Hi there...
I’m traveling with a friend for a month in November.
We booked our round-trip tickets from Paris to Phnom Penh, and yes, I know—it was a mistake. We should’ve flown out of Laos, but here we are.
But is it doable to backpack through both countries in a relaxed way?
I’ve seen that the transport takes a while...
Thanks so much for your replies.
Transportation is pretty well organized in these countries, even though the distances and roads don’t make it easy. You’ll find overnight buses, shared vans, and even trains if you go up to Luang Prabang.
So yes, backpacking mode is totally doable without worries.
That said, Laos is mostly interesting in the north, so I’d recommend splurging a little and looking into a flight from Phnom Penh to Luang Prabang right away—there are affordable low-cost options.
You can then make your way back to Phnom Penh at a relaxed pace.
Here’s my trip report from these amazing places: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=10564571;#10564571
"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux."
Marcel Proust
We booked our round-trip tickets Paris-Phnom Penh AND YES I know it was a mistake—we should’ve left from Laos, but here we are.
I think an even bigger mistake is deciding to visit these two countries in one month when they really deserve at least two months without rushing.
Is it possible to do both countries backpacking in a relaxed way?
Yes, as far as transport goes, but you’ll have to make a lot of choices about which stops to include.
I see the transport takes a long time...
Yes, except for the Chinese train that goes from Vientiane to the Chinese border via (among others) Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang.
Quote from Montagnartd74: Look into a flight from Phnom Penh to Luang Prabang—there are affordable low-cost options.
There are no flights from P.P. to Luang Prabang.
Possible alternatives:
- Phnom Penh to Vientiane on Vietnam Airlines (daily)
- Siem Reap to Luang Prabang on Vietnam Airlines (not daily)
Info for November. For P.P. to Luang Prabang, prices start at around 175 € including baggage for the cheapest option.
I don’t see any low-cost options.
Another option worth considering: Pakse to Luang Prabang on Lao Airlines (not daily)
Unless you take the domestic flights Phnom Penh - Vientiane then Luang Prabang - Siem Reap as mentioned above (I don’t see a direct flight between LP and SR), you won’t be able to do this itinerary in a month.
Going up from Phnom Penh to Luang Prabang and back would waste a ton of time in transit, and you wouldn’t enjoy the trip much—let alone in a relaxed way!
Also, think about visas: Cambodia - Laos - Cambodia means three visas—two times $30 in Cambodia and another $40 in Laos if I’m not mistaken.
It’s listed for Annick’s travel period (November) on the Vietnam Airlines website and on Ticket.com:
- SR-LP flight VN 930 dep 17:05 arr 18:30
- LP-SR flight VN 931 dep 14:45 arr 16:10
Frequency: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in each direction.
While it doesn’t operate every month of the year, this flight, which goes Hanoi-LP-SR and back, has been around for a long time.
Transportation is pretty well organized in these countries, even though the distances and roads don’t make it easy. You’ll find overnight buses, shared vans, and even trains if you go up to Luang Prabang.
So yes, backpacking mode is totally doable without any worries.
That said, Laos is mostly interesting in the north, so I’d recommend splurging a bit and looking into a flight from Phnom Penh to Luang Prabang right away—there are affordable low-cost options.
You can then make your way back to Phnom Penh at a leisurely pace.
Here’s my trip report from these amazing places: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=10564571;#10564571
Thanks so much for your reply! I love your blog—it’s really inspiring. Okay, I’m getting started. Thanks!
thanks so much for the info... oh, it's not easy... to choose...
okay, I'll work on my itineraries since I'm going to do two—Cambodia and Cambodia and Laos, as I'll see how it goes. Thanks!
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Once symptoms appear—sometimes weeks or even months later—death is inevitable.
It’s the bite that transmits the disease.
There are so-called "furious" forms with aggression, but also forms without aggression.
In case of a bite, in addition to standard wound care, tetanus prevention… rabies prevention is essential.
Stay careful out there…
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