I'm need to make a visa run next week, and I'm planning on crossing at the Chiang Khong - Houei Xai border for a roundabout trip down to the capital. Not my first trip to Laos, but my first trip on my own bike.
I don't like posting stupid questions to this forum that have been asked many times before so I did some searching and read some great threads:
"Thai/Laos Border crossing Notes"
https://www.gt-rider.com/touring-information-overview/s-e-asian-border-crossings/thailand-laos-border-crossing-notes
David's basic instructions on the GTR main site.
"Laos"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/laos-t1203.html
Thread mostly about the Nong Khai - Vientiane friendship bridge, with a lot of dead links.
"Laos the EZ WAY! Who needs adventure......"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/laos-the-ez-way-who-needs-adventure-t3572.html
Great thread
"Chiang Mai - Luang Prabang - Vientiane"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/chiang-mai---luang-prabang---vientiane-t5759.html
David's most recent trip report crossing at Chiang Khong (that I could find)
"Chiang Mai - Vang Vieng"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/chiang-mai---vang-vieng-t5919.html
"My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/my--und-quotlittle-und-quot-adventure-up-north-t6164.html
All good threads, and the only reason I post them all here is to offer a consolidated search to anyone else that is trying to research the same topic as me.
Most of these threads are vague about the specifics when crossing at Chiang Khong - Houei Xai. I usually don't worry; my attitude is "It'll all work out", but this thread by BarryBBQ make me a little nervous:
"Losing My Laos Cherry"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/losing-my-laos-cherry-t1236.html
My specific worries are:
1. Where to get the insurance that David recommends in the first link:
http://www.agl-allianz.com/Motor_insurance.html
2. Where are the necessary documents for crossing that used to be on this site? All the links are now dead.
3. What is the cost of the ferry, including my bike?
4. Hours? I read in one of the threads that you can drop off some of the paperwork the night before and get an early start the following day.
5. Uh... Can't think of it at the moment. If someone kindly has the time, just a brief overview of the crossing procedures would be greatly appreciated. And I'll post back with an update with picks when I do it later this week.
ps. I guess I should say, just to avoid redundancy, that I live in Chiang Mai, own my bike, and know that I need to bring my green book with me to cross.
I don't like posting stupid questions to this forum that have been asked many times before so I did some searching and read some great threads:
"Thai/Laos Border crossing Notes"
https://www.gt-rider.com/touring-information-overview/s-e-asian-border-crossings/thailand-laos-border-crossing-notes
David's basic instructions on the GTR main site.
"Laos"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/laos-t1203.html
Thread mostly about the Nong Khai - Vientiane friendship bridge, with a lot of dead links.
"Laos the EZ WAY! Who needs adventure......"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/laos-the-ez-way-who-needs-adventure-t3572.html
Great thread
"Chiang Mai - Luang Prabang - Vientiane"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/chiang-mai---luang-prabang---vientiane-t5759.html
David's most recent trip report crossing at Chiang Khong (that I could find)
"Chiang Mai - Vang Vieng"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/chiang-mai---vang-vieng-t5919.html
"My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/my--und-quotlittle-und-quot-adventure-up-north-t6164.html
All good threads, and the only reason I post them all here is to offer a consolidated search to anyone else that is trying to research the same topic as me.
Most of these threads are vague about the specifics when crossing at Chiang Khong - Houei Xai. I usually don't worry; my attitude is "It'll all work out", but this thread by BarryBBQ make me a little nervous:
"Losing My Laos Cherry"
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/losing-my-laos-cherry-t1236.html
Yea, that made me a little worried. So now I'm wondering, is there a detailed ride report about crossing at that border that I missed? If not, would one of you grizzled vets be kind enough to give an overview of the procedures when crossing here? I can find many detailed reports about crossing at Nong Khai, but not much about the Chiang Khong crossing."One of the reasons I was glad to tag along with the GT boys on this trip was that things aren't documented or signed very well when entering Laos. Upon landing in Laos, I followed Robert H. into town where we parked our bikes and walked down to the riverfront and cleared immigration. With that out of the way, we went back to customs and processed paperwork for the bikes. I'm not sure I would have ever found those places on my own."
My specific worries are:
1. Where to get the insurance that David recommends in the first link:
http://www.agl-allianz.com/Motor_insurance.html
2. Where are the necessary documents for crossing that used to be on this site? All the links are now dead.
3. What is the cost of the ferry, including my bike?
4. Hours? I read in one of the threads that you can drop off some of the paperwork the night before and get an early start the following day.
5. Uh... Can't think of it at the moment. If someone kindly has the time, just a brief overview of the crossing procedures would be greatly appreciated. And I'll post back with an update with picks when I do it later this week.
ps. I guess I should say, just to avoid redundancy, that I live in Chiang Mai, own my bike, and know that I need to bring my green book with me to cross.