Difficult getting from Siem Reap to Laos, post pandemic?
 

Hey
I am planning a trip to Cambodia, Siem Reap and then on to Laos in May. Will likely fly to Bangkok. I have had trouble finding any direct flights from Cambodia to Laos. One seems to be once a day from Phnom Penh to Vientiane, I wasn't planning on visiting Phnom Penh. I really just wanted to visit Siem Reap and spend the rest of the time in Laos. We have two weeks.

Anyone travelled post pandemic and have experience of getting between the two countries? I don't want to spend quite a bit of time transitting via Bangkok all the time.

Perhaps it's best just to focus on Laos?

Thanks much for advice!

SJ

It is nothing to do with the pandemic , It has always been a pain to get to Laos since I first visited 30 years ago! There are direct flights from Phnom Penh to Vientianne and PP is definitely worth a couple of days. Vientianne on the other hand is not a particularly entrancing place and one which I would easily omit given the choice. There are plenty of flights between SR and PP.

You don't say where you want to go in Laos. Luang Prababang is high on many peoples agenda but there are lots of other places, the Bolavaes Plateau, Si Phan Don which you could reach by heading north from Siem Reap to Kratie and crossing the border around Stung Treng. Takes time and a bit convoluted but great if you are up for a mini adventure . Otherwise, with just two weeks, I would head for Luang Prabang, spend a few days there and then head north into the mountains for some trekking around the minority villages around Luang Namtha, Muang Sing Muang Ngoi. in which case flying via DMK may well be your best bet.

Another vote for time in PP. However, I also like Vientiane for a day or two, although it has been a while since I was there.

It would be better to go in the opposite direction, Bangkok - Vientiane, from where there is a new high-speed railway to the north of Laos.

It is also possible to fly from Vientian to Pakse, and visit Bolavaes Plateau, Si Phan Don and then cross the border with Cambodia near Siem Reap from where you can return to the center of Bangkok by bus in 6-7 hours.

There are DIRECT flights Luang Prabang- and Vientiane-Siem Reap !

Really? Which airline?

https://www.flightsfrom.com/LPQ-REP

And PLEASE, do not tell me they it does not exist, I used one !!!!

I am struggling to find where I told you they did not exist. Perhaps in future you could try not to be quite so rude and combative. Using block capitals is the online equivalent of shouting. There is no need for it.

Thank you for sharing the link. It seems Vietnam Airlines offer these flights once a week.

Ah well, you LOVE so much to contradict me that I thought you were once more. As we say in France, "One lends (money )only to the Rich"

I believe Vietnam Air is the airline (and only one) that flies nonstop from LP to Siem Reap. We flew it 9 years ago. It was the only time in our travels when our luggage didn’t arrive with us!

It is a combined flight Vietnam Airlines/Lao Airlines

Itineraries in Laos
 

Vientiane is one of the least interesting cities in Laos -- you can fill a day if you're stuck waiting for a flight or something, but there are much better places to spend your time. Fortunately, getting out of Vientiane is easy -- it's less than an hour from there to Vang Vieng by train (or 2 hours by express bus). Vang Vieng has some of Laos' most stunning scenery. And from Vang Vieng it's another hour by train to Luang Prabang, Laos' magnificent medieval capital.

Or you can go by bus. From Siem Reap get a bus to Pakse in Southern Laos (you can make a 1- or 2-day stop in the 4,000 Islands if you like). Make sure it's the fast, direct bus, not one that makes a huge detour through Phnom Penh, or a local one that stops every 10 minutes. The main attraction in Pakse is the Bolaven Motorcycle Loop, or you can transfer directly to the comfortable overnight bus that leaves Pakse at 8 PM every evening for Vientiane and Vang Vieng.

But I think your best option is to fly to Luang Prabang. This will require two separate flight bookings, one from Siem Reap to Bangkok and one from Bangkok to Luang Prabang. Most of the flights are so cheap that even with two of them, the cost should be ok. You could get a late evening flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok DMK airport (smaller, faster and more efficient than BKK airport), stay in the hotel that is connected to the airport, and fly on to Luang Prabang the next morning. That way even if your flight to Bangkok is delayed by an hour or two, you won't miss your connecting flight.

It's been a while, but I certainly found enough to do in Vientiane for a couple of days.

Fair enough, but I wouldn't allocate any time to Vientiane unless you're spending at least a month in Laos. More interesting uses for your time include Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi, Luang Namtha, the Gibbon Experience, the Thakhek and Bolaven motorcycle loops, and the 4,000 Islands.