adeleh

We will be in Laos in July and looking for a driver to take us from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, with a night in Vang Vieng.
We were wondering if anyone has some info about the trip and the name of a driver we can get in touch with.
Do you think it will be safe to do this by land in July?
Any information will be appreciated.
Thank you

thursdaysd

Why do you think it might not be safe?

Buses do this trip regularly, don't know about car and driver. Having gone overland my first trip I now fly, having no desire to visit Vang Vieng, a horrible backpacker hangout, more than once.

silverwool

I've done the trip by bus but the long way round - through Phonsovan to visit the Plain of Jars. I stayed a couple of days in Vang Vieng which I enjoyed. I hired a bike and spent most of the time in the countryside. The town itself is horrible but its a beautiful area.

Re safety, the roads and driving in Laos as a bit iffy but no worse than elsewhere in Asia. There was a tourist bus shot up north of Vang Vieng years ago and we had a man with a gun on the bus for part of the journey. 'For your protection sir!' However I think its been quiet for a long time. The scenery is spectacular but July is at the start of the wet season so it could be wet for part of the journey.

I must say I enjoyed the bus and would not consider a car and driver. As the previous poster said it may be easier to fly.

crellston

The biggest danger en route would be from drunken backpackers in Vang Vieng! I didn't like the place but the scenery is wonderful. There are better places to vist in Lao - check out the far north - Phonsali, Muang Sing etc. The safety issues on bandits on the road between LP and Vientinne were dealt with years ago but there were incidents of fighting between the army and dissident groups in 2007. The FCO has no travel safety advisories in force at the present time.

Lao buses are better than they were and I would have no hesitation in using them , but it is a long trip and the roads are not fantastic. Flying is probably the best option unless you REALLY want to go to VV.

adeleh

Thanks for the info.
I have heard the scenery is fantastic from VV to Lp and that is the reason we want to go by land.
Since the distance is long we want to stay in VV.
I am concerned about wet season and mudslide.
Any thoughts on that?

silverwool

My wife and her sister were planning on taking the bus from Phonsovan to Luang Prabang in August last year and the road was blocked by a land (mud?) slide. They were told they could hire porters to carry their luggage and walk 'over the mountain' and be picked up on the other side. They flew. Also they had no problems getting on flights at short notice within Laos.

I second the idea of going to the north of Laos. I went trekking at Luang Namtha a few years ago and loved it.

khunwilko

Vang Vieng now has some very nice hotels with spectacular views over the valley. Try the Vansana.
Drunken backpackers are not over-represented.....in fact they are pretty rare.
THe area around there is quite spectacular - especially if you take a drive over the river. Check out the "Hobo" maps for the area. - google them

THe road between Vientiane and Luang Prabang is really beautiful and having a car and driver would mean you can stop for photos etc all the way. There are several villages and even a hill-top service station that are well worth a stop.
however the wet season brings some problems - that is to the road itself - although you are unlikely to get perpetual rain, you may find the going difficult in places as the road is not guaranteed to be 100% metalled and there is also the possibility of landslips. I wouldn't try it in a 2WD in the wet.

khunwilko

PS - In December I had to wait for a couple of hours whilst they dug through a landslide.

adeleh

Thanks.
I think I am determined to travel by land.
Where can I find a driver?

khunwilko

Can't help you with a driver, I drove myself. I have to say it was probably one of the most enjoyable drives I've ever had....on 5 continents.

Vang Vieng Hotel..............

http://www.vansanahotel-group.com/in...p?id=vangvieng

Have you considered hiring a 4X4 and driving yourself?

Vientianeboy

The road from Vientiane to Vang Vieng is in a terrible state of repair at the moment. Last week my neighbours saw a pickup with a broken axle. Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang is very windy and some peple suffer from motion sickness. To be honest, I would not do this journey by car again. These days I flay, avoiding Vang Vieng of course. If you do want to go to Vang Vieng, KW has already mentioned the Vansana Hotel. This is a nice place and out of the way of drunken backpackers.

Yes, apart from the bad road, the journey is usually safe. However July is the wet season and there is always the possibility of mudslides.

dogster

'Drunken backpackers are not over-represented.....in fact they are pretty rare...'

Tell that to the boozed-up Australians who regularly kill themselves there. Three last month.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/trav...-1226266012394

Hanuman

3 Australian died and 3 Australian commenting on this thread.

khunwilko

According to your report, one was found dead in a hotel in Luang Prabang and the other two died engaging in extreme sports - I can't see how this is connected with "drunken backpackers" as there is no direct allegation that they had been drinking only an implication.

But one is is sure these 3 guys weren't walking round the streets of Van Vieng.

khunwilko

PS - As the op are looking for someone to drive them, I'd be surprised if they are going to engage in extreme sorts.

However there IS a caveat here - and that is to beware of any activity like this organised in Laos or Thailand or any other S.E. Asian country - they simply don't have the health and safety legislation and enforcement to ensure any of these activities are as safe as you might expect in Oz, US or Europe.....and even there they have mishaps and disasters.
even some of the milder sports I occasionally engage in - mostly boats/kayaks/microlights - I'm usually horrified by the lack of safety gear and appalling state of the craft.
I notice in Vang Vieng they offer hot-air ballooning - now that is something I'd look into carefully before taking a flight