Laos and Vietnam are two beautiful countries in Southeast Asia. These two countries are increasingly attracting tourists thanks to their wonderful natural beauty, the friendliness of the people, and their unique culture. In particular, these two countries share a border, making it very convenient for a combined trip to Vietnam and Laos. In this article, Asiatica Travel will share with you "How to get to Laos from Vietnam!"
Laos and Vietnam are two beautiful countries in Southeast Asia. These two countries are increasingly attracting tourists thanks to their wonderful natural beauty, the friendliness of the people, and their unique culture. In particular, these two countries share a border, making it very convenient for a combined trip to Vietnam and Laos. In this article, Asiatica Travel will share with you "How to get to Laos from Vietnam!"
1. Traveling between Laos and Vietnam by Air
Currently, there are two airlines operating on the Vietnam - Laos route: Vietnam Airlines and Lao Airlines.
Vietnam Airlines offers direct flights from Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) and Tan Son Nhat Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) to Luang Prabang Airport and Wattay Airport (Vientiane) in Laos, and vice versa.
Lao Airlines' direct flights include:
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From Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat to Wattay and vice versa.
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From Noi Bai to Luang Prabang and vice versa.
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From Tan Son Nhat to Pakse (Champasak, Laos) and vice versa (every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday).
You can book tickets directly on the airlines' websites. It is advisable to purchase tickets 1 to 3 months before your trip to avoid being sold out and to ensure your travel plans go smoothly.
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2. Traveling between Laos and Vietnam by Road
2.1 Border Gates between Vietnam and Laos
The border line between Vietnam and Laos is about 2,340 km long and stretches across 10 provinces of Vietnam, adjacent to 10 provinces of Laos. There are more than 20 border gates between Laos and Vietnam, with some major international border gates open from 7 am to 5 pm every day.
Tay Trang (Dien Bien) - Sop Hun (Phongsaly):
Buses depart from Dien Bien Phu to Muang Khua at 5:30 am every day.
Nam Can (Nghe An) - Nam Khan (Bolikhamsai):
This border gate is very popular among road travelers. From the city of Vinh, there is a bus to Phonsavan (about 403 km, taking 12 hours) departing at 6:00 am on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, costing about 5-6 €. Additionally, there are buses to Luang Prabang (about 690 km) departing at 6:00 am on Wednesday and Sunday, costing about 12-13 €.
Cau Treo (Ha Tinh) - Nam Pha (Bolikhamsai):
This gate is another option for road travelers. Not far from the city of Vinh, about 100 km.
Lao Bao (Quang Tri) - Den Savanh (Savannakhet):
This is the first border gate between Laos and Vietnam that was opened to international visitors. Although it is not as popular as it used to be, Lao Bao is still a gateway to Laos.
2.2 Vietnam - Laos Buses
The bus is probably the best way to travel, thanks to its flexibility in terms of time and low cost.
From Hanoi:
All buses to Laos from Hanoi depart at 6:00 pm from Nuoc Ngam bus station.
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Hanoi - Vientiane (Dong Dok bus station): The ticket price in 2023 is about 30 €/person. The distance is about 850 km, through Cau Treo border gate (Vinh). Travel time is from 6:00 pm to 4:00 pm the next day.
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Hanoi - Luang Prabang (Northern bus station - Naluang near Luang Prabang International Airport): The ticket price in 2023 is about 46 €/person. The distance is about 950 km, through Nam Can border gate (Nghe An). Travel time is from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm the next day.
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Hanoi - Xieng Khouang: The ticket price in 2023 is about 35 €/person. The distance is about 690 km, through Nam Can border gate (Nghe An). Travel time is from 6:00 pm to 12:00 pm the next day. You can take the Hanoi - Luang Prabang bus and get off at Xieng Khouang.
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Hanoi - Muang Khua - Oudomxay: The journey from Hanoi to Oudomxay is divided into 2 stages. Stage 1: Hanoi - Dien Bien is about 450 km - 500 km, takes about 12 hours, the bus departs at 5:00 pm. Stage 2: Dien Bien - Oudomxay through Tay Trang border gate, takes 9 hours, departs at 7:30 am. The ticket price in 2023 is about 46 €/person.
From Da Nang:
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Da Nang - Vientiane: Departure at 8:00 am in Da Nang and arrival in Vientiane at 6:00 am the next day. The price is about 42 €/person.
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Da Nang - Pakse: Hai Van bus departs daily at 8:00 am at No.12 Hoang Van Thai street, Da Nang; or Nghia Nga bus departs daily at 5:30 am at Da Nang central bus station. The price is about 33 €/person.
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Da Nang - Savannakhet: Departs daily at 8:00 am at No.12 Hoang Van Thai street, Da Nang. The price is about 42 €/person.
From Hue:
Hue - Vientiane: You can take the Da Nang - Vientiane bus, which departs from Da Nang at 8:00 am and arrives in Hue at 10:00 am. The price is about 33 €/person.
From Ho Chi Minh City:
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Ho Chi Minh City - Cambodia - Pakse - Vientiane: The Hung Huong bus departs at 4:00 am from Monday to Saturday, the total travel time is 24 hours. The price is about 58 €/person.
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Ho Chi Minh City - Kon Tum - Pakse: Departs at 6:00 am daily and arrives in Pakse at 5:00 pm.
Although traveling by bus is quite economical, the long travel times can be tiring (as not all buses have sleeping berths). So consider carefully before deciding!
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3. Traveling between Laos and Vietnam by Rail
There are no direct trains to Laos, but we can use the railway system in Vietnam to reduce the bus travel time.
From Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City):
You can buy train tickets to Da Nang, Hue, or Vinh (Nghe An) and then take a bus to Laos from these places.
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Saigon - Da Nang: 20 € - 35 €
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Saigon - Hue: 21 € - 41 €
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Saigon - Vinh: 28 € - 42 €
From Hanoi:
The closest way is to go to Vinh, then take a bus to Ha Tinh and arrive in Laos through the Cau Treo border gate.
Hanoi - Vinh: 10 € - 15 €
Train prices during holidays will be higher than on weekdays.
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