Driving from Nong Khai via Lao to the coast in Vietnam

[Artist]

Part of the year we live in Nong Khai and we like to visit beaches for a week or so. Its a long drive to the Thai beaches and Google Maps shows me that its shorter to drive to the coast in Vietnam. I have been told that its difficult to take your own vehicle into Lao though.

Does anybody know if its realistically feasible to drive from Nong Khai to the coast in Vietnam?

[Thanyaburi Mac]

No problem at all to take a Thai registered vehicle into Laos, just stop at your local LTD and get the car "passport."

Don't know about a right-hand drive vehicle going to Vietnam, tho, best to do some Googling for info.

Mac

[Showbags]

Laos no real problem, we have driven in there, just get you car passport done and then find out whats required to drive to other areas of Laos as we only had a short visit trip.

Have heard near impossible to drive into Vietnam though.....but not 100%

[phuketrichard]

laos is a great country to drive ur own car, make sure u have your purple passport for the car a buy insurance at the boarder,

Have been from the far north to the Vietnam boarder an as far south as Savanaket

You will not get your Thai car into Vietnam

Nong Khai- is a long way to water :-)

you could head south to surin, (7 hours) cross over into Cambodia at Osmach (1 hour) head to SR than Phnom Penh ( 8-12 hours) Watch those pot holes, than south to SHV another 3-5 depending on how fast u drive.

[asanee]

you are grossly misled by just looking at maps. The distance does not really matter, the roads do-and the double borderprocess. This makes it still much easier and faster to reach the Thai beaches at east coast from NK. But yes, Vnam does have far wider and longer and in some places even better beach as TH there. You will also learn that not all Asians work the same way as Thai/Lao.

[Artist]

laos is a great country to drive ur own car, make sure u have your purple passport for the car a buy insurance at the boarder,

Have been from the far north to the Vietnam boarder an as far south as Savanaket

You will not get your Thai car into Vietnam

Nong Khai- is a long way to water :-)

you could head south to surin, (7 hours) cross over into Cambodia at Osmach (1 hour) head to SR than Phnom Penh ( 8-12 hours) Watch those pot holes, than south to SHV another 3-5 depending on how fast u drive.

Thanks for the the information and idea about Cambodia, we are very close to the water in our Phon Phisai guest house (about 10 metres) as we are on the banks of the Mekong but a long way from the sea in Thailand.

[Artist]

Thanks for the information everybody. I gather that Vietnam is more difficult (or impossible) to enter with a car. I have several friends who say Vietnam is a great place to visit.

It sounds relatively easy to take our pickup into Lao. Many of our guests say they want to visit Vientiane, but I generally lower their expectations as in my (limited) experience it is a very boring city.

However the one trip I did into the Lao countryside was great so maybe I should encourage them to go outside Vientiane and maybe drive them somewhere not too far from Vientiane?

In the back of my mind I am thinking of the geography of ASEAN and I think Nong Khai is bang in the middle of mainland SE Asia and it should naturally be the meeting place of road travel around the region as the community becomes more economically integrated. I think there is considerable tourist potential for Nong Khai. Lets face it Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai are all on the periphery.

What do you guys think?

[phuketrichard]

I love driving in Laos, beautiful country, friendly people, roads soso, in parts very bad ( north of Luang Prabang to Udomaxi) and in the far north twisty and much of the time on mtn ridge tops,

Trip to Phonsavan is well worth it.

[hgma]

NongKhai is a family town accorsing to me.

Best place to retire without huslles and bussles!!

[Artist]

NongKhai is a family town accorsing to me.

Best place to retire without huslles and bussles!!

I agree, I love Nong Khai and Phon Phisai even more as they are both sleepy places:)

[dddave]

I just went by bus from Vientiane to Luang Phrabang and back last month and scenery along the way is spectacular once you are 3 hours out of Vientiane. I would suggest planning to spend a night somewhere just past the half way point in one of the mountain villages...really beautiful. Many of the villages we passed through had signs for fairly modern looking guest houses. The trip was about 10 hours.

The road is in good condition most of the way but it is a hairy ride; an almost unending succession of switchbacks and hairpin turns on a road that is a bit less than narrow with little shoulder and some VERY steep & deep drop-offs.

There is an constant procession of heavy, tandem trucks and buses who pass one another with no regard for fog, blind corners, hilltops, hairpin turns and oncoming traffic.

I suspect you won't get to see that much of the incredible mountain scenery because your eyes, as well as your passenger's, will be fixed to the road and the vehicles coming towards you...in your lane.

Seriously, from the high windows of the bus, we could see a lot but there is a lot of brush roadside and I suspect it blocks a significant range of vistas from the lower windows of a car. I spoke with some people who had driven to the Plain of Jars and they said that ride was spectacular as well.

Edited February 13, 2014 by dddave

[Artist]

I just went by bus from Vientiane to Luang Phrabang and back last month and scenery along the way is spectacular once you are 3 hours out of Vientiane. I would suggest planning to spend a night somewhere just past the half way point in one of the mountain villages...really beautiful. Many of the villages we passed through had signs for fairly modern looking guest houses. The trip was about 10 hours.

The road is in good condition most of the way but it is a hairy ride; an almost unending succession of switchbacks and hairpin turns on a road that is a bit less than narrow with little shoulder and some VERY steep & deep drop-offs.

There is an constant procession of heavy, tandem trucks and buses who pass one another with no regard for fog, blind corners, hilltops, hairpin turns and oncoming traffic.

I suspect you won't get to see that much of the incredible mountain scenery because your eyes, as well as your passenger's, will be fixed to the road and the vehicles coming towards you...in your lane.

Seriously, from the high windows of the bus, we could see a lot but there is a lot of brush roadside and I suspect it blocks a significant range of vistas from the lower windows of a car. I spoke with some people who had driven to the Plain of Jars and they said that ride was spectacular as well.

Yes thanks for that. A few years ago I went on that route and the scenery was fantastic. We stayed at a guesthouse in village with limestone mountains crystal clear river and caves I remember, but the roads were definitely scary. It would be good to take our guests there.

[Mojomor]

Thanks for the information everybody. I gather that Vietnam is more difficult (or impossible) to enter with a car. I have several friends who say Vietnam is a great place to visit.

It sounds relatively easy to take our pickup into Lao. Many of our guests say they want to visit Vientiane, but I generally lower their expectations as in my (limited) experience it is a very boring city.

However the one trip I did into the Lao countryside was great so maybe I should encourage them to go outside Vientiane and maybe drive them somewhere not too far from Vientiane?

In the back of my mind I am thinking of the geography of ASEAN and I think Nong Khai is bang in the middle of mainland SE Asia and it should naturally be the meeting place of road travel around the region as the community becomes more economically integrated. I think there is considerable tourist potential for Nong Khai. Lets face it Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai are all on the periphery.

What do you guys think?

If you check the proposed Asian Highway network, the meeting point is at Khon Kaen presently. The Big project is likely to be AH 16. Just my thoughts.

[Artist]

If you check the proposed Asian Highway network, the meeting point is at Khon Kaen presently. The Big project is likely to be AH 16. Just my thoughts.

Thanks I didn't know about the Asian Highway network. There are lots of maps but none of them I could find clearly show any schedule or routes meeting in Khon Kaen. The maps here http://www.safehaven.com/article/21399/realizing-cambodias-investment-potential seem to indicate a road from Vientiane through to the coast in Vietnam. Also Mittraphap from Nong Khai to Bangkok is shown which makes sense as its the main route from Bangkok to Lao. This passes through Khon Kaen (or around) of course.

Can you let me have a link to the The Big project?

[bkkden]

Do not recommend you do it by heading north of Vientiane, once you get north of Luang Prabang the drive requires 4wd and is difficult! Find a route through the south of Laos.

Edited February 15, 2014 by bkkden

[phuketrichard]

Do not recommend you do it by heading north of Vientiane, once you get north of Luang Prabang the drive requires 4wd and is difficult! Find a route through the south of Laos.

Bull::::::

Have done 3 trips from Chiag Khong-Luang Namtha- Udomaxi- Luang Prabang - Vientiane in my Honda civic, ( last trip was last july)

the road from Udom to LP is bad an potholed but easy to drive but u average less than 40 kms/hour

VERY easy route to find as well.

Thai Motorcyclists do this route all the time

[khwaibah]

Understand that the bridge over the Mekong at 19.431629, 101.838541 (แม่น้ำโขง,Mekong River,Tha Deua,ท่าเดื่อ,Xayaboury,ไซยะบูลี,ลาว,Laos) is complete and open which allows travel on highway 4 in Lao from Loie,TH to Luang Prabang.

Edited February 15, 2014 by khwaibah

[khwaibah]

And there is another bridge over the Mekong on Lao 2W being built, could be open. 19.843192, 101.068561 (ปากเงิน....ถนนจากน่านจะมาโผล่ที่นี่ เพื่อล่องเ)

[Tomtomtom69]

Thai vehicles can't enter Vietnam, even on a pre-arranged tour since Dec 25, 2013. In fact, nowadays even LHD vehicles from other countries need advance permission and an escort to drive into Vietnam. The single exception is for Lao vehicles. If you want to drive into Vietnam, why don't you drive a Lao vehicle? You can rent a Lao vehicle in Vientiane and drive it to Vietnam. I've done it before. Note that you should check recent trip reports to see if foreigners and Vietnamese are allowed to drive into Vietnam with a Lao car; with a Lao driver it's no problem though.

[Artist]

Thai vehicles can't enter Vietnam, even on a pre-arranged tour since Dec 25, 2013. In fact, nowadays even LHD vehicles from other countries need advance permission and an escort to drive into Vietnam. The single exception is for Lao vehicles. If you want to drive into Vietnam, why don't you drive a Lao vehicle? You can rent a Lao vehicle in Vientiane and drive it to Vietnam. I've done it before. Note that you should check recent trip reports to see if foreigners and Vietnamese are allowed to drive into Vietnam with a Lao car; with a Lao driver it's no problem though.

Thanks that's very interesting and a great idea. I wonder why Vietnam is making it more difficult to enter the country when the ASEAN aim is to reduce border obstacles?

[Tomtomtom69]

Thai vehicles can't enter Vietnam, even on a pre-arranged tour since Dec 25, 2013. In fact, nowadays even LHD vehicles from other countries need advance permission and an escort to drive into Vietnam. The single exception is for Lao vehicles. If you want to drive into Vietnam, why don't you drive a Lao vehicle? You can rent a Lao vehicle in Vientiane and drive it to Vietnam. I've done it before. Note that you should check recent trip reports to see if foreigners and Vietnamese are allowed to drive into Vietnam with a Lao car; with a Lao driver it's no problem though.

Thanks that's very interesting and a great idea. I wonder why Vietnam is making it more difficult to enter the country when the ASEAN aim is to reduce border obstacles?

That's the same thing I'm wondering. A Cambodian travel agent I met in Koh Kong near the Thai border who was born in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam (he's a Khmer Krom or Lower Khmer) had previously driven to Thailand many times and Vietnam two times with his Cambodian car without incident. Thailand is of course never a problem anyway. However, on this most recent occasion (late last year) he attempted to cross into Vietnam at Ha Tien near Phu Quoc on the Vietnamese coast. He even obtained some kind of permission from the Vietnamese consulate in Sihanoukville before attempting the crossing. After being asked where he wanted to travel, he was refused entry with his car and so he returned to Koh Kong disappointed.

Apparently nowadays only commercial vehicles can enter Vietnam from Cambodia.

I think Vietnam is attempting one last ditch effort to prevent a large influx of foreign registered vehicles before AEC arrives which is when they may be required to open up their borders to cross border traffic, whether they like it or not.

BTW if you want to drive into Vietnam, have a chat with Avis in Laos. They have branches in Luang Prabang, Vientiane (main office) and Pakse. With them you'll be able to drive into Vietnam and self-drive within Vietnam is no problem once you're past customs. The only thing I'm waiting for confirmation on is if crossing the border into Vietnam currently requires a Lao person on the temporary import form or not, as I was told in October 2012 at Bo Y, which is the southernmost Lao/Vietnam crossing. Rules may be interpreted differently by different officials and different border crossings though.

[Artist]

Thai vehicles can't enter Vietnam, even on a pre-arranged tour since Dec 25, 2013. In fact, nowadays even LHD vehicles from other countries need advance permission and an escort to drive into Vietnam. The single exception is for Lao vehicles. If you want to drive into Vietnam, why don't you drive a Lao vehicle? You can rent a Lao vehicle in Vientiane and drive it to Vietnam. I've done it before. Note that you should check recent trip reports to see if foreigners and Vietnamese are allowed to drive into Vietnam with a Lao car; with a Lao driver it's no problem though.

Thanks that's very interesting and a great idea. I wonder why Vietnam is making it more difficult to enter the country when the ASEAN aim is to reduce border obstacles?

That's the same thing I'm wondering. A Cambodian travel agent I met in Koh Kong near the Thai border who was born in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam (he's a Khmer Krom or Lower Khmer) had previously driven to Thailand many times and Vietnam two times with his Cambodian car without incident. Thailand is of course never a problem anyway. However, on this most recent occasion (late last year) he attempted to cross into Vietnam at Ha Tien near Phu Quoc on the Vietnamese coast. He even obtained some kind of permission from the Vietnamese consulate in Sihanoukville before attempting the crossing. After being asked where he wanted to travel, he was refused entry with his car and so he returned to Koh Kong disappointed.

Apparently nowadays only commercial vehicles can enter Vietnam from Cambodia.

I think Vietnam is attempting one last ditch effort to prevent a large influx of foreign registered vehicles before AEC arrives which is when they may be required to open up their borders to cross border traffic, whether they like it or not.

BTW if you want to drive into Vietnam, have a chat with Avis in Laos. They have branches in Luang Prabang, Vientiane (main office) and Pakse. With them you'll be able to drive into Vietnam and self-drive within Vietnam is no problem once you're past customs. The only thing I'm waiting for confirmation on is if crossing the border into Vietnam currently requires a Lao person on the temporary import form or not, as I was told in October 2012 at Bo Y, which is the southernmost Lao/Vietnam crossing. Rules may be interpreted differently by different officials and different border crossings though.

Thanks for the advice, i am beginning to feel enthusiastic about a trip....Jeremy