In our trip from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, we experienced both transportations: slow boat and bus. Therefore we know what we are talking about 🙂

Everyone talks about the slow boat and how amazing it is, but only a few mention that there are alternatives. We like out of the box experiences, so we found that alternative. For us, it has been the local bus.

Just a small tip to start: do not book bus transfers via an agency or via your guesthouse. It is easier to buy the tickets directly at the bus station on the same day but you should first check the transfer’s cost online. At some bus station, people will try to let you pay much more than due… Only in bigger stations, prices are exposed, so you are sure you will not get scammed.

So, if you are reading this post, I guess you are thinking about taking the bus because you are sick of travelling by slow boat. Or, are you willing to spend other 9 hours on that “thing”? If not, just take the bus!

 

You should take the bus from Pakbeng to Luang Prabang if…

 

1 … you love bus stations… small bus stations

To reach the bus station, it is already an adventure. We have been told that it is far away from the village and that we needed a transfer to go there. Ok, we booked a car via our guesthouse for 40’000 LAK (4.60 $) in total. On that morning, we have been informed that the car was not working, and the only way to go to the station was… by scooter!

Never mind, as there were no alternatives, we accepted.

After 15 minutes drive, we arrived at the bus station which was actually a 4 sq office, with 1 bus parked outside.

 

2 … you know what to expect by travelling by local bus

The trip should last 3-4 hours, but would the bus work for so long? It was not in really good conditions… and for 40’000 LAK (4.60 $) each, you expect something a bit better. Just to make you guys laugh a bit: before leaving, the driver distributed plastic vomit bags to everyone. Nightmarish, right? We personally didn’t need it, but all the kids onboard used it! By the way, we were the only tourists there.

We looked for the best seats (or, better, the least worse…) but, as always, they were too small for us. We couldn’t move our legs for hours, and at every bump, I hit my head on the baggage racks.

The local bus stops here and there, where there are people waving at it. During our trip, we collected so many people that the bus was super full. When you think that “now it is enough, we are too full”, you will find out that a couple of extra people can still fit… The bus had 20 seats, but on board, we were almost 40!

Several guys had to stand in the bus, and slowly kids started to become nervous, to cry and scream. One had even his diaper changed on the go!

 

3 … you like sauna

Of course, there was no air conditioning on the bus. We all opened the windows, but it was not really a good idea. Roads are not paved, so outside it is full of dust. Moreover, the bus was so old that the engine started to smell like fuel after 20 minutes of the trip… The positive thing was that thanks to a mix of smells, we didn’t notice the vomit one.

 

4 … you like risk and adventure

Seat belts were not there. Don’t they take care of travellers and their safety? Well, they do. You can find a safety label stuck on the driver’s window. Among them, you see that you should wear a helmet!

The road is really in bad conditions, and this is the same situation you will find in all the country. At every bump, we hoped that the bus stayed one-piece and wouldn’t break. At a certain point, after a huge hole, the driver stopped the bus and went out to check if we lost any piece. Fortunately, everything was “ok”, and we could continue our amazing trip.

The driver, who was wearing a US army uniform and flip flops, was a funny and old guy. Like it was no big deal, he started to smoke cigarettes inside the bus while driving… And, when we were almost in Oudamxay, he stopped the bus in the middle of nowhere and went through the bus to collect the tickets’ money from everyone. If you don’t understand what’s going on, it can be a bit weird.

 

5 … you like shiatsu massage

As already mentioned, the roads are very bad in Laos. There are no highways from Pakbeng and Luang Prabang, so we drove on the main street which, for us, had the same conditions as a mountain dirt road.

Even if a 3-4 hours massage is maybe too intense…

 

6 … you like being watched like an alien

This is not a common touristic way; we were the only 2 tourists there. While passing among villages, we crossed local people’ gazes. They intensely looked at us, in a deep way. Partially it was curiosity, and partially it was because of their appearance. They sometimes look angry, but they are simply watching.

Very often it is shocking to see how much poverty there is outside the main cities. People live in extremely bad conditions, in simple huts on stilts, without running water. Kids play on the road, often naked, animals freely go around, and so on. If you travel by bus you can visualize these realities and keep them in your heart forever. When you complain about some “modern problems”, you will think about that.

 

7 … you know you will never be on time

Not much to say here, but consider that when they say that the trip lasts 3 hours it will probably last 4 or more. This is due to the bad conditions of roads and buses. The average speed is 30-40 Km/h, and it is full of curves.

 

8 … you like wonderful landscapes

Despite the curvy and bumpy road, the landscape is really breathtaking! You will go through the jungle, villages, small cities, rice fields, green mountains, and so on. From this point of view, it is really worth it to travel by bus.

 

9 … you don’t mind if your luggage gets lost

During the trip, there are dozens of travellers going in and out, together with their luggage which is not always a backpack or a suitcase. In our case, many people were travelling to the city because there was the market. Probably they had a booth there, so they transported big bags full of products, food, clothes, etc. to sell.

What if, by mistake, someone took your backpack too? We always have a day backpack with us, containing all the important things. But still, it is a relief when, at the end of the “shiatsu trip”, you see your backpack in the trunk!

 

10 … you are a dreamer

Dreaming about a VIP bus, with all comforts and enough space for everyone… Yeah, that would have been nice, but travelling in local-style is more emotional, it is an experience, you feel part of the community and part of the trip. You have enough time to think about life, experiences, future objectives and much more.

Maybe it isn’t the most convenient way to travel, but it is an adventure and we highly recommend to do it once 🙂

That’s about it at the moment. Talk to you soon!