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AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures
Laos & China 2025
Day 2 : Vientiane to Vang Vieng
Day 2 : Vientiane to Vang Vieng
Laos-China 2025 Day 2: 5th December (Friday)
Day 2 - Vientiane to Vang Vieng:
Vientiane (Chaleunxay Hotel)>tuk-tuk>Soutchai Mini Bus Station>bus>Phonkam Interchange (transit)>bus>Vang Vieng (Vang Vieng Minivan Bus "Station")>walk>Pool Party Hotel>Wat That>tuk-tuk>Blue Lagoon 1>Balloon Sunset Viewpoint>Nam Song River Viewpoint>walk>Vang Vieng Night Market>Pool Party Hotel.
This is page 2 of a 12-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
Route recommendations, here are some tips on travelling to and around Laos & China:
g. Nam Xay Mountain Viewpoint (GPS: 18.92359, 102.38697).
1. Traffic Directions!
Traffic in Laos, is left-hand drive and vehicles drive on the right side of the road. So do bear this in mind when crossing the road OR when sitting at the front passenger seat. I made this mistake several times and boarded the car at the driver's side with the driver giving me a surprised look 😂.
2. Getting to Laos.
We flew AirAsia from KLIA Terminal 2 to Vientiane's Wattay International Airport; buying tickets earlier to get cheaper fares. Considering the potential difficulties with luggage storage during the later train journey in Laos, we also packed light (20kg checked-in luggage for two people). Together with carry-on luggage, we each had 17kg per person. Fare was ? per pax.
3. Getting from town to town in Laos.
For Laos, getting between towns can be by hired vans, express bus or the Laos-China train. One can buy the bus tickets at the Vientiane Northern Bus Terminal (which is about half an hour away from town) directly from the counter. To book the Laos-China HSR Train tickets, it is recommended to use the LCR App, the official app of the railway. Note that tickets can only be booked three days before the travel date. There is no necessity to book with a Laos, Thai, or China mobile phone number; one can use a personal e-mail address. There are several online sites selling the train ticket, but these are ticketing agents and could be charging higher prices or even overselling.
For Laos, getting between towns can be by hired vans, express bus or the Laos-China train. One can buy the bus tickets at the Vientiane Northern Bus Terminal (which is about half an hour away from town) directly from the counter. To book the Laos-China HSR Train tickets, it is recommended to use the LCR App, the official app of the railway. Note that tickets can only be booked three days before the travel date. There is no necessity to book with a Laos, Thai, or China mobile phone number; one can use a personal e-mail address. There are several online sites selling the train ticket, but these are ticketing agents and could be charging higher prices or even overselling.
We booked our train tickets from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang to Xishuangbanna through the LCR App. For the Luang Prabang to Xishuangbanna leg, electronic train tickets need to be changed to physical paper tickets at the Luang Prabang Train Station (at a counter of the ticketing office, so arrive earlier to do this).
We had only a night in Vientiane, and booked a van introduced by our tuk-tuk driver, to go to Vang Vieng. There was some confusion for this, but luckily for us all turned out well. Read about this in the main blog body.
4. Getting around towns and cities in Laos.
In Laos, for short distances, one can use tuk-tuks or songthaews, which can be found at most street corners. Our regular tuk-tuk driver in Vang Vieng was a Mr. Ser (WhatsApp: +856-2076-812-586), who took us around the town and also sent us to the Vang Vieng Railway Station the next day.
For longer distances to the outskirts, install InDrive or LOCA. For InDrive, one can negotiate to an agreeable price, but it may be difficult to hail a ride from the outskirts (as we experienced). LOCA seems to be a better bet, but as you must be able to receive the SMS verification code, it's highly recommended to get a local Laos SIM card upon arrival for reliable service and to easily receive that SMS. Pay for LOCA rides with Cash, Credit/Debit Card (Visa/Mastercard). Or with LOCA PAY, with automatic deductions for card payments after binding your card in the app. While card payments are convenient and offer instant e-receipts, a small fee (around 4% + 6,000 LAK) may apply, making cash payment preferred.
In Laos, for short distances, one can use tuk-tuks or songthaews, which can be found at most street corners. Our regular tuk-tuk driver in Vang Vieng was a Mr. Ser (WhatsApp: +856-2076-812-586), who took us around the town and also sent us to the Vang Vieng Railway Station the next day.
For longer distances to the outskirts, install InDrive or LOCA. For InDrive, one can negotiate to an agreeable price, but it may be difficult to hail a ride from the outskirts (as we experienced). LOCA seems to be a better bet, but as you must be able to receive the SMS verification code, it's highly recommended to get a local Laos SIM card upon arrival for reliable service and to easily receive that SMS. Pay for LOCA rides with Cash, Credit/Debit Card (Visa/Mastercard). Or with LOCA PAY, with automatic deductions for card payments after binding your card in the app. While card payments are convenient and offer instant e-receipts, a small fee (around 4% + 6,000 LAK) may apply, making cash payment preferred.
Note: Touch 'n Go e-Wallet doesn't seem to work in Laos. It works well in China and Thailand.
5. Immigration & Customs Requirements
For Laos, Malaysians are allowed to enter Laos without a visa for a maximum stay of 30 days per visit.
Click here for who can apply for the Lao eVisa and eVisa application form. This visa allows for a stay of up to 30 days and can be extended once. Alternatively, travelers can apply for a tourist visa at a Lao embassy or consulate before arrival, permitting a stay of up to 60 days with the option of extension.
Click here for Laos e-Arrival Card & e-Departure Card submission. OR one can fill in paper forms, which are available at the airport, train stations or during the flight.
Click here for who can apply for the Lao eVisa and eVisa application form. This visa allows for a stay of up to 30 days and can be extended once. Alternatively, travelers can apply for a tourist visa at a Lao embassy or consulate before arrival, permitting a stay of up to 60 days with the option of extension.
Click here for Laos e-Arrival Card & e-Departure Card submission. OR one can fill in paper forms, which are available at the airport, train stations or during the flight.
6. Places & Things of Interests
There were many scenic places, interesting attractions, but one should not miss the following (Note: click on the GPS coordinates below for a directional map to the respective places):
a. Wat That (b) (GPS: 18.92930, 102.44929).
b. Blue Lagoon 1 (GPS: 18.92630, 102.39545).
a. Wat That (b) (GPS: 18.92930, 102.44929).
b. Blue Lagoon 1 (GPS: 18.92630, 102.39545).
c. Wierd Food at stalls just outside the Blue Lagoon 1 (GPS: 18.92630, 102.39545).
d. Balloon Sunset Viewpoint (GPS: 18.92083, 102.43874).
e. Hot Air Ballooning (USD100 for 30-40 mins), Paramotorgliding & Paragliding:
- Adventure Ticket Hot Air Balloon (GPS: 18.91873, 102.44610).
d. Balloon Sunset Viewpoint (GPS: 18.92083, 102.43874).
e. Hot Air Ballooning (USD100 for 30-40 mins), Paramotorgliding & Paragliding:
- Adventure Ticket Hot Air Balloon (GPS: 18.91873, 102.44610).
- Balloon Over Vang Vieng (GPS: 18.92419, 102.44668).
- Above Laos Ballooning (GPS: 18.91220, 102.40553).
f. Off-road Buggy:
- Kai Buggy Station (GPS: 18.91891, 102.44249) - Rental of bigger 2 to 4 pax off-road buggies.
- Utopia Buggy Car (GPS: 18.91932, 102.43308) - Rental of smaller 2 pax off-road buggies.
h. Nam Song River Viewpoint (GPS: 18.92634, 102.44584).
7. Food
a. Breakfast
- Inclusive breakfast (Fried rice, fried egg noodles, & sweet potato wedges) at Chaleunxay Hotel (GPS: 17.96679, 102.61282).
b. Lunch
- Chinese Hot Pot at Tak Sang Ma La Tang Shop (ຮ້ານຕັກຊັ່ງມ່າລ່າຖາງ ສາຂາວັງວຽງ)(GPS: 18.92753, 102.45174) at .
c. Late Tea Time Snacks
Mu Ping, Tam Som, Sai Oua (Laotian sausage), etc. at Say Nam Song Restaurant (GPS: 18.92581, 102.44651).
d. Dinner
8. Accommodations
One night at the Pool Party Hotel (GPS: 18.92728, 102.4509) at RM191.19 for two rooms for a night booked via Trip.com.
9. Communicating with Each Other
When travelling in a group, it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest.
In Laos, several telco companies have kiosks at the arrival hall of the Wattay International Airport. From the Unitel kiosk, we bought Unitel 5-G Physical Sim Cards and got the 5-Day 20GB card for 80,000 Kips (USD3.70 / RM15). Buy the Lao SIM cards at the airport, as in the city, it could be more expensive and harder to find.
In Laos, several telco companies have kiosks at the arrival hall of the Wattay International Airport. From the Unitel kiosk, we bought Unitel 5-G Physical Sim Cards and got the 5-Day 20GB card for 80,000 Kips (USD3.70 / RM15). Buy the Lao SIM cards at the airport, as in the city, it could be more expensive and harder to find.
10. Communicating with Locals
Except for those in the travel industry, in Laos, most locals speak Lao. As Laos was a former French protectorate, many older locals and tourist guides speak French.
10. Weather
?The average day and night temperatures in Vientiane were 30°C and 19°C. Useful weather forecast sites for Laos is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.
11. Navigation
Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.
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PRELUDE
The last time day before was a long day, starting with an early morning flight from KL to Vientiane. On arriving, we checked in, had lunch, and visited the Buddha Park, forty minutes away. In the evening, it was a short stint at the Vientiane Night Market.
Today we take a bus to Vang Vieng, the adventure capital of Laos and perhaps Southeast Asia. Wonder what adventures we will have there.... read on to find out!
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DAY 2: VIENTIANE TO VANG VIENG
Small Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Laos & China.
Day 2 - Vientiane to Vang Vieng:
Vientiane (Chaleunxay Hotel)>tuk-tuk>Soutchai Mini Bus Station>bus>Phonkam Interchange (transit)>bus>Vang Vieng (Vang Vieng Minivan Bus "Station")>walk>Pool Party Hotel>Wat That>tuk-tuk>Blue Lagoon 1>Balloon Sunset Viewpoint>Nam Song River Viewpoint>walk>Vang Vieng Night Market>Pool Party Hotel.
Day 2 - Vientiane to Vang Vieng:
Vientiane (Chaleunxay Hotel)>tuk-tuk>Soutchai Mini Bus Station>bus>Phonkam Interchange (transit)>bus>Vang Vieng (Vang Vieng Minivan Bus "Station")>walk>Pool Party Hotel>Wat That>tuk-tuk>Blue Lagoon 1>Balloon Sunset Viewpoint>Nam Song River Viewpoint>walk>Vang Vieng Night Market>Pool Party Hotel.
(Zoom into Vang Vieng for more details)
Most of the posts below are linked to my Facebook postings during the trip and are embedded here with some comments. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post to read more details. If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first. FB has recently changed its approach, as such all relevant links have now been inserted in the comments.)
Simple inclusive breakfast at Chaleunxay Hotel:
Fried rice, fried egg noodles, and sweet potato wedges.
Simple inclusive breakfast at Chaleunxay Hotel:
Fried rice, fried egg noodles, and sweet potato wedges.
All on board... Tally Ho! Squeezed into a tuk-tuk.
We were expecting a van to come pick us up to send us to Vang Vieng; but Mr. Noh, the tuk-tuk driver from yesterday, came by with his tuk-tuk. Quite comical though, all of us plus luggage, squeezing into his small tuk-tuk.
So, will this tuk-tuk be our ride from Vientiane to Vang Vieng? 😱
No, the tuk-tuk sent us to the Soutchai Mini Bus Station (GPS: 17.96714, 102.60676) located at Rue Nokeokoummane. This is the station for the Soutchai Travel Laos, but the company does not have good reviews, which we were to experience later.
Here we paid Mr. Noh, the fare of 200,00kips (8 Euros) per pax (which includes pick-up from our hotel and probably his commission also). Their website oddly quoted a price of 11 Euros.
Feeling let down!
We were instructed to board a van with our luggage and wait for the rest of the passengers. However, we were later asked to disembark and wait. Luckily, we took our backpacks down from the van, and there were instances where valuables were pilfered. Next, we were told to take our luggage down and board a big coach. We were scheduled to leave at 9am, but half an hour later, they were still waiting for more passengers to fill up the bus.
We were instructed to board a van with our luggage and wait for the rest of the passengers. However, we were later asked to disembark and wait. Luckily, we took our backpacks down from the van, and there were instances where valuables were pilfered. Next, we were told to take our luggage down and board a big coach. We were scheduled to leave at 9am, but half an hour later, they were still waiting for more passengers to fill up the bus.
The last photo is of a price list of bus fare we saw in a Vang Vieng restaurant, which shows a fare of 50,000kips per pax from Vang Vieng to Vientiane! Damn! We had been scammed! We later thanked our lucky stars that we arrived safely at Vang Vieng.
Bus finally leaving, almost an hour late.
Enroute, a midway stop near the Phonkham Interchange (the exit Phonsavang town) to change
drivers. The driver of the bus heading from Vang Vieng to Vientiane changed with
ours. This way, the bus company does not need to provide accommodations for the
drivers and save cost.
Arriving at Vang Vieng, passing the toll gate leading into Vang Vieng.
11:30am - Disembarking at the Vang Vieng Minivan Bus "Station", 300m from our hotel, the Pool Party Hotel.
It looked like we were in the middle of nowhere, in a large, sandy, open space, as seen in the Google Satellite view above. But this was the former location of the LIMA Exhibition Site; I think LIMA doesn't stand for Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, but for the Laos one. More interestingly, this large open space was also a former CIA Laos landing site!
Presently, it is also a launching site for hot air balloons.
We dragged our luggage over the sandy trail and checked into the Pool Party Hotel, our stay in Vang Vieng for a night. It has an interesting concept, the rooms are modified shipping containers set one floor up and surrounding a pool with a central island at the centre. All ready to paaaaarty...., hence the name.
Our room #3 at Pool Party Hotel, the rooms are designated not only by numbers but with drawings of animals beside the entrance door. Ours was of a couple of spotted deer.
We dragged our luggage over the sandy trail and checked into the Pool Party Hotel, our stay in Vang Vieng for a night. It has an interesting concept, the rooms are modified shipping containers set one floor up and surrounding a pool with a central island at the centre. All ready to paaaaarty...., hence the name.
Our room #3 at Pool Party Hotel, the rooms are designated not only by numbers but with drawings of animals beside the entrance door. Ours was of a couple of spotted deer.
Our lunch, Chinese Hot Pot at Tak Sang Ma La Tang Shop (ຮ້ານຕັກຊັ່ງມ່າລ່າຖາງ ສາຂາວັງວຽງ), Vang Vieng Branch.
Hah! We don't seem to be eating much Laotian food, yesterday it was a Vietnamese dinner, and now it's a Chinese Hot Pot lunch! Anyway, this place is easy to order. One is given a huge bowl to select ingredients from a buffet counter, pass it to their chef, and tell them what soup to serve with (we played it safe and went for collagen broth and not Malatang). And walla, a few minutes later, the selected ingredients are served in a huge bowl with colourful Bian lian (face-changing) masks.
The food must be quite good, as we finished the soup till the last drop 😂!
After lunch walk towards the town center and popped into Wat That temple for a short visit. Here, some of the girls offered prayers, and we got Sai Sin (blessed temple string bracelets).
On the streets of Vang Vieng, riding a songthaew to Blue Lagoon 1. We got the songthaew (driver Mr. Ser, WhatsApp: +856-2076-81-2586) from several waiting at the town centre, not far from the temple.
Songthaews are larger than tuk-tuks, and are usually modified pick-up trucks. They take their name from the two bench seats (song thaew - two planks) fixed along either side of the back of the truck.
Enroute, passing by the unique rocky karst mountains of Vang Vieng. Formed over millions of years, this geological limestone landscape resembles a dragon's spine, giving a dramatic landscape with towering, sheer-faced cliffs, deep caves, and lush valleys flanking the Nam Song River.
I had an opportunity to view these wondrous mountains from the air, when I took a low-flying turboprop flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang during a 2017 multi-mode cycling tour of Laos.
Seven kilometers and half an hour later, Mr. Ser dropped us off at the Blue Lagoon 1 entrance. The lagoon itself was about an interesting hundred meters walk with stalls lining the way.
Most stalls sold "safe" food, like this refreshing avocado juice that we had.
The more daring can try some "Fear Factor" food like toasted toad, roasted bats & rats, or even live palm grubs.
For those with cast-iron stomachs, here's a video of the live palm grubs. Click here for more weird Laos food.
Finally, we are at the Blue Lagoon 1. Many local children were having fun, swinging from a rope ala Tarzan and dropping into the pool. Every once in a while, some adult tourist would join them.
On the way out, we spotted in the sky, the secret of Vang Vieng - colourful hot-air balloons flying beautifully in the sky, contrasting brightly against the grey spiky mountains. Every once in a while, a motor-paraglider would come phut-phut by.
Video of Hot-air Balloon by Fresh BeliefAdventures.
A hot-air balloon ride costs about USD100 for 30-40 minutes.
A hot-air balloon ride costs about USD100 for 30-40 minutes.
A breathtaking sunset view of hot-air balloons against the mountains.
(Viewpoint location GPS: 18.92083, 102.43874).
(Viewpoint location GPS: 18.92083, 102.43874).
This bright and colourful Para-motorglider caught our eyes ever so often!
Video of para-motorgliding by Fresh BeliefAdventures.
Video of para-motorgliding by Fresh BeliefAdventures.
5:30pm Mr. Ser dropped us off at Nam Song River Viewpoint, from here on, we will be walking around. Perhaps it was a bit late, as we didn't find this river view enrapturing.
A bit disappointed, we scooted over to the nearby Say Nam Song Restaurant for a light snack of Mu Ping, Tam Som, Sai Oua (Laotian sausage). Tam Som? Not Som Tam? Contrary to popular belief, this green papaya salad did not originate in Thailand, but originated in Laos, from where it spread southwards through Isan Thailand.
A bit disappointed, we scooted over to the nearby Say Nam Song Restaurant for a light snack of Mu Ping, Tam Som, Sai Oua (Laotian sausage). Tam Som? Not Som Tam? Contrary to popular belief, this green papaya salad did not originate in Thailand, but originated in Laos, from where it spread southwards through Isan Thailand.
Heading for our next destination, we took a walk through the town. Traffic was not heavy as most of the locals go about by motorcycle. We were looking for a dinner place, but, Wow! Most were already packed. Seems with the new Laos-China HSR Train, Vang Vieng is drawing in the tourist crowd.
Happy moments for the girls, shopping at Vang Vieng Night Market. Though there were many clothes on sale, they mainly shopped for colourful fabric handbags, tote bags, and purses.
Me? I gravitated towards handicrafts, posters, and knick-knacks.
Mixed fusion dinner at V. V Sunset Restaurant & Bar: on the table Carrot, Tomato & Potato Soup; Khao Jee Pâté, etc.
Luckily, no pool party tonight at our hotel, the Pool Party Hotel. Some disco
lights were on, but no loud music. Perhaps the night is still young, but
hopefully not, as I need my beauty sleep 😊
ສະບາຍດີ ແລະ ຂອບໃຈ!.
(That's "sabaidi lae khobchai" in Lao,
meaning "Hello & Thank you!")
(For more photos of Day 2, Click Here)
This is page 2 of a 12-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
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