Ratsima]

My wife and I live in Korat and have decided we'd like to spend a few days in Luangprabang. Our time is limited to four or five days, including travel time. As I see it, we have a number of options:

- Drive from Korat to Luangprabang. We've driven in Lao before, so we know the drill

- Drive to Vientiane and then fly to Luangprabang

- Get to Bangkok and fly from there to Luangprabang

- Overnight train from Korat to Lao and then fly to Luangprabang. (The train leaves from Korat late evening so we could depart on a "work" day.)

The idea is to minimize travel time and maximize time in Luangprabang. Any advice? Any options I've missed?

TIA

[rfukata]

I have one advice which I experienced. Flying on Lao Aviation (Lao Airlines) domestically - there are high possibilities of 'delays', or at times cancelled. Since Luangprabang is of an important tourist destination in Lao, the airline may be more stringent in terms of

schedule but I would always keep this subject in mind if a delay were to occur.

I would consider driving but it'll take a day to get there, but the good side is you are more flexible; con is you'll lose 2 days from driving (2 fewer days of holiday)

[Ratsima]

The last time I flew Lao Aviation there was a long delay while they loaded a massive aircraft tow bar into our small plane. They put the thing in passenger aisle where it sat for the entire flight.

[gotlost]

Lao Air Chiang Mai to Luangprabang.

Slow boat Chiang Khong to Luangprabang on the Mekong.