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Published: February 23rd 2010
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Sawngthaew
Dan lazing about in the truck before many locals joined us... with their goats and produce! Due to the Chinese New Year bus services were reduced, so in order to make our way north we opted for the local bus service as the more expensive VIP service wasn’t running (VIP is the service which uses air-con buses which are newer and make the journey without additional pick-up stops). The first leg of our trip from 4000 islands started with a sawngthaew (truck with bench seats) which should take 2 hours. We shared the sawngthaew with about 12 other people, a goat and various produce which was in the back with us or on the roof. The goat was tied to the back and would cry like a small child when we bounced over bumps. With the additional pickups along the way and the wait for the ferry it took 3.5 hours.
We arrived in Pakse and changed to a local bus for the final 6 hours to Savannakhet. These buses have no air-con and stop frequently to pick and drop off people at various places along the way. This bus also had something wrong with the engine so twice we stopped for over 30 minutes while the engine was filled and cooled with water. Meanwhile we
Local Bus
Luckily this one was pretty empty... the one to Vientiane had 11 people seated on plastic seats in the middle row!! were left to boil in the heat wondering how long it would be until we moved on. Stops are also made along the way for refreshments; street vendors would surround the coach offering foods such as of bbq’ed flattened chickens, bags of sticky rice or boiled egg kebabs. We opted for the safe option of sticky rice as the hygiene of the chicken vendors was questionable!
We stopped overnight at Savannakhet where we hoped to catch a bus over the border to Vietnam the next day. On our arrival we were informed that due to the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year (known as Tet in Vietnam) all VIP and private bus services were not running until 19th Feb - another 5 days!!! A local bus service was running to the border but we would have to find transport the other side. After a brain storm over a Beer Laos we opted to change our plans and continue to head to Northern Laos then cross the border into Vietnam in another week once all celebrations are over and transport is running as normal. We didn’t fancy arriving in Vietnam only to be stuck somewhere we didn’t want to be waiting
for transport, and then to find all accommodation booked and sights closed for the festivities.
We ate dinner in a little cafe where the locals were starting their celebrations, we wished some drunken locals a ‘Happy New Year’, listened to some Laos karaoke (terrible) but didn’t make it to midnight to see what happens - we must be getting old!
The next day we departed for the capital of Laos Vientiane at 7.30m on another local bus as the VIP wasn’t running until 21:30... we had made a decision not to board another local bus but the frustration and pain seemed to have diminished. The pain and frustration returned only 45 minutes into the journey at our first stop (30 minutes) while more people bordered and chickens were strapped to the roof. Numerous stops followed at bus stations along the route as well as unofficial stops. The bus was soon full so children were sitting on laps, plastic stools were placed in the aisle and people were stood in the door way. Luckily we managed to keep our seats for the entire journey and we have also worked out which side of the bus gets the shade so
we don’t cook in the afternoon heat. We finally arrived in Vientiane 9.5 hours after we departed and in need of some Beer Laos!
The final two bus journeys in Laos would take us from Vientiane to Vang Vieng (where we are to stay a couple of days) and then Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. Vientiane to Vang Vieng is a major tourist route so it was early to book a seat on a private tourist bus to cover the 3 hour journey. We were surprised as for the first time we were actually picked up early for this trip and set off on time. The bus was comfy and the journey passed without incident or multiple stops.
Our final bus transport from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang was not so comfortable. There are options for private mini-bus or private large buses on this leg. We selected the mini-bus as it is slightly faster due to the windy roads. When we arrived at the station we found there were two bus types, an older style and a newer style. Unfortunately we arrived when an older style was ready to depart and only two more unlucky passengers were needed...
VIP Bus
Nice A/C bus for our travel to Vang Vieng!! which was us. The next 6 hours were spent riding the bumps and bends of this road (although tarmac, the condition is average) on the back bench seat of a bus whose suspension was long since gone! The spine compressing journey was bearable due to the views and scenery which helped to pass the time. The alternate bus (which we viewed with envy at each stop) was a sleek and new vehicle with tinted windows and individual seats with headrests. We highly recommend you make your case for the newer bus!!
We rejoiced upon arrival in the knowledge that we would be making no more bus journeys in Laos. We have opted to fly from Luang Prabang to Hanoi due to time constraints and risk of permanent back injury (the bus to Hanoi is close to 24 hours)!
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