Tubing in Laos

Empsey

Hi!

Heading to Thailand in the summer and really want to go tubing in Laos. Anybody know whats the best place to get there. We are flexible with travel arrangements. Planning on doing northern Thailand so could possibly get a flight from Bangkok to Laos and make our way over then. Any advice would be great

whatsyourquota

What most people do is get a bus up to chaing khong from wherever they are up north, this is the border of Laos/Thailand then cross over and take the 2 day slow boat to Luang prabang, stay there for a few days then take the bus to vang vieng for tubing.

There are a few alternatives to this but you will see when in northern thailand everyone will be doing this one

lima

Another possibility is to get an overnight bus from Bangkok to Ventiane, and from there get a minibus to Vang Vieng - takes about 3-5hrs on the minibus but the road is grand (for Laos!)

PrettyBoy

Ha I was about to post this exact question! I'm flying into Bangkok, plan on staying there for 2-3 days and then heading to Laos to go tubing, just don't know how I'm going to get there!?

HankScorpio1985

If time isn't an issue then definitely take the slow boat. Yes the scenery gets a bit repititive but you meet so many people who are going the same direction. A few beers for the boat would be a good shout as well. If time is an issue I would avoid the north Thailand route and gop from Bangkok as above. The roads are terrible in north laos/north thhailand and if you take the speedboat it's supposed to be really dangerous.

conorfonz

Hi,

we are heading to Laos tubing from Bangkok in May. I was going to ask similar question. We want to get to the tubing ASAP to leave us more time in Thailand. We also dont want to pay an arm and a leg. I see to fly to Viventine it's around 7-8000 Batt which is alot. It is 1400Batt to fly to Chang Mai. How long would it take us to get to the tubing from Chanh Mai? Are there any trains going to it from Chang Mai? or are there any other airports that are close by and not too expensive?

Thanks

HankScorpio1985

conorfonz wrote: »

Hi,

we are heading to Laos tubing from Bangkok in May. I was going to ask similar question. We want to get to the tubing ASAP to leave us more time in Thailand. We also dont want to pay an arm and a leg. I see to fly to Viventine it's around 7-8000 Batt which is alot. It is 1400Batt to fly to Chang Mai. How long would it take us to get to the tubing from Chanh Mai? Are there any trains going to it from Chang Mai? or are there any other airports that are close by and not too expensive?

Thanks

If you are going to fly it is going to cost you a bit. Flying from Chiang Mai to Vientienne means you're kinda going back on yourself as well cos you'll still have to get a 6h bus to Viang Vieng. The best option for you might be to get a train/bus from Bangkok to the Laos border (Viang Chan I think) and on from there. It would probably be the cheapest and it will take 2 days at most. All the other options will take 2 as well.

whatsyourquota

Laos is an amazing country and its definately worth a proper visit. I dont see why people would travel all the way over there just to go tubing since it will be so many days travelling there and then back again and it will cost a fair bit too. Dont forget you are going to have to pay $35 dollars for a Laos visa and when you cross back into Thailand if you go back by land you will only get a 15 day visa instead of the 30 day one issued at airports.

beagle001

+1 why bother just going tubing in Laos.
So much more to see and a lot bette experiences than tubing,it gets old after a few days down the river.
These days vang vien isn't a patch on what it was 10 yrs ago when it first started.
Now it can be fun for a first time but more to Laos than a pissed up backpackers street.
Can fly airasia to udan Thani from Bk,tajexa bus to the border Vientiane.
Stop over there 1 night and make your way up to vang vien the next day.
Check out the very north of Lao by far the best scenery in Lao and it's real traveling.

Oranage2

Empsey wrote: »

Hi!

Heading to Thailand in the summer and really want to go tubing in Laos. Anybody know whats the best place to get there. We are flexible with travel arrangements. Planning on doing northern Thailand so could possibly get a flight from Bangkok to Laos and make our way over then. Any advice would be great

Like what the other guy said, you can just get the bus from bangkok to Vantienne then another bus to vang vien. you can get a 30 day visa at the border for 25 dollars if memery serves me right. you can also get a train to chang mai then a 3 day slow boat to luang prabang, shocking experience though a great way to make friends!

mac123

beagle001 wrote: »

it's real traveling.

How do you define real travelling?

beagle001

Real travelling= roughing it a bit,exploring the remote places off the beaten tourists traps,leaving your comfort zone and making an effort to see more of a country you are travelling through.

Lustrum

If you do happen to get up to Chiang Khong to cross the border into Laos, check out the gibbon experience there. It's at gibbonx.org (I think), an incredible 3 days in the jungle with local villagers as your guide, was €180 for the trek when I did it 2 years ago but one of the best things I've ever done

beagle001

Cheers for that link it looks awesome,think I will rent a bike in Vientiane and drive up to it with the missus,great cause as well.
Over in August and this is an experience I would love to checkout.