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Traveling in Nan: Journey through Huai Kon Checkpoint to Hongsa, Luang Prabang
Journey through Huai Kon Checkpoint to Hongsa, Luang Prabang http://www.hotsia.com > Travel in Nan > Journey through Huai Kon Checkpoint to Hongsa, Luang Prabang. Nan province travel trip: morning almsgiving, Chiang Kham - Nan route, Nan city vegetable topped noodles, murals at Wat Phumin, travel to Thung Chang, Huai Kon, Huai Kon border market, Huai Kon international checkpoint - Nam Nguen checkpoint, travel route Nan - Thung Chang - Huai Kon checkpoint - Hongsa - Pakbeng - Thachuang.
Luang Prabang: The Huai Kon international border checkpoint opposite Muang Nguen city. This international checkpoint is important because it allows closer travel to Luang Prabang than other border crossings. However, travel information for this checkpoint is limited. Mr. Hotsia traveled through this checkpoint and summarized the journey by bus and boat from Bangkok or Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang or Hongsa, Xayaburi. Traveling by bus to Huai Kon checkpoint may involve taking a bus from Bangkok.
Thung Chang: Depart Bangkok at night, arrive at Thung Chang early morning, then wait to catch a van coming from Den Chai, Phrae, Nan passing through Thung Chang to Huai Kon checkpoint. Vans run daily, passing Thung Chang around 07:10-07:30 and another trip around 09:00. Vans may be full, especially on Saturdays when the Huai Kon border market is open. If vans are full, take the orange bus from Nan passing Thung Chang around 08:00 to Muang Pon, then wait for a bus from Muang Pon to Huai Kon checkpoint.
The bus from Muang Pon departs only if there are enough passengers; otherwise, it may not run on schedule. Another option is to hitch a ride from Thung Chang market to Huai Kon by sharing fuel costs. As you can see, transferring from Thung Chang to Huai Kon is not easy. I recommend taking a bus to Den Chai by train or other transport, then a van from Den Chai (next to Den Chai train station) directly to Huai Kon checkpoint, which is more convenient. The van queue from Den Chai to Huai Kon checkpoint in Nan is located near the Thai side of the checkpoint.
If you need to contact vans in Nan province, the van numbers are 081-0321015, 054-688184, contact Khun Somjit. Normally, the route from Thung Chang to Chalerm Phrakiat district is mountainous, so no large tour buses operate there. Tourists traveling in groups usually take a van from Nan city to Huai Kon checkpoint. Huai Kon checkpoint is located 5 kilometers before Chalerm Phrakiat district on the left fork.
From Huai Kon checkpoint, vans operate back to Den Chai, Phrae province. The first van departs at 11:00, with two more trips at 13:00 and 13:30. On Saturdays when the Huai Kon border market is open, vans fill up quickly with multiple trips; the last trip is at 15:00. The van owner told me that if you miss the van and no service is available, you can hitch a ride from the border down to Thung Chang by sharing fuel costs. Hitchhiking options are limited but available.
On the Laos side of Huai Kon border is Muang Nguen. Take a tuk-tuk bus for 20 baht per person (for groups) to Muang Nguen city, 5 kilometers inside. At Muang Nguen bus station, there are buses to Pakbeng, Oudomxay, Hongsa, and Xayaburi. These are mostly air-conditioned Hyundai vans or songthaews. The van queue is privately operated; vans depart when full, usually around 10:00. If no passengers, vans do not depart.
If you cross the border to Muang Nguen in the morning, you can continue traveling to Hongsa, Pakbeng, Oudomxay, or Xayaburi without overnighting in Muang Nguen. However, Muang Nguen has affordable and good hotels if needed. From Oudomxay, continue by bus to Luang Prabang. From Pakbeng, wait for a boat the next day to travel to Luang Prabang, arriving in the evening. Alternatively, stay overnight in Hongsa, then travel in the morning to Tha Suang on the Mekong River, 30 kilometers from Hongsa, about 1 hour travel time.
You can also continue to Xayaburi with available buses at Hongsa bus station. The transport system here operates on a first-full-first-depart basis, mostly in the morning; no buses run in the afternoon. If you find my information useful and want to book hotels in Luang Prabang, click here or book Luang Prabang hotels on Agoda. Mr. Hotsia, Naka 2555, features clips of Mr. Hotsia at Thung Chang, van trips at Huai Kon border checkpoint, Thung Chang municipal market at 5:30 AM waiting for the 7:00 AM van to Huai Kon border checkpoint.
The road on the Laos side from Huai Kon checkpoint is now complete. Bus schedules from Muang Nguen (inside from Huai Kon) to various cities in Laos, fresh market at Thung Chang municipality, Thung Chang postal code, waiting for buses to Huai Kon checkpoint 50 kilometers away, traveling to Huai Kon checkpoint, road from Muang Nguen to Hongsa by bus, Laos side road after Huai Kon checkpoint, Nan province travel trip.
