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No. 339, Pangkham Road, Sisaket Village, Chantabuly District, Vientiane, 00000, Laos
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Cafeteria-style fast food
Pha That Luang
The shop front of Finer Things Silk & Coffee
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Hi,
I am looking for any advice for travelling between Vientiane and Siem Reap.
Is it a good idea to take a couple days to do this while stoping at certain towns in north-eastern thailand?
Is it better to just get to Siem Reap as quick as possible?
Which is better, train or bus?.
Any advice helps.
Thanks
Well, you could also fly with Lao Airlines or Vietnam Airlines. But if time is not an issue, you could work your way to southern Laos by VIP bus (there are no trains presently operating in Laos) or minivans and cross over from Don Det of Don Khon in the Siphandon district. But I think this border still might require you're getting a Cambodian visa in advance (not positive).
The other option is to cross from Vientiane to Thailand by bus and take bus or train to Khon Khaen and connect with bus or train to Arranyaprathet were you'd cross into northwest Cambodia via the Poipet border crossing. Just be aware that there are lots of transport scams at this border to get to Siem Reap.
Since there is no train between the two points (except if crossing temporarily into Thailand), I'd have to guess the bus is a better option :-). Assuming time is not an issue for you? If busing all the way down to the Lao-Cambo border at Si Phan Don, I think there's now bus connections running from the Cambodia border all the way (as opposed to the former jetboat-only option from the border to Stung Treng, + other optional boats to Kampong Chnaang for the cutoff to Siem Reap). Get your Cambo visa while in Vientiane, and let us know how much they ask for it (supposed to be US$20, but many border stations and their Bangkok embassy itself ask for 1000 baht).
Try reading the travel connections pages on travelfish.org and talesofasia.com for up-to-date details on these connections. The Aranyapathet crossing from Thailand is indeed rife with ripoff pitfalls as the previous replier noted; good info on how to avoid those on the Tales of Asia website. My Google Earth presentation has the Vientiane-S.R. land/river route via the Laos-Cambodia plotted out, and some photos in my web albums (see my home and travel pages here for links).
If cutting into Thailand, you could work in an easy side trip to Preah Vihear, a reportedly stunning temple setting just inside Cambodia on the north Cambodia-Thai border, visitable from Thailand on a day-trip only (there's a very rough Cambodian road from below the temple going south to Siem Reap, but afaik no official entry in to Cambodia is allowed there. You leave your passport at the Thai border if visiting the temple from there; you'd then have to continue on to Aranyapathet or another open Thai-Cambo border crossing and connect to Siem Reap.
The namphou is in the middle of the central square in Vientiane. The fountain in the middle is a common meeting point and a good reference if you are ever lost. There are many restaurants with terraces where you can enjoy a dinner or a couple of drinks.
When in Vientiane, or anywhere else in Laos for that matter, be sure to bring plenty of cash because credit cards are still not widely accepted. The official currency of Laos is Kip, but the preferred currencies are US Dollars or Thai Baht, both of which will be accepted by anyone anywhere, although you will often get your change in Kip. Be sure to spend all your Kip in Laos, as you cannot exchange it outside of the country.
Contrary to what you may read, I did see one ATM in Vientiane, although I didn't confirm if it was on an international system (Plus, Cirrus). There are plenty of banks and money changers, but they are very picky as to what currencies they will exchange, as I was unable to find a bank in the entire city that would exchange Singapore Dollars for Kip.
Tuk-tuk will cost you 20000 kips if you are not local, 5000 kips if you are local. I learnt the lesson after 2 or 3 times. So I get myself one 10000 and one 5000 note ready in hand, and I wave the Tuk-tuk and I bargain with him. Not a perfect idea but at least I need not pay additional 10000 kips.
it's possible to get an entry visa to Laos right on the spot at the Friendship Bridge if u come overland from Thailand.. it's the only land border where you can get a visa on the spot. All u need is 2 photographs and 30 dollars in cash (or 40, I'm not too sure). Then you just have to fill in the application form and pay the bridge overtime tax.. which u'll have to pay most of the times - a small bribe in fact - but it's only 50 cents anyway
Yes, you may have the pleasure to use the Lao people toilet, i.e. the squatter. These may look extremely unappealing at first, but you should love them by the end! You should know how to use them so you know what you're doing when that time comes when you are up against one, well here it goes...
1) Get bare footed
2) There is normally a rack to put your pants, use it, if not well put your pants somewhere.
3) Place feet on feet pads and just squat down
4) Release the bomb (1 or 2).
5) Ut-oh, no toilet paper, what to do? (Bring some before if your smart, but biodegradable ones only). But normally you won't have any so here's what to do: there is a bucket and troth of water for a reason... take your LEFT HAND and wet it and clean the spot... now you can see why they don't eat with their left hands!!!
6) Ut-oh, no flusher, but there is a hose and pail. Fill the pail with the water from the hose; pour the water into the toilet from the pail and it will (should) go down.
7) Put your pants and shoes on and congratulations you're done!
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Q: transport from nong khai border point to vientiane "hi does anyone know the transport options to get to vientiane from the thai/laos border point neat nong khai. ..."
A: "Seat61.com (Laos section) says the local train now goes over the bridge from Thailand into Vientaine."
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