Nong Khiaw to Vientiane

By bus or minivan the journey from Nong Khiaw to Vientiane is scheduled to take from 8 hours 45 minutes to 14 hours depending upon which service you take.

Bus Times from Nong Khiaw to Vientiane

There are currently 2 services a day from Nong Khiaw to Vientiane available to book online.

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Nong Khiaw Bus Stop

Nong Khiaw Nature Tour services from Nong Khiaw to Vientiane commence with a pick up from any hotel in Nong Khiaw.

Vientiane Bus Stop

Nong Khiaw Nature Tour services from Nong Khiaw to Vientiane terminate at Vientiane Northern Bus Terminal.

About Travel to Vientiane

Vientiane is by far Laos’s largest city, with around 200,000 people living in the city centre and 700,000 in the wider metropolitan area. The city is also close to Thailand which makes it the most accessible tourist destination in Laos. Nonetheless, Vientiane is distinctly underdeveloped compared to Bangkok or Hanoi and for some visitors this part of the city’s charm.

Local Transport

Vientiane Northern Bus Terminal is inconveniently located 9 km by road to the north of the city centre. There are two public transport options available for travel to the city centre:

• Bus: Local bus services (Bus #8) travel from Vientiane Northern Bus Terminal into the city centre. They depart every 30 minutes during daylight hours and take around 50 minutes to complete the journey.
• Tuk-Tuk: You can also take a tuk-tuk from Vientiane Northern Bus Terminal to the city centre. You need to negotiate the fare with the driver, and more than likely than not the tuk-tuk driver will pick up other passengers on the way. Expect to pay around 60,000 LAK for the journey.

Accommodation in Vientiane

The main hotel booking websites list around 140 hotels and guesthouses in Vientiane, about half of which are in an area near the riverside Quai Fa Ngum immediately to the west of the southern end of the Avenue Lane Xang. This part of the city is very popular with foreign visitors and has lots of bars and restaurants, as well as being close to the river and the main tourist attractions in the city.

Expect to pay the equivalent of $10 USD for the cheapest rooms, $30 to $40 for a 3 star standard hotel, and around $100 a night for a branded hotel such as the Hilton or Amari. The most expensive hotels are right on the river front.

Places to Visit in Vientiane

Vientiane is a city which you can walk around and find interesting and relatively unknown temples, such as Wat Ong Teu and Wat Chanthaboury, however, the main visitor attractions are nearly all on or near the Avenue Lane Xang. These include:

• Patuxai Monument
• That Dam (Black Stupa)
• Wat Si Sa Ket

The other major tourist attraction which is not near the Avenue Lane Xang is Pha That Luang, which is located about 5 km by road from the popular riverside area in Vientiane city centre. It’s well worth making the journey to visit Pha That Luang. Pha That Luang is the most important temple in Laos, and possibly the oldest, with a 46 metre tall central golden stupa surrounded on all sides by a wall.

Travel to Thailand

There are several different ways to travel to Thailand. Some options are easier than others, some cheaper than others, and some which require advance planning and others which don’t. Deciding on the best option depends on where in Thailand you are going, how much time you have, and your budget. See below for a list of some of the options:

• Train: There are two train services a day from Khamsavath Train Station in Vientiane to Nong Khai in Thailand. These services depart daily at 09:35 and 18:25. The journey by train to Nong Khai takes 30 minutes. The train departing at 18:25 travels all the way from Vientiane in Bangkok in around 13 hours.
• Local Bus to the Border: Local bus services (Bus #14) travel from Vientiane Central Bus Station to the Laos immigration centre at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. These services depart frequently from around 06:00 to 18:00 every day and take slightly under an hour to reach the border crossing. Once you complete Laos immigration procedures you then need to take another much shorter bus journey across the bridge to reach the Thai immigration centre. Once you do then make it into Thailand you need to take a tuk-tuk several kilometres either to Nong Khai town centre, or to the railway station, for onward travel.
• Direct Bus Services: You can also take direct bus services from Vientiane to various cities in Thailand. In terms of speed and value for money these direct bus services are generally the best option, and the mode of transport favoured by people who do the journey frequently. Follow the links below for more information about bus services to Thailand:
  • Bus services from Vientiane to Bangkok
  • Bus services from Vientiane to Udon Thani

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