Info Required On Pakse, Chong Mek, Si Phan Don

[taxi99]

First of all I don't work/reside in thailand (this isn't a visa run!) however have been visiting here for many years on extended hols.

I've done most of the border crossings and for a change will go to Chong Mek, Pakse and Si Phan Don.

So....

1. Any clues/tricks on the border at Chong Mek

2. Info on Pakse, said to be a great dump

3. Again info on Si Phan Don (4000 islands) and getting there

OK I've got the LP but am hoping for some more recent news.

thanks, Laurence

[samran]

funny you ask. Just went there the other week.

Now, you can go the LP way to Ubon Rachatani, but this is what I did with me and my GF. Costs more, but is very convienent.

Flew BKK Ubon. 4000 baht return. Got the 6.40am flight from BKK.

At Ubon airport, got taxi to Chong Mek border. There is a desk in the arrivals hall. Nice new Carolla. 750 baht, 1 hour to border at 110km/h.

At border, Thai immigration is on the RHS. Check out there. No hassels but they did check my GF's stamps quite closely as she is here on a work permit and travels in and out of the country (legitmately) quite regularly. Also noticed that while the Thai immigration guys were nice to me and my girlfriend (who were backpacking by the way), some other backpackers came in acting a bit gruffy and the immigration people were rude back, while they were all smiles to me and my girlfriend and wishing us a safe and pleasant journey. Just shows if you treat them with respect, they will treat you with respect.

Walk into Loas. Immigration is about 150m down the hill past the border on the RHS. Visas on arrival available for loas there too. Dunno how much it costs though, cause I organised my in advance visa thru a travel agent in BKK for 1000 baht. Nevertheless Laos immigrations still wanted 140 baht "fee" per passport to be stamped. I didn't complain, as I was holiday and these poor fellas don't get paid too much. Takes them a while to stamp passports, but hey, you are in loas now where no one is in too much of a hurry.

Don't forget to check out the duty free there. Great Aussie and French wines which you may want to sip by the mekong!!

Taxis (old old old Datsuns) to Pakse are available about 300 metres further along from immigration, just past the customs checkpoint on the left. Just walk through. No touts here, just walk towards what looks like a car yard.

Taxi to Paskse (45 mins) 300 baht for the car. Either you can wait for it to fill up and slpit the cost, or you can hire taxi yourself.

Taxi drops you off at the central market in Paske, where there are more long distance taxis. Apparently you can take the bus to Sii Pan Don, but we got another old taxi (but in good condition). This cost 2000 baht and takes 2.5 hours to Muang Khong. Would have thought this was expensive, except a bunch of thai friends did the same trip a couple of weeks before I did and were charged the same. Road is well sealed all the way with no potholes.

Taxi drops you off at the pier, where you can catch the ferry to Muang Kong. 15,000 kip. All the guesthouses are within 50 metres of the peir on the island. Costs $6-$10 for a nice place, depending if you want hot water and aircon. This time of year is cold, so hot water is HIGHLY recommended.

From there you can organise boat tours etc. The area is absolute magic! The locals are fantastic, friendly, and the mekong is stunning. We saw a bunch of Mekong Dolphins down on the Loas Cambodian border too, which spun me out.

There are also other ways to get there from Pakse, either by boat or local bus. We didn't want to stuff around so we went the way we did. Ubon to Sii Pan Do took about 4.5 hours all up.

On the way back, we hired a minivan from Muang Kong to the border for 2500baht as we needed to catch an afternoon flight from Ubon. That entire trip to the border took a little over 2 hours. Was worth it if you have a few people to split the cost a few ways. On the Thai side, heaps of different transport to take you back to Ubon. Don't forget to buy more wine and loas coffee at the duty free!!

Have a great trip.

[altmtl]

I'm planning to Ubon Rachatani by train from Ayuthaya, then apparently there's an international bus you can take to Pakse.

Yeah apparently there's not much to see in Pakse, but it's the only nearby place with banking services before Heading down to Si Phan Don. That's about all I know.

[bergen]

funny you ask. Just went there the other week.

Now, you can go the LP way to Ubon Rachatani, but this is what I did with me and my GF. Costs more, but is very convienent.

Flew BKK Ubon. 4000 baht return. Got the 6.40am flight from BKK.

At Ubon airport, got taxi to Chong Mek border. There is a desk in the arrivals hall. Nice new Carolla. 750 baht, 1 hour to border at 110km/h.

At border, Thai immigration is on the RHS. Check out there. No hassels but they did check my GF's stamps quite closely as she is here on a work permit and travels in and out of the country (legitmately) quite regularly. Also noticed that while the Thai immigration guys were nice to me and my girlfriend (who were backpacking by the way), some other backpackers came in acting a bit gruffy and the immigration people were rude back, while they were all smiles to me and my girlfriend and wishing us a safe and pleasant journey. Just shows if you treat them with respect, they will treat you with respect.

Walk into Loas. Immigration is about 150m down the hill past the border on the RHS. Visas on arrival available for loas there too. Dunno how much it costs though, cause I organised my in advance visa thru a travel agent in BKK for 1000 baht. Nevertheless Laos immigrations still wanted 140 baht "fee" per passport to be stamped. I didn't complain, as I was holiday and these poor fellas don't get paid too much. Takes them a while to stamp passports, but hey, you are in loas now where no one is in too much of a hurry.

Don't forget to check out the duty free there. Great Aussie and French wines which you may want to sip by the mekong!!

Taxis (old old old Datsuns) to Pakse are available about 300 metres further along from immigration, just past the customs checkpoint on the left. Just walk through. No touts here, just walk towards what looks like a car yard.

Taxi to Paskse (45 mins) 300 baht for the car. Either you can wait for it to fill up and slpit the cost, or you can hire taxi yourself.

Taxi drops you off at the central market in Paske, where there are more long distance taxis. Apparently you can take the bus to Sii Pan Don, but we got another old taxi (but in good condition). This cost 2000 baht and takes 2.5 hours to Muang Khong. Would have thought this was expensive, except a bunch of thai friends did the same trip a couple of weeks before I did and were charged the same. Road is well sealed all the way with no potholes.

Taxi drops you off at the pier, where you can catch the ferry to Muang Kong. 15,000 kip. All the guesthouses are within 50 metres of the peir on the island. Costs $6-$10 for a nice place, depending if you want hot water and aircon. This time of year is cold, so hot water is HIGHLY recommended.

From there you can organise boat tours etc. The area is absolute magic! The locals are fantastic, friendly, and the mekong is stunning. We saw a bunch of Mekong Dolphins down on the Loas Cambodian border too, which spun me out.

There are also other ways to get there from Pakse, either by boat or local bus. We didn't want to stuff around so we went the way we did. Ubon to Sii Pan Do took about 4.5 hours all up.

On the way back, we hired a minivan from Muang Kong to the border for 2500baht as we needed to catch an afternoon flight from Ubon. That entire trip to the border took a little over 2 hours. Was worth it if you have a few people to split the cost a few ways. On the Thai side, heaps of different transport to take you back to Ubon. Don't forget to buy more wine and loas coffee at the duty free!!

Have a great trip.

Good and informative post!

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Hi,

Can you give me more information about the duty free shops at Chong mek, is the choice the same as what you can find at NONG KHAI border (friendship bridge/many shops), and can you fin Snake wine there, the bottles of rice wine with a real Cobra snake or other creatures inside ?

Thanks!

[sharecropper]

I would just add that we stayed in Pakse for a few nights before heading down to the islands, using it as a base for visiting the temple at Champasak and for a day trip across the Boalven Plateau which was excellent.

We liked Pakse a lot, especially sunsets at the river and eating in some of the restaurants. The people were extremely friendly there (as all over Laos)

Some Pakse photos attached FYI.

PS - That last one was the hotel we stayed in. Great views, nice rooms, quite central.

[MeMock]

Hi,

Can you give me more information about the duty free shops at Chong mek, is the choice the same as what you can find at NONG KHAI border (friendship bridge/many shops), and can you fin Snake wine there, the bottles of rice wine with a real Cobra snake or other creatures inside ?

Thanks!

Nongkhai is a much better choice - basically nothing left at the chong mek border now.

[sharecropper]

Hi,

Can you give me more information about the duty free shops at Chong mek, is the choice the same as what you can find at NONG KHAI border (friendship bridge/many shops), and can you fin Snake wine there, the bottles of rice wine with a real Cobra snake or other creatures inside ?

Thanks!

Nongkhai is a much better choice - basically nothing left at the chong mek border now.

Nong Khai is also a great place to spend a few days if you go this way. It's one of my favourite places in Thiland, but to save thread abuse, I won't post any more photos, as i have a load of NK also!

[prakhonchai nick]

Any updates on taxis from Chong Mek border to Pakse. last detailed info was 8 years ago

Ideally I would like to book a taxi to meet me at the border.

[samran]

geez, i can't believe it has been 8 years since I've been there. Time flies!

[my friend I]

Any updates on taxis from Chong Mek border to Pakse. last detailed info was 8 years ago

Ideally I would like to book a taxi to meet me at the border.

Easier to take VIP bus from Ubon bus terminal 9.30am or 3.30 pm Bt 200 to Pakse

[prakhonchai nick]

Any updates on taxis from Chong Mek border to Pakse. last detailed info was 8 years ago

Ideally I would like to book a taxi to meet me at the border.

Easier to take VIP bus from Ubon bus terminal 9.30am or 3.30 pm Bt 200 to Pakse

No point in taking the bus as I will be driving to Chong Mek from Buriram. I appreciate there are taxis, (old Datsuns??) available, but I was hoping to have everything arranged in advance.

[kriket77]

Any updates on taxis from Chong Mek border to Pakse. last detailed info was 8 years ago

Ideally I would like to book a taxi to meet me at the border.

Easier to take VIP bus from Ubon bus terminal 9.30am or 3.30 pm Bt 200 to Pakse

No point in taking the bus as I will be driving to Chong Mek from Buriram. I appreciate there are taxis, (old Datsuns??) available, but I was hoping to have everything arranged in advance.

A more recent update on this option, which I did on very short notice so not a cheap option. Flew to Ubon on Thai Airways on the 3.35pm flight from BKK, arriving at 1640.

At Ubon airport, got taxi to Chong Mek border. There is a desk in the arrivals hall. Nice new Corolla. 1200 baht, 1 hour to border at 130-150km/h. Double lane highway nearly all the way to Chong Mek.

At border, Thai immigration was simple, then a walk into Laos. I got to Immigration a few minutes before 6pm. Had heard from friends in Pakse that border is open until 8pm but not many about when I got there - they had to get the Visa-on-arrival official off the football field. Visa cost B1300 in total, 1 passport photo.

Taxis were still available, brand new 10 seater van to Pakse for B800. Arrived at Pakse Hotel just before 7pm, so quite time effective.