Overland from Southern Vietnam to Luang Prabang

I am looking for an update of overland trips from Vietnam into Laos. I have still in mind some traveler's reports about a horror trip from Hanoi to Vientiane. However, these reports are 6 - 8 years old. Not sure if they are still valid today.

What is the best way? We are coming from ---Ho Chi Minh City--- and plan to go to Luang Prabang end of June. We have 7 - 9 days and want to enjoy the scenery, avoid overnight bus trips and prefer routes with more than one bus or minibus a day in order not to get stuck somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Our options are

a) HCM - Dalat - Buon Ma Thuot - Attapeu - Pakse - Vientiane - Luang Prabang OR
b) HCM - train to Hué - Lao BaoSavanaakhet - Vientiane - Luang Prabang OR
c) HCM - Paksé direct route (are there buses??) - Vientiane - Luang Prabang OR

d) a completely different alternative: staying in China flying to Kunming and traveling into Laos via Mengla and then to Luang Prabang.

Has anybody tried out the border crossings recently?

Appreciate every advice!

Thanks
Helmut

No problems crossing into Laos from China. Never was.

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