Happy Lao New Year

This trip was inspired by a friend who sent us a picture of the Pha Daeng viewpoint in Nong Kiew, Laos. We decided that we would conquer Pha Daeng during Songkran (2018).

With our travel plan in place, we started researching transportation options. We stumbled upon a review about driving around Luang Prabang, and it clicked! This was the perfect travel style for us: "Chilled Guava on Tour: Going Wherever the Road Leads."



Before your trip, let's prepare ourselves.

Road Trip in Laos (Luang Prabang)



  • Vehicles entering the Lao People's Democratic Republic may remain in the country for a maximum of 15 days, or as specified in the travel documents.



The vehicle passport (purple booklet) can be applied for at the Registration Department of the Provincial Transport Department in every province. However, the English license plates must be requested at the Provincial Transport Department where the vehicle is registered. (We did not make English license plates because there is currently a grace period and they are not mandatory.)

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  • Documents required for cross-border travel

3. The license plate is in English. (We are not making English license plates at this time because there is a grace period and it is not mandatory. Therefore, you can still use the Thai license plate.)

5. Vehicle Export Authorization (for non-owners): If the vehicle is financed, a letter of authorization from the finance company permitting the vehicle to be exported is required.

7. Third-party insurance policies (for Lao PDR) are available for purchase at border checkpoints.



The documents are ready, it's time to go out and have fun.

Upon arrival at the Thai immigration checkpoint.

  • Passengers should park their vehicles and proceed to immigration for document processing.

{ "translation": "

- All passengers must go through passport control at the departure gate, as usual.

" }

  • The vehicle owner must complete the Vehicle Details Form (TM.2), which includes information about the owner, the number of passengers in the vehicle, and the details of the vehicle being taken out of the country. This form must be kept safe, as the Immigration checkpoint will return it upon re-entry into the country. Once all procedures are completed and the officer has stamped the exit form, the process on the Thai side is considered complete.

This entire process is completely free of charge.



At the Lao immigration checkpoint.

  • Passengers should proceed to the immigration checkpoint for passport stamping, as per standard border crossing procedures.
  • To obtain a temporary vehicle import permit in Laos, you will need the following documents: the original vehicle registration certificate from Thailand, the vehicle passport, and your passport. The Lao customs office will issue a temporary vehicle import permit (green slip), which you should keep with you at all times as proof of registration and present to Lao police officers upon request. You will need to return the permit when you exit Laos. With this permit, you can drive your vehicle throughout Laos and are not required to exit through the same border crossing you entered. However, you must inform the authorities of your intended exit point. If you are unsure of your exit point, the authorities can issue a permit that allows you to travel throughout the country, which may take longer to process than a permit for a specific exit point.
  • Purchase insurance, similar to our compulsory insurance, for the duration of your stay, such as 7 days or 15 days (purchased after leaving the checkpoint).

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This allows us to drive our vehicles for tourism purposes in Laos.



Summary of expenses

The Thai side does not incur any fees.

Laos

  • The insurance fee for the car varies depending on the number of days you come (we do it for 7 days) around 70,000 kip (280 baht).
  • Entry fee (vehicle + 4 persons) through immigration checkpoint: 280 baht.

- On the way back, we returned on a holiday, and there was an additional overtime fee (car + 4 people) of 240 baht.


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Border crossing documents completed. Now it's time to go sightseeing.

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I then bought a SIM card, as I needed GPS for navigation. The internet SIM card cost 10,000 kip, and I topped it up with another 10,000 kip, giving me 2 GB of data.

We drove from the border checkpoint towards Paklay - Xayaburi - until Luang Prabang. The road is paved throughout, with some bumps along the way. It is important to drive with extreme caution as Laotian vehicles drive on the right side of the road. The road is two lanes wide with no shoulder, so it is necessary to be aware of pedestrians, animals, bicycles, motorcycles, and cars that may not follow traffic rules.

The distance from Tha Li checkpoint to Luang Prabang is approximately 330 km. We took 7 hours to reach Luang Prabang around 4 pm. Due to fatigue and exhaustion from not sleeping since yesterday, we decided to rest at Sa Sa Loa Resort, which is located by the Khan River. Let's take a look at the view at our resort.

Date 2

Today, we opted for a leisurely plan. After breakfast, we prepared to visit Kuang Si Falls. The entrance fee is 20,000 kip per person. The front of the falls is a sun bear conservation center (note: we didn't take any pictures). The walk to the waterfall viewpoint is not too far, and the path is pleasantly shaded and cool. Unfortunately, we didn't bring swimwear, so we couldn't take a dip in the refreshing water.

The original text is in Thai, and the translated text is in English. The translated text is:

After a refreshing visit to Kuang Si Falls and a delicious lunch, we continued our journey to Nong Khiaw, a small village nestled along the Ou River, approximately 140 kilometers north of Luang Prabang. Here, we encountered a simple way of life and pristine nature.

At Nong Khiaw, we stayed at the Nam Ou River Lodge, which is located right on the banks of the Nam Ou River. This is the view from our room.

The luggage is packed, let's take a break and then go for a walk around the village.

Day 3

The original text is in Thai. Here is the translation in English:

We woke up early today to prepare to climb to the Pha Daeng viewpoint. We started our hike at 5:30 AM. The Pha Daeng viewpoint (entrance fee 20,000 kip) is 1.5 km away. It takes 1.30 hours to hike up and 45 minutes to hike down. At the top of the viewpoint, there is a small pavilion where you can take shelter from the sun and rain. Today, we were not so lucky as the visibility at the top was not very good. There was fog, which meant that we could not see the beautiful Ou River very well. However, the air was cool and refreshing, so overall, we were very impressed.

In the late morning, we descended from the Red Cliff and prepared to return to Luang Prabang to continue our exploration of the city. However, on this day (April 14th), Luang Prabang was hosting its New Year celebrations, which included widespread water splashing. This resulted in heavy traffic, delaying our arrival in Luang Prabang until the evening. Consequently, we were forced to cancel several planned sightseeing activities within the city.



  • Wat Xieng Thong (entrance fee 20,000 kip, but free today)

  • Stroll along the Khlong Khan.

The Dark Market

The phrase "ตลาดมืด" translates to "dark market" in English.

Here are some additional details about dark markets:

  • Definition: A dark market is a commercial exchange that operates outside the regulation of governments and traditional financial institutions. These markets often operate on the dark web, which is a hidden part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines.
  • Products and services: Dark markets offer a wide range of products and services, including illegal drugs, weapons, stolen identities, and counterfeit goods.
  • Payment methods: Dark markets typically use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to facilitate anonymous transactions.
  • Risks: Participating in dark markets can be risky, as there is a high chance of being scammed or arrested.

Here are some examples of dark markets:

  • Silk Road: One of the most famous dark markets, Silk Road was shut down by the FBI in 2013.
  • AlphaBay: Another popular dark market, AlphaBay was shut down by law enforcement in 2017.
  • Dream Market: A relatively new dark market that is still operating.

It is important to note that participating in dark markets is illegal in many countries.

Date 4

Today is our last day in Luang Prabang, so we woke up early to offer sticky rice alms.

  • Royal Palace Museum, Luang Prabang
  • Morning market and old town area

Goodbye, Luang Prabang. We must prepare to return now, as it will take another 6 hours to travel back to the border.

Believe me, once is never enough. There will definitely be a second time... See you again, Luang Prabang.



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Approximate cost

  • Fuel 5000
  • Accommodation for 3 nights: 4000
  • Entry fee + venue fee 1500
  • Food 5500

Total cost divided by 4 people = 4000 baht per person

#luang prabang#car
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