As you have read previously, I have been traveling for over a year now. I decided to stay awhile in Chiang Mai Thailand, to take a break from dragging my bag around. As I am sure you know, when you enter a country you are asking permission to enter and depending on the passport you carry, this permission can be an automatic tourist visa for a set period, normally 30-90 days (US Passport holders). When you want to stay for an extended period of time, you must ask permission to the country, normally you have to do that outside of said country, before you enter. If you are already inside the country on a standard tourist visa, you must do what is referred to as a “visa run” Exit the country and re enter and obtain new visa, in my case an education visa for 6 months.
Deciding on what bordering or quick flight country to visit depends on what you are seeking. In my case the school I attend referred me to Vientiane, Laos. I had visited Laos in the past but Luang Prabang, as you may have previously read. Upon my research, the pages I was reading detailed everything great, but it really seemed so convoluted. Fly to Udan Thani, take minivan to friendship bridge, cross bridge, enter Laos, transportation to the hostel.
I booked a 6am flight, which meant I had to be at the airport at 430am, meaning I didn’t sleep at all before my flight. The flight to Udan Thani is an hour long. I had read that taking a mini van for 200 THB would be the best option and seemed easiest. I literally didn’t even have to look for the spot to buy the ticket cus you cannot exit the airport without seeing their large booth. Tell em your going to the bridge and as soon as you walk out the airport door you get escorted to the van. By this time, I just wanted to sleep. The drive from the airport to Friendship Bridge is about an hour. Very comfortable 10-12 passenger vans with AC although it wasn’t needed since I am here in winter. Once the van drops me off I am at the border crossing in Nong Khai, Thailand.
The van drops you off right at the line to immigration control, I get stamped out of the country. At this point I was tired and a little delirious since I figured I could just walk out and across the less then 2km bridge. However, right as I walked out there is a bus for 20 baht, the booth to buy the ticket is at the exit door and the bus is right outside the gated pedestrian area. The bus ride across the bridge is maybe 15-20 minutes.
The bus drops you off at border control for Laos, you fill out a form, grab local currency from the ATM before you go or get a stiff fee tacked on. I did not figuring, how much could it really be on a $35 entrance fee, um ya I paid a stiff penalty and will never do that again. Once you are stamped in to Laos, you can choose, bus, taxi or tuk tuk the hour drive into town. I opted for a large tuk tuk, it was like a truck bed attached to a motorcycle. I paid 200 TBH. I could have probably done something cheaper but by then all I wanted was my hostel bunk and 200 THB isn’t all that much in western terms.
I Arrived at the LaoLao hostel. It was everything I hoped it would be, I could nearly see the Thai Embassy from my location, the price was a 1/3rd of hotel costs in the area, included wifi and breakfast. The hostel is new and clean, and I went straight to bed. My appointment was on Monday morning and I arrived Sunday. I had to stay until Wednesday due to flight options and the 3 hours it takes to get to the airport. The Embassy was super easy, when you make your appointment you get a queue number. Arrive at 9, no need to be early as they don’t go by the line but by the queue number. I was in and out in 15 minutes, the only additional item they needed was the last exit stamp I got that day when I exited Thailand. The copy machine is available and all that was within my 15 minutes on site. The Embassy keeps your passport and you come back the next day after 13:00 to pick up the passport with the visa inside. (unless you get denied). After enjoying my last evening in a town where I was instantly surrounded by a group of wonderful like-minded expats and travelers, I packed it up and headed back. I would have loved to have extended my stay, but this was a quick visa run to attain my education visa so I could return to class.
The return was the same but, in the reverse, with a pit stop at the BeerLao brewery located close to the Friendship Bridge to buy a Tshirt. Upon reentering Thailand my first 90 days on my 6-month visa was activated, I do the extension within Thailand so no need to leave anywhere. But now that I am inside the country for the extended amount of time I wonder, will I get itchy feet, wandering mind, ready to travel some more? My favorite part of travel is meeting people and this 3 day stop over was fruitful in meeting new and interesting people and adding them as friends. I would love to see any one of those people again. Runner up to this would be food of course.
For this trips expenses , Entrance to Laos $35 USD I paid $49 due to the international conversion and having Baht not Kip, Visa fee paid to Embassy 2000 THB, pay in cash. 3 nights accommodations including breakfast and free wifi $22.68 booked on booking.com paid in cash in local currency. 840 THB for the transportation on ground round trip. Flight from Chiang Mai $170.37 round trip (can find cheaper but I purchased just 2 days before my trip) Food costs under 500 THB. Money exchange rate fees and extra penalty to enter the country made it a few dollars higher. Total on the 3 night 4 day visa run approximately $350.
Love it!