travelling overland in Laos

[pgardiner]

In the dry season at the end of November I intend to go from Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang and then down to Vientianne and Pakse on Highway 13 on a 28 day visa. I have a few questions for anybody that can help me. 1. Do I need a special visa to bring my pick up with me and exactly what documents will I need? At Chiang Khong will I be able to access all the documentation there including travel insurance? What is the condition of the road between Chiang Khong and Luang Prabang and then on to Pakse? Any information or advice gratefully received.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

You'll need to visit your local Land Transport Department and get a "passport" for your car, essential.

There'll be 2-3 sets of paperwork to fill out at Chiang Khong. Over on the Lao side at Ban Houei Sai, you'll be able to purchase 3rd party insurance. It doesn't cover damage to your own vehicle so you might ask your Thai insurance folks if they have a short term plan for such coverage out of Thailand.

For the drive to LP, plan on two days. You might want to spend the first night at Nam Tha, then on to LP. Check the highways map, click upper left of www.hobomaps.com

FYI, lots of www sites say that the road from Oudomxai to Pak Mong is a disaster. It was, but is being fixed up now, and hopefully will still be decent after the rainy season.

Rt 13N from LP south through Xieng Nguen-Phou Khoun-Kassy/Kasi, and on to Vang Vieng to Vientiane is all paved, but the portion from Xieng Nguen to Kassy is quite twisty. BTW, it's all two-lane, with large buses and trucks going slow.

There's a good bypass, tho. Turn right at Xieng Nguen, go down towards Nan, but before you hit the Mekong River, turn left, head up over the mountains, then down to Kassy to rejoin Rt 13N.

Alternatively, at Phou Khoun, take Rt 7 east three hours to Phonsavan on the PDJ. Visit Jar Site 1, at least. Then from Phonsavanh, head south on Rt 1D to Paksane, about five hours, to join Rt 13S. Skips Vientiane, but if you still want to go there, three hours west.

FYI, the road south on Rt 13S is pretty boring, flat, lots of semi straight sections, all the way to Pakse. Visit the sights in the area, then return to Thailand via Ubon.

Mac

Mac

[phuketrichard]

4 hours border to Luang Namtha

another 4-5 hours to Luang Prabang

note the road between Udomaxi and LP is VERY BAD ( like down to 20-25 kms/hour) 80 kms of that .....potholed

but great views.

LP=Vang Vieng 3-4 hours

VV- Vientiane 4-5 hours as well

A nice side trip from LP is head over to Phonsavan ( Plain of Jars) well worth it, site 1& 3 u can drive easily to, site 2 i couldn't get my civic too

than u can go from there to VV

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Phuket Richard

You drive faster than I do!!

Anyway, here's a posting from April 2015 to the RideAsia motorcycle forum re the Oudomxay-Pakmong section of 13N:

The 13N Between Pakmong And Oudomxai

Good new for those who dread travelling the 13N between Oudomxai and Pakmong junction to Luang Prabang and Nong Khiew, i rode the infamous 75 km section last week and can confirm it is now 70% graded and widened with 6 Km sections at each end now paved and super smooth. Even the sections yet to be improved have been repaired and the pot holes are a thing of the past, sadly as with all road improvements the bamboo villages along the route that used to be selling bush meat and other wares have almost disappeared, judging by the number of workers along the route i would guess completion before the end of this year.

Mac

[dddave]

I did Vientiane to Luang Phrabang last year by bus so I can't address driving issues but I found it to be a spectacular road most of the way. Next time I go I will definitely want to stop over at some of the mountain villages about 2 hours south of LP. I saw quite a few small but fairly modern looking guest houses from the bus and I think one would get a much more authentic Laotian experience staying a night or two in a real village

LP is nice but it is 100% a tourist town.

[HungDonger]

Roads are shocking. A previous poster stated that Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is 3-4 hours !!!. More like 8 hours.

I once drove to Luang Prabang from Vientiane and the road had totally collapsed about 20ks short of LP.Took 4 days to get the car through (no alternate route).Good Luck

[Ban Merry]

Roads are shocking. A previous poster stated that Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is 3-4 hours !!!. More like 8 hours.

I once drove to Luang Prabang from Vientiane and the road had totally collapsed about 20ks short of LP.Took 4 days to get the car through (no alternate route).Good Luck

8 hours to travel 160km?

As already said, 4-5 hours is more than enough and that's stopping for drinks as well.

Think you must've travelled many years ago.

[HungDonger]

"AS already said 4-5 hours...."..

Go back and read the previous posts.

Correcting others without comprehending the posts !!!

Nothing better to do ?