Isaan > Laos > Chiang Mai Travel Advice Needed

[whatnot]

Looking at doing a circle from Bangkok up through Issan and into Laos at Non Khai, through Laos and onward to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai.

I will probably bus BKK > Korat > KK UT (or NK) and then go bus to Vientiane (are there buses that go across the border from NK?)

Once I get to Luang Prubang, does anyone know the best way to travel from LP to Chiang Mai? I'd prefer water or road travel. Something secure and confortable (happy to layup somewhere for a night on the way)

Thanks

[rio666uk]

Theres a bus service that takes you across the friendship crossing, and from memory I think there are busses and minivans to vientianne, although I made the journey by Tuk Tuk. Didnt goto LP but found this which may help from Lonely Planet.... And be sure to go tubing in Vang Viang.

good luck

from lonely planet:

Crossing the border at the Friendship bridge from Thailand to Laos: The safest and definitely the cheapest way obtaining a valid visa to Lao PDR is buying it at the official border, not from the several travel agencies or tuktuk drivers nearby. Foreigners are charged an extra entrance fee of 10 baht after having their visas stamped in the passport control. There are normally many taxis, minibuses and tuktuks at the border that will take you to Vientiane. (20-30 minutes drive).

From Chiang Khong on the border of Thailand we caught a boat across to Laos. It seemed so strange going to another country like that. From Huay Xia across the border in Laos we caught a speedboat to Luang Prabang. The speedboat is a cramped longtail boat notorious for accidents, but it was only going to take six hours instead of the usual two days by slowboat.

[craigt3365]

Looking at doing a circle from Bangkok up through Issan and into Laos at Non Khai, through Laos and onward to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai.

I will probably bus BKK > Korat > KK UT (or NK) and then go bus to Vientiane (are there buses that go across the border from NK?)

Once I get to Luang Prubang, does anyone know the best way to travel from LP to Chiang Mai? I'd prefer water or road travel. Something secure and confortable (happy to layup somewhere for a night on the way)

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Most bus services drop you off in NK. Easy to get a cheap taxi to the border. Stop by the Thai office to get your exit stamp, then a bus picks you up to cross the bridge to the Laos side. Get your visa there and pick up a taxi into Vientiane. Cheap and easy.

From there, head to the large public bus station and grab a bus north. I highly recommend staying a night or two in Vang Vien (spelling?). Great village on river with hotels offering awesome views of the river and mountains. Magical. Nice tours offered also as this town is a hot spot for backpackers...so lot's of services available.

You can take a bus north to LP from there. Check out the security situation...problems have arisen in the past and they are serious. From LP you can take those god awful speed boats up the river to the Thai border. They are incredibly noisy and very uncomfortable. Not sure what other options there are. Maybe a flight to CM? I went north to China, so can't help you there. But heard from other travelers that the boats were kinda tough.

Also check out the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree site. Great recommendations there also...

Best of luck!

Craig

[whatnot]

Thanks so much for the responses.

I'll look into the security situation

[erickok]

Looking at doing a circle from Bangkok up through Issan and into Laos at Non Khai, through Laos and onward to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai.

I will probably bus BKK > Korat > KK UT (or NK) and then go bus to Vientiane (are there buses that go across the border from NK?)

Once I get to Luang Prubang, does anyone know the best way to travel from LP to Chiang Mai? I'd prefer water or road travel. Something secure and confortable (happy to layup somewhere for a night on the way)

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, greetings from chiangrai. If you are coming from LP to c.rai, you can take the longtail speed boat traveling along the Mekong river before you reach chiangkhong which is a border town with laos. From here you are to board a bus and may stop by at my home village for a day or two to learn about the thai village and its lifestyle before you complete a loop or head for chiangmai. Pls email me at [email protected], for further assistance and detail directions.

Take care. Eric.

[whatnot]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the generous response. I may get in touch closer to January!

[erickok]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the generous response. I may get in touch closer to January!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you. Hope to hear from you soon. Regards.

[asanee]

[additional:

since this year also several DIRECT Thai bues UDON-VTE.

IF you come from BKK, there is also the SABAI bus dirct BKK/KhaoSarn-NK-Bridge-VTE 9stop at their own rst, change if needed) tehhn VVieng-LPrab. Does not seemt to have the theft probs of so many KSR buses south (I know the lady who handles the thing). Train to NK is often HOURS late on arrival. EARLY border corssings, i.e. before 8.00 require an extra overtimefee to be paid (50 or 100 bt or so).

The safety thing is something from some 2-3 yrs ago, nowadays main prob with safety seems to be landslides along the road North of VVieng, that may vlock you for hours, sometimes days.

Otheriise you go with the flow (rather contra, most go the other way) and will be with some 50/100 other bekpekkers doing all the same, osso adventurous