Blessed with a fertile valley, typical Buddhist temples and a myriad of natural parks, Loei is a mountainous and wild destination, as 21st century travelers like it.

Capital of the eponymous province of Loei, the city of Loei is a poor relation in the tourist industry. The remoteness (8 hours drive from Bangkok) is a discouraging factor, but it must also be recognized that the attractions in the city center are not that great. The splendor of the region is revealed in the surroundings. The grandiose setting formed by the Mekong, the mountain range of Petchabun, the mist-shrouded peaks of Phu Rua and Phu Kradueng, and the density of rainforests are a categorical testimony to its vocation for ecotourism. To delight and amaze visitors, Loei also plays the cultural card. The Phi Ta Kon festival brings together a lot of people in July. Don’t miss this spectacular attraction, with parades of ghost masks and traditional colorful tunics.

How to get to Loei?

Loei doesn’t have as many transport options as other cities, but visitors will be happy to know that there are daily flights from Bangkok to its small airport as well as several bus routes from cities and provinces neighbours. In this short guide to public transport, we’ve summarized the main methods of getting to Loei from major cities in Thailand.

Plane

Small Loei Airport (LOE) serves domestic flights to and from Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). AirAsia flies twice daily and Nok Air flies three times daily. The fight lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes. One-way tickets can cost less than 1,000 THB (about 30 USD) depending on the time of year you are traveling.

Airplanes are small, so standard-size carry-on bags won’t fit in overhead bins. Be prepared to check your “large” bags if it’s not a handbag, small backpack, or laptop bag.

Train

Loei does not have its own station but its neighboring provinces do. The northern line stops in the city of Phinsanalok and the northeast line stops in the cities of Khon Kaen and Udon Thani. Both railway lines depart from Bangkok at Hualamphong Station.

Bus

There is an extensive bus network that takes passengers many miles through the Thai countryside to Loei. Bus tickets can be booked through various agencies in the city or with the help of reception staff at your guesthouse or hotel.

However, we found it very convenient to book our tickets online through 12go.asia. The site is in English, we can book well in advance and pay by debit or credit card. What a relief!

Buses start boarding 30 minutes before departure time. Be sure to arrive 45-60 minutes early to give yourself time to check in, buy snacks on the road and use the facilities before hopping on the bus.

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