Laos forum

Transport - Vientiane / Vang Vieng / Luang Prabang

ruthmoore

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I am seeking safe and reputable transport options travelling 29 Dec 2007 Vientiane /Vang Vieng and overnight x 1 night in VV and 30 Dec 2007 VV to Luang Prabang. I have heard there are buses or happy to share cost of hiring private car / driver. Welcome advice.

#1 Posted: 18/11/2007 - 13:23
exacto

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There is regular bus service from Vientiane to Vang Vieng and then onward to Luang Prabang. Check with your guest house or any travel agent once you arrive in Vientiane for options, departure times and prices.

If you wind up taking the bus, I'd recommend taking the VIP bus, particularly for the Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang portion of the trip.

#2 Posted: 18/11/2007 - 20:36
dmondaye

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Appreciate that this is being posted waaaaaaaaaaaaay after the original post but I found that the slower, local blue bus from LP to VV far more of an adventure and half the cost - stopping at loads of lovely villages along the way. Much more comfortable and safer too as the VIP bus drivers go at suicidal speeds around those blind corners just to deliver you green with motion sickness 2 hours earlier than the local bus.

Just get a tuktuk to the bus station for a few kip and grab some brekkie from there as the food stalls are pretty reasonable and enjoy the trip!

#3 Posted: 1/5/2008 - 22:29
EdSue

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We plan to travel from Vientiane to Luang Prabang by bus in Feb 2011 but we are not sure whether this is worth it. We understand it is a long journey - quite prepared for this - but have read that it is probably best to take the night bus. This seems to rather defeat the object if you don't get to see the country at the same time and we might as well splash out and fly the route. What are the roads like? This is a question from someone with vertigo so I feel I might be closing my eyes a lot anyway?? Any recent travellers advise?

#4 Posted: 25/8/2010 - 21:14
exacto

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I'll bet you bus fare that some of the regular contributors like Somtam and Rufus will recommend flying over the bus, particularly if you don't plan to stopover in Vang Vieng along the way. The first bit from Vientiane to V.V. is relatively flat, but after that you'll definitely be going through twisty-turny roads in the mountains. Just how bad is that vertigo?

Here's my trip report too on taking a long-distance bus from Savannakhet to Pakse in southern Laos. It isn't exactly the same, but might sum up what you can look forward to: http://www.travelfish.org/board/post/tripreports/10314_trip-report--the-bus-to-pakse

Personally, I very much enjoyed the bus trip I took in 2006 from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, but it was quite a bit of work too. Flying isn't exactly charmless either, as the views from up there are spectacular. Let us know what you decide and how it turned out. Cheers.

#5 Posted: 26/8/2010 - 00:08
Rufus

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Exacto is right. I have done the bus trip and I have driven the route, but I seriously prefer to fly. As Exacto says, Vte to VV is fine, but from there on it is very windy. A lot of people get sick on the bus. You can see a fair bit on the flight.
If you do decide to take the bus, go by day as you are correct. The evening bus totally defeats the purpose.

#6 Posted: 26/8/2010 - 10:27