Travelling through Laos Independently? Advice required

LeopoldButters

Hi

Myself and my girlfriend are heading to SE- Asia for 6 weeks but the Thailand and Laos part of my tour has been cancelled this weekend due to the political situation in Thailand so I have 12 - 14 days to kill in Laos before my tour starts back in Hanoi.

My plan is to jump on a flight from Bangkok to Vientiane once I land in Bangkok so I am wondering how easy it is to travel independently through Laos.

Also if once in Laos would it be possible find a tour that might go up through Laos from Vientiane -> Vang Vieng -> Luang Prabang

Any info would be great as my tour got cancelled today and have not looked into any type of independent travel until the last few hours

darrenh

Independent travel is very easy. Sleeper buses go between all the towns. Some are better than others. Ask to see pictures of the bus. Why do you want to do a tour? Independent is much more fun.

ps when I saw the first sentence of your post I thought "the lucky b*****d, he's going with his girlfirend's! I presume you are a girl though?!

LeopoldButters

sorry that was a typo, it is myself and my girlfriend.

We had booked a tour as we only have 6weeks off work and wanted to get as much in as possible and we have not made any plans for traveling on our own as this all happened today. When you land in Laos is it easy enough to get stuff sorted like it would be in the US or if interrailing?

I really want do Vientiane -> Vang Vieng -> Luang Prabang but just wonder if its handy to get sorted when you are there

darrenh

It's very easy. Vientiane is a modern city and there are lots of tour companies and bus companies. Your hostel can organise tickets for you. I wouldnt worry about it a single bit or even give it that much thought. It's as easy as getting a bus here.

http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vang-Vieng/blog-449059.html

dearg lady

it's easy peasy to get around laos, buses are a lil on the slow side, but you get there in the end and it is so incredibly beautiful, seriously you'll be plenty entertained on the long bus journeys by the scenery and some of the characters getting on the bus!! Bus tickets can be bought on the day, then just hop on. Your guesthouse will usually be bale to tell you bus times and stuff like that.

Bacchus

I agree with the other posters. It's easy to get around. Just grab a tuk tuk to the public bus station, get your ticket at the counter and hop on your bus. Easy. Don't bother with tours or even getting those "VIP buses". Save yourself the money and have loads of fun in the process. I bet you a VIP bus won't blow a tyre twice on the way to Luang Prabang. Good times

v.e.r.b.a.l

once you do it on your own, you'll probably never take a tour again!!

good luck. luang prabang is amazing!!

jank

Go to phonsavan!! its a little bit off the beaten track and as you have days to spare good to get another place in.

v.e.r.b.a.l

yeah, phonsavan is interesting and harrowing at the same time. take in the weird Plain of Jars and try to avoid stepping on unexploded ordinance. MAG are doing great work out there clearing up all the cluster bombs. shocking stuff. the US should really be punished for this **** somehow!

Bacchus

v.e.r.b.a.l wrote: »

yeah, phonsavan is interesting and harrowing at the same time. take in the weird Plain of Jars and try to avoid stepping on unexploded ordinance. MAG are doing great work out there clearing up all the cluster bombs. shocking stuff. the US should really be punished for this **** somehow!

There's a really good... exhibition/organisation in Vientiane that work with victims of those cluster bombs and train people to clear them away. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the organisation but they have poster and flyers around the town (big blue ones) so you can't miss em. Really worth going out to see. The US have a lot to answer for. It's shocking how they covered it up at the time.

eoinkildare

hey guys,
I'm travelling to SE Asia in august for 21 weeks. i've been to thailand before and i had no problem with finding atm's that worked with my card from home. however, i know that there is a huge difference between thailand and the rest of the countries i'm visiting.
i read that some people prefer to load money onto their credit card rather than taking it out of their current account on a card but whats the benifit in this?
also, in laos, which i figure is the least developed of the countries, does the lack of atm's result in one carrying a sh*t load of cash?
any thoughts would be appreciated....

eoin

v.e.r.b.a.l

we had no probs finding atms in the likes of luang prabang and even ponsavanh had a single atm, but just on the offchance that the only atm in town is out of order, if you have money on your credit card, a bank (or sometimes shop) will give you a cash advance for a fee. or you could pay for hostel etc by credit card if stuck.

cormaclynch

We were in Vang Vieng a few weeks ago the day after a storm. All 4 ATMs were out all day untl about 6 or so. You could have got out money out of the bank with your passport as ID and your credit card if you were stuck.

Some people say loading your credit card and taking money out is best way but check it out. I found a card, from Santander in N Irleland, which doesn't charge you for withdrawals but just interest on the outstanding amount. But it will not allow me to preload my card as part of the T&Cs......worth checking out the small print before you decide what to do