BORDER CROSSINGS

Laos shares land and/or river borders with Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, China and Vietnam; see the colour map at the start of this guide for their locations.

In this book we give detailed instructions for every crossing open to foreigners. These details appear as boxed texts in the relevant chapters - the information in this chapter outlines these possibilities and points you to the boxes.

Most crossings involve changing transport at the border, even when you've paid for a 'di­rect' bus. Five of the crossings on the western border with Thailand involve quick boat trips across the Mekong.

It's possible to bring your own vehicle into Laos from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambo­dia with the right paperwork and Lao customs don't object to visitors bringing bicycles into the country.

In Thailand, trains (www.railway.co.th /english) run to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge and to Ubon Ratchathani, two to three hours from the Lao border

Unless stated otherwise, Laos issues 30-day tourist visas at crossings that are open to foreigners.

Cambodia

The border with Cambodia at Voen Kham is open and while it's possible to get a Cam­bodian visa on arrival, for now you need to get your Laos visa in advance. There are two border points, one for road crossings and the other for boats to Stung Treng. See p283 for more information.

China

You can cross between Yunnan Province in China and Luang Nam Tha Province in Laos at Boten. From Mohan on the Chinese side it's a two- to three-hour minibus ride to Mengla, the nearest large town. See p201 for more information.

Myanmar

Foreigners are not allowed to cross between Laos and Myanmar. However, with a valid visa you could try to cross at Xieng Kok, on the Mekong north of Huay Xai, though suc­cess is far from guaranteed Thailand

There are seven crossings to Thailand open to foreigners. Several involve taking a boat across the Mekong, or crossing the river on one of the Friendship bridges. Borders here are listed from north to south.

HUAY XAI & CHIANG KHONG

Crossing to or from northern Thailand at Huay Xai on the Laos side of the Mekong and Chiang Khong on the Thai side is popular with travellers coming from northern Thailand. This is the starting point for two-day boat trips to Luang Prabang.

THE FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE AT NONG KHAI (FOR VIENTIANE)

The Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge is 22km east of Vientiane. There are direct buses between downtown Vientiane and Nong Khai, and regular runs between Nong Khai and Bangkok.

Rapid and express trains from Bangkok's Hualamphong train station run daily to Nong Khai (11 to 14 hours). Overnight trains have sleeper carriages and make a convenient, com­fortable and cheap way to get to the border while saving on a hotel room. Berths costs from 488B to 1217B; costs are higher when booked through an agent in Laos.

Plans to extend the rail line over the Friendship Bridge and 3km into Laos have been approved, so it might be possible to catch the train from the Laos side sometime in 2008.

PAKSAN & BEUNG KAN

This river crossing  between Beung Kan in Thailand and Paksan in Laos, about 120km from Vientiane, is rarely used by travellers.

THA KHAEK & NAKHON PHANOM

Another river crossing takes you from Nakhon Phanom in Thailand to Tha Khaek in Laos. Travellers who use this bor­der are often crossing directly between Thai­land and Vietnam.

SAVANNAKHET & MUKDAHAN

This is the southernmost river crossing between Thailand and Laos. A bridge across the Mekong River near Savannakhet was opened in late 2006, giving travellers the option of a road or river crossing.

VANG TAO & CHONG MEK

This border 44km west of Pakse is a popular and easy entry into southern Laos. Rapid and express trains from Bangkok's Hualamphong train station run three or four times per day to Ubon Ratchathani (sleep­ing berths 471B to 1180B, 12 hours, 575km), from where it's three or four hours to Pakse by local transport, or faster on the Thai-Lao International Bus.

Vietnam

At the time of writing foreigners could cross between Laos and Vietnam at six different border posts. Laos issues 30-day tourist visas at most of these, but you'll need to get your Vietnamese visa in advance .The border at Sop Hun in Phongsali Province, just across from Tay Trang (32km west of Dien Bien Phu), has been going to open for years but is still firmly shut. Keep your eyes on the Thorn Tree for the latest. These borders are listed from north to south.

NA MAEW & NAM XOI

For now, the northernmost crossing is on Rte 6A between Na Maew in Hua Phan Province, Laos, and Nam Xoi in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. This crossing can be difficult on both sides, especially given how expensive the infrequent transport on the Vietnam side is. It is, however, the nearest border to Hanoi and the north, so if you're adventurous and want to avoid backtracking, it's worth a shot. Na Maew is a relatively short bus ride to/ from Sam Neua, where there are buses and planes to other points in Laos. No visas are issued here.

NAM CAN & NAM KHAN

This border east of Phonsavan in Xieng Khuang Province sounds better than it actually is. Even though you're a long way north of the Kaew Neua Pass cross­ing, the road on the Vietnam side runs so far south (almost to Vinh) before joining north-south Hwy that this border i totally inconvenient.

NAM PHAO & CAU TREO

The spectacular crossing through the Kaew Neua Pass, via the low-key border posts of Nam Phao on the Lao side, is Cau Treo in Vietnam, leads to Vinh and al points north, including Hanoi. Direct buses between Vientiane and Hanoi take this route, but it's a long, torturously slow and uncomfortable trip. If you can take the pain, buses leave Vientiane's Northern Bus Station  every day for Vinh (US$16, 16 hours) and Hanoi (US$20, 24 hours), and occasionally for Hue (US$17, at least 24 hours), Danang (US$20, at least 24 hours) and even Ho Chi Minh City (US$45, up to 48 hours).

NA PHAO & CHA LO

Even though this remote border has a nice new highway on the Laos side, we've still never met anyone who's actually crossed here. Transport runs all the way across this border from Tha Khaek to Dong Hoi in Vietnam, and back. However, no visas are available here yet.

DANSAVANH & LAO BAO    

 Good roads and plentiful transport make the border at Dansavanh (Laos) and LaoBao, 255km east of Savannakhet, probablythe easiest of all crossings to/from Vietnam If you're heading to/from Hue, Hoi An or anywhere in central Vietnam, it's rec- ommended. The downside, however, is that if you want to see all of Vietnam you're in for a fair bit of backtracking.

ATTAPEU & QUY NHON

The newest crossing to Vietnam's

Central highlands is at Bo Y between remote Attapeu Province and Quy Nhon, though it doesn't really fit any existing travelling routes. Visas on arrival are not guaranteed

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