Sapa Vietnam to Luang Prabang

Sapa Vietnam to Luang Prabang

From Sapa you can get a mini van for 190,000 Dong (about 20,000 = 1USD). This you can ask about at any hotel. Don't pay more than 200,000 as the actual price is 190,000. The van will pick you up at your hotel or you can wait on the corner near the main market. The mini van will take about 10-12 hours to Dien Bien Phu. It stops for lunch for about 30 mins. It's not a long distance but the roads are dirt and in bad condition. They are making new roads at the moment which should cut the trip in half or more.

At Dien Bien Phu you can purchase a ticket to Muang Khua (Laos) for 80,000 Dong. You can find a guest house for cheap. What ever the posted price is you can cut it by 50%. There are guest houses right next to the bus station. Within 50 meters.

The bus leaves at 5:30am (day break) and will get to the Vietnam border relatively quickly after a quick stop for breakfast and product loading. The Vietnam customs part is easy. Back on the bus and towards Laos.

The roads from this point until Muang Khua are the worst I've ever experienced. They are dirt roads on high cliffs. I saw at least 50 recent landslides and the bus had to wait for a tractor to clear the way one time. The bus was stuck in the mud 3 times and we had to get out and puch the bus in the rain. Fish tailing on dirt roads on high cliffs is stressful. If you don't want a wild journey DO NOT take this route! At one point we all had to get out of the bus and the bus drove through a river. No joke.

Laos border crossing was relatively easy. US passport 35$ visa on arrival, plus 1$ for a service fee and about 1$ more for H1N1 test (temperature). You can pay in USD, KIP, or DONG. There is also a 1$ charge for overtime (weekends). price varies depending on your passport. Canada was most expensive 40$ and some were as cheap as 30$.

Arrival at Muang Khua in the evening at about 530pm. You will be dropped off at a small river and have to pay 2,000 KIP - 5,000 KIP per person to cross. (You can use DONG or USD in Muang Khua). After crossing the river there are many cheap guest houses where you can pay a few dollars. Ask about hot water. You will need a shower after this journey.

Next morning take a tuk tuk to the bus station. 3km, 5,000KIP. Buy a bus ticket to Udomxai for 30,000 KIP. Bus leaves a 800am and 1230pm. I sat on a plastic garden chair in the middle aisle. classy. The bus will stop periodically for passengers to pee on the side of the road.

Arrive in Udomaxi. Get off the bus and buy a ticket for Luang Prabang for 50,000 KIP (or you can go to other locations also). The bus leaves after the bus from Udomxai arrives. About 1130am and 400pm. Arrive in Luang Prabang bus station in about 5-6 hours. The roads are mostly paved and much better. But still not good and it's very windy. You will have to pay a tuk-tuk about 5,000 KIP to get to the center of town. You can find a guest house almost anywhere. walk around and bargain.

dnunz / http://www.tripadvisor.com