Let’s play cards!!! Viet Anh has just finished a 10-day self-guided tour of Laos, and now I am very excited to share the beautiful memories of my wandering trip along the Northern region of Laos.
Talking about Laos, I will compare the beauty of Laos to a mountain girl. That girl is innocent, with emerald green eyes, as beautiful as waterfalls in the deep forest. Her hair is long like the Mekong River from the North.
She hides her beauty behind the vast green forests, so she is still something mysterious, new, and attractive to those who love to explore. Gentle, simple, quiet, and peaceful are what Viet Anh can tell you about Laos.
Outside view of the bus from Dien Bien to Luang Prabang
Information about Vietnam – Luang Prabang buses (running in Hanoi) is not fixed, some buses run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, some buses run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, some buses run every day, so Viet Anh could not get the information, so he had to recommend that everyone should go to the Nuoc Ngam bus station to book a bus before the departure date.
For those who live far away, you can call in advance to book through the bus company VIETTRANS – Hotline: 093 254 1114 – Departing from Hanoi (there are two pick-up points: Hanoi Old Quarter and Nuoc Ngam bus station) passing through Nam Can border gate (Nghe An) and arriving in Luang Prabang.
Ticket price: from 900,000 – >1,000,000VND/way (depending on the time)
Note: you should book a bus ticket 2-3 days before the departure date at the Nuoc Ngam bus station (Hanoi)
Go to Luang Prabang from Ho Chi Minh
If you go from Ho Chi Minh, you can:
(1) fly to Hanoi to take a bus to Laos.
Or (2) take a bus to Kon Tum (Bo Y border gate) and catch a bus to Pakse – Vientiane and then continue to Luang Prabang.
Take a motorbike or private car through Luang Prabang
Bringing a motorbike to Laos is very simple, I have a friend who brought a motorbike to Laos, he shared that “you only need the owner’s papers and an international driving license” to bring the motorbike through. At the border gate, they don’t make it difficult, just pay the fee and you’re allowed to go through.
For motorbikes, you can take your regular driver’s license to the road department in the city where you live to exchange it, it will take about 7-10 days. I haven’t found out about car driving licenses yet.
Vietnam-Laos border gates you can go through:
Tay Trang border gate (Dien Bien) – Loong Sap border gate (Moc Chau) – Bo Y border gate (Kon Tum) – Nam Can border gate (Nghe An) – Cau Treo border gate (Ha Tinh) – Cha Leo border gate (Quang Binh) – Lao Bao border gate (Quang Tri) – Na Meo border gate (Thanh Hoa)
Note: Visas are usually accepted at all border gates. E-visas are only accepted at 3 border gates: Nam Can, Cau Treo, Bo Y!
