Here is a brief description of my third trip, in July 2009.
Time: 2-18 July
Duration: 16 days
Visa:
- Thailand no visa needed for Indonesian passport holders for 1 month
- Lao PDR Visa 40 SGD $ (1 month , Indonesian passport holder), applied in embassy in Singapore, obtained in a half hour
- Vietnam no visa needed for Indonesian passport holder for 1 month
Journey:
* Flight from Singapore to Bangkok using Tiger Airways (SGD 60)
* From Bangkok(Thailand) to Laos
- Bangkok - Nongkhai(Thailand) = Thailand railway train, soft seat fan 2nd class, 12 hours, 388 THB
- Nongkhai - Thailand Immigration post = Tuk2, 10 minutes, 150 THB (shared by 7 people)
- Thailand Immigration post - Lao Immigration Post = Bus via Friendship bridge, 10 minutes, 20 THB
- Lao Immigration post - Buddha Park(30 km from Vientiane) = tuk2, 30 minutes, 250 THB (shared by 7 people)
* Journey in Lao PDR
Buddha Park (30 km from Vientiane) - Vientiane - Luang Prabang (excursion to Pak Ou and Kuang Si) - Phonsavan (excursion to Plain of Jars)
- Buddha Park - Vientiane (Talat Sao Bus Terminal) = bus #14, 30 minutes, 5000 kip
- Vientiane - Luang Prabang = "VIP" Bus, 12 hours, 160,000 kip
- Excursion to Pak Ou and Kuang Si = local jumbo, +- 2 hours total, 300,000 kip (shared by 7 people)
- Luang Prabang-Phonsavanh = local,non aircon Bus, 8 hours, 75,000 kip
- Excursion to Plain of Jars = minivan, 11 USD (include admission to POJ)
* From Phonsavanh(Laos) to Vietnam
- Phonsavanh - Vinh(Vietnam) = "VIP",non aircon bus, 12 hours, 138,000 kip
* Journey in Vietnam
Vinh - Hue (excursion to Royal Tombs) - Hoi An (Excursion to My Son) - Nha Trang (excursion to 4 islands) - Saigon
- Vinh - Hue = Vietnam train, 8 hours, 138,000 Dong
- excursion to Royal Tombs = Boat and Minivan, 2 hours(return), 5 USD (include lunch)
- Hue-Hoi An = open tour bus, +- 4 hours , total = 390,000 Dong (open bus Hue-Hoi An-Nha Trang-Saigon)
- excursion to My Son = tour bus, 2 hours (return), 3.5 USD
- Hoi An-Nha Trang = open tour bus, +- 12 hours , ticket already paid before in open bus ticket paymen
- excursion in 4 islands boat trip = minivan,boat and bus, 2 hours(return), 6 USD (include lunch,wine and fruit)
- Nha Trang-Saigon = open tour bus, +- 12 hours , ticket already paid before in open bus ticket payment
* Flight from Saigon to Singapore using Tiger Airways (USD 57)
Accommodation:
- Bangkok = Baan Hualampong GH, THB 220 (1 night) ; fan,hot water, bathroom outside
- vientiane = Saysoully GH, 4 USD (1 night) ; AC, hot water, bathroom outside
- Luang Prabang = Vanvisa GH, 130,000 kip (for 3 nights); hot water,bathroom outside
- Phonsavanh = Phou Kham GH, 35,000 kip (for 2 nights); fan, bathroom inside --> cheapest !!
- Hue = Ban Minh Hotel , 12 USD(for 2 nights) ; AC,hot water, TV, bathroom inside(bath up) --> best accomodation
- Hoi An = Hoi Pho Hotel, 18 USD(for 2 nights) ;AC,hot water, TV, bathroom inside
- Nha Trang = Blue Sky Hotel, 6 USD(1 night); fan,bathroom outside
- Saigon = Xinh Hotel, 10 USD(1 night); AC,TV,Bathroom inside
Travel Partner:
Bangkok-Laos = Emenda,Yanti,Dessy,Rini,Pritta (Indonesia), Donna(Phillipines)
Vietnam = alone
My Comments:
This is my first journey as an group traveler, and I was more grown up by this unforgettable trip. I was very blessed to have such a supportive group that helped me a lot not onlyin bargaining for hotel and also eating in restaurant but to accompany me during rough bus journey on Laos.
I learnt a lot about history,culture and many other things about Lao and Vietnam. Indochina experience was always classic and oriental, even this is my second time to visit Vietnam, i still intrigued by the Vietnamese life style and still fall in love with the natural scene, the noise and of course the girls. Laos is very impressive, very quiet and shy people, calm and serene atmosphere.
For food, for the first days the food in Lao and Vietnam are very interesting but after several days when you ate Baguette every morning and noodle every noon, then i missed my chicken rice in Singapore.
Best and Worst :
Lao
Best Journey : journey from Vientiane to LP , at least we have aircon and the ticket include good lunch
Best Food : Grilled fish and nasi padang that i hunt in the rainy night
Best Situation : Watching ritual of Feeding Monks in Luang Prabang
Best Place : The mystical Plain of Jars
Worst Journey : From Phonsavanh to Vinh, the bus was packed jam like a hell !!
Worst Food : Duck Embryo, i think
Worst Situation: Inside the bus , when some local laying his head on my shoulder during the hot journey
Worst Place : hmmm.....all the place in Lao were very good, only the Phonsavanh bus is worst
Vietnam
Best Journey : journey from Hoi An-Nha Trang , the best sleeping bus i’ve ever had in my life
Best Food : ate last dinner with group in Vinh Train Station, the chicken were good
Best Situation : Sharing with local in Hoi An about her way of life
Best Place : The Royal Tombs in Hue
Worst Journey : From Nha Trang to Saigon, dead aircon all the way
Worst Food : hmmm...i found all vietnam food are acceptable
Worst Situation: Nam Can border, stranded 1 hours and the officers didn’t know wheter Indonesian passport can pass without visa or not, they asked about everything from religion,purpose,return ticket....but finally we can pass
Worst Place : hmmm.....all the place in Vietnam were very good
Please comment, girls
