JA
Jordan AI went from Siem Reap to Vientiane. Began the journey at the Sarah Transport Siem Reap office 5 minutes after the actual time, which is okay. Only me and another person in the 13 pax van so the trip had leg room, but it was a very bumpy ride and the driver was driving like hell, speeding and honking (all the drivers I switched transports to were like that, so I didn't mind much, this is what I get for paying this much for these kind of transfers across Cambodia and Laos, also the horrible road conditions didn't help things). Then we stopped for a quick brunch and then rode and stopped at Sarah Transport Co at around Krong Stung Treng. There we switched rides to another van and waited for more people to join the travelling group (we waited up to 30-45 minutes for some reason, but it gave us time to eat and other things). It was 8 of us utlimately. Then off to immigration at the Cambodia-Laos border which was quick, but the driver did not explain to us earlier that we will be switching rides again at the other side of the border, so when I got to other side of the immigration centre in Laos, I was confused where to go next. One man there rudely shouted at me to get in his van which I didn't of course, and then he showed me he was with Sarah Transport and had my photo that the organiser took of me in Siem Reap before we departed there. The communication is so terrible, even if this rude driver was in the end actually legit. So we drove for about 15 mins but then in the middle of the roadway he had a call and ask me to switch to another van which arrived just next to us (under a different transport company too, called Green- something). I was glad to be rid of that rude driver though, so I followed this new van into Pakse, and specifically to a Pakse bus depot, reaching around 7pm. Then the van driver took me to the bus depot ticket counter, and I gave them my Sarah Transport ticket, and they gave a me a seat on the night bus leaving for 7.30pm. I understood then why all the van drivers were all driving recklessly, because they had to meet the bus schedules. On the night bus I shared a bunk bed with another male tourist and it was pretty much uncomfortable throughout the night as we tried to give each other space to sleep (and the bumpiness didn't help either). We arrived the next morning around 7am, surprisingly as advertised. The problem here is that the bus landed at Southern Bus Depot in Vientiane, but oroginally when I booked the ticket through 12Go, it said I would be arriving at Sarah Transport Vientiane. The Vientiane bus depot was twice the distance from my hostel, compared to Sarah Transport Vientiane to my hostel. But I was just glad to finally arrive at Vientiane. Downloaded Loca and hopped on a car ride towards Patuxay nearer to my hostel. Overall the journey was servicable, and if you want to try on-the-ground border crossings then it's an kind of adventure in itself. But be prepared for a mostly bumpy journey and lack of sleep (if you're a light sleeper), confusing communication and transport switches, and one whole day being sucked up just for this travel. You get what you paid for I guess.
シェムリアップからビエンチャンへ, バン Shared van 13pax, Sarah Transport, 2025/05/16
