Taking the slow boat from Laos to Thailand (or the reverse) *can* be a wonderful 2 day experience… As long as you go in knowing what to expect. And that some things (like drunk passengers) are completely out of your control.
I fully believe that it’s 10x more enjoyable than the winding unpaved Lao roads on the bus/train combo between the Thai border and Luang Prabang (hello sick bag!)
We took the slow boat in the Laos to Thailand direction (Luang Prabang to Huay Xai) during peak season. And we’ve spoken to hundreds (okay, 10s) of people who’ve done it the other way too. This is everything we learned about taking the slow boat from our experience and from those conversations to help you make it a more comfortable ride.
Jump to...
- 1 Key Takeaways
- 2 Buying your slow boat ticket
- 3 Day 1: Luang Prabang to Pak Beng
- 4 The night in Pak Beng
- 5 Day 2: Pak Beng to Huay Xai
- 6 Crossing the border into Thailand
- 7 Thailand to Luang Prabang slow boat
- 8 Currency Exchange when taking the Laos slow boat
- 9 Alternatives to the Slow Boat
- 10 Why take the slow boat
- 11 Final Thoughts
Key Takeaways
- Buy your ticket for the whole journey from an agency, including a tuktuk to the pier
- Book your accommodation in Pak Beng in advance
- Bring entertainment, toilet paper and snacks
- From Huay Xai, you can get a tuktuk to the border and shared vans to Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai the same evening you arrive
Buying your slow boat ticket
If you’re taking the slow boat from Laos to Thailand (or the other way), the one thing you need to know is that it’s not just 1 straight through ticket.
Technically, it’s 2 tickets for 2 different boats.
You need a ticket from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng, then one from Pak Beng to Huay Xai. If you’re going through an agency or hostel, they’ll take of this for you (we recommend doing it this way). But if you’re organising the tickets yourself, don’t forget to get one for the second day too.
It’s possible to just turn up at the pier on the day to buy your ticket and it will probably work out a little cheaper. BUT the Luang Prabang pier is about 25 minutes drive out of town. So you won’t really save anything after paying for transport.
Plus, the boats can sell out during peak season.
Honestly, the best thing to do is to organise the booking through your guesthouse/hotel or buy from one of the many agencies selling slow boat tickets. You’ll see signs outside loads of places as you walk around Luang Prabang. It’s worth shopping around, especially if you’re at one of the nicer hotels in the area as they’re more likely to hike the prices. But around town, we found most agencies advertising the same price.
The benefit of booking this way is you’re guaranteed a ticket all the way to Huay Xai and you’ll get picked up from your hotel.
We bought ours from here (from the cute dog) for 440k kip per person ($25) including hotel pick up.
Day 1: Luang Prabang to Pak Beng
Getting to the boat
We were picked up by tuktuk at 7am and all our luggage was unceremoniously thrown on the roof. They then picked up another 8 people so we were packed in pretty tight with a couple hanging off the back as we bumped our way to the slow boat terminal.
Before getting on the boat, you have to ‘check in’. Basically write your name and passport number in a book on the desk. Then head down the stairs and get onto whichever boat someone is pointing you towards.
Seating on the boat was wooden chairs and benches towards the front with and re-purposed van/car seats arranged further back. These car and van seats aren’t bolted to the floor so they can be moved around. They’re not the most comfortable but they’re also not awful either.
Our bags were piled towards the back of the passenger cabin and sort of held in place by the seating around them.
We were lucky that the slow boat wasn’t too full so we got 3 car seats between the 2 of us.
The engine and toilet are at the back of the boat so that’s the loudest and potentially smelliest area. We’d also recommend trying not to sit directly behind a local man as we saw a few chain smoking the whole journey. And, if it rains, the lack of windows mean you might get wet it you’re sitting at the edge.
First day on the Mekong
The boat set off around 9am and it was fairly full but not at capacity. We saw some which were busier and others which were half full – it’s just luck of the draw.
We were told that you shouldn’t get on a boat with more than 60 people for safety. Though we have no idea how you’d know that prior to getting on.
During the journey, the scenery of the Mekong serenely slips by, varying between stunning forests and mountains to less stunning infrastructure projects. We went prepped with books to read and Netflix shows pre-downloaded for the 8 hour journey up river. Though Katie spent most of her time hanging out the side of the boat taking photos.
One of our favourite (and confusing things) about the slow boat journey was watching it periodically stop in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. A bunch of locals would get on or off the boat and just disappear into the forest. We can only assume their village was just out of sight but there was no other indication of life or that it was a set boat stop.
On board, there will be a small basic toilet. On some boats, this is a squat hole and others have a “Western” toilet – again, it’s just your luck. It likely won’t have toilet paper though so it’s best to carry some with you. They also sell a small selection of snacks and drinks to keep you going, but we’d also recommend coming prepped with food.
The night in Pak Beng
Taking the slow boat from Laos to Thailand means you’re going up stream so it will be slower than starting in Thailand. So it was well after 5pm by the time we arrived in Pak Beng, where you need to stay for the night.
There’s an ATM on the main street but every time we passed it there was a huge queue. For those taking the boat from Thailand to Laos, this was one of the first places to get LAK. But it can run out of cash, leaving you stranded. So we wouldn’t rely on it, if you can come prepared – easier when you’re leaving Laos anyway.
Booking a room
We’d pre-booked a private room at Villa Mekong Guesthouse for $25. This is relatively expensive by Laos standards but it did have a stunning view across the river and there was free tuktuk shuttle to and from the pier.
We recommend booking your room in Pak Beng in advance. There’s a common scam in Laos where someone comes onto the boat and claims Pak Beng is fully booked. They’ll sort you out with a room… for an inflated price. This didn’t happen on our boat but we’ve heard others experience this.
It’s believable because rooms do book out. We saw several people traipsing round Pak Beng with all their bags at 9pm still looking for a room. And that was in low season. So I don’t believe those who claim it’s “never fully booked”. You also don’t really want to be staying in the last available room since it’s probably last for a reason! Especially when there’s plenty of options at all price points on Booking.com.
Getting food
Pak Beng is a strange little town mostly because everyone is only there for 1 night.
The main street is lined with restaurants and shops selling drinks and snacks. The whole economy runs around the slow boat so the shops open before the boat leaves in the morning if you need some last minute supplies. Just expect to pay a little more than in Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng.
Most of the restaurants were very busy when we went looking for dinner since everyone gets in at the same time. So we ended up just picking one that was busy enough to inspire confidence but still had space. The food was fine though portions were a little smaller for the price than in the rest of Laos.
Some have views over the Mekong if you fancy a sunset view, though it isn’t the prettiest section of the river by any stretch of the imagination.
Our room booking included breakfast in the morning too which saved us some time trying to find something.
Day 2: Pak Beng to Huay Xai
At 8am we all piled into the hotel’s tuktuk and were taken down to the pier for day 2. If this service isn’t included with your hostel or hotel, you might have a short walk to get to the pier on time.
There are boats going in both directions leaving at the same time from roughly the same place. So make sure you’re getting on the right boat! Most people won’t speak English but if you ask “Luang Prabang?” or “Thailand?” to the people working there, they’ll soon help you out of the chaos and onto the right boat.
We got unlucky and ended up on a much fuller boat for the second day. We ended up having to squeeze into a cramped bench at the front of the boat. Which, as a 1.9m (6’2”) human with destroyed knees, was not ideal.
If you spent day 1 making friends with fellow passengers, you’ll likely have a whole new group of people for day 2.
The day passed pretty identically to the previous one: floating past the stunning banks of the Mekong. Just with slightly less comfortable seating.
This boat also didn’t let people sit out front to smoke, have a beer, or just take in the scenery. Apparently they blocked the driver’s (pilot?) view. This added to the cramped conditions and meant it felt less fun and friendly.
By the time we were nearing Huay Xai we were extremely ready to get off the boat. The last stretch seemed to last an age.
Arriving at Huay Xai
Again it was around 5.30pm when we pulled up to the pier in Huay Xai, by the Thai border. We were staying in Huay Xai for a few nights and anyone going on to do the Gibbon Experience would start from here too.
It’s around a 20 minute walk into the main part of Huay Xai. Around the office of The Gibbon Experience is the most built up area with lots of restaurants and hotels.
There’s really nothing else in Huay Xai, either people are straight off to Thailand or they’re going to the Gibbon Experience. So don’t bother staying if you don’t have to. If you’re worried about shared van prices to Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai then you can stay 1 night and cross the border in the morning. This gives you time to catch a local morning bus to the Thai city of your choice.
If you’re heading straight to Thailand, there were plenty people going straight to the border and then on to Chiang Mai or Chaing Rai. So it’s worth asking around to see if anyone wants to split the cost of the journey with you.
At the pier, there are lots of tuktuks waiting to take you to the border. They charge per person and usually only leave when full.
Crossing the border into Thailand
Going from Laos to Thailand is a bit of a faff but not difficult.
On the Laos side, you need to be stamped out and will likely be charged an “exit fee”. This number varies and we’re not entirely convinced it’s legal. But we were also only charged 40,000 kip ($1.80) so we weren’t willing to fight over it.
Then you need to buy a bus ticket to go across the Laos-Thailand Friendship Bridge 4. It’s not possible to walk or cycle across, much to the annoyance of some cyclists who were trying to get through at the same time as us. The bus ticket is 20,000 kip ($0.90) and buses run frequently.
In Chiang Khong, it’s a pretty smooth process to get into Thailand (assuming you’re not doing a questionable border run). You just need to fill in a form then get stamped in.
There are Thai ATMs once you’re through the border if you need to get Thai baht to pay for your onward journey.
On the Thai side, there are vans and taxis waiting to take you to the big cities of Northern Thailand. If you can buddy up with a few other travellers then this is a good option as it means you don’t have to try and catch the local bus from Chiang Khong. To Chiang Rai, a full 8-seater van will likely cost 3,000 baht ($90) which you can divide between you.
Thailand to Luang Prabang slow boat
If you’re going the other way, and need the slow boat from Thailand to Laos, everything works the same but in reverse.
The time on the boat going to Luang Prabang in shorter as you’re going with the current. So you arrive a couple of hours earlier each day, which is nice.
Starting in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, the easiest way is to book through a tour company. They’ll pick you up, take you to the border and put you on a tuktuk to the slow boat so you get there by 9am(ish) when it leaves.
You could try and sort this yourself but I’m not convinced it’s worth the effort. If you don’t stay in Chiang Khong, it’s near impossible to get to the border early enough.
Almost no tourists bother to stay in Chiang Khong which is a missed opportunity as it’s a lovely town that’s well worth a visit if you’re travelling more slowly.
Staying in Luang Prabang? We wrote some guides you might be interested in….
Crossing the border from Thailand to Laos
If you haven’t got an eVisa for Laos then you’ll need to pay for your visa on arrival in kip, immaculate Thai baht or immaculate USD. Immaculate being the key word here.
There are cash machines just before Laos immigration however these weren’t working when we crossed the border. It’s fairly common for them not to have any money so don’t rely on them working.
Your best bet is to get an eVisa to avoid having any issues.
The best ATMs to use in Laos are BCEL – they have the best combination of withdrawal limit and fees. There’s one in Huay Xai but it also doesn’t reliably work. So if you can convince your tuktuk driver to stop in Huay Xai on the way to the boat pier, you’ll have a much higher chance of successfully getting money out.
There is one ATM in Pak Beng and the queue for it is HUGE. So many people arriving from Thailand need to get Kip so they can buy dinner, snacks and pay for their hotel.
Most hotels will also take Thai Baht IF the notes are absolutely immaculate with no tears and no marks. But its best to check in advance if you plan to do this.
Currency Exchange when taking the Laos slow boat
Most people are traveling from Thailand to Laos or from Laos to Thailand so at some point currency exchange becomes necessary.
This is nice and easy going in the Laos to Thailand direction as there’s ATMs at the Thai border and one in Huay Xai if you need a little more kip for your overnight stay.
If you’re going from Thailand to Laos, we recommend get an online eVisa rather than trying to get a visa on arrival. It costs a little more but the ATMs at the Laos border frequently don’t work or run out of cash. So you could end up getting yourself stuck there if you don’t have money to pay for your visa. We saw a LOT of people in this situation and looking very stressed.
Once you’re out of Laos, trying to exchange kip is near impossible. It’s not a valuable currency so nobody is willing to take it. So it’s best to try and leave with no money left or find someone in Huay Xai who’s going the other way and has baht on them who’d be willing to swap with you.
Alternatives to the Slow Boat
Flight
You can fly from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai or vice versa but its often $150 per person if you need checked baggage. So you have to weigh up if you value speed or cost more.
Bus
You can get a bus between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang. This is a deeply unpleasant and uncomfortable experience that takes 12 hours over bumpy and twisty roads in the back of a packed van. If you’re planning to do this, motion sickness tablets are a must. Plus headphones if the sound of someone else throwing up sets you off.
The cost is around $20 per person.
Train/Bus
You can also get a bus/train combo. The China – Laos railway is superb and while there isn’t a station near Huay Xai, you can get a bus to the station at Luang Namtha. From there, you can get the train to Luang Prabang, or the other way round.
This is faster than taking either the boat or the bus… and a lot more comfortable too. However, the bus section of the journey is still very twisty and bumpy so the motion sickness tablets are still needed.
The combined cost is around $35 per person.
Why take the slow boat
The scenery
So much of the journey on the Mekong is straight up beautiful. The riverside scenery and little remote villages are stunning. Okay, there’s the occasional building project on the river too with heavy machinery, but you can ignore that and go back to looking at the Laos countryside.
The people
In peak season its debatable how much of a “local boat” it actually is as tourists outnumber locals pretty heavily. But there are still a lot of locals who use the boat to get up and down the river with their supplies or things to sell, or to visit family. So it offers a small glimpse into ordinary Laos life.
Relaxing pace
There’s something very calming about travelling slowly. Having nowhere to be and no need to be there quickly gives you the perfect opportunity to read that book you’ve been meaning to or binge watch that show you’ve never got round to but everyone is talking about.
Meet people
With so many travellers making the trip it’s a great place to make friends or just chat to other people. You’re stuck in a pretty confined space, after all. So make the most of taking the slow boat from Laos to Thailand by swapping travel stories over a BeerLao.
You might also find people to split onward travel costs with.
Final Thoughts
The slow boat is a great experience for those who are “time rich”. Ultimately, it’s 2 days out of your trip and if you only have 12 then it’s a big chunk. For anyone with more time the slow boat from Laos to Thailand is something you’ll talk about for years and much more enjoyable than the alternative transport options.
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