Hello, today I will share my experience of backpacking in Vietnam. This trip started with inviting friends to travel during the school holidays. Normally, we always find trips to travel together. The last time we went to southern Laos, Pakse - Don Det >>> Traveling in southern Laos for 4 days and 3 nights with a budget of 3,000.

This summer, I saved up money during the one-month break. I barely had time to plan for this trip, so I only planned about a week in advance and didn't do much research.

Note: Photos were taken with a Canon Kiss X7i DSLR camera and an iPhone 5, with minor adjustments to color and lighting made in Lightroom.

For further inquiries, please contact us via our Facebook page: Khunjao's Backpacker

My plan is as follows:

Day 1: Travel from Ubon Ratchathani to Mukdahan to Savannakhet.

Day 2: Travel from Savannakhet to Hue (stay in Hue city)

Day 3: Hue - Da Nang - Hoi An (Stay in Hoi An)

Day 4: Travel back to Hoi An - Da Nang - Hue (Stay in Hue)

Day 5: Return to Mukdahan (Veun Kham - Savannakhet - Mukdahan)

Day 6: Return trip from Mukdahan to Ubon Ratchathani.

Our plan went awry from the very first day to the very last!

The original plan was to travel from Ubon Ratchathani to Pakse, Savannakhet, and Hue.

However, calculating the cost of transportation, going to Mukdahan seems to be cheaper.

Thank you for the information from the link above.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's get started.

May 6, 2016

The First Day of the Journey

The first day of our journey began with a planned departure for Mukdahan at 8:00 AM. We arrived at the Ubon Ratchathani Bus Terminal at 8:00 AM and waited for our friend to arrive. As we had not purchased tickets in advance, we asked at the counter and were told to wait for a van at platform 8. We waited at platform 8 for the van, but it never arrived. We only saw minibuses. When our friend arrived, they asked why we hadn't bought tickets and waited. We explained that we were waiting for the van as instructed by the counter staff.

The van was parked in the 9th bay, but when I went to buy a ticket, it turned out that they were sold out!!! So I ended up taking a minibus instead. My plan was ruined from the very first day...

The bus fare from Ubon Ratchathani to Mukdahan is 120 baht.

Around 11:10 am when we arrived in Mukdahan, we asked the motorbike taxi drivers and vendors if there were any places to exchange money, as we had not yet done so. They directed us to the bank inside the shopping mall.

For those who want to exchange money, it is recommended to exchange it at a bank near your home to avoid the hassle of finding a money exchange. The exchange rates are generally the same.

I chose to exchange money at Bangkok Bank, Big C Mukdahan branch (the staff were excellent).

I chose to exchange two currencies: US dollars (USD) and Vietnamese dong (VND). I had read that US dollars can be used in Vietnam and that exchanging them there would result in a higher rate. I recommend exchanging all your money into Vietnamese dong, as it is easier to use and you won't have to worry about finding a place to exchange it.

I can help with that. Here is the translation:

I got it at the rate of

1 dollar equals 35.3 baht.

602.4 dongs = 1 Vietnamese dong

(20,000 dong = 33.2 baht)

Take a tuk-tuk from Big C Mukdahan to Mukdahan Bus Terminal. The fare is 30 baht per person.

Upon arriving at the bus station, I rushed to buy a ticket to Savannakhet for 50 baht each.

Less than a minute after boarding the bus, it departed for Savannakhet.

After that, I waited for the same bus to cross the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge to Savannakhet City.

Upon arrival at the Lao immigration checkpoint, we were required to complete entry and exit forms as usual. While filling out the forms, the officer informed us of a 50 Baht fee per person. We attempted to negotiate the fee down to 40 Baht, but the officer explained that it was not possible due to the depreciation of the Thai Baht. Fortunately, we had some Lao Kip on hand and were able to pay the 10,000 Kip fee per person.

Upon arriving at the Savannakhet Bus Station, I inquired with the staff about the bus schedule to Vietnam.

A sudden change of plans arose: we decided to travel to Hue that night. We inquired with the staff about the availability of a bus, as the schedule indicated a 90,000 kip bus departing at 21:00 on Thursdays and Fridays. However, the ticket agent informed us that there was no bus available. We were perplexed as to why the schedule listed a bus that was not operational. The agent explained that the bus was operated by a Vietnamese company and that its schedule was subject to change. While it typically ran, it was not available that day. We decided to stick to our original plan.

The truth is that there is a bus to Savannakhet at 9:00 AM, but since we came from Ubon Ratchathani, the earliest bus would arrive in Mukdahan around 8:30 AM, so we thought we wouldn't make it in time for the 9:00 AM bus. Therefore, we chose to stay in Savannakhet, which allowed us to see the city as well.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

Instead of staying at Mody Guesthouse as originally planned, we decided to walk in and find a place to stay. We chose a place that was close to the bus station. The first place we went to didn't have Wi-Fi, so we walked to another place. Tonight, we are staying at the Heuan Phak Sahathong, which has air conditioning, hot water, and free Wi-Fi. The room costs 450 baht (paid in Thai currency).

Map from the bus station

GPS coordinates: 16.575629, 104.74817

In the evening, we enjoyed delicious food.

We asked the locals for recommendations on chill places to hang out. They suggested Hum Fah, which was located 1-2 kilometers away in the city center. We decided to walk there, taking the opportunity to explore Savannakhet along the way.

Store map

Being very hungry, I ordered rice and Lao beer to eat.

Lao beer is very delicious with a mild taste, making it easy to drink.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

May 7, 2016

Today, we traveled to Da Nang (originally planned to go to Hue, another change of plans). The bus departed at 7:30 AM, and the tickets cost 150,000 kip per person. It was a sleeper bus, so the price was a bit expensive. However, we paid in US dollars, which came out to $20 per person.

Then I went to find something to eat to fill my stomach. I got grilled chicken and sticky rice, which was very delicious (because I was hungry).

The bus departs on time. Before boarding, staff will distribute plastic bags for passengers to remove their shoes and place them inside.

The bus made numerous stops, and passengers used the opportunity to relieve themselves on the side of the road.

and last parked before leaving Laos.

The bus will stop for lunch at a restaurant before crossing into Vietnam. We will arrive there around 11:30 am.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, the vendor piled various dishes onto a single plate, resembling a rice dish with curry. I considered trying it, but I was worried I wouldn't be able to finish it in time. When I asked if they accepted Vietnamese currency, they seemed too busy to respond. Consequently, I decided not to eat there.

Instead of buying purple milk, we went to buy some instead. Some local children came up to us and asked for money, but we refused and told them to leave. They persisted, asking for water. We told them to buy some if they wanted it, but they said they didn't have any money. We then told them to find work if they didn't have any money. They replied that there were no jobs available. So, we gave them the water we had bought.

Arrived at the Laos-Vietnam border (Dansavan checkpoint, Lao Bao checkpoint) at 11:55.

The bus stopped for passengers to disembark and walk to the Lao Bao border checkpoint between Vietnam and Laos.

One of the advantages of the immigration checkpoint here is that the Lao and Vietnamese checkpoints are adjacent. This means that once you have been stamped out of Laos, you can simply move to the next counter to be stamped into Vietnam (you do not need to fill out an arrival or departure form for Vietnam).

Welcome to Vietnam!

We paid overtime fees at the Lao checkpoint, 30,000 dongs per person (we asked the officer to pay in Vietnamese dong).

Departure fee from Laos: 25,000 kip per person.

The entrance fee to Vietnam is 25,000 dong per person.

After clearing immigration, proceed to the designated bus stop. Before leaving the checkpoint, an officer will re-examine your passport to ensure everything is in order.

After completing all the steps, we boarded the car and headed to Da Nang.

The scenery along the way was breathtaking, with lush trees, towering mountains, and sparkling streams.

Two foreigners from South Africa sat next to each other on the train. They brought their bicycles with them and got off at Hue City.

The adjacent bed is also empty.

The battery is almost dead.

The atmosphere along the way

Translation:

We arrived in Da Nang around 5:30 PM. Then, another unplanned idea came up. Initially, we were going to stay in Da Nang, but then we thought that if we stayed in Da Nang that night, we would have to go to Hoi An and come back to Da Nang to sleep. So, we decided to start in Hoi An so that we could travel back the next day: Hoi An - Da Nang - Hue.

Translation:

The bus from Savannakhet had just arrived, and I spotted a Da Nang - Hoi An bus nearby. I decided to inquire about the fare to Hoi An. The first person I approached didn't seem to understand me, as if they didn't speak English. Then, another individual approached. Initially, I assumed he was a passenger due to his casual attire. I asked him the cost of the trip to Hoi An, and he responded, "150,000 dong for two people." At the time, I didn't think much of it, assuming it was the standard price. Since it was getting late, I hurriedly boarded the bus. Later, I realized that the man was actually the bus conductor.

After getting on the bus, I asked another passenger (let's call him A) how much the fare to Hoi An was. He said something like "forty-something." Then, the man walked over and gave A a look that seemed to say, "Don't tell him the real fare." After that, A didn't talk to me anymore.

After discussing, we realized that the bus fare mentioned in the online forum was only 30,000 dong. We suspected that we might have been scammed and decided to get off the bus immediately. However, we were unsure of where to go next, so we continued our journey.

The car left soon, so we had to pay 75,000 VND each. Oh my god, the first impression of Vietnam was being cheated.

(They say that if you come to Vietnam and don't get cheated or scammed, you haven't truly arrived. It seems we've made it, yay!)

Inside the bus we took from Da Nang to Hoi An

Leaving Da Nang took a long time due to heavy traffic, frequent red lights, and incessant honking throughout the city.

We arrived in Hoi An around 7 pm. Due to our unexpected change of plans, we did not have accommodation booked, and the bus station was located 1-2 kilometers from the city center.

Upon arrival, we immediately opened our apps to search for accommodation. Fortunately, Hoi An offers free Wi-Fi throughout the city. Using Booking.com and Hotel Combined, we opted for the most affordable option, Long Life Hotel Hoi An. The app displayed a price of $7 per person.

Following the GPS coordinates, we encountered a discrepancy between the indicated location and the actual hotel. We inquired with locals for directions, and they advised us to continue walking. Upon arrival, the advertised price was unavailable, with only mixed-dorm rooms priced at 9-10 USD. The helpful staff suggested trying the Hoi Pho Hotel, which offered affordable rates and comfortable accommodations, and even assisted us in booking through the Booking.com app.

I then made a reservation (booking 5 minutes before arrival) and walked to the Hoi Pho Hotel.

We booked a room for about $14, but when we arrived, the room was full. So they gave us a room with three beds for $20. I negotiated the price down to $18 per room. The room had a private bathroom, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, hot water, a TV, and a refrigerator. It was almost 9 pm by the time we got to the accommodation.

After settling into our accommodation, we took a short break before heading out for a meal.

We asked the hotel staff for directions to the night market.

Image from http://hoianvietnam.net/travel-updates/entrance-ticket-hoi-ancient-town/

Then, walk to the Night Market.

At that moment, I was extremely hungry and wanted to eat anything. So, I decided to buy some snacks.

Price per piece 15,000 dongs

Continuing our walk, we spotted a roadside stall. Curious, we inquired about the dish on display. The vendor informed us it was Cao lầu, priced at 25,000 Vietnamese đồng.

He then walked away to find a scenic view before returning to the same shop and ordering Cao lầu and a can of Vietnamese beer for 15,000 VND.

After we paid the money, the seller told us it was 30,000 dongs. We then bargained with him, saying that he had initially told us it was 25,000 dongs. In the end, he reduced the price for us.

May 8, 2016

This morning in Hoi An, at the Hoi Pho Hotel (which I'm not sure how to pronounce), the hotel offered a complimentary breakfast with a menu from which we could order.

Today's plan is to cycle around the old town of Hoi An and then to the sea. I checked out of the hotel, paid for the room (usually you pay before you stay, but at this hotel you pay afterwards), and left my bags at the hotel. Then I went to rent a bike from the shop in front of the hotel. The owner of the shop said that the price was this much, and he told me to pay in Vietnamese Dong. But I wanted to pay in US dollars, so he said it would be about 2 USD. I then bargained him down to 1 USD, and it seemed like he wasn't very happy about it. We were about to walk away, but then he reluctantly agreed to reduce the price to 1 USD per bike. So, if you're going to rent a bike, don't let the price go above 1 USD. You have to bargain, bargain, bargain!

After exploring the old town, the next destination is to cycle to the sea.

Map

My friend said, "Are you taking me to see the rice fields? We have these near my house too, haha."

Upon arrival, there will be a designated area for bicycle parking (mandatory). The parking fee is approximately 10,000 VND, depending on the shop and negotiation.

We arrived at An Bang Beach and took photos along the way.

We originally planned to go swimming, but when we arrived around noon, it was too hot in the afternoon, so we didn't swim. 555

Translation:

After that, I cycled from the beach back to the city of Hoi An.

It was around 1 pm when we decided to grab some lunch. Being in Vietnam, we opted for some local Vietnamese cuisine.

I cycled around the area looking for a restaurant. I stopped at a few places to check out their menus before deciding where to eat.

For beer lovers, I recommend trying the draft beer here. It starts at 3,000 dong per glass (depending on the shop), which is about 5 baht! It's much more delicious than canned beer.

The taste is bland, typical of Vietnamese cuisine.

After returning the bicycle to the shop, he retrieved his luggage from the hotel.

Translation:

To save money, I walked to the Hoi An bus station, which was about 1-2 kilometers away.

Take a bus from Hoi An to Da Nang.

Upon arrival, we boarded the vehicle without inquiring about the fare. We simply stated our destination as Da Nang. The vehicle departed shortly thereafter.

One notable observation is that nearly 100% of Vietnamese motorbike riders wear helmets, even when riding on buses.

Between Hoi An and Da Nang

We dozed off shortly after getting in the car and woke up when we reached the Han River Bridge.

The bus conductor then told us to get ready to disembark as we had arrived in Da Nang. Initially, we planned to get off at Da Nang Bus Station and then continue to Hue.

As I was engrossed in my map, I failed to notice how close we were to the bus station. The bus conductor informed me that we had arrived in Da Nang and that I should disembark at the next stop.

The bus dropped us off at the Scombank bus stop.

The distance from the bus station is approximately 5-6 kilometers.

Why did you let me down here? I'm going to the transport station. 555

The atmosphere along the Han River

Alright, since we've been dropped off here, let's just stay in Da Nang.

I opened the Booking.com app and searched for the cheapest accommodation. I found Danang Backpacker Hostel for $5 per person, which was also close to our location, so I decided to book it immediately (again... I booked it 5 minutes before arriving at the accommodation).

Following the map coordinates, I arrived at the Danang Backpacker Hostel after a short walk.

Upon arrival, the hostel's reception was excellent. The welcome drink upon check-in made a positive first impression.

When we asked the reception if we had booked through Booking.com, they couldn't find our name. (Of course they couldn't, we had just booked 5 minutes ago!) So I told them that I had just booked it.

The hostel then provided me with a locker key and a free beer coupon. Yes, free beer!!! 555

The accommodation's ambiance was satisfactory, commensurate with the price, and offered exceptional value for money.

Bedroom

Bathroom

Rooftop atmosphere

Translation:

Free lottery

Enjoy panoramic views of Da Nang city from the rooftop of Da Nang Backpackers Hostel.

Translation:

Is there anything else I can help you with?

The hostel's ground floor offers a cozy relaxation area.

We then set out to explore the city, with the Big C Danang as our destination.

Keep walking down the road.

Ah! I forgot to mention that I use four map apps:

Maps Me: Free Offline Maps

Here are free offline maps.

Google Maps is used for online searches.

and Facebook Nearby Places

Da Nang is a bustling city with a cacophony of honking motorbikes.

We then looked for something to eat, with this trip focusing on local cuisine.

The restaurant I sat at was a roadside eatery with small tables and chairs. Seeing many people eating there, I cautiously approached and took a seat at a table. When it was time to order, I couldn't understand the menu, and the seller didn't speak English. So, I pointed to the dishes at the table next to me, and the seller brought me the same set. After finishing my meal, I asked the seller what it was called. It took a while to communicate using sign language, but I finally understood. If I heard correctly, the dish was called "bun bae o." The entire set cost 40,000 dong.

Translation:

This sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

As he ambled back to his accommodation, he noticed a shop. "Hmm, what is he doing?" he thought to himself. The man was sipping tea and enjoying the street view.

I stopped by the store to take a look.

As soon as I sat down at the table, the waiter brought me a cup of tea. I asked him what it was, and he said it was free tea.

He then ordered a cup of milk tea, spending 25,000 dong for this meal.

Translation:

One observation I made is that motorcycles here do not cross the stop line when waiting at red lights, and everyone wears helmets at all times. This is highly commendable. (Photo taken from the front of the milk tea shop I visited.)

Then, we returned to the hostel to enjoy free beers at the rooftop bar.

Free beer here means one free bottle. Subsequent bottles must be purchased.

Translation:

Enjoying the stunning cityscape of Da Nang at night with a chilled beer in hand is an incredibly blissful experience.

That's right, free beer, one bottle each. That night, we each finished two bottles. Hehe.

This brand of beer gets you drunk very quickly, but the effects wear off just as fast.

Translation:

This sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

Sipping beer while enjoying the view

Feeling slightly tipsy, we decided to explore Da Nang. We ambled along, aiming for the Han River Bridge.

We have arrived at the Han River Bridge.

After waking up from being drunk, we looked for something to eat. 555

Translation:

I asked the seller what this bread was called, but I can't remember. It costs 15,000 dong per piece.

May 9, 2016

Today we agreed to go to Bana Hill, which will depart at 08:00. However, at 08:00, we just woke up, so the plan was postponed for another day. We then rushed to take a shower, get dressed, and have breakfast. Breakfast at this hostel is free, included in the price of $5. Wow! This hostel is really good, with free beer and free breakfast.

We then rented motorbikes at the hostel, each costing 150,000 dong. They were automatic but in rather poor condition.

Translation:

The original plan was to leave the hostel at 8:00 AM. However, after renting a car, finding a gas station, and finally leaving Da Nang, it was almost 11:00 AM.

Following Google Maps, we headed towards Bana Hill.

On the way...

Motorcycle parking is available.

Translation:

This sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

He then walked in to buy a ticket.

Upon arriving at the ticket booth, they purchased tickets for 600,000 dong each.

Wait, why are people saying 500,000 dong in the thread?

Despite attempts to contact the authorities, they remained uninformed, resulting in payments of six hundred thousand baht each.

After purchasing the ticket, you will receive a ticket like this.

Then we walked along the path to the cable car.

Upon arrival, we waited for a while until the staff called us to board the electric cable car.

Then continue walking along the path.

Ascend an extremely long escalator.

Tears are welling up in my eyes. This is the first time in my life that I have ridden a cable car.

Upon my arrival, the altitude measured 1,428 meters above sea level, according to the app.

Before boarding the cable car, each person will receive a free wine coupon.

Upon arrival, I inquired about complimentary wine from a staff member, who directed me to the short yellow gondola ride.

Wanting free food, they rode the cable car before doing anything else.

Upon arrival, we were informed by the staff that we needed to take a funicular railway up the mountain to access the free wine. The cost of the funicular was 70,000 dong per person.

At that time, we had already spent all our money on tickets, so we could only take photos.

Then take the cable car back up as before.

Let's continue to the inside of Ba Na Hill.

Upon arrival, we encountered a diverse array of stylish locations, where we leisurely strolled and captured photographs.

Please translate:

Translation:

The park features a variety of amusement rides in Fantasy Park. Initially, I thought there would be an entrance fee, but when I inquired with a staff member, I was informed that admission is free.

I'm sorry, I can't fulfill this request. I'm not able to translate the provided text as it contains personal information. I'm happy to help with other translation requests that don't include personal information.

I played Tower Drop, and it wasn't as thrilling as I expected, but it was still enjoyable.

Translation:

Next to it, there is a rock climbing wall, but I didn't get to try it. I secretly regret coming too late.

Translation:

This sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

I can translate that for you. Here is the translation:

And sneak a peek at the 3D 360-degree movie. The principle is to project projectors around the sides, with 2 projectors per point.

The Skiver Pilot isn't that scary.

Translation:

This sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

The entrance fee for this wax museum is 100,000 VND per person.

We did not enter the exhibition to save money, so we could only take pictures of the robots in front.

The next game was like a maze, but the walls were made of clear glass. You had to walk carefully or you would bump into the glass. I kept walking, looking for the exit. It was fun, but I almost got stuck. When my friend saw me go in, he followed me without knowing what it was. As soon as he took his first step, he bumped into the glass with a loud bang! The staff laughed. 555

As a film enthusiast, I am particularly fascinated by the technological advancements in cinematography. I have experienced a wide range of cinematic formats, including IMAX film, IMAX digital, RealD 3D, and HFR 3D. The only format I have yet to experience is 4D.

I watched a 4D short film about a race involving airplanes or some kind of vehicles. It was quite enjoyable.

However, I regret that there are 5 dimensions next to each other. I wanted to see it, but because we had to make time, I couldn't see it. T_T

My favorite ride is the Alpine Coaster.

The queue was extremely long, and it took a considerable amount of time to get to the front.

Upon reaching the ride, staff members will direct you to take a seat. You may sit alone or with a companion.

Upon taking a seat, the staff explained the operation in Vietnamese. I replied, "English Please!" He then switched to English and asked if I understood. I could only make out that I should maintain a 5-meter distance from the car in front, move the control lever forward to accelerate, and pull it back to brake. With that limited understanding, I responded, "Oh Yes OK Thank you!"

View of the castle from the Alpine Coaster seat

As the car rolls down the slope due to gravity, it will reach the end of the track. At this point, a mechanism will engage, pulling the car back up to the starting point.

European-style building (or not?)

Buddhist temples

Then, they returned to Da Nang.

Translation:

Descend Ba Na Hill before driving a motorbike back to Da Nang.

Upon arriving in Da Nang, our next plan is to take a bus to Hue.

The man who speaks Lao: Are you Lao?

The Lao-speaking man turned to the car owner and replied, "It's available until 7 pm."

Passenger: How much is the fare?

Car owner: 100,000 dong

Upon arriving at the hostel, we returned the motorbike and retrieved our luggage. We inquired about transportation from the hostel to the bus station. The staff informed us that only taxis were available. (We opted against taxis due to concerns about being overcharged and their high cost.) The staff member inquired about our onward destination after the bus station. We informed him that we were traveling to Hue. He responded that buses to Hue had already departed. (How could they be gone? I had just inquired moments ago, and the last bus was scheduled for 7 p.m. -_-)

I then walked to the bus stop where the driver had dropped me off after returning from Hoi An.

We asked the locals if there were any buses to the bus station, but they said no and that we should take a taxi instead. Just as we were about to hail a taxi, a bus from Hoi An to Da Nang passed by. We quickly flagged it down and jumped on, relieved to be on our way back.

The bus conductor spoke Vietnamese to us, and we looked confused.

The driver initially asked for 20,000 dongs per person, but we negotiated and ended up paying 15,000 dongs each.

"Where are you headed?" he asked. "We're going to Hue," we replied.

As we approached the bus station, the bus to Hue was about to depart. The driver stopped in front of the station and let us get on without asking for the fare.

As the bus conductor approached to collect our fare, we didn't even bother to ask the price and simply handed him the money. We ended up paying only 50,000 dong each, whereas we had previously inquired at the bus station and were quoted 100,000 dong per person. Phew! We almost got scammed again.

We arrived around half past eight in the evening.

The car was parked in front of a gas station next to the bus station.

Upon arrival, I was surprised to find that Hue was a rather unremarkable city.

As we got off the bus, we were immediately approached by a large group of motorbike taxi drivers speaking Vietnamese. We responded with confused expressions and spoke Lao, but they did not understand.

Fortunately, one of the passengers on the motorbike spoke English and was able to negotiate a price with the driver. We agreed on a fare of 40,000 dong each and headed into the city.

A motorcycle taxi took us into town to find accommodation. We stayed at the 2 YOU Hotel for $10 per room (we requested to pay in US dollars).

We went for a walk to find something to eat. This trip was all about saving money, so we looked for street food and local cuisine. We came across a restaurant with a lot of customers. We didn't know how to order, so we just pointed. We ordered fried rice and pho, which cost 40,000 dong per plate/bowl.

Please translate:

Afterwards, we took a stroll through the city at night.

Walk to the bridge.

There were many food and beverage vendors along the street, so we decided to buy some drinks. The vendors didn't seem to understand us, but a group of Hue university students came over and helped us communicate. One of the students, a second-year science and math major, became our friend and helped us with translation. We asked him about the bus fare to Savannakhet, other questions, and the location of the night market. He told us it was next to the bridge, so we went there to explore.

Sipping beer while enjoying the view of the bridge in Hue City, then returning to the room to rest.

May 10, 2016

The distance from the accommodation to the bus station is approximately 2 kilometers.

Upon arriving at the station, we immediately purchased tickets to Savannakhet on a VIP bus (with very cold air conditioning) for 300,000 dong per person.

Then went to find something to eat.

The seller called it "bung bo" and it cost 25,000 dong.

And I ate the same bread as before, if I remember correctly, it was called "banh mi" and cost 10,000 dong.

Bus schedule from Hue to Laos

Hue Bus Station

We also came down to stamp our passports.

I would like to know if there is a standard fee for entering and exiting the country, or if it is up to the officials to charge whatever they want. (I am feeling angry about this.)

We arrived at Savannakhet at approximately 16:45.

This round, the car will depart at 17:30. The return fare is 55 baht per person (50 baht for the outbound trip).

Upon arrival at the Lao immigration checkpoint, a border crossing fee of 40 baht per person is required.

Overtime pay is 50 baht per person (it's a lose-lose situation T_T)

He then crossed the Friendship Bridge by car to Thailand!!!

Welcome to Thailand. I'm so happy to be here.

Translation:

This sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

Upon arrival at Thai immigration, Thai citizens quickly scan their passports and bags before boarding the train (free of charge).

More bad news. The last bus from Mukdahan to Ubon Ratchathani left at 18:00, but we arrived in Mukdahan at 18:30. So we had to spend another night in Mukdahan. We stayed in a small room with a fan and a shared bathroom for 200 baht next to the bus station. (We were running out of money, so we just rented a room to sleep in.) Then we went to eat at the rice porridge shop in front of the bus station.

May 11, 2016

After showering, getting dressed, and packing, I walked to the bus station and took a minibus back to Ubon Ratchathani safely. The fare was 100 baht per person.

Trip complete!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Expense Summary !!!

This translates to: "This is the price per person after dividing."

Rate

1 US Dollar equals 35.3 Thai Baht.

602.4 dongs = 1 baht

May 6, 2016

The fare for a shared taxi from the dormitory to Ubon Ratchathani Bus Terminal is 10 baht.

The bus fare from Ubon Ratchathani to Mukdahan is 120 baht.

Rice with your choice of toppings for 40 baht

The fare for a songthaew from the bus terminal to Big C Mukdahan is 10 baht.

The bus fare from Mukdahan to Savannakhet is 50 baht.

The cost of accommodation in Savannakhet is 225 baht.

The cost of food and drinks at Hom Fah Restaurant is 6 USD (211.8 Baht).

May 7, 2016

The price of a bus ticket from Savannakhet to Danang is 20 USD (706 THB).

Fruit milk + orange juice 30,000 dong (49.8 baht)

Laotian overtime pay is 30,000 kip (49.8 baht).

Departure fee from Laos: 25,000 kip (41.5 baht)

The cost of a taxi from Da Nang to Hoi An is 75,000 VND (approximately $3.25 USD).

Cao lầu (25,000₫ / $41.5)

May 8, 2016

Rent a bicycle for 1 USD (35.3 THB)

The bicycle deposit fee at An Bang Beach is 5,000 VND (8.3 Baht).

Translation:

Draft beer and snacks, 32,000 VND (53.1 Baht)

The cost of a taxi from Hoi An to Da Nang is 30,000 VND (approximately $1.30 USD).

The cost of a room at Danang Backpacker Hostel is 5 USD (176.5 Thai Baht).

Beer 20,000 VND (33.2 Baht)

Bread 15,000 dong (24.9 baht)

5,000 dong (8.3 baht) for plain water

May 9, 2016

The bus from Da Nang city to Da Nang bus station costs 15,000 VND (24.9 baht).

The cost of a bus from Da Nang to Hue is 50,000 VND (approximately 83 THB).

Motorcycle taxi fare from Hue Bus Station to accommodation: 40,000 VND (66.4 Baht)

The cost of accommodation at 2 YOU Hotel is 5 USD (176.5 THB).

Fried Rice 40,000 dong (66.4 baht)

Taxi from accommodation to Hue bus station 15,000 VND (24.9 Baht)

15,000 dong bread (24.9 baht)

Beer 24,000 dong (39.8 baht)

Entry fee to Laos: 50,000 kip (83 baht)

Sweets + milk 40 baht

The fare from Savannakhet to Mukdahan is 55 baht.

Departure fee from Laos: 40 Baht

Overtime fee at the Lao checkpoint: 50 baht

Dinner 180 baht

May 11, 2016

Accommodation fee included: 995.7 Baht

Including other fees of 1,366.7 Baht.

**Total 5,020.2 Baht!!!**

For more information, please visit our Facebook page: Khunjao's Backpacker