See what the experts are saying about Huay Xai. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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Introduction
Laos is a forgotten land. Most conversations about traveling to Southeast Asia focus on exploring Bangkok, finding the perfectly deserted white-sand beach, or visiting the temples at Angkor Wat. Talk rarely drifts to Laos. Many people may not... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
Visitor Information The Lao Tourism Authority serves as more of an administrative arm of the government than an information service for visitors. It provides some basic brochures if contacted at the National Tourism Authority of Lao P.D.R.... Continue reading »
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Fast facts
American Express -- The country's one Amex representative is Diethelm Travel, Namphu Square, Setthathirat Road, Vientiane (tel. 021/213-833 or 021/215-920; www.diethelmtravel.com). Business Hours -- With a few exceptions, hours are 8:30am... Continue reading »
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When to go
High season for tourism is November through March and the month of August, when weather conditions are favorable, plus the Lao New Year in the middle of April. Accommodations run at full capacity and transportation can be overbooked at these... Continue reading »
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Getting there
Official land borders are with China, Vietnam, and Thailand only, and not all border points are open to Western nationals. For example, to China, the crossing point is at Boten, and though it looks encouraging on a map, you cannot cross north... Continue reading »
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Entry requirements & customs
Entry Requirements Visitors need a valid passport and visa to visit Laos. There are a number of entry sites where visas are granted upon arrival: by air to Vientiane or Luang Prabang, or when crossing from Thailand over the Friendship Brid... Continue reading »
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Getting around
Navigating on foot through Laos's small cities is easy. You can use taxis and tuk-tuks (covered carts behind motorbikes) in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Pakse, or you can rent bicycles and motorbikes in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Vang Vie... Continue reading »
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Money
The kip (pronounced keep), the official Lao unit of currency, comes in denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and, only recently issued by the Lao government, 10,000 and 20,000 notes. The new notes are an improvement, but with the current... Continue reading »
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Health & safety
Health Concerns It's also a good idea to check the most recent information at the Centers for Disease Control (click "Travelers' Health" at www.cdc.gov). No water in Laos is considered potable, so stick with bottled water. Also, Lao cu... Continue reading »
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General tips
Tips on Accommodations Book your hotel early during peak season (Aug and Nov-Mar), using travel agents and tour operators as necessary. Also be aware that most hotels in Luang Prabang are full during the Lao New Year, when thousands of tou... Continue reading »
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Suggested itineraries
The Best of Laos in 1 Week Tourism in Laos is still a relatively new phenomenon and as such, the number of tourist "spots" is still very limited. The only stop that must be included on any Laos itinerary is the ancient capital of Luang Pra... Continue reading »
Huay Xai Travel Experiences
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Gibbon Experience - Here we come!
We left Huay Xai at 7:30 for the three and a half hour journey to the Bokeo Reserve. We were in the back of one of two trucks along with... Continue reading »
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The Slow Boat, Laos - 7th-8th December 2008
Rather than taking the 14 hour night bus to Thailand we decided to take the scenic route and catch the 2 day slow boat up the Mekong. We... Continue reading »
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Gibbon Experience Day 3
Since Nicole and Martin wanted to play with the cables, we chose to take the same route back instead of the flat 7-hour walk. However, ou... Continue reading »
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Easy as pie in Huay Xai...
Ooooooooooooooooooooooh it was easy! We'd read varying reports on how to cross the border between Chiang Kong and Hauy Xai, and it... Continue reading »
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tourist vs gekko
We traveled up to Chaing Khong (across the river was Huay Xai - the border crossing town) so we could cross over into Laos.&nbs... Continue reading »
