How to cross the North Thailand-Laos border at the 4th Mekong Friendship Bridge (updated 2024).
Crossing the border in North Thailand over the 4th Friendship Bridge to Laos and on to Huay Xai to get the 2-day Slow Boat down the Mekong River. Sounds complicated? Not at all, see how we did it.
After a month travelling through Thailand it was time to move on. It’s easy enough to reach the north Thai border crossing and the Fourth Friendship Bridge that spans the Mekong River into Laos. Down on the quay at a remote little frontier town called Huay Xai, slow boats wait for passengers just after sunrise each morning…
How to get to North Thailand / Laos border crossing
Chiang Rai (Thailand)
Chiang Rai is a province in Northern Thailand which is separated from Laos by the Mekong, a legendary river that arises in nearby Myanmar and flows thousands of kilometres across country to Cambodia and finally Vietnam.
Until recent years, Laos was practically isolated from the rest of the world, a landlocked country in the middle of South East Asia, for decades devastated by wars and destruction. Slowly it is opening up to the world, a poor land with hardy but kind-hearted people and so many unusual places to discover.
Find a place to stay in Chiang Rai city overnight (or for a few days if you have time to explore this rugged part of North Thailand where the Karen tribe, the ladies with gold bands around their necks, still live in the mountain villages).
Although it’s not too far from Chiang Rai to the Friendship Bridge border crossing in northwestern Laos it does take time. Remember to change some currency into dollars as you’ll need it at the customs checkpoint next day.
Laos border bus from Chiang Rai
The cheapest and most adventurous option is to catch the local bus that goes to Chiang Khong, from the main depot in Chiang Rai town centre (there is a sign with ‘Laos border bus’ so you can’t miss it), the journey usually takes just under 3 hours. This is a regular bus service which leaves every 30 minutes, but go first thing in the morning to give yourself time.
The bus doesn’t actually go to the border but stops on the highway about 3 km away (just before Chiang Khong town) – ask the driver to tell you when to get off even though it’s pretty obvious as there are several songthaews, those auto-rickshaw taxis so popular in Asia, waiting for passengers to arrive. A set price is charged for the short drive to the Friendship Bridge, so don’t bother bargaining.
* There is a new direct bus from Chiang Rai to the 4th Friendship Bridge; it waits for passengers to go through the Thai and Lao immigration formalities on both sides of the border, and then goes straight on to Huay Xai. The fare is considerably more expensive than the local bus.
It takes around 2 hours to get from Chiang Rai to Huay Xai by direct bus (not including time spent at the border controls). Take into account that this is a twice-daily service leaving Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 2 (Thailand) and arriving ‘Bokeo’ Phetaloun International Bus Station (Laos). Both stops are outside the town centres and consequently you will still need to get transport from/ to your accommodations.
Crossing the 4th Friendship Bridge
Get your passport exit-stamped at the Thai customs post and then board the next shuttle bus to cross the frontier bridge (costs around 25 Baht). You are not allowed to walk, cycle or drive across. Foreign tourists cannot get a boat either.
Once in Laos, fill out a visa-on-arrival form and hand over the fee in dollar notes to the official on duty plus a one dollar ‘process’ charge (there is a currency booth but the rate is unfavourable and they only exchange fixed amounts). Getting your passport stamped can be tedious so just wait and be patient.
Formalities done, you are now in Laos and the excitement kicks in!
The 4th Friendship Bridge is in the middle of nowhere and there are no buses, so the options of getting to Huay Xai are limited unless a local Lao friend with a car is meeting you – bargain the over-priced fare and share a songthaew with other travellers for the 12 km trip or start walking along the road and try to hitch a lift (challenging but not impossible).
Huay Xai (Laos)
Huay Xai itself is a remote little river town in Bokeo Province, with an old Buddhist monastery perched on a hilltop. The otherwise peaceful scenario is now filled with travellers from around the world.
Lively `main street’ has some reasonable places to stay over-looking the riverbank (try to book something close to the jetty where the slow boats dock) as well as plenty of ‘international’ eateries as well as food stalls serving real local food.
For info on Huay Xai and how to get the Mekong Slow Boat see our helpful post: Laos – 2 day Mekong slow boat from Huay Xai
Getting from Chiang Rai to Huay Xai is relatively simple and inexpensive, and although it seems to take all day the effort is well worth it. Just imagine taking an adventurous boat ride on the Mekong, two days lazing on deck slowly passing virgin jungle down river to Luang Prabang, a French colonial town in the middle of Laos and one of the most extraordinary places I have ever been.
Related Posts on Visiting Laos
Here are more posts on our travels through Laos, this incredibly interesting but little-known land in the heart of South East Asia.
2 day Mekong slow boat from Huay Xai
Discovering Laos – Huay Xai and a 2 day slow boat down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang.
Huay Xai is a small river town in the remote Bokeo province of northern Laos…
3 Days in Luang Prabang UNESCO World Heritage City
Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage landmark famous for its Buddhist sites and French Colonial mansions.
One of the largest cities in Laos, it has a small-town feeling and looks just like a period film…
Luang Prabang – Sites unvisited by tourists
Luang Prabang – unvisited places and sites not yet discovered by tourists.
Luang Prabang unvisited. Behind the genteel glamour of colonial Luang Prabang there’s a different world waiting to be discovered…
Luang Prabang – Alms Ceremony and Kuansi Falls
Watching the Dawn Alms Ceremony and an afternoon at Kuansi Falls, on the last of our 3 day adventure in Luang Prabang.
The last day in Luang Prabang is memorable…
1 day Guide to Plain of Jars and Ban Napia, Phonsavan
1 day guide to visiting the Plain of Jars and Ban Napia ‘spoon village’ near Phonsavan in Northeast Laos.
The private minibus ticket is not much dearer than getting a standard bus which covers the route from Luang Prabang to Phonsavan….
1 day visit to Vieng Xai Cave City
How to get to Vieng Xai – a fascinating 1 day visit to the secret Cave City in remote Northeast Laos.
The minibus leaves Phonsavan and the mysterious Plain of Jars behind for the tortuous road trip to Sam Neua…
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