Overland and River - Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang

Anyone done this routing and have any advice - is the river trip viable? Lokking to travel week after next....

Overland and River - Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang

Very easy to do...

did it a few years ago now and enjoyed the journey very much... the boat takes two days to Luang Prabang...

I’ve since read somewhere that one boat does it in just one day... Speed boats are an option (albeit a dangerous one).... I would NOT do this..... speedboat that is!

Bus from Chiang Mai.. via Chiang Rai is cheap and easy.... VIP bus is better.... aircond and a bit more comfortable...

I lifted this from travelfish... but do a bit of googleing....

Chiang Khong - Huay Xai

Open 08:00-18:00 7 days

A 15 day Lao visa on arrival is available for US$30. After the Nong Khai crossing this is probably the most popular crossing for independent travellers entering Laos from Thailand as it is from Huay Xai that the slow boats to Luang Prabang, speed boats to Xieng Kok and land transport to Luang Nam Tha all commence, making this a veritable transport hub. After clearing customs on either side, it is a short five minute boat ride over to the other side.

Overland and River - Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang

When are you going? I am planning to go in Nov. There is supposed to be a ';luxury'; cruise that includes an overnite on the way from Chaing Mai to Luang Prabang- but I can%26#39;t so far find out more about it. If you hear anything-can you let me know??? Thanks

The luxury cruise is called ';Nagi of Mekong'; takes a day, costs appox $80 USD. Toilet, reclining seats, refreshments. Goes twice a week. Detail and bookings through the travel-thailand website. Have heard good things and are booked to do it....

i may have posted this previously in the wrong area.

The nagi is a fast boat to LP...the Luang Say is the more comfortable slow boat option over two days with accomodation etc included.

Hello

I have been looking into the same trip check out asia-oasia.com. they have a 2 day cruise stopping for 1 nights accomodations. The cost is approx $400.00/per person. the accomodation they use got very good reviews on trip advisor. The dates we want to go are full let me know if you find any other option.

good luck

bluewildyonder

I took this trip in 2006. The boat is not that luxurious- there is a boat that you can get for a very small amount of $ that to be honest the boat looks exactly like the Asian Oasis boat- I paid $300 but I guess it has gone up. The 1 difference in the lower price boat and Asian Oasis is- well I guess it%26#39;s more than 1 difference. Asian does help you handle the visa process in Laos when you are getting ready to board the boat- also they did pick me up at the hotel in Chiang Rai and the hotel is included in the price where the lower cost boat it is not. Also there was a place where once the boat was underway the visas had to be checked on land. The Asian boat had someone do it for us where the lower cost boat people had to climb out of the boat and up a steep hill and do it themselves. That might have been worth the added cost right there.

The other thing that bothered me about the Asian Oasis is their booklet made a comment about how many bombs the US dropped on them during the Vietnam war. They made no mention of the French abuses or Japanese atrocities. I felt they had no problem accepting my US dollars and that comment had no place in a tourist brochure.

All that being said the trip was pleasant- The food was fine-I really can%26#39;t remember anything about the food so I guess no probems with it. They made a couple stops to tourist trap villages. It was really a little upsetting to see some of the people begging you to buy these useless trinkets. But also interesting to see the way of life of the people.

The hotel was fine also- room spacious, clean, bed comfy. Dinner also included. There were mosquito nets around the bed and believe me they were needed. Not necessarily for mosquitos. I went into the bathroom I think after dinner and put the light on and there were giant flying insects immediately attracted to the light. Scary. I scampered back to the mosquito net lickety split! There was a show of children dancing after dinner at the hotel.

They stop at a cave just outside of Luang Prabang- it%26#39;s not worth the climb up there to see it but it%26#39;s up to you.

Luang Prabang fabulous. Just a lovely place. I would go back anytime. Nice hotels pretty much, food cheap, restaurants of many nations,a lot of different stuff to do there. Get up early 1 day and see the monks beg for alms- people will sell you stuff to give them. some pretty good shops and the night market the best- I bought 90% of all the souvenirs I bought on the whole trip right there.

I hope you have a great time and if you have any other questions I can help you with let me know...

boy what a negative comment,

I did this trip on the luang Say .

I normally would not spend extra $$$%26#39;s BUT it was really terrific,

really comfortable, not too fast so you could enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

It was so good we then booked on their other boat that does southern part of Laos and the Mekong.

Accomodation was great at the overnight stop. the rooms hang over the Mekong and the mist in the morning was beautiful

Off topic but interesting to see what you say Yogamamma ';The other thing that bothered me about the Asian Oasis is their booklet made a comment about how many bombs the US dropped on them during the Vietnam war. They made no mention of the French abuses or Japanese atrocities. I felt they had no problem accepting my US dollars and that comment had no place in a tourist brochure.';

Sound a tad defensive there - why do you think they shouldn%26#39;t make mention of US atrocities and bombings that caused problems and still remains an issue in the country (from unexploded devices)?

And this having undisputedly been done by the US ummm what%26#39;s your point with the dollars again? Can you only give dollars in exchange for services to someone who denies the US bombed them? Or only to someone who doesn%26#39;t mention a portion of their history???

If the issue is that they didn%26#39;t qualify US atrocities with atrocities performed by other countries how far back would you like them to go in listing other countries atrocities?

Just asking maybe we can make a submission to the Laos tourism authorities to teach them how to do their tourism properly...

And while we are at it let%26#39;s tell those Jews to just shut up about the nazis cos after all they%26#39;ve been victims of genocides for centuries and not just by the Germans...

Ref Yogamamma.

Just re-read my booklet from LuangSay.Whilst agreeing it makes no specific mention of French or Japanese ';atrocities'; it does state that the country was a French colony and occupied by Japan during World War 2 so it does contain some balance.

Please refer to the information on the forum re the Tak Bat and tourists before you get up early to watch the monks take alms. This is a deep part of their culture and not a show for tourists.

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