2-Day Slow-boat from Thailand to Laos

We often hear that, it’s not about the destination, but the journey along the way, and taking the slow boat in Laos, Southeast Asia, is a perfect example.

Taking the slow boat is a must-do experience for lots of travellers who undergo the journey between Luang Prabang, UNESCO World Heritage City and Huay Xai which borders Thailand and depending on your direction of travel, is the first or last destination for many when travelling through Laos.

For those who make the journey, you will witness luscious landscapes, serene mountains, magical sunsets and diverse wildlife while developing an appreciation for those who make their living along the Mekong river.

There are two options, public slow boat or a “luxury” option. After hearing so many rave reviews from travellers that we met in North Thailand, we took this luxury option (it is our honeymoon after all!). With either, the boat runs frequently between the Thai border and Luang Prabang. 

    Below is a breakdown of the two options based on our knowledge (Feb 2025).

Option 1: Luxury Slow Boat (What We Did!)

• We booked this tour with a highly rated company, Nagi of Mekong – reserve ahead on TripAdvisor, since it gets booked up quickly!
• They assisted with arranging pick-up and drop-off, including an early morning taxi from Chiang Rai to the Thai-Laos border.
• The boat had a maximum of 40 passengers on board, ensuring a more spacious and comfortable experience.
• Free water, tea, and coffee were available throughout the day with lunch provided on both days (plenty of vegetarian options).
• A dedicated host managed the trip, answering any questions while providing valuable insights into Laos.
• The itinerary included three stops: A local village visit, a rice whiskey village, and the Pak Ou Caves.
• We had the option to book an accommodation package through our tour operator, which included a stay in Pak Beng. (As of March 2025, prices range from $160 per person for standard accommodation to $195 per person for premium accommodation, excluding single supplements.)
• We booked our own accommodation to ensure we stayed somewhere we preferred. Altogether, including transfers and boat tickets, we paid approximately $165.

Option 2: Public Slow Boat

• For the public slow-boat, you make your own way across the border and go to the Huay Xai boat pier using available transport.
• The boat can carry up to 200 passengers, including locals and backpackers. It can be a struggle to secure seats—some travellers told us their boat was so overcrowded that they had to sit on the floor for up to nine hours.
• Limited food and drink options— We recommend bringing your own snacks and meals.
• There are no stops, except for an overnight stay in Pak Beng, which you must arrange yourself.
• Many travellers stay in Chiang Khong the night before, as it’s close to the border. Travelling from Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai on the same day can be challenging due to the timing and distance involved in reaching the slow boat for its late-morning departure. Research transport options carefully to avoid last-minute issues.

You can book through this tour operator that includes the transfer from Chiang Rai to the border crossing and the transport to the public boat. This may make it easier for you instead of arranging transportation yourself, but is still a budget option in comparison to the luxury boat. 

If you are booking directly, there are a selection of guesthouses to choose from, while the luxury options are: Le Grand or The Sanctuary. We stayed at Villa Mekong Guesthouse, and found it to be good value for money!

–          Fly directly to Luang Prabang International Airport, which has connections with South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

–          Travel by minivan or bus from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang 

 We were picked up early at 6 am by our taxi in Chiang Rai and driven to the Thai–Laos border crossing. The journey took around two hours, giving us a chance to catch up on sleep.

At the border, we were guided through the immigration process—it can feel a bit overwhelming, but the staff and guides were helpful. Around 45 minutes later, with our passports stamped, we had arrived in Laos!

Our experience Crossing the Thailand-Laos Border to Catch the Slow Boat

• Our bags (and we) were tagged with our tour company logo, making it easy for our host to spot us. They directed us through Thai immigration.
  
• We took a five-minute bus journey across the Thai–Laos Friendship Bridge. This was included in our tour, but if travelling independently, you’ll need to pay a small fee for the local bus (which departs once full).
  
• On the Laos side of the border, we had to complete two immigration forms. Make sure you keep one safe, as you’ll need it when exiting Laos—travellers crossing into Cambodia without it were charged fee.
  
• A passport photo is required for the visa. Luckily, we had ours, if you don’t, you can get one on the spot for around $1.
  
• We handed our forms, photo, and passport to immigration for processing and waited 15 minutes to receive our passport back with the Laos visa added.
  
• Next, we proceeded through the Laos border checkpoint and paid for our visa. Costs vary by nationality—as UK nationals, we paid $40 (February 2025). USD is preferred, but Thai Baht and Lao Kip are also accepted. There’s an ATM at the Laos border if you need to withdraw Kip.
  
• After collecting our belongings, we reboarded our coach, which took us to the Huay Xai slow boat pier.
  
• The process took around 45 minutes, though this can vary depending on foot flow.

At the Laos border, we got a glimpse of how less developed Laos is compared to Thailand due to the state of the toilets! We jumped back on our bus and were taken to the pier to board our slow boat. We were on the slow boat by 10:30am and departed by 11am.

Our boat had tables that were allocated to the passengers, and we sat with two other people. We got to know each other, grabbed a coffee and then settled down to take in the scenery, wildlife and relax. During the day we stopped at a local village to learn more about how locals live along the Mekong. 

Lunch was provided just after midday, there was a generous selection to choose from and plenty of food. Vegetarians were allowed to go first (our host checked beforehand for dietary needs) so that they didn’t miss out. We filled in the rest of the time reading, talking and enjoying the sights, with no internet, it was great to have a break from our screens.

Toilets: There are toilets on board which were fine, we recommend taking wipes and hand gel for added comfort.

We arrived in PakBang at just after 5pm and were met by a flurry of locals who were waiting to take people to their hotels. We decided to avoid the drama and walk as our hotel (Villa Mekong Guesthouse) since it was only 10-15 minutes from the pier.

Once checked in, we enjoyed a spectacular sunset by the Mekong river and had dinner at Hive Bar. The beer was cold and although the food took a while, it was hot and fresh. We spent the night playing pool and enjoying the riverside setting.  

Another early start, with our pre-ordered breakfast (check with your hotel the night before),we headed back to the boat for 7:30 am. On our walk we passed many restaurants and bakeries that you can also grab something to eat.

Back on board, we grabbed a coffee, and the boat set off for the last part of the journey. For the morning, we sat at the front of the boat. Lunch was similar to yesterday, and this was followed by two stops. First up, a rice whiskey village, which we were able to try (this is optional, and given the recent stories in Laos around alcohol, it is understandable if you opt out). There were also other products made by the locals to look at. 

Secondly, we stopped at Pak Ou caves. We found it fascinating that a temple was built in such an inaccessible location. Here we found two separate caves, a higher one (a lot of steps to get there) and a lower one that contained over 4,000 Buddha images.

Finally, we reached our destination, Luang Prabang, the UNESCO world heritage centre and former capital of Laos! We said our byes, grabbed our bags and were directed to a van that took us to our hotel.   

We found the luxury slow boat to be a memorable way and fantastic value for money to experience life along the Mekong river, and see parts of Laos that you would not see if travelling through means. The trip offers good value with 2 meals, free drinks and 3 stops excursions that added value to the journey as opposed to booking separate tours. Since much of the Mekong River is changing due to on-going building of dams, we recommend doing this trip whilst you can, since in the future, there are rumours that the boat tours may not run much longer, due to the scenery being exploited by the structure of the dams.

We came away with a strong appreciation for the Mekong River, and its importance to the people and wildlife. If you are travelling between Laos and North Thailand and can make it fit into your budget, we urge you to consider it, you won’t be disappointed.

Let us know your questions or experiences of this trip below!

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