Laos itinerary help
 

Hi Foderites

Plan to travel Feb 2014 for three weeks to Laos & Thailand. We are 50 ish, like food, markets, architecture, temples and sitting in a bar people watching. We can handle bus trips with stops every two hours or so

We travel via Singapore from east coast Australia on Scoot (the budget arm of Singapore Airlines) then straight through to Phnom Penh for two nights. We have been there before and have seen the major sights, but want to do markets and spit roasted pig.

Fly to Ventiane for two nights.
Is Vang Vieng worth the 4 hour bus trip ? Which then means 6 hours to Luang Prabang, or fly through and give VV a miss ? What are the buses like ? Do they make frequent stops, is food available ?

Thanks for any suggestions
Plan 4 nights in LP, then boat to Huay Xai.
From there how easy is it to cross into Thailand to Chaing Khong, and then how to get to Chaing Rai ?

Any suggestions for agencies to arrange hill tribe treks from Chaing Rai ?

1. Vang Vieng has great scenery and is ok to break up the trip. It tends to be full of hard partying young backpackers so may not be the places for a quiet night ( it may have changed though as it is a whole since I have been)

2. Buses are bettervhannthey used to be but tend not to make stops IME. I would expect to have to go 4 hours without a break but you can always ask!! (the one travel accessory I yearned fro for when travelling by bus in Asia is a bigger bladder!). Food is not available on the buses but you can buy stuff from hawkers who ply their trade at bus stations.

3. 4 nights is good for LP but do try to get out and about in the countryside. One night out of town in one of the jungle retreats would be nice. You also need to factor in an overnight in Pakbeng on the way to chaing Khong. You should be ok for the smoke from the slash and burning of the jungle in feb as I think it usually starts a bit later but do google the Thai air quality websites for previous years to check. As we had major problems on that journey I think in March/April.

4. Dead easy to cross the river into Thailand, regular ferries cross the river. You can get a bus or taxi to CR .

5. For hill tribe treks around CR check out www.travelfish.org which has reliable info. Also, do consider trekking in the far north of Laos. The trekking around Muabpng Sing and Pongsali is great.

"Vang Vieng has great scenery...."
Yes it certainy does and it is worth the visit.

".. and is ok to break up the trip. It tends to be full of hard partying young backpackers."
No, it is no longer full of 'partying young backpackers' and has not been for a while; even when this was the case, the backpackers were easily avoided by staying in a better place on the river. I have pointed this out to Crellston and others a number of times. I take my young family to Vang Vieng a couple of times a year for R&R.Interestingly enough there was an article in the Vientiane Times on Friday saying how the tourist demographic in VV has changed.

Buses to VV do stop after about 2 hours or so. However, I would go by mini van and then you are as free to stop when you like.

Thanks both for your replies. We're thinking of hiring a car with driver for say 3 days to go from Ventiane to Luang Prabang. Would that be easy to arrange once in V ? Or better to organise via a local Laos travel agent from here ?

Organise it from Lao. You will find it is far cheaper.

Interesting documentary on VV and perhaps a glimpse of the town today or 11 months ago according to the timeline on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wk0Ispwr3I