Laos Highway 4

[olionel]

Hello folks;

Currently in Luang Prabang, ending our mini tour of Laos. I have a question, after hearing the Huay Xai crossing faff (not allowed on the bridge etc etc) we want to use the border south of Pak Beng instead. From Luang Prabang the best route is down the Highway 4 then cross the Mekong at Muang Thadua then go west on 4A. Has anyone done this river crossing? Is it fairly reliable i.e. there will be a boat there right? Is it just little canoes or a slightly bigger vehicle boat? I know the river crossing at Pak Beng is fairly major but going that way is a 300km D-tour from Luang Prabang (Rt 13 and 2W) and I can just cut across this way using route 4 and a minor road heading south out of LP.

Many thanks
Oli

[olionel]

cool.. I found that there is a new-ish bridge. My "recent" Thailand map, nor opensourcemaps, nor google maps showed this so thought I'd better ask around

[Snakeboy]

But what about the road conditions on this route (route 4 in Laos), is it paved or just gravel/mud?

Googles map are often not up to date - thats my experience also.....

[olionel]

I will let you know sir

[maja]

Paved, used it last Nov/Dec. Ride safe.

[olionel]

yup, road was all good. Highway 4 had roadworks every now and then to keep things exciting but nothing major. Road 4A (well 4A according to opensourcemaps, or R108 according to google maps, or "thin white line" according to my map) is just as wide as a car and a half and awesomely twisty. Laos standard road with water damage/potholes on every hairpin bend. After Hongsa the road becomes three lanes and very very wide.. its good all the way to the border after this. Hongsa has a big power station so the sudden good road might be explained by that.