Getting from Vietiane to Kong Love Cave (not on the 10am bus)?

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badgerboyjon
badgerboyjon

Hi guys

Massive apologies if this has been asked before, I have looked and can't find the exact answer I need so here goes...

We are currently in Vientiane and have to stay here to sort an extended Thai Visa for later in the trip. We really don't want to stay here any longer than we have to so wanted to try and get to Kong Lo or Ban Khoun Kam after we have picked up our visa (which we can only do between 1-3 in the afternoon.)

We have asked around and there is only one direct bus to Kong Lo that leaves at 10am so that doesn't work. We were considering getting on an afternoon bus to Tha Khaek (if there are such things) and getting off at the junction to route 8 but were wondering if this would be wise as it will be dark when we get there and there is no guarantee of being able to get from that junction to where we need to go. Has anyone done this before, or does anyone know of any other ways to get there?

Any help will be much appreciated, thanks in advance!

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stillwithus
stillwithus

That intersection is not a big hub - there is food but I'm unsure of housing. If you arrive after dark at the intersection, you might be waiting until dawn. I'd either leave the next a.m. or get to Tha Khaek that eve and get a quick lift up to Ban Na Hin in the mid-morning - plenty of time to get ot the caves and have a homestay that evening.

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badgerboyjon
badgerboyjon

Thanks for the reply mate, much appreciated! Gonna just get the morning bus now, Vientiane is not that bad as cities go ;o)

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itchy17
itchy17

If it's not too late...

I did the same thing a few months ago - was working in Vientiane and wanted to head down on Friday night after work.

We took a local bus at around 6 or 7pm from the Southern bus station to Ban Nahine. (close to the junction of road 13 and road 8). We got in quite late (after midnight), but a colleague had phoned ahead for us and booked us accommodation very close to the bus stop. There were lots of hotels on that strip, but all had closed that late,so you would want to call ahead to confirm that you have somewhere to sleep.

Then it was very easy to get a Songtheaw to travel the last hour or so to Kong Lore first thing the next morning. Coming back, we used a similar combination of local transport and spend half a day in Ban Nahine - really beautiful little town, we did a great hike to a waterfall, visited the viewpoint, and made it back to Vientiane around 9pm in time for work on Monday. Really recommend spending some time here if you can.

Either way, enjoy!

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anonymous
anonymous

  • if you take a bus to Southern Laos, Thakhek for example, get off at the junction and stay overnight there; there is accommodation there.

  • if you take a bus going to Laksao it passes via Ban Nahin. Stay overnight there and continue next morning.

As mentioned above waterfalls, viewpoint, etc make Ban Nahin worth staying for a while.

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