Laos forum

looks like flying from Bangkok to Changmai to Luang Prabang is going to be a cheaper option...anyone done this?

ok - does ANYONE know where/who/how I can buy a coupon?

presuming I need to go through a travel agent in Thailand/Laos/Cambidia?

We are going to fly:

1. Bangkok to Luang Prabang
2. Luang Prabang to Siem Reap
3. Siem Reap to Phnom Phen

does anyone have contact details for a reliable agenct who deals with the Discovery airpass?

Considered taking the overnight sleeper train from BKK to Nong Khai?
Then 5 minutes in a Tuk Tuk to the Friendship Bridge, and you'll be in Vientiene in no time.

Mattza,

Despite what Rufus says, overnight sleeper trains are typically are great way to get from one place to another. They save time (you are travelling while you would be sleeping anyway), and are a wonderful adventure in and of themselves.

Also, as Somtam says, there is no regularly scheduled boat service from Vientiane to LP, so I don't think the boat will be an option for you.

I have flown the BKK to Chiang Mai to LP route. It is a fine option. However, if you can afford it, I'd recommend looking into the direct flight from BKK to LP to save time and hassle. Discovery Airpass should be your best bet if you can work out those details. Cheers.

Hi mattza,

that's good news.

If possible can you post the details on the agent who sorted the Discovery Airpass out for you? We get a lot of questions about it, so the would be handy for future questions.

well, as I am in South Africa there was no agent in my country or continent for that matter!

I sent a mail to all their agents (BCC'ed them all in) and out of 6 offices that I sent to, 2 replied.

The German office assisted me, but they said that I should take this as a once off and that they will not do it much longer...I am sitting on the fence on this one, I dont want to dissapoint them or you guys but follow the above and I am sure you will get results!

Matt

I've always thought that getting there was half the fun, and that an overnight sleeper-train adventure was significantly more romantic than just another airplane ride.

I've also never thought that a trip across the Friendship bridge was a waste of time. For those of us who remember watching with excitement as the bridge was being constructed, it is still a thrill to cross the bridge over the Mekong into Laos. Plus, I've never spent any more time clearing customs and immigration at the bridge than I have flying to/from airports in Laos. Either way, that time is a fixed part of crossing any border.

My issue wasn't with the advice Rufus gave, since given mattza's time restraints and other needs I too thought that flying directly to LP was his best option. But I still liked it how LancasterLad chimed in with an alternative suggestion, and take exception to Rufus calling this a "very foolish" idea. It's not. The train is a great option, and I appreciate that Lad took the time to offer the possibility for mattza to consider.

It is clear that Rufus is very excited about living in Laos. That's great too. But my problem is that Rufus seems to think his opinions are the only valid ones, and tends to use aggressive language to oppose any suggestion that differs from his own. That's how bullys behave, and it is out of place here on Travelfish. I didn't appreciate Rufus' aggressive comments, and obviously Lad didn't either.

Rather than calling Lad's idea foolish, Rufus could have acknowledged the idea, but suggested that given the time constraints, mattza might be better off flying directly into Luang Prabang instead. That would actually add to the credibility of those comments, rather than undermine them, which is absolutely the case now. Regards.

And some posters are so concerned about having the last word that they resort to abusive tactics. The good manors I suggest aren't incidental. They've been central to this forum since its inception, and are a large part of why this website shines above many others. It is a community here, and we have always managed to treat each other as neighbors.

Rufus makes several excellent points, but there are other valid opinions as well. It is a shame that in his initial posting in this thread, he didn't choose to include this detail as clarification. But even then, there is no excuse for using language like "very foolish".

Rufus, your information and your opinions are good. But there is still room for other views as well. Plus, the loudmouth at the end of the bar doesn't get taken seriously, no matter how loudly he shouts. It doesn't cost anything extra to be polite to other posters. Are you really saying that you are unable or unwilling to be nice?