Slow Boat Journey: Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang

Experience the serene beauty of the Mekong on a 2-day slow boat journey from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang. Book your adventure now.

Duration: 2 days
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

Please be aware that the number of boats permitted to depart from Laos ports is strictly controlled by the Lao government and is not within our influence. During the peak season (November to February), some days may be particularly busy, and the boats could be crowded, potentially impacting comfort. We kindly ask for your understanding and suggest…

What's Included
  • Hotel or meeting point pickup in downtown Chiang Rai
  • Air-conditioned vehicle from Chiangrai to Chiangkhong
  • Bus Across the Border
  • Tourist Tax at Laos border control
  • Slow boat ticket 2 day transfer
  • Accident insurance (Passport copy/photo required on travel date.)
What's Not Included
  • Lunch on the boat
  • Room 1 night at Pakbang
  • Laos visa fee
  • Photo for Laos Visa: If you don’t have one, our team can help you find one at the border.
Additional Information

This picturesque slow boat journey provides a leisurely and culturally immersive way to travel from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang. Instead of a hurried flight or a jarring bus ride, travelers will glide along the Mekong River, passing through pristine landscapes, tranquil villages, and verdant jungle. Throughout the journey, they will observe daily life…

Location
7-Eleven
The car will stop in front of 7-11 store no. 02825 in front of the bus terminal.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.2
(5 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Femke_v
Jan 15, 2026
Fantastic - I liked the fact that it was regularly taken off our hands around the border crossing. We got another breakfast before departure on the slowboat... come buy a sim, change money and the slowboat.... I thought it was FANTASTIC! DAY 2 with many locals, stops in villages where people go up and down and the whole village walks out to pick them up...waving children... really an experience!
Review provided by Viator
Barbora_b
Sep 13, 2024
Easy, convenient and definitely worth paying for - This was an awesome experience and the price is justified just by the easiness and convenience of this whole thing. Once you arrive to Chiang Rai you might see some cheaper offers, but this is ideal for someone who likes to have everythonf prebooked before arriving and ensure smooth transitions between all the parts of the trip. The staff has transported us from our hotel all the way to the boat, helped us with paying for visa, changing buses, exchanging money, getting a sim card and everything else. I highly recommend booking through viator to save yourself a lot of stress.
Review provided by Viator
Anand_v
Mar 25, 2024
Great, friendly, prompt service and I will recommend them again and will use them again - Viator service was great. They confirmed with me before the day of the trip my address and anything we needed for the trip and when they will pick me up, exact time and place. They were at the hotel exactly on time. The service was great throughout the trip and the communication was excellent
Review provided by Viator
Nickb375
Jan 28, 2025
Great - Was a fantastic experience we had 2 days and to stop overs in Huay xin and Pakbeng met loads of people the sights from the boat are amazing. Take sandwiches with you as none on the boat but you can get pot noodles beer water and snacks all reasonable priced , embrace the trip and see the local culture
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Valerie_h
Feb 17, 2026
Cruise without comfort, visibility or safety - Van transfer from hotel and border crossing: nothing to say, it was very good. Slow boat trip: you need to know the transport conditions: 250 people crammed into the boat on uncomfortable seats, not even fixed to the ground, with a central traffic aisle that is about 30 cm wide in which people come and go with difficulty, in questionable safety conditions: a dozen lifebuoys and very few life jackets in sight. Besides, we are not guaranteed to travel next to his relatives, since the boat is crowded, no room for legs, and we sit very low, so we do not see the water, and very bad landscape. These are the conditions of the 7 hours of travel. When they arrived at their destination, the bags were removed 1:1 from the hold, without any organization to help you retrieve them and climb the steps to the dock.
Review provided by Viator
From $80
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).