Destination Laos

Travelling in Laos

As a destination, Laos is recently gaining in popularity and owing to its location is perfectly placed to be combined with a visit to Thailand, Cambodia and/or Vietnam, or can be visited as a stand-alone destination.

Getting to Laos

By Air

Both Thai Airways and Lao Airlines have direct daily flights between Bangkok and Vientiane. Bangkok Airways and Lao Airlines both operate direct flights daily between Bangkok and Luang Prabang. Currently there are also international air services between Vientiane and Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Saigon and Kunming, and between Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai, Siem Reap and Hanoi. Direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Vientiane on Air Asia have also recently commenced operation. It is also possible to fly direct from Pakse in Southern Laos to Siem Reap, and Bangkok Airways offers limited direct flights between Bangkok and Pakse. Alternatively Pakse and Southern Laos can be accessed via Ubon Ratchatani in Thailand, a short road journey away across the Chong Mek land border check-point.

By Rail

Vientiane is situated just across the Mekong River from Nong Khai in Thailand. For rail travel enthusiasts, there are regular and relatively comfortable train services between Nong Khai and Bangkok and the journey may be taken during the day in order to appreciate the scenery, or as an overnight trip. There are plans for this rail link from Nong Khai to be extended across the Mekong River to Vientiane in the near future.

By Water

From Northern Thailand an increasingly popular way to travel into Laos is via a leisurely two day river journey down the Mekong, from Chiang Khong (nearby Chiang Rai) to Luang Prabang. Please refer to the Laos River Cruising section of our website or contact Destination Asia for more details.

Overland by other means

For experienced and truly adventurous travellers looking to get ‘off the beaten track’ it is possible to access Laos from Vietnam via an overland journey, crossing at one of the land border check-points. These are located in remote mountainous areas and travel is very slow and can be rough – infrastructure in these areas is still very basic, however the rewards for journeying the ‘road less travelled’ will outweigh the lack of comfort. Please contact Destination Asia Laos for the most up-to-date information about the land border crossings and these overland journeys, or to tailor an itinerary to suit your clients’ requirements.