Luang Prabang Flights

There are no direct flights.

From Singapore, make your way to Bangkok. There are 2 airlines flying into Luang Prabang directly from Bangkok: The more expensive Bangkok Airways and the more economical Lao Airlines.

Journey is 2 hours each way. Airplane used is the ATR-72, with propellers and with 2 stewardesses on board.

Meals are simple, and served efficiently. Don't expect any form of entertainment except for the inflight magazine....and there is no duty-free shopping.

Curiously enough, on both flights, me and my mate are the only Asians!

You can buy Lao Airlines tickets in Singapore via their agent, Maple Aviation:
MAPLE AVIATION PTE,LTD
133 NEW BRIDGE ROAD
#14-04/105 CHINA TOWN POINT, SINGAPORE 059413
TEL: ( 65 ) 65386860
FAX : (65 ) 65383138
E-mail : maplessin@singnet.com.sg

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Lao Airlinesis the national carrier and monopolises most flights into Laos. We flew with Bangkok Airways, and had our usual great flight with them. The airport is very small, but was remarkably efficient when we landed. We had our visas already stuck in our passports, having purchased them in Oz, and we were processed through very quickly.

Exiting the terminal (barely big enough to call it this!), we were ushered to a waiting jumbo, and taken into town in this airy transport.

Flights within Laos are fairly cheap but you miss the beauty of the countryside. Luang Prabang was $55 US and Xieng Khouang was $35. Visa-on-Arrival (good for a 15 day entry permit stamp only) is available at the airport - price is USD30 (payable in USD).

The Airport is on Airport Road which is across the Nam Khan River 5 km from town. You can hire a moto or taxi to take you to town.

So I have heard that they have not had a good track record but the flight was 45 minutes and the alternative was to drive on a windy road that can make most people sick to their stomach. The ticket was like $100 from the capital there.

As I was short of time, I decided to fly to Luang Prabang from Chiangmai in northern Thailand rather than take the traditional 2 day boat ride from Chiang Khong. The flight takes about an hour to reach Luang Prabang International Airport. You can fly by Lao Airlines or Bangkok Airways. For Lao Airlines, there is only one flight available on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. I got my ticket one day before the flight but that was during the off-peak season in June.

It is cheapest to fly to Luang Prabang by Lao Airlines from Chiangmai. The ticket cost about US$70 dollars . I paid 2805 Baht for it. Try to get the tickets from Lao Airline Office directly as it is cheaper this way. I have asked several travel agencies but the prices they quote me are much higher, between 2900 to 3,300 Baht.

Remember to keep 500 Baht for the International Departure Tax from Chiangmai International Airport.

I have to cut short my Laos trip due to some stupid crash with one unplanned business trip to Beijing. Instead of tour the whole Laos, I only managed to do the easy half.

Since my trip is cutting short, my mode of transport also changed from inexpensive road/river transport to flying into Luang Prabang. Of course the flight schedule also bothering me the most.

How do I move my fat ass from Kuala Lumpur & finally arrived at Luang Prabang?
1) Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok (AirAsia)
2) Bangkok - Chiang Mai (Thai Air - Executive Class, transit at Chiang Mai) Sh!t man, economy class ran out
3) Chiang Mai - Luang Prabang (Thai Air) - see pic

The name makes you think of a bigger airport but surely there are none as grand as this. An old Chinese truck came and picked up our bags as we walked across the weed rudden runway after just disembarking an Air Lao flight. Five customs officers stared at my passport before finally stamping it and then I walked past them found my bag lying on a table in the next room and waded into the taxi drivers. A lot faster then Heathrow.

LP has a little airport for local flights only. It's 10 minutes away, expect to pay about 2 USD if you go there by jumbo or moto.
I took there a flight to Vientiane, that took 40 minutes with Lao Aviation (45 USD).
There is a little shop, a cafeteria and 2 waiting rooms. No airport taxes, as U won't leave the country from here.