China Laos Overland

China - Laos Overland

Daniel Allen

With the opening of the R3E Kuning-Bangkok Highway in late 2008, overland travel between Kunming, provincial capital of Yunnan, and the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang in Laos has never been easier.

Sleeper bus tickets for the approximately 20-hour journey cost around RMB 300, and can be bought from a travel agent at the Camellia Hotel in Kunming.

Visas

30-day Laotian tourist visas can be obtained from the Lao Consulate in Kunming - which has recently moved from inside the Camellia Hotel to Caiyun Bei Lu. Laotian tourist visas can also be purchased (slightly more cheaply) at the Lao-Chinese border (US/UK residents pay around USD 35). Remember to take passport photos with you.

30-day Chinese tourist visas can be obtained in Luang Prabang for people wanting to travel overland the other way, but are not available at the border.

NB: While the highway on the Chinese side of the border is excellent, the road to Luang Prabang from Boten is still not good. This part of the trip can be quite arduous, with infrequent toilet stops. Keep an eye on your valuables at all times.

Luang Prabang Overview

Since its foundation as centre of the empire of a million elephants by King Fa Ngum in 1353, Luang Prabang has enchanted visitors with its intoxicating blend of stunning scenery and fascinating culture.

More compact, sophisticated and attractive than the Laotian capital Vientiane to the south, the town remains a charming relic of l'Indochine Francaise, and its rich regal and colonial heritage means Luang Prabang is now firmly established on south-east Asia's luxury travel map.

Unsurprisingly the French adored Luang Prabang, so poised on its peninsula, so elegant with its pagoda roofs sweeping down like golden wings. They built villas and cafes to admire their beautiful surroundings - the same cafes where visitors sit today, sipping red wine, munching delicate pastries, and watching monks glide gracefully past in their signature saffron robes.

Boten-Vientiane Railway

The Boten-Vientiane railway (aka the China-Laos railway or Laos-China railway) runs 414 kilometres between the capital Vientiane and the town of Boten on the border with Yunnan, China. The line officially opened on 3 December 2021. From Vientiane there are stops at Muang Phôn-Hông, Vang Vieng, Mueang Kasi, Luang Prabang, Mueang Nga, Muang Xay, Na Moh, Nateuy and Boten.