The border had been open for ages to Thais doing 4WD “adventure tours” up to Luang Prabang but we’d been told by the TAT that “there were no plans whatsoever for the crossing to be opened to foreigners at any time in the forseeable future“.

So we assume somebody changed their mind!

What this means is that after spending time exploring Nan, you can cross at Ban Huay Kon, head northeast to the village of Hong Sa and jump aboard a slow boat heading either south to Luang Prabang or north to Pak Beng and Huay Xai — what a terrific new way to enter Laos!

As I mentioned, we got this news second hand (a couple of European backpackers related their trip to a friend of ours while on the slow boat in early May, 2008), so it comes with no guarantees whatsoever and our agent on the boat forgot to ask then if visa-on-arrival was available… just can’t get good help these days!

With the exception of Songkhla, these southern province do not attract a large number of tourists — primarily due to a general lack of tourist infrastructure and the plain fact that there really isn’t that much to see there. Of course for those who are interested in getting well off the tourist track, they hold their own special appeal, but for the vast majority of visitors to Thailand, these southern provinces are nothing more than a blur out of their train or minibus window. Most visitors who do come here are transiting north from the Malaysian border to the southern transport hub of Hat Yai, and for all intents and purposes, this route appears to be largely safe.

The province of Songkhla gets far more tourists than the above-mentioned provinces — mainly heading to the bustling town of Hat Yai. In Hat Yai’s case there have been a couple of bombings (including of the international airport) and random shootings, but with the exception of the airport bombing, attacks do not appear to have been primarily directed at western tourists. Realistically if you are planning on visiting the islands off rang and Satun, then chances are you’ll need to pass though Hat Yai, and at this stage we would not suggest altering your plans to avoid Hat Yai.

In summary, the violence in the far south has not, so far, exhibited a particular focus on foreign tourists. If you are considering heading to this part of the country, keep informed — read the newspapers, watch tv news and talk to others who have been there.

Laos: The Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang road
The road running north from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, particularly around the village of Kasi was once a hotbed of robbings, mayhem and murder and was not considered a safe route to take. This was in the mid to late 1990′s, and it is now regarded as being largely safe. While there is still the occasional robbery on this road and buses sometimes still carry armed guards, the route is considered safe by most and it has been some time since a westerner was killed on this road. In fact you’re more likely to get injured due to an accident tan any kind of armed conflict along this route.

Cambodia: Landmines
Cambodia remains one of the most mined countries in the world, yet the vast majority of these landmines are nowhere near the tourist track. The most likely areas that tourists would face an obvious risk of landmines is around Anlong Veng, Pailin, Preah Vihear and pretty much any regional area in the country. Well-touristed areas such as Angkor Wat, Battambang and Phnom Penh should all be regarded as ok. Nevertheless caution is always a good idea, and Cambodia is never a country where unguided bush-whacking is a good idea. Stay on well-worn tracks, always use a guide if in rural areas and never enter an area marked as a minefield.

Cambodia
Popular visa types: Tourist and Business
Both tourist and business visas are available on entry at the airports and at some of the international crossings. A tourist visa supposedly costs US$20, a business visa $25. At international airports you’ll generally get the visa for that price, at overland crossings, overcharging is the norm. You will require a pen and one photo.

Extensions
A tourist visa can be extended once, for 30 days only. The extension costs US$45. Business visas can be extended pretty much forever on an annual basis. The fee for a year-long multiple entry extension is US$280. Both types of extensions take a day or two and are best handled through agents.

Validity issues
All tourist visas are single entry only. Business visas can be extended for a range of periods of time and can be multiple entry. The visa sticker for both types of visa are full page, so bear that in mind if you do not have many pages left.

Laos
Popular visa types: Tourist
The Tourist Visa for Laos can be issued at some entry points or via a travel agency or Lao consulate. Via an embassy the visa should cost US$30. Visa on entry is reliably available at Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Huay Xay, less reliable are the Tha Khaek and Savannakhet entry points and not available at all with the Cambodia crossing. If you get your visa beforehand from an embassy it should be valid for 30 days. Visa on entry are normally valid for 15 days only. Be wary of being stamped in for 15 days on a 30 day visa.

Extensions
Tourist visas can be extended on a daily basis.

Validity issues
All tourist visas are single entry only. The visa sticker for visas issued from an embassy are full page, so bear that in mind if you do not have many pages left.

Thailand
Thailand has a multitude of visa options and requirements — you’re best off going to the horse’s mouth at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the full spiel.

Vietnam
Popular visa types: Tourist
The Tourist Visa for Vietnam must be issued before arrival and the typical visa is valid for 30 days. Extension of Vietnamese visas is possible once you are in Vietnam.

Extensions
Yes, extensions are possible.

Border crossing details
This section is oft liable to change — please use is solely as a general guide.

Thailand/Laos
Chiang Khong – Huay Xai
Open 08:00-18:00 7 days
A 15 day Lao visa on arrival is available for US$30. After the Nong Khai crossing this is probably the most popular crossing for independent travellers entering Laos from Thailand as it is from Huay Xai that the slow boats to Luang Prabang, speed boats to Xieng Kok and land transport to Luang Nam Tha all commence, making this a veritable transport hub. After clearing customs on either side, it is a short five minute boat ride over to the other side.

Thai Li – Nam Hueng
This fairly remote crossing would be a handy one to open up fully due to the fairly good road condition north to Pak Lai and onwards to Luang Prabang. Currently there are conflicting reports on its being open, although it appears it is easier to leave Laos this way than to enter it. There is no Lao visa on arrival available here, nor is there much at all in the way of regular pubic transport. See GT Rider for more information.

Nong Khai / Vientiane
Open 06:00-22:00 7 days
Lao visa on arrival is available at this crossing, the most popular means of entering Laos by land. The crossing is actually around 20km from Vientiane and a few km from the centre of Nong Khai, but regular and affordable transport is available in both directions.

Mukdahan / Savannakhet
Open 09:00-16:30
This riverine crossing takes travellers from the riverfront of central Mukdahan to the riverfront of central Savannakhet. Boats run around a half dozen times a day, seven days a week. There is a small fee for the boat. Lao visas on arrival are available.

Nakhon Phanom / Tha Khek
Open 08:30-15:00
This riverine crossing takes travellers from the riverfront of central Nakhon Phanom to the riverfront of central Tha Khaek. Boats run around a half dozen times a day, seven days a week. There is a small fee for the boat. Lao visas on arrival are available.

Chong Mek / Vang Tao
Open 06:00-19:00
For those planning on visiting Si Phan Don from Thailand, the Chong Mek, Vang Tao crossing is the most convenient. From Thailand a regular bus runs from Ubon Ratchathani to the border town of Chong Mek taking 1-1.5 hours. Sometimes you may be required to change buses as Phibun Mangsahan depending on the bus caught. Once deposited at Chong Maek it is a five minute walk through each crossing and regular songtheaws run from Vang Tao to Pakse, taking about one hour.

Bueng Kan / Paksan
Open 08:00-16:30
This border, while open to foreigners, is not really convenient to anything much, though Paksan is a scenic enough riverside spot. There is a small fee for the ferry crossing and a Lao visa on arrival is available.

Ban Huay Kon / Muang Ngoen
Despites rumours to the contrary, this border crossing, at the very top of Nan province in Thailand, remains closed to foreign tourists. Should this change, there is accommodation available (with great views) at Ban Huay Kon.

Thailand Cambodia
Aranyaprathet / Poipet
Open 07:00-20:00
This is, by far the most popular, and the most dysfunctional border crossing between Cambodia and Thailand. Cambodian visas on arrival are available. Crossing times can be in excess of three hours depending on the whims of the border officials, and, when combined with the often appalling state of the road to Siem Reap, it is almost worth flying (plus you’ll then avoid Poipet which is an absolute armpit of a place). See the Tales of Asia website for the most in-depth coverage of this crossing.

Hat Lek / Ko Kong
Another very straightforward crossing, the Hat Lek/ Ko Kong crossig is most convenient for those planing on travelling between Thailand’s Ko Chang and the Sihanoukville beach area of Cambodia — which you can travel to by road or boat depending on the weather conditions. There are numerous reports of the Cambodian officials here being particularly troublesome and asking ridiculous amounts of money for visa on arrival — the easiest way around this is to arrive with a visa already in hand.

Chong Jom / O Smach
We’ve not crossed here and have no information about it.

Chong Sa Ngam / Anlong Veng
This crossing is very convenient to Anlong Veng and little else. If you are heading to Thailand via this crossing, there is no public transport from the border to any sizeable Thai towns, you will need to hitch a ride from the border for around 20km to a sealed road from where there is then occasional public buses, though you are better off to hitch at least as far as Route 24 along which there are very frequent buses.

Ban Pakard. Chantaburi / Phsa Prum, Pailin
This border allows for the fastest trip from Phnom Penh to Bangkok overland. The border is a thirty minute motorbike ride from Pailin and from the Thai side there are frequent minibuses to Chanthaburi an hour or so away. Cambodian visas on arrival are available.

Ban Laem, Chantaburi / Daun Lem, Battambang
We’ve not crossed here and have no information about it.

Laos / Cambodia
Veun Kham/ Dom Kralor
Open 08:00-17:00
This is a very popular crossing amongst travellers heading overland between Cambodia and Laos. Cambodian visa on arrival is available, but you will need to arrange your Lao visa in advance. The Cambodian border post is now on the Lao side of the river in the village of Veun Kham. So you actually clear Cambodian immigration while still in Laos. Once cleared you can then head down to Stung Treng by speedboat or minibus. The latter takes about 30 minutes longer than the boat, though once the bridge across the Se Kong in Stung Treng is finished the bus will almost certainly be faster.

Laos / Vietnam
Na Maew / Nam Xoi
Open 08:00-17:00
This crossing opened in 2004 and for those coming from Vietnam it offers convenient access into the bookdocks of Laos’ Hua Phan province. It is a short ride from the border to Sam Neau.

Nam Phao / Cau Treo
Open 08:00-17:00
Convenient to the Lao town of Lak Xao and the large Vietnamese city of Vinh, this border is the crossing of choice for most overland travellers.

Dansavanh / Lao Bao
Open 08:00-17:00
This was the first land border between Laos and Vietnam to open for international travellers, it was for a long time the most popular, but many now opt for the more northern crossing near Lak Xao instead. This crossing is convenient for Hue in Vietnam and Savannakhet in Laos.

NamCan / Nam Khan
Open 08:00-17:00
Convenient to Phonsavan in Laos and pretty much nothing in Vietnam, this crossing has been open for some time now, but is not much used by travellers due to the long stretch on the Vietnamese side down to Vinh. Lao visas on arrival are available.

Sop Hun / Tay Trang
Long rumoured to be about to open, this crossing which would make for an excellent trip across northern Laos and Vietnam remains closed to independent travellers.

Laos / China
Boten / Mengla
Open 08:00-17:00
This is the only Lao border that is currently open to independent travellers, Lao visas on arrival are available. The border is around 10km from the popular Lao town of Muang Sing.

Cambodia/Vietnam
Bavet /Moc Bai
This was the first crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam to open to foreign travellers and it remains easily the most popular. Daily buses regularly ply the Saigon – Phnom Penh route and the service is both fast and affordable.

Kaam Samnor / Ving Xuong
This very popular riverine crossing links from Cambodia to the Vietnamese town of Chau Doc. This crossing can be done on an organised deal by boat from Phnom Penh to Saigon, or you can do it piecemeal.

Phnom Den / Tinh Bien
Not far south of Chau Doc, this crossing is open to foreign travellers, though we’ve no information about it at the moment.

If you’re trekking, you’ll also be perspiring, so don’t forget to reapply it through the day. Likewise isf you’re planning on cooking yourself on the beach be sure to reapply sunscreen through the day.

Another fine tool for deflecting the sun is a hat. Even if you’ve never worn a hat in your life, be sure to pick one up once you arrive in Asia — they’re cheap and available all over the place.

The agency
Every man and his dog in northern Thailand runs a trekking company. Some years ago the TAT tried to clean up the industry with some success, but there are still a few seat of their pants style operators around. Remember just because your guesthouse says they organise trekking doesn’t mean that they organise trekking — it often means they are selling you a place on a trek that is run by a separate company. Grilling a guesthouse manager about a trek that they have no control over is generally a bit of a waste of time. I’d say go to the source when shopping around — ask “Do you run your own tours?”, if they say no, go elsewhere, and if it means the guesthouse will throw you out because you’re not trekking with them, so be it — they obviously don’t deserve your money anyway. Does the agency you’re talking to appear to be professional? Can you see comments from past groups? Can you talk to a returning group? How does the agency treat you? Do you get the ipression they want your business? Are they corporate or family run? Both can be good (or bad) a family run business will often have a more down to earth feeling, but “down to earth” can easily become shoddy.

The guide
While the guesthouses are often middle-men, the guides are often freelance, meaning that just because your mate Jack did a trek with XYZ tours and the guide, Lek, was excellent, doesn’t mean that Lek will be leading the XYZ tour you book yourself on. Try to meet the guide beforehand. If the agency is evasive in this regard, go elsewhere. The guide will play an important part in determining the type of trek it will be — are you more interested in guzzling home-made wine, smoking pot around the campfire and snogging a few of your fellow trekkers, or are you more interested in the ethnic makeup and power relationships within a tribe — will the guide be able to provide you with the experience you are after? (many guides will be happy to snog you ) You’ll never know unless you meet them first.

The group
The group can make or break the trek and thankfully most guesthouses will show you a list of who is on a trek beforehand so you can have a rough idea of what you are getting yourself in for. Sex, age, nationality are all listed normally. If possible try to meet beforehand, but often that isn’t feasible. Try to hook-up with like-minded souls before booking a trek, then you’re safe. If you are able to meet beforehand, find out more regarding everyone’s expectations — why are they trekking? why are you trekking? There is little point keeping secrets as by the end of five days walking around in the sticks together, you’ll know more than you probably want to know about them all (and they about you) anyway. If the group isn’t to your liking, drop out and go find another trip.

Your expectations
Why are you trekking? If it is to see remote ethnic groups who have never seen a foreigner before, stay at home and buy a copy of National Geographic. If you are doing an organised trek anywhere in Thailand, rest assured you and your group will be very familiar to the people you visit and be prepared for a touristic experience. High expectations of an untouristed experience with no commercial pressure to buy anything are likely to lead to severe disappointment. After all you have paid money to be taken on the trip — a commercial enterprise in itself — don’t find yourself resenting the fact that the people in the village hope to make some money out of you. Likewise if you are uncomfortable in the voyeurs seat, then trekking is most likely not for you — perhaps do a trip that involves just walking and caving but none of the “canned” hilltribe experiences — Nan is a great option for treks of this kind.

The trip
This is often a case of less is more. Seeing five villages in a day is neither comfortable, enjoyable or particularly interesting. One or at most two tribes a day is more than enough. How long will you spend in a village if you visit during the day? Will you be able to participate in village life in anyway (eg planting rice, changing a roof, gathering wood etc etc).

You’re on a “trek” after all and a fair amount of walking is a good thing, though you don’t want to be walking ten hours a day. Go through the trip in detail before signing up — how much walking is there each day? Are there long breaks? What is the terrain like? Will you be mostly walking through rice fields, jungle or along a main road? How much driving is required to get to where the trek starts? If you’re driving for more than a couple of hours to get to the starting point, consider starting the trek from further afield. How much food is supplied? Will you be expected to buy food? Will you be supplied with as much water as you need? Do you have special food requirements? if you do, be sure to say so. What villages will you be staying in? Which tribes will you be visiting?

Your fitness
The treks are generally moderately strenuous, though this does vary. You should be of at least an average fitness level. A good pair of boots is a good idea, though people continue to go trekking in flip flops. Take the bare essentials and use the safety storage at your guesthouse for the bulk of your stuff — there is really little need to take a laptop with you on a hilltribe trek. Trekking generally doesn’t have porters, so you will need to carry everything you take with you. Take sunscreen. In cool season, take warm clothes and MAKE SURE warm bedding will be available in the evening — warm bedding is often better than sleeping bags as the latter can get very crusty and yucky if not cared for, a huge pile of blankets is far better in my opinion.

The extras
Rafting and elephant riding are the two most common add-ons to a trek. Personally the novelty of riding an elephant wears off after about 3 nanoseconds, and the rafting is more like floating — don’t envision a Sunkosi experience here — I prefer to walk and take my time and would never opt for either of these options. A trek without elephant riding and rafting is also cheaper.

We previously submitted this to the Lonely Planet Thorntree — you can see the orginal post here.

If you do decide to make a reservation online, you can of course use the Travelfish site, or take a look at the websites of three of our partners for online reservations, Hostel World, Precision Reservations and Sawasdee.