My first time
I am planning my trip to Laos. This will be my first time to Isaan, and to the city of Udon Thani. A lot of the boys in Pattaya are from Udon Thani and next time I can tell them that I have been there. The boys speak highly of Udon Thani.
It will also be my first visit to Laos, the former mysterious kingdom, now communist republic.
I don’t have to apply for a visa at the Thai embassy; this is just a border hop to get a 30-day stamp. I will go to Isaan by air.
I dread the touts and the taxi mafia so I am trying to figure out as much as possible before I go. I haven’t found all the answers yet. Maybe you know?
1. How do I get from Udon Thani airport to town? Are there taxies or tuk-tuks? How much do they (over) charge?
2. Getting from Udon Thani to Friendship Bridge, which crosses the Maekong river. I understand there is a bus from Udon Thani to Nong Khai. I am supposed to get out of the bus before Nong Khai itself. Then I take a tuk-tuk or walk to the Thai border post, and check out of Thailand.
3. Then I cross Friendship Bridge by bus? It is a big bridge.
4. At the Lao side of the river there will be an immigration post. Do they accept Thai baht for the Lao visa fee?
5. After the Lao border post, how do I get to Vientiane?
December 1st, 2007 at 6:43 am
Hi SF
I did the trip from Udon Thani to Vientienne a month ago so will try and help if possible.
We travelled by car from a town to the south so I dont know about travel from the airport to town but it is a short journey so shouldn’t be too expensive.
The journey from Udon to Nong Khai is about 30 minutes by car. The border checkpoint is well signposted and again should be an inexpensive taxi jouney.
At the border you will reach immigration and receive a stamp. There is a bus for a few thai bhat crossing the friendship bridge leaves every few minutes.
You apply for a Lao entry visa at the other side of the bridge. Cost for Uk passport holder 1500thb. One month duration. There are many touts offering visa help in the area but it’s not necessary. Im not the most well versed in immigration peculiarities, but found it a straightforward process.
There is also an entry tax on entry after passport control but again it is negligable.
There are many minibus taxies around offering travel for the 25min journey to Vientienne.
Cost for the 4 of us was 1000thb.
We stayed in a middle of the road hotel with a mekong view near the central area for 800thb for the night.
We found it an experience but would probably not go back unless for visa necessity.
Busy discos behind the Novotel, cute boys but not as easy to meet as in Thailand. We didn’t find it a terribly friendly gay destination.
Have a great trip regardless !!!
December 1st, 2007 at 7:54 am
I did that journey a year ago, but I continued with bus all the way to Luang Prabang. In my view an unique town and experience.
As I remember it I did like this: I found a direct bus Udon Thani - Vientienne early in the morning.The bus stops at the Lao border at the Friendshipbridge. There you pay $20 or THB 1000 for a visa, I don´t remember which but you never need any lao money in Laos. You also need a photo. It will take an hour all in all at the border station but the bus will NOT wait for the farangs to finish there buisness(It is faster for thai people). I continued with a tuk tuk to Vientienne, but I found it a little too far and uncomfortable. Next time I ´ll take a taxi.
December 1st, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Sometimes a traveller forgets to get stamped out of Thailand before crossing the bridge. This has bad consequences.
December 1st, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Upon arriving the airport in Udon Thani there is a Thai airways minibus that for 150 baht will take you right to the immigration on the Thai side in about 45 minutes. Then you continue with a local bus across the bridge to the Lao immigration, which will cost you 10 baht.
I do no tknow the arrival times of any other air line, and if that is not compatible with the departure of the Thai Airways minibus, you would either have to wait or find some other means of transport.
Alternatively you can spend the night in Udon or Nong Khai. Finding transport to the Friendship bridge should not be a problem. From Ning Khai you can go by tuk tuk, and 50 baht will be enough.
Visa will take you back another 35 USD, but they do accept Thai baht, remember to bring enough passport photographs. The visa is processes in less than five minutes, and after passing through the Lao immigration and having your passport stamped, there will be lots of taxi drivers that will offer you a ride into the city. The ride will take some 20 minutes, and they will probably ask for 400 baht if they can sense this is your first trip. Pay no more than 200 baht, they will ahppily transport you for that amount.
I have been to Laos more than a dozen times, and it is as easy as I say. No problems.
December 1st, 2007 at 4:57 pm
To someone in farangland this sounds like quite an adventure. It’s making me slightly tense (in an excited kind of way) just reading it, and I’m already looking forward to hearing all about it.
I hope you’re going to take your camera and treat us to some of the sights you find.
And don’t get yourself into any bother like you nearly did in Sarawak!
December 1st, 2007 at 7:12 pm
It is an adventure. Going to Laos is not commonplace where I am from. When I was a kid Laos was a dot on the map I was sure I would never visit. Sort of like a Farawayistan.
Thanks for the practical advice, guys
December 1st, 2007 at 7:13 pm
did the trip earlier in the year, stayed in Nong Khai as I arrived early evening. Probably do it again this month my three months are up so I need to go out the country to get another new stamp
December 2nd, 2007 at 2:43 am
I found the following on Dragoncastle…Nothing at Utopia.
Soradith Hotel (Guest House)
150 Ban Dongpalane Thong
(tel. 413651, 412233, fax: 856-21 413651)
Reports that this gay owned and gay friendly guesthouse allows overnight guests.
Syri 2 Guesthouse
63/6-7 Setthathirat Road, Vientiane
(856 20) 616 968; Email: syri2@hotmail.com
Gay friendly guesthouse close to the Mekong River.
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I make the Vientiane/Thailand trip regularly by bus. Lots of Laos go daytripping/shopping in Undonthani because it is bigger and more goods than Vientiane.
If you can make your way to the main bus station from the airport or guesthouse, buses go direct from Udnonthani to Vientiane about every hour. They stop and start at each of the immigration checkpoints for the paperwork and you only have to catch the one bus all the way to the Talat Sao (Morning market) bus station.
The market is on the edge of the city, about 1km walk or overpriced tuk tuk ride into “Nam Phou” (the central square fountain). From there you will find any number of guesthouses within a 4-5 block radius although the most popular are along the river. You can expect to pay anwhere from $10-$25 a night this time of year. I usually stay at the “Riverside” near Mixay Temple for $18. Tell them the Aussie with the long beard recommended them.
Sorry, there are no officially gay venues in Vientiane but there is an officially not gay sauna which is popular with the National University students use … email me if you want directions … I’m not willing to make it public … its my secret place.
There is only one international ATM in Vientiane (in fact there it is the only one in the whole country) but it only dispenses 700 000 kip at a time (about $70) and at $5 bank fees each time you use it the cost adds up so it is better to take enough cash with you. Small purchases such as food is in kip but bars, hotels etc usually accept baht or US$ as well.
Make sure you dont have any kip left over because no one will change them for you
Joma cafe near Nam Phou is good but way overpriced, go to the Scandinavian on the other side of the fountain, food just as good and half the price.
The best entertainment is sunset over the Mekong with a Beerlaos, at a riverside raan ahaan, costs 7 000-10 000 kip a bottle,(70cents-$1) but value is priceless.
December 5th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
I love Lao and used to do the visa run often before I got a job. Vientiane is a great place so laid back it is almost horizontal. Gay life is limited but available, just hang around and the world will come to you.
December 6th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Hi,
I did this trip last year from Bangkok.
I took the budget airline (there are various flights and you can book via phone and make subsequent payment at any 7-11 stores) to Udon Thani.
Once you reach the Udon Thani airport, there is a bus shuttle service that will bring you to the border of Thailand - that costs about 350 baht. It is about half an hour ride.
You will then have to alight at the border and get your passport chopped for leaving Thailand. Once you do that, you will find a really old 1970’s big non air-con bus (usually blue in colour) to bring you across the Friendship Bridge. It is not that big a bridge. You will cross the beautiful river in about 15 minutes, where you will alight in Laos’ immigration.
Take the queue for foreigner. Ask for a visa application form. It will take you about 5 minutes to fill that up. Then, with your passport, queue with the rest. They are a bit slow with the computer so you will take about 10 minutes to get cleared at the booth. They accept Thai baht.
Laos generally is happy to accept baht, and of course, the kip. But from my experience, baht is more welcomed at the city centre.
There will be no taxi (forget air-con) but only tuk-tuks. I suggest you rent the tuk-tuk for the days that you will be there. It will not be convenient to flag down a tuk-tuk in Vientianne. You never know whivch ones will take you. Anyway, that’s what I did - I rent him for the rest of the week. It is cheap. From the immigration to city centre of Vientianne will take you about 20-30 minutes.
The club scene there is not as opened as you will find in Bangkok. But there are a few popular ones. Don’t fret if it looks not-happening at first. Things normally pick up after midnight - but they close pretty early there, unlike Bangkok. After people start getting tipsy, they will start to dance. Drink a couple more, and things normally turned out fun for me
Enjoy!
December 6th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Oh yeah …as for hotel, i stayed at Novotel. About US$15 per night. Its one of the most popular hotel with foreigners there, but I am sure it is cheap for you. Stayed at a nearby hotel too near the river, but Novotel is the most decent in Vientianne, unless you prefer the other boutique hotels - but I cannot promise you the quality.
There is also a huge tall hotel near the river. I cant remember the name. I did not stay there, but did karaoke there. Expensive.
Another caution: you will need to get use to the food there
But I generally enjoed the place.
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 am
hi Ironbark,
i am currently working in vientiane, (Jan 2008) please tell me which local ‘herbal’ sauna in Vientiane you are referring to that are popular with the Naitonal University (Dong Dok), as I have a favourite as well.
Ariya
mothership000@hotmail.com