What's the nearest Yunnan-Laos border crossing? I read here on GK about buses to Mengla, but looking at the map I see the closest border is just south of Jiangcheng. Is there another closer crossing than Mangle? I don't really care about bus or public transport routes, I'm on my bike. Leaving tomorrow
It's Boten, which may be near the place you mentioned, but i also heard another one in Phongsali may be opening sometime soon, but probably isn't open (to those using passports, including foreigners) yet. I'm guessing it's only for locals using day passes and probably is quite isolated. Once it does open, it would be much closer to Kunming, but on the other hand, wouldn't cut travel times down much since roads in Phongsali province are horrible and that province is quite impoverished. Therefore, it would simply mean getting to Laos more quickly and spending more time inside that country compared to the current situation. That's because if you look at a map, Xishuangbanna extends like a spur southward between Laos and Myanmar...everything to the east is Laos and eventually Vietnam east of that.
there is only one border crossing into laos from chinaland.
highway 213 via simao and mengla to mohan. if on
motersickel, i don't know the paperwork requirements.
if on bicycle, no problems, voa. take a passport photo
and US$35. follow the old highway. have fun.
老挝人民民主共和国驻昆明总领事馆
Consulate General of Lao People's Democratic Republic in Kunming
办公处：昆明市官渡区彩云北路6800号昆明外国领馆区(世纪金源大酒店旁)
Adress of the Consulate General of LAO PDR in Kunming: 6800 North Caiyun Rd.(next to EMPARK Hotel)
邮政编码：650200
Seems only one border crossing offers VOA, the Mengla border. Tomorrow is friday, so maybe I can't get the visa same day. Maybe I have to go to Mengla anyway. Going by motorcycle, but maybe I'll leave the bike on the Chinese side and just walk over .. if crossing with the bike proves to be difficult.
Bringing any vehicle across to Laos shouldn't be a problem...it's certainly much easier than the other way around as China is very fussy about these things. BTW is your bike registered in China, for example Yunnan? If so, find out what the requirements are at the local vehicle management station or equivalent that may be able to assist.
www.travelfish.org/border_crossings/laos
www.laos-guide-999.com/Laos-border.html
Can't really use get to any international website before midnight.
Yes, bike is registered and legal here in yunnan. No time to run around checking various gov offices, i'll make a run for it tomorrow.
nick, check these guys out. based in thailand. they have
all the requirements for taking a bike into laos.
as others have said, laos is pretty relaxed, so you can
probably get your bike across. china is not, so getting it
back in may be a problem. you'll most likely need all of
your original paperwork, registration, bill of sale, insurance,
etc, maybe more.
the border crossing is right on the edge of tiny little
mohan. plenty of cheap hotels who can store your bike for
a small fee if you prefer to walk.
you can't change money legally....so forget the sole bank
of agriculture. there are nice ladies at the crossing who
will change for you (or at the hotel where you store your
bike), and will give you a good rate. anyway, RMB is
accepted across the border at boten.
so, once you go through the chinese side, pay 2 RMB to ride
the little golf cart the 1.5 km to the laos side. us passport
holders need one photo, US$35, plus $1 for weekends or
overtime, plus $1 for having a us passport. probably will
have additional fees for taking a vehicle.
once through, there is often local transport to boten, if i recall
that would be several km. i don't know the cost, i was always
on a bicycle.
i went to Laos through Jinghong. Took a 45 min flight, stayed a night and the next morning, 9 hour ride to Huayside. I do not recommend going through Mengla nor taking the 24 hours bus to Laos from Kunming. Many pick pockets in the bus.
Ocean
(1193 posts) •
I used to live in JiangCheng. Yes, it's just 15km from the Laos border, as the crow flies, but there's no border crossing there. Sorry.
