Backpacking through Laos from Siem Reap to Hanoi

My boyfriend and I are travelling around South East Asia in a few weeks time. While we have organised 2 weeks in siem reap, and an inrepid tour through vietnam, we are unsure of the cheapest way to get from SR to Hanoi. We are young and can handle tough conditions. We are also on a tight budget and would prefer not to fly because of prices and because we want to experience as much as possible by land. Is it ridiculous to have allowed only a week to travel between these two places??

Thanks

Backpacking through Laos from Siem Reap to Hanoi

the trip is certainly doable but...bear in mind things can go wrong and if u must be hanoi to meet your tour, you may want to think again - also a week of full on travel will be exhausting no matter how tough u r and you want to be able to enjoy your time in veitnam - are you locked into the two weeks in Seim Reip - it is a long time there - perhaps cut it bsck to say 6 nights and give your time to appreaciate a bit of laos?

Backpacking through Laos from Siem Reap to Hanoi

Thanks for the advice. We are locked into 2 weeks in Cambodia as we are volunteering in an orphanage that has already been organised. We have started considering going to Bangkok via bus to border, then bus/train to bangkok. From Bangkok we can then board an overnight sleeper to Nong Khai, right on Viantiane. Then head from there. WE have just picked up 2 extra days as we%26#39;ve moved our volunteer earlier so we should have enough time. Thanks for the help!

If you go through Nongkai, than you will miss the northen park of Laos(Xhuan kwong, bongxaly,,,). you can take bus from Vientiane to south, to Thakek, from Thakek there are bus to Hanoi. From Vientiane to Thakek you can take local bus (but you MUST have time), it is cheap and you can see many things (Laos people can put their motobike ang other cargo in the bus). Pay in local currency LAK (Laos kip) is better. 1 usd = 8500 kips. But if you do that you will miss Wat Phu, Boleven Plateu,and other places at really south of Laos. If you are from Bangkok, can take bus to Mukdahan , than from there you take bus to Savanakhet (Laos border city), it will safe your time, but you will miss Vientaine.

Ya, the cheapest way to travel in Laos is by bus. There are 2 bus station at Vientiane(one is for Northen and is for those who want to go to south.)

vc