HOW TO GET TO XIENG KHOUANG
The nearest airport is in Phonsavan. Lao Airlines offers six flights a week in peak season and four flights in low season to Vientiane. Flights between Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang are available once a week.
Note: flight schedules are subject to change.
If you are travelling from Vientiane you can either take VIP buses or local buses. The buses leave from the northern bus terminal and take about 10-12 hours. Note: The roads are paved but there are plenty of serpentines. The bus trip from Vang Vieng takes 7-8 hours. Buses run daily from Luang Prabang via Route 13 and 7 and take 8 hours. You could also hire a minivan in either Luang Prabang or Vientiane. If you want to travel from Pakbeng/Nong Khiaw you take the bus to Xam Neua via Route 1, get off at Nam Ngeun and take the bus to Phonsavanh. Coming from Vinh or Hanoi in Vietnam visas are available on arrival at the Nam Ka border, which is open daily from 6:00 – 18:00. The bus from Vinh leaves four days a week and takes 12 hours, form Hanoi there is one bus per week.
Transport within Xieng Khouang: This is an inexpensive the cheapest option and allows one the opportunity to het to know Lao people better. However, bear in mind, that most local public transport does not leave or arrive according to the set time table. Public vehicles typically leave once they are full and stop to pick up and drop off passengers along the way. It is also important to understand that leg-room and space on public vehicles is very limited. Prices for public vehicles outside Phonsavanh are pre-determined, so bargaining is only necessary for the jumbos in Phonsavanh town.
To get to other towns in the province you can take local buses or pick-up trucks. Inside Phonsavan there are plenty of Tuk-Tuks, which might not be available without prior booking very early in the morning or late at night. A normal tour inside the town should cost 3000 to 10000 LAK. There are 9 travel agents in Phonsavan that arrange bike, motorbike and car rentals. A bike costs depending on quality from 20.000 Kip per day. You can rent mostly scooters for about 100.000 KIP. To rent a minivan costs about 50-80 USD, a 4WD costs over 100 USD. This includes or excludes gasoline, depending on the company. All prices vary hugely depending on season and availability.
Public transportation is available from 3 different bus terminals. Service locations for each bus station are as follows:
- Provincial Bus Terminal: This is the terminal were VIP buses depart/arrive from Vientiane and Luang Prabang, and local buses depart/arrive regulrly to/from Vang Vieng, Xam Neua, Paksan, Vinh and Hanoi in Viet Nam. The terminal is located on Route 7 about 3km west of town.
- Nam-Ngum Market Terminal: Song taews serving the southern districts Khoun, Phaxay and Mokmai leave from the market. The terminal is located on Route 13 going south, next to the Tourist Information Centre.
- Phonsavanh Market Terminal: From this terminal Song taews and local buses go to Phou Koud District Paek, Muang Khoun, and Nong Het District.
Note: Price may be subject to change.
HOW TO GET TO BOLIKHAMXAY
Tourists can easily travel from the Capital Vientiane to Bolikhamxay by taking a bus or 'Song-Taew' pick-up at Southern Bus Station departure every hour from 6:00am to 4:00pm on the South 13 Road
From Vientiane Province, take the Longxan bus to Thaphabath District
From Xieng Khouang, take the bus on 4B Road from Phonsavanh
From Bungkan Thailand, take the ferry across the Mekong
From Vietnam, take the bus on 8A Road
From Khammouane or Southern part of Laos take the Bus on South 13 Road
Trasportation From Provinces to Bolikhamxay / Bolikhamxay to Provinces.
Departure |
Destination |
Type of Bus |
Distance |
Duration |
Price* |
Departure Time |
Vientiane |
Paksun (Bolikhamxay) |
Local Bus |
150 Km |
2 h |
30,000 kip |
Every half hour |
Namthone (Bolikhamxay) |
Local |
255 Km |
40,000 kip |
13:00/14:00 |
||
Lak 20 (KM20) |
- |
365 Km |
4 h |
85.000 kip |
05:00/06:00 |
|
Viengthong District |
90,000 kip |
09:00 |
||||
Bolikhamxay |
Vientiane Capital |
Local Bus |
150 Km |
2 h |
30,000 kip |
Every half hou |
Nam-Yong (viengthong District) |
- |
196 Km |
04:45 |
|||
Tha-thom |
- |
98 Km |
08:45 |
|||
Phonsavanh (Xiengkhouang) |
- |
08:00 |
||||
Namthone Pakkading District |
- |
100 Km |
07:30/16:00 |
|||
Natong-Nahouanphou |
- |
16 Km |
||||
Nong-Saman Paksun District |
- |
28 Km |
||||
Saentor Pakkading District |
- |
30 Km |
||||
Xomxeun/Muangmay |
- |
15 Km |
||||
Hin-Boun Bolikhamxay District |
- |
15 Km |
||||
Thabok/Veunthat/Pakthouay |
- |
The transportation hub of Bolikhamxay is Pakxan, and local transportation in the province as mainly by 'Song-Taew'
Distances to other districts from Paksan:
- Khamkeuth: 200 kilometers,
- Thaphabath: 60 kilometers,
- Pakkading: 40 kilometers,
- Bolikhan: 24 kilometers,
- Viengthong: 196 kilometers,
- Xaichamphone: 330 kilometers,
Remark: *Price Subject to change without notice!
Bus Schedules for Savannakhet
There is a daily bus to/from Hue in Vietnam. There are also a number of buses for different days, to/from different towns in Vietnam (Hanoi, Vinh, Hue, Dong Ha and Danang), details as following.
Route | Departure | Arrival | Frequency | Price (Kip) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Savannakhet – Dong Ha, Hue | 09:00 | 20:00 | Daily | # |
Hue, Dong Ha - Savannakhet | 07:30 | 18:00 | ||
Savannakhet – Danang | 07:30 | No info | Thursdays & Fridays |
# |
Danang – Savannakhet | No info | |||
Savannakhet – Vinh, Hanoi | 10:00 | No info | Tuesdays & Saturdays | # |
Hanoi, Vinh - Savannakhet | No info |
Savannakhet bus station: +856 41 213 920, +856 41 212 143 or +856 20 5554 0016
Tickets can be bought at the bus station.
1. YEN HAI BUS
Contact: Yen Hai Bus ( Chau Chinh Bus Company) - 12 Hoang Van Thai, Danang. Tel (Vietnam): 0937479647 - 0935499956 or Tel (Laos): 02098667788
Bus schedule: Xeno(Savannakhet) - Lao Bao International Border Gate – Hue - Danang Everyday)
Kind of bus: Sleeper Bus
Departure: 6AM day 2 in XENO, SAVANNAKHET
Pick-up point: XENO, SAVANNAKHET
Arrival: 17h30 - 18.00 day 2 in Danang
Duration: 10h
2.Tung Nga Bus - Bus Number: 43B_00552
- Departure route: Da Nang_ Savannakhet (Laos) Departs at: 7:00 am on Sunday and 7:00 am on Thursday at Da Nang bus station
- Return route: Savannakhet - Da Nang. Departure at: 8:30am on Tuesdays and 8:30am on Saturdays at Savannakhet Bus Station
- Lao Bao border gate.
- Tel (VN) : 0913413097
- Tel (Laos): 02022314615
There are several daily buses to/from Pakse (main city of Champasak Province) from/to various cities/towns in Vietnam (Danang, Dong Ha, Hue, Yalai (or Gia Lai) and Quynhon). The Hanoi route has been discontinued due to low demand.
Outbound buses to Danang, Dong Ha and Hue depart from KM7 Neua bus station while buses to Yalai and Quynhom depart from KM8 station in Pakse.
Buses to/from Danang and Hue cross the border at Lao Bao/Dansavan crossing point. Lao visa on arrival is available at this check point. Vietnam doesn't provide visa at the border at all (Vietnam visa on arrival is only available at airports).
Bus Schedules for Champasak
Route |
Departure |
Arrival |
Frequency |
Price (Kip) |
Pakse - Danang |
7:00 |
20:00 |
Daily |
220,000 |
Danang - Pakse |
7:00 |
20:00 |
||
Pakse - Hue |
8:00 |
20:00 |
Daily |
180,000 |
Hue - Pakse |
6:00 |
18:00 |
||
Pakse - Dong Ha |
7:30 |
18:00 |
Daily |
140,000 |
Dong Ha - Pakse |
6:30 |
17:00 |
||
Pakse - Quynhom - Yalai |
7:00 |
18:00 |
Daily |
180,000 |
Yalai - Quynhon - Pakse |
6:00 |
17:00 |
Pakse bus station: +856 31 212 428, +856 31 212 981