Getting from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, Laos

These were our options for the trip from Chiang Mai to Laos (specifically the town of Luang Prabang):
1. A one hour flight
2. By bus: leave Chiang Mai in the morning, cross into Laos later that day, and drive all through the night to arrive in Luang Prabang the following day.  Total 2 days' travel
3. Bus boat combo #1: Drive the same bus route to the border, stay overnight in a hotel, and the following morning take a two day slow boat from the border town to Luang Prabang (with a stop at a hotel halfway).  Total of three days' travel.
4. Bus boat combo #2: Drive the same bus route to the border, stay overnight in a hotel, and take a speed boat the following morning, arriving in Luang Prabang that afternoon.  Total 2 days' travel.
5. Bus boat combo #3: Take the bus to a different border crossing, stay at a hotel that night, and catch up with the slow boat at the halfway point the next day.  Total 2 days' travel.

Now keep in mind that Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang are only 350 km apart by air!  There is no direct rode from the border crossing to Luang Prabang...you would have to drive nearly to China and back down.  Here is a map of the extensive roads in Laos:

and these aren't just the major highways or something; aside from
the cities there really aren't many other paved roads in the country!

The flight would have saved us a lot of hassle, but it was considerably more expensive - we paid less than $60 for our trip, and a flight was over $200.  The slow boat on the Mekong was reputedly a scenic ride worth the experience as well.  I read both from travelers' internet postings and my guide book that the speed boat was uncomfortable - and more importantly - dangerous.  Apparently boats have flipped or crashed in the past.  And along the lines of comfort a 24 hour-ish ride in a cramped bus or minivan was no improvement.

this thing wouldn't hold up so well in a crash

That left us with options 4 and 5.  The border crossing for option 5 was apparently new and many tour operators didn't offer that package or didn't even know about it.  We asked around and did find several who confirmed that yes, it was a real crossing, which meant (hopefully) we would not simply be dropped off in the middle of the jungle or robbed.  So we went with option 5 and saved an extra day of travel.

There were ten tourists on the minivan to the border, and we were the only foreigners at the crossing.  We were also the only guests at the bungalows nearby.  There was a small town within 15 minutes walk, but not much worth seeing.  It was still cool to walk around and not see any other tourists; people gave us a look that said, "who the hell are they and why are they here?" although not in a mean way, mostly curiosity.

the typical minivan bus found throughout Thailand and Laos

why are there white people here?
well I have a question as well...why
are you carrying a baby and
where is your mother?

The slow boat the following day was not exactly what I expected.  It was really a big longtail boat.  The promised restaurant on board consisted of chips and instant noodles.  At least there was a bathroom.  Oh, and beer.  A good opportunity to start off the day drinking at 11 am cruising down the Mekong.  The scenery more than made up for the boat, but I'd say one day was enough.  The two day option would have been a bit much.

the slowboat along the Mekong River

On the trip to Luang Prabang we met two English girls who were traveling together, and they in turn had met a group of four Welsh guys who happened to also be on our slow boat (they had taken the two day boat trip).  The company made the long journey seem shorter and gave us new travel buddies to hang with in Luang Prabang.