Southeast Asia forum

Itinerary Thailand - Laos - North Vietnam - Help needed with Dien Bien Phu

Lawoat

tourist
Posts: 59

Hi All,

In 7 weeks time I will go to SEA again. Below you can find the details of my itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive in Bangkok and take the train straight to Ayutthaya

Day 2: Ayutthaya sightseeing + take the overnight sleeper to Nong Khai

Day 3 - Day 9: Vientiane - VV -LP

Day 10: LP - Muang Khoua

Day 11: Muang Khoua - Dien Bien Phu

Day 12: Dien Bien Phu - Sapa

Afterwards we are heading to Hanoi, Halong Bay and back to
Bangkok to go home.

I am just wondering if anyone has recently used the Dien Bien Phu crossing to enter Vietnam and how easy it is to get to Dien Bien Phu from LP and to travel from DBP to Sapa. Any up to date info is welcome!

Cheers

Lawoat

#1 Posted: 23/8/2010 - 23:12
wanderingcat

som tam seller
Posts: 673
Private message

latest on Muang Khua-DBP road - see reply #7 here: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1879039

& this: http://johnnyvagabond.com/crazy-stories/welcome-to-laos/

LPB-Oudomxay = 5h bus
Oudomxay-Muang Khua = 3+h bus
if you want to make it within a day, get the first (morning) bus out of LPB.

Muang Khua-DBP = one bus per day, details somewhere here
if you want space on the bus, get up early before dawn (the bus will be parked on the opposite bank of the Nam Ou river from Muang Khua).

#2 Posted: 23/8/2010 - 23:44

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Laos transport timetables
Lawoat

tourist
Posts: 59

Thanks for the info really appreciated...You think its feasible taking this road in the middle of October...end of rain season if I am not mistaken?

Thanks again

If anyone has info on the second part going from Dien Bien Phu to Sapa...feel free to post it here

#3 Posted: 24/8/2010 - 00:05
wanderingcat

som tam seller
Posts: 673
Private message

hmm...does anyone know for sure how much rain there will be along that road between now & October, or when exactly the rainy season will end this year?

what is know for sure:
1. even during the dry season, the bus has to negotiate a few stream crossings (no bridges) between Muang Khua & Tay Trang.

2. construction work along the Muang Khua-Tay Trang road will continue for a few years at least. such projects in Laos progress in a 'two steps forward during the dry season, one step back during the rainy season' cycle. the Huay Xai-Luang Namtha road took more than 10 years to pave.

also see:
http://www.travelfish.org/board/post/laos/10982_land-border-crossing-from-northern-laos-to-northern-vietnam
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1920137
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1910212

#4 Posted: 24/8/2010 - 09:22

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Laos transport timetables
wanderingcat

som tam seller
Posts: 673
Private message

one more recent report:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1952150

#5 Posted: 24/8/2010 - 12:08

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Laos transport timetables
johnnyvagab-
ond

newbie
Posts: 4
Located in:

Here's my account of the ride from Sapa to DBP a couple of weeks ago. The ride wasn't comfortable, but was considerably better than the DBP run into Laos.

http://johnnyvagabond.com/crazy-stories/hell-muddy-road/

#6 Posted: 24/8/2010 - 13:11

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Johnny Vagabond - Traveling Cheap, Taking Pics, and Telling Lies
Lawoat

tourist
Posts: 59

Thanks Johny, loved your website...is been added in my favourites...Safe travels

#7 Posted: 25/8/2010 - 17:57
eastwest

som tam seller
Posts: 699
Private message

I don't know if this will ad to the topic but about a year ago I have been to DBP with a friend of mine on two motorbikes from Hanoi. Before I had been in Sapa and we didn't need to see it for a second time.

Now my personal opinion is that DBP and surrounding areas are as nice as Sapa. We spent 3 full days around DBP wihtout a tourist in sight and loads of minority people in the area. Sapa although beautiful and colorful can get a bit crowded with tourists depending on season of course.
So you could consider to spend some more time around DBP and skip Sapa. Just a thought.

I must admit that my friend is fluent in Vietnamese and that added hugely to the great experience. Both for directions (I never had any clue about where we were) and direct communication with the locals.

#8 Posted: 25/8/2010 - 18:29