Mekong Crossing - Laos

Trip Start May 05, 2008
1
32
74
Trip End Ongoing


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow
Where I stayed
ManyChan GH
(Luang Namtha hotels)

Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep  ,
Sunday, July 20, 2008

In the morning we got a bus to Chiang Kong, not far from Chiang Rai. The Thai border is 2km outside of town so we got a tuc tuc there. The border crossing is very straight forward. We crossed the Mekong to the Laos side with a long tail boat for 40 baht. Huay Xai is the Laos border town. The Mekong runs fast here but is not so wide. I think further down it starts to get really big as more and more tributaries join it. You get a 30 day visa on the spot ($35 IRL, $30 GER). We changed some money and got a mini-bus up to Luang Namtha (90,000 kip).

Huay Xai is an uninteresting town. Previously in our travels we had heard people talk about the "Gibbon Experience", where you live in tree huts in the jungle for a few days and there are zip lines between the different tree huts. It sounds amazing. Unfortunately,  we found out after that the office is in Huay Xai. We met two Danish girls that did it and they said it was great but it is relatively expensive and you have to book in advance. I think it is best done in the dry season. Oh well, there is always next time.
Slideshow Print this entry