Vientiane to Udon Thani Airport for noon flight
 

. I just learned that it is much cheaper to fly to Yangon (Myanmar) from Udon Thani, Thailand than from Vientiane. If the flight is at noon, could we be absolutely sure of getting from Vientiane to the airport on time on public transportation?

If that's risky, how much might a taxi cost? This would be in mid-February.

THANKS to all.

Got the following from Wikitravel...

"Regular busses go from Vientiane to Udon Thani at the bus station in Vientiane at 08:00, 09:00, 10:30, 11:30, 14:00, 15:00, 16:30 and 18:00 and kost 22000 Kip. Best buy your bus ticket a day in advance because the buses are sold out quickly (3 hours or more before departure). The alternative to go from Vientiane to Udon Thani is a minibus with air condition for 130000 Kip (price negotiable) to the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai and from there with another minibus to Udon Thani (300-1000 Baht, price negotiable)."

Best bet imo is to travel in daylight the previous day, and stay overnight in Udon Thani - no stress.

You might find the Wikitravel pages for Vientiane and Udon Thani useful...

http://wikitravel.org/en/Vientiane
http://wikitravel.org/en/Udon_Thani

Have a good trip.

As I recall it took us around 3-4 hours by public transport, inc. changes, immigration etc.. If the first bus is at 8.00 as indicated by LL above, then it would be very tight indeed. I agree with LL that it would be better to spend the previous night in Udon. No idea how much a taxi would cost but it will probably be expensive.

You best bet may be to contact your hotel and ask them how much it would cost to arrange a taxi to the airport. You may be able to split the cost of others are making the same trip.

Agree with LL and Crellston above, but I'd stay in Nong Khai the night before your flight. It's about one hour by car to Udon Thani Airport, and you've already dealt with the border. It's a pleasant town to wander in, it's on the Mekong river and has some temples worth seeing.

@sartoric<<<..but I'd stay in Nong Khai the night before your flight.>>>

Me too! We had a wonderful week here...

http://www.mutmee.com/

...British owner, and a really nice bloke. I'm sure he'd be able to sort transport out to Udon Thani.

We were there for Loy Kratong, and thoroughly enjoyed the local hospitality, and the fact that Nong Khai isn't overrun with tourists.

Very helpful! I had seen the Wikitravel info but couldn't get a good sense of the time involved. Nong Khai overnight sounds like a great idea.

we found it very slow going back through immigration into thailand..

i would only go by private car, taxi. i don't recall but it did not cost much.. ask your hotel

Have definitely decided to spend the night before at Nong Khai - I hope at the place Lancaster mentioned (Mutmee). It sounds wonderful. Possibly the only night of our lives we'll sleep in Thailand. Thanks to all of you.

LancasterLad--Can you tell me more about what you did during your week in Mutmee? It does sound like a nice place, and I was interested to read about the cycling possibilities too. Is this area heavily westernized or not as developed?

julies. I've just got out notes out, and we were only there for 5 days/4 nights. It fitted in nicely with Loy Kratong, which went on more-or-less for the duration.

Nong Khai is a border town. Most tourists whizz through on the way to or from Laos. But there are enough tourists, so you won't feel lonely. Being right on the Mekong is a great experience.

Got to Nong Khai by overnight sleeper train from Bangkok. Travelled 1st Class, but mainly for the extra security of having a private cabin. Still inexpensive, and saved on a night in a hotel.

Rather than write about what we did, it's easier for you to read what there is to do on the Wikitravel page...

http://wikitravel.org/en/Nong_Khai

Wikitravel mentions hiring pushbikes from The Mutmee. You have to be quick as the Germans seem to pinch the best ones! But the area is definitely suitable for cycling.

Leaving Nong Khai, we got a Tuk Tuk tothe Friendship Bridge, and crossed into Laos. Got our on the Bridge. Then Tuk Tuk to Vientiane, which is about 20km.

3 nights in Vientiane, then bus to Vang Vieng for 3 nights, bus to Luang Prabang for a week, then flew to Chiang Mai [slow boat is an option, but my back told me it wasn't a good idea]. Stopped too long in Chiang Mai, but we had my brother with us, and he'd got fed up of moving around.

The beaten-track in Laos is easy and safe. There are loads of people doing the same trip all the time, and everywhere we went we kept bumping into people we'd seen or spoken to elsewhere.

Got our <<visas>> on the .

LL--

Great help! Thanks much! I could do the reverse train trip to Nong Khai if I wanted to end my trip in Bangkok.