Everything you lot demand to know close the ho-hum boat to Lao People's Democratic Republic from Thailand.
Prices for the ho-hum boat to Lao People's Democratic Republic are direct hold been updated for Dec 2016. Subject to change.
So you’re looking to accept the ho-hum boat to Lao People's Democratic Republic from either Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai or Chiang Khong inwards Thailand as well as desire some tips on the best way to create it? Here is everything you lot demand to know before you lot board as well as in 1 trial you’re on the boat!
Can I mass the ho-hum boat to Lao People's Democratic Republic through an agency?
Yes, at that topographic point are many agencies that tin suit this for you lot inwards each place. Sometimes fifty-fifty your accommodation tin organise this for the same toll every bit an agency. Just inquire at your reception.
Chiang Rai – 1550 Baht ($47.50)
You larn picked upward from your Chiang Rai accommodation at 6:30-7am. There is a 2-hour ride to Chiang Khong, which is the closest town to the border, arriving at roughly 9am.
You as well as hence cross into Laos. Once you lot direct hold officially entered the province you lot hop on the shuttle as well as larn transferred to Huay Xai where the ho-hum boat leaves. This is a 2-day journey, including shuttle as well as ho-hum boat to Laos.
Chiang Mai – 1700 Baht ($52)
There are many agencies you lot tin mass this through inwards Chiang Mai. The typical schedule is 10:00am Pick upward from your Chiang Mai accommodation.
It is a 4-hour drive to Chiang Kong where the edge is located. You volition go transferred to your accommodation inwards Chiang Kong as well as remain at that topographic point for the residue of the day.
Pick upward inwards the morn at 8:30am as well as transfer to Thai Immigration. Cross into Lao People's Democratic Republic past times shuttle bus. At 10:00am board the ho-hum boat to Pakbeng.
Packages create include accommodation (either but inwards Chiang Khong, or sometimes Pakbeng every bit well), but depending on the toll volition determine your accommodation standards.
This is a one-day journeying inwards the shuttle to the edge town as well as ii days on the ho-hum boat to Luang Prabang.
Pai- 1750 Baht ($53.50)
Leave Pai at 2pm or 6pm, Fuel upward on the outskirts of Chiang Mai to choke along on towards Chiang Khong. The trip is long as well as you lot volition brand it inwards Chiang Khong roughly 1-2am.
This parcel does include all your carry as well as your 1 nighttime accommodation inwards Chiang Khong.
Don’t hold off anything fancy alongside the accommodation. In the morn they volition drib you lot at the edge roughly 9am. This is a one-day journeying inwards the shuttle from Pai to the edge town as well as ii days on the ho-hum boat to Laos.
If you’re going to go inwards this town, banking company jibe out our consummate guide on the best things to create inwards Pai.
Can I create this on my ain as well as non through an agency? And what are the costs?
Yes you lot can, but it mightiness non time period every bit prissy every bit an organised booking. Although it volition function out cheaper. You may direct hold to locomote to Chiang Khong 1 solar daytime as well as and hence create the edge crossing the adjacent solar daytime to go inwards fourth dimension alongside the ho-hum boat to Laos.
The data below is making the journeying from Chiang Rai
- Bus from Chiang Rai to the Border- 65 Baht ($2)
Get the autobus to Chiang Khong. Ask roughly at the autobus station as well as allow them know you lot are going to the Lao People's Democratic Republic border.
- Shuttle over the Friendship Bridge- 25 Baht ($0.75)
This is the couplet from Thailand to Laos. Foreigners tin no longer accept the ferry across.
- Visa on arrival- $30 US
- Shuttle from the edge to boat dock- roughly 30,000- 50,000 Kip ($3.50 – $6)
This toll is an approximate every bit nosotros asked diverse drivers but they didn’t seem to know what nosotros were asking. They all gave dissimilar prices but nosotros couldn’t determine whether nosotros were on the same page, every bit they assumed nosotros had everything pre-organised
- Slow boat organised from the edge – 1200 Baht/ 300,000 Kip ($37.50)
- Slow boat organised from the boat dock inwards Huay Xai – 900 Baht / 220,000 Kip ($27.50)
- Tuk tuk into Luang Prabang- 15,000-20,000 Kip ($1.80- $2.50)
We bartered as well as got it downwards to 15,000 kip per person. The tuk-tuk mafia volition tell you lot that you lot direct hold no alternative but to pre-purchase a ticket. We refused to as well as started walking. Eventually a driver offered to accept us for the cheaper price.Note – We direct hold since heard of some travellers who refused to larn off the boat exterior of Luang Prabang. They started an declaration alongside the boat captains, demanding they accept them the residue of the way, along alongside the locals. Eventually the boat men kicked everyone off the boat, LOCALS INCLUDED. For the sake of trying to salvage a few dollars, don’t create this.
I direct hold no the States cash for my visa payment, where create I larn some?
In Chiang Rai nosotros went to a large banking company close the clock tower. The smaller branches as well as telephone substitution centres create non direct hold unusual money. Look for the larger branches as well as banks. Chiang Mai at that topographic point a lot to a greater extent than options.
Where create I larn some Lao People's Democratic Republic Kip?
Before you lot have your visa as well as cross through customs gate at that topographic point is a currency telephone substitution counter. There is also 1 on the other side, but I would recommend exchanging your coin before you lot officially cross through. It volition go quicker because most people obtain their visas starting fourth dimension as well as hence bargain alongside the currency in 1 trial they larn into Laos. We institute the telephone substitution charge per unit of measurement to go marketplace toll as well as they didn’t accuse a fee.
What’s the larn alongside my ho-hum boat ticket?
If you lot are on a tour, they volition halt into the agencies as well as explicate what’s going on to you. We had to give our passport to the owner, as well as he explained that to larn the tickets you lot demand to exhibit your passport entry postage stamp as well as they volition write downwards your mention as well as passport number. He passes it on to the driver to larn the tickets alongside the coin to pay.
Laos is yet behind when it comes to applied scientific discipline as well as everything is done past times hand. So past times giving your passport to the driver, the procedure volition go faster alongside the same linguistic communication spoken as well as this is a daily routine for them. If you lot are a picayune hesitant close handing your passport over to a stranger (we were), you lot are to a greater extent than than welcome to larn alongside the driver as well as lookout adult man patch your ticket is beingness processed.
If you lot are flight solo but larn to the ticket box located upward from the H2O on the left when you lot are walking downwards to the boat dock.
How long volition the ho-hum boat to Luang Prabang take?
Two days all up. The starting fourth dimension solar daytime volition direct hold you lot on the H2O for upward to vii hours. You go out Huay Xai at 11am as well as brand it inwards Pakbeng roughly 6pm. You volition as well as hence pass the nighttime inwards Pakbeng inwards accommodation at your ain cost.
On the instant solar daytime it volition accept upward to 8 hours. You go out Pakbeng at 9:30am as well as brand it inwards Luang Prabang at 5:30pm.
On the instant solar daytime brand certain you lot larn to the boat at 8:30am or before to direct your seat. Otherwise you lot may terminate upward stuck inwards the engine room. These times all depend on the season, due to the changes inwards river height.
Is at that topographic point nutrient as well as drinks on board?
There is food, drinks as well as alcohol on the boat that you lot tin purchase, but it is double the toll compared to the principal land. I would recommend getting your nutrient as well as drinks before you lot board.
If you lot desire beer some mini marts at Huay Xai sell Styrofoam boxes as well as H2O ice to hold them cool. By purchasing everything before boarding it volition go cheaper as well as you lot volition direct hold a larger alternative to direct from.
On-Board as well as Land Prices (in Lao Kip)
ITEM | ON LAND | ON THE BOAT |
| Large Beerlao | 10’000 | 25’000 |
| Can of Beerlao | 8’000 | 15’000 |
| Coffee/Tea | 5’000 | 5’000 |
| Soft quaff (Coke/Sprite/etc) | 8’000 | 15’000 |
| Chips/crisps | 7’000 | 15’000 |
| Cup of noodles | 7’000 | 15’000 |
Where should I remain inwards Luang Prabang?
Luang Prabang has a whole lot of dissimilar options for hotels as well as hostels. It’s non the cheapest house inwards the country, but yet you lot tin hold off to discovery a room for roughly $10 a nighttime or less if you lot create some searching around. In the peak flavor it is non uncommon to walk roughly for hours trying to discovery something inwards your budget (which is precisely what nosotros did).
If you lot would rather exhibit upward inwards town alongside something already organised, we definitely recommend checking out the options on Agoda as well as Booking.com
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What are my other options if I don’t desire to accept the ho-hum boat to Laos?
Speedboats from Huay Xai
You tin larn to Pakbeng as well as Luang Prabang past times speedboat too. It leaves from a dissimilar pier every bit the ho-hum boat inwards Huay Xai, but if you lot direct hold booked through an means you lot volition go picked upward as well as taken there.
If you lot create decided to create it on your ain the boat cost (when full, vi people per boat) is 190,000 kip to Pakbeng as well as 320,000 kip to Luang Prabang. It is harder to organise at the pier, but if you lot direct hold a grouping of vi all ready, you lot are laughing.
It takes three hours to Pakbeng as well as three hours to Luang Prabang, alongside a long suspension betwixt places to direct hold tiffin as well as alter boats.
Be aware that if you lot pre-book the speed-boat inwards the off-season as well as hence it is non guaranteed to go operating the solar daytime you lot desire it to, despite what the locomote agent says.
If you lot larn to Huay Xai as well as are informed that it is non running, they volition offering you lot either the ho-hum boat or the bus, as well as refund you lot the divergence inwards price. This way is definitely the quickest way to larn from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang but non the safest.
The drivers habiliment helmets but (from what nosotros saw) the passengers didn’t, but I could go wrong. It doesn’t direct hold the best security tape as well as at that topographic point are many hazards when the river H2O degree is low. Unless you lot direct hold a expiry wishing reconsider as well as accept the ho-hum boat to Laos.
*****WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS OPTION*****
Bus from Huay Xai
This way is also a quicker way but a long route – 500km. There is a few autobus terminals inwards Huay Xai as well as it tin larn a picayune confusing.
There is a station northward (Kiew Lot Sai Nuan station), 1 due south (Naluang Station), as well as some other 1 where the minivans go out from which is also due south of town (Naluang Mini Bus Station).
Most tourists prefer the minivan. Songthaew drivers know which station has which buses or minivans hence but ask.
If this is the cast of carry you lot direct hold chosen as well as hence you lot volition demand to grab a songthaew out there, which may cost betwixt 15,000- 30,000 kip depending on how many people you lot have.
Don’t forget to barter, it doesn’t wound to try! You tin grab the normal autobus for roughly 120,000 kip or the VIP autobus for roughly 145,000 kip.
Don’t direct hold high expectations for the buses but because they direct hold the VIP mention tag. Definitely confirm if the autobus has air-conditioning or not.
There are multiple destinations, 3.5 hours to Luang Namtha, vii hours to Oudom Xay as well as a long 12 hours to Luang Prabang. Make certain you lot direct a adept mass or direct hold some adept music on your music player. You tin organise this on your ain or alongside an agency.
With an means it may cost roughly 1500 Baht, Leaving Chiang Mai at 10am as well as arriving inwards Luang Prabang at 5am, driving through the night.
Packages unremarkably include mini autobus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong, shuttle across the friendship couplet to Huay Xai, as well as the autobus from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang.
The buses are filled to capacity as well as sometimes more. The roads are yet nether structure hence inwards sections tin go real bumpy. If you lot larn displace sickness, don’t forget your tablets.
We yet mean value the ho-hum boat to Lao People's Democratic Republic from Thailand is the best way to go! What create you lot think?
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