Geography
Located in northwest Laos, Sayaboury is bordered by Vientiane and Luang Prabang Provinces to the east, Oudomxay Province to the north and six Thai provinces to the south and west. The Mekong River runs along the northern perimeter, but cuts to Luang Prabang before returning to define the province’s eastern boundary with Vientiane on its run south. Steep, forested mountains of shale and sandstone and a web of rivers and streams dominate Sayaboury’s landscape. The Pha Xang Mountain Range, the province’s north-south spine, hides caves and waterfalls, and also shelters the Nam Phui NPA, which covers around 12% of the province’s 16,389 km2. Sayaboury is divided into 11 districts, the municipal centers of which are comprised of several villages.
Getting Around
Venturing to Sayaboury’s districts often takes a bit of patience. Some District Tourism Offices offer guided tours or can assist in organizing private or public transport. Only a handful of guesthouses rent bicycles and motorcycles, but several can help arrange private tuk-tuks or song taews (covered pickup trucks with benches) to local tourist sites. A tour company based in Sayaboury District and Luang Prabang operates programs in the province, and another operator plans to open in Ngeun. Another option is to hire a car/four-wheel drive vehicle or an off-road motorcycle in Sayaboury Town, Vientiane or Luang Prabang for getting to and around Sayaboury. Cyclers will find rough roads making mountain bikes a must.
Climate
Sayaboury’s climate is divided into two seasons. The dry period lasts from November to March, during which temperatures range from cool to warm, though temperatures tend to rise later in March. The rainy season begins in late April, with daily downpours picking up from July to September before easing in October. Off-roaders can tackle Sayaboury’s steep, winding and often rugged roads, but the sheer-cliff scenery, endless greenery, rambling brooks and remote villages are more likely to steal your breath. The lush mountains also shelter the Nam Phui National Protected Area (NPA), Laos’ only NPA west of the Mekong.
Sayaboury-Vientiane-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Vientiane (Northern Bus Station) | 459 Km | Bus | 3:00 p.m. | 130.000 – 150.000 Kip | Via Luang Prabang |
| 380 km | Bus | 8:00 a.m. | 110.000 Kip | Via Paklay | |
| 380 km | Van | 7:00 a.m. | |||
| 10:00 a.m. | 140.000 Kip | Via Paklay | |||
| Vientiane – Sayaboury | 459 Km | Bus | 6:00 p.m. | 130.000 – 150.000 Kip | Via Luang Prabang |
| 380 km | Bus | 9:00 a.m. | 110.000 Kip | Via Paklay | |
| 380 km | Van | 9:00 a.m. | |||
| Sayaboury – Vientiane (With Sakura Tours Co. LTD) | 380 Km | Van | 8:00 a.m. | ||
| 9:00 a.m. | |||||
| 10:00 a.m. | 140.000 Kip | Via Paklay | |||
| Vientiane - Sayaboury | 380 Km | Van | 8:00 a.m. |
Sayaboury-Xiengkhouang-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Xiengkhouang | Van | 9:00 a.m. | |||
| Xiengkhouang – Sayaboury | Van | 9:00 a.m. |
Sayaboury-Paklay-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Paklay (Southern Bus Station) | 150 Km | Song Thaew, Van | 7:30 a.m. | 50.000 Kip | |
| Sayaboury – Paklay (Northern Bus Station) | 150 Km | Bus | 8:00 a.m. | 50.000 Kip | |
| Paklay – Sayaboury | 150 Km | Song Thaew,Van | 7:30 a.m. | 50.000 Kip | |
| 40.000 Kip | Take Song Thaew from Paklay Northern station |
Sayaboury-Phieng-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Muang Phieng (Southern Bus Station) | 50 Km | Song Thaew | 9:00 a.m. | 30.000 Kip | 10 passengers minimum |
Sayaboury-Boten-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Boten (Southern Bus Station) | 239 Km | Song thaew, Van | 9:00 a.m. | 100.000 Kip |
Sayaboury-Ngeun-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Muang Ngeun (Northern Bus Station) | 146 Km | Van | 10:00 a.m. | 80.000 Kip | 5 passengers minimum |
| Muang Ngeun – Sayaboury | 146 Km | Van | 10:30 a.m. | 80.000 Kip | |
| Muang Ngeun – Lao-Thai Checkpoint | 1 Km | Tuk-Tuk | 8:00 a.m. to | ||
| 5:00 p.m. | 10.000 Kip | ||||
| Muang Ngeun – Pakhouaykhen | 42 Km | Van | 11:30 a.m. | 30.000 Kip | |
| Pakhouaykhen – Muang Ngeun | 42 Km | Van | 11:30 a.m. | 30.000 Kip | |
| Muang Ngeun – Oudomxay | 200 Km | Bus | 11:30 a.m. | 80.000 Kip | |
| Oudomxay – Muang Ngeun | 200 Km | Bus | 11:30 a.m. | 80.000 Kip | |
| Muang Ngeun – Pakbeng | 55 Km | van | 10:30 a.m. | 50.000 kip | |
| Muang Ngeun – Hongsa | 43 Km | Van | 10:30 a.m. | 25.000 Kip |
Sayaboury-Khop-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Muang Khob (Northern Bus Station) | 241 Km | Van | 12:00 noon | 150.000 Kip | 5 passengers minimum |
Sayaboury-Loei (Thailand)-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Loei | Bus | 10:00 a.m. | |||
| Loei – Sayaboury | Bus | 8:00 a.m. |
Sayaboury-Luang Prabang-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Luang Prabang (Northern Bus Station) | 117 Km | Bus | 9:00 a.m. | ||
| 2:00 p.m. | |||||
| 5:00 p.m | 50.000 Kip | ||||
| Luang Prabang – Sayaboury | 117 Km | Bus | 9:00 a.m. | ||
| 2:00 p.m. | |||||
| 5:00 p.m. | 50.000 Kip |
Sayaboury-Thongmixay-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paklay – Thongmixay | 40 Km | Pick up | 12:00 noon |
Sayaboury-Khentao-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Kenthao (Southern Bus Station) | 207 Km | Song Thaew | 9:00 a.m. | 80.000 Kip | |
| Kenthao – Lao-Thai Checkpoint | 4 Km | Tuk Tuk | 10.000 Kip | ||
| Kenthao – Vientiane | 260 Km | Bus | 10.00 a.m. | 100.000 Kip |
Sayaboury-Hongsa-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Hongsa (Northern Bus Station) | 98 Km | Van | 11:00 a.m. | 60.000 Kip | 5 passengers minimum |
| Hongsa – Sayaboury | 98 Km | Van | 9:00 a.m. | 60.000 Kip | |
| Hongsa – Oudomxay | 240 Km | Bus 25 | 9:00 a.m. | 110.000 Kip | |
| Hongsa – Vientiane | 555 Km | Bus 25 | 9:00 a.m. | 200.000 Kip | |
| Thasuang (Hongsa Mekong Pier) – Pakbeng | 27 Km | Speed Boat | 9:00 a.m. | 50.000 Kip | |
| Thasuang (Hongsa Mekong Pier) – Luang Prabang | 260 Km | Slow Boat | 11:00 a.m. | 65.000 Kip | |
| Hongsa – Muang Ngeun | 37 Km | Van | 8:30 a.m. | 25.000 Kip | |
| Hongsa – Luang Prabang | 130 Km | van | 8:00 a.m. | 130.000 Kip | Via Chomphet District (Suspended) |
Sayaboury-Xienghone-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Muang Xienghone (Northern Bus Station) | 200 Km | Van | 12:00 noon | 110.000 Kip | 5 passengers minimum |
Sayaboury-Km2-Sayaboury
| Destination | Distance | Transport Type | Time | Price | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayaboury – Km 52 | Van | 8:30 a.m. | |||
| Km 52 – Sayaboury | Van | 9:00 a.m. |