Laos - (Nong Khai, Thailand  –> Vientiane, Laos)

 

- If you can get your Laos Visa through an embassy, you can catch the Friendship Bus from the Nong Khai bus station and avoid a lot of hassle.

 

- If not, you need to get a tuk-tuk to the border.

 

- Ask your hotel reception for a reasonable price for the tuk-tuk ride.

 

- Be firm with the driver when he tries to scam you with some “official looking” English speaker that will try to sell you a bogus visa. You want to go to the border.

- You will need to buy a cheap bus ticket on the Thai side (everybody does) and it will take you to the Laos border X-ing which is further than anyone would want to walk.

- They charge $35 per Visa but prices can be $1 higher on weekends, or after 6pm.

 

- You need a Visa photo, and try to bring correct change.

 

- Ignore all taxi touts, wait for your visa until they call your name, get it, don’t bother using the cash machine cause there are better ones in Vientiane, go through all the miscellaneous, inactive, security points until your reach more taxi touts, look straight ahead and right. There is a little bus stop. Walk over there and get a cheap ride into Vientiane.

 

Cambodia - (Aranya Prathet, Thailand- Poi Pet, Cambodia)

 

- This one’s a whore!

 

- Don’t take a Koh-San Rd bus because they are known for scams. Instead, go to the Morchit Bus Station in Bangkok.

 

- Get to Aranya Prathet and the bus will drop you off at a bus station.

 

- Get an electric tuk-tuk (ask bus driver for reasonable price) to “The Border.”

 

- The tuk-tuk will, without fail, try to divert course to some scam artist who will sell you a bogus Visa and split the spoils with your driver.

 

- Be very firm! “NO, NO, NO, I want to go to the border. Take me there or I get out now and pay nothing.” He will act indignant and offended that you refuse to be scamed and eventually you will get to a market.

 

- Walk around aimlessly because there are no signs. Ask people how to get to the Border X-Ing, you’re not far away.

 

- The Thai side is easy. Now, prepare for the armpit of Cambodia.

 

- The border guards on the Cambodian side will try to scam you. The visa costs US$20, don’t pay more.   They will try to strong arm you, glare at you, insist, huff and puff. You will prevail by acting confused, apologetic, while pointing at official looking pieces of paper that you’ve pulled out of your Lonely Planet and then eventually saying the magic words ....  “Call - Embassy.” It worked for us twice.

 

- The “Taxi Mafia” controls private transport from Poipet so be prepared to pay around $35 for a private car into Siem Reap. It’s expensive because they have to pay off their English speaking “Taxi Pimp” and whatever police might be standing around.

 

- They won’t take you to your hotel. Instead they will drop you at a tuk-tuk location. A tuk-tuk should take you to your hotel for free. This inconvinience allows the tuk-tuk driver an opportunity to lock you in for your upcoming days at Angkor Wat. If they are cool, can speak well-enough for basic communication, and offer a fair price, go ahead and use them.

 

Myanmar/Burma - (Mae Sot, Thailand - Myawaddy, Burma)

 

- This one isn’t so bad.

 

- Arrive at the bus station. Ignore tuk-tuk touts until they loose intrest in you. Ask convinience store clerk what a reasonable price to the border is. Go back to the touts and try to get close to that price.

 

- The driver should wait for you at the border. Make sure that is understood.

 

- Check out of Thailand, cross a bridge, Go to Myanmar border building, (they didn’t attempt to overcharge us), check in, (optional: go shopping in the little village there if they’ll let you), check out, and walk back to your driver.

 

- No sweat.

 

Malaysia - (Satun, Thailand - Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia)

 

- Ask locals for the pickup area to go to the “Jetty.” Ours was a 7-11 on the south side of town.

 

- At the Thai border station, exchange all your remaining Thai Bhat at the “Licensed Money Changer” because they will give you a better rate than Malaysia will.

 

- Buy your tickets and you’re off to Langkawi.

 

- Malaysia visa’s are 90 days and free (may vary for nationality).

 

- Sorry Israelis, you can’t visit Malaysia.