Trip By Car Pattaya Luang Prabang

[domdom]

Hello

We plan to go and spend a few days in Luang Prabang.. We would travel with our car.. We saw that, entering Laos, still around 350 kilometers.. and given for over 7 H trip

So my question is.. itinerary through Thailand, is better through Nong Kai ?? crossing border what is best ??

I saw you have to take an insurance to drive your car in Laos, anybody has idea of the cost ??

I am quite worried about the 7 hours trip announced.. I imagine roads are very narrow and possibly in bad shape.. eventually with lots of trucks and buses. Isn't it really dangerous based of the way truck or bus drivers act in Thailand ??

Pls advice, we never went that far and being an elderly couple, we don't want to take to many risks (accident etc..)

Thanks a lot for your help

Have a nice week end

[Tomtomtom69]

Nope, best to go via Tha Li/Nam Heuang (opens from 8am to 6pm). It's shorter (by over 100km compared to going via Nong Khai) and the road is much better on the Lao side. It's also quieter so it will be quicker to cross, they will give you 30 days for your car automatically.

By contrast, at the Nong Khai/Vientiane crossing on the Lao side, they usually give you only 14 days and restrict you to driving in Vientiane, you have to clearly state you want 30 days and are traveling around the country - they won't do it automatically and if you don't speak Thai or Lao, explaining this can be difficult.

No such concerns at Tha Li/Nam Heuang (and every other border crossing other than Vientiane) where 30 days, no restrictions is automatic.

Additionally, the two roads north of Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang (route 13N north of Kasi to the Phou Khoun intersection and the new road from Kasi to the route 4 intersection) have had some instability on them in recent months (haven't heard any recent reports over the past 3 months, but I haven't been following them either since the last time I went to Laos was in early March - therefore I don't know the latest security situation). Lots of trucks and buses on that route too.

Route 4 from Tha Li to Luang Prabang is definitely safe, however. No concerns about insurgency there. However, given you are not familiar with driving in Laos by the sounds of it (and you are an elderly couple) you will definitely want to avoid night time driving. In fact, I wouldn't recommend night time driving in Laos, outside of the major towns/cities to anyone.

Insurance can be purchased at the border and it shouldn't cost more than a couple of hundred Baht if you just want basic, short-term coverage. I don't know the cost for a short-term policy, as I have a 1-year policy (this is my second consecutive one). This year I got a 15% discount, which ended up costing me around 555,000 Kip (keeping in mind that I didn't choose the cheapest policy, which would have been around 350,000 - I wanted more coverage). I think 1 week, 2 week, 1 month, 3 month etc. policies are available, you will need to tell the agent how long you would like to be covered for. AGL is the insurer I'm with, they're the best, though others such as Lao-Viet insurance are good too.

You will want to cross sometime between 8am and 4pm and preferably on a weekday (in the morning is best) in order to be able to purchase insurance at the border, otherwise you would need to do so in the next town (Kaenthao, 7km north) or Pak Lay (68km north) assuming that by the time you get there insurance offices are still open.

There is not much traffic on route 4 from the border to Luang Prabang, except on the last winding 25km stretch, which is route 13N. Relatively few trucks and buses. Apart from the road being better than on the main Vientiane-Luang Prabang route 13N, it is less winding, less mountainous, the road is somewhat wider and has fewer potholes.

Best approach is to stay the night in Phu Ruea, Loei province, 45km from the border. Then cross early in the morning and the 343km trip from the border to Luang Prabang can be accomplished in 6-7 hours, perhaps 8 if you want to take a few breaks in between. Remember driving in Laos is on the right hand side of the road. The switchover at this crossing is clearly marked, using a small roundabout and takes place on the Lao side.

Be careful this time of year because it's the rainy season and there will be a lot of rain. The roads will be more slippery than normal, some sections may be washed out or damaged due to landslides, ground subsidence etc. Best time to go would be from late October onwards until April.

Edited July 9, 2016 by Tomtomtom69

[domdom]

Hello

Thank you very much for your precise answer and the time you dedicated to answer with all details..

Very helpfull really

Have a nice sunday

[Tomtomtom69]

Hello

Thank you very much for your precise answer and the time you dedicated to answer with all details..

Very helpfull really

Have a nice sunday

My pleasure. Depending on your nationality, if you need a Lao visa, it's available on arrival at the Tha Li/Nam Heuang crossing too. Price depends on your nationality, usually between US$30-42. Chinese pay US$20. Swiss, Liechtenstein, Russians, South Koreans and Japanese are free and get 15 days. ASEAN nationals are free and get 30 days.

You can also pay in Baht or Kip, but it's cheaper to pay in US$. Even if you don't need a visa, small extra charges may be levied, especially on the Lao side. I was charged an extra 35000 Kip (156 Baht) as an "overtime" fee for crossing at 11am on a Saturday as a driver of a car, and another 200 Baht for the customs paperwork. Thai immigration also charged a 25 Baht "overtime" fee. Crossing during weekday business hours should eliminate the need to pay this fee, but on the Lao side they seem to be working "overtime" most of the time, so I can't say this with any certainty!

[domdom]

Thanks.. We are french.. (nobody is perfect )

Seems maybe very complicated for me after receiving all details..

Thanks anyway.. It was very usefull

Have a nice sunday

[Tomtomtom69]

Yes, French people need a visa. It should be US$30? each I think but bring at least US$35 each just in case.

[Tomtomtom69]

Yes, the procedure (which is not that complicated) is as follows:

Drive up to the Thai immigration/customs post, but park just a few metres before.

Bring your car registration and car passport with you. At this border, they no longer need photocopies of your passport, car registration front page and road tax information, but bring some just in case. If you don't have photocopies and they need them, they will make the photocopies for you as they have a photocopying machine, no big deal. Even otherwise, there are photocopy shops located within a couple of hundred metres before the border.

The first thing you need to do is get an "information of conveyance form" usually two pages, fill out the required information on these two forms and hand them back to the immigration officer. He will stamp your passport. He may also charge 25 Baht if it's late or a weekend.

Then go to customs. They will print out a temporary exit form and stamp your purple car passport.

You may then be asked to drive up to the customs guy, who will briefly inspect your vehicle, he will then hand back your documents.

Proceed to the Lao side.

On the left, just after the little bridge, a Lao official will inspect your documents, including your passport and car passport/export forms. He may or may not briefly inspect your vehicle.

Immediately after this, prepare to switch lanes to the right hand side of the road using a traffic island.

Park your vehicle in the designated parking slot.

Get your visa on arrival, then stamp in.

Bring all your documents to the customs booth, get your green customs temporary form from them and your car passport stamped. The guy processing this can sometimes be a bit slow. Even if you are the only vehicle at the border.

Once finished, find the insurance booth and purchase a policy.

After that, you're ready to go. You may be stopped at a booth just after the customs area and your documents re-checked to make sure you've completed all the steps properly. Sometimes they don't check. After this booth, you are officially inside Laos.

If you don't have a GPS, get one (Garmin has a Lao map) or if like me, you've never bothered (for Laos at least), navigating with just a map is pretty straightforward (old school style). Turn right at the first junction (there is no sign), after that there will be signs directing you to Kaenthao, then Pak Lay and Saiyabuli, from there to Luang Prabang. Most major signs are bilingual (English and Lao).

[Asiantravel]

you would have to be a masochist to drive that route particularly at this time of the year and with shootings reported just last March.

The number of potholes just after you or on the outskirts of Vientienne is astonishing. I reckon a great business there would be brake pads and shock absorbers .

why go through all of that when AirAsia now offers cheap flights straight to LP

Shootings in Laos prompt travel alert

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/

[Tomtomtom69]

you would have to be a masochist to drive that route particularly at this time of the year and with shootings reported just last March.

The number of potholes just after you or on the outskirts of Vientienne is astonishing. I reckon a great business there would be brake pads and shock absorbers .

why go through all of that when AirAsia now offers cheap flights straight to LP

Shootings in Laos prompt travel alert

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/

yes thats why I recommended the Tha li crossing. Much shorter, better road condition no shootings. I already told the OP to avoid these roads and NOT cross at vientiane. There are a total of 9 border crossings open for cars. Tha li is nowhere near Vientiane and there is no reason for the OP to head there.

[domdom]

Thanks everybody.. Yes, I think quite difficult after reading all your comments.. We travel with our small Yorkshire terrier female, reason why planes are not that easy.. I also now imagine custom won't be that easy for the dog, if it is already that complicated for humans..

Have a good afternoon

[Tomtomtom69]

Thanks everybody.. Yes, I think quite difficult after reading all your comments.. We travel with our small Yorkshire terrier female, reason why planes are not that easy.. I also now imagine custom won't be that easy for the dog, if it is already that complicated for humans..

Have a good afternoon

Up to you but land customs will be a breeze. Airport customs? Could be a big headache. I don't think you'll get your dog on a plane, especially not for a short holiday like this. On the other hand, you could probably sneak the dog in by car or pay a "facilitation fee" at the border.

Otherwise, might be easier just to get someone to look after your pet while you're gone.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Do you already have the Thai "vehicle passport" from your local LTD, Land Transport Department?

Essential to have this document for you car.

Mac

[phuketrichard]

i am up in Loei now and came down from Nan,

saw signs for a border crossing and sign posts for Luang Prabang around 240 kms :-)

If you want an amazing trip drive up here, Fantastic views, good places to stay, friendly people. roads are great ( except 40kms on a dirt road thru the jungle but my civic did fine LOL

than exit from LP to Vang Vieng- Viantaine-Nong Khai ( dont forget to make a detour to Phonsavan for the plain of Jars.)

Dont forget ur purple car passport & original blue book for the car. Dont forget to buy Insurance

Leave the dog in the back seat, they never look :-)

[domdom]

Thanks a lot everybody..

We have premium insurance. We purchased this car, new last year from Honda.. So we also have a book.. We payed 2 months ago again some tax which has to be paid every year.. but I don't have any purple book.. ??

Have a nice day

[phuketrichard]

MUST have purple car passport book, go to the office where u pay your tax and ask for it, In phuket takes 2 days cost 50 baht

You MUST buy Laos insurance at the border, your thai insurance is not valid.

Make sure you get the cars passport stamped out of Thailand, into Laos, out of Laos andback into Thailand

same as your passport.,

[Tomtomtom69]

i am up in Loei now and came down from Nan,

saw signs for a border crossing and sign posts for Luang Prabang around 240 kms :-)

If you want an amazing trip drive up here, Fantastic views, good places to stay, friendly people. roads are great ( except 40kms on a dirt road thru the jungle but my civic did fine LOL

than exit from LP to Vang Vieng- Viantaine-Nong Khai ( dont forget to make a detour to Phonsavan for the plain of Jars.)

Dont forget ur purple car passport & original blue book for the car. Dont forget to buy Insurance

Leave the dog in the back seat, they never look :-)

The sign at the Tha Li border in Loei is correct and as I said - 343km. Saiyabuli is already 227km from there.

This blog gives an idea of some of route 4 (the blogger didn't make it to Luang Prabang because he decided to re-enter Thailand at Huay Kon in Nan province):

http://changnoi1.blogspot.com/2015/04/on-motorbike-from-khon-kaen-to-nan-via.html

He did provide some inaccurate information about insurance though. In Paklay, you CAN buy insurance I did so just one month before he went on his trip. It helps however if you can speak/read Lao because you have to go to one of the banks inside town. In kaenthao, I also saw insurance offices. Bikes are different from cars so perhaps what he wrote is applicable for bikes but for cars, insurance is no problem either at the border (preferably in the morning as both myself and he mentioned), kaenthao, paklay or Saiyabuli.

Edited July 18, 2016 by Tomtomtom69