Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Which is the best transport to take from LP to Vientiane? Is it the VIP Bus or Minivan as I have heard pros and cons for both.

Also after the recent problems in the last few years is route 13 safe now for tourists, do you feel safe travelling this journey and how long does the rollercoster winding roads part take as I%26#39;ve heard so much about this!

Luang Prabang to Vientiane

The best transport? Fly. If you must go by road, the minivan is more comfortable. Just make sure you take motion sickness pills and a Bhudda lucky charm.

Luang Prabang to Vientiane

Agreed! Fly- it%26#39;s too darn far...

I%26#39;d take the VIP bus or the local bus.

While the minibuses are faster, they are also more cramped with very little legroom.

The VIP buses are more comfortable and have more legroom, but they keep you mired in the tourist bubble. The ';extras'; like a/c are unnecessary as a lot of the trip is through higher elevations where it%26#39;s cooler anyway. Plus, you can%26#39;t open the windows to take photos.

The local buses are just as comfortable as the VIP buses, if not more so. I find that they%26#39;re generally less packed than the VIP buses, except around Lao holidays when they%26#39;re filled to the brim with Lao people heading back to their hometowns. In any case, always arrive at the bus station early, as you don%26#39;t want to risk the possibility of sitting on one of those damn stools in the middle of the aisle. I%26#39;ve done it and wouldn%26#39;t recommend it to my worst enemy. I%26#39;d rather take a 6 hour sawngthaew journey over winding mountain roads (which I%26#39;ve also done...and it actually much more enjoyable).

I definitely wouldn%26#39;t fly that route, as the scenery is much too beautiful to miss, particularly around Kasi.

The winding roads through the mountains usually take about 4 hours and aren%26#39;t really that bad. The road is in pretty good condition and the only real danger comes from drivers hopped up on yaabaa. The last security issue (';bandits';) along this route was 5 years ago, though that%26#39;s not to say that it couldn%26#39;t happen again. Historically, this stretch of road has been ';bandit'; central for a long time, but tourists have never been particularly targeted. I wouldn%26#39;t worry about it.

If time is not a big factor, the local buses are indeed a nice experience. The scenery is great and the road conditions are quite ok. I will consider the roads rather safe.

I think the local buses are better than VIP buses as the VIP buses are usually more packed than the local buses. In addition, the airconditioning in VIP buses make the bus rather stuffy compared to local buses where you can open the windows and enjoy the breeze.

I am going to Luang Prabang this Summer and have the same question. How much is the cost of flying from Luang Prabang to Vientiane? and how often is this?

Thanks,

Vinh

www.laoairlines.com

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