You’re in the beautiful UNESCO city of Luang Prabang and you want to get to the Northern Rose of Thailand: Chiang Mai. Both cities have a similar yet different vibe, beautiful architecture, and delicious food. And the best way to get from one to the other? The slow boat from Laos to Thailand.

Because let’s face it, you’re not about to spend yet another ride cramped in the back of a bus or a minivan. I mean, it’s just ten hours and undoubtedly very comfortable… right?

Or, hear me out, you could take the boat. It does take a little longer but the trip is a hundred times more comfortable, the views are gorgeous, and you might make a bunch of new friends!

So… How does this work? Scroll down to find what to know before taking the Mekong River boat from Laos to Thailand!

Which boat to choose?

There are lots of different boats you can take to get from Luang Prabang to Thailand. This article will be about the slow boat that makes a stop in Pakbeng, but here’s a short description of all the different boats:

The slow boat from Laos to Thailand (well, the Lao side of the border to be perfectly honest)

This is the most popular option, and it’s easy to see why: it’s cheap, safe, and comfortable. The trip is split in two parts. The first part is a seven-hour trip from Luang Prabang to Pakbeng, where passengers spend the night in guesthouses. The second part is another seven-hour trip from Pakbeng to the border city Huay Xai.

The speedboat (or suicide boat)

If you need to go to Huay Xai or Luang Prabang in record time, this is the best option for you. You can get to your destination just six hours… Provided you’re fine with the risk of losing your possessions, your hearing, or even for some unlucky ones – your life.

These boats fit about 8 people, and you will see some of them on your trip. The people are wearing helmets and the noise is deafening even from afar – imagine what it’s like inside the boat! Apparently, accidents are frequent (hence the helmets). I would steer clear of these boats altogether.

Cruise boats

If you’re looking for ultimate comfort with your own cabin (and maybe even catering) and are willing to pay extra, I would recommend this option. Lots of private companies do this trip, so what each cruise offers varies greatly. They have more comfortable seats, and I’ve heard some even have actual rooms where you can sleep instead of stopping at a guesthouse in Pakbeng.

Cost

Depending on where you book, the slow boat to Huay Xai should not cost more that 250 000 kip per person. To this, however, you need to add:

• The cost of the transfer from your hotel, max. 50 000 kip. The boats don’t depart from Luang Prabang’s center, you’ll need to drive about 20km to get to the pier. This cost should be included if you book from your hotel.
• The guesthouse in Pakbeng. Use you common sense, try to haggle. We paid 60 000 kip for one night for a room for two. You don’t need to book a guesthouse in advance, as there will be tons of people waiting when the boat disembarks.
• Food. You’ll be able to buy cup noodles and tea from the boat but that’s about it. I recommend buying a little more than you think you’ll need – we almost ran out on the second part from Pakbeng to Huay Xai.
• Thailand Visas, if you need one. If you’re staying less than 30 days, you won’t need to pay for a visa.

What to Pack

• Food, as said above.
• Warm clothes. I cannot stress this enough, it gets really cold in the mornings and the evenings. This goes double if you’re traveling in December/January, the coldest period of the year.
• Comfortable socks. You may be asked to remove your shoes.

What to Expect

The Boats

First: Do NOT sit near the back. The motor makes a lot of noise. There’s a reason all the locals sit in the front.

What you need to know is that there are two boats that will take you to your destination. One of them goes back and forth between Luang Prabang and Pakbeng, and the other goes back and forth between Pakbeng and Huay Xai. One of them may be way more comfortable than the other. This is what happened with us: the first boat from Luang Prabang was very clean and comfortable, but the second one wasn’t as nice.

Pakbeng

This is where you’ll stop to spend the night in the middle of your journey. Most of this town’s income comes from tourists and travellers spending the night here, and you’ll notice that the streets are full of hotels, restaurants and little stores where you can buy food.

There isn’t necessarily a lot of things to do in Pakbeng, but the Mekong Elephant Park is right on the opposite side of the river. You might see an elephant or two in the morning!

Huay Xai

You’ll get to Huay Xai in the evening, and the easiest way is to sleep there. There are several travel agencies in town where you can book you tickets to your next destination, whether that’s Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, or somewhere else completely.

Random advice

• If at all possible, I recommend taking the slow boat from Laos to Thailand rather than the other way around. Many people told us the boats tend to be completely booked when going to Luang Prabang.
• Make sure to buy both tickets (LP->Pakbeng and Pakbeng->Huay Xai) at the same time, especially if you’re traveling during the high season. Most tickets will automatically be all the way to Huay Xai, but make sure to double check.
• On the boat from Pakbeng to Huay Xai, you can move the seats! Make sure to ask the owner of the boat before you do this though, and put them back the way they were before you leave the boat.
• When you inevitably get bored, take a look at the river: we saw tons of tiny whirpools, and you might see some cool animals! As you approach Huay Xai, you will also see the striking differences between two countries with very different economies represented by something as simple as the river banks. The Lao side is mostly unkempt, with some bushes and trees, while the Thai side is very neat and covered in concrete to prevent erosion.
• Get ready for some gorgeous sunsets.

Do you have any additional questions about taking the river boat from Laos to Thailand? Ask me in the comments!

Find more posts about Laos here!