Contents
What Is a Border Run
A border run is the process of leaving Vietnam, entering another country, and then returning to Vietnam with a fresh visa or visa-free entry. It is a well-established practice used by thousands of expats and digital nomads every 45-90 days.
How it works:
- Your current visa or visa-free period is about to expire
- You apply for a new e-visa online 2-3 weeks before your current one expires
- You physically travel to a border crossing or fly to another country
- You exit Vietnam, getting an exit stamp
- You enter the other country (even briefly)
- You exit the other country and return to Vietnam
- You present your new e-visa and get a fresh entry stamp
Why people do it:
- It resets your allowed stay for another 90 days (with an e-visa)
- It is significantly cheaper than visa agencies offering extensions
- The Lao Bao land border can be done as a day trip from Da Nang
- Many people combine it with a weekend trip to Thailand, Malaysia, or Singapore
Lao Bao Land Border
The Lao Bao border crossing into Laos is the cheapest and most popular option for Da Nang-based expats. It can be done in a single day.
Distance and travel time:
- Approximately 250 km from Da Nang
- 4-5 hours by van each way
- Route goes west along QL1A then Highway 9 through Dong Ha and Khe Sanh to the border
The border process step by step:
- Exit Vietnam at Lao Bao checkpoint -- present your passport, receive a Vietnam exit stamp
- Walk across the border zone (about 200 meters) to the Laos checkpoint at Dansavanh
- Get a Laos entry stamp -- Laos visa on arrival costs $30-42 USD depending on nationality
- You are now in Laos -- you can stay for a few minutes or a few hours
- Get a Laos exit stamp at the same checkpoint
- Walk back across to the Vietnam checkpoint
- Present your new e-visa (printed) along with your passport
- Receive a fresh Vietnam entry stamp -- you are back with a new 90-day stay
Total cost: $100-150 USD including transport, Laos visa on arrival, and lunch.
Organized services (recommended for first-timers):
- Lynn Visa -- contact via WhatsApp, provides van transport and handles all paperwork, costs approximately 2.2M VND (~$88 USD). Very popular with the Da Nang expat community.
- Trang Visa -- similar service, often recommended in Facebook groups
DIY option:
- Take a public bus from Da Nang Bus Station (Ben Xe Da Nang) heading to Dong Ha or Lao Bao
- Journey takes approximately 6 hours by public bus
- Cheaper but significantly more time-consuming and requires navigating the border process alone
What to bring:
- Passport with at least 6 months validity
- Printed copy of your new e-visa (critical -- do not rely on a phone screen)
- 2 passport photos (4x6 cm) for the Laos visa on arrival
- USD cash for the Laos visa fee ($30-42 depending on nationality)
- VND cash for lunch and incidentals along the way
- Phone charger / power bank for the long day
- Snacks and water for the van ride
Fly Out Option
If you prefer a more comfortable border run or want to combine it with a short holiday, flying out of Da Nang is a great alternative.
Cheapest flights from Da Nang (round trip, booked 2-4 weeks ahead):
- Da Nang to Bangkok: from $60 USD round trip on VietJet or AirAsia
- Da Nang to Kuala Lumpur: from $80 USD round trip on AirAsia
- Da Nang to Singapore: from $100 USD round trip on various carriers
Why fly instead of driving to the border:
- More comfortable than a 10-hour round trip in a van
- Turn your visa renewal into a weekend trip
- Explore another city, stock up on items not available in Da Nang
- Some routes are barely more expensive than the Lao Bao option once you factor in the Laos visa fee
Booking tips:
- Use Google Flights or Skyscanner to compare prices
- VietJet and AirAsia run frequent sales -- sign up for their newsletters
- Book carry-on only for the cheapest fares
- Tuesday and Wednesday flights are usually cheapest
Pro Tips
Hard-earned advice from expats who have done dozens of border runs:
- The multiple entry e-visa is absolutely worth the extra $25 -- it allows you to take spontaneous trips without worrying about re-entry
- Keep scanned copies of your passport, e-visa, and important documents on your phone and in cloud storage
- Always have a flight booking or hotel reservation ready to show at immigration if asked about your plans (even a refundable booking works)
- After 3-4 border runs, consider looking into a longer-term visa option -- some visa agencies can arrange 6-month or 1-year business visas
- Avoid scheduling border runs during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year, usually late January or early February) -- borders are extremely crowded, processing slows down, and transport options are limited
- Apply for your new e-visa as soon as possible -- do not wait until the last minute in case there are processing delays
- Join the Da Nang Expats Facebook group for up-to-date border run reports and to find travel companions