Overland route opens between Nha Trang and Laos

[My translation from Tuoi Tre 14 April 2009. Crossposted to Laos thread]

Overland route opens between Nha Trang and Laos

From 13 April 2009 Mai Linh tourism company (South Central Vietnam and Central Highlands Branch) has begun an international service linking Nha Trang and Champassak (Laos) with a 16-seat bus. This is the first direct route joining the southern and central highland provinces [of Vietnam] with Laos.

From Nha Trang, passengers can utilise the Nha Trang - Phu Yen – Binh Dinh – Gia Lai – Kontum – Attapau – Champassak route (departing weekly on Thursdays) or the Nha Trang – Buon Ma Thuot – Gia Lai – Kontum – Attapau – Champassak route (departing weekly on Mondays). Both journeys take two days and one night.

The cost for the full journey Nha Trang - Champassak is 850,000 dong [$US42], presently reduced by 20%.

It would be nice if they would let you combine a seat from both routes
by departing the thursday bus in Kontum, then join the monday bus
there to continue onward. 36 hours straight on the bus is a little too
much like a preview of eternity in the box for me. I wish there was a
bus going up the old route 7B to Pleiku, but I guess the road probably
isn't the best all the way through, maybe too many ghosts in there too.