Hi, we (family of 4, wife is thai but has foreign pp) are planning a trip from Nong Khai to Chian Rai in august this year but we want to travel via Laos (Vientiane, Luang Prabang) with our own owned car.

I would like to know about the road conditions (Vientiane-Luang Prabang and Luang Prabang-Chiang Rai), is it do-able with a 2wd Vigo ?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Main thing is to be sure you have a car "passport" and the car isnt on any kind of finance or you will not be allowed to leave Thailand with it.

Sure it's doable, just a bit rough between Vientiane and Vang Vieng, then again from Pak Mong (north of LP) to Oudom Xay. The rest is decent to great, and paved.

Beware, however, of dogs, chickens, kids, motorcycles, 10- to 22-wheel trucks eating up the two-lane highway (with no shoulders), buses, too.

As long as you're going all that way, you might want to consider a two-day side trip to Phonsavanh there on the Plain of Jars, and visit a couple of the Jar sites while you're there.

Mac

Sure it's doable, just a bit rough between Vientiane and Vang Vieng, then again from Pak Mong (north of LP) to Oudom Xay. The rest is decent to great, and paved.

Beware, however, of dogs, chickens, kids, motorcycles, 10- to 22-wheel trucks eating up the two-lane highway (with no shoulders), buses, too.

As long as you're going all that way, you might want to consider a two-day side trip to Phonsavanh there on the Plain of Jars, and visit a couple of the Jar sites while you're there.

Mac

+1

And don't drive after dark. You can get car insurance when you pass Lao immigration, office on rh side AGL.

Enjoy

Your wife should use her Thai passport the entire trip to avoid visa fees in Laos.

I just did that trip but in the reverse direction. From the border crossing into Laos the roads were great for about 400 km. Just about the entire rest of the trip, the pavement was in pretty rough shape for varying lengths at irregular intervals and pretty much all the way to Vientienne. I did it as well in my Vigo, but to be honest, I wish I had used someone else's car/truck. It is easily do-able if you don't mind hitting holes at 90 km/hr because there are no warnings that the pavement is about to disappear.

The paperwork process is easy in hindsight, but took some work to get the right paperwork done at the river crossing. You have to actually go to another immigration building nowhere near the river crossing to get papers done that you then take to the immigration at the river. If you do not have your vehicle passport, you cannot cross. This was at Chiang Kong. Also, on the Laos side, the customs and immigration was difficult to find. They are set up for foot traffic, not private vehicle crossing.

I did this route myself in somebodys else car - by bus!last year.

Good news- Chinese build a lot of roads in Laos,recent development - new road from LuangPrabang to China border connects with

even latest new road from border to HuaiXai,it is brand new.You should follow this route,however it is longer.If you make shortcut(VIP bus does)

you might be sorry.LP-HX 14 hours by VIP bus,VT-LP 9 hours.

I am doing this trip but the other way, entering at Chiang Khong/Ban Huay Sai to Louang Nantha-Muang Sing back to LN- down to Luanag Prabang and Vientiane and from there heading south to Pakxe and Cambodia. Taking my honda civic which has made numerous trips in and out of Cambodia on many dirt roads.

Friend did it i Dec an said good roads the whole way but watch out for trucks and passing

Make sure u have ur cars passport an ur tags in English (or the sticker) buy insurance at the border.

Your car gets 14 days but can be extended, Thai passport gets 30 day visa exempt

Google maps has the trip LB- Vien but not the remainder, in fact its funny how old Google map is.

Plug in Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang and see the route they give ya :-)

Edited March 11, 201214 yr by phuketrichard

How to go through the border around Chiang Rai Chiang Khong Chiang Saen as there is no bridge ?

Same way they have been crossing for years

FERRY