Roadtrip through Vangvieng (from Vientiane to Luang Prabang)

Route 13 is Laos' primary highway, stretching from the Chinese border, tracing the Mekong River, and extending to the Cambodian border. The 13-hour journey from Vientiane to Luang Prabang along this winding road, hugging steep hillsides, was both exhilarating and exhausting. If you're prone to motion sickness and can afford it, flying might be a more comfortable option. Otherwise, ensure you have motion sickness tablets on hand.

Unfortunately, I was misled by a guesthouse in Vientiane. I had booked a VIP bus, only to discover it was a bus+minivan.  An old, small truck-like vehicle picked me up from the guesthouse and brought me to the bus terminal.

Selfie somewhere in Route 13, Vangvieng.

Despite these setbacks, the journey was rewarding. We passed through picturesque landscapes: karst hills, villagers with bamboo cages on their backs, tribal houses, roadside fruit stands, and farmers tending their fields. These sights are best experienced overland rather than from a plane.

Karst hills and farmers tilling their land along Route 13 in Vangvieng.

After three hours, we had a quick stop to use the toilet or buy food from the restaurants and food stalls lining the street.

Just before the clock struck 2 in the afternoon, the bus made its second and last stop, and all the passengers disembarked from the bus at a bus terminal in Vangvieng. It was the start of my three hours of agonizing wait to be able to get a “transfer” ride on a minivan to Luang Prabang. I got worried when most of the passengers left and were able to get a transfer ride. I looked for the bus driver, and I couldn’t see him anywhere anymore.

Waiting at the bus terminal in Vangvieng.

Vang Vieng is renowned among adventure enthusiasts for activities like tubing and kayaking on the Nam Song River, as well as trekking, mountain biking, and rock climbing amidst the surrounding limestone karsts. Had I known the transfer would take that long, I might have explored the area during the wait.

As it was almost 5 PM and it would be dark soon, I took the courage to talk to other waiting foreign passengers who were also “lost” like me on the transportation system of the so-called VIP bus. As soon as a minivan arrived and without asking the driver about its destination, I and the other foreign passengers started getting in it, loading our backpacks at the top of the minivan.

Anyways, the long wait at the bus terminal was compensated by another stop near Luang Prabang in time for the sunset. The view was nothing short of breathtaking. One of the most memorable sunsets of my Southeast Asia travels.

A beautiful sunset as seen from a viewing deck along Route 13.

I forgot the name of the place, but it has some good restaurants and souvenir shops and a huge viewing deck where I joined several people admiring the sun setting down over the mountain range.

Regrettably, I accidentally deleted the photos from my CF card and couldn't recover them.

At 9:30 PM, I finally arrived at the LuangPrabang bus terminal, where I took a songthaew to get to the hostel.

It was a long day, but thankfully, I slept like a baby as soon as my back hit the bed.