Luang Prabang to Thailand
 

Hello to all the travellers.
We are four elders persons and we would like to go from luang Prabang to Thailand ; Chang mai or Chang Rai.
How long does it take?
We would like to go via the Mekong one or 2 days? what are the options? How long does it take? can an agencie help us? I am travelling also with my mother(french) who is 90 so it has to be not tooooo difficult.
We would love to sleep in guest houses. Can we doo a par with the slow boat and part by road?
Should we go to Chang mai or Chang Rai/
Thanks for your suggestions
Is the mekong flowing from Thailand to Laos or Laos to Thailand? does it matters to go on the Mekong? Is it better to start wit Thailand? then Laos?

Thanks thanks

Benjamine

Here are your options:
Fly -- it takes an hour and is flown by Lao Airlines. 1 hour.

Slow boat -- then a two day boat then requires overland transport to the border. Time required: At least three days.

Speedboat -- , a one day speed boat trip. then requires overland transport to the border. At least two days.

Take the bus -- Luang Prabang. Udomxai Luang Nam Tha
3 days.

Apart from flying, the others would be too strenuous for your mother. The slow boat is not comfortable.

My mother is also 90. I would definitely fly!

with a 90 year old mother, the best route to me would be to fly...

We took the boat from Thailand (an hour from Chiang Rai) to Luang Prabang. It was fun (with 2 boys) but absolutely freezing on the Mekong (January). The boat stops overnight and you all stay in a basic lodge and have dinner together - look up Luang Say Mekong Cruises - www.asian-oasis.com I would definitely recommend it as long as you go in the warmer season. We flew back which was much easier but not as much fun.

I've done the road trip Luang Prabang, Udomxai, Luang Nam Tha and I enjoyed the trip BUT, (and its a very big but) I honestly feel it would be too much for your mother. I did it in two days with a few days in Luang Nam Tha. Also the speedboat would in my opinion be too unsuitable. Really flying is your best option. As a side note descending to the Luang Prabang airport is beautiful. Window seats are a must!

I've also done the road trip, but agree that at 90 it might be a bit much. The speed boat is said to be dangerous - too many accidents - and probably miserably noisy. What does your mother say? What other travel has she done recently?

The speed boat is also a bit bumpy. I agree that it's not for a 90 yo.

"a bit bumpy" a major understatement VB! We got a speedboat from the far north down river to the Ban Huay Xay border crossing. 2 hours on the boat and I felt like I had gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson!
I have also done the trip on a privately hired slow boat and a public boat and whilst the former was more comfortable it was not something I would recommend for a 90 year old. Flying is really the only sensible option unless the 90 year old lady is pretty fit. The Luangsay cruise could be a more comfortable, if expensive alternative www.luangsay.com/