Na Meo (also spelt Na Maew) is a border town in Thanh Hoa Province, in the Central Coast (Vietnam) region of Vietnam, adjacent to Nam Xoi in Laos.
Get in
[edit]From/to Laos
Songthaews leave Sam Neua at around 06:30, and Vieng Xai around 07:30-08:00.
From/to Vietnam
There is a daily a public bus originating in Sam Neua through to Hanoi via Na Meo and Thanh Hoa. (180,000 kip and 10-11 hours from Sam Neua to Thanh Hoa)
But beware: there is an ongoing scam. Foreigners may have to pay USD20-40 for onward transport (officially, its USD5), or they simply are kicked off the bus again. As all drivers take part in this scam, there is no cheaper alternative. Even the bigger villages take part in the scam, so there is no way to work around it. As of 2023, this was not happening 100% of the time.
Expect additional fees for getting your passport stamped. If you don't speak Vietnamese or Lao, make sure you're not at the front of the line, and simply look at what bills your fellow travelers produce.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Busses coming in from Laos often will stop for lunch in town, especially if the border guards are taking a break. Expect delays getting through the border crossing, and the food in the restaurants in town that the guards and bus personnel will take you to is low quality, and may be seriously overpriced for foreigners.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]There are a couple of hotels in the town.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]There are infrequent songthaews to Sam Neua.