A spontaneous trip to Vang Vieng for 1500 baht. I've been there and done that.

This impromptu trip, unplanned and coinciding with a long weekend, made booking train tickets a bit challenging.

We traveled on October 21-23, 2017.

I booked a bus ticket to Udon Thani for 200 baht the day before my trip.

If you have time to prepare, traveling to Vang Vieng is not difficult.

1. There is one bus per day from Mo Chit to Vientiane.

There is a daily bus service from Bangkok (Mo Chit) to Vientiane, with the final stop at Vientiane North Bus Terminal. The bus departs at 8:00 PM and costs 900 baht per person. It is a VIP sleeper bus with excellent amenities. You can book your tickets online or purchase them at Mo Chit Bus Terminal. (Booking online is recommended for guaranteed availability.)

The bus will take you to the end of the line at the Northern Bus Terminal. From there, you can take a van to Vang Vieng for 50,000 kip per person (approximately 200 baht).

Our journey was a bit chaotic due to lack of preparation, but it was still enjoyable.

1. We started by taking a bus from Mo Chit Bus Terminal 2. We were able to get to Udon Thani because Nong Khai was full. We traveled overnight and arrived in the morning. The fare was 200 baht.

2. Upon arriving at Udon Thani Bus Terminal, we intended to take a bus to Vientiane. Typically, there is one bus departing from Udon Thani to Vang Vieng daily, but we missed it.

I was able to get a bus to Vientiane at 11:30 AM because the earlier buses were full. The ticket cost 80 baht.

3. Upon reaching the border crossing at Nong Khai, the tour bus will ask you to disembark to complete the border crossing formalities and fill out the immigration form.

Cross the border to Laos. Once you reach the Lao side, get off the bus again to complete the border crossing paperwork. This process can take some time on the Lao side, as you will need to queue to submit your documents to immigration.

After submitting your documents, you will receive an exit stamp. Before passing through the gate, you need to purchase a one-way border pass ticket for 50 baht. Then, insert the card to pass into Laos, similar to a BTS system. Afterwards, board the same vehicle to reach Vientiane. Oh, I forgot to mention, if you need to exchange currency, you can do so here.

4. The tour bus will drop you off at Vientiane Market. You will then need to find a ride to the Northern Bus Terminal to continue to Vang Vieng. Usually, there will be people waiting to take you there as soon as you get off the bus, but it will be expensive.

Fortunately, we met a Laotian brother on the bus who helped us take the Laotian bus to the Northern Bus Terminal. The fare was 5,000 kip, which is about 20 Thai baht.

Upon arriving at the Northern Bus Terminal, take a van to Vang Vieng for 200 baht.

The total cost for the trip was 550 baht. The journey took a while as it was unplanned.

The atmosphere behind the accommodation. We stayed at Domon Guesthouse, which is located in the heart of Vang Vieng. The price per night is around 1,000 baht.

The price is quite expensive because I didn't prepare in advance. So, I'll take whatever is available.

View from the back of the room

The car rental shop is located in front of the accommodation. The rental price is 250 baht per day. Then, we rode the motorbike for a long time.

This morning, it's raining, but we're not worried. We bought raincoats and went out to have fun.

The first and most popular blue lagoon for all visitors.

While others are diving, we're going cave exploring!

The name of the cave is unknown, but it is located near the Blue Lagoon.

Flashlights are available for rent before entering.

Entrance to the cave

Inside the cave.

The descent from the cave was quite tiring.

Along the way, we will witness the beauty of nature.

Our path 555

Travel photos

The children are adorable.

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

Seeing the camera, they smiled constantly.

The owner, who was very kind, brought me a chair to sit on while I took a break to drink some water.

A taste of childhood.

Some tourists will use this type of car.

Signs for tourist attractions

Blue Lagoon 3

In Vang Vieng, there are many mountains to climb. Today, we chose to come here, Nam Xay Top View, because we rode past it on our motorbike and decided to give it a try, not knowing how far it was or what was at the top. The climb up was quite tiring.

The path is steep and relentless, making for an exhausting climb.

We finally reached the top of Namxay, and the view was breathtaking. The fatigue vanished instantly. At the summit, there is a small hut where you can rest and take pictures.

The name "Namxay Topview" translates to "Thorny Mountain Topview" in English. This name is derived from the mountain's appearance, as its summit is covered in sharp, pointed rocks that resemble thorns.

At this point, I feel like a winner. Yay!

The descent was more tiring than the ascent, as it was slippery from the morning rain. By the time I reached the bottom, my legs were shaking.

But we will fight, fight on.

On the way down

I'm exhausted after climbing down.

Exhausted, let's grab a bite to eat.

Riding a motorcycle is a lot of fun, maybe a little too much fun. 555

The next tourist spot is the Red Bridge in front of Tham Chang Cave. Before entering, you will need to pay an entrance fee, but I don't remember how much it was. 555

The evening sky is perfect.

This is the Blue Lagoon in front of the cave. The water is incredibly clear.

More crystal clear than the Blue Lagoon 1.

The path leading to Tham Chang Cave was closed by the time we arrived in the evening.

Heading back now, Saphan Daeng.

Items for sale along the walkway back

Make merit at the morning market before returning.

The grandmother came to offer sticky rice to the monks.

Morning market atmosphere

This one is also sold in the market.

Is it even edible?

On the way back, you can find tickets back from your accommodation, but you have to book in advance so that it is not full. But I bought it on the day of my return.

Thus, I was able to secure a return ticket.

1. Northern Line transportation costs 200 baht.

2. Upon arriving at the transport station, we found a car waiting to take us to the Lao border. We hopped in for convenience, paying 150 baht per person. The car took us directly to the Lao border crossing.

3. Upon reaching the Laotian checkpoint, proceed as usual by standing in line for inspection and completing the immigration form. However, upon returning, you can simply walk out without presenting any documents, using only your border pass.

After clearing customs on the Lao side, we took a bus to the Nong Khai border. The fare was around 20-30 baht, but I don't remember the exact amount.

5. Upon arrival at Nong Khai checkpoint, follow the same procedure and complete the cross-border formalities.

6. Take a taxi to the train station because I booked a train for the return trip. The taxi fare to the train station is 40 baht per person.

The final train car I managed to get on was the only one with available seats, all the others were full. 😂 This is the result of not being prepared. The train ticket cost around 400 baht.

The return ticket price is 820 baht.

The total round-trip travel cost is 1370 baht (550 + 820).

5555 If you have time, it would be better to prepare before you go. Because this trip is sudden and coincides with the Piyamaharaj long weekend, tickets will be full quickly.

Despite the challenges, the journey was enjoyable. We encountered many new and unusual sights, and we plan to return to Vang Vieng before it changes too much.