Laos forum

Southern Laos adventure - check itinerary please

kiwigirl

longtail driver
Posts: 7

Hi,

I have never been to Laos before but have always been facinated by it and heard only great stories. Now I have the chance to visit thanks to a special Jetstar deal flying from NZ via Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City.

I know these sorts of Q's are nobodys fav's but I would really appreciate any feedback on a base itinerary I am working on for my 17 day southern Laos adventure. There may be glearingly obvious flaws that only the great poeple that monitor this board can point out to me. Travel dates are late May to early June 07.

Tues 22nd – Fly HCMC to PP then onto Pakse (Vietnam and Lao airlines)

Wed 23rd - Pakse

Thurs 24 – Pakse to Ban Nakasang on Mini-bus from bus station km8 south (3 hours) then long tail boat to (khone Island) Don Khon (stay Saraphae)

Friday 25 – Don Khon (stay Saraphae)

Sat 26 – Don Khon (stay Saraphae)

Sun 27 - Travel to King fisher eco lodge in Ban Khiatngong (on road to Attapeu)

Mon 28 – stay King fisher eco lodge

Tues 29 – travel to Attapeu (hire car as bus is long and slow)

Wed 30 – Attapeu (trek to local village)

Thurs 31 Attapeu (trek to local village)

Fri 1 Travel back west (may need to hire car as bus too slow) Visit Wat Phu and stay Champasak

Sat 2 Champasak to Pakse to Tad fane (38km east of Pakse)

Sun 3 stay at Tad Fane

Mon 4 stay at Tad Fane

Tues 5 – Tad Fane to Pakse to Savannahkhet

wed 6 - Savannahkhet

Thurs 7 Exit Laos - Savannahket via Lao Bao to Hue (Vietnam)

Any ideas/omissions/impossibilities??

I have been researching a wee while and found this site and this m board to be the most fantastic resource available - thankyou.

Thanks very much for your time - much appreciated.

Kiwigirl

#1 Posted: 14/10/2006 - 15:56
somtam2000

admin
mahout
Posts: 5884
Located in:

Private message

Hi kiwigirl,

Welcome to Travelfish! glad you're finding it useful.

First, if you haven't already, take a look in the trip planning section which has some sample trips in it.

My main comment would be the following:
The road from Ban Khiatngong to Attapeu is a SHOCKER! I did it by motorbike a year or so back and at that time there was NO WAY it could have been done by car -- of course the road may have improved dramatically... perhaps ask the mob at the eco lodge.

You can read a story from our trip here It took us 11 hours by motorbike and I almost drowned fording a river along the way!

So, assuming you can't go that way, I;d suggest rearranging your route and going this way (starting from Mon 28):

Ban Khiatngong -> Wat Phu/Champask -> Pakse -> Tad Fane -> Attapeu for the trekking, then backtrack from Attapeu to Pakse (via Sekong) then north to Savannakhet

Hope that helps!

#2 Posted: 15/10/2006 - 19:48

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kiwigirl

longtail driver
Posts: 7

Thanks so much - yes - that helps heaps!!

Your story was very interersting indeed. Glad you lived to tell the tale.

Many thanks for your time.

Cheers for now,

Kiwigirl

#3 Posted: 20/10/2006 - 05:13