Travel To Laos

[Girlfrombar]

Ladies & gents!

i'm planing to visit Laos for a week

but i'm still deciding whether to go by plane, by bus or by train(?) from BKK

any of u guys ever tried the bus from Khao Sarn rd?

or took the train from Hua Lumpong??

any suggestions to share?

welcome!

[MyNameIsFarang]

Ladies & gents!

i'm planing to visit Laos for a week

but i'm still deciding whether to go by plane, by bus or by train(?) from BKK

any of u guys ever tried the bus from Khao Sarn rd?

or took the train from Hua Lumpong??

any suggestions to share?

welcome!

The train is good fun. If you're going alone you may or may not want the first class cabin. It's a bit odd to be cooped up in a small compartment with a stranger overnight. A second class sleeper berth with A/C is what I always recommend. The song-thaew ride from the Nong Khai depot to the Friendship Bridge will set you back 40 baht as I recall.

Plane is a good option as well. Fly to Udon Thani and then take a private car to the border at Nong Khai. Or you can get the public bus. That takes an hour and cost the princely sum of 10 baht last time I did that. Thai Airways also operates a nicer shuttle bus from UTH to Nong Khai which will drop you off a few hundred meters from the Friendship Bridge.

Taking the bus all the way from BKK? Not if you paid me...

[camble]

If you take some US dollars, you can save a bit on the Lao Visa (they charge either $30 USD or 1500 baht). And take lots of 20 baht notes to avoid getting tons of Lao currency as change.

Laos has very good coffee, excelent BeerLao, and some good French Restaurants.

If staying the night in Nong Khai, I recomment the Pantanee Hotel, all rooms have computer & broadband internet for around 600-700 baht.

[Girlfrombar]

thx camble&my name is FR.

i think i will take train or bus from BKK

i won't stay inside the land of smile, i guess

but i still have to set the final plan

to go maybe i will take train,

to come back, i will take a bus and tripping through out isaan-land!!!!!!!!

anyway i've got the co-wanderer

[skydigger]

Beware of dogs! Lao is full of strays like BKK, except the Lao dogs don't like farang.

I'm a blonde, and I'd have one dog on the street barking at me and that would alert the next dog up the street who would bark at me and so on...

I flew from Chiang Mai. Lao Air none the less. Scariest flight I ever took. I heard their jets are serviced by Thai airways though. I'd probably use another airline next time.

[jdinasia]

last time we drove up from BKK ....

However before that I did the plane and would HIGHLY reccomend this option. Not alot more expensive than a 1st class sleeper and you are in Udon Thani in an hour ... then another hour or so to the border!

Enjoy your trip

[caledonia]

I took the train and really loved the journey - and we were in third class lol!!. We were lucky and managed to get a wooden bench each - if I was to do the trip again I would go for second clas sbut hey at the time it was great - just a bit stiff in the morning!!

[Girlfrombar]

cool!

thxxxx

i'll take the train

[chownah]

When you cross the bridge and go through Laos customs and immigration there will be a bunch of people loudly offering taxis into town at way high prices...if you want a taxi then bargain the price to about half if you can and if you don't want a taxi then ignore them and walk to the left across the road and you can catch a songtaew or tuk tuk or even a bus if you are lucky...for way way less money.

I think that most people find Vientienne rather drab and overpriced for what you get. Not that much to see and one day is enough for Vientienne or two max...frankly I've never met anyone who liked to hang out in Vientienne for any length of time. The bus station is near the morning market and you should plan to get there really early in the morning to get a good seat out of Vientienne. Don't dispair, the rest of Laos is much better than Vientienne. I'd rather spend a couple of days in Nong Khai in Thailand than a couple of days in Vientienne. I took my wife to Vientienne for her first visit which was my third visit and I rented a motorcycle and showed her all of the notable sights in about 3 hours...maybe 4. Then we walked a bit along the river and had dinner on a platform built up along the edge of the river...and...voila...that's about all there is to Vientienne.

[Girlfrombar]

thx u farmer!

if any of u guys interested in tripping to Laos again

try to check out the Thai travel magazice called "TRIPS MAGAZINE"

on any bookstores or bookshelfs

there're 2 issues: 1. North Laos and 2. South Laos

which are very good informative with nice photos!

also edited in both languages Thai & English!!

[mr sydney]

Hi I have travelled to Laos many times , flying can be very long drawn out experiance -as it classed as an international flight,Arrivels in Laos where ever airport are also a long drawn out affair,

I found the best route was to drive as part of a tour -,

But Vientian is a bubbling place these days , if you like Night life then try one of the half a dozen Discos around the Novotel hotel are -the hotel has a fantastic bar disco its a massive area -with most uptodate lighting and sounds goes on till about 3-4 am full of mixed crowds Locals--ex pats -gays straights all having a wonderfull time , vientian is good try it ???

ps sorry about my gramma and spelling mistakes this is my first post