Short Breaks To Laos

[lsjs_uk 0]

Can anyone advise me on the best way to do this is it best for me to book something before I go or should I wait till I get to Thailand to do this. I am arriving in bangkok mid November and have a couple of spare days before the rest of my party arrive to go on to pattaya

[BigDUSA 71]

You need to get a visa for Laos. Easier to do in your home country. http://www.mekongmart.com/

 

www.udornmap.com

[grs90 49]

I took a short (3 night) trip to LAOS two years ago.

 

Its possibly not the cheapest way to go but I flew Thai Airways from BKK to Udon Thani, then took a Thai Airways minibus to the border. Visa on arrival was 20 or 30 USD at the bridge, then hired the local baht bus equivalent to a hotel in Vientiane. Repeat the above travel arrangements in reverse order to get back to Bangkok.

 

Vientiane and the immediate surroundings had just enough to do to keep me busy for the two days I was there but if you stay longer you may need to travel further afield.

 

Nightlife was very tame but fortunately I took two TGs from the Bangkok Biergarden on Soi 7 with me. One of the memories I'll take with me to the grave was walking in to the Novotel in Vientiane and asking for a "room for three please" in front of a SAGA like tour group who had arrived at the same time. If looks could kill then the old biddies would have done for me on the spot, but the old guys were almost patting me on the back.

 

I know its not fair to slag off a country based on one short visit to just one town but from what I experienced Laos is a shit hole and I wouldn't go back. Personally I would recommend a trip to Rangoon on Burma instead.

 

I was not travelling in the busy season so did not book in advance. The flight was only half full and the hotel I stayed it had plenty of room.

 

Cheers

[MJKidd 0]

Hey BigD or anyone..

 

I'm leaving Wednesday and I don't have the time to get a visa in the US for Laos. (this trip all came together very quickly). Anyway....what's the procedure for getting a Laos visa while in Thailand?

 

 

Thanks,

MJK

[SunnyValentine 173]

Unless things changed dramatically in the last month, you can get a (2 Weeks I believe) Visa at Vientiane Airport, Luang Prabang Airport, Khon Kaen / Vientiane Border, and probably a few Border stations more.

Cost is 20 US$, and a photo. Really no need to get a Visa in advance.

If you happen to have a few Days time, go to Luang Prabang. Although it is getting more and more touristy in the last couple of Years, it is still a nice change of pace from Pattaya.

Forget the nightlife there, bring your own, or just go sleep early, get up early, check out the scenery ......

 

Sunny

[Babepecker 0]

Having a Lao girlfriend is strictly prohibited for foreigners in Laos and this rule/law is really enforced - take care.

 

 

[JohnnyK 28]

Take the night train to Nong Khai, 7:25pm, 658baht for air-con 2nd class sleeper lower berth (upper is cheaper but no window).

Arrive N.K. 8:30am, tuktuk from station to border is 20baht (5 mins.)

Visa at border is $30US (1200 baht), takes 15 minutes. I didn't have $US and they hosed me 1500baht (so what).

Share a minivan to Ventiane (15km) for about 175baht each. Bargain with the van guys!!!!

Ventiane guest house: Soukchaleun, nice clean fan rooms, bit noisy in the front but ok for $US10.

 

No big in-your-face P4P scene but girls readily and easily available, most tuktuks are pimps and will offer. Girls try to get 500baht ST/1000LT but compared to Pty they are amateurs and not worth the price.

[cybers1b 8]

Having a Lao girlfriend is strictly prohibited for foreigners in Laos and this rule/law is really enforced - take care.

 

 

Babe, you can have a Lao girlfirend but prostitution is strictly prohibeted.

 

Sunny is right about the Visa on Arrival, you can also take a train from Bangkok to nong khai (very comfortable and cheap if you take a air con sleeper car) and from nong khai pass the friendship bridge to Laos (same here, 20 US and a photo if you do not want to stay longer then 15 days).

 

Check fares and the times for trains here: http://www.railway.co.th/eng/

Some more info on Nong Khai and also a bit about the trip to Laos: http://www.danishbaker.dk/

 

If you stay in Nong Khai for a night I can recommend the Pantawee Hotel - in room internet access (and even a computer in some of the rooms if you do not have a laptop)

 

http://www.nongkhaihotel.com/

 

The Lao embassy in Bangkok is also helpful if you need a Visa fir a longer stay then 15 days: http://www.bkklaoembassy.com/

 

And some more uselful links that helped me in the past:

 

http://www.laopdr.com/

http://www.visit-laos.com/