This is way too late, but Luang Prabang is definitely worth a few days. Not just for the temples and boat trips but also for its wonderfully laid back and friendly atmosphere. Spent 3 days and could have spent many more doing nothing in particular! There are also train and plane connections. Skip Vientiane and go direct to LP.

Hi, Thanks for your message! The roads in Laos are indeed terrible. If you only have a few days, I recommend spending a few of them in Vientiane and then head to Myanmar. It’s such a beautiful country and the people there are incredible! You can check out some of my travel guides about Myanmar! I don’t know if your plans still stand during these time but I wish you safe travels!

My name is Chris and I’ve been teaching in China several years now, so the CNY holiday is my time to explore SEA. I have a few questions for you, if you don’t mind sharing.

Some quick background info: So I lived in Thailand for 6 months in 2013, therefore I hear you on the beauty and culture there. Nuff said about that. Last year, I explored Vietnam extensively (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and north of there) as well as Ho Chi Minh in the south). Great country, good food and cheap, too. Most recently now in 2020, for the past 2 weeks I’ve visited Bali, Indonesia and Siam Reap, Cambodia (Angkor Wat) and, I must admit, those two are quite hard to beat. Sadly, however, we didn’t have time to visit the capital, Pnom Penh because as you are probably aware, the temples take a good 3+ days to finish.

From your info, it sounds like Vientiane is comparable to Pnom Penh; nothing really stands out like BKK or Angkor Wat, but it’s worth checking off my bucket list. Would you say that’s a good assessment?

Also, what else would you recommend while I dip into Laos for a few days? I considered just doing a few days in Vientiane, then crossing over to Nong Kai, Thailand for the really cool parks they have there. I hear the bus trips to Luang Prabang are terrible, so unless that’s an amazing “must-see” spot, I was going to pass.

Or should I just do Laos a few days, Thailand 1-2, then fly to Myanmar? I hear Myanmar is worth seeing, but the US Visa cost is now over $100 for some reason.

I plan on wrapping up my SEA trip by 2/10, then head to S. Korea and Japan for the last week or two, since we have an extended holiday due to the C-virus outbreak.

Anyway, thanks for your time and any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated!

Chris
English Teacher, Pennsylvania, USA