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Visas and border crossings forum
| Author | Message |
| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village   |
#1 Posted: 2/4/2006 - 14:14 Below is a summary of visa regulations and border crossing information for Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. If you have updated information on a crossing, please add the information to this thread. PLEASE do not ask questions in this thread, rather ask your question as a new thread. Shortcuts
Cambodian visa types and rules CambodiaPopular visa types: Tourist and Business Extensions Validity issues LaosPopular visa types: Tourist Visa on arrival is reliably available at most overland crossings between Thailand and Laos, including the Huay Xai, Vientiane, Savannakhet, Tha Khaek and Chong Mek entry points. It is also available at both Vientiane and Luang Prabang airports (US$30 - cash only, one passport photo). Visa on arrival is not available at the Paksan crossing. Nor is it available at the Cambodia crossing. If you get your visa beforehand from a Lao embassy it should be valid for 30 days. ALL visas on arrival are now valid for 30 days. Be wary of being stamped in for 15 days on a 30 day visa. Extensions Validity issues ThailandThailand has a multitude of visa options and requirements -- you're best off going to the horse's mouth at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the full spiel. IMPORTANT As of early December 2008, Thailand's visa-free-entry rules have changed -- effective immediately. If you're entering Thailand for tourism purposes and you're from one of the following 40 countries, you're eligible for a free 30-day stay in Thailand -- if you arrive by air. If you arrive by an overland crossing you will be granted only 15 days. You can leave Thailand and re-enter Thailand to get another 30 days for a total duration of 90 days within 6 months (assumming each time you arrive is by air). This means, for example, if you're planning a trip to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, which involves four stays in Thailand of ten days each, you DO NOT NEED to get a visa in advance. However if one of the stays is longer than 15 days, and you're arriving by land, you will need a tourist visa. If you're planning on more than 90 days in Thailand though, you will need to look into getting a proper Tourist visa at a Thai consulate or embassy. If you're travelling on a Malay passport, you're still eligible for the 30-day visa free entry if you arrive by land.The fourty countries are: VietnamPopular visa types: Tourist The cost of a Vietnamese visa varies tremendously depending on where you apply -- a Vietnamese tourist visa costs A$70 in Sydney, Australia, but just US$25 in Jakarta, Indonesia and US$30 in Bangkok, Thailand. If you have the time, get your Vietnamese visa from a Vietnmese embassy somewhere in Asia. Pauljaymes reports: Vietnam visas can be issued valid for set dates up to 30 days apart -- you specify this on the application form -- I currently have a post-dated visa issued at the consulate in Sihanoukville (cost $33). A regular 30 day single entry visa for Vietnam costs £38 (and £55 for the express service), when arranged through the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK. You can see some brief information on Vietnam's border crossings by following the link to border crossings at the Vietnam Tourism official site. Extensions Border crossing detailsThis section is oft liable to change -- please use is solely as a general guide -- if you have an update, please make a report in this thread. Thailand / LaosChiang Khong - Huay Xai Thai Li - Nam Hueng Nong Khai / Vientiane Mukdahan / Savannakhet Nakhon Phanom / Tha Khaek Chong Mek / Vang Tao Bueng Kan / Paksan Ban Huay Kon / Muang Ngoen Thailand / CambodiaAranyaprathet / Poipet Hat Lek / Ko Kong Chong Jom / O Smach Chong Sa Ngam / Anlong Veng Ban Pakard. Chantaburi / Phsa Prum, Pailin Ban Laem, Chantaburi / Daun Lem, Battambang Thailand / MalaysiaThere are at least seven border crossings between Thailand and Malaysia which are open to foreigners. Running east to west they are: Ban Ta Ba (actually at the border village Ban Ta Ba), Sungai Kolok, Betong, Sadao, Pedang Besar, Wang Prajan and Kuala Perlis. The four most popular crossings are the boat crossing at Kuala Perlis, Pedang Besar, Sadao and Sungai Kolok. The border crossings at Sadao and Pedang Besar and open 24 hours, the others, daylight hours only. Ban Ta Ba / Pengkalan Kulor Sungai Kolok / Rantau Panjang Betong Sadao / Changlun Pedang Besar Wang Prajan Kuala Perlis Laos / CambodiaVeun Kham/ Dom Kralor Laos / VietnamNa Maew / Nam Xoi Nam Phao / Cau Treo PaulJaymes reports from 4th August, 2006: Vietnam border guards were very thorough with my passport and I nearly didn't get in. Transport is challenging but cross-border traders hanging around the bus station in Lak Sao will run you into Vietnam after filling up the rest of the bus with a lot of random cargo. Agree a price first but don't hand over any money until you're sure you're in Vinh or Hanoi (or wherever you're supposed to be going). Dansavanh / Lao Bao NamCan / Nam Khan Bo Y This entry point makes the most sense if you are winding up your Laos visit in the southeastern provinces of Salavan, Sekong and Attapeu, and you don't fancy making the ridiculously circuitous trip to the Lao Bao border via Savannakhet. You can also get to Attapeu from Pakse -- show up at the Southern Bus Terminal at the 8-kilometre market any time before 09:00 and something will be leaving eventually, usually before 10:30 -- price 30,000 kip. In that case, you probably won't be able to make it to Attapeu and cross the border in the same day, and you'll have to overnight in Attapeu. Better yet, plan several days -- Attapeu is a good little town and there are a number of interesting things to do. In Attapeu, mini-buses for Bo Y leave in the morning from in front Thi Thi Restaurant -- the Vietnamese place near Thanh Nga Guesthouse, which the locals call "Ban Pak Khun Viet". Makes sense to spend the night there because mini-vans leave in the morning -- the first departure is at 07:00. There should be departures until 10:00, but don't count on it and arrive early. It's all very loosey goosey right now since the service is primarily used by Vietnamese migrant workers and everybody knows the drill. They also leave packed to the gills: there were 15 people in the ten-passenger van when we made the trip. The price to Bo Y is 80,000 kip. It's 119km from Attapeu to Bo Y -- a nail-biting ride on incredibly twisty mountain roads which the drivers like to take as fast as they can. The scenery is beautiful, but if you're prone to motion sickness, take something for it. Two of the Vietnamese passangers lost their lunch on our trip (out the windows, thankfully!) The border process is fairly straightforward, and there are no regular fees levied on either side. Once everyone is processed (which can take forever) the vans continue on to the town of Ngoc Hoi, 18km on the other side of the border. The entire process from Attapeu takes about three hours. Transport options are available from in Ngoc Hoi to just about anywhere you want to go, but many morning departures will require another overnight stay. There are plenty of places to stay right near the bus station, with very acceptable double rooms for US$10. Internet is located 300m west of the bus station on the right. The nearest spot on the tourist trail is Kon Tum, 68km east of Ngoc Hoi -- there's only one bus in the afternoon, and it leaves at 17:00, 30,000 dong, takes 2 hours. It drops off in Kon Tum at the bus terminal 2km from the centre of town. This same bus continues to Saigon (150,000 dong). Sop Hun / Tay Trang Laos / ChinaBoten / Mengla Cambodia / VietnamBavet / Moc Bai Kaam Samnor / Ving Xuong Phnom Den / Tinh Bien Prek Chak / Xa Xia Le Thanh / O Yadao crossing NEW! Vietnam / ChinaMong Cai / Dong Hung Dong Dang/Pingxiang Lao Cai / Hekou border Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam border crossing mapPlease find below a map of all the main international crossings.
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| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village |
#2 Posted: 2/4/2006 - 15:15 If you'd like to add an update to one of the crossings above, please use the following format -- if you don't have all the information, that's ok, we'll forgive you! Border name: Date used: Opening hours: Visa on arrival available: Your nationality (this is useful as not all nationalities get the same treatment): Comments: For example (This is an example - not an update!): Border name: Hat Lek / Ko Kong Date used: March 2006 Opening hours: 8am-8pm Visa on arrival available: Yes, $20, though the Cambodian officials ask for $30 Your nationality: New Zealander Comments: Very smooth crossing. The officials hassled us for some "overtime" but settled for $2. Took ten minutes to get to the crossing by motorbike from Ko Kong town. There are minibuses from the Thai side to Trat. ------------------------------ Siem Reap and Angkor Wat on your iPhone |
| silverwood longtail driver Posts: 7 |
#3 Posted: 19/5/2006 - 15:33 Hue to Savannakhet overland border crossing My friend and I recently travelled overland from Hue in Veitnam to Svannakhet in Laos. We bought our bus tickets in Hoi An and paid $25 with a promise that there would only be one bus for the whole journey (we had a lot of luggage and didn't want to have to lug it between vehicles). The agent got the tickets through An Phu Tourist Service. When we arrived in Hue the night before we saw many other agencies advertising the same service for between $11 and $15. We were picked up at our hotel at 6am the following morning. We changed from a bus to a stinky old mini van at Dong Ha, had to lug all our luggage between the border posts and were put on another different bus from the border to Savannakhet. The whole trip took around 10 hours. I would recommend that travellers don't use the An Phu service and don't pay any more than $15 for your ticket. My friend and I already had visas, but other travellers were conned into paying $35 when the actual cost should only be $30. You don't need an 'agent' to get you a visa at the border post, you can to go to the Immigration window and get the forms yourself from staff. |
| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village |
#4 Posted: 8/8/2006 - 17:49 If you're after a visa for Vietnam in Jakarta,Indonesia here's the lowdown: Address: 25 Teuku Umar, Menteng. Consular Tel: (021) 321 8537. The staffer I dealt with spoke great English but not a bar of Indonesian... Hours: Open 09:00-16:00 Monday to Friday Note they are closed for lunch from 11:30-13:30, but they don't volunteer that info on the phone (I found out the hard way ;-) Tourist Visa costs: One month single entry USD 25 One month multiple entry USD 40 Upto six months multiple entry USD 70 One year multiple entry USD 100 All visas take three working days. Express (same day) service has a 30% surcharge 2 day service, 20% surcharge. Theoretically you need to apply in the morning (before the long lunch) and pick up between 15:00 and 16:00 -- I applied in the afternoon no problems. You can pay in Rupiah if you want, but they'll use a crappy exchange rate (10,000). ------------------------------ Siem Reap and Angkor Wat on your iPhone |
| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village |
#5 Posted: 1/9/2006 - 04:51 Getting a Vietnamese visa in Sydney, Australia Go to the Consulate on the 2nd floor, Edgecliff Centre, 489 New South Head Rd, Double Bay. Office is open Mon-Fri 09.30-12.30 and 1.30-4.30. Standard 1 month tourist visa costs a whopping A$70 for the 5-working-day service A$100 for next day and $150 for a same day service, though a same day service cannot always be guaranteed to be available. You need one passport photo, the form filled out and the fee. While I was asked to bring an itinerary on the phone, I didn't need it. ------------------------------ Siem Reap and Angkor Wat on your iPhone |
| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village |
#6 Posted: 21/1/2007 - 08:24 We've just incorporated the past comments into the main post above -- please keep the border reports coming -- they're much appreciated! Thanks again to pauljaymes, chunk79, dragon and ReneHanoi for taking the time to make past reports. ------------------------------ Siem Reap and Angkor Wat on your iPhone |
| jaeng newbie Posts: 2 |
#7 Posted: 9/2/2007 - 03:05 Border name: Chong Jom / O Smach Date used: july 2005 Opening hours: 07.00 - 20.00 Visa on arrival available: not sure Your nationality : USA (husband), Thai (me) Comments: Got Lao visa from Khonkaen in 10 mins. Forgot something at the consulate. Later on a guy from consulate found us at the Vietnam Consulate. What's a service! There is no problem at all at the crossing gates of both sides. No line. no wait. No extra fee. We hired a car with driver to SiemReap around 2000 Baht. |
| krisztinita newbie Posts: 3 |
#8 Posted: 16/2/2007 - 12:57 hi, i see this report: "Chunk79 reports from 13 October 2006: Six of us went through no problems although the Vietnamese check every bag quite thoroughly so it takes some time. To get there, we caught a bus from Sam Neua at 06:20 (although it didn't leave until 07:30) which ran all the way to Thanh Hoa in Vietnam (100,000 kip) arriving there about 16:30" I would like to find out on which day of the week Chunk79 managed to get a bus to Thanh Hoa? I read many sites about this and found differing information on this.. Thanks to anyone who could help with this. Krisztina |
| sooeyes newbie Posts: 2 |
#9 Posted: 29/3/2007 - 18:56 HA TIEN...FINALLY OPEN Border name: Ha Tien, Vietnam Date used: wish I had Opening hours: probably the same as Tihn Bien/Phnom Den (8 am to 4pm) Visa on arrival available: don't think so Your nationality (this is useful as not all nationalities get the same treatment): American Comments: According to the Cambodia border official at the Phnom Den crossing, the Ha Tien crossing opened to foreigners on March 26. We crossed on the 28th and he said it had been open for two days. This is the most convenient crossing if you are in Ha Tien, literally a 10 minute moto ride from the market and another 45 or so minutes to Kampot in Cambodia. You do need to have a prearranged visa to use this crossing. A moto will definitely take you to the border for around 10,000 Dong, probably less, and they may even agree to take you all the way to Kampot, if you cough up some coffee money for the border officials. |
| sooeyes newbie Posts: 2 |
#10 Posted: 29/3/2007 - 19:00 TIHN BIEN/PHNOM DEN We crossed from Tihn Bien in Vietnam to Phnom Den on March 28th and the Cambodian border official informed us that foreigners can now arrange a visa on arrival at this crossing. He didn't say how much it would cost. As far as getting to the crossing, we took mototaxis from Ha Tien ($10) or you can take the bus, but the bus takes almost twice as long. Transport on the other side to Kampot is a little sparse, may be easier to get to Phnom Pehn. You can take a mototaxi or have one of the officials call a taxi from town. We paid $55 USD to get to Kampot, but we had a Khmer speaker with us. |
| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village |
#11 Posted: 16/6/2007 - 09:35 Ha Tien border crossing open -- OFFICIAL According to this post on the Lonely Planet Thorntree, the much anticipated coastal border crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam is now officially open for foreigners. The crossing, close to Kep in Cambodia and Ha Tien in Vietnam, will allow travellers to head from Ko Chang in Thailand to Phu Quoc in Vietnam without passing through central Cambodia. According to the report, neither Cambodian, nor Vietnamese visas are available at the crossing. You must have your visa beforehand. The poster goes on to say: "The Ha Tien destination is so new that the tour operators and motodops in Kampot haven't settled on a standard price for a moto to the border for foreigners yet. I talked to four different people and was quoted US$5-$15 for a motodop and $10-$25 for a tuk-tuk. The real price will probably settle around $8-$10 for a motodop and $15 or more for a tuk tuk. There is not much at the crossing point. Checkpoint shacks and the new immigration building. No foreigner services. Nobody except one of the immigration cops seemed to speak English. No obvious waiting onward transportation. Maybe it's there but I didn't see it. A guy in a coffee shop on the Cambodian side of the border told me that once you are on the Vietnamese side, a motodop to Ha Tien costs about $2-$3 and to Ba Hon a bit more. He said you can catch a boat to Phu Quoc from either town but that Ba Hon was better." ------------------------------ Siem Reap and Angkor Wat on your iPhone |
| wigboy longtail driver Posts: 6 |
#12 Posted: 9/10/2007 - 12:49 Savannakhet to Mukdahan Feb/2007 Farang are no longer permitted to cross river via boat. All travel must be done by bus. No walking or cycling across either. Ran into 2 cyclists that were stopped from riding across and had to have themselves and their bicycles driven over by someone with a truck. In addition to the cost of the bus in either direction, there is also a bridge toll to help pay for the cost of the bridge I suppose. I can't recall the cost, but 80 baht seems to ring a bell. These are two GREAT places! The people in Savannakhet were the warmest I had met during my entire 6 months in SE Asia. Do yourself a favour and spend sometime here before the Thai Casino gets built and the Highway from Thailand to Vietnam is completely filled with honking trucks. |
| wigboy longtail driver Posts: 6 |
#13 Posted: 9/10/2007 - 13:19 Vietnam to Laos - Lao Bao/Dansavanh Jan/2007 Visas for Laos at the crossing. Very fast into Laos. Into Vietnam... not so much. The highway from the border into Savannakhet, Laos is brand new and very fast in prepartion for trading from Thailand through to Vietnam. I got my Laos Visa in Da Nang at the Consulate. Mine was a 30 day Visa, but a British couple I was always running into ended up with a 60 day Visa for the same price. I didn't actually see their stamp, but they were told by the office that they may as well get the 60 considering it was the same price. Also, I took a bus from Hue to Savannakhet. After being picked up in a sketchy looking mini bus, we transfered at Dong Ha into a "real" bus which was pretty crowded already, but at least it was a bus. This bus took us all the way to the border and through to Savannakhet, Laos. From what I gathered at the time, Sinh Cafe Tours was the only company that "truly"(no matter what they tell you!)continues on past the border. I saw hoards of people stranded on the Laos side after walking across(which you have to do), and left to catch local buses after paying fares to go all the way. I imagine that with the ASEAN trade, there will more companies able to provide this as well. Try to exchange all of your Dong before the border as rates get worse and worse the closer you get. Money traders actually hop on and exchange, and it is impossible to spend once you're more than 30 min past the border. If you plan to stay a few days, keep in mind you'll need to have a fair bit of cash on hand. The next and only Laos bank machine is in Vientiane, unless you go right through to Mukdahan, Thailand which voids your "single entry" visa for Laos. Not too sure about credit cards in Savannakhet either. |
| od newbie Posts: 2 |
#14 Posted: 22/10/2007 - 12:13 Border name: Bo Y (from Vietnam to Laos) Date used: 19.10.2007 Opening hours: no idea Visa on arrival available: no idea Your nationality (this is useful as not all nationalities get the same treatment): Finland Comments: Took a bus from Kontum to Ngoc Hoi. Several busses leave daily and cost 15000 dongs. From Ngoc Hoi it is about 20 km to Bo Y border crossing, took a moto ride for this. On Vietnamese side it was dead silent. I actually had to look and search a little bit before I found an official who seemed to be rather surprised to see me there all alone. He took his time going thru my passport and obviously was a bit dazzled as I didn't have a Vietnamese visa (as a Finnish citizen, don't need one when staying under 14 days in Vietnam). It was about 1 km walk on a silent road to Laos side of this border. On Laos side, there were a few officials who just put stamp on my passport and the whole process took a minute or two. There was a small shop where you could pick up water or soda etc. I tried asking about how I could get a ride to Attapeu but no one seemed to have an idea. I decided I just start walking away from the border and maybe I could hitch a ride or something. It's about 115 km to Attapeu. After walking for one hour on a small road in middle of jungle and no vehicle had passed me I thought that maybe this wouldn't turn up to be as easy as I thought. Then heard a car coming, raised my thumb but the driver just waved his hands and I continued walking. Half hour later, I finally got a ride from moto for about lenght of 5 km to a small shop/restaurant where some (apparently) road construction workers were hangin out. One of them spoke a few words of english but not enough for me to know how to get a ride to Attapeu. So, I bought some noodles, hanged out with these workers and just waited for a vehicle to pass by... Two hours later, a Vietnamese bus was coming along the road from the border. I stopped the bus and got a ride to Attapeu for 100000 dongs. Left Kontum at 8.00 in morning, arrived Attapeu at about 16.00. So, my advice is that... if you want to do this crossing "independently", leave Vietnam on morning as early as possible. There are not many people using this road and there certainly isn't public transport leaving on either Vietnam or Laotian side of this border crossing. |
| johnes newbie Posts: 1 |
#15 Posted: 18/4/2008 - 01:29 Vietnam to Laos, Tay Trang/Sobhoun crossing. Dec 18th 2007. Visa on arrival is available, I paid something around 30-40 USD with a Finnish passport. Travelling alone, I arrived from Sapa to Dien Bien Phu on a long and eventful bus ride, which was supposed to be 6 hours but ended up being 10 hrs. Great scenery on the way, but the Vietnamese uncle trying to pimp me one of the girls in the bus for half of the ride with sign language, was a bit annoying after a while. I stayed over night in Dien Bien Phu. I managed to find a few fellow travellers who were trying to get to Lao, and we hired a taxi to take us to the border as there were no buses that day. The buses go only every second day very early (around 5-6 am i think) in the morning towards Lao and Muang Khua. The taxi dropped us at the border, and there were no problems for any of us (the others were belgian and japanese). We walked over the border along a dirt road for around 1-2km and reached the Lao border, where we got our visas issued and passports stamped. The border guards were in no hurry, so we had to wait until they finish their game of petanque while chicken and pigs were running around. It is good to check your visa to see if they issued you the correct amount of days, which in my case was 30, but they initially gave me only 14. A bit of skillful stamp forgery and they got it to look like 30. Some of the Lao border guards speak surprisingly good english compared to anyone in Vietnam, so communication shouldn't be a problem. They were building a much fancier border crossing station at the Vietnamese side now that the border is more open, that should be ready by now. If you don't take the morning bus, transport away from the Lao border station to Muang Khua (70km, 4 hrs) can be a problem, as there was no regular transport at the time, and the're is almost no traffic on the road. Some luck, patience and maybe negotiating with the border guards should get you results, but remember, this is Lao, and in Lao, everything happens at a slower pace. We managed to hitch hike a ride with a lorry coming from Vietnam for 7USD each. It was one of the scariest but most exciting rides of my life, as there was 8 of us stuffed in the cockpit of the lorry and the driver was nuts/high and driving like crazy on the narrow mountain roads. I'm sure we killed at least a few chicken and pigs in the tiny villages we passed by, and injured a motorcyclist. The driver just laughed and went on with his horn honking. The bus over the border shouldn't be too hard to find, just ask around in the guesthouses in either Muang Khua or DBP depending on which direction you're going. I cannot remember which days the buses go in which direction, but it works so that if for example from Lao to VNam they leave mon, wed, fri, then from VNam to Lao they come back on tue,thu,sat. If you trust in pure luck, be ready to getting stuck for a day or two waiting for the bus. If you're in a hurry you can figure out private transport like a motorbike ride or a taxi if there's more of you. I dont know how it works into Vietnam, to be sure you should probably get a Visa in advance. Finnish (and other Scandinavian) citizens get a free 14 day visa to Vietnam upon arrival, but I'm not sure if they issue it at Tay Trang. Muang Khua is nice and relaxing after hectic and noisy Vietnam, and I highly recommend taking the slow boat down Nam Ou to Muang Ngoi Neua, its a beautiful trip (6-8 hours, 100,000 kip). If youre on a budget and dont mind bumpy rides, you can take a bus, its cheaper. I highly recommend this border crossing for those who like a bit of adventure, IMO the surroundings are amongst the most beautiful in Vietnam/Laos. |
| liquefiedstars backpacker Posts: 15 |
#16 Posted: 9/5/2008 - 10:55 An update on somtam's post above on getting a Vietnamese visa in Sydney. The Consulate is still at Level 2, Edgecliff Centre (although strangely the address is now noted differently): Suite 205, level 2, Edgecliff Centre 203 - 233 New South Head Road, Edgecliff, NSW, 2027 Tel: 02 93271912 / 02 93272539 Fax: 02 93281653 Email: info@vnconsulate.org.au Opening hours have changed: Mon-Fri 09.30-12.30 and 1.30-4.30. Standard 1 month tourist visa is still a whopping A$70. Takes 4 working-days. If you go in person, they accept cash, bank cheque or money order...but not credit cards. And most importantly - the visa starts run out from the date of arrival as indicated by you on the application form, NOT from the date issue. Hope that helps. |
| maggiebsfc929 newbie Posts: 2 |
#17 Posted: 4/6/2008 - 16:16 Hi to all :) My initial stay will be in Hanoi. can anyone tell me what is the best way to go from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu? Also, was wondering if the Boarder crossing at Dien Bien Phu is open for tourist? From that border what can i take going to Luang Prabang? Please help. Thanks much. If the border at Dien Bien Phu is not open, what is the next best border crossing to take going to Luang Prabang? My itinerary would consist of Hanoi to Luang Prabang to Chang Mai then back to Hanoi. Is this possible? Would appreciate any suggestions. Again, thanks. |
| kosta newbie Posts: 2 |
#18 Posted: 16/7/2008 - 16:31 hi, i'm currently in Hoi An and would like to go to Laos what is the best way to get to Savannakhet? what is the current cost of a 30 day visa and can i get it at the border? thanks for your help. K |
| kosta newbie Posts: 2 |
#19 Posted: 16/7/2008 - 16:44 sorry in addition to the above i am canadian (as i think that makes a difference in the price). i did read the above thread but wanted the most recent info. also, is there any bus that takes you right in to Laos or do you have to find your way to your hotel once you get to the border? thanks again, K |
| calamityjane newbie Posts: 1 |
#20 Posted: 22/11/2008 - 20:52 Hello fellow travellers, i'll be heading across the Laos Border from Vinh, via Nam Can this week .. seeing as there is little information on logistics , i endevour to write a post here. if anyone else is heading to Laos, via this route , please let us all know how you went. ------------------------------ Take the road less travelled, but take your time doing it |
| justme newbie Posts: 1 |
#21 Posted: 23/11/2008 - 21:56 Hi! Very interesting to find out that it would be possible to cross CAMBODIA-VIETNAM border at Le Thanh / O Yadao (between Ban Lung in C. and Pleiku in V.) as information provided by "George" tells in the above list of different border crossings! Even though this is not official bc-place as it is not mentioned (at all) for ex. at http://cambodia-immigration.com Like are all those 3 other C-V bc´s mentioned at the list of this page. So I would be very interested to hear from others too confirmations of this Le Thanh/O Yadao crossing possibility, Please! As if it´s not possible after all, I will probably not travel to Cambodia´s Ratnakiri area at all (as it makes too long detour for my travel plans if not possible to cross from there to Vietnam). Another question of mine is that has anybody crossed him-/herself (or heard/read True story of..) any other point from Cambodia to Vietnam which is more norther than Bavet - Moc Bai b.c.? For example there seems to be a (relatively) good road between Dak Dam in C. and Tuy Duc in V. or Snuol in C. and Loc Ninh in V. (if neather of those possible, then I wouldn´t be interested to go Mondulkiri district in C.) Thanks! ;-) |
| TheSnowQueen motodop Posts: 24 |
#22 Posted: 5/12/2008 - 16:53 Alot of confusing and conflicting info about new Thai visa regs! And official Govt Thai website's database not accessible ... anyone know if it's possible to get a 30 or 60 day tourist visa at the Huay Xai/Chiang Khong crossing from Laos? I know the new 15 day exemption is possible, but I need to be in Bangkok at the end of December and don't want to keep coming in and out. ------------------------------ The Snow Queen - Open Mind + Open Heart = Open Door www.mytripjournal.com/vixandalan |
| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village |
#23 Posted: 5/12/2008 - 18:59 TheSnowQueen: Not sure if you saw my reply on the original thread here, but in case you didn't: "No, you will not be able to get a tourist visa in Huay Xai. Closest place will be either Vientiane , where there is a Thai embassy, or Savannakhet, where there is a consular office. Note not all Thai embassies issue the dual entry tourist visa -- you may have to get individual visas for each entry." You could opt to try and get an extension at an immigration office to the 15day entry that will be granted when you cross from Huay Xai. In the past, a 15-day extension to the 30-day stay was straightforward, but it's not clear (yet) what will be available with the 15-day entry. If you're passing through Vientiane earlier in your trip, I'd suggest you get a Thai tourist visa there. ------------------------------ Siem Reap and Angkor Wat on your iPhone |
| rsj newbie Posts: 2 |
#24 Posted: 12/12/2008 - 16:25 Just a quick post to point out that the laos/china border crossing at Boten is actually 55km from Muang Sing, not 10km as stated above. |
| dburgess newbie Posts: 1 |
#25 Posted: 25/1/2009 - 18:19 Hi, me and my husband are going to Thailand soon, staying for 26 days. During that journey we are thinking about taking a trip to Laos. What is not clear to me is the following: We get the 30 day tourist-visa when arriving in Bangkok by air. If we will leave Thailand to visit a neighboring country and want to reenter Thailand, will that 30 day visa then become immaterial and we would be "downgraded" to a 15 day visa? Hope I could make myself clear here... Thanks a lot! |
| alexthetraveller16 newbie Posts: 2 |
#26 Posted: 4/2/2009 - 11:27 Hi there i was just enquiring to see if you knew of any cheap flights over the border from malaysia to Thailand, as we were planning to cross over land, however we need a visa for longer than 15 days. As we heard about only getting a 30 day visa if you fly into Thailand, do you think it would be possible to get a flight from Northern Malaysia into Thailand, maybe somewhere like Penang? Thanks a lot |
| jacswart newbie Posts: 2 |
#27 Posted: 12/2/2009 - 09:18 Border name: Hat Lek / Ko Kong (entering Thailand) Date used: January 2009 Opening hours: 8am-8pm Visa on arrival available: Yes Your nationality: South Africa Comments: Be very careful when trusting any official in Thailand. I had no problem entering Thailand from Cambodia. Unfortunately, the Thais didn't allow my girlfriend to enter, saying that they do not issue visas to Chinese citizens at the border. However, we have asked officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok and at the Nong Kai crossing to Laos which visa she needed. On both occasions we were told that she would not need to apply for a visa. The official at Nong Kai even said that she only needed a ticket back to China and she would automatically get a transit visa. We spent a lot of time in Vientiane and Phnom Penh and getting the visa would not have been an issue. All we needed was correct information from Thai officials. It was also very interesting to see Thai and Cambodian citizens entering an exiting without showing their passports. One woman entering into Cambodia had a visa stamped on a blank sheet of paper. So if you are travelling with someone from a country apart from major (rich) countries, be very aware of what you believe from Thai officials or you may also run into extreme difficulties. |
| amazon_blonde tuk tuk driver Posts: 116 |
#28 Posted: 8/3/2009 - 20:23 Posted from within Vietnam (why do we highlight this?).Border name: Prek Chak / Xa Xia (between Kep and Ha Tien , entering Vietnam) Date used: February 28, 2009 Opening hours: not sure Visa on arrival available: Not sure, but it didn't look like it. Even though we had Vietnamese visas in our passports, processing was very very slow. Your nationality: Canadian We just did the crossing from Kep to Ha Tien and onto Chau Doc in a single day. It was fairly straight-forward, but time-consuming. The section from Kep to Ha Tien was very slow but quite scenic. We arranged a tuk-tuk from Kep to the Vietnamese border, which was $15 USD. (Motorcycle taxis still about $7 USD each at the moment. Tuk-tuks from Kampot are charging in the range of $25-30 USD.) The last few kilometres of the road were very, very rough and our tuk-tuk could not or would not go any farther, although we were still a few kilometres from the border. Our driver called two xe om (motorbike taxis) to come pick us up and take us (and our obscene quantity of luggage) to Ha Tien. We paid $5 USD each ($10 in total) for two motorbike taxis from there, through the Vietnamese border, and onto Ha Tien. I think the going rate is about $4 (or maybe even less, as it's only 8km) but our drivers waited while we went through customs and immigration at both checkpoints, took us to the ATM in Ha Tien, then onto the bus station. It's a long walk, hot walk in between the Cambodian and Vietnamese checkpoints, so if your tuk-tuk or xe-om driver offers to call someone in Vietnam to come and pick you up, it's worth it, even if you pay a dollar or two extra. Mini-buses appear to run fairly regularly from Ha Tien to Chau Doc (and vice versa) and cost 45,000 dong, but this is not a tourist-class service. Be prepared for a jam packed bus and a slow, bumpy, noisy ride. In all, it took us 3 hours to get from Kep, across the border, and into Ha Tien -- even though that's only about 35-40km. The trip from Ha Tien to Chau Doc was just over 3 hours, not counting waiting time at the bus station. ------------------------------ Readjusting to reality, after seven months of travel |
| peader76 newbie Posts: 3 |
#29 Posted: 28/3/2009 - 23:04 Hello All, I'm going to be flying into bangkok with a tourist visa and from bkk i will be flying to phnom phen 3 days later. I'm going to spending a couple of weeks in cambodia and coming back into thailand by land via the poipet border crossing. My question is would i still have the remainder of my thai tourist visa when i've entered or will i lose it and be given just the 15 days. Thankful for reply's. peader76 |
| aalsup newbie Posts: 1 |
#30 Posted: 3/5/2009 - 03:38 Does anyone know how long the wait for the visa on arrival takes (on average) at the Kaam Samor/Vinh Xuong crossing? |
| smkuchta flashpacker Posts: 31 |
#31 Posted: 12/5/2009 - 16:34 Border name: Dom Kralor / Veun Kham (Cambodia-Laos) Date used: May 10 2009 Visa on arrival available: No entering Laos, Yes entering Cambodia, Your nationality: Canada & US Comments: Quick crossing. The officials on both sides asked for $1 for a stamp fee, easier to pay than argue as transport is non-existent and your minibus isn't going to wait while you argue the merits of a dollar. Took minibus from Stung Treng to border, met by Lao minibus on the other side, followed by boat to Don Khone. 3 hours end to end, seemed a bit chaotic bus to bus to boat but everything went smooth. When you get off the bus in Stung Treng you'll be met by several guys asking you if you want to book for Laos. Go to the Riverside guest house to book, avoid "Mr. James" from the Sekong Star hotel as he is a scammer and will try and overcharge you greatly. ------------------------------ Travels Down the Mekong |
| tomgee1981 newbie Posts: 1 |
#32 Posted: 18/5/2009 - 12:58 Border name: Tay Trang/Sop Hun (linking Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam with Muang Khua Date used: May 2009 Opening hours: 7am (not sure when it shuts) Visa on arrival available: Yes for Laos but not for Vietnam Your nationality: British Comments: We travelled from Dien Bien Phu to Muang Khua. The bus from Dien Bien Phu leaves at 5.30am EVERYDAY and costs 79,000 dong. It arrives at the border just as it opens and it takes about an hour and a half to get through both border posts. You have to pay various admin fees at the border which are advertised (weekends you pay an overtime fee). Cost us in total $1 but with visas in advance. Visa cost was $35 for UK citizens (same as Hanoi). It is practically impossible to do this any other way without your own wheels because the border is literally in the middle of nowhere amongst the hills and we passed very little traffic. The road on the Vietnam side is good and on the Laos side is a dirt track in pretty good condition (dry season at least). We arrived in Muang Khua at 11.30am (not sure if this is usual) but it was a good journey and no hassle. You get dropped off on the other side of the river and have to take a barge to make the final 10 metres to the town. There is no ATM in Muang Khua and the bank isn't near the river so bring small dollar notes, make sure you know the exchange rates and be ready to barter for the rate! There are a few guest houses in Muang Khua and the bus station is 3km out of town (5000 kip per person) and a couple of buses leave to Udomoxai (28,000 kip) at approximately 1pm and 3.30pm, 3 hours on a good road. Going the other way the bus leaves from Muang Khua at 7am but goes from the other side of the river NOT the bus station so I presume you have to overnight in Muang Khua. It was very easy for us to do and a fantastic journy through the hills passing only very few tiny villages. Bring water and snacks as the bus doesn't stop for food and there is nothing at the border except the checkpoints. I'd recommend this trip to anyone as it was by far and a way our easiest crossing to date and extremely beautiful. |
| BruceMoon mahout Posts: 1941 Located in: Australia  |
#33 Posted: 11/7/2009 - 09:25 tomgee Great post above. A couple of points. I also did the journey (other way) in April (last). The Laos officials at the border are eager to exchange money. I used the days before to know the best exchange rate. The officials weren't too far off. The bus from DBP sells tickets from the booking office outside the bus station. Passengers are well advised to buy a ticket the day before (sometimes the bus is full and refuses pax). At times, pax arriving Muang Khua can use the boat to travel downstream to Nong Khia, and beyond to Luang Prabang. But, don't count on it. Pax can also go further upstream if they wish. For the reverse journey, cost in April was 40,000 kip. Though the bus leaves (supposedly) at 7am, if reasonably full and no pax waiting, it will leave earlier. To ensure a seat, be there at least by 6:30am. There appears no pre-booking. Cheers ------------------------------ An Australian Veteran globetrotting... |
| Rockten80 newbie Posts: 1 |
#34 Posted: 20/10/2009 - 16:57 Is it possible to get a visa-on-arrival at the border crossing in Dong Dang? This is taking the train from Nanning, China on its way to Hanoi. Thank you |
| rf_1238 newbie Posts: 2 |
#35 Posted: 20/10/2009 - 21:04 Hi I need Assistance ASAP. I'm Indian (from India) currently in Malaysia. My social visa is valid for 1 yr with 30days stay and I need to make exit for this month. I'm planing to exit to Thailand for couple of days (3days) and come back to Malaysia. But the Border crossing is only for 40 countries where in India is not in the list. What would be the best option to exit without having to apply for a visa. (Could be any neighboring countries to Malaysia). Thanks in advance. |
| somtam2000 admin mahout Posts: 5181 Located in: Global Village |
#36 Posted: 21/10/2009 - 08:36 Singapore? ------------------------------ Siem Reap and Angkor Wat on your iPhone |
| rf_1238 newbie Posts: 2 |
#37 Posted: 21/10/2009 - 12:38 Hey, I checked & Verified with Thai Embassy as well as their website. I can exit to Thailand Visa on Arrival from selected check post. More details http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2491 In http://wikitravel.org/en/Bukit_Kayu_Hitam its says: Visa For details on visa requirements for Malaysia, please see the Malaysia | Get in section. Bukit Kayu Hitam is not a visa on arrival entry point. (This is wrong). SOMTAM2000 for Singapore i need to apply for visa. |
| wilfried longtail driver Posts: 5 |
#38 Posted: 26/10/2009 - 16:33 two concrete VISA-questions: 1) flying from bangkok into siem reap (arrival time 8 pm !!or later): still possible to take up visa on arrival ??? 2) flying from siem reap into pakse (laos): is it possible to take up lao-visa on arrival at pakse airpost anyhow ? thanks for info wilfried |
| bass_ke backpacker Posts: 14 |
#39 Posted: 24/11/2009 - 11:51 Posted from within Vietnam (why do we highlight this?). Just an update on the Nam Xoi/Na Maew border crossing. I went through in a group of 4 just two days ago and had no real problems with the crossing. We caught a Songthaew from Sam Neua to the border for 20,000 Kip and were lucky enough to meet the bus heading to Thanh Hoa just as we crossed through. We paid to guy's running that bus $30 USD each and that got is to Thanh Hoa and onto a connecting bus to Ha Noi. We didn't experience any extortion/bribes at the border but we did exchange a bit of kip at a bad rate with the Immigration guys, you have to pay 2000 dong for a health check as well. As soon as Customs had finished having a rummage through our bags we were being waved off by Immigration and on our way |
| Jef newbie Posts: 1 |
#40 Posted: 28/1/2010 - 18:46 Border name: Wang Prajan (Thale Ban) Date used: 2010-01-27 Opening hours: till 18:00 Visa on arrival available: not inquired (one year N-I visa run) Your nationality (this is useful as not all nationalities get the same treatment): Belgian Comments: Arrived at 16:30 I was told I still had the time to get my stamp. With good information and efficient handling by friendly officials, I got in-and-out of Malaysia just walking around the small immigration post: the Malaysian side has nothing in view to spend time at. It took little more than the time to fill in the departure and arrival forms - it might be busier at other moments. Driving back I could just slip in at Yaroi Falls with last admittance at 17:00 [outside the Thale Ban Nature Reserve], for a short walk up to the falls and a bath in a refreshing lower pool (too small to swim though). My trip costed me nothing but the petrol for my long-term rental car. |
| andrewbrannen newbie Posts: 1 |
#41 Posted: 1/3/2010 - 19:04 Hi I am an Australian citizen and made the land border crossing into Thailand and only have the 15 day visa. I'm currently staying an koh chang and want to stay on for another month. I'm thinking i might have to do 2 border crossings to camobodia and back to get 30 more days. Is this possible or is there an easier option. Thanks |
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