Lak Xao

Bolikhamsai Province is home to a number of towns that are only of interest as transit points. Lak Xao is no exception, but it's probably one of the most pleasant of the lot, and you may even find yourself staying a second night here without regretting it a bit.

It's a town situated 34km shy of the Vietnamese border under the shadow of a massive limestone mountain, Phou Phaa Phi Hong, in the midst of a vast expanse of untouched forest.

That's mostly untouched ... at least for the moment ... Lak Sao is a major logging centre for the surrounding area with logging trucks rumbling up to the Vietnamese border throughout the day. Most of the timber's final destination is Taiwan or Japan via the Vietnamese port of Vinh.

Few travellers visit Lak Xao as a destination in itself, but it's becoming a regular stop for those doing the Konglor Cave loop, and it's long served as an overnight stop for tour groups going from Vientiane to Vietnam.

A trip out here via Route 8 is worthwhile in its own right, especially by motorcycle or bicycle, rather than by tour bus, simply for the stunningly beautiful scenery along the road, traversing spectacular ridges and criss-crossing the scenic Nam Theun River.

The Nam Phao border
The Nam Phao Border is 34 km east of Lak Xao -- you can catch a bus to the border and then walk across to the other side, 500m away, and after entering Vietnam, find a connection to Vinh, about 100km away on the Vietnamese eastern coast, and from there to your city of choice in Vietnam. You'll need to have your Vietnamese visa in advance, of course. The border is open from 08:00 to 18:00 (or later, if the border guards don't feel like going home) and it 'closes' for lunch from 12:00 to 13:00, but they still sometimes process people during lunch just for the heck of it.

Stamping out of Laos costs 2,000 kip during regular hours, 12,000 kip after 16:30 and on weekends and holidays. There is an exchange booth on the Laos side open during operating hours where you can pick up some dong at unattractive rates. Best to just pay in dollars on the other side (baht are harder to get rid of) and if you happen to pass through Pakse en-route, check out the Lao-Vietnam bank for a much better rate on dong.