Crossing the Mekong from Chiang Mai, Thailand to Laos is simple and there is a lot of information concerning this crossing, some of which is current, some not. Crossing the Mekong has changed now and I advise to read the Update of July 2015 below. Costs may have changed but probably not by much but any prices quoted here are subject to current costs and only reflect those in 2012.
Update: February 2017 - Having made this crossing from Chiang Rai over the new bridge, it was very easy to accomplish. The bus will stop at the immigration check point where you stamp out of Thailand and stamp into Laos. If you already have your visa for Laos this makes the crossing go a lot smother otherwise you will need to do the immigration paperwork when you arrive and pay. Transportation to Huay Xai is available outside the Laos immigration side. This will be a truck of some type, maybe Tuk Tuk and the travel time is between 20-30 minutes. Costs at that time was 100 Thai Baht per person. In Chiang Mai, go to bus terminal 2 and get your ticket there for the border, it cost 220 Thai Baht which I found a bit expensive, travel time was about 2+ hours. Read this web site for their information but when I crossed over there was no option for a bus from the check point to Huay Xai.
We believe the following information can still be applicable especially the visa advice but we will update our post as more information arrives concerning crossing the Mekong to Huay Xai.
Update: February 2017 - Having made this crossing from Chiang Rai over the new bridge, it was very easy to accomplish. The bus will stop at the immigration check point where you stamp out of Thailand and stamp into Laos. If you already have your visa for Laos this makes the crossing go a lot smother otherwise you will need to do the immigration paperwork when you arrive and pay. Transportation to Huay Xai is available outside the Laos immigration side. This will be a truck of some type, maybe Tuk Tuk and the travel time is between 20-30 minutes. Costs at that time was 100 Thai Baht per person. In Chiang Mai, go to bus terminal 2 and get your ticket there for the border, it cost 220 Thai Baht which I found a bit expensive, travel time was about 2+ hours. Read this web site for their information but when I crossed over there was no option for a bus from the check point to Huay Xai.
Update: July 2015 - According
to all current resources, it is confirmed that the small boats which once made
the crossing from Chiang Khong to Huay Xai are not accessible for foreign
travelers, locals only. Therefore the routing is now across the Thai/Lao
Friendship Bridge 4 due to the moving of the immigration check points in both Thailand and Lao.
It is mandatory to cross in a bus or vehicle as walking or cycling is not
allowed. The immigration checkpoints opening times are between 06:00 to
22:00. I suggest that you click here for a lot more details
from the web site of Hobomaps.com. Also, you can click here for a nice map of the
area which is an extremely large map and will require a bit of maneuvering
about the map to see the details but the location of the bridge is located at
the extreme lower right hand corner of the map.
Update: November 2014 - With the
new Thai/Lao Friendship bridge which enables travelers to cross from Chiang
Khong to Huey Xai and other reports of this crossing by bus, some of the below
information might not be applicable. Others report that using the small
long-tail boats to cross the Mekong will not
be available to foreigners but there is not enough reporting of this to make a
solid conclusion. Additionally, the information concerning the bus, where it
stops and actually arriving in Huay Xai are a bit confusing as it seems that
making the final leg to Huey Xai requires additional transfers or higher costs
for the other forms of transport to the city. For more on this new bridge click
this link to Wikitravel
and you can read additional information or click here for
another source on this new bridge.
Original Post Below:
In writing this, I am going to make suggestions and depending on each reader’s circumstances such as how fast you wish to travel, how long your Thai visa is good, then each of you should make your own decisions about the suggestions.
Suggestion 1: If you have time in Bangkok, get your visa at the Lao embassy, it can be done the same day and this will save you a considerable amount of time at the Lao border where most people get a VOA (visa on arrival) and the cue can be long and slow. This is especially true if you are trying to get the boat to Pak Beng on the same day that you cross the border.
Suggestion 2: Most will purchase a package tour in Chiang Mai or other place, maybe Bangkok. Do not purchase a tour package from an agent unless you are not sure about your ability of making travel arrangements on your own. These package deals are or can be more expensive and will not include sleeping in Pak Beng which is the first stop if you take the boat down the Mekong to Luang Prabang.
Suggestion 3: Take your time, stop in Chiang Mai for a few days, and sort out your bus to go to Chiang Rai, stay a few nights in Chiang Rai and go see the Wat Rong Khun known as the White Temple which is a very unique temple and well worth the effort.
Suggestion 4: Leave early in the morning for the Lao border, cross over and stay in the Lao border town of Huay Xai, get some rest and leave for Pak Beng the next morning, you will be glad you stopped as the boat from Huay Xai takes 8-9 hours and depending on when the boat actually departs from Huay Xai, depending on the departure time, which is "never" on schedule it will or could be dark when you arrive in Pak Beng. If you booked a tour package, you will be pressed for time and tired from the transit to Lao, so again, I urge you to do this on your own and you will be amazed at how easy it can really be.
Now for some details.
The bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai costs 132 TB and takes about 2-3 hours. The only bus going from Chiang Mai is Green Bus of Thailand, here is the link GBT. For times table, click the services area in the main page.
The bus from Chiang Rai to the Thai border city of Chiang Khong costs 65TB and takes about 4 hours. It is a rather uninteresting ride and the bus is an older one so the comfort level is not the best but not the worst either. Once in Chiang Khong, you will need a tuk-tuk or Songthep which costs 30TB to the Mekong/Thai border immigration post to stamp out. You can get the Songthep after you get off the bus as there are some waiting for "travelers" just like you,
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| The Old Way Across the Mekong to Lao |
If you already have your visa then you will only need to fill out an immigration card and present this and your passport to the immigration window. If you are getting a VOA, you will need to complete the required immigration forms, make sure you have passport photos and wait in the sometime very long cue for processing your visa.
After finishing with Lao immigration you can locate good accommodations in Huey Xai but I found one nice hotel close to the old arriving jetty called Taveesinh Hotel with a king bed, air-con, mini fridge, hot shower and cost 420TB. Here is the email address: Taveesinh Hotel. See this map for the location, click each marker and it will indicate what each one is.
There are less expensive places to stay but for the cost and location, this place is a real good deal unless you are on a tight budget. See Map.
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| The Boat Style You Will Take Down Mekong |
The boat tickets can be purchased at the “official ticket office” which is about 1 kilometer walk down the main road the morning of the day you plan to take the boat and it cost 900TB. If you purchase the ticket from the official ticket office you can not buy the ticket the day before.
Exchange your money in Hauy Xai, not the Thai border, go to the bank, Lao Development Bank (see map) on the right side of the main road heading toward the boat ticket office and you will get the absolute best exchange rates at the bank. Have your passport.
Internet in Huey Xai is available but costly and slow. Eating there is not too bad but is still more expensive than in Thailand on average and so is beer.
Not all boats down the Mekong are equal, some are a bit nicer, wider and more space. The seats are old automobile seats, some will recline, some still have the head rests, some do not, most are not bolted to the floor.
I hope that you enjoy your visit to Lao. It is an interesting country though very poor as a whole.
For details on the journey down the Mekong itself, please read the post/page "Journey On The Mekong" as it will provide a feel for the time you will spend on the boat(s) and what to expect.
Travel Safe, Travel Happy
Not all boats down the Mekong are equal, some are a bit nicer, wider and more space. The seats are old automobile seats, some will recline, some still have the head rests, some do not, most are not bolted to the floor.
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| Inside Boat Example 1 |
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| Inside Boat Example 2 |
I hope that you enjoy your visit to Lao. It is an interesting country though very poor as a whole.
For details on the journey down the Mekong itself, please read the post/page "Journey On The Mekong" as it will provide a feel for the time you will spend on the boat(s) and what to expect.
Travel Safe, Travel Happy