carolll

FInal stages of a lengthy trip planning process - has anyone gone from Luang Prabang to any of the following and, if so, how?
Khouany Si waterfall $84 per person
Pak Ou caves $103 pp
Nam Ou $276 pp

We have price quotes from an online guide that include driver, English speaking guide, and a lunch. Price seems pretty high - if you arranged such trips once you arrived in Luang Prabang, were you satisfied, guide name, and do you recall what you paid?

Also, same questions regarding Vientiane and a visit to Nam Ngum Lake. That price quote is $162 pp.

Thanks so much!

Carol

thursdaysd

Mind-blowingly high. Guide unnecessary. Go down to the waterfront/main street and bargain. (Avoid the main square by the fountain - those drivers won't bargain.)

Kathie

Thursdays is right. Those prices are silly. There is no need for a guide for any of these places. We negotiated and got a private boat (no guide) to the Pak Ou caves for $14 many years ago. It will be higher now, but probably not more than $20-25. Just walk down to where the boats leave and talk with someone. We also negotiated a car and driver to both sets of water falls (and several other places) for about $25 for a half a day.

Wait until you get there and negotiate in person. These online services that find you a guide or transport are making money hand over fist - and believe me, the money is not going to the locals.

carolll

Thanks so much! I thought the internet guide rates were pretty outrageous. Your comments are helpful. Never having been to SE Asia I wasn't sure about what to expect.

Carol

gailmo

I agree with Kathie....
Those rates are terrible! We had our hotel help us arrange a car to the falls. In fact while we were doing this at breakfast, some other people overheard us and joined us. We ended up booking a van and splitting the costs. In fact, one of the people who went with us (in 2009) was the person we ran into again this past year in Myanmar. We were broke...ran out of $$. She saved our trip by loaning us money so we could eat!!! : )

We also walked down to the boat dock and got a boat with other people who were standing around. Went to the caves and did a variety of other things for next to nothing.

so...just to confirm what others have said. WAIT until you get there.

kuluk

Just to have the joy of beating a dead horse (or monkey) yes, it's true! So easy to find small tours to go anywhere you want, for minivans, busses etc. I would say wtih VERY few exceptions it's better to wait until you get to each country to make tour arrangements. Internet sites (in my opinion) take advantage of people to charge way more than the actual local tourist costs.

Last year I seem to recall that we paid a pittance to join a small minivan trip to the waterfalls, and started talking to the guide/driver/owner of the van. He said to rent the entire van for a day would be a very reasonable price, didn't bother to write it down but it was something like $30 a day PER CAR, not per person.
Same even with tours to Angkor Wat Park, etc etc.

The only one of two places I have pre-booked a tour in about 20 years in SEA was with Hanoi Kids, and that was free! And the other one was for a private boat to Halong Bay with no one else on board.

It's possible that the quotes you are getting are for a large, private luxury boat like the one Le Residence runs. But that just seems like too much luxury for a low-key tour like those around LP.

Vientianeboy

You certainly do not need a guide in LP. It is easy to go to all of these places by yourself.