Border crossings
There are two border crossings to Cambodia:
MOC BAI: The main overland border crossing to Cambodia is northwest of Ho Chi Minh City at Moc Bai. Direct buses from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh take around eight hours. Tickets cost between $8-16.
Contact: (one of the following agents)
- Saigon Passenger Transport Company: 147 Nguyen Du, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel. (08) 822-2496
- Sinh Cafe 246-248 De Tham, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel. (08) 836-7338.
- Kim Travel 270 De Tham, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 836-9859.
VINH XUONG: A new riverside border crossing is located 30kms north of Chau Doc, in the Mekong Delta at Vinh Xuong. For boat transfers up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh.
Contact: - Della Adventure Tours 187A Pham Ngu Lao, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel. (08) 836-8542. - Victoria Chau Doc Hotel 32 Le Loi Chau Doc, tel. (076) 865010.
There are three border crossings over to China:
LAO CAI: The Hekou Bridge overland border to China is at Lao Cai, (the main train station for Sapa) in the northwest. Twice weekly trains also run from Hanoi to Kunming in China; you can also board the train at Lao Cai Train Station. .
MONG CAI: The Mong Cai overland border crossing to China is in the northeast. To get there, you can get hydrofoils direct from Hai Phong or Ha Long (see hidrofoils).
HUU NGHI: Huu Nghi is an overland border 18kms north of Lang Son, in the northeast. From Hanoi, minibuses depart from Gia Lam Bus Station for Lang Son. There are also local trains from Hanoi, which stop at Dong Dang Station, 4kms away from Huu Nghi. The int'l train for China (Beijing) departs Hanoi's main train station via Dong Dang Station, but you can only join the train at Hanoi.
There are two border crossings to Laos:
CAU TREO: From Hanoi, you can take direct overnight buses to Vientiane, across the border at Cau Treo, near Vinh City in Vietnam's Central Provines. For tickets and information, contact Hanoi's tours and travel agents, under Travel Contacts.
LAO BAO: From Hue, direct buses for Savannakhet cross the border at Lao Bao, near Dong Ha in the Central Provinces. For tickets and information, contact Tourism Companies.