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Information on the overland bordercrossings between the following countries:
 Laos - Thailand
At the following 5 overland bordercrossings between Laos and Thailand it is possible the get a visa on arrival for Laos. A Laotian visa costs 30US$. When you cross into Thailand non-extendable thirty-day Thai visas are available at all these points.
- Vientiane - Nongkhai (Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge Checkpoint), the most popular bordercrossing which we used to enter Laos in 2002
- Houai Sai (Bokeo Province) - Chiang Khong (Chiang Rai Province) bordercrossing, which we crossed to enter Thailand during our 2001 ride.
- Savannakhet - Mukdaharn.
- Vang Tao (Champasak Province) - Chong Mek (Ubon Province).
- Phak Kat (Pong Nam Ron District, Chanthaburi Province) - Phsa Prom/Pailin bordercrossing, has been opened for international tourist from December, 28th, 2003.
On the site of the Lao Embassy in Bangkok and that of the Lao National Tourist Administration nformation can be found about bordercrossings where you can get a visa upon arrival for Laos (note that the information on this sites is not consistent).
Next to the 5 mentioned bordercrossings there is one bordercrossing open to local people only. This crossing, between Nan province in Thailand and Laos' Sayaboury province, is named the Muang Ngeun - Huay Kon crossing. According to information of april 2004 it will be upgraded to a permanent checkpoint after the signing of a Thai-Lao border demarcation agreement.
Laos - Vietnam
Three overland bordercrossings between Laos and Vietnam hand out visa on arrival, according to the Lao Embassy in Bangkok. On the Vietnamese site no visa are available so you better bring the right stamps with you. The bordercrossings are:
- Dan Savanh (near Savannakhet) - Lao Bao (near Dong Ha/Hue)
- Nam Phao or Keo Neua - Kao Treo (Vinh South)
- Nong Haet (near Phonsovan) - Nam Can (Vinh North)
Several sites state that the following border is also open.
You better bring your visa with you to be sure that you can enter both countries:
- Nam Meo (Sam Nua) - Nam Soi
A total of 12 bordercrossings are mentioned here, but most of them are for local people only.
The one most likely to open soon is the bordercrossing at Dien Bien Phu (official names Na Son on the Laos side and Huoi Puoc on the Vietnam side). Look at the The forum of GT-rider for actual information on this crossing.
Laos - Cambodia
- Voeung Kam (Laos) - Stung Treng (Cambodia) bordercrossing.
No official border crossing but it works perfectly. In 2002 we crossed this border by bike coming from Laos and heading into Cambodia. If you want to go by bike to Strung Treng, just go straight on when highway 13 ends and follow the dirtroad. After a few km's the baraks at the border appear. No visa upon arrival for both countries, but you have to pay a litlle fee (ca US$ 3) to get you passport stamped at both sides.
If you want to continue by boat to Strung Treng do not go straight on when Laotian HW 13 ends but turn right to the river.
Laos - China
- From China to Laos at Mengla/Bohane - Boten.
No visa upon arrival for both China and Laos when we where there in 2000. We wanted to leave China and enter Laos and brought our Laotian visa with us from Kunming. We obtained the visa in the Camilia hotel where also the Laotian consulate is.
According to the web-site of, yes here it is again, the Laotian embassy in Bangkok it is now possible to get a visa upon arrival. It is a quite straight forward procedure at the border; Get a stamp in your passport at the Chinese checkpoint. Cycle a few kilometers to the Lao side, fill in the papers for the visa-upon-arrival, pay your $30 and you are in.
To get into China make sure you obtain a visa before you arrive at the border.
Laos - Myanmar
Currently it is not possible to cross between Laos and Myanmar overland. If ever any crosing will be opened our guess as the most likely location is near the Laotian town of Xiang Kok where the Mekong river is the natural boundery between both countries.
Vietnam - China
We have not tried the bordercrossing between China and Vietnam. But according to the experience of fellow travellers on the internet it is quite easy when your paperwork is ok.
- The Dong Dang - Pinxiang bordercrossing is the most Eastern crossing of the two.
- The other one is the Lao Cai - Hekou (Yunnan) bordercrossing on the bank of the Red River. This border you will also cross when you take the train from Hanoi to Kunming vv.
- On the banks of the read river is the Lao Cai - Hekou (Yunnan) bordercrossing. This border you will also cross when you take the train from Hanoi to Kunming vv (see details in the China countryinfo page).
Vietnam Tourism is one of the english language sites that give information on these bordercrossings and how to cross them with other modes of transport then by bike.
Thailand - Cambodia
A total of 5 bordercrossings between Thailand and cambodia are currently open to international (not local) travellers. All have the possibility to obtain a visa-upon arrival. Free at the Thai site and 1000 Bath at the Cambodian site.
A total of 5 bordercrossings between Thailand and cambodia are currently open to international (not local) travellers. All have the possibility to obtain a visa-upon arrival. Free at the Thai site and 1000 Bath at the Cambodian site.
- Aranyaprathet - Poipet bordercrossing, which is the most often used and we crossed to enter both countries during our 2002 ride.
- Hat Lek - Koh Kong bordercrossing that we also used during our 2002 ride.
- O'Smach - Chom Som bordercrossing that we also used during our 2002 ride.
- Anlong Veng - Sa-Ngam bordercrossing that we also used during our 2002 ride.
- Phak Kat (Pong Nam Ron District, Chanthaburi Province) - Phsa Prom/Pailin bordercrossing, has been opened for international tourist from December, 28th, 2003.
Vietnam - Cambodia
We have not tried the bordercrossing between China and Vietnam. But according to the experience of fellow travellers on the internet it is quite easy when your paperwork is ok.
- The Dong Dang - Pinxiang bordercrossing is the most Eastern crossing of the two.
- The other one is the Lao Cai - Hekou (Yunnan) bordercrossing on the bank of the Red River. This border you will also cross when you take the train from Hanoi to Kunming vv (see details below).
- On the banks of the read river is the Lao Cai - Hekou (Yunnan) bordercrossing. This border you will also cross when you take the train from Hanoi to Kunming vv (see details in the China countryinfo page).
Vietnam Tourism is one of the english language sites that give information on these bordercrossings and how to cross them with other modes of transport then by bike.
Thailand - Myanmar
Starting in Thailand it is not possible to make an overland tour by bike in and out Myanmar. Although it is possible to cross into Myanmar you need to travel on by air.
If you have made it to the border and want to go on into Thailand it is possble to get a thirthy day visa.
Below the three bordercrossing between Thailand and Myanmar are given:
- The Dong Mae Sai - Tachilek bordercrossing in the upper north of Thailand is the most often used.
- The Mae Sot (Tak province) - Myawadi bordercrossing.
- The Ranong - Victoria Point crossing, the most Soutern one of the three.
Keep an eye on the message boards, especially for the Mae Sai - Tachilek bordercrossing. It is already used quite often by international travellers to cross in and out Myanmar. Although it is possible to travel onwards in theory it is only up to the town to Kyaing Tong. When you want to travel onwards you have to take a plane at Tachilek airport to Heho, Mandalay, or Yangon. But somebody has to be the first one to make it so keep yourself informed at the Lonley Planet Torn Tree Forum (but you must be luckey that it is discussed lately, your alternative is go to the earlier mentioned sites like the one of GT-rider
Thailand - Malesia
There are four overland entrypoints between Thailand and Malesia. All four bordercrossings have visa upon arrival both ways:
- Sungai Golok (Th) - Rantau Panjang (M).
- Padang Besar (Th) - Kaki Bukir (M).
- Betong (Th) - Keroh (M).
- Sungai Golok (Th) - Rantau Panjang (M).
Myanmar - China
No bordercrossings are open for travellers yet. The crossing most likely to be turned into an international one is the crossing between:
Altough there are some people who made it through they only succeded with a group tour arranged in Kunming (Yunnan), but so far we have not seen reports of individual travelers who made it through..
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