To get from Vientiane, Laos to Udon Thani, Thailand there are a couple of options – the direct bus to Udon city centre and secondly a public bus to the bridge then a mini-van to Udon Thani airport. Picture from globaltravelmate.com The Direct Bus This is a service that will take you into Udon City…
If you are interested in Vientiane and Laos and want an insight into Lao life this is an excellent option. Written by an American working for the National Tourism office, Brett Dakin records his insights from living and working in Laos in 1998 for 2 years. The style is light and readable but still manages…
If you are heading to Bangkok from Vientiane then it is worth considering the overnight train. Given that a 1st class fare costs just under USD $40 and 2nd class about $25 it is very economical. The train leaves Nong Khai, across the Thai Border at 18:20 and is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok at…
There are many hotels to choose from in Luang Prabang. Here are 5 in all price ranges and why they are worth staying at View Luang Prabang Hotels/Guesthouses in a larger map Sopha House – quiet and close http://www.sophahouse.com/ 52 Ban Watsene Luangprabang Laos Doubles start from $15/$20 per night (Low season/ High…
Note: Updated Exchange rates info April 2022 The Vientiane airport is less than 10 minutes from the centre of the city. The 2 main ways to get there are via taxi or tuk tuk At both the international and domestic terminals there is a taxi counter. Here you prepay your journey and are assigned a…
The journey into town takes about 20 -30 minutes depending on traffic etc. If you want to see your journey Hobomaps have good maps of Vientiane. http://hobomaps.com/VientianeRegionMap.html This worth checking out. Starting from the bottom left map (ref LT309 ) is the train station in Nong Khai from where you need to tuk-tuk to the…
Silk and other textiles are a very good buy in Vientiane. Work from other parts of the country are also available here. For small items – purses, simple scarves, the best place to buy is the morning market. The prices are lower than the established shops in the shopping areas. Bargaining is expected, but don’t…
Downtown Vientiane has a wide range of dining options from budget to expensive, from local Lao to French. Having a steady expat population means that restaurants need to have a good quality to keep them coming back and this is a very good thing. View Vientiane Dining in a larger map Lao Food Best of…
A visit to Vientiane is a slow down in pace. A quiet capital, Vientiane rewards the visitor who slows down and just enjoys what is going on around them. There are a number of places to visit, but equally important is sitting and watching the locals go about their business. You can print a PDF…