13 Jan 2008

Watch Dom talking about Laos on YouTube.

Travel to and from Laos

It’s 25km from Vientiane to Nong Khai. The border point, the Friendship Bridge, is about 2km outside Nong Khai (and visible from the Bridge bar, of course).

Nong Khai is one of the premier points of entry into the Lao PDR. It’s also a popular stopover for farangs on a “visa run” from Thailand. For more about Thai visas see for example thaivisa.com/.

It’s not easy or cheap to take your own (or hired) motor vehicles into Laos from Thailand.

Getting to Nong Khai from the Friendship Bridge (and vice versa)

A tuk-tuk from immigration into town costs farangs about 50 baht per person.

Getting to Vientiane from the Friendship Bridge (and vice versa)

Get a cab for about 200 baht (yes, they take baht in Laos).

Lao visas

If you’re going into Laos from Thailand, you’ll need a couple of passport photos, dollars, and a pen. If you haven’t got pictures, get some done at one of the visa shops near the bridge.

A one-month visa for Laos costs farangs about $35 (varies by country of origin), plus an extra $2 at evenings and weekends. Best to bring real dollars - it costs more in baht.

If you need to change money to dollars the best rates in Nong Khai are offered by jewellery shops e.g. the Porn Tip store in Thasadej market. (It’s the one with the cashpoint beside it.) You’ll also need a couple of 20-baht bills to cover the “administration charge” and bus to traverse the bridge.

There’s a lot going on in the world of Thai visas. Google for the latest. The Thai Visa site is deservedly popular.

Duty free

If you like your substances, get some booze and fags at duty free on the Laos side of the bridge - even if you’re heading into Laos. You’ll find stuff like fine malt whiskeys and potable wine that aren’t readily available in Thailand. A create of Beerlao is splendid investment, since officially you can’t buy it in Thailand. Bastos cigarettes are clean and dirt cheap. Really, really cheap.

If you’re leaving Laos and not planning to return, spend all your kip or give it away before you leave. Kip are no good to you in Thailand.

Transport        By road           Getting around Nong Khai