Vietnam - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 865

INTO LAOS: LAO BAO, CAU TREO AND NAM CAN
It's possible to cross into Laos at three border crossings in the central provinces. Long-distance
tourist buses depart from Da Nang, Hue and Hanoi. Thirty-day tourist visas for Laos are
available at all three crossings (about $35, depending on your nationality).
THE LAO BAO BORDER CROSSING
The Lao Bao border crossing (daily 7am-6pm) is the most popular of Vietnam's overland
routes into Laos. There are daily buses from Hue to Savannakhet in Laos, leaving between
6am and 8am, arriving at around 5pm, and you can also opt for Sinh Tourist (see p.873) buses
(from 300,000VND), which leave Hue on odd days at 7am and arrive in Savannakhet in Laos
at around 5pm; in Hue, you can also buy tickets for sleeper buses all the way to Vientiane
(around 700,000VND), which arrive at around 9am the following day.
THE CAU TREO BORDER CROSSING
It is also possible to cross the border at Cau Treo (daily 7am-6pm), 95km west of the city of
Vinh on Highway 8, though overcharging and delays are common. From Vinh's provincial bus
station (Ben Xe Cho Vinh), about 500m from Vinh's market, several morning buses depart for
Tay Son (formerly Trung Tam) from 6am, the last settlement of any size before the border. There
are morning buses from Tay Son to Lak Sao but you have to get there mid-morning in order to
make the connection. From here, you'll either have to pick up a motorbike taxi for the last
35km to Cau Treo, or catch one of the regular shuttle buses that ferry locals to the border.
Alternatively, hotels in Vinh can arrange a share taxi all the way to the border for around $50,
or a xe om for $25. An easier option are the Laos-bound buses, booked in Hanoi (see p.844),
that trundle through this border en route to Vientiane. Facilities at Cau Treo amount to about
half a dozen pho stalls, so sort out money (carrying dollars is best) and anything else you need
before leaving.
THE NAM CAN NONG HET BORDER CROSSING
The Nam Can border crossing (daily 7am-5pm) is also accessible from Vinh, and near Nong
Het in Laos, convenient for Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars (see p.379). Direct buses depart
from Vinh to Phonsavan on Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun at 6am (300,000VND; 13hr); going the other
way, buses that claim to take passengers all the way to Hanoi can leave them in Vinh.

11

The Ben Hai River
Right next to Highway 1, a bridge lined
with Vietnam's flags spans the Ben Hai
River. On the south bank there is a
grandiose reunification monument, the
heroic figure holding stylized palm leaves.
On the north bank, there's a reconstructed
flag tower with Socialist mosaics around
its base. he museum (daily 7am-5pm;
20,000VND) across the road features
wartime photos and mementoes.

this cemetery; each simple headstone
announces liet si (“martyr”).

Khe Sanh
he battle of Khe Sanh attracted
worldwide media attention and, along
with the simultaneous Tet Offensive,
demonstrated the futility of the US's
efforts to contain its enemy. he North
Vietnam Army's (NVA) attack on the US
base at Khe Sanh began in the early hours
of January 21, 1968, and the battle lasted
nine weeks, during which time the US
pounded the area with nearly 100,000
tonnes of bombs, averaging one airstrike
every five minutes, backed up by napalm
and defoliants. he NVA were so well dug
in that they continued to return fire,
despite horrendous casualties. By the
middle of March, the NVA had all but
gone, having successfully diverted
American resources away from southern

The Truong Son Cemetery
he Truong Son War Martyr Cemetery is
dedicated to the estimated 25,000 men,
women and children - some soldiers
were as young as twelve - who died on
the Truong Son Trail, better known in
the West as the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Around 300,000 North Vietnamese
soldiers were missing in action - far, far
more than a total of 10,036 graves lie in