Getting there and away

Air

There are also daily flights scheduled between Huay Xai and Vientiane, but they only depart when full. One way costs $90 plus departure tax of 5,000 kip.

Bus

There are a number of bus options from Huay Xai. Tickets can be bought in travel agencies and guesthouses. Phou Doi Travel in Chanthorn Guesthouse have a good range as well as information and local day trips. They speak good English.

The bus station is about 2.3 km south of town. You can walk, but a songtheaw or tuk tuk will take you for about 6,000 kip.

A daily bus leaves from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang doing a milk run of sorts through some key northern centres. Note the information below is all for the same bus -- there are not four separate buses!
Luang Nam Tha: departs at 09:30, takes 7 hours and costs 80,000 kip.
Udomxai: departs at 09:30, takes 11 hours and costs 130,000 kip.
Pakmong: departs at 09:30, takes 15 hours and costs 140,000 kip.
Luang Prabang: departs at 09:30, takes 17 hours and costs 160,000 kip.

Bus tickets can also be bought for the minibus to Chiang Mai for 300 baht, including transfers across the border. The minibus leaves from the Thai side of the border -- after crossing the river and clearing immigration, it is a four hour journey to Chiang Mai. This service departs at 10:00. Cycclists take note, the minibus service will not take bicycles!

Boat

Small boats cross between the Thai and Lao border checkpoints, and cost 20 baht per person. The crossing only takes a couple of minutes, but there are no life jackets on board and the river can be quite deep.

The most popular transit route to and from Huay Xai is by slowboat down the Mekong. Tickets can be bought at the slowboat pier for 100,000 kip to Pak Beng, or in travel agencies and guesthouses around town for B650-700 to Luang Prabang, and B350 to Pak Beng. Tickets can also be bought in Chiang Khong at an inflated rate of B1,350 from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. It includes however pick up from your Chiang Khong guesthouse and transfer across the borders and to the pier. Locals are understandably upset that the Thais are catching tourists before they arrive.

The journey is gorgeous, but the quality of the boats can differ wildly as local boat drivers use their own boats and take it in turns to do the run. Sometimes 60 or more people are packed onto one boat, which can make for a crowded and uncomfortable journey. Make sure you bring your own water and food as there are usually no stops to purchase anything.

Luangsay Cruises offer the deluxe version of this journey: two days on a luxury boat, a night at the Luangsay Lodge, all meals, entry to Pak Ou Caves, border transfers and an English speaking guide. Cost depends on the season, but ranges between $199 and $300.
Tel: 071 252 553, Fax: 071 252 304, http://www.mekongcruises.com.

It is also possible to travel down the Mekong to Pak Beng and Luang Prabang by rocket boat, the extremely noisy speedboats that make each leg from Huay Xai to Pak Beng and Pak Beng to Luang Prabang in 2.5 to 3.5 hours. The noise can be intolerable, and travellers have reported temporary hearing loss, as well as a number of other catastrophies due to boat troubles and inexperienced drivers. It is advisable to wear the supplied life jacket and helmet both for safety and to cut down noise and exposure to the elements.

Tickets can be booked at any travel agency and most guesthouses in Huay Xai. A full day's journey to Luang Prabang costs B1,100-1,200, while Huay Xai to Pak Beng costs B600. Speedboats will leave when they are full, which means six foreigners or eight Lao. If there are not enough passengers, you will need to pay for the entire boat.

Speedboats can also go north to Xieng Kok. Tickets can be bought at most travel agencies and some guesthouses. A minimum of four people are needed for the boat to leave. Tickets are B1200 per person and to hire the whole boat is about B3,500. Departure time depends on the wishes of the customers, and can be any time between 8.00am-12.00pm. The journey takes about four hours.