Luang Prabang

[Spaniel]

In November or December wife and I are planning a 5 or 6 day trip to LP. We will fly from Bangkok. We were in LP last October for a few days so this trip we would like to travel north of LP for a few days. Any suggestions on where to visit and places to stay?

[Thanyaburi Mac]

"... travel north of LP for a few days."

Travel via what means? Local bus? Rental car or pickup or motorcycle?

If you've not yet been to the Plain of Jars, I'd recommend you go there, one day travel over, two days on the PDJ, one day back to LP, or down to Vientiane.

Travel easily arranged via tour van or bus. Lots of good to a couple very good accommodations in Phonsavanh.

Mac

[phuketrichard]

2nd Phonsavan Plain of jars about 4 hour drive from LP an than 4 hours back to Vang Vieng , so u can make a nice loop

in Phnosavan there a few inexpensive Chinese style hotels,

North is Udmoxiai an the 80 kms road from hell to Luang Namtha only worth going if ur into treking or want Visit Muang Sing.

[Razzler1973]

Phonsavan is 4 hours drive and 4 hours to Vang Vieng?? Are you kidding??

Wow, changed a hell of a lot. I visited Phonsavan from Luang Prabang 15+ years ago and there were pretty much no buses or they'd only go some of the way and I'd arrange local transport. Think the actual bus from Phonsavan back to Vang Vieng back then was at least 15 years and was one of those bumbling wooden things!

Jeez, transport has really changed Good news, mind

[SoiBiker]

Think the actual bus from Phonsavan back to Vang Vieng back then was at least 15 years...

Wow. You'd want to take a good book and a few snacks for that kind of trip.

[Razzler1973]

There was no chance of that. One of those wooden window frames with no glass, bouncing all over the place. Even stopping in the hills while they dug a road out and flattened it so we could cross. Turn up in Vang Vieng with your hair full of that orange dust. Can't believe it's only 4 hours now!

Those were the days

[Stone Inscription 1]

The bus to Xieng Khouang (Phonsavan) nowadays is a comfortable enough one and it takes 7-9 hours to get there. You can also take a mini-van, but if you are tall you will be cramped as leg room is small, which is why I took the bus. The Plain of Jars is well-worth seeing as is the small town of Muang Koun around 30 minutes from Xieng Khouang.

Luang Namtha is a great place to visit although the bus ride to get there from Luang Prabang is long and tedious, but there is spectaular scenery along the way. As mentioned above, this is a trekking area, but there is a nice temple in town and some minority villages within a few miles of the town.

To the south of Luang Prabang and two and a half hours away by bus is the town of Sayaboury. This is an elephant centre and stays can be arranged at the elephant site for a night up to a week or more. There is nice scenery between the two cities.

[phuketrichard]

note;

all my travels to Laos,( 4 trips in the past 5 years) have been with my own trusty and dependable Honda Civic :-)

although it has had work done to it in Luang Prabang

[Briggsy]

North of Luang Prabang, the next tourist stop is Luang Namtha.

[Stone Inscription 1]

North of Luang Prabang, the next tourist stop is Luang Namtha.

The next tourist stop north of Luang Prabang is actually Oudomxai although not many westerners visit it. The city has some interesting wats, market and friendly people. Nearby are waterfalls and hill tribes.

North of Xai, you can visit Phongsali a centre of tea production, and another area for trekking.

West of Oudomxai, one can visit Luang Namtha (3 hours by bus), Muang Sing (2 more hours) near the Burma and China border, and Boten (2 hours north of Luang Namtha) where one can enter China.

[KC 71]

Luang Prabang is a nice place to visit

[arcturus]

I second Phonsavanh to see Plain of Jars. There are some caves (war caves) nearby that are worth visiting if you're interested in history - one was used as a shelter and had hospital in it, the other one was bombed and a few thousands people died during the bombing - and a 'bomb village' along the way.

Another alternative is to go to Nong Khiaw, about 3-4 hours drive from LP. I've never been there but the nature looks amazing. Imagine a town located next to the Nam Ou river with limestone karst on both sides of the river and you can stay at a riverside bungalow. In other words: a more traditional Vang Vieng without backpackers.

Edited October 30, 2015 by arcturus