2 Day Slow Boat from Thailand to Laos
Headed from Thailand to Laos? There is no better way to get there than by taking the 2 day slow boat down the Mekong River. It is a reasonable cost, a true adventure, and will give you memories for a lifetime! We’ll take a look at all the details you need to know to make the journey, along with some options of how to book it and what to expect.
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About the 2 Day Slow Boat from Thailand to Laos
A very common way to get from Thailand to Laos is the 2 day slow boat. This journey takes you from a small town, Huay-Xai, Laos, right on the Thai-Laos border, down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Laos. It typically overnights in the small town of Pakbeng, Laos.
The boats themselves are very flat “slow boats” with a single engine used to cruise them down the scenic river. They tend to feature old car and bus seats attached to the ground and some hard wooden benches around some of the sides. They are covered but the sun may come in the open sides throughout the day, so pack sunscreen.
How to Plan Your 2 Day Slow Boat Adventure
The most common way to do the slow boat is to buy a package tour in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, or even Pai. They typically include your transportation to the border, on the other side, and the boat ticket. Sometimes it may even include your overnight accommodation in the middle. If you are on a tight budget and feeling adventurous, it’s possible to do it all on your own, which was my travel companion and my plan.
How Much Does the 2 Day Slow Boat Cost?
Your cost will vary depending where you leave from. Obviously the further away you start, the more expensive it will be. Here are the typical starting prices.
- Do It Yourself from Chiang Rai: 1175 Baht+
- From Chiang Rai: 1550 Baht+
- From Chiang Mai: 1700 Baht+
- From Pai: 1750 Baht+
Make sure to confirm what each package includes prior to reaching an agreement:
- Transportation to the Laos border?
- Transportation to the slow boat terminal?
- Food and drink?
- Accommodations in Pakbeng?
- Transportation into Luang Prabang from the boat terminal?
Also, remember to consider the cost of your visa at the Laos border. It is $35 USD for United States citizens.
As with any international travel, I also recommend you travel insured to cover any mishaps that may occur. I personally travel with and recommend World Nomads. Check them out for yourself.
The 2 Day Slow Boat “Do It Yourself” Approach
The cheapest option is of course to do it yourself. Costs will vary based on your negotiating skills in some instances, but here’s a rough idea of how to do it and the associated costs.
Getting from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong
The first step to taking the 2 day slow boat is getting to the Thai border at Friendship Bridge 4 in Chiang Khong. Buses run regularly from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong starting at 5:00am. The bus is a local bus costing only 65 baht.
We chose the 5:30am bus and walked to the bus station. Within a couple of hours we were told it was our stop. This meant it was the side of the road with tuk tuks waiting to take you the remaining few kilometers to the border.
Bonus tip: If you need passport photos for the border crossing, there is often a guy willing to take and print passport photos for a reasonable 100 baht. He prints like 15 of them!
Traveling from Chiang Khong to Thai Border
From the side of the road, simply grab a tuk tuk and make your way to the border. We arrived at an empty border crossing and started filling out our departure paperwork. In the three minutes it took to do this, a couple of buses pulled up dropping off a hundred or so people. This meant our easy border crossing became a long and drawn out crossing. In any case, you stamp out of Thailand and proceed to the Laos border.
Crossing the Thai Border to the Laos Border Over Friendship Bridge 4
Between the Thai and Laos borders you have to take a bus over Friendship Bridge 4. Naturally this bus has a ticket price. It is only 10 baht. We purchased our ticket and boarded the full bus to drive a few minutes to reach the Laos border.
Processing through Laos Immigration and Getting a Visa on Arrival
Stepping off the bus was crazy chaotic as everyone rushes around trying to find the correct Visa paperwork, fill it out, and stand in a ridiculously long line to drop it off only to then wait at a second window for another few minutes to pick it up and pay for it.
The Visa process took probably about two hours due to the crowds. To add a bit more fun and chaos to the process, they have a money exchange at the border with two ATMs, but both ATMs were broken when we were there. This meant we proceeded into Laos with zero Lao kip.
A few things to note about the Visa process:
- It must be paid in US dollars.
- There is an overtime fee on holidays and weekends of $1.
- For Americans, the cost is $35. Other nationalities vary with Canada being most expensive at $42.
Getting from the Laos Border to the Slow Boat Terminal
Getting from the Laos border to the Slow Boat Terminal 15 km away in Huay Xai seems like an easy task. At the border there are lots of songthaews and hundreds of people headed the same place, but unfortunately, it is not that easy.
It turns out everyone is generally part of a tour group, so we were the only ones in need of a ride. This isn’t a problem except that all of the drivers refused to take us until there were more people, or we paid for all of the other seats.
At this point, we were offered to join one of the tours for 1100 baht. As the boat ticket list price is at 1100 baht, we went for it. This got us the bus transportation needed to get to the 2 day slow boat terminal.
Total Cost of “Do It Yourself”
Doing it yourself is by far the cheapest way to do it, but also takes more patience and awareness.
- Bus from Chiang Rai to Border: 65 baht
- Bus over the Friendship Bridge: 10 baht
- Transportation from border to the slow boat terminal and the slow boat: 1100 baht
Other costs to take into account:
- Accommodation in Pakbeng: 30,000 kip
- Transportation to Luang Prabang: 10,000 kip
Day 1 on the 2 Day Slow Boat
The first day on the boat holds all kinds of adventures! I hope you’re ready for it… I’m not sure I was!
Basics to Know About Day 1
Don’t be caught off guard. Here are some important details to know to make your trip on the slow boat go smoothly.
- Take food and drink with you
- The boat is supposed to leave at 11am
- The boat ride is around 6.5 – 7 hours long
- You will spend the night in Pakbeng, Laos
Getting to the Boat
Due to the crazy border crossing, we were late and the boat was ready to go. The good news is the boat will not leave you if they know you are coming. The bad news is you will still have to run like hell to catch it.
First, we had to wait to be given our tickets and then purchase food from the one and only family run shop at the terminal. We were the last people in the sandwich line so we were constantly yelled at that the boat was leaving as we waited to buy a baguette with practically nothing on it as they had run out of all of the sandwich ingredients (very satisfying).
Then, we ran to catch the boat, and it looked grim as well. All of the seats were full and people were pushing and shoving and down right rude. Eventually, we were able to find a place to store our bags, and we settled in on a small area of the wooden raised platform in the front. A very comfortable place to sit for the next six+ hours while people walk around you and into you. (Yikes!)
The Boat Ride
The first three hours were between bad and terrible as I constantly got stepped on and asked to move despite the fact there was no place else to sit. Many people had claimed seats and then sat on the front wooden area taking two seats. This is why there was no room – not because there actually was no room.
By midday, those “two seat” people realized how uncomfortable the wood was and returned to their seats. This meant I had a real wooden seat on the edge of the boat as opposed to in the middle of the floor. Exciting! At this point we started making friends with a whole herd of Canadians, a Dutch man, an Australian, a Brit, and a Kiwi making the rest of the afternoon far better.
Overnight in Pakbeng
By about 5:30pm we docked at the half way point in Pakbeng, Laos and everyone scurried to find accommodation. From what we found, all accommodation ranged from 30,000 kip and up on the one main road of this tiny riverside town. From there, we hit an ATM for some Laotian kip and went of to dinner with the whole crew. I think there were twelve of us. It was a delightful end to a rocky day.
Finding Accommodation in Pakbeng
If your tour does not include accommodation overnight, and you don’t want to scrounge for accommodation with the rest of the boat, it is now possible to book ahead. Many accommodations are right next to the pier, easy walking distance. For those that are a bit further away, still generally a mile or less, they will usually meet you at the pier with transportation.
- Hostel: Mekong Backpackers
- Budget Accommodation with Private Room: Villa Mekong Guesthouse, or if that is full try Thip Phavan Guesthouse
- Mid-range Accommodation: Luang Say Lodge, Pakbeng
- Luxury Accommodation: Le Grand Pakbeng
Day 2 on the 2 Day Slow Boat
Having a better idea of what to expect for day 2, your second day on the slow boat will be much calmer.
Basics to Know about Day 2
Prep for your second day on the boat with a few key details.
- Take food and drink with you
- The boat leaves around 8:30am – don’t be the last person onboard!
- The boat ride is around 7 hours long
- You will be dropped off about 10km outside of Luang Prabang
- To get a better deal on the ride into Luang Prabang, start walking – they will drop the price
The Boat Ride
The second day was far better. To start with, we were shifted from one large boat to two smaller boats featuring enough actual seats. Additionally, our friends had claimed the open front area so we could all congregate and hang out from the comfort of our padded seats. The ride was smooth, the weather was good, and the entertainment was high as a couple of the people started drinking as soon as we left at 8:30am. By mid afternoon they were blaring music and dancing around. Not a bad way to spend a day.
We reached the edge of Luang Prabang at about 4:30pm and made our way to town. The 2 day slow boat drops you off about 10km from town to ensure business for the waiting songthaews at 20,000 kip per person. That’s ridiculously steep so we all started walking and within 200 meters were offered 10,000 kip and off we went into town.
Was the Slow Boat Worth It?
100%.
While the boat was not always comfortable, the scenery was amazing, and more importantly, the ability to meet and bond with groups of people throughout the experience was priceless. We then continued to run into them throughout our stay in Laos as they were all headed in the same direction we were.
Alternatives to the 2 Day Slow Boat from Thailand to Laos
While the 2 day slow boat is almost a right of passage for Western backpackers, there are other ways to get from Thailand to Laos.
Bus from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang
Maybe boats aren’t for you. No worries. There are both normal buses and VIP buses running from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang costing 120,000 kip and 145,000 kip respectively.
A few things to consider with the bus:
- The buses may or may not have air-conditioning – always ask!
- The road can be quite bumpy.
- Sometimes the buses fill past capacity – always be early!
- The bus will take a long time and potentially require sleeping on the bus overnight.
Speedboats from Huay Xai to Pakbeng and Luang Prabang
If the idea of spending two days on a crowded boat is not for you, but you still like the idea of traveling down the Mekong River, you may want to consider a speedboat. It takes only 3 hours to get from Huay Xai to Pakbeng and then another 3 hours from Pakbeng to Luang Prabang. The boats usually hold 6 people and cost a total of 320,000 kip for the 6 people to get from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang.
A few things to consider with the speedboat:
- The water level needs to be high enough for the boat to run.
- There have to be enough people wanting to take the speed boat.
- It is not as safe as the slow boat.
Flying into Luang Prabang
If time is more important than money, consider flying into Luang Prabang. What you miss in the experience you can make up for with your time in Luang Prabang.
Planning Your Stay in Laos
As the 2 day slow boat takes you from Thailand to Laos, this is likely the beginning of your Laos experience! Let’s take a look at the things you’ll need to know immediately, like finding accommodation in Luang Prabang.
Finding Accommodation Upon Arrival in Luang Prabang
We had not booked a place to stay in Luang Prabang, nor had most of our friends on the boat. As we soon realized, we should have booked before our arrival. We spent a LOT of time wandering around searching for a place to stay as many places were already booked up.
The pros of arriving without accommodation booked were we were able to find a place with some of our new friends. Granted, we actually split from a number of them due to no place having enough room for all of us. The cons were of course spending a lot of time looking for someplace to stay and having no reviews to work with.
If you want to know your end destination when you get to Luang Prabang, I recommend you book in advance. Here are some recommendations to check out:
- Hostel: Smile Luang Prabang Hostel
- Budget Accommodation with Private Room: Apple Guesthouse
- Mid-range Accommodation: Victoria XiengThong Palace
- Luxury Accommodation: Sofitel Luang Prabang
Additional Laos Resources
Spending some time on the “Backpacker Trail” in Laos? Read on about some of the popular destinations:
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This is a great way to travel to one country from another. I never would have thought that you can do this kind of travel along the Mekong river. Sounds like a great adventure!
It really is a fantastic way to make the journey from Thailand to Laos. Highly recommend it if you’re ever in that region!
Wow I didn’t know it’s possible to travel from Thailand to Laos! Definitely an experience to make 🙂
It’s a great way to get between the two countries!
This post went straight to my bucket list. I didn’t have the chance to visit Laos during my trip to Thailand, but I am planning to go back (hopefully next year) and I want to do this tour, this is so detailed and very helpful, thanks so much!
Excellent – it’s such a beautiful and friendly part of the world. I find myself constantly returning to Thailand too!