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Transit Guide: Vang Vieng to Vientiane

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As the capital city of Laos, Vientiene is filled with Buddhist temples and French architecture. It's bustling streets make it a perfect spot for travellers looking for big city comforts. 

How to get there?

If you walk around Vang Vieng, there are tons of shops offering bus tickets. Shop around for a decent price. We noticed most of the pricing was between 40,000 - 70,000 kip. It depends on the timing and what type of bus you take. We ended up taking a mini-bus for 50,000 kip. It was pretty late picking us up, so we had terrible seats. 

The bus ride was decent overall. The winding roads were very bumpy, but we've started getting used to it. We've come to accept that Laos roads aren't the greatest. The ride takes around three hours to get there with a short washroom and snack break. The ride wasn't too scenic, so feel free to use it as nap time. 

Happy Travelling! 

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Transit Guide: Nong Khiaw to Vang Vieng

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Vang Vieng is a little town located in central Laos. Known for its wild parties, river tubing and numerous adventurous activities, it's no wonder that it's a popular destination. 

How to get there

From Nong Khiaw, we took a mini-bus to Luang Prabang. If you buy from the bus station, it costs 37,000 kip to get to the North Bus Station and 55,000 kip to get to the South Bus Station. We originally wanted to buy the cheaper ticket, but when we got there, it was sold out. So, it might be worth it to buy the ticket in advance from a guesthouse. We noticed that Delilah's Place sells it for 40,000 kip. Just note that the times vary for the bus. It leaves when it's full - earlier or later than advertised. The bus takes three - four hours get to Luang Prabang. 

Once we got to Luang Prabang, we ended up having to stay there one night because we wanted to break up the travel time. So, we booked a bus from our guesthouse at 8:30 a.m for 120,000 kip (including the tuk tuk ride to the station). Buying the ticket from the bus station is cheaper, but you might risk it running out of seats. The bus ride takes closer to four-five hours with a half hour stop for a food and washroom break. 

The bus ride is pretty scenic with gorgeous mountain views, but it's also extremely terrifying. There's one part where you drive along the mountainside with steep drops. The drivers can be very aggressive and pass cars on this road if they're driving too slow. 

We arrived in Vang Vieng in one piece!

Happy Travelling

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Transit Guide: Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw

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Nong Khiaw is town in northern Laos located by the Ou River, surrounded by limestone mountains. It's a quiet town that offers beautiful views. 

How to get there? 

The best way to get there is to take a bus. It costs around 50,000 - 60,000 kip and takes between 3-4 hours to get there. The roads are pretty bumpy, so be ready for a rocky ride. If you get a window seat, you'll see beautiful landscapes along the way, which will hopefully make up for how terrible the ride is. 

We bought our ticket from our guesthouse for 80,000 kip, which included our tuk tuk ride to the bus station (20,000 kip). Just note that if you decide to purchase at the bus station, you might not be able to get a seat during high season (Dec-Mar). 

When you reach Nong Khiaw, you'll get dropped off at the bus station. It costs 5,000 kip for a tuk tuk ride into town. The bus station is only 2km from the city centre, so feel free to save the money and walk it. Once you get past the bridge, there will be an abundance of guesthouses and restaurants. 

We stayed at Sunrise Guesthouse for 80,000 kip for a room with hot water, wifi and flush toilets. There's also a balcony with hammocks to lay on. 

Happy Travels