Travelling From Thailand To Vietnam By Road

[sezzo]

Hello,

Some friends visiting from Australia are thinking of planning a trip by road (Hire car or private car) from either Mukdahan and travel through Laos into Vietnam or from Arranapathet through Cambodia into Vietnam. This would be followed by a trip through Vietnam itself. Im thinking renting a car on the non-thai side due to the RHS driving of those countries. My concern is the quality of the roads in those two countries.

Is this trip possible and if anybody has some experience in this trip could you please send some advice. Are the roads navigatable easy enough. Are there any visa issues that need to be addressed.

Thanks for any assistance

Carl

[bazmlb]

I am thinking of a similar trip to Saigon, will be interesting to hear more on this.

[roamer]

From a rental point of view I would have thought you could forget it. I've never even managed to find a rental company to let me take a car into Malaysia. Possible things might have changed though I guess.

[tutsiwarrior]

the Mukhadan-Laos-Vietnam journey usually ends up in Vinh City on the north-central coast where it meets the AH1 which is the main north-south highway. I was on the AH1 in September and parts are nearly impassable between Vinh and Hanoi due to road works...no detours and the workers just go home at the end of the day with no warning signs in place, etc...believe me, riding in any means of conveyance in such circumstances is an ordeal and not an 'adventure'...

plus, I've never seen a foreigner drive himself in 2 years of working in VN; one always hires a car and a driver...driving from Thailand to VN without changing cars is not doable from what I've read elsewhere on the forum due to various restrictions...one could take a bus to Vinh, I suppose then arrange a van hire there; Vinh is a big town, about 500k pop....

the kids just gotta have an adventure...speaking as a diabetic old fart with high blood pressure...

[my friend I]

Good road from NKP over the new bridge opening 11/11/11 thru Tahkek & on to Vietnam. The problem is the Viet border officials.

[Lakegeneve]

the Mukhadan-Laos-Vietnam journey usually ends up in Vinh City on the north-central coast where it meets the AH1 which is the main north-south highway. I was on the AH1 in September and parts are nearly impassable between Vinh and Hanoi due to road works...no detours and the workers just go home at the end of the day with no warning signs in place, etc...believe me, riding in any means of conveyance in such circumstances is an ordeal and not an 'adventure'...

plus, I've never seen a foreigner drive himself in 2 years of working in VN; one always hires a car and a driver...driving from Thailand to VN without changing cars is not doable from what I've read elsewhere on the forum due to various restrictions...one could take a bus to Vinh, I suppose then arrange a van hire there; Vinh is a big town, about 500k pop....

Hire car: I could be wrong but I do recollect Vietnam residents stating that foreigners are not permitted to drive at all - search previous threads in this subforum as it has been addressed numerous times. However, not expensive to hire a driver but I would assume it would need to be done in a major town rather than a border crossing.

Roads in Laos are generally poor quality. Vietnam varies depending on the area, major highways/routes much better and rural....well you can guess.

Route: As for the route, A few years ago I did the reverse of the above mentioned which I would recommend. Not much to speak of in Laos between Savannakhet and the Vietnam border. However, it was a interesting journey in the back of a sawngthaew! (two different ones as a large truck size one went from the vietnam border (1km in) at Danasavanh to Sepon and then a normal size one from Sepon to Savann. The road had huge potholes in parts and eroded sections but generally it was ok. I would assume (hope) that is has been upgraded given increased trade on this route.

Total cost was $5! (I was also offered to pay US$110 to take my own personal taxi van (new minivans) from the border to Savan). The trip from Dong Ha on the Vietnam coast up the mountains to the border town Lao Bao was very scenic and there are regular vans (which want to charge foreigners 250 000 dong compared to the then rate of 50 000 dong.)

Dong Ha is only 10km from the old DMZ so you can check out some of the Vinh Moc tunnels and other sites. I would suggest catching the train to head either north or south (which I would recommend) as the journey is scenic and much more relaxing than a stressful drive on Hwy 1A. You can head down to Hue, Danang and Hoi An.

The Aran to PP to HCM route is well used and there are now daily buses between PP & HCM which makes it a breeze. Probably, the best roads for all possible routes through the 3 countries. You could also vary this by travelling from PP to the Mekong Delta in which case organising a driver in PP for Vietnam would probably be easy.

Visa: Laos on arrival at any crossing. Vietnam, you need to organise beforehand.

[PattayaParent]

To drive in Viet Nam you need to have a VN driving license and you will need to have it BEFORE you enter by road. To get the license you have to be resident in Viet Nam on a long term visa.

Besides that I don't think they allow right hand drive cars into the country but that's only something I've heard and not seen it confirmed by any official source.

[Mobaan]

I am under the impression that the new Thai DL (I have a 5 year) are valid in all ASEAN countries -thats at least what a large 4foot by 8 foot sign says in the DL office.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Foreigners are allowed to drive in Vietnam. I have driven all over the country.

You can not bring a rental car outside of thailand. Must be your own owned car or Motor bike

You can bring your car or motorcycle into Vietnam. You do need papers and the right hand drive is no problem. The Thai embasy in Hanoi can hel you with the paper work. Much like bringing a car temporaraly into Thailand or anywhere, Learn the rules and have the proper paperwork.

Many think it is easy just like driving New York to Ohio, but it is not the same.

But can be done for those who really want

[phuketrichard]

Car/bike needs be in your name. You need the cars Purple book, translated license plate into English as well.

all can be done at the transport office easily takes 20 minutes and cost 260 baht all included ( here in Phuket)

easy to drive via Cambodia and Laos

still trying to get a response if can take a Thai registered car into Vietnam.

have posted on various forums but no one has said, "yes I have done it:

just second hand, no u can't, yes u can (like above) :-)

jeffery; did u bring a car/bike in from another country?? What papers are needed other than the above stated> I know u can drive in Vietnam

I have driven in Laos and spent many months driving around Cambodia.

Now i want go from Nong Khai to Laos -down to Cambodia and head south and over to Saigon.

[challenger99]

To drive in Viet Nam you need to have a VN driving license and you will need to have it BEFORE you enter by road. To get the license you have to be resident in Viet Nam on a long term visa.

Besides that I don't think they allow right hand drive cars into the country but that's only something I've heard and not seen it confirmed by any official source.

RIGHT 100% legal only with VN driving license and only left hand drive cars!

Special permission possible but very long proceder of you declare to drive straight transit to China. Mostly they fix a date and guide such car in a Convoi.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/travel/2009/04/843273/

Some hotel if you are well known guest will rent a car for you but be sure the insurance is good. If you are stoped only for controle, easy with 10 - 20 $ you go your way, in case of an accident also easy you go to the jail.

http://www.vietnam.embassy.gov.au/hnoi/Driving_in_Vietnam.html

[challenger99]

I am under the impression that the new Thai DL (I have a 5 year) are valid in all ASEAN countries -thats at least what a large 4foot by 8 foot sign says in the DL office.

Except Vietnam only VN driver license valid !

[PattayaParent]

Car/bike needs be in your name. You need the cars Purple book, translated license plate into English as well.

all can be done at the transport office easily takes 20 minutes and cost 260 baht all included ( here in Phuket)

easy to drive via Cambodia and Laos

still trying to get a response if can take a Thai registered car into Vietnam.

have posted on various forums but no one has said, "yes I have done it:

just second hand, no u can't, yes u can (like above) :-)

jeffery; did u bring a car/bike in from another country?? What papers are needed other than the above stated> I know u can drive in Vietnam

I have driven in Laos and spent many months driving around Cambodia.

Now i want go from Nong Khai to Laos -down to Cambodia and head south and over to Saigon.

Just found this

VIETNAM

Prohibitions on importation

Cars and buses and other autonomous means of transport with the driver wheel at right side

http://starbacks.ca/bkkriders/law/asean/customs.html

[PattayaParent]

I am under the impression that the new Thai DL (I have a 5 year) are valid in all ASEAN countries -thats at least what a large 4foot by 8 foot sign says in the DL office.

Except Vietnam only VN driver license valid !

Current information on Australia and Denmark Embassy websites supports that.

Maybe the Vietnamese just haven't read that notice board yet?

[phuketrichard]

Can't always believe what u read;

dup

[phuketrichard]

Not sure if u can believe everything that is written.

says about Malaysia

Temporary Admission

Section 97 of the Customs Act of 1967 provides for the Director-General of Customs to allow goods to be temporarily imported into Malaysia without payment of duty subject to furnishing a security normally in the form of banker's guarantee equivalent to not less than the amount of duty which would be payable if the goods were imported for home consumption.

I don't know anybody that has ever paid anything to take their cars or bikes in other than buying temp insurance.

Laos;

Vehicles Prohibited to import into Lao PDR

* All kinds of right driving cars

* All kinds of motorbikes over 250 cc

I have driven my right hand drive Honda in 2 times and know plenty of others that have as well, Also know a few big bike (Harleys and such) that have toured Laos with their bikes.

so i think the above does not apply for TEMP import

And read this thread about bikes into Vietnam

http://<URL Automatically Removed>/vietnam-nepal-and-burma-travel-forum/91937-we-took-big-bikes-into-vietnam.html

That's a t**kdoor thread.

They are correct about Thailand