A Month in Laos and Cambodia

Hi Aurélie, Leaving in a month with young kids and not having everything planned out—I really admire you! For Thakhek, I can’t say much; I skipped that region due to lack of time.

For the Bolavens Plateau, scootering with kids isn’t the safest idea—there’s still some traffic at times.

I know local buses exist, but scheduling can be tricky. You could also take shared vans or even private ones, but I don’t have any contacts to share (sorry about that).

Another option to consider is hiring a private tuk-tuk. Reach out to your accommodation in Pakse (if you’ve already booked), as they might have recommendations. If you want your kids to have an unforgettable experience, spend a night at Somphone Guesthouse (just a heads-up—it’s pretty basic). The community there is amazing.

PS: I saw a post on the forum about a driver app in Laos—I’m not sure how reliable it is, but it might be worth looking into...

After thinking about it, I remember the agency that organized our transfer from Don Det to Siem Reap in Cambodia. They’re a reliable team—I think you can contact them. They have offices in Pakse.

https://greenparadisetravellaos.com/

PS: I’m not a shareholder ;)

Hi Aurélie,

Is the Thakhek loop for heading to the Kong Lor cave? The landscapes are stunning! We got off the bus from Vientiane at the intersection of the main road to the cave (the village is called Vieng Kham, the bus driver knows it), then took a tuk-tuk to the next intersection, the village of Na Hin where we stayed for 2 nights. There were several guesthouses (back in 2017). There’s a lovely walk to the Nasanam waterfalls. To get to Kong Lor, there’s a shared bus (actually 2, since at one point there was a bridge that could only be crossed by smaller vehicles). We stayed another 2 nights there. Then, you have to head back... to Thakhek, it takes at least a full day. In Laos, getting around takes time :)

Hi Bruno,

Thanks so much for this detailed reply—there are some alternatives I’ll look into this weekend.

At the same time, someone’s warned me against Laos in April because of the slash-and-burn farming and the heat. Apparently, some years it’s unbearable, especially with kids... That really threw me off

Have a great day!

Aurélie

If you're up for discovering my adventure with the gang in Morocco, it’s all here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=10709443;#10709443

Hi there, It's true that Northern Laos and Northern Thailand are areas where there are risks due to the smoke from slash-and-burn farming between January and April. In 2025, some flights between Bangkok and Mae Hong Son were suspended in Thailand. Online, I read: "The last two months of the dry season (March and April) are dedicated to slash-and-burn agriculture, during which farmers burn crop residues. This can lead to very poor air quality and reduced visibility in affected areas, and the landscape becomes arid, making Laos less beautiful." Avoid these times. Happy travels!

I just discovered this amazing travel journal from the photo of the Nam Ou you posted recently on a "competing" journal. This trip makes me want to return to Laos, which I knew in a more rustic time, and where I never visited the 4,000 Islands. Luang Prabang was nicer before the Chinese, but independent travel was complicated due to a lack of vehicles, guides, and accommodations or infrastructure. Thanks for taking me on a journey.

Hi Noëlle, There’s no "competing" travel journal here—everyone just shares their experiences, and I love reading how others felt. Like you, it brings back great memories for me. Especially since I helped Catherine a bit when she had to change her trip last minute because of the uncertainty at the Cambodia border.

Thanks for reading my post!