Laos forum

True, bus travel in Laos is slow going - its 6-ish hours from Pakse to Savannahket for example. But I didn't find it particularly difficult or intimating - and I was travelling solo too. Some of the places you want to go are at opposite ends of the country - if you're starting in Luang Prabang and doing Plain of Jars then heading to Bolevan Plateau its a long way to double back to Vientiene. That a lot of ground to cover in 7 days - you need at least one travel day to get between the major towns. And from all reports the ride from Dien Bien Phu to LP is at least 24 hours... Not to put you off but you may want to narrow your geographical scope.

I agree that the bus rides are not something to scare you way - they were one of my favorite parts of a trip in Laos. The ride to Luang Prabang from Sam Neua is very beautiful and incredibly long (over 12 hours to get to Nong Kiaow when I was there in 2008). The bus was rammed full when I took the trip and there was no leg room or storage space, had to sit with my bag on my lap. Still I enjoyed it a lot.

I'd agree that narrowing the geographic scope is probably a good idea, as you sound excited to see Vietnam and Laos on this trip perhaps save Southern Laos for another time. That way you can break of the long bus ride and stay a little in either Sam Neua or Nong Kiaow before heading on to Luang Prabang.

From experience, the bus ride to Phonsavan was roughly 8 hours and the roads are a lot better than in more northern Laos. But still, by the time you get there you've basically spent a whole day on travel and will need one or two days more to explore the area. I should say that the scenery on this bus ride is nothing near the view you get on the way Sam Nuea.

I spent just under two weeks traveling around just northern Laos and I think you'll find plenty enough to do there without stretching yourself down to the south.

Okay, okay, you've convinced me. I'll stay in northern Laos then,
although those coffee plantations will continue to call my name.

Any suggestions on places in northern Laos that should not be missed?
Should I try to get to Pongsali since I will be up near Dien Bien Pu?
For now, however, it seems I would head to LP, out to Phonsavan, down to Vientiene.
Or I could do Sam Neua, Phonsavan, LP, Vientiene...granted there's a way to get from Dien Bien Pu to Sam Neua?

Thanks for your help thus far though. I'm this much closer now.

MADMAC

Oh yes, I feel like a doormat after the bus ride, but find it exhilarating if its a local bus, stuffed full of boxes of baby chicks and bags of everything. However, much of your talk on bike rides has inspired me to attempt that new form of travel down in the Bolaven Plateau this February.

CCella

You can cross at Sop Hun/Tay Trang if you are near Dien Bien Pu. Make sure to research that though as I've never done it myself. That'll put you close to Pongsali - and instead of going to Sam Neua you could instead stop at Nong Kiaow on your way down to LP. It is a very pretty quiet destination and not out of the way as Sam Neua is.

I'd say some local bus rides are a must on the Laos Experience checklist. Get on find a seat if possible, then the driver smokes a couple cigs while everyone buys inordinate amounts of food at the bus station stalls and shoves it down their throat (seriously these people seem to think it's their Last Supper). Then the driver starts the motor - yeah we're going. Ups he turns the motor off and smokes another cig then some guys show up with a bunch of motorbikes that get strapped down on the roof. Driver starts the motor again and after grinding the gears several times the bus rolls slowly at a walking pace out onto the road but stops numerous times to pick up last-minute riders. Finally after the aisle is full of produce and people perched on little plastic stools the bus gets out of town but stops for just about any reason, and at roadside markets the bus is invaded by aggressive people selling chicken feet, sticky rice and fried tweety birds. So the riders hoover up yet more food as the bus rolls on. Then the hills start and people beging puking (kids first then teeenagers, then mother and grandmothers). They take turns puking out the window in front of you such that of course half of it comes flinging back in your window and your face (I now bring extra plastic bags and pass them around). Then when you're several kms from the destination the bus stops on the edge of town so everyone can fertilise the bushes and smoke more cigs. Never mind the toilet facilities at Laos bus stations which seem to go virtually unused. Nope, Laos folks prefer to poo/pee in a desgnated nature stop before arrival. Always nice to watch a 3-generation family build a log cabin before journey's end.

If you don't mind some discomfort and are hoping for a roads-less-traveled kind of trip, then totally go for it. Just give yourself LOTS of time, have a flexible schedule, and bring some Gravol (dramamine).

Sometimes it's not about the destination but the journey, blah blah blah.

I agree wholeheartedly with Mac on this. I prefer to drive this journey in my pickup.

I do take the night bus from Mukdahan to Bangkok and back. But I hate it. And it's a lot nicer than the bus from Savankhet to Hue. A lot nicer. And it still sucks a lot.

CCella,
We decided to splurge on airfare for the trip to Luang Prabang, and after looking at the picture in that WSJ article of LPB from across the Mekong, I'm glad we did. Those mountains in the background? Those are the ones you have to drive over!
The downside, of course, is lack of flexibility; we're in on the 13th and back out on the 20th. We'll be staying at a GH in town the first four nights, then a couple of nights at the Mahout Lodge. We'll definitely want to see the falls and do some trekking.
Let me know if the PM is working . . .
Teddy