Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Seul]

Hi all, just want to draw from your experiences on the best way to get from Seoul into Cambodia / Laos. I only have the two weeks at the end of February off and I wanted to try to do a quick tripper and spend all that time in these two coutnries. I'd be open to stopping at a hub country if I could cut down on airline costs. My searches from Seoul show ridiculous prices of like $600+ one way.

Do you suggest flying from Singapore or KL or somewhere else and using a budget airline? Any advice?

[curiousaboutkorea]

[runthegauntlet]

[Murakano]

Flying into BKK and then Air Asia to Cambodia usually is cheapest.

Flying in/out of Laos (Luang Prabang) is always expensive though. Laos Air and Bangkok Airways always charge a nice premium for some reason (Laos Government taxes?). Air Asia don`t fly to Luang Prabang.

[Seul]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I had a Korean friend find me some RT's to Phnom Penh for under 600K and a one way for about 450K including taxes. I realize it is not the ideal time and I've waited until the last minute.

I am still not sure quite how to structure the trip. It will be my first time in both Laos and Cambodia and I only have two weeks.

I was thinking about hitting up the main parts... tentatively:
Phnom Penh 2 days Siem Reap 3 days

I think I want to head from
Luang Prabang 3 days to Vang Vieng 2 days to Vientiane 2 days

and allowing a few days for travel. I'm just not sure where to start and where to end. Approximately how much would it cost me to fly from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang or Vientiane? Any suggestions on the order?

[thrylos]

It' s going to be rough to do both cheaply. You have the option of flying direct into PP and/or SR with the 2 K-airlines. A 14-day RT ticket is about 7-800k won, if there's space available now. From either place, you can fly into Luang Prabang or Vietienne with Lao Aviation (laoaviation.com or laoairlines.com), but they aren't too cheap, either. Keep in mind you'll also need visas ($20/25 for Cambodia, and another 30-40 for Lao visa on arrival, both single entry only)

Alternatively, you can cross into Laos from Cambodia by road and just do the southern Laos circuit (Pakse to Savannaket) and return to Cambo for your flight back.

Your best bet to make it cheaper would be to choose one place only. 2 weeks trying to do both is way too....Korean , since transport sux and distances you're talking about are quite far...Either fly into Cambodia from Korea, or go into BKK and take the night train up to the border w/Vietienne and tour Laos.

[cazador83]

just came back from doing all of vietnam, cambodia, and laos.

skip vientienne, only using it as a transport hub. seriously. everyone will tell you the same.

as for phom penh, you could do everything in one day (killing fields, and maybe shoot an ak-47 or other gun if you want).

more time should be spent in siem reap for angkor wat (most guidebooks will tell you to spend at least 3, i just did it for 2 and it was fine).

definitely spend as much time as possible in vang vieng and luang prabang, ESPECIALLY if you want to RELAX. those places are awesome for that. just chilling and tubing down the river in vang vieng was cool. especially if you like waterslides and drinking and meeting people. luang prabang has the most awesome waterfall i've ever seen.