Seven cities. Two borders. One decision.
Every city, its border crossing, drive time, transport type, and typical price range. Use this to pick the one that fits your location and budget.
| City | Border | Drive time | Transport | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | Moc Bai (Cambodia) | ~2 hours | Shared van or private car | 1.5M - 6M VND |
| Da Nang | Lao Bao (Laos) | ~4 hours | Shared van or private car | 1.5M - 6M VND |
| Hanoi | Lao Bao (Laos) | ~8 hours | Private car recommended | 5M - 7M VND |
| Nha Trang | Moc Bai (Cambodia) | ~8 hours (bus + car) | Sleeper bus or private car | 1.5M - 6M VND |
| Hue | Lao Bao (Laos) | ~3 hours | Private car | 4M - 6M VND |
| Da Lat | Moc Bai (Cambodia) | ~6 hours (bus + car) | Sleeper bus or private car | 1.5M - 6M VND |
| Hoi An | Lao Bao (Laos) | ~4.5 hours | Shared van or private car | 1.5M - 6M VND |
Moc Bai is the obvious choice. It is a 2 hour drive, the closest border crossing of any city on this list. Shared vans keep the cost low. Use the private car if you want to leave on your own schedule.
Lao Bao is 4 hours away, which is manageable for a same-day trip. Da Nang has the most frequent Lao Bao services of any city. Good balance of drive time and cost.
The drive is long. Figure 8 hours each way. A private car is the only comfortable option. The upside is that your fixer can file the 90 day e-visa while you wait. Plan for a full day, not a half day.
Neither city is close to a border. Both routes go through HCMC first. The sleeper bus option keeps the price low but adds travel time. A private car cuts the time but costs more. Worth it if you are already in these cities and do not want to arrange separate transport to HCMC.
Hue is about 3 hours from Lao Bao, closer than Da Nang. The drive is on QL9 through the mountains. Private car is the norm here.
Hoi An is about 30 minutes south of Da Nang, so the route is the same: west to Lao Bao. Most services pick you up in Hoi An directly. Similar timing and pricing to Da Nang.