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There are a few ways of getting between Luang Prabang and Thailand but the 2 day slow boat on the beautiful Mekong River to Huay Xai is the preferred option among many budget travellers.
It’s a great opportunity to take your feet off the gas for a couple of days, meet like-minded people and soak up the rural beauty of northern Laos. One thing’s for sure, it beats a bus!
Admire the mesmerising whirlpools, isolated villages, sunbathing buffalo, unique local fishing methods, rice farmers tending to their paddies and some truly breathtaking mountainous landscapes while you meander up-river. The Mekong slow boat is one of those “you’ve just got to do it” type of experiences when in Laos, and it’s especially ideal if you aren’t in any sort of rush!
When I arrived in Huay Xai from Thailand I took a bus and then the bullet train to Luang Prabang. On the return journey a few weeks later, after exploring Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw, I caught the 2 day slow boat back to Huay Xai to make my way back to Thailand.
With that, I’ve written this guide to hopefully answer any questions you may have about the journey with details and photography throughout!
The Mekong slow boat can be taken in either direction (Luang Prabang to Thailand or vice versa) so if you’re planning to go from Thailand to Luang Prabang this guide will also be useful for you.
In summary, the slow boat route from Laos to Thailand goes as follows:
- Luang Prabang to Pakbeng (day one)
- Overnight stay in Pakbeng
- Pakbeng to Huay Xai (day two)
- Huay Xai to Thailand (bus)
The boat doesn’t actually take you into Thailand, but instead to the small border town of Huay Xai. Huay Xai is right beside the Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge and from there you can easily take a taxi to the border.
How to book
Expected costs
I booked my trip at Downtown Backpackers Hostel 2 for 410,000 Kip ($25) the previous day which included a tuktuk and the boat tickets.
I highly recommend booking in advance to guarantee yourself a seat, but if you want to save a few dollars then you can get the boat tickets directly at the dock for 300,000 Kip. With that there’s a high risk they could be sold out already though, and you’ll need to arrange your own tuktuk there as well.
Accommodation for the overnight stop in Pakbeng should be 100,000 Kip ($6).
What's included vs what's not
What’s included:
- Tuktuk to the dock
- Boat ticket for both days
What’s not included:
- 1 night accommodation in Pakbeng
- Food and drinks on the boat
How long does it take
Remember, it’s called a slow boat for a reason!
This journey isn’t about getting you from A to B as quickly as possible. This is more something you do for a unique, relaxing and local experience.
The journey to Huay Xai takes 2 days on the boat, averaging around 9 hours each day plus an overnight stop.
Thinking of visiting Southeast Asia soon? Don’t miss these essential guides to help planning your trip:
Day 1 of the journey
Prepare yourself for a super-chilled day while you cruise up the Mekong River to Pakbeng!
Begin the journey with a 7:30am ride to the dock which is 10 minutes away. At the dock there are some small stalls to stock up on last minute snacks and drinks which I recommend because there’s isn’t much available on the boat.
Go to the ticket office to validate your ticket before making your way down the steps to the shoreline and jumping aboard. The seating system onboard is a free-for-all, but I’d recommend sitting near the front so the loud rattling of the engine doesn’t drive you bananas – a mistake I made on day one.
The boat eventually departed at 8:30 after the local goods were hauled on to be transported to small villages along the way. In total there were 18 people onboard with a 50/50 mix of locals and tourists.
Keep your eyes peeled and your camera handy on the journey to Pakbeng because you never know what’s around the next bend in the river! The cloudy mountain peaks are incredible in the morning.
Overnight in Pakbeng
The small town of Pakbeng is where all 2 day slow-boat trips stop for the night, whether you’re travelling north or south.
There’s not really any need to book your accommodation in advance, but checking prices on Booking.com never hurts so you know what to expect. At the dock when you disembark there will be 3 or 4 tuktuk drivers waiting who will offer fair rates for guesthouses around town for the night. They’ll also take you to and from the slow boat for free.
I stayed at Mekong Backpackers for 100,000 Kip (£5/$6) in a double room with a fan and used the good little restaurant downstairs for dinner and again for breakfast in the morning.
I found that there isn’t really much time to have a look around town during your stay because you’ll arrive in the evening and likely be knackered from a hard day of doing nothing before leaving early in the morning. There’s definitely time for an evening wander though!
Day 2 of the journey
The next day the boat departed at 8:30am to continue slowly chugging up the Mekong.
Over both days you’ll stop occasionally to pick up locals who live in isolated villages and are waiting for a boat to pass. Some are just getting from A to B while others are transporting goods from town to town.
Entire villages come down to the shoreline to help carry the produce back home which is quite wholesome to see – delivery day is clearly a big event here!
Sit back and admire more amazing scenery on the journey north until you pass under the Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge and reach the small border town of Huay Xai in the early evening.
Huay Xai to Thailand
Once you arrive in Huay Xai and disembark the boat you have the choice to either stay the night in town or go straight to the Thailand border. There will be tuktuks waiting to go wherever you like but remember to haggle a price before leaving. It’ll be cheaper if you find some friends who want to do the same!
I walked to the Little Hostel (my second time staying there) which is 1km from the dock and from there I arranged to go to Chiang Khong in Thailand the next day.
The border process is simple and painless. For more information check out my guide to crossing the border below.
Visa Run from Chiang Rai to Laos by Local Bus (Chiang Khong – Huay Xai)
From Chiang Khong you can organise a tourist bus to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai. The best way is to book it in advance with 12Go because they only run once a day at 9:30am and sell out frequently.
Alternatively you can do what I did and save a bunch of money by taking local buses after a day chilling by the pool at Namkhong Resort in Chiang Khong. Local buses leave Chiang Khong in the Chiang Mai direction every hour or so, making this is a very appealing option. I took 3 buses between Chiang Khong and Chiang Mai which took 9 hours and cost just 70 baht ($2) for each bus.
And that’s it, you’ve made it to Thailand!
Accommodation resources
Where to stay in Luang Prabang
- Hostel: Downtown Backpackers Hostel 2 – Centrally located hostel with clean dorms for just $3.50 and a social vibe.
- Private: Villa Rattanakon – $12 private double rooms just 300m from the centre of town.
Where to stay in Pakbeng
- Mekong Backpackers – $5 double bed rooms with a fan and boat pick up/drop off included.
- Mekong Riverside Lodge – $16 double bed rooms including breakfast.
Where to stay in Huay Xai
- Little Hostel – $5 for a quiet 4-bed dorm with air-con and amazing staff (shout-out to Nok!).
Where to stay in Chiang Khong
- Namkhong Resort – $6 double bed cabin near the bus station. Great value for money and has a swimming pool.
- Panna Kalong – Basic $10 villas including breakfast and border pick up/drop off from a really friendly and hospitable family.
Final thoughts
I’d heard very mixed reviews from other travellers about this journey before I booked it, but I didn’t let that phase me. I really wanted to make up my own mind.
Frequent comments like it was too busy, too cramped and sometimes too rowdy, but my experience was luckily none of those things. It was very relaxing and the boat was only about half capacity. I think doing it the opposite way around (Huay Xai – Luang Prabang) is often a lot busier, but it’s one of those things where you kinda just have to get lucky!
As much as I loved the slow boat, I can’t lie… the second day did get a bit tedious and same-samey. That said, I would still choose this over a bus any day. I can’t say it enough but make sure you get a seat close to the front because the engine noise at the back really does give you a headache after one hour, let alone ten!
The only thing I didn’t enjoy was watching entire local families throw crisp packets, plastic water bottles and general waste off the side of the boat into the river continuously… without even flinching. It’s extra mind-boggling because there are bins onboard, and I know it’s just one of those unexplainable cultural differences, but it’s sad to see. The river isn’t actually that polluted overall though, which is astounding.
Other than that, this journey is the perfect time to catch up on that book you’ve been neglecting, journal about your travels or just kick back, relax and watch the world go by!
Thank you for reading this travel guide – I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible 
Happy travelling!
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Accommodation: Booking.com, Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, TripAdvisor
Transport: 12Go, Omio, Trip.com, Rome2Rio
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