Border experiences

We have already described how we got from Kratie (Cambodia) to Don Det (Laos). The border crossing itself is also surreal.

On the internet, there are various reports of what can happen to you there. In general, all reports were unanimous in saying that you not only pay the official visa fee, but also various extras. However, there are already different prices for the official visa, depending on the source, 30 $ or 35 $ for a German citizen. We did not find a price table from the Laotian government.

Upon arrival at the border, a local offered us his services: 40 $ per person for all entry and exit formalities, including accompanying us across the border. For us it was clear: we would do it. No stress, no discussions, just enter and exit. It's worth the extra price for us.

After our guide collected our passports, money, visa application, and passport photos, and roughly showed us the direction we should now walk, he rode ahead on his motorcycle. He waited for us at the Cambodian border checkpoint.

He handed each of our passports to the officer. We had to scan our fingerprints and have our faces photographed.

- Whether money was also directly given to the Cambodian border officer, we did not see, but we suspected it.

Then the passports were returned to our guide from the counter. We had exited Cambodia.

Now it was time to enter Laos, and that was really surprising. Our guide instructed us to simply walk through the border facility and wait at the nearby restaurant. He would come with our passports and visa in a few minutes. We looked at each other in astonishment: crossing the border without a personal check? We're fine with that.

..... and indeed, after a short wait, he came with the passports, the visas glued inside, and the important entry stamp, which he also checked again.

Dutch women who did not use the services of a guide found the border crossing quite annoying, as they had to pay an unofficial stamp fee of $2 for both the exit from Cambodia and the entry into Laos, in addition to the visa fee of $35, despite their protests. In total, they saved one dollar.