Laos, also known as Laos, is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia with a population of more than 6.8 million. It is the most low-key country among the five socialist countries in the world and the last forest secret in Southeast Asia. It is like a paradise. A holiday paradise for Europeans and Americans. Its folk customs are simple and honest, it is a thousand-year-old Buddha capital, it is a place where impetuousness is washed away and laziness becomes a kind of temperament, and it is also a place worth traveling with your heart. In fact, just like the famous Laos iced coffee, it looks cold and bitter, but after tasting it, it will leave a touch of sweetness on the lips. Mystery, leisure, tranquility, and indifference to the world are precisely the best gifts this little Buddha country has given us. Laos is also currently the easiest country to go through customs clearance procedures for self-driving tours abroad.
A long-distance trip can make people become friends, become brothers of life and death, but it can also make people never get in touch with each other. Please pay attention to the following requirements to avoid various unpleasant situations during the journey:
1. We are a self-driving tour under the AA system, and everyone must bear the cost of the trip.
2. The tour leader organizes and arranges activities voluntarily. Participants are requested to obey the tour leader’s route, time, and board and lodging arrangements (of course it is impossible to meet everyone’s needs), please understand.
3. Please lower your identities and status in units, companies, and families, and share everything together. We travel to help you, not to let others serve you.
4. Please pay attention to the group news at any time. Any route, accommodation, and activity arrangements will be posted in the group and saved. The team leader will not explain to everyone.
5. Please abide by the agreed travel time, we will not delay everyone’s time because of a certain person (except for special reasons). If you are late, please return to the team according to the navigation, and a 100 yuan red envelope will be issued as an apology.
6. Develop a happy travel habit of sharing, helping and giving, so that everyone likes you.
7. The joy of long-distance travel is that there are many uncertain factors that bring people joy and surprise, but may also bring disappointment. The various food and accommodation conditions in Laos cannot be compared with those in China. Please travel with a happy and happy attitude.
8. The beautiful scenery is all on the road, and the driving time will be very long and tiring. Some scenic spots may not be entered. Please be mentally prepared and don’t complain.
9. The principle of our travel is to enter and exit together, not to abandon, not to give up any riders, please abide by it together.
With different friends, experience different journeys, try different happiness, and finally wish everyone a smooth, happy and happy event! ! !
D1: Depart from Changsha, Hunan, arrive at Kunming Airport, Yunnan, 1314 kilometers away
D2: From Kunming Airport, Yunnan, 700 kilometers to Xishuangbanna Mohan Port
It is recommended that brothers who travel by car go to the customs clearance station on the right side of the customs to help with self-driving entry procedures. They will prepare and fill in all customs clearance procedures for you, which can help you save customs clearance time. The convoy goes through the customs clearance procedures and purchases a Laos phone card to facilitate contact and navigation in Laos. Please download the Tantu navigation software on your mobile phone in advance. This is a very useful software that supports offline maps when traveling in Southeast Asia.
Points to note:
1. Visa preparation materials:
1. The validity period must be at least 6 months or more (counted from the last day of the visa application period), and the passport must have at least 2 blank pages for visa use.
2. Two two-inch (3.5cm×4.5cm) photos with white or blue background.
Tips: You can choose visa agency service, which is convenient, fast and affordable.
Visa on arrival: Travelers holding Chinese passports can obtain a visa on arrival by paying US$20 and two photos when transiting at the port.
2. Exiting China
1. After arriving at the border building at the port, the accompanying personnel get off and enter the border building together. The counter on the right hand side after entering the lobby is for vehicle entry and exit procedures. Show your original driver’s license and driving license here, and inform the destination and return time, and apply for international road identification signs and driving permits (no charge).
2. After completing the above documents, buy Laos insurance in the next room. Laos insurance must be purchased, otherwise you will be fined if you are found (100% will be checked, the main job of the Lao traffic police is to fine).
The fee is RMB 70 for 7 days and RMB 90 for 15 days, depending on the itinerary.
3. After purchasing the insurance, go in the direction of the exit gate, there is a customs vehicle declaration counter, show the driving license, and apply for the customs vehicle inspection card, that is, vehicle declaration.
4. For the above three steps, the accompanying personnel other than the driver do not need to go through the process, just go directly to the exit gate and queue up to stamp the exit stamp.
Exchange Lao currency here, and you will become a millionaire immediately. The minimum face value is 1,000kip, and the maximum face value is 100,000kip. If you remove 3 zeros, a 20% discount is equal to the face value of RMB, that is, 1,000kip=0.8 yuan, and 100,000kip=80 yuan.
After exiting the Chinese border, go about 1 kilometer to reach Boten Port in Laos. All personnel get off the car and go to the house on the right in front to go through the immigration formalities.
3. Entering Laos
1. Go out of the Chinese customs and go forward for about 1 kilometer to reach Boten Port in Laos.
2. At the entrance on the right side of the Boten Port Building, you need to buy a travel fund. The driver can buy it. The cost is 2 US dollars or 20 yuan or 20,000 old coins.
3. After entering the lobby of the building, there is a counter to apply for a Laos temporary driver’s license. You need to show a Chinese driver’s license and a photo of the certificate, and the fee is 40,000 old coins or 40 yuan. Credentials are produced on site. It doesn’t matter if you don’t bring your ID photo, you can pay to read your passport photo on the spot and print it out. The cost is about 20,000-40,000 old coins.
4. After the driver’s license is ready, hand in your passport at the first window on the right side of the hall to apply for a visa on arrival (if you have not applied for a visa), the fee for handing in the passport is 10,000 old coins per person, and then wait for the visa to be completed in the back window, and the visa on arrival The fee is RMB 250 or old currency 300,000 or USD 20.
5. After getting the visa on arrival, the entourage can directly show their passports and visa stamps at the front gate to pass the customs, and the fee is 20,000 old coins. When the driver goes out of the lobby, he will show his customs inspection card, passport, and stamped driving permit at the window of the roadway gate outside, and the fee will be 40 yuan or 40,000 old coins. After the stamp is stamped, drive to the gate to stop for inspection and pass the customs.
All personnel go through the customs clearance procedures here. When passing the customs, please pay 20,000kip tips to the Lao customs officers, and the driver pays 40,000kip tips, and the driver returns to drive through the customs after completing the procedures.
15 large, 2 small and six vehicles all passed the customs and entered Laos
The self-driving Laos in-depth tour team consisting of three Toules, one Luxun, one Prado, and one Toyota AV4, a total of six vehicles, gathered at the entrance of Boding Jinglan Duty Free Shop. When leaving the country, you can buy duty-free goods such as tobacco and alcohol here .
After passing the Boten Pass, go forward for about 5 kilometers, and there will be a white building, which is Laos Customs. Here, Chinese vehicles need to be declared and inspected. At the counter on the right, first copy the Chinese driving license and passport at window No. 1 , and then line up at the back window to prepare the vehicle declaration, present the passport, Chinese driving license, driving permit and the copy just now. If there are more large trucks entering Laos, the time here may be longer.
The oil price in northern Laos is RMB 7.33 per liter
Due to the deviation of the navigation position, the convoy arrived at Muang Sai at 9:00 in the evening. Due to the change of the itinerary, they did not book a room in advance. After searching for several hotels, they finally found this Laotian hotel. Simple English + gestures + calculator = 300,000kip/room.
D3: Mansai-Luang Prabang, the hotel environment is good, opposite is the manor of the local tyrant
Market on the way
On the way, I ran into Heng Er from Zhangjiajie’s caravan. She came to Laos alone by bicycle a few years ago, and when she saw Sister Na, she hugged her and cried.
I also quickly comforted the little beauty, not knowing how much she had been wronged in Laos.
They met by chance in a foreign country and had to have a meal together, and found a place with good geomantic omen.
Everyone set up the stove, Henger is making tea
Just plug in the power adapter and you can cook rice and steam vegetables.
Let’s do it together
chef shirtless
Authentic Hunan style feast
group photo
At 3:00 p.m., the convoy arrived safely at the banks of the Mekong River in Luang Prabang.
Start enjoying the slow pace…
10000kip a cup of iced coffee is so refreshing…
70,000kip/person Laos characteristic self-service barbecue hot pot, with barbecue in the middle and hot pot on the side.
Laos national wine – Laos beer PK Chinese national wine – Moutai, thanks to Beijing Tule Cambridge Brothers for providing Moutai.
Let go of a year’s busyness, let go of a year’s pressure, and enjoy the happiness to the fullest.
D4: A beautiful day in Luang Prabang begins with the experience of giving. It starts around 5:30 am local time. The scene of giving can be seen on the main streets of the entire city of Luang Prabang.
Along the way, local residents and tourists donate food to the monks in the temple. It is a virtue to let people know that giving is a virtue, and the monks will also distribute the food donated by the people to the poor. This has become a unique landscape in Luang Prabang.
The almsgiving activity lasted until around 7:00, every day.
D4: The inn by the Mekong River, the house price for Chinese New Year is 600 RMB, which is much more expensive than the same period last year, and the next day is 500 RMB.
Renting a motorcycle or bicycle in Luang Prabang is the best choice. You can enjoy the entire ancient city with a rent of 100,000kip/day on your passport.
The rice noodles in Laos are good, 15000kip/bowl.
There are many Europeans and Americans in the market.
Meat is more expensive than domestic ones.
Side dishes are cheap.
The ancient capital of Luang Prabang (Luang Prabang) is an exquisite antique small mountain town, located in the valley surrounded by mountains on the Mekong River, about 500 kilometers away from the capital, Vientiane, and is the oldest existing town in Laos. Thousands of years of history. According to the investigation by the United Nations expert group, there are 679 ancient buildings with preservation value in the whole city of Luang Prabang. In December 1995, Luang Prabang was included in the World Historical Heritage List by UNESCO. The folk customs are simple, the natural ecology is well protected, and there are no over-commercialized interpersonal relationships. It is recognized as the city with the best preserved traditions and colonial styles in Southeast Asia, and has become a “paradise” pursued by Western tourists.
The nearest attraction to the Mekong Inn is the Royal Palace Museum, tickets are 20,000kip.
There are more than 30 temples in Luang Prabang, among which the Xiangtong Ancient Temple is famous for its unique architecture, magnificent furnishings, magnificent halls, exquisite pagodas, exquisite carvings and gorgeous inlays. Traditional handicrafts such as gold and silver jewelry inlays, ivory carvings, silk, and pottery produced here are also well-known in China.
Pushi Mountain is a good place to watch the sunrise and sunset, and the ticket is 10,000kip.
French Style Street
Baixue Waterfall Elephant Riding
Picnic at Baixue Waterfall at noon
In the afternoon, taste the old naughty Pu’er tea at the Mekong Riverside Inn…
Visit Luang Prabang’s characteristic night market at night…
25000kip/piece of scarves can be bought as gifts for relatives and friends, and the bargaining calculator can get it done.
Special Snacks – Coconut Cake 5000kip/6 pieces, no pressure to eat two for one person
Special BBQ at Luang Prabang Night Market
Four people wiped out all four roast chicken and barbecue, 245000kip.
The night market starts to set up on the French Style Street around 4:00 pm every day, and it will be completely dismantled at 11:00 pm, every day.
10,000kip/cup of freshly squeezed juice is a must.
50000kip/set of clothes is very cool.
D5: Guangxi Waterfall – an original ecological scenic spot 30 kilometers away from Luang Prabang, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, 20,000kip tickets, if such a scenic spot is in the domestic ticket, it will definitely add 0.
It is said to be the only waterfall that can be played in the water.
A folk hotel opened by Chinese on the roadside 5 kilometers away from Guanxi Waterfall.
Fishing, chess and cards, catering, and camping are available. This folk custom is worth recommending, but the price is a bit expensive.
In the evening, drink Lao beer and iced coffee by the Mekong River, and discuss tomorrow’s itinerary.
D6: From Luang Prabang-Vang Vieng, do not take the usual road, the second car departs at 9:00 in the morning, turn left at the fork road 5 kilometers down from Guanxi Waterfall, there is a crossing line to Vang Vieng, and the other three cars go Highway 13 to Vang Vieng.
have to cross mountains and rivers
This road goes all the way to Vientiane along the Mekong River.
rest on the way
The old Tang restaurant on the way is worth recommending.
Here I ran into Yunpu’s brother who came to Laos to ride through.
They have been dizzy by the mountain roads of Laos…
When approaching the last peak of Vang Vieng, you must pay attention. This is a long slope of more than 20 kilometers. The slope is steep and there are many curves. You must manually shift the idle speed to control the speed. Frequent braking will cause the brake pads to overheat and fail, causing accidents.
After going down the long slope, I ran into a sunflower convoy in this market town.
Arrived safely in Vang Vieng at 3:00 pm, this hotel is worth recommending.
Vang Vieng (Vang Vieng, known as Wang Yang in some Chinese areas) is a very famous leisure and tourist destination in Laos, located between the two major cities of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, 160 kilometers away from Vientiane. With beautiful mountains and clear waters and simple folk customs, the Chinese who come here call it “Little Guilin”. The mountains in Vang Vieng are very handsome, without any artificiality. The peaks rise from the ground, towering majestically, with various shapes and majestic momentum. In Vang Vieng, in addition to enjoying the beautiful mountains and rivers, you can also explore caves, rafting, ziplines, and hot air balloons. The Nam Song River (Nam Song) surrounds Vang Vieng, which is very suitable for rafting, and the scenery on both sides of the river is beautiful.
400000kip/room
Hotel balcony view
Looking at beautiful women on the hotel terrace
The streets of Vang Vieng are not as clean and tidy as the streets of Luang Prabang.
A simple wooden bridge along the Nansong River connects the two banks.
cook for yourself
Candlelight Dinner by the Nam Song River
Cars must pass through such a simple cable bridge, and the bridge fee is 20,000kip.
Aerial photography of night view of Nam Song River in Vang Vieng
We who have seen Liuyang fireworks
Tasting Lao beer by the Nam Song River
Hi Vang Vieng
D7: Cross the river for a wooden house experience.
The cabin by the Nansong River is 300,000kip/room, which is worth recommending.
A BFGoodrich AT tire was scrapped during yesterday’s crossing.
Nam Pine River Rafting
Down the Nam Song River
iced beer
hot air balloon lift off
The Chinese Expeditionary Army restaurant opened by the boss in Sichuan is worth recommending.
When encountering soldiers who resisted US aggression and aided Laos 40 years ago and returned to their hometown in Laos to revisit, we must toast them.
D8: From Vang Vieng to Vientiane at 8:00 in the morning, the whole journey is 155 kilometers and takes 4 hours.
Before entering Vientiane, please pay attention to the traffic police in Laos. No matter whether you have completed the formalities, they will ask you for a tip. Generally, when you meet them, each person will give you 20,000kip beer money and let you pass. , maybe not 20000kip can solve the problem.
Arrive in Vientiane at 12:00 noon, and come to the Shengchang Hotel introduced by Mr. Ye.
RMB 160/room
Vientiane is the capital of Laos, with an area of 3,920 square kilometers and a population of 850,000 (2012). The highest average temperature is 31.7°C and the lowest average temperature is 22.6°C. Vientiane is an ancient city of history, which has been the political, economic and cultural center of Laos since King Setathira moved his capital from Luang Prabang in the middle of the 16th century. Vientiane means “City of Sandalwood”. It is said that there used to be a lot of sandalwood here. Vientiane is also the only capital in the world built on the border. It is located on the valley plain on the north bank of the middle reaches of the Mekong River, across the river from Thailand. Because the city stretches along the banks of the Mekong River and is crescent-shaped, Vientiane is also known as the “Moon City”.
The Arc de Triomphe was built to celebrate the successful liberation of Laos and to commemorate the tenacious resistance of the Lao people to the invasion of foreign colonists. The Arc de Triomphe is 45 meters high and 24 meters wide. It looks very similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France from a distance. The Arc de Triomphe is a typical Lao style, and the carvings on the base of the arch are exquisite, showing a traditional Lao folk culture. The decoration on the eaves of the Arc de Triomphe reflects the essence of the most classic Lao folk customs. Standing on the top of it, you can have a panoramic view of the entire city. The fountain in front of the Arc de Triomphe was donated by China.
China-Laos Friendship Monument donated by China
The group of ancient pagodas in Laos is located about 3 kilometers northeast of Vientiane. That Luang is a group of tower buildings with a high reputation in architectural art. The building on the Lao flag is this Tower Luang.
There is no Jade Buddha in the Jade Buddha Temple now, only the Clay Sleeping Buddha built in the yard after the Jade Buddha.
Vientiane has a live ammunition shooting gallery to experience.
About RMB 20 per round of ammunition, please be careful while shooting, otherwise hundreds of hundreds will be lost when the shuttle goes out.
Laos Presidential Palace – Located at the end of Setattila Street, facing the Arc de Triomphe, it was originally the palace of the King of Laos, also known as the Golden Palace, and there are no guards on both sides of the gate.
There is a parking lot near the Arc de Triomphe, which is also a leisure square for Vientiane citizens.
Experience Vientiane’s characteristic means of transport – papa car
Vientiane night market
Vientiane Night Food Stall
The barbecue brother is very enthusiastic
The variety of goods in the Vientiane Night Market is far worse than that of the Luang Prabang Night Market.
(to be continued)
