My wife and I will be flying from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani, arriving at 7.10 on a Tuesday evening.

You will have no problem finding transport to Nong Khai at that time. When you arrive at Udon Thani Airport, walk straight out of the arrival hall to the Limousine Service counter: a limousine service is available after every flight. In fact, “limousine” is a misnomer, as the vehicles are actually minibuses. The fare is Bt200 per person. Do be aware though that the minibus leaves not long after the flight lands, so do go to the counter and buy your tickets quickly. The minibus will take you to Nong Khai town, Friendship Bridge or your preferred destination in town. If you don't want to travel in a minibus, you can opt for a taxi, which costs about Bt900. The travel time is about 50 minutes.

Were you to arrive at Udon Thani Airport in the afternoon, it would be possible to opt for the international bus service that operates between Udon Thani and Vientiane. That bus departs from Udon Thani Bus Terminal, which is located seven kilometres from the airport. The last bus departs at 6pm and arrives in Vientiane at around 8.30pm. A ticket costs only Bt80. 

Once you are in Nong Khai, you can also use the international bus service from Nong Khai Bus Station to Vientiane. It leaves three times daily at 7.30am, 12.40pm and 3.30pm and a ticket costs Bt55.

If you prefer to travel by train from Nong Khai to Vientiane’s Tha Na Laeng Station, there are two trains a day; at the first one is at 9am and the second one at 2.30pm.

The immigration checkpoint at the Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai is open from 6am to 10pm so you could actually cross into Vientiane on the same night. However, I think you’d be better spending a night in Nong Khai and crossing the border during the day. Enjoy the trip.

 

 

We’re a couple in our late 60s and will be travelling to Siem Reap in September. We are fine with walking but would prefer not to undertake long walks without the chance to sit for a while to rest our knees. Do you think it is possible for us to visit the temples? Which temples are the most accessible and involve the least climbing? Thanks a lot, Sylvia

 

The Angkor complex is comprised of many temples and some of them involve long walks and quite a bit of climbing. However, it is well worth visiting and some of the climbing can be avoided or cut down. You will see plenty of people resting inside each temple.

I recently visited Angkor with my 66-year-old mother and she found most of the temples are manageable, though she opted not to climb the Bakon, the very top level of at the Angkor Wat, due to the long queue at the stairs. Bear in mind that the Angkor Wat is the largest temple and requires the most walking, including a fairly long walk from the causeway to the front of the temple itself. However, there are many places where you can sit and rest 

Angkor Thom will be fine to walk if you take a lot of breaks. It is comprised of Bayon, Baphuone, Phimeanakas and The Terrace of the Elephants and can be tiring if you want to see them all. My advice would be to arrange with your driver to pick you up and drive you to the entrance nearest to each one. 

For senior travellers, Ta Prohm, located 1km from Angkor Thom, should also be relatively easy. However, you will be visiting during the rainy season and one of the entrances is prone to flooding, so can be difficult for walking. Do remember to take shoes that are suitable for walking in the wet.

Banteay Srie, a small but stunning temple, is also located in flat terrain about 25km from Siem Reap and has the most intricate wall carvings of all the temples in the Angkor Complex. 

As you are likely to encounter heavy rain a few hours a day in September, I would recommend hiring a car for your Angkor sightseeing, and taking a long break at the hotel during the downpours.