slow travel boat

Slow Boat to Laos – The Best Tips and Advice

• Last Updated: February 5, 2024

Everything you need to know about the slow boat to Laos from Thailand.

Prices for the slow boat to Laos are have been updated for December 2016. Subject to change.

So you’re looking to take the slow boat to Laos from either Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai or Chiang Khong in Thailand and want some tips on the best way to do it? Here is everything you need to know before you board and once you’re on the boat!

Table of Contents

Chiang Rai – 1550 Baht ($47.50)

Chiang mai – 1700 baht ($52), pai- 1750 baht ($53.50), can i do this on my own and not through an agency and what are the costs, where do i get some laos kip, what’s the go with my slow boat ticket, how long will the slow boat to luang prabang take.

• ON THE BOAT

Where should I stay in Luang Prabang?

Speedboats from huay xai, bus from huay xai, can i book the slow boat to laos through an agency.

Yes, there are many agencies that can arrange this for you in each place. Sometimes even your accommodation can organise this for the same price as an agency. Just ask at your reception.

Don’t miss our latest guide on the best  things to do in Luang Prabang !

You get picked up from your Chiang Rai accommodation at 6:30-7am. There is a 2-hour ride to Chiang Khong, which is the closest town to the border, arriving at around 9am.

You then cross into Laos. Once you have officially entered the country you hop on the shuttle and get transferred to Huay Xai where the slow boat leaves. This is a 2-day journey, including shuttle and slow boat to Laos.

There are many agencies you can book this through in Chiang Mai . The typical schedule is 10:00am Pick up from your Chiang Mai accommodation.

It is a 4-hour drive to Chiang Kong where the border is located. You will be transferred to your accommodation in Chiang Kong and stay there for the rest of the day.

Pick up in the morning at 8:30am and transfer to Thai Immigration. Cross into Laos by shuttle bus. At 10:00am board the slow boat to Pakbeng.

Packages do include accommodation (either just in Chiang Khong, or sometimes Pakbeng as well), but depending on the price will determine your accommodation standards.

This is a one-day journey in the shuttle to the border town and 2 days on the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

If taking the 2-day slow boat from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang seems like too much of a headache and takes too much time, check out the sleeper bus. You can book it on Bookaway .

Leave Pai at 2pm or 6pm, Fuel up on the outskirts of Chiang Mai to continue on towards Chiang Khong. The trip is long and you will arrive in Chiang Khong around 1-2am.

This package does include all your transport and your one night accommodation in Chiang Khong.

Don’t expect anything fancy with the accommodation. In the morning they will drop you at the border around 9am. This is a one-day journey in the shuttle from Pai to the border town and 2 days on the slow boat to Laos.

If you’re going to be in this town, check out our complete guide on the best things to do in Pai.

Yes you can, but it might not flow as nice as an organised booking. Although it will work out cheaper. You may have to travel to Chiang Khong one day and then do the border crossing the next day to be in time with the slow boat to Laos.

The information below is making the journey from Chiang Rai

• Bus from Chiang Rai to the Border- 65 Baht ($2) Get the bus to Chiang Khong. Ask around at the bus station and let them know you are going to the Laos border.
• Shuttle over the Friendship Bridge- 25 Baht ($0.75) This is the bridge from Thailand to Laos. Foreigners can no longer take the ferry across.
• Visa on arrival- $30 US
• Shuttle from the border to boat dock- around 30,000- 50,000 Kip ($3.50 – $6) This price is an estimate as we asked various drivers but they didn’t seem to know what we were asking. They all gave different prices but we couldn’t determine whether we were on the same page, as they assumed we had everything pre-organised
• Slow boat organised from the border – 1200 Baht/ 300,000 Kip ($37.50)
• Slow boat organised from the boat dock in Huay Xai – 900 Baht / 220,000 Kip ($27.50)
• Tuk tuk into Luang Prabang- 15,000-20,000 Kip ($1.80- $2.50) We bartered and got it down to 15,000 kip per person. The tuk-tuk mafia will tell you that you have no option but to pre-purchase a ticket. We refused to and started walking. Eventually a driver offered to take us for the cheaper price.
• Note – We have since heard of some travellers who refused to get off the boat outside of Luang Prabang. They started an argument with the boat captains, demanding they take them the rest of the way, along with the locals. Eventually the boat men kicked everyone off the boat, LOCALS INCLUDED. For the sake of trying to save a few dollars, don’t do this.

I have no US cash for my visa payment, where do I get some?

In Chiang Rai we went to a large bank near the clock tower. The smaller branches and exchange centres do not have foreign money. Look for the larger branches and banks. Chiang Mai there a lot more options.

Before you receive your visa and cross through customs gate there is a currency exchange counter. There is also one on the other side, but I would recommend exchanging your money before you officially cross through. It will be quicker because most people obtain their visas first then deal with the currency once they enter Laos. We found the exchange rate to be market price and they didn’t charge a fee.

If you are on a tour, they will stop into the agencies and explain what’s going on to you. We had to give our passport to the owner, and he explained that to get the tickets you need to show your passport entry stamp and they will write down your name and passport number. He passes it on to the driver to get the tickets with the money to pay.

Laos is still behind when it comes to technology and everything is done by hand. So by giving your passport to the driver, the process will be faster with the same language spoken and this is a daily routine for them. If you are a little hesitant about handing your passport over to a stranger (we were), you are more than welcome to go with the driver and watch while your ticket is being processed.

If you are flying solo just go to the ticket box located up from the water on the left when you are walking down to the boat dock.

Two days all up. The first day will have you on the water for up to 7 hours. You leave Huay Xai at 11am and arrive in Pakbeng around 6pm. You will then spend the night in Pakbeng in accommodation at your own cost.

On the second day it will take up to 8 hours. You leave Pakbeng at 9:30am and arrive in Luang Prabang at 5:30pm.

On the second day make sure you get to the boat at 8:30am or earlier to choose your seat. Otherwise you may end up stuck in the engine room. These times all depend on the season, due to the changes in river height.

Is there food and drinks on board?

There is food, drinks and alcohol on the boat that you can purchase, but it is double the price compared to the main land. I would recommend getting your food and drinks before you board.

If you want beer some mini marts at Huay Xai sell Styrofoam boxes and ice to keep them cool. By purchasing everything before boarding it will be cheaper and you will have a larger selection to choose from.

On-Board and Land Prices (in Lao Kip)

Luang Prabang has a whole lot of different options for hotels and hostels. It’s not the cheapest place in the country, but still you can expect to find a room for around $10 a night or less if you do some searching around. In the peak season it is not uncommon to walk around for hours trying to find something in your budget (which is exactly what we did).

If you would rather show up in town with something already organised, we definitely recommend checking out the options on Agoda and Booking.com

NOMADasaurus readers get an exclusive 10% off your accommodation on agoda . Use the code: AGODANMD10 at checkout.

What are my other options if I don’t want to take the slow boat to Laos?

You can get to Pakbeng and Luang Prabang by speedboat too. It leaves from a different pier as the slow boat in Huay Xai, but if you have booked through an agency you will be picked up and taken there.

If you do decided to do it on your own the boat cost (when full, 6 people per boat) is 190,000 kip to Pakbeng and 320,000 kip to Luang Prabang. It is harder to organise at the pier, but if you have a group of 6 all ready, you are laughing.

It takes 3 hours to Pakbeng and 3 hours to Luang Prabang, with a long break between places to have lunch and change boats.

Be aware that if you pre-book the speed-boat in the off-season then it is not guaranteed to be operating the day you want it to, despite what the travel agent says.

If you get to Huay Xai and are informed that it is not running, they will offer you either the slow boat or the bus, and refund you the difference in price. This way is definitely the quickest way to get from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang but not the safest.

The drivers wear helmets but (from what we saw) the passengers didn’t, but I could be wrong. It doesn’t have the best safety record and there are many hazards when the river water level is low. Unless you have a death wish reconsider and take the slow boat to Laos.

*****WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS OPTION*****

This way is also a quicker way but a long route – 500km. There is a few bus terminals in Huay Xai and it can get a little confusing.

There is a station north (Kiew Lot Sai Nuan station), one south (Naluang Station), and another one where the minivans leave from which is also south of town (Naluang Mini Bus Station).

Most tourists prefer the minivan. Songthaew drivers know which station has which buses or minivans so just ask.

If this is the form of transport you have chosen then you will need to catch a songthaew out there, which may cost between 15,000- 30,000 kip depending on how many people you have.

Don’t forget to barter, it doesn’t hurt to try! You can catch the normal bus for around 120,000 kip or the VIP bus for around 145,000 kip.

Don’t have high expectations for the buses just because they have the VIP name tag. Definitely confirm if the bus has air conditioning or not.

There are multiple destinations, 3.5 hours to Luang Namtha, 7 hours to Oudom Xay and a long 12 hours to Luang Prabang. Make sure you bring a good book or have some good music on your music player. You can organise this on your own or with an agency.

With an agency it may cost around 1500 Baht, Leaving Chiang Mai at 10am and arriving in Luang Prabang at 5am, driving through the night.

Packages usually include mini bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong, shuttle across the friendship bridge to Huay Xai, and the bus from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang.

The buses are filled to capacity and sometimes more. The roads are still under construction so in sections can be very bumpy. If you get motion sickness, don’t forget your tablets.

We still think the slow boat to Laos from Thailand is the best way to go! What do you think?

Alesha and Jarryd

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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I’m going to south east Asia in February and was wondering if they do the slow boat trip the other way round? Can you start the trip from Luang Prabang and end up in Chiang Rai/Thailand?

Thank you 🙂

Hi Ellie, it was a while ago when we did the slow boat to Laos. Sorry I am not sure if they do it the other way during that time. Your best option is to contact a travel agent in Luang Prabang and see if they could help you. Sorry we couldn’t be helpful. Hope you have a great trip. 🙂

Oh, Thank you for your all the informations. Where can I buy the „Chiang Rai Option, starting in the early Morning, boat departs the Same Day“?

Hi Barbara, ask you accommodation or a travel agent and they will be able to help you. All the best.

Is March good time for traveling to Luang prabang from Huay xai in slow boat??

Hi, thanks for the article! Does the slow boat go everyday including in the rainy seasons? Thanks

Hi Nischal, we are not too sure. If you are in Chiang Mai or Pai, best to ask you accommodation or a travel agent. They would know best and can call and find out for you. Sorry we can not help you.

Apologies if I missed this, is the Thai immigration office in Chiang Khong?

Hi David, It was there. The bus transfer took us there first then we hopped on the slow boat.

Yes it is. No need to change money if you’ve baht. It’s accepted everywhere along the route. The first night you’ll get off the boat at sunset . Walk up a hill to look for a place to stay, there are many in village or the road to the left just before entering village. Oh the boat will have lots of backpackers and they’ll have a good time but they’ll be really quiet in the hotel. Oh if you’ve come with a tour they make a big song and dance about changing money after custom’s in a shop they’ve taken you, don’t the rates are terrible. Getting to Luang Prabang, after exiting boat go up hill turn left and you’ll find lots of places to stay along the river. Most have a restaurant across the street toward the river, some are good. If you’re in Thailand on a tourist visa but if a type “o” check with customs first. Most tours take you to a cheap hotel but there’s a large house used to be a Governors home in the area that’s a nice place to stay that’s not expensive. Also most tours will take your passport to do customs on the Thai side for you, do what you think best.

My partner and I will be travelling with a baby whilst on maternity leave and reading some of the above comments I wondered if the slow boat would be safe or even practical with a less than one year old or if I am completely crazy to even consider this option?

Could someone please advise whether there were many/ any babies or young children on the boat or would you say this type of crossing is unsafe or just shouldn’t be attempted given your experiences or do you think it would be doable? I don’t particularly like sound of an overcrowded or non air conditioned bus with a baby so I was thinking slow boat, or just fly into Bangkok

Thanks in advance

Hi Justine,

Congratulations on your new baby and travel with your baby too.

When we were travelling on the slow boat, we didn’t see any tourist with babies. We saw locals but they were getting off at their villages along the way. The boat does not stop the whole day only at the final destination.

It is up to you both because you know your baby. The days can be long. All the best and happy travels

My wife and I just did this two day trip. Arrived in Luang Pabang today August 15th 2019. From Chiang Rai total cost 960 Thai bahi each. We have been traveling for almost three years now so we are experienced travelers. From Chiang Rai Terminal 1 take the red bus to Chiang Khong. We stayed the night here. Most hotels offer cheap tuk tuk or equivalent transport to the border. Suggest leaving your hotel no later than 8 am. Thai immigration is really quick. Walk outside and take the bus across the Friendship Bridge to Laos Immigration. Loads of paperwork and big lines here. Patience! You will need 30 to 35 USD fee in clean notes with no tears. This is important. Another 1 USD or 40 baht if you have not got a recent passport photo. When you walk out from all of this there will be loads of cheap transport to the “slow boat pier” Two scams to be aware of – 1 – Just use the ATMS on the Laos side to get Laos Kips. The money changers will tell you the ATMs have a 10 USD fee. Not true. 2 – when you exit Laos immigration to buy your tuk tuk ticket to the pier you will be pressured to buy your slow boat ticket as well. All sorts of lies etc why the cost is 260K kip per ticket. We paid 200K kip per ticket at the pier. You also should buy sandwiches and drinks her as they are expensive on the boat. Don’t over think all this. It is all really organized and works very well. Brief review on the trip itself… Absolutely fantastic and more on the trip to Pakpeng. Big boat and almost no stops. Helpful crew. The second day boat to Luang Prebang was a nightmare. Yes, a much smaller boat the second day. Very very cramped and overcrowded. People were fed up even before leaving. Multiple stops along the route to pick up and drop of locals. Considering the money spent and the fact that the boat was packed with about 90% tourists ( almost 100 ) I question this. Very fed up and tired passengers when disembarking. Unhelpful crew did not help. The last bit of my review might be controversial but I am just reporting my updated experience. Hope it helps!

Thank you so much Brian for the updated information. We will update the article. Have a great trip

Hi all, there are actually 2 different bus companies that do the journey from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong: the red bus and the blue bus. We caught the blue bus but both are old and decrepit vehicles. Also, be aware that if you are leaving in a Sunday not all of the (hourly) departures will be running,

Thank you so much for all the info! Very useful for my trip to Luang Prabang.

We’re planning on taking this boat in a few weeks after we leave Chiang Mai so thanks for all the information, it’s really useful and good to see that it looks reasonably easy to do!

Hi Oli, have a great time. Glad the article could help. People say the boat is boring but we really liked it. It was relaxing. Definitely bring a book but also you can turn out from the world. Have fun travelling Laos.

Thanks again for all this info! We had a successful boat trip, did it all ourselves from Chiang Mai instead of booking a tour and it went really smoothly (and cheaply!). We didn’t find it boring at all and having a book did come in handy. Saw what you meant about the speedboats, they looked like death traps! The only real disappointment was seeing all the locals just throwing all of their rubbish into the river 🙁

Do you know of any agencies that can book this trip in advance for a reasonable price?

Sorry Zachary, we are not too sure. Our advice is to get to Chiang Mai and shop around. All the best.

Hello, Informative post. Thank you. I haven’t been able to find info on if taking the 2 day slow boat from Chiang Klong is nice-fun-interesting or if people choose it more as a get from point A to point B decision. I am trying to decide how to spend about a week at the end if December 2017. (After a week in Chiang Mai and before going down to Krabi.) I am pretty wide open. Traveling with husband and 12 yo son. Right now I think we’ll rent a car and drive around N Thailand (Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle, Pai, some possibilities.) When considering driving- visiting over border into Laos I saw this boat trip. But now I’m guessing it’s not overly interesting because in 3 different postings no one has mentioned enjoying it. Any advice on that or how to spend a week would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks for the awesome blog. Jennifer

We took the Mekong River journey in October. It was great. Nothing strenuous, except for climbing the stairs from the boat in Luang Prabang. We used Smile tours for the boat trip. It was not the low dollar pedestrian boat, yet it was surprisingly competitive considering value for comfort. Nice booth seats with a table, local food was prepared onboard, beverages were economical. Spectacular beauty. We took a bus from Chaing Mai to Chaing Rai where we spent a night. We were going to take the bus to Chang Klong but a cabby offered to take us in an a/c car for $600 baht, so we took the cab as the Chaing Rai bus didn’t have a/c. Smile picked us up at our Chang Klong hotel at 7:30, took us to the border where we caught the bus to the Laos immigration point. There was an ATM at immigration which was great. I got $1,500,000 kip which cost $180 USD.

Having kip made Pak Beng costs and tips easy. Paid $250,000 kip for an a/c room in Pak Beng. Great remote village. Traveled hundreds of km on the Mekong through a real wilderness. There was only one bridge between Chang Klong and Luang Prabang.

This is a must do, spectacular, even iconic journey, for even retirees like my wife and I.

“This is a must do, spectacular, even iconic journey”

We did the reverse on October10/20018: Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai by slow boat for a total of $48/person. This trip was the best of our travels across Asia, an exquisite enjoyment. The slow boat is so serene and the views are magic. We booked through a local agency in LP who picked us up from our hostel to take us to the tuk tuk that took us to the pier. The boat leaves around 9:30 AM, stops in Pakbeng for the night around 7:00 PM (was supposed to arrive @ 6:00). Extremely smooth ride zig-zaging across the Mekong as the level was low and there are loads of sandbanks and rocks across it. Next morning departure @ 8:30 with a different boat but just as comfortable to Huay Hai (the border town), arrived around 6:00 PM. Next day we were picked up by the agency and taken to the Thai border where we then transferred on to a minivan that took us to Chiang Mai in 4 hours with half an hour break for lunch. We packed food and water for the boat trip but it was available on board. This was a local boat with few tourists aboard. The accommodations in both villages/towns are not included in the price; the price includes the trip from our hostel in LP to Chiang Mai bus station, including all transfers in between. It cost us an additional 100 BHT to reach our hostel. Each night between the trips cost us $13 and $18 for a private double room with bath, we walked the distance to our accommodations. We found this type of travel a wonderful experience and a great way to see a country from a different perspective. Naturally this won’t be the right choice if you have ADHD as we remain seated most of the time although it is doable to get up and walk around a bit, especially in this season when both boats were half full. They used bus seats on board which are extremely comfortable, even for ppl our age. We saw several of those speedboats but the agencies we visited in LP do not recommend them: they are very uncomfortable (you sit on a hard seat for 6 hours), they are extremely fast so the ride is far from smooth which means that every bounce and hit on the water goes through your body; they are dangerous. We only saw locals traveling in speedboats, it might be alright for a short distance but not recommended at all for 6 hours. Whereas our ride was so peaceful some even slept during the trip. All in all, the best trip we’ve had so far, quite adventurous and oh so enjoyable. So happy we did this.

Hey, thank you so much for this information. I’m going to Thailand next week (last minute) and going to Luang Prabang. I’ve been to Chiang Mia before and loved it. Wouldn’t mind going again. Haven’t been Chiang Rai and Pia. Any suggestions where I should go? BTW, I am 59 years old.

Hi Monica, Definitely check out Pai. Some say it is over rated but we didn’t think so. It is beautiful. Don’t stay right down town. We stayed just across the river over the bridge and it was perfect. You are close enough to town that yo.u can rent a bike or book a tour and then get away from the hustle and bustle (especially at night). Here is our article with some tips. https://www.nomadasaurus.com/10-things-to-do-in-pai-thailand/ Chiang Rai is a beautiful place also. We unfortunately didn’t give it enough time. I know there is a bit to do around there also. Don’t do a day trip from Chiang Mai. It is just too far for a day trip and it’ll be a very long day. Have a great trip.

Great post! I am traveling to Thailand in November and I would like to book the slow boat in advance to get from Pai to Luang Prabang. Do you know of a good agency I could do this through online?

How do you book a two day tour from chaing rai before arriving in Thailand at the lower prices? All the tours available online are $200 or more!! This is incredibly inflated. 🙁

I need proof of my onward travel as flying into Thailand with an outboubd flight but I don’t want to pay over the odds.

It might be easier to just book a flight after all 🙁

They won’t check your onward transport when you fly into Thailand. If they ask just say you’re crossing by land into Laos or Cambodia 🙂

Hi, do you know if it is possible to travel in the opposite direction, from LP to Huay Xai ?

I have heard that many locals choose the Speed boat option. Did you see any locals on the slow boat?

HI Wilson, Sorry about the late reply. We did see other and on speed boats but not sure if these were the ones you are talking about. We have heard you can do it but we did not know much information about going the other way. Sorry

Pictures before entering Laos.

1. Chiang Rai to border Thailand – Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1, Bus leaves at 6am, … 6.30am, 7am… – – 65 Baht to Bus Terminal in Chiang Khong -> TukTuk to border (30-40Baht) – – or 100 Baht to the border (bus driver will ask)

2. Friendship Bridge (Border Thailand – Laos) – Bus: 20 Baht/Person

3. Border Laos to Slow Boat at Huay Xai (Huai Sai) – TukTuk 25.000 Kip/Person to the Slow Boat

4. Slow Boat Ticket Office – 220.000kip from Huay Xai (Huai Sai) via Pakbeng to Luang Prabang (1 Ticket)

5. Slow Boat Stop at Luang Prabang – TukTuk to Luang Prabang City Centre: 20.000kip

Thank you so much Tina for the updated information. We will be sure to change it above. We hope you had a great trip.

Thanks for the information. We are in Pai right now and leaving for Laos early next week. Did you have to get pictures for your visa before you went into Laos? Thanks

Hi Rebecca, sorry for the late reply. We know you would have already done this boat trip. We can not remember if we needed them or not. We always recommend carrying passport photos of you when travelling. Sometimes we have needed them at the borders and were not expecting this. Hope you had a great trip/.

You can pay a dollar and they will photocopy your passport instead. Ours were done on pink paper. Don’t know if that’s the norm!

I have just completed this route so thank you for this comprehensive guide which made the process a lot easier.

As a brief update, the bus from Chiang Rai (6am) took us all the way to the border for 100 Baht, so similar price but one less tuk tuk required.

When in Laos, the price to take us to the dock was 25000Kip per person.

The boat tickets were still 220k Kip but we had to buy separate tickets to (a) Pakbeng and then (b) Luang Prabang (from Pakbeng)

The going rate for accommodation in Pakbeng is 40-50k Kip per person per night.

The boat still drops 10km outside of Luang Prabang, however it is a fixed price of 20k Kip per head to a central point (night market location) and didn’t see many attempt the walk and haggle!

Overall, very straightforward to complete without a package, and comfortable timeframe to complete from Chiang Rai with an early departure.

Thank you so much for your message and updates Dave. We are glad we could help. We will definitely update the above information. We are glad it was straight forward for you. Hope you had a great time in Luang Prabang. All the best.

Can you also get the slow boat from Luang Prabang back to Thailand? I am arriving from Vietnam

Definitely. Not many people do it, but it is definitely possible.

can I apply for a visa on line? or pick one up in Bangkok prior to traveling on the slow boat?

Sorry about this late reply Thomas. You can get the visa on the border. This is what most people do.

I really enjoyed the information about crossing from Thailand in Laos. It was well presented and easy to follow. My first trip to Laos was in 1994 and we crossed by boat and the visa was very hard to get. So looking forward to repeating the experience in 2015.

Thank you so much Marilyn. We appreciate your comment. I bet a lot has changed in 10 years. We hope you had a great trip and the visa was easier this time round. All the best.

This is a great video. My cruise also runs on the Mekong River. The cruise Luang Prabang is a two-day luxury cruise from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. Please join us on our luxury cruise on the mighty Mekong River.

Can you get on the boat from the Laos side? We’ll be crossing the border from Thailand to Lao and going on the Gibbon Experience for three days. After that we would like to take the two day slow boat. Do we have to go back to Thailand to again cross the Laos border? Hopefully not.

You sure can. Best to ask around in Luang Prabang.

Hi, great post! I’m heading to Thailand to travel on my own so it was great to read some tips! I was wondering whether you knew if the slow boat to Laos was available year round, as I am heading there in the low season? If you know that would be great as I can’t find the trip in my Lonely Planet! Thank you! Chelle 🙂

Hi Chelle, the slow boat is available year round, however sometimes it doesn’t run if the river is too low. Usually though the slow boat runs, while the speed boat can’t. Enjoy the trip 🙂

Hi..i want to ask if how much is the fare from golden triangle to laos?what boat to ride? We are just group of 3 and we wanted to have it not in tour package in our travel.We are pinoy instant and quick travelers :). Thank you.

The Golden Triangle is a big area. The slow boat only leaves from the one spot. You don’t need to go on a tour package. Have a read of the post to find out how to do it on your own 🙂

Thank you so much for this detailed blog!!! I am venturing off to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia then back through south Thailand.

I was unsure about boarder crossing through Laos due to many sights having the old details before the new friendship, but this was perfectoooo!!!!

Glad to be of service, Zoe. Enjoy the slow boat! 😀

Lovely reading all about the slow boat to Laos, you explain everything so clearly and in detail, most appreciated. I will be traveling solo woman aged 63. For sure I would love to contact you nearer the time with some question regarding my trip. My travels start from South Africa on the 6th of October. Razia

Glad our article can help a bit, Razia. Happy travels!

Thanks for the post. Loved Luang Prabang last time I was there, but really looking forward to taking the slow boat there this time around as opposed to the bus from Vientiane.

Mostly sure on the whole process, but was wondering if you have an idea if it is preferable in Pakbeng to use US$, Baht or Kip for the best options/deals in lodging and food.

Thanks again for the write up, happy to provide updates in the next week or so if you would like after we arrive in Luang Prabang.

In Pakbeng it will be better to use Kip, I think, as you may get a bad exchange rate on anything else. Looking forward to your updates from after the boat trip. Enjoy it, Chris 🙂

Thanks for the great post. Most concise and accurate that I found. One update, at least for US citizens, visa on arrival is now $35USD. We are running a little tight on time and decided to take the bus. Unequivocally the worst bus ride we’ve had through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. Mostly gravel roads, supremely aggressive drivers that chain smoked the whole 12 hours and blasted Katy Perry and Maroon 5 at concert level volumes, and passengers that were either vomiting or eating corn and spitting. We’ve been on plenty of busses, many overnight, but this was the biggest challenge yet. Shoulda taken the boat…

So glad you found our post useful, Andrew. We bought our motorbikes in Laos, so after the slow boat we never ended up taking public transport again. Sounds like we didn’t miss too much with the buses though, haha. Thanks for reading!

We are meeting up with my son ([email protected]) and his wife,Caryl, who sent me a link to your blog. to join them on part of their travels for a few weeks. We have planned to take the Slow Boat to Laos in February travelling from Chiang Rai to Huay Xai. Loved reading your blog whichI found very helpful and informative, well written with a light-hearted touch. Having clear, up-to-date information is invaluable. And your photos are excellent. Great to have the information about food for the journey, especially as we are all vegi/vegan and don’t ever like to go hungry. Much appreciated. Am I right in thinking that you can get visas at this border crossing, and does payment have to be in dollars? Happy travels eileen

Hi Eileen, thanks very much for the comment. Sounds like you are going to have an epic trip with you son and his wife. Definitely take some food that you are comfortable eating. Options are limited on the boat, unfortunately. You can definitely get your Lao visa at the border. They will accept Thai Baht or Lao Kip, but the exchange will be horrible. Best to have the correct change in US dollars. Thanks for the kind words, and happy travels!

Wow .. best slow boat review ever! I’m planning to go Hanoi, Thailand and Laos in Feb. After reading your review, I decide my mine to ride slow boat to get to Laos! Thank you for gorgeous review:D I especially thanks for great comparison of costs. God speed 😀

Thanks very much buddy! Glad you enjoyed our article. I’m sure you’ll love the slow boat. Best way to enter Laos, for sure! Happy travels.

Enjoyed reading your blog very useful advice as i am travel to Laos this December, and will be taking the slow boat. Thanks for your advice Happy traveling

Thanks so much for reading Liz. Glad our advice is helpful 😀 You will love Laos, and the slow boat. Enjoy your amazing adventure.

This makes me terribly nostalgic for Laos (Luang Prabang in particular) and next time I’m there I will trade the train for a slow boat!

Definitely! The slow boat is the way to go. Hope you can make it back to Laos soon. Thanks for reading.

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Laos , Asia , Thailand

Taking the slow boat to luang prabang: best tips 2024.

Thinking of taking the slow boat in Laos? Find out absolutely everything you need to know such as costs, where to take it from, what to bring, what to expect, and more important information on your slow boat to Luang Prabang!

Taking the slow boat Laos seems to be a right of passage for many travelers backpacking around Southeast Asia. The 2-day journey takes you from the Laos border town of Huay Xai down to Luang Prabang .

Some people refer it to as the journey from hell. Though trust me it isn’t that bad taking the slow boat Luang Prabang!

I have read numerous horror stories about taking the slow boat Thailand to Laos. Though, obviously not phased enough by the infamous rumors I decided I would take the journey and form my own opinion on the two-day adventure.

The slow boat is no doubt the most popular way for all types of people to travel between Northern Thailand and Luang Prabang, Laos. Though, it is certainly not for everyone.

I have actually taken the slow boat Laos twice. Once on the public slow boat and the second time on a private operator. If you have done any long bus journeys or plane rides it isn’t worse than those. Though there are certainly a few tips and tricks that will make your journey a lot more bearable!

In this guide, I will let you know anything and everything so your slow boat in Laos journey is as stress-free and easy as possible! From departure points, costs, what to expect, and more.

Taking The Slow Boat In Laos: EVERYTHING You Need To Know

TAKE YOUR TRIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL …

🚗 How I Book Cheap Transport In Thailand & Laos: 12Go Asia

Why Take The Slow Boat To Luang Prabang

If you have ever traveled into the countryside of any Southeast Asian country you will appreciate the slower lifestyle. No one is in a rush and you can just simply relax and watch the world go by. Well, this is exactly how I would describe the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

It provides the perfect opportunity to slow down and breathe.

With a constant stream of fresh air, you can take In your surroundings. Watch the water buffalos play on the shore, see the locals who live along the river that connects them with the rest of the world, and look at the landscapes changing along the way.

Sometimes, especially when traveling, you forget to appreciate the smaller things in life and this provides the perfect opportunity for this.

The journey is in no way luxurious, even on the private slow boats. Though you will be able to bask in the sunshine, meet other travelers, and reminisce on all the memories you have been able to make on your travels so far.

Crossing The Thai-Laos Border

The first step in taking the slow boat to Laos is crossing the border from Thailand. We took a tuk-tuk to the border from Chiang Khong which cost us $4.50. Racing through the town the cool morning breeze is a refreshing change from what we are used to.

The roads are busy with vendors selling food at the morning markets. Dust looms in the air from the dry landscape. Soon enough the hustle and bustle disappear behind us and the landscape opens up to a large building in the distance.

Being early morning the border is extremely quiet. We are quickly processed through the Thai side and officially exit the country. To get between the Laos and Thai immigration offices you will need to pay $0.75 for the bus.

The ride lasts about 10 minutes and goes over the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. However, we had to wait about twenty minutes in line with about thirty other people for the first bus to depart. Of course, the bus driver was late, a typical occurrence on this side of the world.

When you jump off the bus on the Lao side it is a mad rush to get your forms filled out to avoid delays. Just make sure you write it out correctly and have a pen with you! The visa fee was $30.00, though this amount changes depending on where you are from.

In case you don’t have USD there is an ATM a few steps away so no need to worry about getting cash beforehand. All up the process probably took about thirty minutes to receive our Lao visas and the majority of this time was spent waiting in line.

Types Of Slow Boat Laos Journeys

There are actually a couple of different slow boat options you can choose from. One is a lot cheaper than the other. Though with that comes the crowds. I have done the journey on both the public slow boat and on a private slow boat as part of a tour. The experiences varied greatly.

Though I will get into the positives and negatives of each below.

Public Slow Boat: The Public Slow Boat was what the majority of people taking the slow boat to Luang Prabang do and it was what I did during my first trip to Laos. The boat was full of locals and travelers of all backgrounds.

It is a much cheaper option when it comes to getting to Luang Prabang via the Mekong River. Though as a result these boats are usually filled to the brim.

It is a mad rush to find your seats and I would relate this more to being stuck in a bus or plane where really you just sit down, look out the window, and get up to use the bathroom every so often.

Slow Boat Tour Package: Alternatively you have the tour package. This is a lot more pricey coming to around $150.00 per person. Though it is much more of an experience than just a simple journey. The group sizes are also a lot smaller so you won’t be stuck squished into a seat the whole way.

You will find meals are typically included, as well as a stop at Pak Ou Caves which the public boat doesn’t do. This journey is a lot more relaxing where you can walk around, change spots, and it also has cleaner toilets. You can check out more about this journey in the below video.

Where To Catch The Slow Boat In Huay Xai

Once you have crossed the Thai Laos border you can head to the slow boat pier. This is around a 30-minute walk from the main town. Though with all your luggage I recommend getting a tuk-tuk instead.

You must simply advise the tuk-tuk driver to take you to the slow boat pier. They will know what you mean as that is where 90% of travelers in the area go. This should just cost you a couple of dollars.

Slow Boat To Luang Prabang Price

Once to the pier, you will need to buy your tickets for the slow boat Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. The ticket booth is on the top of the hill above the road. The price is $20.70 / 430,000 LAK for the 2-day journey to Luang Prabang.

You will need to bring your passport and cash along with you when you book it. They will give you a ticket and a seat number in exchange.

You can book the slow boat in the town of Huay Xai itself rather than having to go down to the pier. However you will pay a few dollars more for the luxury of a third party organizing it all for you, but it will include a tuk-tuk transfer. The price of this is $21.20 / 440,000 LAK.

If you are on a strict itinerary it will be best to spend 1 night in Huay Xai so you can book tickets for the boat the day prior. Though you can risk it as I did and simply turn up on the day and hope for the best.

First Day On The Slow Boat Thailand To Laos

After taking a tuk-tuk from the border to the pier we are quickly directed to the ticketing booth to purchase the slow boat tickets which would take us to Luang Prabang . They took our passport information and we were given allocated seat numbers.

Heading down to the boat we dump our bags at the back and wait patiently at our seats. There are about ten other people on the boat. Though the list at the ticketing office was already quite full. Unfortunately, James and I are not seated together.

Though, we just switch around a couple of pieces of paper with ‘seat numbers’ written on them and chill out. Many other people did this as well. It ended up being the solo travelers sitting together and those coupled up in another group.

At this point, it is still mid-morning and the boat doesn’t depart until 11 a.m. We stock up on snacks from a couple of nearby stores. It is six hours until we would next be off the boat so food is necessary.

As the boat begins to fill up the weight pushes us deeper into the water and the crew starts preparing to depart. The majority of people on the Laos slow boat are tourists. The seats on the boats are surprisingly comfortable.

They are chairs ripped out of old vans. Though, they are not bolted to the ground so it’s a fight for legroom.

We head off not long after we are meant to and begin our journey down the river. The countryside goes by and it quickly becomes the same view for the next six hours. The speed we are traveling provides an extremely enjoyable breeze, a great relief from the hot temperature.

A six-hour boat trip with no books to read and a limited amount of battery left from the previous hours I spent playing Candy Crush has left me with not much left to do. I decide to grab a cup of noodles from the vendor at the back of the boat.

The overpriced $1.20 cup keeps me entertained for the next thirty minutes as I stare at our location on Google Maps slowly getting closer to Pakbeng.

Staying In Pakbeng

Arriving in Pakbeng was a great relief, I could not wait to get out and start stretching my legs. We arrived an hour earlier than expected and this is in the dry season when the water levels are low.

There is a mad panic with everyone grabbing their bags quickly. Ours is at the bottom since we were one of the first to arrive that morning, so we chill out and wait for the crowds to disperse a bit.

Departing the boat numerous people are standing around the river’s edge holding signs up with available rooms. Pick-up trucks wait on the road to take people to their guesthouse. Pakbeng is quite a hilly area so the cars are much appreciated.

We booked at the Phomephithak Guesthouse for $14.00 total. We were one of those stupid people who booked via the guys who came onto the boat at the start.

Arriving at our guesthouse in all honesty it was not that organized. People were directed to rooms that were already full and not having enough available, even though it was all pre-booked. We ended up in a room with a double bed, private bathroom, and air-con.

At night we head down the road to find somewhere for dinner. My advice is to find somewhere with a good view of the river. We ended up at a restaurant just up from the Happy Bar. The food was reasonably good and by the time our meals came out the place was full.

I just ate a sandwich for $3.90.We also order our lunch for the next morning as well before heading off to bed at our Guesthouse.

The following day we get up to a slight chill in the air and the sound of roosters. Back down at the same restaurant as the previous night we grab breakfast and watch the elephants across the river have their morning bath.

The breakfast and packed lunch cost $5.40. Afterward, we grab our bags and head down to the slow boat pier.

Second Day On The Slow Boat To Luang Prabang

Heading down to the slow boat the crowds are already lining up on the river’s edge. We get worried it’s too late to get a decent seat. Luckily as we line up they start filling up a second boat and we manage to snag a couple of seats near the front.

Continuing down the river for our last day on the journey we are all a little over it. I quickly fall asleep to the rocking motion and hearing the river rush by. I wake up to a wee bit of a commotion as the boat makes its regular stops along the river to drop off locals to their village.

A tourist’s backpack and been taken off by someone thinking it is one of the locals. The Laotian people don’t understand why this foreigner is freaking out and we tourists don’t know how to say to the locals to stop driving away.

Luckily a young local woman can translate and they pull back into the river’s edge to collect the bag. The young backpacker’s life is restored and we all cheer in relief.

Continuing down the river, still equally as bored as the previous day it is time for noodles round two. I am vegetarian and I have no idea what type of noodles are which, especially as the lady behind the counter makes them.

I basically check which one appears less meaty, pick up any lumps of meat-looking substance. The overpriced noodles of $1.20 have kept me sane a little longer.

The last couple hours away from Luang Prabang the scenery on the river finally begins to change. It becomes a lot more mountainous with limestone karst jutting up out of the ground.

Personally, I think this is the most picturesque part of the journey and certainly gets you excited for the adventures to come in this amazing new country.

Arriving In Luang Prabang

One of the main things you will read online about the Laos slow boat journey is being dropped off in the middle of nowhere and having to pay ridiculous prices to get into the center of Luang Prabang . This is ALL old information.

Docking up at the port everyone forms a human chain to help get the bags off in a timely fashion. The late afternoon heat is intense and the sun is blaring down. Once we receive our bags it is a short but steep climb up the river bank. At the top is a formal tuk-tuk stand.

Here we gave our details, paid $2.40 per person, and then jumped on the next tuk-tuk leaving. In all honesty, it is extremely organized and no one was demanding ridiculous prices.

As we are leaving a few people walk along the dirt road to flag down a tuk-tuk. It is known that you will get a cheaper rate. Though, I could not imagine lugging my bag down there in this heat.

Additional Tips For The Slow Boat

• The toilets on these boats are not great . In all honesty, the toilet itself was not too bad, but lord did it flood. Try to go relatively early on in the trip and then hold on until you arrive in Pakbeng. I am going to assume it’s water from the bucket that is used to flush the toilet, and fingers crossed no other kind of liquid!
• Do not book your accommodation in Pakbeng in advance unless you are wanting to stay somewhere super-duper fancy! Even in saying this no place in Pakbeng is truly fancy and certainly not worth the prices you see online!
• Do not listen to the man who will come onto the slow boat at the beginning of the journey and start selling accommodation. These beds are overpriced and it is a scam.
• At Huay Xai buy some baguettes to bring onboard . Peanut butter and bananas were a favorite of mine. You can also preorder if you are staying in town to pick it up the next day. No one should live off cup noodles.
• It’s well known that the Laos slow boat seats in the back are the worst as the motors on the boat are literally deafening. This is no joke, they are crazy loud! Arrive early to get yourself a seat up the front half. You won’t regret it.
• Your Thailand SIM card will work for the majority of the journey! Yes, even though we are not in Thailand we are so close to the border that Thailand SIMs work and Laos ones do not. You can buy a Laos SIM card in Huay Xai. However, you will only be able to use it for a small portion of the journey on the first day.

What To Pack For The Slow Boat In Laos

While onboard the slow boat Huay Xai to Luang Prabang your main bag will be at the back of the boat and be basically unreachable until you get to Pakbeng, then the following day until Luang Prabang. As a result, you will want to bring a day pack with all of your necessities to ensure you have a smooth trip.

Jacket: The mornings on the Mekong River can be foggy and cold. Until the sun really starts shining you may find yourself a bit cold. Bring along a hoodie or jacket you can easily take off. This can also double as a pillow for ultimate comfort levels.

Sunblock: If the boat is facing a certain direction you may find yourself stuck under the sun. Definitely bring sunblock to prevent yourself from getting burned. You are basically stuck in those seats for the journey so there is no way to move.

Sunglasses : It’ll definitely be worth bringing sunglasses along with you. The sun shining off the Mekong can be super bright so protect your eyes by bringing along a pair of sunglasses.

Toilet Paper: The toilets on the boat are not the best and trust me just bring toilet paper or wet wipes. This is something you should always carry in your day pack from Southeast Asia anyway as you never know when you could get stuck.

Snacks: Feel free to live on overpriced cup noodles. Though instead I highly recommend bringing your own snacks on board. I mean you don’t go on a road trip without snacks, so don’t do the slow boat without them either! There are shops down at the slow boat pier which sell a variety of nibbles.

Entertainment: Now I don’t know what you do for fun, but I presume it’s not taking a 2-day slow boat in Laos. Anyway best to take some sort of entertainment. Whether that is a battery pack to charge your phone, or some paper to write your adventures down in.

Unfortunately, there are no tables so I wouldn’t bother with cards, etc.

Where To Stay In Luang Prabang?

There are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing accommodation in Luang Prabang . From the impressive 5* resort, historic hotels, simple hostels, and locally owned guesthouses, you will find something to fit your budget and needs.

During our recent visit, we stayed on a quaint little side street minutes from the center and Mekong River. I fell in love with this little spot. There are a few budget guesthouses and nicer hotel-style accommodations available down this street.

Check out Villa Pumalin which has an indoor pool and beautiful wooden rooms starting at $30.00 per night.

FAQs About Taking The Laos Slow Boat

Where do you get the slow boat from to laos.

The slow boat starts in the border town of Huay Xai in North Laos. You can catch the boat to Luang Prabang from the slow boat pier.

How long is the slow boat from Thailand to Laos?

You will spend 2 days on the slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang with an overnight stop in Pakbeng. How long you spend on the boat depends on the water levels, though you can expect to spend 6 to 7 hours each day onboard.

How much does the slow boat to Laos cost?

The price is $20.70 / 430,000 LAK for the 2-day journey to Luang Prabang.

Does the slow boat to Laos run every day?

Yes, the slow boat to Laos runs every day. In the high season, you may find there are multiple morning departures.

What time is the slow boat to Laos?

The slow boat leaves for Luang Prabang at 10.30 am from Huay Xai. If you already have tickets then I recommend arriving 30 minutes prior. However, if you don’t already have tickets you will want to arrive as early as possible to try to book a spare seat.

The slow boat starts in the border town of Huay Xai in North Laos. You can easily catch the boat to Luang Prabang from the slow boat pier a short drive out of the town center.

Other Things To Do In Luang Prabang

There are plenty of awesome things to do, so much I recommend spending at least three days in Luang Prabang . It’s an awesome city with gorgeous landscapes, some of Laos best waterfalls , and delicious food.

Ready For The Slow Boat To Luang Prabang

Now you have read absolutely everything you need to know about taking the slow boat to Laos you should be able to do this 2 day journey with ease!

Don’t fall for the scams, snag yourself a comfortable seat and bring some snacks and your journey from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang will fly by.

LIKE IT? PIN IT!

Want more Laos Inspiration? Check out….

• 2 WEEKS IN LAOS ITINERARY
• BACKPACKING LAOS ON A BUDGET TRAVEL TIPS
• COST TO TRAVEL LAOS & MY TRAVEL BUDGET
• COMMON SCAMS IN LAOS
• BEST WATERFALLS IN LAOS
• CHIANG KHONG TO HUAY XAI: THAI LAOS BORDER CROSSING
• TAKING THE SLOW BOAT TO LAOS
• CHIANG MAI TO LUANG PRABANG TRANSPORT GUIDE
• 3 DAYS IN LUANG PRABANG ITINERARY
• BACKPACKING LUANG PRABANG TRAVEL TIPS
• VISITING THE LUANG PRABANG NIGHT MARKET
• WHERE TO EAT IN LUANG PRABANG
• BEST HOTELS IN LUANG PRABANG
• KUANG SI FALLS TIPS FOR VISITING
• THE BEST HOSTELS IN LUANG PRABANG FOR BACKPACKERS
• VISITING PAK OU CAVES: IS IT WORTH IT
• TRAVEL LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG
• BEST HOSTELS IN VANG VIENG
• THAM CHANG CAVE & BLUE LAGOON TWO IN VANG VIENG
• BLUE LAGOON THREE IN VANG VIENG
• BEST RESTAURANTS AND WHERE TO EAT IN VANG VIENG
• TUBING IN VANG VIENG LAOS
• VANG VIENG TO VIENTIANE
• ONE DAY IN VIENTIANE ITINERARY
• VISITING KONG LOR CAVE
• TAD YUANG WATERFALL IN PAKSE

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. So, if you click on it and purchase something, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you. As always all opinions are my own and your support is much appreciated.

Photo credit: “ Chiang Khong, Thailand 22 ” ( CC BY 2.0 ) by JamesAntrobus . “ The slow boat up the Mekong River in Laos ” ( CC BY 2.0 ) by DanSearle

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Tasha Amy is a true backpacker at heart and has been discovering the world on a budget since 2015. Based in Gisborne, New Zealand she will spend many months each year traveling overseas as a solo female traveler before coming home and sharing her adventures online with you.

53 thoughts on “ Taking The Slow Boat To Luang Prabang: BEST Tips 2024 ”

Hi, Tasha. Reading your post made me feel good because it reminded me of an old experience. According to the latest information, the slow boat stop has been moved to the south of Huay Xai. Your MyMaps map still seems to show the old stop. I hope you can take another look at it. (Of course, people will probably take a tuktuk or some other form of transportation anyway, so the chances of them making a mistake are small…)

Hey! The speed boat pier is to the south of the township, however the slow boat pier is where listed. A year ago or so a location popped up online called “new slow boat pier” near the speed boat pier, however this was a scam run by a local travel agency trying to get people to book with them.

Oh, my God! Sometime after the new bridge was built between Chiang Kong, Thailand and Huay Xai, Laos, I started to get information that the slowboat stop had been moved, and now a few sources were pointing to where I said it was. I don’t plan on traveling that way anytime soon, but I could have easily spread misinformation. (Even OpenStreetMap – which I trust because the local information is often quite accurate, you can check it out on Maps.me, etc. – has misinformation on it.) Thanks to you for correcting my mistake. (It was a good thing I asked you the question).

I loved the tips on navigating the markets and transportation in Luang Prabang! I was worried about getting scammed with all the tuk-tuks and taxi drivers, but your post set me at ease.

Thanks! What time of year did you go? Wondering if it’s cold all year round or specifically when you went.

Hi Tasha, thank you for your narrative for this journey. Wife and I will be doing the trip this coming February and was wondering who the company you used for the trip. Looks comfortable and sparse in the number of people on board. You mentioned $150 p/p. Assuming that was the cost when you traveled. Thank you again

Unfortunately the company is no longer operating post covid. If you are wanting to book something in advance Luxury Cruise Mekong or Luang Say Cruise booked through Mekong Cruise have options. For cheaper prices you may need to wait until you are in Chiang Rai / Chiang Khong / Huay Xai to shop around for a deal and be flexible with dates.

Just took this journey end of july 2023 after reading this guide many times.

Firstly, the price from the docks was ~430,000lak and from the hostel in huay xai including a tuktuk to the dock (which left ridiculously early and we ended up sitting on the boat for about 2 hours, welcome to lao time) cost 440,000lak. Found this out only because we hadnt found anything recent on the internet regarding prices and couldnt tell if we were getting ripped off.

We had beautiful weather and the journey involved meeting all sorts of foreigners, locals and kids who just jumped on at unmarked stops. Highly recommend buying a cooler and filling it with beerlao at one of the convenience stores in huay xai.

Pakbeng is a very charming town, with ~200 families who all know each other. Upon arrival we found a guesthouse with about 9 rooms available that were ~200,000 lak per night for 2 people. Cheaper than the 9-beds-to-a-room hostel on booking.com (it did not get great reviews from our boat buddies). There’s definitely more options in town than the apps suggest, so dont be too worried about booking in advance. The happy bar is open late and is THE bar in town. Worth a look and a few drinks over a game of pool.

The second day’s boat was more comfortable and less crowded, and knowing what to do, what to bring and how it all worked after the confusion of day one was nice. There scenery is good but just keep in mind the mekong is an incredibly polluted river. It is brown and full of plastic, and once you reach luang prabang you can see the difference between the small tributaries (with no plastic) and the mekong.

Speaking of luang prabang, yes, the boat drops you off ~45minutes from the city by tuktuk. The tuktuks do set pricing per person, so singles have to find a group (usually min. 4 people) or wait for the tuktuk to fill.

Luang prabang itself was beautiful, one of the most picturesque cities ive seen in asia.

Some people we met took the bus which was 18 hours straight of bumpy roads and they shared sleeper beds with strangers on the bus, so I’m not sure i would recommend this route. On the other hand, some people taking the boat a few days after us got drenched in non stop rain for two days and had a very different opinion of the boat journey, so your milage may vary.

Thanks for the comment! I have updated the prices in the article to reflect your recent experience for future travelers who may read this post. You have listed some good tips so thank you for taking the time to write this.

Enjoy your travels!

Do you know if this immigration point accepts e visas?

As Of April 11, 2023, Thai=Lao Friendship Bridge IV does NOT accept e-visas for US passport holders. However, it is fast and easy to get a visa on arrival. I recommend having you visa photos in hand to expedite the process.

Slow boat departs at 9.30h every morning (the ticket staff said its been like this for a year). We (and several other tourists) lost ours today thinking it was at 11.30h.

It is now impossible to get the first bus at Chiang Rai and arrive in time for the slow boat, so now this tiring journey will waste 3 of your beautiful days.

thank ypu for all the information. I have 2 questions. Firstly want to get the slow boat from luang prabang to huay xai in july but can only find out about the tour package ones and unfortunately they only run on a Wednesday and sunday. I can’t do either of those days. I cannot get information on the public boats what days they run? anyone know? Also I know it is rain season but how rain is that??

Took the journey today. Boats now seem to be running every day of the week. I saw multiple other boats packed with tourists. Mine was 95 percent full. Departed Huay Xei at 11 am. So its quite possible to stay in chiang rai the night before and get picked up between 6 and 7 am and still have plenty of time. Border crossing now quite straighforward. 40 dollars for the visa for most nationalites. The package i bought in CR was 1690 baht and included boat ticket and all transfers Good to book ahead for accommodation in Pak Beng i think. The hotels include transfers. I opted for mekhong guesthouse. Only 12 usd or so on agoda. Nice room with a view and decent food offerings for em dinner and breakfast. The first day voyage is from 11 am to 5 pm and the 2nd day 9am to 5 pm. For some reason the boat travels slower (10 knots) on the 2nd day for the latter half of the trip, instead of the average 15 knots otherwise. Lao sim cards work well most of the way. Thai sim cards have coverage if you’re roaming. Lao sim the better way to go. 5 days unlimited data for 200 baht. Noodles, snacks and beer on board, not much more expensive than on land. I wouldn’t mess with an ice box) . Large ice cold beers at the bar for 25000 kip certainly made a long slow journey more bearable. A pleasant journey all in all even for non backpacker types like myself in my sixties. Certainly a novel and cheap way of getting from Northern Thailand to Laos.

The very fast speedboat is way better. An absolute thrill and only takes 5 or so hours, with a stop in the middle for lunch at a restaurant on stilts in the middle of the river. You also change boats for the second part of the journey. I watched the slow boat people arrive while I was sipping a drink at a bar in Luang Prabang, it was the second night after we arrived having last seen them in Huay Xai. Probably best not to do this in the rainy season though as it’s more dangerous.

Hi Colin, Were you able to book the speedboat in advance from Chaing Rai or can you just turn up and find one. i am going in November and want to have the certainty of booking as only have a few days there. thanks. Julie

I am also going in November, on the 3rd. Did you find out if you can book this speedboat in advance?

Thanks for this intersting article! Regarding the public slow boat, do you know where we can find more detail on the hours of departure. I will sleep in chang rai the day before and I want to know if i have to rush to laos in the morning or if there are afternoon departures . Also do you recomend to book in advance.

I was just thinking the same!! We’re planning to do this crossing too and are looking for more info!

Hey! Departures are usually between 9am to 10am in the morning, the amount of travelers affects how many boats there are, but they usually head off around the same time. I would recommend staying in Chiang Khong or Huay Xai the night before, but not Chiang Rai. As far as I am aware there are no afternoon departures. I have stayed in both Huay Xai on the Laos side and Chiang Khong on the Thai side. On the Thai side we left at around 8am to catch the first bus across the Friendship bridge at the border, and ended up with about an hour spare before the slow boat departed.

Oh one more thing. I booked ahead for Pakbeng and we were all met and taken to our accommodation for free. Same deal in the morning, back to boat, no charge.

I completed the journey yesterday. The slow boat only runs Monday and Thursday at the moment. No private boats at all. There is a tour company in Chiang Rai called Kochaporn Tour who were fantastic. For 1690 THB you are picked up at your accomodation (6 to 6.30am) driven to the border, go through Thai border, tour guide meets you and gives a ticket for short bus ride. You are handed the Visa form plus entry/exit card for Laos. You then go through the various booths to be processed (all up, perhaps 1/2 hour) get on the tour transport to the boat. Easy……suggest you weigh up the cost but I think this option is pretty good value for money.

Hi Kate, thank you for this really helpful info from a recent experience! I will be doing something similar in October. Did this price include the fare for the slow boat journey, or do you pay for the boat on arrival at the dock? And did you pre-book any accommodation in Pakbeng or arrange that on arrival? Sorry for all the questions, any advice is hugely appreciated! Thanks!

For those buying your own slow boat ticket it’s currently 300000 kip per person and 80000 kip for a bicycle. As of 22nd Sept the boat only leaves on Monday and Thursday at 11.30 am.

Ahhh I’m convinced! It sounds looooong but great. Just to clarify, the journey you describe and picture above, is this the public boat?

Hey! It is a long day, but if you have done long bus trips it is no different, actually, it is better because the views here are awesome. Yup that is the public boat in the pics, though the majority of people on it do need up being travelers, with only a handful of locals who disembark at their villages along the river.

This is such a thorough and helpful post! Thank you so much. Planning on taking this route in October!

Ahhhh awesome! It’s so cool to see people traveling again, you are going to have an amazing time!

Hallo. Hast du diese reise im 2022 gemacht? Wir suchen hoffnungsvoll nach anbietern von luang prabang nach huay xai

Thanks for the good article. Do you have any recommendation for a private tour operator? Apparently, all the ones we contacted are shut down since the pandemic.

Thanks in advance!

Wow, these pictures are so cool. Just awesome. I also plan to go on a trip and I want to take a slow boat. This article helps me. Thank you very much for sharing your experience.

What month did you do this journey in? I’m looking to do it in September and wasn’t sure whether the fact that it is rainy season would affect my ability to do son?

Hey Chloe! I did this journey in February. Though as far as I am aware the boats run regularly throughout the year. I have heard that the boat trip is actually faster (and more bearable) during the wet season and after the wet season as the water currents are stronger, so in my opinion September would be a perfect time to do it. Maybe just spend a night before in Huay Xai to ensure you get onto a boat as its likely they do less trips per day in the wet season.

This post is so so helpful! I’ve saved it for when we do the same trip in April. Thank you!

I will be taking the slow boat in a few days and feeling a bit nervous! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I loved how well you described exactly how it went which is easing my nervousness. I am looking forward to the experience!

Hey Christina! I am glad you found this helpful! The slow boat is often made out as a horrible journey, though it truly is not! The ride is not as long as they claim (we always arrived at least one hour earlier than what the crew advised) and make sure you dont get ripped off by prebooking accommodation, you can get the same room once you arrive in Pakbeng for half the price! Let me know how it goes :)

Ooh, I’m planning to do that trip in the next few weeks and am so looking forward to it. Great post!

Hope it went well

I always love reading your blog posts and this one is no different! You have AMAZING photos like usual! And I will be planning my entire trip to Asia based on your trip. So I will be following in your foot steps. Looking forward to it! Hahaha. Perfect info, thanks!

Thanks :) I appreciate the feedback! If you have any questions about planning your trip let me know :)

Wow I never thought about taking the slow boat, looks like a cool and cheap way to get around. Cant wait to visit this area!

Wow! This looks super adventurous! Going to be in Chiang Mai in December. Now you’ve got me interested!

What an amazing adventure. i love that you took a risk and tried something very different and it paid off! The boat trip sounds so worth it and like it would create amazing memories. I also really appreciate all the links you embedded into your post. Happy exploring!

Was interested to read this because I considered doing it but really didn’t have the time so I flew from Chiang Mai to LP instead. I would like to do this sometime (even though it sounds like a mission with crazy Asia BS…as I fondly call it after being there 3 months). It looks like a memorable experience and so very SE asian. I LOVED Luang Prabang and hope you did too!

Wow, this sounds like a great journey! Thanks for the reccommodation! Saving it for my South East Asia trip next year

Thanks for your guide Tasha, I’m in Luang Prabang now and was thinking of doing the slow boat trip but after reading your article I’ve decided not to. I’m a 61 year old man who’s been backpacking since I was 18 so I’ve done plenty of hard travelling and know when I’ve had enough of it. It’s refreshing when someone is honest when writing about the downsides of a particular journey. I’ve no need to go to Huay Xai so after going from here to Nong Khiaw and maybe further north I’ll head down to Vientiane and Nong Khai in Thailand which I visited in 1988 before you could go to Laos.

Very interesting. Doesn’t sound too bad to me except for the toilets – I am not sure if I would be able to handle that. I also can’t believe how cheap everything is in that area!

This looks so much more enjoyable than taking the bus from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai (20+ hours, what I did!!) I agree the scenery on the river close to LP is incredible – with a good book to read and plenty of food (and not too much to drink!) this journey looks incredible! And definitely better than the bus ;-).

I actually had no idea there was a boat option to thailand! Thanks for this!

I didn’t even know this was a way you could travel from Thailand to Laos. Very cool! Although, I do think I’d probably be pretty stir-crazy by the second day. Sitting isn’t really my thing. :) Still, great way to travel, see pretty scenery, and do it all on a budget!

Yeah there are not too many overland options to travel between Laos and Thailand, though this is definitely the best way! It honestly isnt too bad, its just like taking a bus two days in a row!

Oh my word! What an experience! I love Thailand, but I had never thought about catching the slow boat to Laos… until now! You’ve convinced me :) (And, being a broke millennial scraping by in Sydney, your price breakdown of food and accommodation day-to-day is making me drool.)

Thank you so much for sharing!

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The Slow Boat from Thailand to Laos: A Detailed Guide

Taking the slow boat to Luang Prabang, Laos is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience that is the embodiment of slow travel in Southeast Asia.

Beginning in Huay Xai, Thailand on the Laos-Thailand border, the journey takes two days to reach the UNESCO heritage town of Luang Prabang , with an overnight stay in the chilled-out transit town of Pakbeng.

Expect to pass natural and cultural wonders, as a world largely unchanged over the past century passes by in stunning technicolor.

If you’re planning your own journey from Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, we strongly recommend this unforgettable experience. It was one of the highlights of our first visit to Laos and may very well be yours too!

With that said, there are pitfalls to be aware of and important considerations to take into account before taking the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

In this guide, we’ll cover helpful tips for arranging the journey, what to bring, what expect, tips for safety and security, and common scams (and how to avoid them).

Arranging the Trip in Chiang Mai

A joint ticket is the best bet for time and money, trip summary: northern thailand to luang prabang, laos slow boat itinerary, important considerations for your journey, misinformation, untruths, and “scams”, is the slow boat to luang prabang worth it, more reading for your laos trip.

We opted to arrange travel from Chiang Mai (Thailand) to Luang Prabang (Laos) via the Mekong River through a travel agent in Chiang Mai.

Contrary to logic, this seems to be the most common way of doing the slow boat from the Thai border, rather than trying to arrange the overland and river legs independently.

We usually prefer to DIY our journeys, but in this instance it seemed to make sense to purchase a joint ticket in which all transport and the first night of lodging were arranged by the travel agent.

You can also arrange the slow boat to Luang Prabang in Chiang Rai using a local travel agent or having your guesthouse arrange for you. Typically, joint ticket packages from Chiang Rai will depart around 5am for the Chiang Khong border crossing.

Looking for a Mid-Range Cruise Option?

You can now book a cruise from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang online in advance!

If you’re not too keen on figuring out all of this yourself, buying your ticket at the last minute, or wading through with the loads of misinformation we did (read on for more on that), MekongCruise.com offers a top-rated cruise covering the same route.

For most backpackers doing the slow boat, the  journey begins in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai and ends in Luang Prabang.

The journey typically takes a total of three full days from Chiang Mai by land and water, with overnight stops in Chiang Khong, Thailand and Pakbeng, Laos.

The Thailand portion is covered entirely by road (bus/minivan). After crossing the Thailand-Laos border at Chiang Khong, Thailand / Huay Xai, Laos, the remaining two day journey is spent on the Mekong River with an overnight stop in Pakbeng, Laos.

Here’s a breakdown of our three day journey from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang:

DAY 1 – Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong (Thailand) | Departed guesthouse in Chiang Mai around 11:00; stopped at a cashew factory/store for lunch (local food) and the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) in Chiang Rai for 30-40 minutes; Arrived in the border town of Chiang Khong around 15:00-16:00; Dinner at guesthouse and overnight stay in Chiang Khong.

DAY 2 – Huay Xai to Pakbeng (Laos) | Ate breakfast at 07:00 and departed guesthouse between 09:00-10:00 for the ferry to cross the river to Huay Xai, Laos; purchased Laos visa-on-arrival just up the road from the ferry landing and passed through Laos immigration; Departed on river boat to Pakbeng around 12:00. Arrived in Pakbeng around 17:00 and secured our accommodation for the night (not included in our joint ticket).

DAY 3 – Pakbeng to Luang Prabang (Laos) | Departed Pakbeng around 09:00, arrived in Luang Prabang around 16:00.

Important Update

Since 2017, the slow boat from Huay Kai/ Pakbeng to Luang Prabang no longer drops passengers at the main pier near the Royal Palace in the center of town. Today, the new terminus is located past the airport, about four miles up river from the town center.

Being something of a purist (read: masochist) when I travel, I was a bit disappointed to learn that current boats plying this route are quite comfortable and touristic.

Nevertheless, this journey still remains one of the top transport highlights of our time living and traveling through Southeast Asia.

After all, it is not every day that we get to spend two days floating down one of the world’s great rivers with no responsibilities but to take it all in and enjoy the ride!

While our overall experience was positive, there were a number of frustrations we encountered along the way, largely due to misinformation or lack of important details.

Here, we try and fill in some of the gaps in info we encountered so that you might be able to better prepare for (and rest a bit easier on) your own slow boat journey.

1. The Boats Leave When They Leave

The itinerary we were given and times we were told prior to departure differed greatly from reality.

For example, we were told that we would be picked up in Chiang Mai between 10:00 and 10:30, but it ended up being closer to 11:30 and some of our crew had to wait until noon as our minivan made its rounds picking other passengers up.

The travel agent also told us that the slow boat would leave Huay Xai at 09:00, but ours ended up leaving closer to noon. The boat basically leaves when the boat leaves. I wouldn’t believe anyone who says otherwise.

On the bright side, while frustrating, it does prepare you for the laid back sabai sabai culture you’re bound to encounter traveling through Laos.

2. Journey Time Estimates Can Vary Considerably

We were also told that it would take seven hours to get from Huy Xai to Pakbeng on the first day of the boat journey, and 10 hours to get from Pakbeng to Luang Prabang on the second day.

This was a drastic over-estimation compared to our actual experience.

We think this may have had something to do with the speed of the river this time of year (we took the slow boat in late October, which was right on the heels of the rainy season—very high and very fast with the current).

3. The “Slow Boat” Actually Goes Pretty Fast

Something else to take into consideration is that, regardless of being called the “slow boat” it can be quite the speedy trip, especially if it is the rainy season and the waters are running high.

In the rainy season, I wouldn’t take the boat expecting a mind-numbing lazy amble down the Mighty Mekong. We found the boat refreshingly swift, yet never felt it was anything close to dangerous.

The journey is likely referred to as the “slow boat” to differentiate it from the other travel option: the very aptly named “fast boat” which we saw on a number of occasions buzzing by at lightning speed dodging barely visible boulders, logs, and other craziness.

The fast boat covers the same amount of distance as the two-day slow boat journey but in a matter of hours.

However, the time saved with the fast boat comes at a price and Pakbeng is full of local residents with tales to tell of grizzly accidents.

4. To Cushion or Not to Cushion?

Prior to buying our tickets in Chiang Mai, a handful of other travelers urged us to buy seat cushions for the long trip claiming that the slow boat seats were wooden benches and became extremely uncomfortable after several hours of traveling.

We also heard from a number of other travelers that the bench seats on the slow boat were a thing of the past and now all boats were outfitted with comfy airline-style (read: minivan) seating.

Turns out, both camps were correct.

The day we departed from Huay Xai, two boats made the journey.

We were on the first boat, which was outfitted entirely with seats transplanted straight from a couple dozen minivans. They were indeed quite comfortable and far more luxurious than we had expected.

However, the second boat, which left right after us, was not outfitted in this way — most of those passengers made the journey on wooden benches or even on the floor.

Not sure of which type of seating we could expect — and being the chronically frugal travelers we are — we thought we’d split the difference and buy one cushion that we both could share back and forth (they were sold at our guesthouse in Chiang Khong).

As we found ourselves with comfy seats on the second day as well, we didn’t end up needing the cushion after all.

But my feeling on the matter is that as long as guesthouses are selling the cushions in Huy Xai then there’s a chance that some of the boats running the route are still outfitted with wooden benches.

5. “Assigned” Seats

Something else worth noting is that we were given assigned seat numbers on our tickets, but they didn’t seem to mean much in reality.

While there were handwritten numbers on small pieces of paper laid out on many of the seats the first day of travel, many of the other passengers did not have assigned seats and no one seemed to pay any attention to the pieces of paper.

We were some of the last passengers on the first boat out, but weren’t concerned about our seating options because we believed we had assigned seats.

By the time we boarded, however, the pieces of paper had been shuffled all around and we got stuck up in the least desirable seats on the boat — facing each at the very front of the long boat.

Being the last to board did have one big advantage — our luggage went into the overflow room where it was easily accessible upon arrival, while the rest of the bags were buried under a hatch.

This meant that we had a head start on securing accommodation when the boat arrived in Pakbeng and everyone else had to wait for their luggage to be unearthed.

With nearly all joint ticket transport that we’ve arranged through travel agents in Thailand, we again feel that we had been misinformed, but also flat out lied to, quite a bit with regards to the slow boat ticket. If you are planning to do the slow boat to Luang Prabang via a joint ticket from a Chiang Mai travel agent, here are some potential “untruths” and borderline scams to be aware of:

#1, Lunch is included

** FALSE ** The joint ticket generally covers dinner on Day 1 and breakfast on Day 2 (basically the two meals that are associated with the included guesthouse stay on the first night in Chiang Khong, Thailand). Depending on the company, they may also give you a small muffin and a juice box for a snack. If they tell you you get a lunch, this may be your experience as well. Plan accordingly.

#2, Arrival and departure times are set in stone

** FALSE **  Take all times given with a grain of salt. Factor in +/- 2 hours.

#3, Boats only have hard wooden bench seats

** FALSE **  Don’t necessarily believe your fixer/guide when s/he tells you the boats all have bench seats while s/he is holding a cushion for sale in his hand.

Yes, the cushion is insurance, but out of all of the passengers we talked to only a small minority ended up on the boat with benches.

If it’s slow season, chances are good you’ll have comfy seats.

#4, Budget lodging in Pakbeng is booked up tonight

** FALSE **  Somebody at some point will probably tell you that all of the budget guesthouses in Pakbeng (the halfway stopover on the Mekong) fill up fast, or better yet, that they are already full!

Then they will probably tell you that the only accommodation choice you’ll have are expensive hotels which cost $50+ USD per night—so naturally you should prebook with him/her at Guesthouse A or B to avoid disappointment.

DON’T FALL FOR IT!!!

They will charge you two to three times the going rate when you would have had no problem securing cheap accommodation on your own.

Pakbeng is full of dozens of budget guesthouses and have far more rooms than even the busiest nights’ worth of passengers can take . Don’t bother booking ahead, just get off the boat and head to your guesthouse of choice, or do like we did and take a stroll up the main road and check out a few for yourself.

Granted, if you have a strong preference for a particular guesthouse, you should try and be first off the boat.

But even our place, which was a top pick, never filled up completely with over 120 passenger from two boats roaming about town.

#5, No food or drink available for purchase on the boat

** FALSE **  Your fixer/guide may also tell you that there is no food or drink available for sale on the boat.

While the selection was limited and prices were a bit steeper than shops on land, our boat had a variety snacks, noodles, baguette and a full bar with water, beer, soda, coffee, and hard liquor in the rear.

We do recommend bringing lunch and snacks which can be easily purchased at any of the small shops and restaurants on the main drag in Chiang Khong or Huay Xai and there are also a couple of really nice bakeries in Pakbeng on the main road.

#6, There’s no place to change money in Huy Xai before immigration

** FALSE **  There is an official money exchange kiosk in the same building as the visa official.

With that said, you’ll definitely want to come prepared with enough money for the Laos visa (currently US$50 in USD, EUR, THB, or LAK), as well as US$10 in Thai Baht or Lao Kip to cover incidentals, just in case.

#7, There are assigned seats on the boat

** FALSE **   As we mentioned previously in this guide, as far as we could tell, there was a half-ass attempt to assign seats for some individuals but the system is extremely flawed.

In a nutshell, chances are you’ll probably get a seat but it probably won’t be the one that has been “assigned” to you.

There’s also a potential chance you’ll be sitting on the floor on one of the days.

Our understanding is that it doesn’t happen much, but it happened to a girl we talked to who spent an extra day in Pakbeng and had arrived there the day before we did.

After all that, you may be hesitant to do your own slow boat adventure.

Don’t let the potential inconveniences and discomforts we’ve outlined discourage you from doing the journey yourself if you have the time. The benefits far outweigh the costs!

As we’ve said several times in this guide (we simply can’t say it enough), the slow boat was one of the highlights of our travels in Laos, and remains so to this day. The vast majority of other travelers we’ve met who have done it have voiced similar feelings.

You’ll very likely find that going the joint ticket route or piecing it together will result in quite the little adventure.

If you want to do a slow boat Mekong cruise from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang without the discomforts, uncertainty, and frustrations that come with the territory, a Mekong cruise to Luang Prabang may be what you’re after.

Whichever way you slice it or dice it, we highly recommend this once-in-a-lifetime river journey in Laos!

Around Laos

• 36 Reasons to Visit Laos Now
• Thakhek Loop by Motorbike: The Ultimate Guide
• An Insider’s Guide to Kong Lor Cave in Laos
• Backpacking Nong Khiaw
• Tham Piew: A Visit to the Jungle Cave of Death

Luang Prabang

• 16 Amazing Things to Do in Luang Prabang
• Tak Bat (Sai Bat) in Luang Prabang: Detailed Guide
• Vientiane: An Insider’s Guide to the Laos Capital
• 18 Best Day Trips from Vientiane, Laos
• 12 Offbeat Things to Do in Vientiane, Laos
• Buddha Park in Vientiane: An Insider’s Guide
• That Luang Festival: An Insider’s Guide

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Taking The Slow Boat To Laos: Everything You Need To Know

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The boat creaks under its weight as it rocks gently from side to side, cows and children wandering at the river’s edge under a perfectly blue sky. This would lull you to sleep easily if the heat wasn’t so oppressive and the engine wasn’t quite so deafening—and you weren’t sitting on a decades-old minivan seat transplanted onto a rickety wooden slow boat to Laos that glides painstakingly down the river.

Flies buzz and birds call lazily as the boatful of tourists makes its way down the Mekong River, a popular way to travel through Laos. Backpackers through Southeast Asia quickly learn the most established routes—which direction to travel, which stops to make, how long to spend in each locale. And when you’re traveling from northern Thailand into Laos, there’s one method of transport that has gained quite a reputation for itself.

It’s the boat trip along the Mekong River from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang, affectionately called “The Slow Boat to Laos.”

And slow it is.

A Different Way To Travel

As a backpacker myself in northern Thailand two years ago, I chose the slow boat route as a means to go from Thailand to Laos, my next Southeast Asian destination. So many people I’d met in my hostel recommended it, and it seemed like an adventure I was eager to experience. After a bit of research, I purchased a ticket from my hostel with two newfound-friends and hopped on a bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.

The two-day trip begins in Chiang Rai, in far northern Thailand. A minibus takes you to the border of Laos, where we spent a night in a questionable guesthouse with lizards invading our rooms and a very apparent lack of shops nearby. (Stock up on snacks and supplies before reaching the border!) To cross into Laos, we needed multiple passport photos that met their specific criteria and which our Thai guide helped us procure. After a slightly strange and very expensive photo shoot in the lobby of the hotel, he made sure we had everything we needed and left us.

That morning we were up early to get to the boat, and from the guest house rooftop in the early light of day, I first set eyes on the Mekong River—and fell in love with Laos.

Mist shrouded the surface of the river and empty boats swayed in the little waves lapping at the shore. The few nearby houses were eerily silent and the mountains beyond were cast in shades of purple and blue and gray. Before the chaos of the day began, I breathed in deeply and wanted to remember Laos this way—wild, peaceful, and free.

Another minivan picked us up at our hotel and brought us to our boat, docked not far away in a bustling little port. Shops selling chips and sodas and cups of instant noodles were busy with tourists hurrying to acquire snacks before the trip, and we joined the masses before climbing aboard.

I’ve been on many boats in my life, but none were quite like the slow boat to Laos.

This wooden boat was long and low, with open windows and musty old curtains tied to the sides. There were far too many seats crammed in, ripped and dirty, very clearly old bucket seats like the kind you’d find in a minivan. A few life jackets dotted the sides, and I wondered if there were enough for everyone on board.

So Far, So Good

At first the ride seemed fine, pleasant even, and I relished floating along the calm water, watching the children playing at the shore, spotting the cows wandering the beaches. But after a few hours, I couldn’t avoid the bathroom anymore and tried my luck—I found a filthy squat toilet in a tiny room at the back of the boat, liquids sloshing around and the need to hold onto the walls to keep myself upright. I survived, but as the trip went on the heat set in, the flies swarmed, the engine roared on, and I wished to be anywhere but on that slow boat to Laos.

Our first day ended soon enough, and we made our way to the little town of Pak Beng for our overnight stop. Before we arrived though, workers on the boat rushed to every guest asking if they had accommodation for the night, quoting ridiculously expensive rates for guesthouses owned by friends of theirs. Despite not having a room booked yet (the agency we booked through said we could arrange it when we got there), we felt wary of these offers and repeated our answer of no over and over again.

Of course, this turned out to be a mistake.

It seemed that somehow everyone else had already booked accommodation, and we realized that maybe we should have taken those offers on the boat, sketchy as they seemed. Hotel after hotel was booked solid, with nothing to offer us. We trudged up hills with our big backpacks growing more and more hopeless until we finally found one tiny room at an even higher rate than had been quoted to us on the boat. Desperate, we took it.

That night locals welcomed us to town at the local bar, decorated with Bob Marley paraphernalia and glowing green lights. Rum buckets and smokers were plentiful, and the night culminated with the biggest thunderstorm I’ve ever seen. Rain poured down in sheets and lightning flashed overhead as we ran back to our guest house, soaked and happy.

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The Slow Boat To Laos: Round Two

The next morning we’d been told to arrive at the boat early to ensure a seat, which we didn’t understand. But thankfully we did—because this boat was significantly smaller than the previous day’s, and the same amount of people needed to fit aboard. We scrambled to find three of the last empty seats and watched as the unlucky latecomers had to sit on their bags in the engine room, stuck in the hot sun at the back of the boat with the engine roaring just next to them. I felt grateful for my seat in the shade, and also angry that the owners of the boat could subject guests with paid-for tickets to such a difficult 8-hour ride.

That day proved to be a challenging one. A few hours in, I woke from a fitful sleep to the boat lurching and a big commotion—passengers screaming and locals hurrying to put on life jackets. As it turned out, the boat was caught in a rapid, and we came close to capsizing. Drivers were turning the wheel furiously (à la Titanic!) and there was real panic in the air. Luckily we didn’t capsize, but by then we were all ready to be done with this terrible boat ride.

Later that day, we arrived in Luang Prabang and there was a rush to get off the boat—everyone couldn’t get off fast enough. We walked into the steamy city without looking back, and were excited to explore Laos on solid ground.

Was it a beautiful, adventurous way to travel from Thailand to Laos? Yes. Would I ever take the slow boat to Laos again? No way.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me, but I’m glad I experienced it. Taking the slow boat to Laos is a gorgeous way to get off the beaten track, see the Mekong up close, and meet locals. If you want to try it too, here’s what I’d recommend.

• Be careful with your luggage. Drivers have been known to steal from the bags, so keep any valuables with you in your seat.
• Always keep receipts as you go. This is a good suggestion for any Southeast Asia travel, but especially when you have a multi-leg trip it’s important to have proof that you’ve paid at every turn.
• Bring your own drinks and snacks aboard—they’re available for purchase on the boat, but at a much higher price.
• Dress for the hot weather. Consider bringing a paper fan or battery-operated one. It is HOT on that boat.

Don’t:

• Listen to just one person’s advice about taking the slow boat to Laos. Do your research, ask around at your hostel or guest house, and make the most informed decision you can.
• Exchange all your money to Laos Kip. You’ll need U.S. dollars to buy a visa no matter which country you’re from.
• Take your time getting to the boat. Early is always better.
• Be afraid of traveling solo! There are so many people traveling alone and it’s easy to meet plenty of people who you’ll probably continue to see as you travel through Laos.

Suggested next reading:  Going To Vietnam? Don’t Miss This Essential Travel Hack

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Published by Ruth Clark

Ruth Clark is a solo world traveler, writer, empath, artist, and teacher. Her most recent essays have been featured in HelloGiggles and Women's Agenda, as well as within her own business, Ruth Clark Creative. Her work focuses on travel, wellness, and authentic living. Ruth earned a B.A. in English from the University of Connecticut, with minor degrees in Sociology and International Studies. In addition to freelance writing, she is an ESL teacher, hand lettering designer, and amateur photographer. With a passion for exploration and human connection, Ruth is currently living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. View all posts by Ruth Clark

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How to Take the Slow Boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai

A quintessential method of travel in Laos is to take to the water and travel on the Mekong Slow Boat. The vast majority of travelers will take the Mekong River cruise on the Huay Xai to Luang Prabang slow boat.  You can also book through travel from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang. We headed north on a Mekong river boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai slow boat (often called Bokeo) spending a night in Pakbeng en route

You can take the bus, it’s much quicker,  but this is “a thing to do” and so we were definitely doing it. Just the wrong way around to the normal flow of traffic. But that’s good because first of all there are fewer people and it’s still shoulder season, so there are definitely fewer people.

We took the budget route on the Mekong River north from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai and we really enjoyed it.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN  OUR DISCLAIMER

If you decide that the 2-day slow boat journey isn’t for you, then you can easily book a minivan to go from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai.  Check it out here.

Buying Tickets for the Mekong Slow Boat in 2023

We booked our Mekong River slow boat Luang Prabang to Huay Xai at Galaxy Travel Agency on the main Sisavong and paid 280,000 kip each.

2023: Galaxy are now located at Banpackam Village, Mekong, Taheume.

Mekong Slow Boat Tickets in 2023 now cost 490,000 Kip per person, including a transfer from Luang Prabang to the slow boat station and tickets for the boat from Luang Prabang to Pakbeng AND the boat from Pakbeng to Huay Xai.

All other places were charging at least 300,000 kip each, most more. Our ticket included a transfer out to the Mekong slow boat dock (10 kilometers from the city) and both days on the slow boat.

If you’re taking a tuk-tuk independently to the pier now it now costs 80,000 kip.

The trip started with our tuk-tuk collection from our Luang Prabang hotel, the Bellvue Bungalows.   It took a massively circuitous route to drop us at into the city where we piled into another tuk-tuk with 10 or so other folks (all bags on the roof) and THEN we set off. So we pretty much went around in circles for nearly an hour before we headed to the slow boat dock, where we arrived at around 0840.

Mekong River Boat – Buying Tickets at the Luang Prabang Slow Boat Pier

If you decide to NOT buy in town from an agency, then you can expect to pay around 15,000 kip to get a tuk tuk from your accommodation to the slow boat pier.  The Slow boat ticket price on the boat will cost around 110,000 kip to Pakbeng.  A ticket from Pakbeng to Huay Xai will cost around 110,000 kip.  You’ll need to be there earlier than those who bought tickets in town to ensure that you can buy an available seat.

There are no lunch stops on this trip, it takes a full day to head upriver to Pakbeng, so you’ll want to bring a packed lunch.  At Pakbeng, where you disembark after the first day., you find somewhere to stay for the night.  in the morning you head back to the boat dock to head north from Pakbeng to Huay Xai. There’s a small shop on board, where they’ll sell you a pot of noodles, coffee (3in1 only for 10k), and a bag of potato chips. Don’t make the same mistake that we did and assume that there will be someone trying to sell food at the slow boat Mekong river boat dock (there isn’t much). Take your lunch with you, buy it from Luang Prabang (and from Pakbeng on morning two).

Our tourist agency receipt was exchanged for boat tickets when we checked in at the slow boat dock.  There is a building, a floating pontoon, and a small shop selling expensive dry noodles and potato chips. There was also one vendor on the dock selling rice cakes. They weren’t good, although we did eat them.

Check out our recommended food and drink from Laos – they’re amazing.

Mekong River Boat Departure Time

The Luang Prabang slow boat departed at 08:55, about 75% full, half westerners, half locals who were dropped at various rocks in the river on the way north.

Luang Prabang to Pakbeng

On this option, the slow boat Luang Prabang to Huay Xai seating is free and open. The seats are old car seats.

They’re not bolted to the floor, so you can decide your layout.  Yes, that’s right you can move them around.

Some of the seats are definitely “back seats”, and some are joined front seats, which are bigger and more comfortable. Pick the MOST comfortable seat you can, because it’s a LONG, LONG day.

Be sure also to be in a controlling area for the curtains that you’ll need when the sun hits your seat. And if you don’t enjoy secondhand smoke do NOT sit behind a local.

Bags go at the back of the boat in a covered in area (we kept our valuables with us) – and you need to walk past the open engine to get there and back.

There’s also a basic toilet on board.

It’s a somewhat relaxing trip, although the river was running pretty full and some of the rapids that you transit are a little scary if you think about how fast the river is running and how big the rocks seem to be.

There’s not a lot to see. Or do. Take something to read. Some sunnies to hide behind, as you’ll likely snooze away a couple of hours like we (and the rest of the boat) did.

Mostly the entertainment is when the boat stops to offload the local Lao travelers, who’ve clearly been shopping in Luang Prabang. The boat pulls up to what looks like a random spot in the river, where there’s a rock. Or a sandbank. Or not really anything at all. The locals get off and just disappear into the bush.

Our slow boat didn’t arrive in Pakbeng until 17:40 on day one and it was dark. There were no “parking” spots left We milled around for a while until the skipper pushed his way in and created a spot and that was it. All we needed to do was hop off and find somewhere to stay. If you want to be sure of the accommodation that you get here, you should book ahead.

The southbound boats were already in, so all the reading we’d been doing in the  Lonely Planet   about places to stay would more than likely be a waste of time as we were probably hours too late, as no one had booked ahead, so we resigned ourselves to walking from door to door to find room at the inn.

Hotels & Hostels in Pakbeng

When we traveled it wasn’t possible to pre-book accommodation and I’m sure there will still be a room available when your boat arrives. However, if you’d like to pre-book and be assured of the room, its location, and its quality, then check book now, link below.

If you prefer to find something on arrival, then when you dock, touts or the owners of accommodation will be at the dock.  Agree on a price, and they’ll take you there.  We haven’t heard any horror stories or awful accommodation.

We stayed at the Syvongsack Guest House, ( Check Prices and Availability HERE ) who’d pulled their open-backed truck up to the dock, brandishing a laminated sheet with photos of their rooms, declaring 80,000 kip for a room. The truck filled pretty quickly.   A few minutes later, we were ensconced in a room with a private bathroom (without a bathroom was 40,000 kip).  There was free wifi available. Two beds in a clean room with a hot shower. Perfect.

Even better, the menu at the café downstairs looked typically Lao.  We started with large bottles of cold BeerLao then had dinner and headed for a VERY early night.  We ordered our next day’s breakfast and sandwiches to take with us on the boat before we went to bed.

Breakfast was good, the sandwiches arrived and we decided to walk down the hill to the boat dock. It really was just five minutes and we thought at least that way we’d see a little something of Pakbeng. Most of the places to stay and all the places to eat were in the opposite direction. As we left the boat dock, the road had forked and we had turned to the left to get to the Svyongsack.

Now we could see most of Pakbeng was to the right. No matter, we’d had a good night, eaten well, and also had a hot shower.

Pakbeng to Huay Xai

We found the right boat simply by asking for Huay Xai and were pointed onwards and grabbed a seat. Folks waiting for the Pakbeng to Luang Prabang south bound boat were lined up waiting to get on.  There were more of them than there were seats.. Ah, travelling against the tide with a pre booked ticket is good, really, really good.

And so, duly situated we pulled out. And spent another day on the river.   Again uneventful. Fewer locals this time, the same fast running river and big rocks.

We arrived into Huay Xai around 16:30, where again all the spots around the boat dock were taken.  Our boat nosed into the bank and had to clamber up and across a slope.  It’s a reminder never to take a bag that you can’t easily carry on your back!.

Huay Xai Mekong Slow Boat Pier

The Huay Xai Slow Boat Pier is a short way out of the main “town” and there were tuk tuks available.  However, after a second day of car seat coma we walked into the main town area in 25 minutes.. This was almost our final stop in Laos.

Huay Xai Hotels and Accommodation

Where to stay in Huay Xai depends on whether you are starting your trip from here (you’ll want to be close to the boat dock), or if you;re heading out on the Gibbon Experience, or just over the river to Thailand.  Here are our recommendations for where to stay in Huay Xai.

Houayxai Riverside Hotel Phonevichit Guesthouse

Ban khonekeo Ban Houayxay, Huay Xai, Laos

Situated right next to the Mekong Slow Boat dock, this is a great spot for an early start or a late finish on the river.

• Onsite restaurant
• Swimming Pool
• Double and Twin Rooms

Grab your spot at the closest place to stay next to the Mekong Slow Boat Dock in Huay Xai

Thaveesinh Hotel

Ban Huay Xai Neu, Huay Xai, Laos

Right next to the Gibbon Experience offics and a great location for bars and spots to ear in Huay Xai.

• All rooms with AC
• Private bathrooms
• TV with cable/satellite
• Wifi on site

Book your room now

Huaysay Riverside Hotel

168 Centre Road Ban Huaysay Neua , Huay Xai, Laos

• AC in rooms
• Private Bathrooms
• Good Location on the River

Reserve your room now!

That evening we headed to the Bar How for cold BeerLao, Lao salad and laab.

We have one night here in Huay Xai, for tomorrow we’re heading on the Gibbon Experience, where we’ll hike and zipline through the Nam Kan National Park, sleep in tree houses and hope to see the endangered gibbons of Northern Laos. > Find out about our amazing Gibbon Experience here.

Buying Tickets for the Mekong Slow Boat

You can buy a ticket from tourist agencies in Luang Prabang, this will usually include your 10km transfer to the slow boat dock. Prices range from 280,000 to 340,000 to go all the way to Huay Xai. You can also just buy tickets from Luang Prabang to Pakbeng. (you can take a bus from there, or get the slow boat the next day heading north or south).

You can also buy tickets at the slow boat dock. They cost 110,000 kip at the slow boat dock to go to Pakbeng. In Pakbeng, you can buy a ticket on the slow boat to Huay Xai (just get on the boat, get a seat and wait for someone to sell you a ticket). Tickets from Pakbeng to Huay Xai also cost 110,000 kip each.  A tuk tuk from town to the dock will cost around 15,000 kip.

Take the Fast Boat Luang Prabang Huay Xai

The fast boats are small canoes with a huge noisy engine on the back. They take 6 people.

You can buy tickets in Luang Prabang or at the slow boat dock – they leave from there. They only leave when they have either 6 people on board, or when 6 tickets have been sold. So if you’re in a hurry, you can buy all 6. The fast boats go straight through and get you to Huay Xai in a single day. Probably deaf, and hopefully not wrapped around a rock, but you’ll be there in a day.

Food & Drink on the Mekong Slow Boat

Take some food with you! Options are very, very limited both at the boat dock and onboard. In Pakbeng there are plenty vendors of sandwiches and snacks.

Arriving in Huay Xai

The Huay Xai slow boat pier is about 20-25 minutes from the main part of town – where places to stay, eat and drink are. Tuk Tuks are available, but the walk is easy and flat. You’ll find most places to eat, drink and stay near the Gibbon Experience offices.

Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang Boat

If you want to take this trip, then you’ll take a bus from Chiang Rai to Huay Xai and then join the slow boat in Huay Xai.

Are you sure you saw everything that Luang Prabang has to offer? > Check our guide on the best things to do in Luang Prabang to be sure.

Where to Stay in Chiang Rai

There are a host of places to stay in Chiang Rai – here’s our pick of the luxury places to stay in Chiang Rai, mid-range places to stay in Chiang Rai, and budget accommodation in Chiang Rai.

Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort (SHA Plus+), Chiang Rai, Thailand: The Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort (SHA Plus+) is a five-star hotel conveniently located in the City Center of Chiang Rai. All the rooms here at this top Chiang Rai hotel have air conditioning and WiFi. Rooms at the Meridien also include a coffee/tea machine, blackout curtains, a minibar, and a refrigerator, as well as free toiletries and slippers. There’s a swimming pool specifically for kids, as well as a garden, spa, and an outdoor pool at this luxury Chiang Rai hotel. Check prices of rooms at the Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort here.  

Laluna Hotel and Resort, Chiang Rai, Thailand: The Laluna Hotel and Resort is a mid-range hotel in central Chiang Rai. All of the rooms at this Chiang Rai mid-range hotel have air conditioning and WiFi, as well as balconies and minibars.  Rooms at this excellent-value hotel in Chiang Rai also have a seating area, air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a TV with satellite channels. Private bathrooms include free toiletries.  The garden here is also a fabulous place to chill out.  This is a great place to stay in Chiang Rai.   Check availability here.

Bed-Friends Poshtel, Chiang Rai, Thailand:  The Bed-Friends Poshtel is a budget hotel in the heart of Chiang Rai. All the rooms here at this fabulous budget option in Chiang Rai have air conditioning and internet access, they’re also soundproofed and have blackout curtains for a great night’s sleep.  This super Chiang Rai budget hotel has a bar, restaurants, a coffee shop, and also a shared kitchen and the hotel also provides complimentary drinking water.  See room rates here.

Our guide on what to do in Chiang Rai is here.

Travel Tips for Exploring Laos

• Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
• Get online immediately with an eSIM in Laos
• Book the best Laos tours and guides on Klook
• Here’s our guide to ATM fees in Laos
• Save money in Laos with a Wise debit card
• Read our Laos Transport guide here
• Here’s our guide to food and drink in Laos
• Book Buses in Laos with 12goAsia
• Book accommodation in Laos with Agoda

Final Words on Taking the Mekong Slow Boat

This is a fabulous adventure to take in Laos. Riding the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai (or the other way round), is a great slow way to see the countryside of Laos and make it part of your journey. And somewhat rather gloriously, still 9 years after we first took this journey you still can’t book it online.

We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using our affiliate links. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

ASocialNomad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases .

Sarah Carter

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19 thoughts on “ How to Take the Slow Boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai ”

• 19 comments

very interesting and informative to read. I was wondering how much insects there are on the boat? Like mosquitos and stuff? Thanks!

Hi there – we didn’t have any problems with insects – the boat is moving quite quickly, so its not like you’re stood still. Even when we got in towards dusk / dark on the first day it was no problem at all.

Thank-you! This is the first blog we’ve read with so much detail and from travellers who went up the Mekong! You’ve given us very valuable information which will help us figure out where we are heading.

Thanks, thats great to hear – let us know if there’s anything else that would be useful (I tend to add to the post when people ask specific questions and I think “oh yeah, that would have been good ot put in in the first place!)

Hello! Hope you are well. Just double checking, these are 2015 prices, right?

Hi yes, the ticket should show the prices that we paid. Current 2022 prices seem to be cheaper – around 210,000 to 220,000 not including transfers to the boat dock.

When did you travel? Someone in another web said that the slow boats are not working now

Hi there – we did this route in early November – it looks like you can currently book them – https://viator.tp.st/ELbGqToQ – but it also might be a combo of the wrong season and also pandemic related. Do let me know how you get on! Sarah

Hi Sarah we are in Pak Ou Luang Prabang province, I read the slow boat stop here, do you know if it would be possible to pick the slow boat up here heading north to Pakbeng without going back into Luang Prabang? Also we have touring bicycles is there room on the slow boat to put these?

Hi Christine – 99% certain that you can jump on there, this boat is used by locals as well as travelers. Best way to make sure you catch it is to ask at your hostel/hotel about the time and if they can help you buy a ticket. There will be room on the boat for the bikes, you’ll have to pay a fee (no idea what, but negotiate) and make sure you are heavily involved in the loading and storage of your bikes, you know what’s important with your bike, others don’t! Best of luck and do let me know how you get on! Sarah

Hello Just wanted to leave the note, that the prices increased a lot now. The ticket for one board cost about 200.000 kip now. So the two board cost 400.000kip together and the Tuk Tuk around 80.000 kip if you book through a agency.

Thanks Maria, I’ll update the prices!

Hello Sarah, first off thank you for this as this is the only post we could find for travel from LPon slow boat! You have helped us a lot!

We are here now and just purchased ticket for slow boat from Galaxy. They are very nice. Location has moved and is now located at: Banpakham. Village. Mekong. Taheume

The price now, April 2023, for a ticket from LP to Pakbeng and then continuing Pakbeng to Huayxai is 490 per person. This included pickup from hotel in LP to pier. They gave us two separate tickets: one for LP to Pakbeng and then one from Pakbeng to Huayxai.

Thank you again!

thanks Bri! Much appreciated, I’ll update the address and cost details

Hey 🙂 I’m about to do the same and ride the slow boat upstream. But I was wondering if the departure is every day or just at some specific days during a week? Thanks.

Hi – yes the boats are going every day. They’re transport for locals as well as tourists. Just buy a ticket from an agency in town. Galaxu moved, from when we bought tickets the first time, but details of their new spot are in the article.

Hey ! Thanks for that very helpful article, that’s great. We are about to do the same trip from Luang Prabang to Chang mai (end destination is there because of the flight).

So I know the first night is in Pak Beng. But then the second night before continuing our trip with the bus is either in Chiang Khong or Chiang Rai. What would you guys advice ?

Thanks a lot!

I would head to Chiang Rai – the white temple there is stunning.

Lovely to see this journey still happens this way. The seats look quite luxurious now – I did this journey in 2005 and we were sitting on plastic lawn chairs! Boat ran aground and propeller broke- journey took 3 days. It was wonderful.

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The Slow Boat from Laos to Thailand: What You Need to Know

• Post author: Emma
• Post published: December 1, 2020
• Post category: Laos / Travel Guides
• Post comments: 2 Comments

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!

What you will find in this article

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.

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

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.

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!

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!

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This post has 2 comments.

Hi Thanks for your informative reports. I am considering a visa run from Thailand arriving in LP on Jan 28; staying two nights, then taking slow boat to Huay Xia on Jan 30, arriving there Jan 31.

Are there any nice lodging you can recommend in PanBeng? I would not like to be at the mercy of guest houses upon arrival and take one without seeing it first.

Thanks so much for sharing. This has been very helpful. Especially since I was wondering if I did the right thing going from Laos to Thailand rather than the other way round. Keep on chasing wow moments!

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Slow Boat to Laos – 9 Great Tips Before Travelling From Huay Xai to Luang Prabang

21. April 2023

Destination The World

This post may contain affiliate links, where we may receive a small commission if you purchase something through following the links at no extra cost to you.

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Planning on travelling from Thailand and onwards to Laos? The best way of getting from Thailand to Laos is by far with a slow boat, travelling downstream on the mighty Mekong River. Taking a slow boat to Laos is one of the greatest experiences in Southeast Asia, and it will give you memories for life. This post will give you everything you need to know before you embark on this great adventure.

Wanna hear a secret? Well, it’s hardly a secret anymore, sadly, but the kind-off secret is called Laos. It is truly our favourite country in Southeast Asia, and compared to its neighbours, it is still relatively peaceful. But times are changing, and Laos won’t stay this way for much longer, so hurry up and go before everyone else.

It is not like there are no tourists in Laos. Far from that. Thousands of tourists find their way to Laos every year, so you won’t be completely alone. Popular destinations in Laos such as Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng will always seem somewhat busy, but it’s still much more peaceful here than in many places in Thailand and Vietnam. One of the main reasons for people not visiting Laos is that it’s a landlocked country, meaning you won’t find long white beaches here as you might expect, and want when you are travelling in Southeast Asia. To Laos, you come for nature, peace, calmness, friendly people, temples, culture and colonial-style small towns.

Taking a slow boat to Laos from Thailand is a popular way of travelling, and it is really a great experience to have. If you are travelling overland in Southeast Asia, you typically start with exploring some of the many things to do in Bangkok , like visiting the Thai Royal Palace (Grand Palace), before heading north, with maybe a stop in between to explore the temples in Ayutthaya and Sukhothai Historical Park on the way. From here many find their way to beautiful and vibrant Chiang Mai. Many want to explore some of the temples in Chiang Mai before heading to Chiang Rai and next to the Thai-Laos border for the slow boat adventure to begin.

TIP: Visiting Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai? Our posts of the best coffee in Chiang Mai and our Chiang Rai coffee guide will give you all the best places to find a great cup of coffee whenever you feel the need.

After travelling in Laos many will find their way to Vietnam to visit places such as beautiful Hanoi , Hue, Hoi An, and bustling Ho Chi Minh City or seek the tranquillity of the Mekong Delta. In Vietnam, you can experience one of the greatest train journeys there is, with the Reunification Express going between Hanoi and Saigon (HCMC). Alternatively, many choose to visit Cambodia, with a stop in places such as Phnom Penh, Battambang and of course at the temples in Angkor Wat.

TIP: Visiting Hanoi? Our post on the best coffee in Hanoi will show you our favourite coffee bars in Hanoi

But anyway, no matter where you go before or after, travelling the Mekong River on a slow boat to Laos really has the potential to be one of the most incredible memories from your Southeast Asia trip.

1. How to take the slow boat to Laos

Many travellers have the idea of taking the slow boat to Laos from Thailand, but actually, what you do, is that you take this boat in Laos only. You will travel overland to the Thailand-Laos border, cross the border, and from there take the slow boat on the Mekong River.

It might seem overwhelming, and too much stress to do this, but relax. It’s all quite easy and straightforward. Continue reading, and we will guide you step-by-step through the whole process of taking the slow boat to Laos. Or to clarify, how to take the slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang.

Below we will give you all the information you need to make this journey. We will show you how to get to the Thai-Laos border and how to cross the border into Laos. Furthermore, we will in detail give you all the information you need on the slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, like how and where to purchase your ticket, seating, food on board, accommodation along the route and the arrival in Luang Prabang. Keep on reading, and you will soon know how to take a slow boat to Laos.

2. What is the slow boat to Laos?

The slow boat to Laos is a daily boat running from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. Both of these places are in Laos actually, so it’s basically a slow boat in Laos only actually. It is called a slow boat because it compared to the much quicker speed boats, is much slower. The whole journey on the Mekong River takes two days, where you travel 6,5-7h on day one, and 8-9h on day two. The boat itself is a long, almost flat-bottomed boat with around 70 seats in two rows onboard.

It is also possible to take the slow boat to Laos for one day only. That means you will take the boat from either Huay Xai or Luang Prabang to Pak Beng, and from there travel onwards overland. Alternatively, you travel by bus to Pak Beng, and from there you can do a one-day journey on the Mekong slow boat to Huay Xai or Luang Prabang.

The Laos slow boat will make a stop in the village of Pak Beng at the end of day one, and this is where you will spend the night before you start on day two of the journey. The normal slow boat to Laos is a public boat, so you will see that not only tourists use this as a mode of transportation, although most of your fellow passengers will most likely be other travellers.

TIP: Don’t get tempted to save time by taking quick speed boats. They are very loud, and can due to their speed be quite dangerous. Over the years, several accidents have been reported, especially during the dry season. Also, the real experience, the slow boat to Laos is what you are looking for.

In addition to the public boat, there are also other boats travelling the same route, some of them sold as first-class or VIP boats. From what we could see, the VIP boats are exactly the same boats, only with fewer passengers onboard, with chairs and tables instead of only the seats offered in the regular slow boat.

You can take the slow boat in both directions, meaning you can also start your journey in Luang Prabang and travel upstream to Huay Xai and from there cross the border to Thailand, if you are travelling in the opposite direction of what we did.

Along the route, you will see a lot. Although not the entire journey is spectacular and super interesting, you will see beautiful landscapes and maybe more interesting, you can also see much of the local life along the Mekong River. It’s a great way to get an understanding of how important this mighty river is for millions of people living along it, from its start to its end.

The slow boat to Laos is best suited for adults. The boat trip on the Mekong River is long, and there’s not much for small children to do onboard. In general, we would say that this journey fits best for those who enjoy holidays without kids around. Teenagers could do it – as long as they have enough entertainment, but for smaller children, we would not recommend this trip.

3. Where does the slow boat to Laos start?

For this route, the slow boat to Luang Prabang starts in the small Laotian town of Huay Xai. Huay Xai is located just over the Thailand-Laos border and is the first place you will reach when you cross the border at this point.

Alternatively, you can start the journey in Luang Prabang, travel to Huay Xai and cross the border from there.

The pier in Huay Xai is located within walking distance just outside the centre of the town but in most cases, your ticket will include a pick-up at your accommodation, taking you directly to the pier.

4. Border crossing

In order to take the slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, you first need to cross the Thai-Laos border at the xxx border crossing point. The border town in Thailand is Chiang Khong . In Laos, the border town is Huay Xai . The departure and arrival procedures are carried out at the border crossing stations in each country, so not in the centres of the towns.

There are three steps you will have to go through before you can take the slow boat to Luang Prabang. Here’s a short overview of these steps, and below we will explain them in detail.

• 1. You need to get to the Thai-Laos border station in Chiang Khong
• 2. Go through departure and arrival procedures in respectively Thailand and Laos
• 3. You need to get from the Laos border station to the pier (or the centre if you spend the night)

There are buses or minivans going from nearby places in Thailand such as Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai. We travelled to the Thai-Laos border by bus from Chiang Rai. If you travel from Chiang Mai or other places, please asked at your guesthouse how to get to the border crossing in Chiang Kong.

TIP: Please note that the slow boat leaves Huay Xai at 11.30 am. If you cannot reach the border some hours prior to that, you will have to spend the night in Huay Xai and catch the boat the next day. By taking the first bus in the morning from Chiang Rai, you should be able to catch the boat the same day, but in case it takes longer at the border or get to the pier you might miss it. Because of that, we recommend taking a later bus and spending a night on either side of the border, and then catching the boat the next day. The easiest is to spend the night in Huay Xai.

Below you can see how to get to and cross the border into Laos step by step:

• Take the bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong. The bus fare is THB 70 (to Chiang Khong) + THB 50 for the bus to take you directly to the Thai border station. The bus leaves Chiang Rai every hour from 7.30 am. The last bus leaves at 4.30 pm
• Go through the Thai border formalities. This is easily done, as you only need a stamp in your passport to get out
• Buy a bus ticket for the bus to the Lao side of the border – on the other side of the bridge. The bus ticket is THB 30. The bus over the Friendship Bridge leaves every 10-15 minutes.
• At the Laos border control, you can get a 30-day visa on arrival. Fill in the immigration card, and at the first counter, you pay THB 40 and give in your immigration card. At the next counter, you pay THB 1500 and collect your visa.
• Get a tuk-tuk from the border station to the centre of Huay Xai (or the pier if you plan to take the boat directly). The cost for the tuk-tuk should be THB 100, but if you are alone you’ll have to pay more. If you have the time, wait for more travellers to arrive over the border and share a tuk-tuk with them. If you stay the night in Huay Xai, tell the driver where you stay, and you will be dropped off there.

5. How to buy the ticket for the slow boat to Laos

There are different ways to buy a ticket for the slow boat to Luang Prabang. The most common ways are one of the following three:

• Book it via a travel agent in Thailand. Many travel agents in eg Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai offer this
• Buy it from your guest house in Chiang Khong or Huay Xai
• Go to the pier in Huay Xai and buy it directly from the ticket office there

As said above, it is fully possible to purchase your ticket for the Mekong slow boat in Thailand but be aware that it will come at a much higher price compared to buying it in Huay Xai in Laos. Also, many of the travel agents in Thailand will only sell you a slow boat ticket as part of a tour package for 2-3 days, including some activities and accommodation.

If are on a strict budget you should buy your ticket directly at the pier, but if you want to make it easier for yourself, the best way to buy your ticket for the slow boat to Laos is to purchase it via your guesthouse. All guesthouses in Huay Xai sell tickets for the boats. Buying your ticket at the guesthouse will cost a tiny bit more than directly at the pier, but the difference isn’t very big.

To be sure you get a seat on the boat, we do recommend buying your ticket the day before you want to travel. If you don’t buy your ticket the day before, you should head to the pier as early as 7 am to line up for when the ticket office opens at 8 am. There can often be a long line, so do get there early. Make sure that you purchase a ticket valid for both days.

Also, ask for a seat as much towards the front of the boat as possible when you book your ticket. The front is much better as the loud engine is in the back of the boat.

6. How much does the slow boat to Luang Prabang cost?

If you purchase a tour package in Thailand, you can expect to pay everything from €50-100/ $55-110 If you do this, make sure it includes all accommodation and transfers.

As of January 2023, we paid €18/ $20 per person with the slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. This includes the boat ticket only, for the public boat, but for both days of travel. We bought our tickets at our guesthouse, and as the price was already really good, we didn’t bother to go to the pier to buy the ticket directly there. We might have saved a euro or two, but for us that wasn’t worth the extra hassle.

The cost for the VIP boats is much higher, often around USD 80-100, and as we could see, not really worth it.

7. Where to sleep when taking a slow boat on the Mekong River

Even though this whole journey takes two days, you don’t sleep on the boat. At the end of day one, around halfway through the journey, you will arrive in the village of Pak Beng. This is where you will spend the night before continuing the next day to Luang Prabang.

Pak Beng (Pakbeng) is a small village but has a good selection of guesthouses and a few hotels. There’s also a decent selection of places to have dinner in the evening or breakfast before you leave. As the boat leaves early, it can be smart to book a guesthouse that serves breakfast so you don’t have to spend time in the early morning looking for breakfast options. Some of the guesthouses in Pak Beng also offer pick-up from the pier when the boat arrives in the afternoon. Check eg booking.com for guesthouses in Pak Beng.

8. Life onboard the slow boat to Laos

The whole journey from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is long. You will spend hour after hour on the boat without many options to move around. Prepare yourself before you go, so the many hours onboard won’t turn out too boring and exhausting.

The seats on the Mekong slow boat are comfortable enough, but after enough hours even the softest seat will start feeling uncomfortable. There’s a toilet on board, and although not very modern or comfortable, it works.

Your baggage will normally be stored at the back end of the boat. It can be difficult to access your bigger bag once stored in the back, so keep everything you might need onboard in your handbag and bring it to your seat.

A food stall sells snacks, instant noodles and drinks. The selection isn’t very big, so we do recommend bringing some extra food and snack with you on board. On day two you can stock up from one of the stalls in Pak Beng before departure.

There’s a roof on the boat, but no walls, so bring sunscreen in your handbag.

Along the route, you can see some of the local life along the Mekong River, but there will also be hours when not much exciting is happening. Prepare yourself for this and download music, movies or podcasts beforehand, or bring a book or placards to kill some time.

8. Slow boat to Laos – Arrival in Luang Prabang

The slow boat to Luang Prabang arrives 8km outside the city centre. After you have gotten your baggage, walk up the stairs and you will arrive at a small ticket office. Here you pay for your ticket for a tuk-tuk to the city centre. The drive to Luang Prabang city centre takes around 15-20 minutes.

Please note that this tuk-tuk will not take you to your guesthouse, it will stop next to the night market in Luang Prabang. From here you will either walk or have to take another tuk-tuk to your accommodation.

9. Slow boat to Laos – summary of practical information

There can be many questions regarding the slow boat to Luang Prabang, and the list below will give you answers to some of the frequently asked questions:

• The slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang takes two days
• Recommended to purchase a ticket the day before departure
• Day 1: Departure from Huay Xai at 11:30 am. Travel time on day one is 6,5-7h. Night in Pak Beng.
• Day 2: Departure from Pak Beng at 9 am. Travel time on day two is 8-9h. Arrival in Luang Prabang
• Assigned seat number only on day one. On day two people sit where they want. Be early at the pier, latest 8 am.
• Book your guesthouse in Pak Beng and in Huay Xai if you spend a night there before the boat
• Bring food, snacks, sunscreen and entertainment onboard
• The best seats are towards the front of the boat. The engine is in the back – and is very loud
• Make sure that your boat have life vests onboard

We are Matthias and Kent. With a strong desire to travel the world, we create articles and travel guides from our many trips. We aim to inspire you to explore the world, near and far. Maybe your next adventure is closer than you think?

• Adventure Travel
• Off The Beaten Path
• Southeast Asia
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Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang Slow Boat: Thailand to Laos. [FOR 2024]

Nic Hilditch-Short - Last updated on June 27th, 2024 at 9:57 am

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Here's the low down on the epic Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang Slow Boat from Thailand to Laos. Including how to book tickets and where to stay.

Backpacking around Southeast Asia is an amazing adventure, travelling through amazingly diverse landscapes and from country to country like a true explorer. When we discovered the amazing, picturesque and beautiful adventure that is the  Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang slow boat we knew we had to do it.

We always like to add to the adventure if we can, like when we bought motorbikes in Vietnam meaning that the method of transport is much more than getting from A to B, but an adventure in itself!

So instead of the vomit-inducing Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai (or reverse) night bus we decided to take the incredible two-day journey down the mighty Mekong on the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

It can be a little confusing to organise at first so we’ve put together this COMPREHENSIVE guide to taking the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang slow boat / Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai slow boat.

Quick Answers

Background on the chiang mai to luang prabang slow boat, information for buying tickets from luang prabang, thailand to luang prabang breakdown, day one: a stunning ride to pakbeng, more information: where to stay in pakbeng, day two: a relaxing trip to your luang prabang or huay xai, arriving in luang prabang from chiang mai, where to stay in luang prabang , where to stay in chiang mai, where to stay in chiang rai , cost, time, advice & summary, other options for chiang mai-luang prabang travel, book the ferry between luang prabang & pak beng here.

• Get your first ferry from  Luang Prabang to Pak Beng  Booked Here.

Book The Ferry From Pak Beng to Hua Xay Here (Close to Thai Border)

• Get your second ferry from  Pak Beng to Huay Xai  near the Thai border booked here.

Book Your Mini Bus From to Chiang Rai Here

• Book your bus from the  border to Chiang Mai  Here.

Book Your Mini Bus To Chiang Mai Here

• Book A transfer from the  border to Chiang Rai

Book A Bus From Chiang Rai To Chiang Mai Here

• Get your  bus between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai  sorted.

Book Accommodation in Pak Beng Here

• Grab a cheap  hotel in Pak Beng  overnight.

Book Accommodation in Luang Prabang Here

• Book some  budget accommodation for Luang Prabang  Here

Book Accommodation in Chiang Mai Here

• Get your  Chiang Mai Accommodation  sorted.

Book Accommodation in Chiang Rai Here

• Get some  Chiang Rai Accommodation  Booked.

Travelling from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang or Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai is one of those necessary long journeys whilst travelling around South East Asia.

The usual method for this region would be to just jump on yet another night bus and deal with the sleep deprivation the following day! However the route between the mountainous regions of Luang Prabang and Northern Thailand is notoriously steep and winding, the relatively short distance on the map is actually a vomit-inducing 18-hour trip.

We opted for a smooth and relaxing ride along the legendary Mekong river on the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang slow boat which can also be taken from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai using the exact same method but in reverse!

For us rather than another nightmarish bus the slow boat, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang was an experience in itself, in fact through our extensive travels in the region we’ve actually ended up doing this trip twice and I can tell you that two years later from our first time it’s actually got even better and only slightly more popular!

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Luang Prabang Here

Our Favourite Backpacks

Osprey Farpoint/ Fairview

We’ve used the Osprey Farpoint / Fairview for all our backpacking adventures over the past 5 years and highly recommend them!

The main area of the pack opens like a suitcase, which is great for using packing cubes to keep everything organised and they even come with a detachable day pack!

Don’t be tempted to buy your ticket from one of the agents in town, they will only charge you an additional commission for the Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai slow boat, especially if you are in Chiang Mai as the boat leaves from another town.

Instead, you can buy your tickets for the slow boat online and make sure you have everything booked.

Some of those on our boat who had paid upfront ended up having to pay twice as their full ticket had been taken off them on the first day and the guys on the boat have no confirmation other than your paper ticket. It’s something to bear in mind when organising the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

There are also many scams or just overpriced and oversold “boat trips” when the slow boat to Luang Prabang is in reality a local boat service. The slow boat from Laos to Thailand is a cheap and meandering way of travelling rather than fast, direct and expensive!

Whether you are going from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang or Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai its best to get to the docks early and buy your tickets on the day from either the small office or on the boat or alternatively buy online.

Book Slow Boat to Luang Prabang

Ticket buying process and getting to the docks.

Firstly what you need to know is that the Luang Prabang slow boat pier is now not in Luang Prabang centre itself but is around 10 km outside of the town. The boat from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai leaves in the morning at around 8 am and you should arrive at least an hour before to get your tickets.

You should take a tuk-tuk from Luang Prabang to the docks for around 15,000 Kip (£1.40/ $1.80) each. Asking your accommodation to book it for you the day before and letting them know it’s for Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai slow boat so you make sure to get the right price and not miss your boat.

• In this direction (from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai) it is much simpler as the boat leaves from just outside the town and there is an office at the docks selling the tickets.
• You won’t buy a ticket for the Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai slow boat but instead two tickets, one for each day:
• You will buy your first ticket at the docks in “Luang Prabang” (10km outside!) to Pak Beng and it should cost you 110,000 Kip (£10/ $13)
• The ticket for the second boat from Pak Beng to Huay Xai will cost 110,000 Kip (£10/ $13) and you buy in on the boat itself. 
• There is also the option of paying around 320,000 Kip (£29.40 / $37.70) for the Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai speedboat all the way in one day, however, these are notoriously dangerous and uncomfortable. If you see a small thin boat fly past you at speed whilst all the occupants are bobbing up and down with full-face helmets, then that’s the Speed boat from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang!

The BEST Way To Book Your Transport!

12go Transport Online Booking

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At The Roaming Renegades we love 12Go and trust them for all our bookings.

Buying tickets from Chiang Mai & Getting to Chiang Khong/ Huay Xai

One thing to consider when coming from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang is that the actual boat leaves from another town a few hours away. So really the boat from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang isn’t quite the whole way!

You will have to first take the local bus from Chiang Mai to the small border town of Chiang Khong in Thailand. Then you cross the border into Laos and take a cheap tuk-tuk to Huay Xai where the Mekong river slow boat actually leaves from.

You will need to stay overnight in one of these towns and get the slow boat to Luang Prabang in the morning, it’s best if you can stay in Huay Xai to make sure there isn’t a hold-up at the border or with transport. Remember there is only 1 boat a day and it leaves early!

So really the journey is Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang or Huay Xai to Luang Prabang on the boat. You will technically travel from Chiang Mai to Laos here before even getting on the “slow boat from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang” which really is the Huay Xai to Luang Prabang boat … not as catchy! 

• From Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai you need to get the local bus to Chiang Khong, these are very cheap, do this the day before you want to get the boat. This bus takes around 5.5 hrs and costs around 250 Baht (£6 / $7.70) for the standard class. 
• From Chiang Khong get a tuk-tuk to the Laos-Thai friendship bridge and border. Here you will cross over and pay a small fee for the bus across the bridge. 
• Take a tuk-tuk to the town of Huay Xai where the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang slow boat leaves in the morning
• Stay somewhere cheap in Huay Xai, expect to pay around 55,000 Kip (£5 / $6.50) for a room. 
• Buy your ticket from the docks/ on the boat in the morning. Get there early and ask at your guest house for the time of the Chiang Mai slow boat to Luang Prabang. They usually leave around 8 am.
• You will buy your first ticket at the docks in Huay Xai to Pak Beng and it should cost you 110,000 Kip (£10/ $13)
• The ticket for the second boat from Pak Beng to Luang Prabang will cost 110,000 Kip (£10/ $13) and you buy in on the boat itself. 
• You can also take the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang fast boat from here.

On the first day on the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang boat, you will head towards the same destination as the Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai slow boat and both meet up in the small town of Pak Beng.

On the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai, the first leg is the most scenic of the entire journey where the Mekong is encircled by an ever-changing mountainous landscape, tiny villages and lush jungle surroundings.

Sitting back on the comfortable seats with the breeze in your hair taking it all in is quite wonderful and takes around 8 hours.

From Huay Xai to Pakbeng the ride is a touch shorter but will still likely take over 7 hours and is more of a dress rehearsal for the amazing scenery on the next leg of the journey.

It is still a wonderful introduction to Laos and a nice relaxing day after spending the previous day getting to and across the border. 

 Over the course of the 7-8 hours you will also likely get to know the other passengers on board, many of which will also be long-term travellers and it becomes quite a social place too. We were also lucky that the boat wasn’t too crowded and so we could move the seat around for more space.

Arriving in Pakbeng

Arriving in Pakbeng you want somewhere to stay for the night. There is a rush of people all trying to figure that out at once when they pile off both boats going in either direction!

It is sometimes possible to organise somewhere to stay when you arrive at the docks but the best way is to organise something before so you are sure you have a place for the night. Once rooms start getting full then the cheap town can become expensive!

We got a private room with a bathroom for 50,000 (£4.60 / $5.90) for the night and we were taken from the dock up to the hotel in a truck and back to the docks again in the morning for free.

They also had breakfast for around 10,000 Kip (£0.90/ $1.20) and sandwiches you could have made to take with you on the boat for 10,000 Kip (£0.90/ $1.20). 

Eating in Pakbeng is also relatively cheap and there are quite a few options for such a small place. However expect to pay more than you should for things like cans of coke, crisps and snacks for the boat the day after.

If you can try and stock up whilst in Luang Prabang! The town itself isn’t the nicest of places and the accommodation leaves a lot to be desired, but it really is just somewhere to pass through for the night before heading off again in the morning on your Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai adventure!

Best for a Cheap and Cheerful Overnight Stay: Mekong Backpackers

Mekong Backpackers is a basic but comfortable and clean place to stay for the night with a terrace overlooking the Mekong River. It’s the perfect place to break up your Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang by boat trip.

• “American Breakfast” provided each morning
• Onsite restaurant
• Balcony and garden

Another Good Option On A Budget: Janh Ya Phone Guesthouse

Another highly rated family-run guest house is Janh Ya Phone which also boasts incredible river views and is a short walk into town from here too. We also loved the terrace where you can watch the sunset.

• A restaurant that overlooks the Mekong
• breakfast available
• a pick-up service

The Best Place To Stay If You Can Afford It: Le Grand Pakbeng

You’ve just spent 8 hours on a boat and you’re going to do the same the next day! So why not stay somewhere comfortable? If you stay at Le Grand Pakbeng you’ll be sure to leave relaxed and well-rested.

• Bungalow-style rooms
• Infinity pool over the river
• Terrace area

Search for other Options Here

At the start of the second day, it can be a little hectic at the docks. Your accommodation can sort out transport but it is only a short walk anyway. Here people will be crowding around and travelling in both directions.

It is important that you get there early, again the boat leaves around 8 am, and make sure you are heading in the right direction! Often you will be on the boat with the same people as the day before which makes it easier.

The Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai route does seem to be less busy than the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang boat for some reason too but either way the slow boat Mekong River trip seems relatively popular.

The Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang boat again takes around 7-8 hours and is again a stunning and fascinating journey down one of the great rivers of the world and the lifeblood of Southeast Asia. You get to witness everyday life on the river such as fishermen, farmers and their cattle and many stilt houses.

It really is so much more rewarding to take the Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai slow boat not to mention more comfortable than the bumpy bus! In fact, the boat from Thailand to Laos should be seen as more of an experience in itself rather than just a method of transport!

One of the coolest things we found about the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang slow boat what that the international border runs down the river for the last few hours of the trip.

This means that you will actually have been traversing in and out of each country as you meander down the river, it’s quite a nice feeling to know that on one side of you is Laos and the other is Thailand.

Often there are some quite noticeable differences which are fascinating to see and what makes the slow boat to Laos such a great trip to do.

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Chiang Mai

If you’ve taken the Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang boat this will be your last stop. You should know that the docks are around 10 km outside of the city and you will need a tuk-tuk.

Doing it this way you will probably pay more to get into the centre than in reverse as you can’t pre-book the tuk tuk and the drivers know how desperate you are. Aim to pay around 15,000 Kip (£1.40/ $1.80) each but expect to be approached with a higher figure and do some heavy bartering.

You could also walk some of the way and pick up a tuk-tuk from the road after the rush, after all, what’s a bit of waiting after two days on the slow boat to Luang Prabang! Another tip is to try to share with someone else, especially if you’re travelling alone, so you can slip the cost.

If you need a little more information for the Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai boat, then check out where to stay before setting off.

Best Backpacker Hostel: Sunrise Riverside Pool Hostel

As the name suggests this place is set right on the river where you can watch the sunset! It offers a great location to relax. It offers comfortable beds and great bathroom facilities.

• Swimming pool
• Easy to get to the city

Best Economy Hotel: On The Mekong Resort

This lovely bungalow-style wooden built hotel is right on the banks of the mighty Mekong. This hotel offers great well-kept private rooms in a heritage building for great prices.

• Balconies overlooking the river
• Beautiful terrace and garden
• Cooking classes

Best Place for a Reasonably Priced Treat: Muangthong Boutique Hotel 

The Muangthong Boutique Hotel is a 4-star hotel for a really reasonable price. This charming place is in a great location in a quiet area just outside the town centre, you can also rent bikes for free.

• Private balconies
• Spa and wellness centre

See More Options Here:

Book your accommodation.

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Every traveller loves themselves some awesome accommodation.

Whether that’s a kickass hostel with epic facilities, a luxurious hotel for chilling out or even a guest house or homestay for a unique experience.

Here at The Roaming Renegades we book any and all of our stays via Booking.com . We love their range of accommodation types, safety features and loyalty program.

Click the button below to find an unbeatable place to stay!

Book a Tour for Luang Prabang Here:

Arriving in huay xai and transiting into thailand and on to chiang mai/ rai .

Arriving in Huay Xai you have a few options, some choose to stay in the town overnight and continue the journey the next day. We took a tuk-tuk for around 15,000 Kip (£1.40/ $1.80) to the border as we didn’t want to add an extra night onto the journey.

You will first pass through Laos immigration and officially leave the country. (You might have to pay an extra 10,000 Kip fee depending on the time and how you’re border guard is feeling!)

Now you must take the shuttle bus across the friendship bridge for 10,000 Kip (£0.90/ $1.20) The wait is usually just a few minutes.

Then you will pass through Thai immigration and into the outskirts of the town of  Chiang Khong. 

Here you have a few options. The last local cheap bus from the border to Chiang Rai leaves at 5 pm, so if you have come straight off the boat you will likely miss it, seems like bad planning to me! We’ve missed it both times!

So you can either spend the night in  Chiang Khong and take the cheap bus to Chiang Rai the morning after for around 65 Baht (£1.50 / $2 ) or to Chiang Mai for around double the price. 

Or if you want to get to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai that night you will have to take a minibus. You will usually get enough people wanting to do the same route to be able to share the cost, the prices are set but there is some room for negotiation if there is a group that needs for example a bus and a car as we did.

Expect to pay around 350 Baht (£8) each, steep considering how much the local bus is but it’s comfortable and will get you there that night. To Chiang Mai expect to pay around double this.

The normal bus (Pretty much like a normal bus we get in the UK, not like a coach!) from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai should cost around 130 Baht (£3/ $4) for standard class if you want to spend a day in Chiang Rai first and see the White Temple and other highlights before heading on to Chiang Mai .

However, if you want to save some messing around and be sure to have a ticket for the bus and book ahead at least that morning. It’s easily possible to spend the morning at the white temple and around the city before getting the late afternoon/ early evening bus. It takes around 3-4 hours.

Best Backpacker Hostel: Baan Lung Poshtel

An incredibly well-designed and thought-out hostel where each room has been custom-built for comfort with hanging space and cool dividers for privacy. It has to be one of the nicest hostels we’ve seen!

• Close to the street food markets
• Communal areas are great for socialising or working
• Each bed has its own pull-out locker

Best Economy Hotel: CREW Hotel

A lovely and well-designed modern hotel that offers a sleek design and comfortable rooms. It provides a really excellent standard of accommodation for incredible prices.

• Restaurant, bar and cafe
• Close to Chiang Mai Gate

Best Place for a Reasonably Priced Treat: El Barrio Lanna- SHA Extra Plus

Another well-priced gem in Chiang Mai, the El Barrio Lanna- SHA Extra Plus is cheap for the level of service you get here. It has a real homely feel making this an ideal treat for those on a budget.

• Pool and gardens
• Free bike rental

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Chiang Mai Here

Book a Tour For Chiang Mai Here

Best backpacker hostel: connect hostel.

A great clean, contemporary and well-designed hostel close to the centre of town. It’s a perfect example of a modern boutique hostel. The hostel also offers free bikes as well as lounge and terrace spaces.

• Specially designed beds with curtains
• Spacious lockers
• Kitchen space with free tea and coffee

Best Economy Hotel: Blue Lagoon Hotel 

Situated right in the centre of town near the bus station this modern offering is a great economy hotel. It’s ideal for couples as the price for a double room is comparable to that of a bed each at an upmarket hostel!

• Sun terrace
• American and Asian breakfast

Best Place for a Reasonably Priced Treat: The Heritage Chiang Rai

Boasting “world-class service” and offering “celebrity treatment” it’s hard to believe the reasonable prices for this level of accommodation.

• Fitness centre
• Buffet breakfast

See More Options Here

READ MORE: See Our Guide To The White Temple Here

Book a Tour for Chiang Rai Here

The Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai/ Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang Slow Boat

Each day on the Laos to Thailand slow boat will be between 7-9 hours.

Depending on which way you travel and it could take between 2-3 days for the journey.

The Chiang Mai to Laos slow boat route takes longer due to travel time to the border from Chiang Mai itself and then because the boats only leave in the morning.

Travelling from Luang Prabang however, is quicker but more expensive as you can take a minibus from Chiang Khong to Chiang Mai the night you arrive.

• Day 1: Bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong (5.5hrs), tut-tuk from Chiang Khong to the border, shuttle bus across the border, tuk-tuk to Huay Xai. Spend the night in Huay Xai.  The main objective of this day is to get from Chiang Mai to Huay Xai and effectively from Chiang Mai to Laos. 
• Day 2: Tuk-tuk from Huay Xai to docks, boat leaves around 8:00 am buy tickets at the harbour and arrive early or book online. 7-8 hours on the boat. Arrive in Pak Beng and spend the night. Accommodation is easy to organise before you get there.
• Day 3: Get to the docks at 7:30 am boat leaves at 8:00 am, and buy tickets on board or online. Pak Beng to Luang Prabang 8-9 hours on the boat. Tuk-tuk from docks to Luang Prabang centre/ accommodation.

Book your bus here

Luang prabang to chiang mai summary.

• Day 1: Tuk-tuk from Luang Prabang / Accommodation to the harbour. The boat from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng leaves at 8:00 am, buy tickets at the harbour and arrive early or prebook online. Arrive in Pak Beng 8-9 hours later and stay the night. Accommodation is easy to organise before you arrive.
• Day 2: Get to the docks at 7:30, the boat from Pak Beng to Huay Xai leaves at 8:00 am, buy tickets on board or online before. 7-8 hours on board. Arrive in Huay Xai. Here you have three choices:

1. Take a cheap tuk-tuk to Huay Xai centre and stay the night before crossing the border and heading to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai the day after. Accommodation is cheap and you can get the cheap local buses in the morning. Adds another day but it’s cheaper. 

2. Take a tuk-tuk to the border, take the shuttle bus across the friendship bridge, cross into Thailand, and take a tuk-tuk/ taxi to Chiang Khong. Spend the night before heading to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai the day after. Accommodation in Chiang Khong is cheap and you can get the cheap local buses in the morning. Adds another day but it’s cheaper. 

3.  Take a tuk-tuk to the border, take the shuttle bus across the Friendship Bridge, cross into Thailand, and organise a minibus outside the border to either Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai. These are expensive for the region but can often be shared with other travellers and will get you to your destination on your second day.

Local buses are cheap and often between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai or you could book your bus here

Slow Boat To Luang Prabang Cost Breakdown

• Tuk Tuk to harbour to/from Luang Prabang 15,000 Kip (£1.40/ $1.80) Expect to pay more in reverse.
• Boat total: 220,000 Kip (£20 / $26)
• Accommodation in Pak Beng: 50,000 Kip (£4.60 / $5.90)
• Tuk Tuk to border: 15,000 Kip (£1.40/ $1.80)
• Shuttle bus over the bridge: 10,000 Kip (£0.90/ $1.20)

• Minibus to Chiang Rai that evening: 350 Baht (£8/ $10.70)
• Minibus to Chiang Mai that evening: 600 Baht (£13/ $18.40)
• Tuk Tuk into Chiang Khong: 100 Baht (£2.30/ $3)
• Accommodation in Chiang Khong: 170 Baht (£4/ $5) for a dorm, and 325 Baht (£8/ $10) for a private room. 
• Bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai with Greenway standard class: 130 Baht (£3/ $4)
• Bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong: Roughly 250 Baht (£6 / $7.70)

• There is an onboard shop selling noodles and crisps to each as well as beer, water, soft drinks and coffee. But it’s best to bring some food along just in case as some boats might just not sell anything! You don’t stop anywhere on the way where you could buy food.
• A great thing to do when you are at Pak Beng is to get your accommodation to make up a sandwich to take with you for the second day which a lot of places do for a good price.

• Bring a hoodie and some socks for the early morning or if it gets a bit too windy on board as it can feel chilly in the shade. Also, bring some sun cream for when the sun is on your side of the boat!
• Bring along a book or a movie or your Kindle as the journey is long but also smooth enough to write your diary etc.
• Bring a proper travel pillow so you can get comfy and get some rest, something I highly recommend adding to your backpacking Thailand packing list anyway.
• Get your camera out and ready, there are some beautiful scenes along the way! Also, make sure you’ve got a decent phone too for all those reels!

Our Favourite Travel Camera

For us the Sony a7 IV is the perfect travel camera. Offering incredible image quality, great portability for a full frame camera and a varied lens selection.

• Arrive at the dock early to get a good seat. The very front is usually where the locals sit as they will often be getting off at random places along the way and it’s usually wooden benches. The very back however is where the engine is and can be very noisy. Try to get somewhere in between on one of the bus-style seats.
• Take your time and don’t stress too much, this is the long-winded way to make this trip and can take 3 days, but it’s relaxing and enjoyable!
• Bring power packs for your phone as there isn’t usually power available on board. Our second boat did have sockets but they didn’t work!
• The boat is usually pretty calm being on a river but you should keep your valuables such as your passport inside a dry bag just in case! Be aware that the dry season is actually rougher and more dangerous.
• There is a toilet on the slow boat to Laos from Chiang Mai for those asking and it’s not too bad! Bring some toilet rolls just in case it runs out or doesn’t have any. In Asia, in general, is a always good idea!

If you’re wondering how to get to Luang Prabang from Chiang Mai or vice versa and you don’t think you will have time for the slow boat from Thailand to Laos then what are the other options?

You can take the bus which is an overnight 18hr ride through some winding mountainous roads. This is a convenient option as there is no messing about with staying over in different towns and several different methods of transport. All in all it also probably works out to be the cheapest option too as you don’t have to pay for overnight accommodation. However, if you are travel sick it’s going to be a long night!

Another quicker way when considering how to get from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai is to take a flight. This only takes an hour so cuts down a lot of travel time from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang.  Ok, you miss out on the Thailand to Luang Prabang by boat experience but you do save time! The flight from Chiang Mai -Luang Prabang will also be the most expensive option.

Have you ever taken the Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai slow boat or gone the other way from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang?

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Here at The Roaming Renegades we love Safetywing Insurance because it’s designed for nomads, you can buy it when you’re already abroad and it’s kickass!

Click the button below to get a quote on your insurance provided by Safetywing.

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Chief Editor

Nic Hilditch-Short

Hey! I’m Nic, one-half of The Roaming Renegades.

I have a passion for travel, photography, heavy metal music (particularly Rammstein), Arsenal FC, gaming, mountaineering and pugs (Dooku RIP & Billy)

I have a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Design & Art Direction before I started galavanting around the globe! So far, I’ve been to 68 countries in 5 continents.

I’ve spent 2 years travelling around Southeast Asia including travelling the length of Vietnam twice on a motorbike, visiting off the beaten track locations such as Myanmar and Brunei and seeking out adventure opportunities along the way like canyoning, climbing and mountain hiking.

I’ve also spent 6 months exploring Eastern Europe, again visiting more unusual places such as Moldova, Kosovo, Ukraine and the breakaway state of Transnistria. I’ve visited all but 3 countries in Europe whilst both backpacking and using the UK as a base to explore Western Europe.

I have also lived in Australia and New Zealand for a total of over 3 years whilst doing Working Holiday Visas. I called Melbourne and Christchurch home during this period and explored both countries extensively whilst using these as bases.

Get In touch: [email protected]

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39 comments

Hello! Thank you so much for sharing this!

Thanks so much for all of the details and very specific instructions on how to take the slow boat from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang or reverse. It definitely sounds like the best option as compared to the vomit-inducing overnight bus or the insanely dangerous speed boat.

I always thought taking a slow boat was just a phrase, I didn’t know there were such things. Thanks for an informative article including pricing, suggestions and your experience. I’ve stuck to Europe and North America so far in my travels. Heeding good advice like yours seems to be the ticket for travel in these more out of the way places.

Wow, what an adventure. Im not sure Im patient enough to be on a boat for 2 days but I can definitely see the appeal. Thanks for breaking the whole trip down for us. Im already in Southeast Asia so i must just do this one day!

You post is so detailed on exactly how to buy tickets, where to buy tickets and what to expect. I have saved this in my archives for future reference because the information is invaluable to first timers! Thank you for sharing!

Really enjoyed reading your blog post. Really impressed with the fact that you actually bought scooters in Vietnam! I’ve been there, and the traffic is so scary! You’ve definitely made the right decision taking the boat and not taking the vomit inducing bus!! That actually sounds horrific. And the views from the boat look great. I really liked how many details you wrote about getting tickets etc, must be quite daunting doing this on the spot.

What a great way to slow travel from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai though I would have to have a ton of snacks and things to do or Darcee would end up throwing me off the boat into the river…I get a wee bit stir crazy after a few hours. It is weird that you found The Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai route less “busy”. You would have thought it would have been the same. Personally, I think your stop at Pak Beng would have been a big highlight for me. There is something about experiencing a small village life in Thailand that just seems like the best travel experience ever!

Thanks for sharing about tips to travel to Chiang mai from Luang Prabang. I would also love to go by boat instead of bus drive through hectic and winding roads.

This sounds like a lovely, relaxing adventure after all sorts of other crazy excursions! I love the idea of just hanging out, enjoying the scenery, floating down the river. And you have so many useful tips!

This was extremely informative. I had no idea that it was a 18 hour route between the mountainous regions of Luang Prabang and Northern Thailand nor that the speed boats were that dangerous. It seems like you definitely did your research and picked the best options. Slow boats for the win! 🙂

I really like this idea a lot, but I wanted to clarify – you’re really just going by boat from Thai border at Huay Xai to Luang Prabang? The section from Chiang Mai to border is on land?

What an amazing write up, so informative and helpful and style is lucid too.

Thanks so much for such detailed information, I’m looking to do this in a couple of weeks from Luang Prabang. Just curious.. you say no stops on one of the days.. does that mean there is a toilet on board both days boats?

Hey. No worries at all. There are essentially no stops at all either day, however there might be some drop offs and pick ups here and there, but you can’t get off usually. However, there are toilets on board both days, as I remember they weren’t too bad either but I would always recommend carrying some toilet roll around with you in Asia anyway!!

This was a fun ride guys. We took this slow boat a few years ago. Serene experience.

Cheers! Yeah it was such a better experience than taking yet another bus!!

I was going to say you didn’t mention the “poop factor”. But I see below someone mentions there’s toilets on the boat. Good to know because Spanky ain’t getting on no boat if there’s no toilet…

Ha ha, Yeah of course, if you have to spend all day on a boat there’s a toilet!

Great tips, love the motorbike idea!

Traveling by boat is my favorite way to travel. If I’m ever in Thailand again with a plan to go to Laos afterwards then I will be definitely taking the slow boat! Thanks for the great idea!

Great detailed post! By the look of the boat I was worried to see what I would like like on the inside, however it looks okay considering a third world country. I really love the detail you have gone into with no phone chargers on board and the toilet paper! I always have toilet paper with me or tissues! You never know when nature calls and there loo paper is out! Happy Travels 🙂

I loved cruising over Mekong especially because it separates the 2 countries and I find it super cool. When i visited last year I almost crossed it twice – on bicycle and by boat. It was a fun trip and your post reminded me of it.

Interesting! I would definitely rather take the slow boat than an 18-hour bus ride for sure. But it does involve a lot to get to the slow boat to begin with. I have been to Thailand but didn’t make it to Chiang Mai. I can’t believe those people had to pay twice, yikes! Great tips on bringing your own food and to sit in the middle!

I love alternative ways to get from one city to another, boats, trains etc. instead of flying! This is such a beautiful way to enjoy the scenery while getting to Luang Prabang. I especially love what you’ve seen in Pak Beng. Thank you for highlighting this adorable town!

What an awesome guide. Thanks for the tips on what to pack at the end. I always bring battery packs and dry bags for any boat ride. Totally essential!

I so regret not having visited Laos when I lived in SE Asia… now even more so! A slow boat with the locals sounds like a perfect way to take your time, see the sights and really experience the journey. Besides… a boat vs. a bus?? Is there really any competition?!

Absolutely awesome article. Very well written and informative. We’ll be getting the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai tomorrow – wish us luck!

Thanks dude! I know it can be a bit daunting trying to organise it so I wrote this to help people out, glad it did that for you! Hope you have an awesome and chilled time on the boat! Pretty jealous myself! ha

I never thought about this option but so glad that I stumbled upon it. I think I’ll do it in about a week from now (Luang Prabang – Chiang Mai) Do you know if theyrth “closed” any days ? Like weekend, holiday, national holiday etc. ?

Hey, thanks for reading the post and we hope you do end up doing the trip this was as it’s a great experience. I can’t say for certain but I know that Songkran (the water festival) is in a couple of weeks, double check the dates but I think it starts around the 12th, that I imagine will cause major delays in Thailand. I’m not sure if Laos celebrate a similar thing but I know Myanmar do as we were there for that so they might. That is something to be aware of but getting to Chiang Mai in time to celebrate will be perfect though! It would be best asking your accommodation if there are any other festivals coming up or full moon days which are often special days but with Songkran being so close you might be right until then. Weekends should be fine but just check if they use a different schedule, I don’t think they do as it’s just one a day for the slow boat but it’s best to check locally incase anything has changed. We found our hostel was pretty helpful for things like that.

Hey 🙂 Thank you so much for this article. I‘m a bit scared of being on a boat so I wanted to ask you if it was rocky ( like really shaky ) or of it was very calm.

Hey, no worries thanks for reading. The boat was pretty calm as its along a river with no waves etc. The only time it would rock a little was when another boat went past, usually the speed boats would make more of a wake than the slow boat and they are not very often. The boat itself is open too with no enclosed sections so you don’t feel trapped inside and you can sit right by the window. You can also see both sides of the river bank at all times.

TQVM!!! for the detailed itinary Luang Prabang to Changrai, When was this review doine? 2019? Eddy

Cheers dude. Yeah we did the trip in 2018 but we’re always updating the post with the most current information, though not much has changed since then!

Thanks so much for sharing your trip, advices and all the details! We are planning to take the exact same route in a couple of months and your article has helped out so much with our planning! Can’t wait for this boat trip :).

No worries at all! Hope you have a wonderful time and if you have any questions then don’t hesitate to ask. Nic

Your tips are invaluable for anyone planning a similar trip. The way you’ve detailed each step of the process is a testament to your thoroughness and care for your readers.

I’m Diane from Belgium.

Thanks so much for your article about the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai. It’s full of very useful information that I haven’t found anywhere else yet.

We are going to make that journey with my partner on 6th-7th July. We would like to reach Chang Mai. So you think it’s possible to to that in 2 days ? If we find a minibus to share ? Because then it’s quite a journey on day 2 right? 😀 Is there a way to find information and prices about that beforehand ?

Thank you so much and keep doing ! It’s great 👍

Hey. Thanks for your comment. We will be visiting Belgium for a few days in August!

It’s a long day sure, but it’s quite chilled for the most part until you arrive and need to take multiple buses/ tuk tuks/ border crossings, but it’s not too bad in all honesty. Yeah it’s totally possible!

Firstly. When you arrive across the border there will be heaps of people, both passengers, tuk tuk drivers and minibus drivers. It’s a bit chaotic but you can either loudly announce you are going to Chiang Mai if anyone wants to share the minibus or ask around if you’re not so confident! Another option is to approach one of the minibus drivers and then wait with the bus until it fills up. When things get quieter if you miss one but then if I remember rightly there is a phone at the border to ring another taxi company and usually a few members of staff around from the border who can help. But you shouldn’t have a problem as there tends to be more people wanting to go to Chiang Mai that night than Chiang Rai or anywhere else. If all else fails you will always be able to get a taxi all the way, you will just have to pay the full fare. It’s expensive for Thailand but by European standards not too bad for the distance. The exact price you would have to confirm on the day as it can change so I don’t want to promise a price! Have a great time!

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New Details for the Thailand to Laos Slow Boat in 2024

Riding the Mekong River slow boat from Thailand to Laos is a one-in-a-lifetime experience…which I’ve done three times since 2017. My newest ride was in 2024, and boy were some parts of the journey different.

I’ve already written a complete guide for the slow boat in Laos based on my first two experiences. Many parts of the journey remain the same, but the pandemic also brought many changes, as did the new railway from China into Laos. Here are all the changes I observed, plus some additional tips to make your journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Table of Contents

Thailand to Laos Slow Boat Route in 2024

For years, the slow boat route was very simple for anyone wanting to travel without a tour company. Sleep in Chiang Rai , catch the 6:30 bus to Chiang Khong, take a tuk-tuk to the border crossing, samp out of Thailand, ride the shuttle bus across the Friendship Bridge, pay for your visa into Laos, jump onto a pick-up truck to the pier in Huay Xai, pay for the slow boat, enjoy your first day on the Mekong, spend the night in Pakbeng, and finish the journey to Luang Prabang by around 4:45 p.m. on the second day.

A huge change sometime around 2022 makes that route nearly impossible. Since the pandemic, the earliest bus leaving Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong is at 7:30. When I asked at the bus station, they couldn’t tell me why they no longer have a bus at 6:30. However, that means you might not make it to the slow boat in time if you take the first bus at 7:30.

The bus to Chiang Khong takes roughly 2 hours. Then it’s another 20-30 minutes on a tuk-tuk to the border. Getting through both sides of the border can take up to an hour, and finally you have a 20-minute ride to the pier where you’ll have to buy your ticket if there’s still room on the boat. That’s nearly 4 hours to get from Chiang Rai to the boat. As the slow boat departs around 10:30 to 11 a.m., you could make it if you left Chiang Mai at 6:30, but not 7:30.

So, in 2024, the only way to get to the slow boat before it departs is to hire private transportation from Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong early in the morning (which is expensive), spend the night in Chiang Khong or Huay Xai (each town has a few hostels and other accommodations), or book a tour package.

Price Changes in 2024

Easily the biggest change with the Thailand to Laos slow boat in 2024 is the cost. When I first made the trip in 2017 , my total cost was $34.50. The cost was similar on my second trip in 2019, but then jumped to $55.50 in 2022 (when you could still take a bus at 6:30). Had I paid for every segment individually in 2024, the total cost would have probably been closer to $100, factoring in the private transportation early in the morning from Chiang Rai, or overnight accommodations in Chiang Khong.

Individual costs along the route have also skyrocketed. For instance, my guesthouse in Pakbeng in 2017 was $3 for the night. In 2024, the exact same guesthouse (although with a new name) costs $23! Similarly, sandwiches for the journey are 2 to 4 times the cost.

Prices in 2024 compared to 2017

Strangely, the cost of the slow boat itself is actually cheaper. While the price has gone from 210,000 Laotian kip in 2017 to 400,000 in 2024, the massive devaluation of the kip actually makes it cheaper. In 2017, 210,000 kip was roughly $26, while 400,000 kip in 2024 is about $19.

So while food and accommodations are significantly more expensive in Laos, other costs for the tour are slightly cheaper. Most parts of the journey doubled in price locally, but due to the new exchange rate, the doubled price is still about 30% cheaper in USD.

Breakdown of Costs for the Thailand to Laos Slow Boat in 2024

In 2024, if you want to travel from Thailand to Luang Prabang, Laos by slow boat, it will cost roughly the following:

• Bus Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai: $11
• Bus Chiang Rai to Chiang Klong: $2.50
• Taxi Chiang Khong to the border: $5
• Bus across the Friendship Bridge: $1
• Laos visa: $40
• Taxi to the slow boat pier: $2.50
• Laos slow boat: $20
• Accommodations in Pakbeng: $20
• Food for the journey, plus dinner and breakfast in Pakbeng: $20
• Total cost from Chiang Mai: $122
• Total cost from Chiang Rai: $111

The total cost are nearly double what they were in 2022, and triple from 2017. You can see my previous breakdowns in my older article about the Laos Slow Boat . And considering how quickly prices are changing, I’m sure the trip will be even more expensive in 2025 and beyond, perhaps significantly more so.

Using a Tour Company vs Paying As You Go

As much as I was a fan of paying for each leg of the journey myself to save money, that’s really no longer an option and, surprisingly, not even the cheapest option anymore.

When I first talked about doing the slow boat from Thailand to Laos, it cost roughly $80 for a tour. Somehow, that price has dropped significantly down to about $40 per person. That doesn’t include the $40 visa fee. However, the tour cost does not include accommodations, at least not with the company I booked. So the tour is really about the same price as traveling each segment on your own – $40 for the tour, $40 for the visa, and $20 for Pakbeng accommodations.

So Good Travel Slow Boat Tours

The company we used in 2024 was So Good Travel , and I have no complaints. They picked me up early at the guesthouse, got us to the border with plenty of time to get our visa, smoothly organized transport to the pier, and organized our ticket for the slow boat. Strangely in 2024, the tickets didn’t include assigned seats as they did in previous years.

The bottom line is a slow boat tour to Luang Prabang is only marginally cheaper than paying for every part individually. However, the massive advantage of using a tour in 2024 is the transportation to the border in the morning. As the bus no longer runs before 7:30 a.m., you’re unlikely to make it to the border in time to catch the slow boat before it departs, without paying a fortune for a private taxi.

Luxury Slow Boat Tour

Apparently, there are also luxury slow boat tours down the Mekong in Laos. These boats are limited to a few people, or perhaps just a private tour for one family. However, I tried booking with a couple different companies, and they never got back to me. So either they were fully booked, or they have horrible customer service.

How Pakbeng Changed After the Pandemic

Another huge change to the slow boat route is Pakbeng, where travelers spend the first night. In 2017, Pakbeng was one street with a dozen or so guesthouses each with half a dozen rooms. The settlement also had one “hotel” used by the tour companies. When I got back on the boat on the second day, nearly every guest at that hotel had a horror story, whether it was about bedbugs, horrible food, or something else.

Pakbeng is not much bigger in 2024, but it’s more developed. At least compared to 2017. Perhaps I missed how big the town was on my first visit. Of course, slow boat passengers will probably only see the original small street leading up from the dock.

Pakbeng accommodations

A big resort to the west of the town opened at the end of 2018. The resort is now billed as one of the most luxurious in Laos! Of course, the price is a small fortune by Laotian standards. Still, I wouldn’t mind staying there someday, especially as a change to the other local guesthouses.

The quality of accommodations in Pakbeng could certainly benefit from improvements, even by third-world country standards. Don’t get me wrong, I fully expect bugs, thin mattresses, no hot water, and instant coffee when I travel to Southeast Asia. But it seems some of the guesthouses put no effort into the comfort of your stay, and are only there to take your money. It’s not to say they’re all bad, but it seems the good ones are the exception to the rule.

Surprisingly, the guesthouse I stayed at in 2017 is still there. Well, sort of. After getting so many bad reviews, they just changed their name and listing on Google Maps and booking platforms. Yet even the new branding is getting bad reviews. Another guesthouse, after getting as low as 2.4 stars on Google Maps, “moved” its location on the map into the jungle, and created a new location in the correct spot to start fresh with reviews.

Food in Pakbeng

Where Pankbeng really has improved is in the food scene. Maybe I just didn’t notice the restaurants in 2017, but the street leading up from the docks now has a dozen restaurants full of passengers every night. I wouldn’t say they are fancy, but they certainly give a local experience.

Salika is an Indian restaurant with decent dishes, but next door to that is the highlight of the town. Sabadee has the highest ratings, and for good reason. The food is very good quality, and the staff is super friendly. I was also mesmerized by the little kid dicing up the cabbage like a pro!

Luang Prabang in 2024 with the New Railway

Luang Prabang is one of my favorite towns in Southeast Asia to visit, especially with attractions like the Kuang Si Waterfalls . However, just like many other places, I would say it’s considerably different than before the pandemic. For one thing, they opened the new railway from China to Laos in 2021, and now the country is quite busy with Chinese tourists. I’m not saying that’s bad, but what was once a rather peaceful, quiet town is now busy and bustling.

For instance, hiking up Mount Phousi at night to see the sunset is one of the most popular activities in Luang Prabang. On my first visit in 2017, there were perhaps a couple dozen people at the summit getting great shots. In 2024, the crowd around the temple at the peak numbered in the hundreds.

Prices have also gone up significantly in Luang Prabang, just like everywhere else in Laos. Despite the crash in the value of the Laotian currency, I would now say Laos is really on par with Thailand, whereas I used to say it was considerably cheaper.

Additional Tips for Riding the Slow Boat from Thailand to Laos

I covered many good tips in my ultimate guide for the slow boat , which is still relevant.

When is the best time of the year for the slow boat?

The best months for the slow boat are January through March. That’s when temperatures are best, you’re least likely to be stuck in the rain all day, and the burning season hasn’t started yet. However, this is also high season, so you’re going to pay more for everything, and you’ll also need to book in advance if you want a ticket for the boat, accommodations in Pakbeng and Luang Prabang, etc.

Is the slow boat to Luang Prabang worth it?

Absolutely! I think the fact that I’ve enjoyed the slow boat three times now is a good indicator. I would say it’s one of my favorite activities in Southeast Asia, although perhaps three times is a charm. For a two-day activity under $100, it’s a fantastic deal.

How long does the slow boat from Thailand to Laos take?

The slow boat is a 2-day trip. A tour company will pick you up from your hotel in Chiang Rai around 6 am, and you should be in Luang Prabang by around 4 pm the following day. On average, you’ll spend about 6 hours each day on the slow boat, cruising down the Mekong River.

Does the slow boat to Laos run every day?

Normally, but flooding and other major weather conditions can cancel the boat tours. A new dam is also being built near Luang Prabang on the Mekong, so we’ll have to see how this affects the route and sailing schedule.

Further Reading

Planning to visit Laos? Here are my other stories on what to do there, and some of my personal adventures.

• Journal Entry: Putting Up With the Scams in Asia
• A Guide to Spending Three Days in Luang Prabang, Laos
• A One-Week Backpacker’s Guide to Northern Laos for a Visa Run
• A Complete Guide to Buddha Park – Vientiane’s Best Attraction
• The Blue Lagoon in Laos is Nothing Like the One in Iceland
• The UXO Museum Showed Me How the US Destroyed Laos
• A Full Itinerary for a Day at the Kuang Si Waterfalls
• The Ultimate Guide to the Slow Boat in Laos (pre-2024)

Hi, I'm Skye. Writer, photographer, adventurer, foodie, teacher, masseur, friend, dreamer, etc. I think "normal" sucks. Let's aim for extraordinary. SkyeTravels seeks to find the good around the world, focusing on adventures, food and wellness. Be inspired. Be yourself.

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Slow Boat Trip to Laos: Tips on How to Survive, What to Avoid

• Last updated: May 27, 2023
• Adventure , Asia , Destinations , Laos

Home » Travel Blog » Slow Boat Trip to Laos: Tips on How to Survive, What to Avoid

This blog post is about crossing the border from Thailand to Laos on a slow boat in case you want to experience something more adventurous. You can either book a tour via an agency or you can “rough it”, and take local buses and arrange all the transport and accommodation by yourself.

We opted for an agency, paid 1700 THB per person for a 3-day/2-night tour from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang in Laos. If you plan to do a similar trip in the future, you’ll want to read the official information, especially about what’s not included in the package. So, if you decide for more “secure”, traditional option as we did, here is an experience we would like to share with you. Read on to learn more details about slow boat trip to Laos!

Planning on combining traveling to Laos with a trip to Thailand? Check out our comprehensive travel guide  THAILAND INDEPENDENTLY .

Slow boat to Laos: detailed itinerary

Sleeping in a former prison.

Day 1 Morning pick up. Planned time: 10.00-10.30 Real time: 10.35

The minivan arrives, already packed with seven other people and ten backpacks. Luckily, we can just grab our carry-on luggage and put it in the aisle of the van. Forget big comfort here. “Baby won’t you take me, baby won’t you take me…” The best of the worst pop trash song is in the air. Oh, lucky Gianni with his earplugs.

After we stop for petrol, we continue until we stop at 12.20 pm at the local Full House Coffee. All purchases made here are NOT INCLUDED in the package. After 20 minutes of toilet break here, we get back into our minivan.

Wild fields, farmed rice fields, dried bushes and terracotta-coloured soil, old, yellowish billboards, shabby houses and 7/11 convenience stores on the road, which ruin this virgin countryside. Well, footprints of globalisation are inevitable, even in the villages you might not find on the map, apparently.

Stop in Chiang Rai. Planned time: 12.00-12.20 Real time: 13.55-14.35

We stop just in front of the famous, bizarre and magnificent White Temple. Since we have already visited the place, we just walk around and take some random pictures. Time for a small refreshment in the food stalls.

Drive: apart from the sharp curves and scary moments when the driver overtakes two trucks and one car at the same time and another truck is approaching from the front side, the trip by minivan is okay.

Arrival to our hostel in Chiang Khong. Plan time: 15.00 Real time: 16.35

What we saw in the agency’s brochure was a simple room with a bed. What they did not show us was a pigeonhole in the wall, a sink inside the room and a squat toilet with a “DIY flush”. The conclusion: we are going to sleep in a former prison. Good news: all arrested survive and are released the following morning.

The dinner is scheduled for 6.30 pm and IS INCLUDED in the package, but after we have seen the room, we prefer to find some food on our own downtown. In Chiang Khong there are a few street stalls with grilled local sausages, meat or salad, but most of them are closing as it is neither lunch time, nor dinner time. We find a nice, cosy Thai restaurant where we had a classic Pad Thai and some appetisers. Other popular options included a British or a Belgian pub.

Join one of the local tours in Laos:

• Luang Prabang: 4-Hour Vegetarian Food Tour on a Tuk-Tuk
• From Vientiane: Nam Ngum Reservoir Private Day Trip
• Luang Prabang: Vintage Tuk-Tuk Morning Tour
• Vientiane: Private Full-day Must-See Sights & Sunset Tour
• Luang Prabang: Guided Tour of Kuang Si Waterfall by Tuk-Tuk

Queuing and waiting mission

Day 2 We wake up at 7 am and wait for the breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast with jam, and coffee). Planned time: 7.00 Real time: 7.45

In case you need to change your money for dollars to pay your visa or you forget to bring your passport photo, you can do both here, at the reception of the hostel.

Departing for the border. Planned time: 7.45 Real time: 8.30

To arrive to the border is a 15 minutes drive. When we get there, we leave our departure card (pay attention: if you cannot show this upon departure, there is usually a 2000 THB fine. One guy from our group managed to bargain the fee down to 100 THB.) After that, we get on the bus and they bring us to the border, where we fill out the application form for the arrival visa and a departure card for Laos. We are queuing to give away our application form and photo to the person at one window, before we wait 50 minutes to get our passports back. The fee depends on which country you are from. We pay 30 USD for Ivana’s visa and 35 USD for Gianni’s.

Border crossing. Planned time: 8.00-9.00 Real time: 8.45-10.35

“I want you to smile in my country”

After we get our pristine, new visa, a “guide” appears out of nowhere. He gives us all the instructions on how to queue, where and why to wait for him and encourages us to order some food and water in advance for the boat, because “there is nothing around the pier, so make sure you order your meal now and I will arrange it for you”.

Well, who wants to stay hungry and thirsty for seven hours on the boat, right? We order a bottle of water just in case we finish the one we have. We already start to “smell” something fishy going on and we risk making the whole journey with only our cookies, rather than getting ripped off.

We arrive to the village where the pier is, and – surprise, surprise: there are three stalls that sell the same kinds of sandwiches. The price is the same as the price that the “guide” charged, just that he “prefers” one particular seller. We actually see preparing all the lunch packages for about 60 people. We follow the instruction and wait for our “guide”. In the end, we also buy some food from the stall and wait…and wait, and wait. And wait more.

Plan your trip to Asia:

• Bangkok Tips: How to Survive Your First Time In the Capital of Thailand
• Traveling to Laos: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
• Where to Stay in Chiang Mai: The Best Hotels and Neighborhoods
• Phare, the Cambodian Circus: an Art Therapy Session
• Where to go in Vietnam: Must-See Places for Your Vietnam Itinerary
• My Son Sanctuary in Vietnam: Tips on How to Visit It
• 9 Little-Known Things to See and Do in Laos
• Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City: Popular and Lesser-Known Experiences

When our “guide” arrives, he gives a clear and “friendly” piece of advice not to trust strangers in Pakbeng, the village we are supposed to arrive at that evening. We listen to the stories of people who have been robbed, unsafe guesthouses and upset tourists. “I need you to smile in my country”. Well, we are doing our best. So far, so good. He is so convincing that we book a room in a guesthouse he is showing us, pay 500 THB to him and off we go to board the boat. Well, where has our instinct gone?

Boarding time. Planned time: 10.30 Real time: 13.05

We sit on the relatively comfortable car seats, with a small table that we share with our fellow travellers, Carlo and Florence, another digital nomad couple. The engine starts its loud and monotonous symphony; the beers and whiskey bottles appear on the tables around, the smoke of the cigarettes spreads all over the boat (yes, you can smoke there and yes, everybody around us is a smoker)!

Once you look out of the boat, the scenery is just marvelous and you can (almost) easily ignore the pub atmosphere on board. Moreover, the natural beauty is by no means all the same during the cruise. We pass tiny, forgotten villages, fishermen, boulders, lush, green jungles and other boats.

As the time passes, we read books, observe our surroundings, sleep, and enjoy the feeling of pure travelling. For us, this is the real beauty of being a nomad, to absorb and enjoy what we see. Oh yes, and we inhale all the smoke that surrounds us.

In the meantime, life on the boat gets a bit crazy. There are still a lot of beers around (yes, you can buy them on board, along with instant soups, snacks, tea and coffee, which are, as you might guess, less popular). The smell of whiskey gets stronger and stronger and the skirts of the female backpackers get shorter and shorter.

The sun slowly sets and we just cannot stop being amazed at how peaceful and meditative the Mekong River is.

Without any stop, we approach the pier in Pakbeng, two hours earlier than the “guide” reckoned, but at the exact time as was scheduled in the agency. It is 17.00.

We look for a guy holding the same poster and name of our booked guesthouse. We find him. He is actually holding the poster with the name of the guesthouse, but as he explains to us, “the guy (read: our “guide”) uses my guesthouse pictures. Bad guy!” He checks the name of the guesthouse on our receipt and points to the other man that is already waiting for us and ten other people.

Honestly, we are not that surprised about the whole situation. We are just surprised that after having read about all the scams in SE Asia, we have done what they warn you about in all the guidebooks. Good news is, that the other guesthouse exists; we get off the track and check into a nice, warm, clean room. No additional fees required.

Pakbeng has many restaurants, usually with the same menu as in Thailand. Expect the price to be about 30% higher, though. We go to the first one that is open that serves hot food… and “hot” whiskey drinks for free. Well, we skipped the whisky, and the opium and the hashish the guys hidden in the dark streets offer us.

Join some of the local tours in Laos:

• Luang Prabang: Pak Ou Caves and UNESCO City Highlights Tour
• Mekong River: 2-Hour Luxury Sunset Cruise with Canapés
• Luang Prabang: Guided Tour of Mt. Phousi with Local Cuisine
• Pak Ou Caves, Whisky Village & Kuang Si Falls Day Trip
• From Vang Vieng:Tham Xang & Tham Nam with Kayaking or Tubing

Wild wind and sunrays on our faces

Day 3 Departure time. Planned time: 8.30 am Real time: 9.20 am

We are having a warm breakfast at the guesthouse (NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE) and then head down slowly to the village, finding the pier to take a good seat. We are taking pictures of the unique atmosphere and we walk amidst barbecue smoke, the smell of freshly roasted bacon, croissants, muffins and coffee. When we arrive at the boat, it is unexpectedly almost full (at 8.20 am); we are glad our travel fellows have saved seats for us. This time we are sitting on the wooden bench with some cushions in the middle of the boat, a perfect spot. Those who arrive late sit or lie either at the back of the boat, on the wooden deck with the brain-rattling noise of the engine, or on the cushions at the windy, front part of the boat.

It’s the second day on the boat and we still have not had enough of the views of the river, banks, villages and genuine locals that are travelling with us on the boat. We are also shocked by the captain who tries to come closer to the coast, or better say, closer to the rocks of the coast, to pick up some locals with their huge and fully packed bags of who-knows-what.

The first couple of hours are insanely freezing; we pull down the plastic curtains on the boat and we are saved from the strong morning mountain wind. As we continue the voyage, the sun goes up and the mood of the whole crew suddenly changes with the sunrays on our faces. We feel more and more comfortable and interconnected with the waves’ movements. Fortunately, today we sit far from the all-day-drinking-party crowd.

More scam, anyone?

We make six stops on the way to Luang Prabang, so the locals get off, or our captain and his assistant exchange the bags with the mysterious who-knows-what in what would have indeed been an intriguing movie scene. We finally arrive to the pier of the Luang Prabang province.

Planned time: 17.00 Real time: 16.35

“This must be the last stop before Luang Prabang,” we assume. Wrong, wrong. Everybody disembarks and walks up the hill to queue in a line of about 160 people to take a tuk-tuk to the town. Yes, that’s right, we arrive, unexpectedly, to a pier 10 km from the main one. With luggage on our back, after seven hours on the boat, who would argue and not just simply take a tuk-tuk for 20.000 kips (2.5 USD)? Not us. We hop on and in 25 minutes, we are in the famous square of the night market in the long-awaited Luang Prabang.

Heading to Asia? Read on!

• Where to Stay in Bangkok: The Best Hotels and Neighborhoods
• How to Visit Halong Bay from Hanoi, Vietnam
• Tam Coc: A Day Trip From Hanoi, Vietnam
• Things to Do in Chiang Mai: Your Ultimate List of Awesome Experiences
• Best Massages in Chiang Mai: Where to Get Yourself Pampered
• 9 Top Reasons Why You Should Visit Bali
• Things to Do in Taipei, Taiwan: Tips on Attractions, Food and Best Hotels

The town starts its daily night market routine with the local dishes and souvenirs, with hundreds of tourist around. We arrive to a beautiful mansion, where we see a bathtub in our room after three months of travel. Welcome to Luang Prabang!

A final word of caution to travelers. Remember to bring the following on the boat trip: the warmest clothes, a roll or two of toilet paper (better keep it in your pocket rather than in the bottom of your backpack), earplugs and a good book in case you know you cannot stand an awesome view and small boat adventures on board and on the coast.

Pack & travel:

• Vivobarefoot Stealth II: A Detailed Review
• The Best Carry On Travel Backpack: A Practical Guide
• Best Walking Shoes for Men: Top Picks
• Best Backpacking Tent: The Ultimate Guide
• Best Rain Jacket for Any Travel Needs
• Travel Accessories for Women: Best Items For Your Next Trip

Ivana Greslikova

• Published: May 28, 2023

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24 thoughts on “slow boat trip to laos: tips on how to survive, what to avoid”.

Uf, nice memories coming back from this trip. I made it 3 years ago and I can notice some differences: my boat was definitely worse with no tables and only a few seats which people struggled for… So if you weren’t smart enough, seating on the floor was awaiting for you for the next hours… Also the “pier” seem to have changed. We were dropped off in “official” pier in central LP, so no need for additional tuk-tuks. It seems that these laotian guys are starting to copy the bad habits from their (in)famous vietnamiese neighbours…

But other things never change, same noisy engine, same Pakbeng guys “offerings”, same scams, ups, that’s the nice thing about it, at the end you get used to it and even you end up missing it… But of course the best is that the Mekong is always the same, so peaceful, so relaxing, so authentic…

Enjoy your stay in Laos, it’s a nice country

Yes, we were also pleasantly surprised about the comfort, because in the videos and some articles we saw those simple wooden benches and limited seats. Oh, The “new” pier is just 2 months old, and apparently they do a very good business if you imagine one boat brings around 80 people and is not the only one per day. But, I do agree, that Mekong is just beautiful in any day time and we enjoyed those hours on the boat a lot. Apart from the party background 🙂

Have a wonderful time, Iñaki!

Slow boat, but really not THAT slow… I’ve traveled on slow trains in Europe that needed like 20 hours to cover 600 km! Can you imagine? That’s Eastern Europe. But it was great watching the scenery from the window…

Hi, Detached traveler, You do not mention the season and the countries through which you were travelling, but it happens in Eastern Europe that in winter, since the ‘snow dose’ is much bigger compared to the south, trains stuck or if there is an accident, you just need to wait, as in all the countries in the world 🙂 Also, if you travel from the country with the standard gauge rails to a country where they have the broad-gauge rails, you might wait on the border for a few hours, too. I am from Eastern Europe and I used to travel by train quite a lot, short and long trips, and with some delays, too. But is all part of the adventure 🙂 Have safe trips!

I take pleasure in, cause I discovered exactly what I used to be taking a look for. You have ended my 4 day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye

Thanks, Reinaldo. Enjoy your travels!

I did this trip over 5 years ago and loved it. I really enjoyed doing it again with your description and wonderful photos. Thank you.

Hi, Betty, many thanks for kind words, we are happy the entry has brought you some nice memories 🙂

Hi Ivana, I’m glad you wrote a post about this, because guess what: I recognised almost everything (I didn’t get the beautiful sunset, or see the elephant) I went through a few months back when I was touring from Myanmar to the Philippines, by taking the North way through Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. If anyone would ask me what was the most strenuous trip on my four month journey, it would definitely be the slow boat day ride from Thailand border to Luang Prabang. There wasn’t a seat for me, and when a seat did free itself, It was behind the engine that made a dreadful and deafening noise. The food was expensive and it was garbage. I was counting the minutes, seriously. And then upon arrival, we were kilometres away from the city, and we had to pay a few dollars to get there (I don’t know why I say, we; I was alone on this trip :)). Good memories in this post, thanks a lot. I like to have uncomfortable moments like these, because it just makes all the rest even better. Will be following future posts. I am currently in Chiang Mai, so I hope to meet you and Gianni tomorrow night at the travel blogger dinner. See you!

Ouch, I can hear that terrible sound of the engine!! Well, I am glad both we can laugh on it now, no matter how adventurous this trip was 🙂 Oh, did you get also into the prison? Talk to you tomorrow 🙂

Do you remember at all which agency you traveled with? Really not keen on risking it time wise haha 🙂

Hi Laura, the name of the agency is Wandering Star Tour, this is the address: 41 road, Phrasingh, Muang District Thailand, Ratchamanka Rd, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand Just a reminder: try to negotiate for a discount there and be prepared for some scams on the way to Laos, especially with the accommodation in the villages. The rooms are very different from the pictures agents show you in the boat or in the harbour. If you have any question, feel free to drop us a message. And happy travels!

Thank you Ivana for your informative post! I am currently trying to decide the best route to get from Thailand to Laos, and despite the downsides, a slow boat is looking like a good option.

Could you tell me what time of year you did this trip? Mine is scheduled for July/August, and I’m a little concerned about how the weather will be.

Thanks! Brittany.

Hi Brittany, thanks for reading! We did the trip ned of January, two years ago, and it was high season. July-August is a rainy season in Thailand, so less tourists, but you might want to check the weather conditions once you are in the country. Happy travels!

I have dreamed of this trip for years and I am about to make it real… We finally decided to avoid the tours and to organize everything by ourselves from Chiang Mai. Thank you for sharing your experience !

The slow boat is a great adventure, despite all funny things that you will encounter during the trip. Doing all by yourself is not a bad idea. You might meet many travellers who will do the same route but with an agency anyway, so you’ll definitely won’t get lost there 🙂

Hello Ivana, we are plannin to do this trip with 7 children (between 3 an 11) and a baby. what do you think ? possible or not ? many thanks, Claire

It all depends on many factors. Which season do you plan to travel? If it’s during a low season, there might be less people, backpackers and the trip can be quite pleasant adventure. Although, if t’s during high season, it’s usually full of travellers who like entertaining themselves with beers, alcohol and smoking on board. The boat is an open space, as you can see on the pictures, but still, if somebody smokes behind you for about 8 hours, as happened to us, it might be an unpleasant journey. Also, bear in mind there is no space for playing/running around for kids. You can stretch your legs and walk in a narrow alley between the seats, but no room for playing or whatsoever. I’ve seen a couple travelling with a baby but he/she was less than half year old. They carried him/her all the time on the lap in front part of the boat, sitting on the floor so that they avoided loud crowd and smoke in the main sitting area.

These are practical things to mention. The trip lasts two days and might be quite tiring so depends also how many adults would travel with the children. Personally, I would wait for kids being a bit older and get a half day boat trip on Mekong once you arrive in Luang Prabang 🙂 But again, this is just my opinion and you know your kids the best 🙂

Have a great time in Asia and you have any more questions, please feel free to drop us a message.

Great trip on the Mekong River

Thank you for a fine story. My wife and I plan to make this trip in january or February. Two quick questions: can we fly into Bangkok, then fly out of Bangkok three months later? Because (as I understand it) the visa for Thailand is only 30 days, we plan to leave the country, then return for another 30 days. Does the system work that way? And where and when do you get your “departure card”?

Thanks for reading! The departure card: you’ll get one in the plane, before landing in Bangkok. Regarding visa: you haven’t mentioned which country you’re from, but Europeans (I guess also ppl from other countries) can arrive to Thailand and get visa on arrival that lasts 30 days, zero fee. You will need to leave the country after 30 days, then you can come back for another month (you’ll get another visa on arrival at the airport) and before that period finishes, you can apply for visa extension for another 30 days at the Thai Immigration Office. This will cost you about 2000 THB ($57 USD). OR: you simply apply for regular tourist visa to Thailand in your country (single or multiple entry). Hope this helps.

Hi enjoy your blog ,I am planning to do this trip early December from Chiangmai Mai . Please can you advise me how best to take trip doing it myself .

Hello Ivana, I loved every single detail of your post, it’s so hard to find bloggers who write everything about their trip and the pros and cons. So, I just have a quick question. I am really keen to spend 2 weeks in Laos the next January, but I am going by myself, so my question is: Do you think is it safe to travel as a solo (20 years old) female ? Thanks for the amazing post! Yasmin

Hi Yasmin, thanks for reading and your kind words 🙂 Yes, absolutely, Laos is a safe country to travel solo, with regular precautions like anywhere else in SE Asia. Happy travels!

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How to Travel by Slow Boat from Laos to Thailand

While you could easily book an hour flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai for less than $200, there’s something romantic about traveling the same distance over land and water. Although a slow boat in combination with a bus will take you close to three days to get from Laos to Thailand, you will save a third of the cost AND witness the true beauty of Laos by boat on the Mekong River.

In August 2019, I made the journey from Luang Prabang to Chiang Rai via slow boat and bus ride. The boat ride will get you to the Thai border, and a bus will take you the rest of the way to Chang Rai, Chiang Mai, Pai, or beyond. Below, find a complete step-by-step guide on how to travel from Laos to Thailand by slow boat including a complete itinerary, prices, and recommendations.

Right off the bat, you can expect to pay around $60 USD total to travel from Luang Prabang, Laos to Chiang Rai, Thailand. This price estimate includes the cost of slow boat tickets, tuk tuks, border crossing fees, lodging, and bus tickets for a solo traveller. This does not include food.

Note: While the route below is for travel from Laos to Thailand, this itinerary in reverse will also work from Thailand to Laos.

1. Slow Boat from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng

The slow boat terminal  is inconveniently located 20 minutes outside of central Luang Prabang, just north of the airport along the Mekong River. While your mileage may vary depending on the size of your travel group, I paid 50,000 kip for a private tuk tuk from Luang Prabang to the slow boat terminal.

You’ll find the boat ticket office prominently located next the the riverbank. In my experience, all staff working in the boat office spoke good English. Before buying my slow boat ticket to Pak Beng, I asked if it was possible to also buy the slow boat ticket from Pak Beng to the Thailand border. I was told this is not possible, so I just bought the ticket to Pak Beng for 100,000 kip.

As of 2019, the slow boat departs daily at 8:30 AM. The slow boat I took in August left 15 minutes after scheduled departure at 8:45 AM and arrived around 5:45 PM. In total, the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng took 9 hours.

The slow boat from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng had two rows of wooden tables surrounded by very comfortable seats on either side. The seats appear to be taken right out of a car or bus.

There is a no shoes policy on board the slow boat. Bags are provided for you to put your shoes in. Because of this, I recommend you wear shoes and socks.

At the rear of the slow boat are two private bathrooms with sit-down toilets and paper. In front of that is a sink with soap.

While I recommend you bring a sandwich, fresh fruit, and water on board with you, you do have the option of purchasing food and drinks on board. You’ll be on the boat for around 9 hours, so you’re sure to get hungry. Options for food are limited to noodle soup or potato chips. Drinks include Beerlao, soda, water, tea, and coffee.

Spend the Night in Pak Beng

Once you get off the boat in Pak Beng, locals will try to get you to stay at their hotel. I found that prices for guesthouses tend to decrease the further you walk into town. In either case, you’ll have plenty of lodging options to choose from in Pak Beng.

Prices for a standard room with no air-conditioning cost as low as 40,000 kip. I got my ice-cold A/C room for 90,000 kip at the Thip Phavan Guesthouse which included decent Wi-Fi and free drinking water.

2. Slow Boat from Pak Beng to Huay Xai

Continue your slow boat journey from Laos to Thailand the next morning.

According to my host, the slow boat from Pak Beng to Huay Xai departs daily at 8 AM. There’s no need to buy your slow boat ticket the night before.

Simply show up to the riverbank by 7:45 AM and buy your ticket on board. There will probably be other tourists doing the same as you. Just tell the locals that you want to got to Hauy Xai or the Thailand border, and they’ll point you in the right direction.

The price of a slow boat ticket is 110,000 kip from Pak Beng to Huay Xai.

While the second slow boat was bigger than the first, I preferred the first slow boat. The second slow boat had higher walls which meant you couldn’t sit in your seat and enjoy the views. In order to do this, you had to stand up and look around. Additionally, there were no tables on this slow boat, just similar comfortable chairs.

The same food was available for purchase. Again, what I did was pack a sandwich from the Ounhouan Restaurant and bought some fresh cut pineapple, mangosteen, and rambutan from a fruit lady on my way to the boat.

This leg of the journey took nearly 10 hours as we didn’t arrive in Hauy Xai until 6:45 PM. Although the boat was scheduled to depart at 8 AM, it didn’t leave until around 8:45.

3. Immigration at the Thai–Laos Border

Once you’re off the boat in Hauy Xai, a border town near Thailand, hire a tuk tuk to take you to the Laos Border Control and Immigration Office . This 12 km journey will take around 20 minutes. In a group, it should cost you no more than 20,000 kip per person.

Proceed to the immigration office where you’ll get your passport stamped to exit Laos. Since it’s probably around 7 PM by now, you have to pay a 10,000 kip overtime fee.

Next, you must pay for a 10,000 kip bus ticket to take you across the Chiang Khong-Huay Xai Friendship Bridge. There is no option to cross the bridge by foot. We had to wait a good half hour for the bus to arrive.

Please note that there are a couple of ATMs here that dispense Laos kip. In addition, you can exchange your leftover kip for a fair exchange rate when you buy your bus ticket.

While it was short, I found the bus trip fascinating. Since Laos drives on the right side and Thailand on the left side of the road, there is an interchange on the other side of the bridge where the road switches sides. Keep your eyes peeled—very cool!

The bus will drive a short distance and drop you off at the Chiang Khong Immigration Office . Here, you’ll get your Thailand visa on arrival. I was pleasantly surprised that many countries including the US don’t pay a Thailand visa fee. It’s free for up to 30 days. All you have to do is fill out a tourist immigration form and get your passport stamped.

At this point, you’re officially in Thailand!

Spend the Night in Chiang Khong

Finally, hire yet another tuk tuk to take you into Chiang Khong. An official tuk tuk hire station is positioned as you exit border control. Because it is after hours, a tuk tuk into Chiang Khong costs a flat rate of 100 baht per person. Normally, the rate is 60 baht.

Again, there are ATMs available that dispense Thai baht.

I stayed at Nam Khong Guest House and Resort which has blazing fast internet, a nice pool, and clean facilities. While the standard rate for a room for two without air-conditioning is 200 baht, apparently the rate is only 180 baht on Booking.com. Split the cost of your room with someone from the boat and you’re looking at a 90 baht bungalow.

4. Bus to Chiang Rai

The final step in this journey is to take a bus from Chiang Khong to Chiang Rai. The lady running the Nam Khong Resort told me that busses to Chiang Rai depart pretty much every half hour from the local bus station .

Only a 10 minute walk from the Nam Khong Resort, the bus station is located 20 meters off the main road behind some shops. The cost of a bus ticket to Chiang Rai is 65 baht. While the trip should take 2 hours, it ends up taking close to 3 hours because of stops along the way to drop off and pick up.

In Chiang Rai, the bus will drop you off at either Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 or 2. My bus dropped me off at terminal 1 which was within walking distance of Mercy Hostel , a modern hostel with fast internet, a gym, and shallow pool. A bed in an 8 person dorm costs 200 baht per night.

What About the Fast Boat?

You also have the option of taking a fast boat either to Pak Beng for 175,000 kip or all to way to Huay Xai for 290,000 kip. While you’ll arrive in a fraction of the time, this method of travel is known to be risky. Apparently the captain of the fast boat wears a helmet in case of crashes. For that reason, I recommend taking the slow boat.

I have plenty more Laos travel blog posts here , so check them out. On the other hand, if you’re leaving Laos, read about Thailand here .

Let me know below if you have any questions about the slow boat, Laos, or Thailand travel in general.

After years of backpacking the world solo, Tony is an expert when it comes to budget travel. Discover why Tony quit his job to travel on the cheap, and follow him on YouTube for all the latest.

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The Local Way Between Laos and Thailand

March 13, 2024 by Robert Schrader Leave a Comment

As I wrote about in a recent post , I don’t think I was prepared for how…local the slow boat from Laos to Thailand would be. Picture it: A rickety wooden vessel filled with upholstered seats salvaged from junkyard cars, and packed to the gills with tourists, locals and way too many Chinese laborers for comfort’s sake.

Now, the journey wasn’t all bad; once I got adjusted to life onboard, the journey was actually pretty relaxing and pleasant. This is to say nothing of how much better the second day—yes, it takes two days—ended up being than the first.

But then, I’m getting ahead of myself. After all, I’m writing about the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Thailand—there’s no need to rush the narration, now is there?

How to Book the Slow Boat from Laos to Thailand

If you take the “local” version of the slow boat from Thailand to Luang Prabang (or do the reverse course, as I did), there’s not really a way to book it online in advance. Rather, hotels in Luang Prabang (and, somewhat less commonly, Chiang Rai) can book your tickets for you. The cost of the boat is negligible, which may surprise you when you book but…well, you’ll see why once you board.

If you want to enjoy a slightly less rustic experience, there are some “luxury” slowboat options. The one with the best reviews—I haven’t done any of these yet, full disclosure—is Shompoo , whose upstream cruise from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai is its most famous offering. This boat offers much more space and comfort than the local one, and also allows you to enjoy actual food and drink onboard (instead of just instant noodles and bottled beer).

How Your Slow Boat Journey Will Go

Early morning pick-up.

When I booked my slow boat from my hotel in Luang Prabang, I was skeptical that the “6 AM” pick-up time the receptionist quoted me would prove to be accurate. In fact, they arrived around 7 AM; it was another 30 minutes to the departure pier (which was surprisingly far outside of town). This seemed to be a common occurrence for others onboard as well, so don’t stress too much about being on-time!

TIP: Depending on what time your pick-up is scheduled, you may be able to watch part or all of the morning Alms giving ceremony in Luang Prabang before you leave!

Culture shock

Upon boarding the slow boat from Laos to Thailand, I was shocked primarily because of just how spartan the arrangements on-board were. Seats (which had clearly been harvested from old cars) were packed in tightly, and the environment was claustrophobic, to say the least. Worse, I happened to be seated next to half a dozen Chinese laborers who didn’t shut up for at least the first two hours.

A late arrival into Pak Beng

When they say “slow” boat, they mean it. After setting off from Luang Prabang at around 8:30 AM, it took us until around 5:30 PM—a full working day!—to get to Pak Beng. Thankfully, there’s not a lot to do here. I only ended up having enough time to eat dinner, but as it turns out that was literally the only thing I could do. Well, accept attempt to sleep (the room wasn’t what you would call comfortable).

Day two is easier

A big part of your experience onboard the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Thailand is which boat you end up getting. The one I boarded on day two was much more spacious than day one had been; the aforementioned Chinese laborers were nowhere to be found. I also enjoyed the scenery more than day, and overall found it all to be way more pleasant.

(But lasts longer than you expect)

In spite of feeling less stressed on day two, it was more or less the same travel time. We arrived into Huay Xai, across the river from Chiang Kong, Thailand, at around 5:30 PM, literally right as the sun was setting. By the time I completed border formalities and got into a share van with some others from the boat, it was nearly dark; it was almost my bed time by the time I finally arrived in Chiang Rai .

Is the Slow Boat to Thailand Worth It?

Upon arriving in Huay Xai after two days on the slow boat, I disembarked the vessel feeling very grateful for having taken the journey. However, as I alluded to in the intro to this post, I had felt precisely the opposite way when I boarded. So yes, in retrospect, the journey was worth it, although I would advise you to have some humility (and humor) throughout the process.

Still aren’t sold on the slow boat from Thailand to Laos? There are a couple of other options. Obviously, the first one is the “luxury” cruise offered by Shompoo (and other companies), which I mentioned a few paragraphs up. Another choice? Return to Thailand via the southbound route. Spend a couple of nights each in the ecotourism hub of Vang Vieng and the Laotian capital of Vientiane, then travel by train all the way back to Bangkok .

Other FAQ About Travel from Laos to Thailand

Can you slow boat from laos to thailand.

As of early 2024, it is still possible to ride the slow boat from Laos to Thailand, or vice-versa. However, there’s a possibility that the dams under construction along the Mekong River may make this journey impossible, probably sooner rather than later.

Is the slow boat to Laos worth it?

In the end, I did feel thankful that I had made the decision to ride the slow boat to Thailand, though not every part of the journey was enjoyable. If you do decide to follow in my footsteps, I encourage you to be patient and not rush to judgment, as I sometimes found myself doing during my own trip.

How long is the slow boat to Luang Prabang?

The slow boat to Luang Prabang from Thailand (or, in reverse, from Luang Prabang back to Thailand) takes two days, with one stop overnight in the town of Pak Beng. The downstream journey is slightly faster (meaning less time on the boat each day), but the overall transit period is still around 36 hours.

The Bottom Line

If you’re considering the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Thailand (or going in reverse), I’d say that you should do it, in most cases. While I originally doubted my decision as the boat pulled away from the shore in Laos, I came to enjoy the journey over the course of its two days, and was actually sad when it ended. Still aren’t sold? Well, if the “local” version of the slow boat is too rustic for you, you may choose one of many luxury options. Another way to make sure you enjoy your trip? Consider hiring me to plan a custom Thailand itinerary , and let me sweat all the details.

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How to Take the Slow Boat From Luang Prabang to Thailand

Are you embarking on a trip through Southeast Asia to explore the lush jungles, magnificent temples , and feast on the most delicious Asian food? Chances are you will include Laos and Thailand in your trip and there is no better way to travel between these countries than by taking the slow boat on the mighty Mekong River. In this post, I will tell you everything you need to know about the slow boat from Luang Prabang in Laos to Chiang Khong in Thailand. 

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang, Laos

Nestled in the heart of Laos, Luang Prabang is one of Southeast Asia’s most enchanting cities. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Luang Prabang boasts a wealth of cultural treasures, from its glittering golden temples to its bustling night market , as well as a stunning natural setting surrounded by verdant mountains and the mighty Mekong River.

After exploring the natural beauty of the area, with highlights like the Tat Sae Waterfalls and the Kuang Si Falls , it’s time for your next move. A lot of travelers end their trip to Laos in Luang Prabang and opt for onward travel to Thailand. 

This can be done in various ways, by bus or plane, but the most scenic way to get from Luang Prabang to Thailand is by taking a slow boat on the Mekong River. 

The Slow boat from Luang Prabang to Thailand

The Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos

The slow boat from Luang Prabang to Chiang Khong is a popular and scenic way to travel between Laos and Thailand. This is a two-day slow boat trip, with an overnight stop in the small town of Pak Beng.

The slow boat is a charming way to experience the beauty of the Mekong River, passing by local villages and stunning natural scenery along the way.

On the second day of the trip, the boat will drop you off in the Lao town of Huay Xai. From there, you have to cross the large bridge into Thailand to the town of Chiang Khong. You can opt to spend the night in Chiang Khong or decide to book onward travel at the immigration office. 

I will go into detail about every aspect of this trip, from buying the boat tickets in Luang Prabang to what to expect when arriving in Chiang Khong.

One thing is sure: taking the slow boat is one in a lifetime experience you will never forget!

Useful things to know before your trip

Kuang Si Falls , Luang Prabang, Laos

Here are a few useful things to know before embarking on your trip. A lot of people think that the slow boat to Thailand leaves from the center of Luang Prabang but this is not the case. Also, prices can vary greatly depending on where you buy your ticket!

How long does it take to get from Luang Prabang to Thailand

Getting from Luang Prabang to Thailand takes two days with one overnight stop in the town of Pak Beng. In general, you will spend eight hours on the boat per day. 

In my case, the boat trip took longer on both days. How long the boat trip takes depends on many factors. During my trip, a lot of locals need to be dropped off at the many little villages that you pass by on the river. It took the boat 10 hours on both days to get to its end destination. 

It’s wise not to focus too much on arriving at the pre-mentioned time but join the trip instead!

Where should I buy slow boat tickets?

There are several tour companies and travel agencies in town selling tickets for the overnight boat trip to Huay Xai. Prices can vary greatly and tend to be the highest in the area at Kingkitsarath Road behind Phousi Hill. We were charged 420.000 kips per person for the two-day trip at a local travel agency on Kingkitsarath Road.

Eventually, after some shopping around for prices, we bought our tickets at a small agency, called Galaxy Travel, near the Mekong River. They charged 380.000 kips per person for the overnight trip.

We took this trip at the end of January 2023. We were told that, from February 2023, prices for the slow boat will rise. Expect to pay 480.000 kips per person now for the overnight trip. At Galaxy Travel, the lovely local owner told us that he will only charge 450.000 kips. 

Galaxy Travel does not show its location on Google Maps but you can find them by the Mekong River near the Elephant Conservation Center .

A pick-up at your accommodation to the boat dock is included in the price. 

Another option is to make your way to the boat dock yourself by Tuk-Tuk or Motorbike and bike the tickets over there at a reduced price. This will cost less, but you will have to pay extra for a transfer to the boat dock, so I’m not sure if it’s worth the effort.

Where is the boat dock in Luang Prabang?

Boat dock where the slow boats from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai are located

The slow boat terminal to Pak Beng and Huay Xai is located eight kilometers outside the center of Luang Prabang and it takes about 15 minutes to get there by Tuk-tuk. you will need to show your passport and ticket before you can take the stairs down the boat for boarding. 

The timetable of the slow boats

Slow boats to Pak Beng leave the boat dock every morning at 8.30 A.M. In general, you don’t have to worry about the boats being overbooked or securing a good seat. There are several boats at the dock and boats leave according to how many passengers need transport. 

Make sure you arrive at the boat terminal half an hour before departure so that you’ll have enough time to verify your documents at the slow boat terminal office. 

food and beverages on the slow boat

Fresh spring rolls

On the slow boat, it’s possible to buy drinks like beer, soft drinks, tea, and coffee. Also, instant noodles are for sale but there is no restaurant on the boat. It’s important, before embarking on your trip, that you stock up on snacks to make it through the day.

Since the slow boat leaves early in the morning, the best time to do this is at the night market the day before. For our trip, we bought fried noodles, fresh spring rolls, cookies, and fruit. It’s handy if you have a fridge at your accommodation to keep things fresh till the next day. 

Alternatively, you can hit the morning market to pick up some fresh produce but note that the pick up at your accommodation to the boat terminal is at 7 A.M.

THE BEST TRAVEL RESOURCES FOR LAOS

Here are the websites I personally use whenever I travel to Laos:

ACCOMMODATION

Booking.com : For the best cheap guesthouses, homestays or small hotels

Hostel world : To find the best hostels located in the cities

Homestay : For a unique immersive homestay experience in Luang Prabang

12GO and Bookaway : The best transport websites for long-distance buses and train travel in Laos

Loca : Uber and Grab don’t operate in Laos but Vientiane has its own ride-hailing app called Loca!

Skyscanner : For affordable flights to Vientiane or Luang Prabang

Viator and Get Your Guide : book all kinds of activities from a Kuang Si waterfall cruise to a private cave and jungle trekking in Vang Vieng !

Get your Visa for Laos online through the Evisa website . Do note that you cannot enter just any border with the Evisa. You can fly with an Evisa into Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Pakse and cross three borders with Thailand. They don’t accept the Evisa when you want to cross a land border coming from Vietnam, Cambodia, or China. It’s best to contact the Laotian embassies in these countries to obtain a visa. 

If you’re looking for travel insurance, the one with the best benefits online is without a doubt Heymondo! It’s very easy to ask for a quote on the website and if you book with this link you’ll get 5% off!

Get access to mobile data straight away when entering the country with a Laos E-sim or an Asialink E-sim when traveling through multiple countries.

slow boat Luang Prabang to Thailand: what to expect

Once you’re on the boat, you’ll start your journey down the Mekong River. YAY!

It’s fair to say though that the slow boats can vary greatly in comfort and layout. Our boat had the same layout both for the trip from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng and Pak Beng to Huay Xai. 

Boarding the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai

It consisted of a small upper area with hard seating near the captain and a large lower-lying area with comfortable cushy seats. I’ve seen boats in Pak Beng, however, that also had tables and were a lot more luxurious.

On the boat, you can also find a toilet and a small bar that sells snacks like instant noodles and beers, soft drinks, and coffee and tea. You can also get hot water for free. 

The boats are well-equipped with life jackets and have a roof to protect travelers from the sun or heavy rain. 

Do note that the engine is located in the back of the boat and is very loud. If you are able to get on the boat early, it’s a good idea to secure a spot near the front of the boat, where the cushy seats start. 

Day One: Slow boat from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng

The slow boat from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng

Our boat made a lot of stops at small local villages on the banks of the Mekong River to drop off passengers. It often seemed like they had been away for a while because in most cases they were greeted by a large number of friends and family upon arrival. 

Small villages along the Mekong River

Because most of these villages are only accessible by boat we also made a lot of stops to drop off goods and supplies. You will also be amazed about how many scenic rocks and beaches you pass by along the way. 

I traveled in the dry season and during that time you can tell from the marks on the rocks how high the water can get during the rainy season.

Dropping of goods at a small village

The boat ride is lovely but, do be aware that most of the locals on the boat don’t know that it is important to collect waste. It was weird to witness, but in general, they threw organic waste like the peels of bananas and oranges on the floor of the boat while they flipped plastic items like coffee cups into the Mekong.

The seats in the boat are not fixed to the floor but you can move them around. As the day progressed, a lot of travelers decided to move a few seats together to create cozy nooks. This allowed them to create a bit of privacy and enough space to lie comfortably to take a nap. 

Finally, our boat arrived in at 6.30 P.M. in Pak Beng.

Overnight stay in Pak Beng

Once you arrive in Pak Beng, it’s very tempting to run out of the boat to look for a great place to stay. A tip I’d like to give you here is to keep your backpack with you on the boat and stash it under your legs. 

The slow boat pier in Pak Beng

In the front of the boat is a hatch, where the staff will stash all the backpacks and suitcases at the start of the trip. Don’t do this. Upon arrival, it takes a while to get them all out again and it will require you to wait until you get to be reunited with your backpack. 

Entrance of Pak Beng town

Pak Beng is a small town and the main tourism infrastructure is set up on the main street that leads to the boat dock. You won’t get lost here! Pak Beng has a laid-back atmosphere with a few guesthouses, restaurants, and small shops selling snacks. 

Main street in Pak Beng 

If you haven’t booked accommodation yet, it’s a good plan to get out of the boat as quickly as you can to secure a good room in a guesthouse. There are a few options in town and most of them are not on booking sites like Booking or Agoda . 

DP Guesthouse, Pak Beng, Laos.

We found a good room at a place called DP Guesthouse . It was on any booking site but received good reviews on Google Maps. We paid 150.000 kips for one night. The room was decent, with nice sheets and a hot water shower. 

If you like a bit of luxury, you can opt to stay at the Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge . 

Food stalls and restaurants in Pak Beng

There are a few restaurants in town where you can enjoy a relaxed dinner. After checking out the menus and atmosphere at all the restaurants, we chose Sivilai restaurant for our evening meal. The restaurant is named Sabaidee Restaurant on Google Maps. 

The food here is typically Laotian and the owner speaks English very well. The noodles we had were so good that we asked them if we could order some for our next leg of the boat trip the next day. 

In the morning, the lady was waiting for us with our food at 7 A.M. We also bought some cookies and fresh fruit and had a sandwich at the restaurant of Pakbeng guesthouse.

We were told to be at the dock in the morning at 7.30 A.M. The truth is that this is a bit early and the boat didn’t leave until 8.30 A.M. but it’s a good idea to go early to secure a good seat.

Day two: slow boat Pak Beng to Huay Xai

When you arrive at the dock in the morning be sure to board the right boat. The boats that leave for Huay Xai and the one leaving for Luang Prabang are lying right next to one another and many people boarded the wrong boat at first.

The slow boats to Huay Xai and Luang Prabang waiting at the dock in Pak Beng

The second leg of the trip is quite similar to the first day. On the way you will pass small villages, beautiful rock formations, and deserted beaches by the river. Occasionally, you will see locals fishing, swimming in the water, or doing laundry on the shores.

A local Mekong slow boat transporting animals along the water

Similar to the first day, a lot of locals were dropped off at their villages but there weren’t as many of them on the boat as on the first day. On the second day, our boat was only half-full. It was a great feeling to not be stuck on an overcrowded boat (which was the case for the ones going from Pak Beng to Luang Prabang!).

Beautiful rock formations along the water during the slow boat trip to Huay Xai

Everyone on the boat had ample space to move around, to create little nooks and there was plenty of space to lie down and take a nap. The second leg of the trip even felt more comfortable than the first one. 

Locals going about their day

When your boat gets closer and closer to the Thai border, the Mekong will open up. At some points, it gets really wide with occasionally a little island in the middle of the river. Our boat was again slower than expected but after 9 hours we were able to see the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge nr. 4 where the border crossing happens in the distance.

Beaches along the Mekong

At this point, something unpleasant happened. Everyone on the boat expected to be dropped off at the bridge for border crossing but unfortunately, this is not the case. 

You are taken to a dock that lies in the center of Huay Xai, which is kilometers further down the river, and an extra hour of sailing. We kindly asked the captain if we could be dropped off at a little dock near the bridge but he refused. We believed that this was not fair, considering the fact that all the locals get dropped of and picked up at random locations along the way.

Bridge for the border crossing into Thailand neat Huay Xai

When we asked the captain about the reason behind this he made a sign that he could go to prison if he allowed us to get off the boat before reaching Huay Xai village. 

I’m not sure if this is a rule imposed by the government or by the police. My assumption is that they are forced by the local taxi mob to drop off foreigners at a certain place so they can benefit from the tourist money. They were certainly waiting for us upon arrival and were trying to scam us to get to the immigration office. 

How to get from Huay Xai to Thailand

The only way to get from the boat dock back to the immigration office at the bridge is by taking a tuk-tuk. don’t let them scam you here. Upon our arrival, they wanted to charge us 100.000 kips per person. We were seven people so this would mean we needed to pay around 35 to 40 euros for a tuk-tuk to take us on a 10-kilometer trip. 

We were able to get the price down to 50.000 kips per person and I think that even this was still way too much. I also think that another reason why they extend our arrival time is that the immigration office officially closes at 4 P.M. Everyone who arrives at the office past this hour needs to pay an overtime fee of 10.000 kips which means more incoming money for them.

According to the sign at the immigration office, the overtime fee needs to be paid between 4 P.M. and 8 P.M. I assume the office closes up after that.

Bus station with a bus to take you from the Lao to the Thai immigration office

Getting through the Lao immigration process is a breeze. You will need your passport of course and also the travel document you received when you entered the country. Don’t worry if you lost it. There are fresh documents available at the immigration office that you can fill out.

After going through immigration you cannot just walk over the bridge. You will need to take a bus and this costs 25.000 kips per person. At the bus stop, you also have the chance to change your leftover Laotian kips to Thai Baht at a decent exchange rate. 

The bus will drop you off on the other side of the bridge at the Thai immigration office where you will need to fill out a new document before receiving your 45-day stamp in your passport. 

Chiang Khong and onward travel options in Thailand

After going through the Thai immigration you have two options: to stay overnight in Chiang Khong or to book onward travel in Thailand. At this point, it will already be around 8 P.M. 

There is no possibility anymore to take public transport anymore to cities like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai but it is, however, possible to book private vans. This is particularly interesting if you can split the costs with a few other travelers. 

one group of travelers decided to book a van to Chiang Mai and another group to Chiang Rai while the rest of decided to stay overnight in Chiang Khong. 

The cleanest pool I have ever seen at Pongkham Resort and Guesthouse

There will be a taxi waiting at the exit of the immigration office to take passengers into town. This trip has a fixed price of 100 THB (€ 2,5) per person and includes a drop-off at your accommodation. 

We stayed at Namkhong Resort and Guesthouse and we had such a good time there that we decided to spend an extra night in Chiang Khong. To be honest, we also were too late to book the bus to Chiang Mai the next day (it was fully booked) but in the end, this was an advantage. We were able to take some rest in Chiang Khong and enjoy the atmosphere in this authentic Thai town.

Thaifood Original was the only restaurant that was still open when we arrived in the center of town. It’s a one-woman restaurant serving Thai and Italian dishes. The menu also included a few vegan and vegetarian options.

Buses to Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai or another destination in Thailand can be booked on 12GoASia . 

Slow boat from Luang Prabang: final thoughts

As you can see, taking the slow boat from Luang Prabang to Laos is quite an experience and an adventure you will never forget!

I hope you enjoyed this slow boat guide from Luang Prabang to Thailand. If you have any questions, please let them know in the comments below or drop me a message through my contact page !

Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Fancy more travel advice?

• 3 Stunning Waterfalls in Luang Prabang
• How to Climb Pha Daeng Peak in Laos (Nong Khiaw Viewpoint)
• 15 Best Things to Do in Nong Khiaw, Laos (2023)
• Muang Ngoi Neua, Laos: A Complete Travel Guide
• Three Ways to Travel Easily From Vientiane to Vang Vieng

• April 18, 2023

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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and  yourself!

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Airship | Vixen Harbor, Ketchikan, Kah Shakes Cove, Foggy Bay

After Bradfield Canal, we spent one night in Vixen Harbor on our way to Ketchikan. The entrance to Vixen Harbor is always a fun transit…we’ve written posts about it several times before (here’s one), but the charts are wrong, and the route that looks best on the charts has only about a foot of water, and the other route looks to be intertidal (which is likely why more people don’t … Read more

Airship | Bradfield Canal

We haven’t ever been up Bradfield Canal, so after we left Berg Bay, at the bottom of Blake Channel we turned left up Bradfield Canal and headed for an anchorage just past the Harding River. We saw two humpbacks spouting in the distance, twice, but didn’t see them again after that. We dropped the hook in about 60 feet and promptly took off in the dinghy to explore some of … Read more

Airship | Sokolof Island and Berg Bay

We left Petersburg yesterday morning around 8am. A beautiful, mostly clear, sunny day! We transited Wrangell Narrows riding the current in and then also out…it’s fun when the timing works and you get a current boost the whole way through! We stopped and anchored on the east side of Sokolof Bay, a spot we were in once before (over July 4 in 2018). We dropped the anchor in about 30 … Read more

Airship | Portage Bay to Petersburg

We had a nice quiet stay in Portage Bay. We didn’t even put the dinghy down…we did some work, played some music, worked on art…and did a little boat clean up to get ready for another guest! Friends Brian and Allie on Knot to Worry came into Portage on our second day, and this morning before we left Brian sent us this cool photo he took of Airship the night … Read more

Announcing the 2025 Slowboat Flotilla to Alaska

Inside Passage, San Juan Islands to SE Alaska Prevost Harbor WA to Juneau AK | ~6 weeks | late May to mid July 2025 Glaciers. Icebergs. Whales. Bears. Cruising to Alaska is all about incomparable nature right in front of your eyes. It’s about not just seeing the world, but experiencing it. In 2025 we are again doing an extended six-week trip, exploring coastal British Columbia with an extended tour … Read more

Airship | Keku Islands to Portage Bay (And So Many More Whales)

**Note: There are no non-whale photos in this post. Not one.** We left our beautiful spot this morning and headed out into Frederick Sound assuming we’d see more whales, which we did. I got this cool shot of a nice white fluke, and our friend Andrea had an ID super quick for me (see photo caption). The further we went, the more whales we saw…HUGE groups of them together! We … Read more

Airship | Red Bluff Bay to Keku Islands

Yesterday afternoon in Red Bluff Bay, we dinghied up river to look for bears, but saw only salmon…but SO MANY salmon. A little hard to tell in the photo, but this is what the water looked like on either side of us as we ventured up the river. We met last night on Brian and Allie’s boat Knot to Worry (along with two friends traveling with them, and another boat … Read more

Airship | Ell Cove to Red Bluff Bay

We exited Ell Cove Wednesday morning onto a flat calm Chatham Strait, but we could see fog in our future. We watched two different humpbacks breaching and fin-slapping in the distance as we cruised south down Chatham Strait, but they were too far for decent photos. Eventually, we were in thick fog with very little visibility, and for a while I regretted leaving our perfectly clear spot at Ell Cove. … Read more

Complete Guide to Taking the Slow Boat from Bali to Lombok

Embarking on a journey from Bali to Lombok by slow boat is an experience that blends scenic beauty with cultural immersion. This mode of transportation is not only a means to go from one island to another, but it also provides an opportunity to embrace the laidback pace of island life, admire the vastness of the sea, and interact with locals. This comprehensive guide will provide you with all the necessary information for a more hassle-free ferry ride from Bali to Lombok.

The Slow Boat Experience

The slow boat ride to Lombok provides a sharp contrast to the fast-paced and often crowded experiences of air travel or speedboats. It is a leisurely journey that allows passengers to relax and enjoy the journey as much as the destination. On board, you can expect basic amenities and the opportunity to admire the breathtaking ocean views.

From Padangbai you can also take the fastboat to Lombok. But be sure to ask where in Lombok they will drop you off, and if stop at other places on the way. I met some people who took the fast boat. But it turned out to not be so fast, and it took 4 hours to Lombok!

A Comprehensive Guide to Taking the Ferry

First of all, the ferry to Lombok is a real backpacker experience. If you want to get to Lombok the fastest and most hassle-free way then the slow boat is not for you. If you are up for an adventure, and you are on a budget, then the slow boat is a great choice.

How to get to Padangbai

I was in Denpasar and took a Grab car to Padangbai, the journey took 1hr 9min and cost IDR 190,000.

It’s possible to take a bus from Kuta, Ubud, and other popular places in Bali to Padangbai. Peramatour.co m is one of several companies that offer daily shuttle buses.

You can bring a car or scooter on the ferry, so if you are going back the same way and you’re going to rent a scooter or a car in Lombok then it’s often cheaper to just rent from where you are in Bali. That will save you some money on the transport to Padangbai and from Lembar to your destination in Lombok. If it’s not cheaper, then it’s at least a lot more convenient!

Taking the ferry involves a few simple steps

Purchasing Tickets: Tickets can be bought at the Padangbai ferry terminal. It’s advisable to arrive early, especially during peak travel periods. The bad thing about the slow boat is that there is no set schedule. Try to be there very early and get the first ferry in the morning. The ticket price for one person is IDR 75,000. However, the ticket says IDR 65,300, I did not get any good answer for why that is.

The first picture shows where you buy the ticket, after that walk over to where you get your boarding pass, before the resting area.

Ferry Schedule: The ferry is supposed to run 24/7 with departures every 90 minutes, but that’s not the reality in my experience. I arrived at 09 am and the ferry departed at 12:30. It depends on how lucky you are, but I met some people who regularly take the ferry. They told me it’s better to be there earlier. It took almost one hour of waiting to buy the ticket! But there was no ferry anyways so I wasn’t in a rush.

Onboard Facilities : Ferries typically have basic seating, restrooms, and a small canteen selling snacks and drinks. The ferries are not the same, some are much better than others. But you never know in advance which ferry you are going to get. Buy water and snacks in advance to save some money, it’s more expensive on the ferry. I recommend stacking up on fruits before going.

Boarding Process: Boarding is usually straightforward. Keep your ticket handy for inspection. After purchasing the ticket you have to exchange it for the actual ferry ticket (boarding pass) in a ticket booth, one guy forgot that and had to run back when boarding of the ferry started!

Duration of the Slow Boat Journey

Bali to Lombok by Slow Boat

The ferry ride from Bali’s Padangbai to Lombok’s Lembar typically takes around 4 to 6 hours, depending on sea conditions. It’s a laid-back voyage, ideal for those who aren’t in a rush and prefer to savor the journey. For me, the journey ferry took 5,5 hours. But from Denpasar to Kuta Lombok took me the whole day, I arrived in Kuta Lombok at 8 in the evening. So that was 13 hours of traveling that day.

Travel time can be influenced by various factors, including weather conditions and sea currents. It’s always a good idea to check the weather forecast and prepare for potential delays, especially during the monsoon season. The slow boats are big ferries, so they are generally safer than the smaller fast boats.

From Lembar to Popular Places in Lombok

Once you arrive in Lembar, Lombok, numerous transport options are available to take you to various destinations. Walk around 5 minutes to exit the ferry port, then you will see the taxis waiting. Lembar is known for taxi scams, consider booking a taxi in advance from your hostel or hotel.

To Mataram: Local buses (bemos), taxis, and rental scooters are available. A taxi or private car hire may be the quickest but most expensive option. The Bemos are only around IDR 25,000, but there is no schedule. If you don’t get a bemo and you are in a hurry then a taxi to Mataram should be around IDR 100,000.

To Kuta Lombok: From Lembar to Kuta Lombok the most comfortable choice is to take a taxi which shouldn’t be more than IDR 350,000. I shared the taxi with some other travelers I met on the ferry, so the taxi only cost me IDR 100,000. Most taxis in Lombok are used to carrying surfboards and have rope in the car so they can put it on the roof.

Another option is to take Bemo to Mataram and then a shared car from Mataram to Kuta for around IDR. 100,000. For a shuttle to or from Mataram (or Lembar), you can WhatsApp +62 813-3959-5150 , another good taxi driver is +62 878-6516-2473.

Who Should Consider Taking the Ferry

The ferry is an excellent choice for:

• Budget travelers looking for the most economical route.
• Adventure seekers who enjoy slow travel and mingling with locals.
• Those who aren’t constrained by tight schedules.
• Those traveling by scooter, motorbike, or car.

Alternative Ways to Travel from Bali to Lombok

Fast Boat Services – Quick and Direct: Fast boats are a quicker option, taking about 1 to 2 hours to reach Lombok from various departure points in Bali.

It’s not always the case, they can take up to 4 hours if they stop other places on the way. Make sure to ask when departure is also! If you have to wait a long time you might be better of taking the slow ferry.

Flights from Bali to Lombok – Air Travel: Flying is the fastest way to travel between the islands, with a flight time of around 45 minutes.

Airlines and Costs: Various airlines operate this route, with prices varying based on season and booking time. I would recommend either flying or the slow ferry.

The fast boats will cost you almost the same as flying, but takes much longer. Especially if you are far from the ferry. If you have a surfboard with you remember to factor that into your budget if you are flying with it.

Practical Tips for Ferry Travelers

Pack Wisely – Bring essentials like sunblock, a hat, snacks, and water. Seasickness pills might be useful if you’re prone to motion sickness.

Taking the slow boat from Bali to Lombok is more than just a travel option; it’s an experience in itself. It allows you to embrace the laid-back island lifestyle, enjoy breathtaking views, and even make new friends along the way.

Whether you’re a budget traveler, an adventure seeker, or someone looking for a unique experience, the ferry journey is sure to be a memorable part of your Indonesian adventure. I also saw dolphins and flying fish from the ferry!

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Saturday, August 24, 2024 79° Today's Paper

Man, 53, medevaced from fishing boat to Honolulu

By Star-Advertiser staff

Aug. 23, 2024 • Last updated 3:24 p.m.

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U.S. COAST GUARD

The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a 53-year-old man from a commercial fishing boat back to Honolulu after receiving a call for help Monday.

Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu watchstanders received a 1:45 p.m. call Monday from Pacific Fishing & Supply crew reporting that a member aboard the 68-foot fishing vessel Autumn was exhibiting stroke-like symptoms.

At the time, Autumn was about 750 miles offshore, and the crew estimated they were six days away from Oahu.

After the duty flight surgeon recommended a medevac, watchstanders directed the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane to meet the Autumn approximately 480 miles offshore of Oahu.

The Harriet Lane reached the Autumn at 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, brought the patient aboard, and transported him to Honolulu Harbor, arriving at 6:30 a.m. today.

The man was taken to Queen’s Medical Center by Emergency Medical Services and reported to be in stable condition.

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