HOW TO TRAVEL FROM LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG?

HOW TO TRAVEL FROM LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG?

By sdvthuongmai   9:59 PM   No comments:

 Laos is well-known among tourists for its natural beauty. It is special to see the nature hasn’t been touched much by the hand of tourism (like many other developing countries). But due to the same reason, the transportation in Laos can be rough. Traveling from one place to another in Laos is a common question among visitors, especially from Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. So here we are, Guide to: How to travel from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng!

One thing many people might have noticed is that: there is no direct flight from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng. If you want to go to Vang Vieng via airplane, sadly you will have to fly from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Then, from Vientiane you have to take a bus to Vang Vieng. This might be a ‘viable option’ for those who wanted to go to Vientiane also. But for the others, this entire process is pricey and takes considerable time.

And so… despite liking it or not, we have to go by bus…

How to get ticket for bus?

From Luang Prabang, it is quite easy to purchase bus tickets since there are many bus services all over the place. In case you don’t want to search for the bus stations by yourself, you can simply ask your hotels instead.

There are 3 types of bus trips from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng: Mini bus, Express bus, and VIP bus. Costs might be varied depend on different sources (generally around 100.000 Kip or more). ‘Sounds good! Seems we have considerable options!’ That’s what we tend to think in the first time, but in reality, things can be just simplified like this: 2 choices – VIP bus or normal bus.

Frankly speaking, The VIP bus is similar to normal bus. The only differences are: the build-in toilet in VIP bus (which is said to not really function); an included bottle of water and meal ticket at bus stops for each people. AND, VIP bus only takes booked passengers (still, mostly foreign travelers), unlike normal bus in which you will see lots of passengers trying to cramp in… That said, still it is most recommended to take VIP bus to make things easier. For those who would like to experience the locals’ way of moving then welcome to normal bus.

If you’ve already booked the VIP bus ticket, a tuk-tuk will come to pick you up from your hotel to the bus station. On the other hand, you have to come there by your own if you book normal bus.

With all that information, now let’s start the trail!

How’s the ride?

If you ask other tourists who’ve came to Laos before, probably many will tell you that the ride is ‘tough’, or extremely ‘tough’. So why’s that? Thing is, there are two main problems when traveling from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng on bus:

Firstly, as we mentioned many parts in Laos don’t have decent transportation facilities. The road from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is full of bumpy sections, twisted paths, and potholes. Though the drivers seem to be pretty skillful in these kinds of road, some of us may still feel anxious and worry about the safety.

Second, this is the results from the first problem. The bumpy roads often lead to ‘puking’. Due to this reason, some seasoned tourists may advice you to get pills before get going. Sadly, not all people can withstand the puking pressure, especially on normal buses. On VIP buses, things are better since only booked passengers can get in.

In case of normal buses there is a third problem: cramping. The locals often take normal buses, and they can just try to get in the bus even if it’s full.

‘So… this entire trip from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is always this bad?’. No, it’s not. As harsh as it may sound, what you can see and experience along the way is simply breathtaking. The spectacular natural beauty of Laos can help you forget all the hardship. After all, it is one of the main attractions of Laos. The only note is that we need to shape our expectation. Laos is a developing country, there is no surprise that the facilities here are limited. By tuning our expectation down a bit with a decent preparation, the trip from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng can be pleasant.

And one more good news: Until now, there has been many services establised to support tourism. As the results, there are good bus services and if you’re lucky, you entire ‘hellish’ ride can be a ‘heavenly’

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HOW TO GET TO THE 4000 ISLANDS (SI PHAN DON)

HOW TO GET TO THE 4000 ISLANDS (SI PHAN DON)

By sdvthuongmai   9:58 PM   No comments:

 It is impossible to get to 4000 Islands from Pakse which is easily accessible by bus from other parts of the country as well as from Thailand.

Upon arrival in Pakse, you could transfer to the small town of Muong Khong Town (island of Don Khong) or to Ban Nakasong Town (entrance town to Don Det and Don Khon islands).

There are 2 Ways to Get from Pakse to the 4000 Islands

Tourist Bus: From Pakse, tourist bus runs in the morning (around 8 or 9 am) to Don Khong and Don Det with the cost of around 60,000 Kip ($7.49). The ticket includes a bus and boat combination.

Local Transportation: You could also take the local transportation (pickup truck) if you want the more local adventurous route or if you could not depart in the morning. The pickup truck will take you to either Muong Khong Town or Ban Nakasong Town. It takes about 3 hours and costs 35,000 Kip ($4.37). After reaching Ban Nakasong, you need to hire a boat with the cost of 15,000 Kip ($1.87) to get to Don Det island.

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WAT PHOU – THE WORLD HERITAGE TEMPLE IN CHAMPASAK, LAOS

WAT PHOU – THE WORLD HERITAGE TEMPLE IN CHAMPASAK, LAOS

By sdvthuongmai   9:41 PM   No comments:

 Wat Phou, also called Vat Phou or Wat Phu, is a famous and sacred temple in Laos. The relic in fact is a complex of many ancient temples, shrines, and museum, bearing the elites of Khmer Civilization. With its unique in architecture, the complex was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in the year 2001.

History of Wat Phou Temple

The complex of religious monuments is situated on the sides of the Mekong River, between a small stream and Phou Kao Mountain, with a geometric shape harmony with the natural landscapes. The temple is a pre – Angkorian relic expressing the Hindu fusion between human and nature, represent the art in hey days of the Khmer Civilization in Laos during a long period from 5th to 15th centuries.

The structure of Wat Phou 

The Vat Phou Laos was constructed on an extension of 1.5km, with a height of 100m. From atop of the highest one, visitors can see the whole complex, reminiscent the image of Angkor Vat in Cambodia.

The site can be divided into 5 parts, including the main complex, the terraces, the shrines, the museum, and the Hindu relics.

Wat Phou – the Angkor in Pakse

Reaching the grounds of the complex, visitors will see the museum at the same place where the box office is situated. The structure is a relatively modern and small museum, where displaying religious sculptures, engravings, and Wat Phou archaeological relics.

The main complex

The Wat Phou complex is without a doubt is the most impressive part of Champasak. Right next to the entrance is an artificial lake, representing the ocean and leading to a road marked by two rows of stone posts and boutique engravings. The road ends at the foot of Phou Kao Mount, where travelers can climb and reach the top of the complex.

At the middle area, visitors will find 2 rectangular buildings and a courtyard. These two structures is believed to be constructed to accommodate men and women separately.

The terraces

Across the stone posts, visitors can follow the stairs leading to the terraces. These terraces are formed by elongated in different layers, which have been flanked by structures on their both sides. The only ruin remain is the sandstone of the goddess Shiva, which dates back to the 11th century.

The shrine

Passed the terraces, travelers will see a small structure with 3 doors which is the sacred shrine of Wat Phou. There is a small Buddha image standing at the central door, where local people keep visiting to pray for luck.

The Hindu remains

Besides Buddhist buildings, travelers can find some more modern structures which bear the Hindu designs in the north of the complex. They are beautiful stone carvings in the shapes of elephants, snakes, and crocodiles… dating back to the 13th century.

Discovering the mysteries of Wat Phou in Champasak is truly one of top things to do in Laos.

More information:

Opening hours: Every day from 08:00 to 18:00. Only the museum closes at 16:30

Entrance fee: Approximate 4.5 USD (35000 Laotian Kip) per person

Location: Pakse, the capital of Champasak, Laos

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GUIDE TO: HOW TO TRAVEL TO LAOS FROM THAILAND?

GUIDE TO: HOW TO TRAVEL TO LAOS FROM THAILAND?

By sdvthuongmai   9:55 PM   No comments:

 Traveling between Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos is pretty common among seasoned travelers. But for those who’ve just the beginners of of this new long journey, preparation is necessary. And one important part of the preparation phase is consider: how to travel between these countries? If you get to Thailand first, the more detail question is: ‘how to travel from Thailand to Laos?’. So here we are, guide to: How to travel to Laos from Thailand?

But before we go into the details, let’s take a short look at how Laos Visa works? Or Laos Visa on arrival in particular.

Visa on Arrival Laos

Just like in our ‘guide to: how to obtain Visa to Laos?’, mostly we come to Laos with Visa on arrival. Thanksfully, getting Visa to Laos is quite easy. Places to get Visa on arrival are: international border crossings, Luang Prabang and Vientiane’s International Airports, and Friendship Bridge between Vientiane, Laos and Nong Khai, Thailand.

Visa on arrival to Laos has validity within 30 days, other countries can have different allowed times. To get the Visa, people have to pay fee. However with countries on Visa exemption list, Visa won’t be necessary (so if you have Thailand passport then… hurray!).

The Visa on arrival process is pretty quick so there is not much to worry about. But for more details on Visa on arrival to Laos, take a look at Guide to: How to Obtain Visa to Laos?

With that done, let’s get on with our main topic!

Travel via Air

It is quite curious that there are two ways to travel to Laos from Thailand with airplanes. The first way is conventional way: from Bangkok International Airport to Vientiene, Luang Prabang, or Pakse. As always, the air trip is convenient, fast, and pleasant in exchange for the high price around 205 $USD.

This price can be unnerving. But if you still want to take flight to Laos from Thailand then we still have a second way: Flying from Bangkok to Udon Thani, then cross the Friendship Bridge. There are many flights from Bangkok to Udon Thani. You can book one-ticket with the total cost of 35 $USD, including taxes and luggage. As you arrive at Udon Thani Airport, you can take a bus to Vientiene with about 3 $USD. Vientiene is approximately 17 kilometers away from Friendship Bridge, so it only takes 40-minute bus ride.

Travel via Train

With the international railway from Bangkok to Vientiene opened since 2009, it has become more convenient to travel to Laos from Thailand via train.

The over-night train ride will take you about 12 hours, start from 8:30 PM to the next morning. From Hualamphong Railway Station, we will stop at Nong Khai Train Station in the next morning. From here, we just need to travel via shuttle train to Thanaleng Train Station in Laos for 15 minutes. Finally, we catch a van to Vientiene which takes about 30 minutes.

For those who wonders about train classes, here we have: 1st Class Sleeper (38 $USD), 2nd Class Sleeper with air-conditioner (23$ USD), 2nd Class Sleeper with fan (16$ USD). You can choose from upper bed or lower bed (though the price will differ). Of course there are common class with seats only, however, it is mostly recommended to book 1st or 2nd class. The entire trip from Nong Khai Train Station to Vientiene is cheap in total of 5 $USD (including van and shuttle train).

The train trip is quite pleasant. The train car is quite clean and nicely arranged, also each bed has curtain to ensure tourists’ privacy. The trail is not rough so you can have a decent sleep at night.

Travel via Bus

There are many border crossings between Thailand and Laos, however, mostly people choose to go via Friendship Bridge to Vientiene. That said, you can go to Laos via other locations like Chiang Khong (Northern Thailand) or Ubon Ratchanthani. Buses regularly travel between these parts so you can easily catch a bus to Laos.

The price range is often between 2 to 3 $USD. Depend on the weathers, the road can be rough or smooth but overall, your bus trip will not be that rough like in Laos.

* One note: Some visitors reported that sometimes there’s tuk-tuk scamming, which involves in claming that they can give you a fake visa for about 80 $USD. Though not sure how accurate or how things turn out recently.

Travel via Boat

Out of the four options, this one can be the best experience for those who prefer adventurous trip.

The trip starts from Chiang Khong, where travelers go to Laos from Thailand via Mekong River route to Luang Prabang. Commonly the trip will take about 2-3 days, in which people spend to time to visit town and other location like Pak Ou Cave. There are lots of transportation options for tourists, from common boats to luxurious cruises. Average cost for a boat is around 30 – 40 $USD, depends on boat’s quality. On the other hand, luxurious cruises can take quite the money, about 120 – 130 $USD.

While cruises are pretty good, it is not really that recommended to book a cruise ticket. Especially when you want to focus on travel to Laos from Thailand. Or, you just want to have decent boat trip experience, then cruises are not really that necessary. That said, feeling the atmosphere and sights of Mekong River from cruises is a fantastic experience.

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BEST PLACES FOR SHOPPING IN LUANG PRABANG

BEST PLACES FOR SHOPPING IN LUANG PRABANG

By sdvthuongmai   9:53 PM   No comments:

 Night Market

Luang Prabang’s night market is the place for visitors to Laos spend the quality night for shopping, eating at the small stalls or watching extensive collections of the national handicrafts. The night market is located right along the Sisavangvong Road, beginning from the Wat Mai Temple and ending at the town centre – Settathilat Road. Every night from 5 p.m the street is closed off to the heavy traffic and turned into a walking street for shopping. 

There are more than 300 different products in which most of them are hand-made by the vendors themselves. A wide range of products including textiles, ceramics, antiques, painting, shoes, clothes, bags, jewelry, quilts, coffee and tea and even rare spices are put on display in the market. In addition, the selling products here are also cheap with acceptable quality. 

Most of the vendors come from minor ethnic communities so when you shop here, you are not only buying for yourselves but you can also be proud that you are helping the traders to earn a living and get out of poverty. Food and drinks are always available. If you want to grab a bite at the night market, you can find a small stall selling noodle stuck away in a small lane or a street stall offering BBQ chicken with sticky rice and nearby are the cafes serving drinks and Beer Lao.

There are more than 300 different products in which most of them are hand-made by the vendors themselves. A wide range of products including textiles, ceramics, antiques, painting, shoes, clothes, bags, jewelry, quilts, coffee and tea and even rare spices are put on display in the market. In addition, the selling products here are also cheap with acceptable quality. 

Most of the vendors come from minor ethnic communities so when you shop here, you are not only buying for yourselves but you can also be proud that you are helping the traders to earn a living and get out of poverty. Food and drinks are always available. If you want to grab a bite at the night market, you can find a small stall selling noodle stuck away in a small lane or a street stall offering BBQ chicken with sticky rice and nearby are the cafes serving drinks and Beer Lao.

• Location: Sisavangvong Road, Luang Prabang, Laos.

• Opening hours: 5 p.m – 11 p.m (the road is often crowded after 8 p.m)

Morning Market

Morning market will be totally different from what you can see in the evening at night market. In the morning market, tourists will be driven off from the city’s lights, colorful paintings, antiques and souvenirs and indulge in the life of a real local. Morning market is not the place to shop for souvenirs for family and friends, rather than that, it is the place to buy ingredients for everyday meals which selling from rice, vegetables, fruits to fish and even frogs, grilled insects, anything which is the catch of the day.

You might need to note down that you should go early to see the bustle of the people and the diversity of products. And here, you can only use cash to pay.

• Location: Ban Pakham Road, Luang Prabang, Laos or Photisalath Road, south of Phou Vao Road

• Opening hours: 5:30 a.m – 4 p.m

Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre

Ock Pop Tok means “The East meets the West” in English and it is a store which sales a lot of products relate to textiles such as bags and scarves. The products are hand-woven by the local women. Therefore, the Ock Pop Tok Living crafts centre help to promote fair trade and encourage the women of minor ethnic groups and Laotian women through their handicraft products and progression in their artistic skill.

• Location: Ban Vat Sene, Sakkarine Road, Luang Prabang, Laos.

• Opening hours: 8 a.m – 9 p.m

L’Etranger Books and Tea

The bookstore is situated right next to the Nam Khan River. This is a two-storied wooden bookstore comprise with a café. The books here are in a wide range of languages and subjects including arts, culture, travel, novels from Luang Prabang and South East Asia. The upper level, which is a café, offers beverages with a variety of fruit juice and tea with a simple setting. There is also a movie show in the evening around 7 p.m, hence, early come gets a more comfortable seat.

• Location: Phousi Road, Luang Prabang, Laos.

• Opening hours: 7 a.m – 10 p.m (Monday to Saturday), 10 a.m – 10 p.m (on Sunday)

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WAT SENE TEMPLE – RENOWNED ATTRACTION IN LUANG PRABANG

WAT SENE TEMPLE – RENOWNED ATTRACTION IN LUANG PRABANG

By sdvthuongmai   9:48 PM   No comments:

 Discovering the old town of Luang Prabang is considered one of the most interesting things to do in Laos. The city is an ancient town which is a cluster of about 33 Buddhist temples and many old structures. Thanks to its ancientness and historical values, the city has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mentioning famous temples in Luang Prabang, Wat Sene is a prominence which is known as the oldest temple in the town, maintaining a lot of unique structures.

History of Wat Sene

Wat Sene Souk Haram, also called Wat Sen is a Buddhist temple located in the heart of the ancient town. It is famous for the name “Temple of a 100,000 treasures” and its ancientness. The Wat Sene Temple was constructed in 1718 under the mandate of King Kitsarath with 100,000 stones from the Mekong River. The name has been dubbed from then. Wat Sene was once restored in the year 1957 commemorating the Buddha’s birthday dating back to 2500 years ago. Now, the temple was named as one of the best places to visit in Luang Prabang.

Explore the oldest Wat Sene Temple in a Luang Prabang travel

Wat Sene was built up of a temple, a stupa, many koutis, a pirogue shelter, and a drum tower. This is the first monastery in the town whose vihan was covered with golden and red tiles, following the modern style of the Thai.

The façade and doors of the temple are heavily gilded and every detail of the walls and columns is covered with stenciled balusters. Wat Sene is truly a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture with the harmony of human-made structures and natural landscapes in a complex.

Together with Wat Xieng Thong, Pha That Luang, and Wat Sisaket, The renowned Wat Sene Souk Haram is truly a pride of Buddhists in the country, as well as a should-not-missed attraction in a Laos travel.

More information:

Location: in the central of Luang Prabang ancient town, Laos

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