Map of Area at Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge 4, Bokeo, Laos - HoboMaps.com - try "Ctrl +" to zoom in & "Ctrl -" to zoom out -
The map below shows the area around the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge 4 (Bokeo Bridge) and a place for boats on the Mekong to dock and let off passengers who want to depart Laos at the Border Control Post and go to Thailand. Mekong slow boats and speed boats are designed to dock or land almost anywhere and usually will allow passengers to get off where they want. The Bokeo Bridge has only been open a few months and as far as we know there is no official or authorized place for boats to dock near the bridge. In early June 2015 we did research and found a private boat landing ramp that is close to the Laos Border Control Post which would allow boat passengers to get off and walk about 600 meters to exit Laos.
We were lucky to get a picture of this boat landing place from our bus as it went over the bridge and that picture is embeded in the map with arrows showing where it is. Until now boat passengers have been staying on the slow boat until the end of the trip at the ferry landing at the north end of Huay Xay and then taking public transport 10 km back to the Bokeo Bridge to exit Laos. Getting off at the bridge is much simpler and saves a 30 minute boat trip upriver and the cost of the 10 km trip back. But there is nobody at the landing to help or guide you for the walk to the Laos Border Post. We don't think anyone has actually used this shortcut yet and we ask anyone who does the shortcut to email us at hobomaps@gmail.com and report how things went. This could likely become a regular stopping place for the daily slow boat coming upriver from Pak Beng which should pass by the Bokeo Bridge around 17:00. The Laos border is open until 22:00 and the shuttle buses over the bridge operate until 19:30.
This new boat landing place may not be familiar to boat operators so you would need to show the driver where the landing is, stand beside him and point it out and be ready to get off the boat quickly with all your gear. When you get on the boat (in Pak Beng, etc.) don't let them put your gear under the floorboards or anywhere where access would be difficult.
We have February 2016 email from someone who tried to get the slow boat to stop at this landing but the driver declined to stop so we have to wait and see if other boat operators will do the same. Also in Sept. 2016 the boat landing was somewhat overgrown with weeds and difficult to use but hopefully will be more accessible in the dry season when the Mekong goes down.
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