How to get from Pakse to Luang Prabang

Why visit Luang Prabang?

Luang Prabang is the former royal capital of Laos. A beautiful fusion of traditional Lao architecture and colonial design, this ancient city sits at the junction of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Luang Prabang lifts up your spirits with its 33 Buddhist temples and awakens your senses with its picturesque landscape.

Backdropped by mountains, adventurers will find plenty of things to do in Luang Prabang. You’ll find turquoise waterfalls, trekking trips and biking trails on the outskirts of town. Our favourite part? The friendly atmosphere and slow life that it was somehow able to maintain despite the growing number of tourists.

There are 2 ways to travel the 965 kilometre (600 miles) distance from Pakse to Luang Prabang. You can choose between the bus and flight. The journey takes 1 hour 40 minutes to 1 day and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at $49 (1,062,000 LAK).

The bus trip from Pakse to Luang Prabang takes almost a full day. King of Bus is the only bus company that provides a direct trip. Their VIP sleeper bus departs Pakse at 19:00 and arrives in Luang Prabang at around 16:30 the following day. However, a direct trip is currently not available. Instead, you’ll have to book a combined bus ticket from Champasak Bus and King of Bus.

Another option is to book a bus from Pakse to Vientiane and from there, you’ll catch another bus to Luang Prabang. This option gives you some time to rest and explore the capital city of Laos.

Flying from Pakse to Luang Prabang saves a lot of time compared to taking the bus. It will cost you a bit more, but at least you won’t be completely exhausted when you reach your destination.

The main operator for this route is Lao Airlines. Their one-way tickets start at $95 (2,060,000 LAK), and they operate one direct flight per day. If this one-way flight is fully booked, you’ll have to book one that has a stopover at Vientiane.

The direct flight departs Pakse International Airport at 16:20 and arrives in Luang Prabang around 18:00. You can use the button below to check the latest schedules and to book your flight from Pakse to Luang Prabang.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.