Huay Xai Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus & sǎwngthǎew

The road northeast to Luang Nam Tha can be difficult because of its poor surface, but it is slowly being upgraded.

Buses and large sǎwngthǎew ply the road northeast to Vieng Phoukha (US$4.50, five hours, three to four daily), Luang Nam Tha (US$6.50, eight hours, three daily) and Udomxai (US$10, 11 hours, one daily).

There are also daily buses to Luang Prabang (US$13, eight hours) and Vientiane (US$17, 18 hours).

These time estimates apply only during dry months; during the rainy season the road can be very slow, occasionally even impassable for a day or two. A bandanna is handy for dust protection in the dry season. When the upgrading project is done, the road will be traversable year-round and buses should be able to make the Huay Xai–Nam Tha trip in four to six hours.

The bus terminal is about 2.5km south of town, a tuk-tuk there costs US$1.

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Boat

Huay Xai is a major jumping-off point for visitors planning to travel downriver to Luang Prabang by boat. It’s also possible to travel upriver to Xieng Kok, where a road leads to Muang Sing.

Slow boats

Long-distance ferries – the héua sáa (slow boat) – travel down the Mekong from Huay Xai to Pak Beng (US$9.50, six to eight hours) and Luang Prabang (US$20, two days). Some travellers rave about this journey, others are disappointed. The river is indeed very beautiful, but your experience will depend largely on the condition of the boat and number of fellow passengers. The boats should hold around 70 people, but many captains pack in more than 100, and spending two days in an engine room like cattle isn’t much to write home about. It’s worth noting, however, that there is strength in numbers, and if passengers refuse, en masse, to travel in an overcrowded boat then captains have been known to relent and agree to two boats.

The journey generally requires an overnight stay in Pak Beng, unless you charter your own boat (US$500). If you can pull a crowd together this latter option is a good one as you’ll have much more room. Departure times for slow boats depend largely on passenger demand, but they usually leave between 8am and 11am each morning. Be sure to carry a cushion if you have a sensitive bum, as the wooden seats can be uncomfortable and the boats are very crowded during the high season.

Several different kinds of slow boats make the journey from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, and it’s a good idea to have a look at the boat in advance. The photos of beautifully maintained vessels you’ll be shown at the tour agencies in town don’t bear any resemblance to the boats you’ll end up on. Other boats have better seating, and so on. The situation is constantly changing, but BAP Guest House is a good source of info on how to select the better boats. Tour agencies and most guesthouses sell tickets but you can purchase them for a couple of bucks less from the ticket office (212012) at the slow boat landing, which is located north of the town centre.

You can also book a slow boat in advance, in Chiang Khong, before crossing to Huay Xai, for a surcharge of US$2.50. In the high season this is worth considering, as boats fill very fast.

You can also cruise to Pak Beng and Luang Prabang on the large, comfortably outfitted Luang Say, a 34m, 36-seat, steel-hulled boat operated by Asian Oasis (www.asian-oasis.com; per person May-Sep/Oct-Apr US$185/270) three days weekly in each direction (two weekly May to September). The two-day package includes meals, guides and a night at Luang Say Lodge in Pak Beng. The office is near immigration. Asian Oasis also has an office in Luang Prabang.

Phoudoi Travel Co (Th Saykhong) sells tickets for a comfortable, 34m boat with chairs, tables and food and drink on board. Tickets are US$60 and the boat takes one day to reach Luang Prabang. Departures are every Monday and Friday. You can also book this from Thailand; see www.chiangsaenriverhill.com for details.

Speedboats

Six-passenger héua wái (speedboats) to Pak Beng (US$14, three hours) and Luang Prabang (US$28, six hours) leave from a landing about 2km south of the town centre. You can hire a whole boat for four to six times the individual fare.

BAP Guest House can arrange speedboats to Xieng Kok for US$150 for up to four passengers. From Xieng Kok it’s possible to travel by road to Muang Sing in Luang Nam Tha.

Bear in mind that although the speedboat is much quicker, it’s a noisy, cramped and risky ride.

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Air

Huay Xai’s airport of US construction lies a few kilometres south of town. Lao Airlines (211026, 211494) flies to/from Vientiane (one way/return US$84/160, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).

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