Laos - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 713

GETTING TO THAILAND
Tha Khaek to Nakhon Phanom
Getting to the border Crossing the Mekong at the Tha Khaek/Nakhon Phanom border crossing is
now only possible for locals. Travellers have to use the Friendship bridge, 7km from Tha Khaek. A
túk-túk over the bridge carrying two people will cost you 20,000K per person from Tha Khaek's bus
station (every half hour). The immigration office on the bridge opens at 6am and closes at 10pm.
At the border A free 15-day visa is granted on entry to Thailand; to obtain a 30-day Thai visa, you'll
need to arrive in the country by air. There's an exchange booth and 24hr ATM.
Moving on From the bridge it's a 30B túk-túk ride to Thailand's Nakon Phanom bus station, from
where buses leave regularly for Udon Thani and also Bangkok (at 7.30am and from 7pm to 8pm).
Savannakhet to Mukdahan
Getting to the border Regular buses (15,000K, 45 minutes) leave Savannakhet's bus station and
cross the new Friendship Bridge for Thailand's Mukdahan between 8am and 7pm.
At the border This is a well-organised, busy border (open 6am to 10pm). A free 15-day tourist visa is
given on entering Thailand.
Moving on Onward from Mukdahan, there are five daily buses bound for Bangkok between 5.30pm
and 8.15pm.
For more information about crossing these borders in the other direction, Click here .
Getting Around
It should cost about 20,000K to hire a jumbo (motorised three-wheeled taxi) to the bus
terminal. Rides around town cost about 15,000K per person.
The one and only place to hire a tough, reliable motocross bike to tackle the Loop
(scooters are just not built for the dangerously slippy road) and other adventures is Mad
Monkey Motorbike ( 020 5993 9909, 020 2347 7799; [e-mail] ; Fountain Sq; 250cc bikes/
automatic scooters per day US$38/28, day trips to Tham Kong Lo for a group of 4 per person 300,000K;
9am-8pm) . Run by DC, a friendly German expat, Mad Monkey has two Honda 250cc
dirt bikes, and three automatic wide-wheeled scooters. If you break down you can phone
DC and, for a price, he'll come and get you and the bike. He can also take you to Tham
Kong Lo and back in a day by bus, leaving at 8am and returning at 8pm (300,000K per
person for a group of four).
Mr Ku's Motorbike Rental ( 020 220 6070; per day 100,00K; 7.30am-4.30pm) , located at
Thakhek Travel Lodge, has 110cc Korean bikes for getting around town or to the closer