How do you get to Vieng Xai? Anyone know how long it takes from Luang Prabang? By mini van, private car, or bus? Is it a difficult trip -- windy roads, muddy, etc?
I really want to see the caves and that region, but not sure how to get there from LP. Thanks!
Edited by: Grandpiano
Take a bus from LP to Xam Neua - about 14-16 hours on a sealed road assuming there are no breakdowns or extensive road-work. Rented van will make it in a couple hours less (and wil cost about $300 - $150 to get there, and the same to get back (whether you're in the rental or not). The trip is gorgeous, and a stop at Phonsavan (just over m id-way) for a night or two to see the Jars is time well spent.
From Xam Neua there are morning buses to Vieng Xai - takes aout 45 minutes. One can stay in VX or take an afternoon bus or saungtheaw back to XN.
You'll have to ask your derriere about difficulty. It is sitting in a bus, which isn't too difficult...
From Luang Prabang go to Phonsavanh http://hobomaps.com/TravelLuangPrabang.html & from there go to Sam Neua http://hobomaps.com/TravelPDJ.html & from there go to Vieng Xay http://hobomaps.com/TravelSamNeua.html
You could also break the (very long) bus trip in Nong Kiaow, but it is still quite uncomfortable. Oct.2012 there was only one minibus in the morning from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai and you couldn't arrive on time for the first cave tour (you can't visit the caves on your own, so you have to take the organized tour). Transport possibilities after the second (last) cave tour back to Sam Neua are quite uncertain, so you may have to spend the night in Vieng Xai (nice guesthouse opposite the cave office, restaurant near the market). If you have the time, I would recommend it anyway as I found Vieng Xai exceptionally beautiful (that is, if yoy like quiet villages).
I would also look at the Phonsavan option .
I did this a couplayears back during an unusually wet October and it took about 7 hours by public minibus to Sam Neua -. Buses aint frequent up to Vieng Xai and I rented a sawngthaew along with 2 others, returning next day.
It was a great trip, particularly recommended if you want to understand the recent history.
I would advise a day or two in Phonsovan well worth it in my opinion. Theres a guesthouse in the LP that i would recommend but i cant remember the name and don't have it to hand. Its the on where they talk about the owner showing you videos about the secret war. Very good hosts.
Then spend as little time in Sam Neua as you can in my opinion there is very little there at all. The buses to VIeng Xai are actually a pick up with seats in the back which is cool. Until they just decide they are not going to run and you get stuck in vieng xai I had to walk to the main road and hitch hike back to Sam Neua it wasn't a massive issue just a bit of an annoyance. The bus driver must have been fairly rich as well as I offered him a substantial amount of money to take me to Sam Neua and he wouldn't go despite only having done one of his three scheduled trips.
But its a nice little town and well off the track to the point me and my travel buddy were the only westerners in the town. Its actually a shame it does not get more visitors as the caves are one of the best attractions in Laos with the most effort put in to them.
We did this journey in reverse in January having come from Vietnam overland to Vieng Xai with the following times. Vieng Xai was a highlight - peaceful with lovely countryside around. Worth 2 nights (Naxay 2 bungalows opposite tourist office and all meals in the Indian restaurant). Hopelessly unreliable transport from there to Sam Neua so ended up paying for a whole songtau as we were the only passengers for the supposed afternoon songtau.
Sam Neua for an overnight as the bus to Nong Khiaw left early (8?- check with v helpful tourist office in Sam Neua). You can't buy tickets for the bus till the morning and they sold out v quickly so got there really early. There are 2 buses, a full size, overloaded one that stops everywhere and a 26 seater that they only let 26 people on and stops less frequently - on the day we did the journey the smaller bus took 10 hours and the larger one 12 hours to Nong Khiaw. Amazing scenery all the way. This bus journey was very much better than we'd expected - but I wouldn't want to do it there and back. We had planned to break the journey but realised that there would have been no guarantee of getting a seat on the next days bus.
From Nong Khiaw we did an hour by boat to Muang Ngoi, 2 nights - walks to villages- then boat back to Nong Khiaw. Then 7 hour boat to Luang Prabang - it was packed but an experience.
We had a great journey- used lots of the advice given on this forum, downloaded the hobo maps, had a route planned but didn't expect to have a fixed schedule.
Hope this helps
Despite it being a pain to get to, the caves at Vieng Xai were one of our favorite things in months of travel. We found that the best way from Sam Neau was to rent a motorbike, which not only gave you max flexibility when you were at the caves, but also allowed you to explore the http://erohisms.com/why-we-hated-our-first-day-in-cambodia/ area, with its caves, cliffs, and waterfalls.
Full trip report here: http://erohisms.com/why-it-feels-shitty-to-be-an-american-in-laos/