International Border Checkpoint Between North-Eastern Laos & Vietnam
                      Written by Jimmy Vu (info@vietnamimpressive.com)
Saturday, 16 June 2007
                     
On May 04 2007, the checkpoint border between Laos and Vietnam, linking to the well known site of Dien Bien Phu, was officially opened for international tourists, after upgrading was recently completed. The opening of this checkpoint has been long awaited by foreign tourists to enter and exit both countries, enabling visits to two top tourist highlights in the region; Luang Prabang (Laos) and Dien Bien Phu (Vietnam). The checkpoints are respectively named: Lop Hun (Lao side ) and Tay Trang (Vietnamese side). The nearest cities are Muang Mai (Laos), which is 35 kms on a dusty road from the border and Dien Bien Phu city (Vietnam), which is also 35 kms, on a paved road. For your information; foreign tourists who wish to enter to Laos through this checkpoint, can easily obtain visa on arrival, but it is not possible to get Vietnamese visa on arrival for those who would need to enter to Vietnam through this checkpoint. Vietnamese visa can be obtained either at the Vietnamese Embassy in Vientiane or at the Vietnamese Consulate in Luang Prabang. Currently, there are 7 international checkpoints from north to south.