THE VIENTIANE TO LUANG PRABANG COMPLETE TRAVEL GUIDE
Table of Contents
Vientiane is the capital of Laos and is the place every tourist wants to visit when Visiting Laos. What is the best to get to Luang Prabang from Vientiane? We did the Vientiane to Luang Prabang bus journey after spending 3 days in Vientiane. There is usually two ways people visit Luang Prabang. It’s either Chaing Mai (then Chaing Rai) on the slow boat to Luang Prabang. Or you have the option to get a flight, coach or private taxi from Vientiane and up to Luang Prabang. You do have the option to get to Luang Prabang from Vientiane by plane.
Luang Prabang is a UNESCO world heritage site and it was by far the best place to visit in Laos. This amazing town has such a cool vibe and there is plenty of things to do in Luang Prabang.
Laos is still a developing country so the public transport around the country is not the greatest. The buses from Vientiane to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang can be a bit of a grueler. But it’s all part of the adventure.
How to Get from Vientiane to Luang Prabang by Bus or Van
We chose to the Vientiane bus journey to Luang Prabang. This is the cheapest way to get to Luang Prabang from Vientiane. There is plenty of buses that go there and you should find a cheap ticket.
You should be aware that the bus ride to Luang Prabang from Vientiane can take easy over 10 hours! Be prepared.
What to take on the bus ride to Luang Prabang?
- Snacks to enjoy
- A fully charged iPod or make sure your phone is fully charged for the journey
- Water
- Maybe take an Ipad to watch some movies. You will struggle to watch it on a laptop.
You can book the bus ticket here
The bus ride from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is notorious for being a bumpy ride. If you expect this, it should be a little easier along the way.
During your bus ride to Luang Prabang you will pass through mountains and drive down some crazy roads. It’s a lot smoother in the plane to Luang Prabang from Vientiane. But this wouldn’t be as fun 😀
Don’t worry about needing the bathroom. There is stops along the way for you to use the toilet. There is also food stops along the way for you to get a meal at.
Make sure you visit the Luang Prabang night market on your adventures!
If you get a van to Luang Prabang from Vientiane it will take you directly into the centre of Luang Prabang. Most of the hotels in Luang Prabang are located near the centre.
A van is more comfortable than a bus and to be fair it should take you less time. The vans are the best way to travel around Laos.
Check out this Laos backpacking guide for some tips on travelling around Laos.
You can book the bus ticket here
Where to Buy Bus Tickets in Vientiane?
The best option is to buy your tickets from Vientiane to Luang Prabang online. This will take the worry off your mind and you will get your tickets from a trustworthy company.
The best company is with 12GoAsia. I have used these all over Southeast Asia. They will look after your departure from Vientiane centre to Luang Prabang:
You can book bus tickets on the route from Vientiane to Luang Prabang and many other routes across Laos and Southeast Asia. This is with 12GoAsia.
Book Tickets: Vientiane bus to Luang Prabang
Vientiane Bus Station
- Where to buy the Vientiane to Luang Prabang bus ticket?
- The best option is to buy your bus ticket from your accommodation in Vientiane. The ticket will come with a free ride to the Vientiane bus station.
- We got on the bus around 9am. But if you like to sleep in (a lot of backpackers do) you can get a later bus. There is plenty of buses leaving Vientiane to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang.
- The bus station is nothing special so just check the time of you bus and make sure to get there 20 minutes before.
Luang Prabang Bus Station
- When you arrive to the Luang Prabang South Bus station it is about one kilometer from the center of town. So if your accomadation in Luang Prabang is in the centre, you will have to make your way there.
- We had our backpacks but we made the walk in the hot sun. It’s not too far, it’s good to stretch the legs after that brutal bus ride.
- You can grab a tuk tuk if you want. There is plenty waiting! It shouldn’t cost more than ($2) from the Laung Prabang bus station to the town centre.
You can book the bus ticket here
Vientiane to Luang Prabang by Plane
Another option to travel from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is taking the plane. As of 2018, there are two companies operating direct flights between these two cities: Lao skyway and Lao Airline.
The flight to Luang Prabang from Vientiane takes about 50 minutes, and there are plenty of planes running daily between these 2 top cities in Laos.
Vientiane Airport
- Wattay International Airport is the biggest airport in Laos, handling most International flights to the country.
- This is the major airport in Laos in this is where all the international flights usually come.
- You can get to the airport quite easy as it’s only 3 kilometres from the centre. You can grab a tuk tuk.
- The Laos airport has two terminals which is the the newest international terminal and a small one what handles domestic flights. If you want to take a flight you shouldn’t have any problems. There is plenty of flights everyday.
- The airport is really efficient for the domestic flights, happy days.
How to Buy Plane Tickets in Laos
So which company actually does the cheapest plane tickets from Vientiane to Luang Prabang? Personally I find SkyScanner is always the cheapest.
I always use skyscanner. Especailly for Asia flights.
A flight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang will cost you around ($60) which is not to bad to be fair.
The flights from Vientiane to Luang Prabang here are cheap
Final Thoughts
The journey from Vientiane depends on your budget and I have given you the best ways for your journey 🙂
Once you arrive there is plenty of awesome things to do in Luang Prabang and places to stay.
You can book the bus ticket here
Check out the Vientiane to Vang Vieng guide!