Bo Y is an international land border gate between Vietnam and Laos, and it sits on the official list of gates where a Vietnamese e‑visa is accepted. Foreigners can cross there, but the traffic is mostly trucks, traders and local buses: Vietnamese police media counted 110,458 passenger crossings in the first five months of 2025. From Da Nang, Lao Bao is the easier gate, and Bo Y earns its place when you are already in the Central Highlands or on the southern coast.
I live in Vietnam and help travelers with e-visas and border runs through BestBus Vietnam, mostly out of Da Nang via Lao Bao. I have not run Bo Y myself, so this page is built from official portals and traveler reports, and I say where a source is older.
Can Foreigners Cross at Bo Y and Does the E‑Visa Work?
Yes to both. Bo Y is an international gate, not a local-only bilateral post, and it appears as the first land gate in the border-gate list of the e‑visa portal FAQ. Its Lao counterpart, Phou Keua in Attapeu province, is listed by Lao immigration as an international land checkpoint. Traveler reports from 2015 and 2024 show foreigners crossing there by bus.
An e‑visa is valid only at the gates named on the portal, and you do not have to leave through the gate you entered by. The government fee is $25 for a single entry and $50 for multiple entry, valid up to 90 days, as the US Embassy summary puts it. Circular 28/2026/TT-BTC keeps those rates from 1 April 2026.
Where Is Bo Y Now That Kon Tum Belongs to Quang Ngai?
Bo Y is a border commune at the end of National Highway 40 in the Central Highlands, near the point where Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia meet. After the 2025 provincial merger it counts as part of Quang Ngai province, although most maps, bus boards and guides still say Kon Tum. On the Lao side the road continues as Route 11 toward Attapeu.
Kon Tum city is about 82 km southeast of the gate, so a search for “Kon Tum border crossing” leads to the same place.
Who Actually Uses the Bo Y Crossing?
Mostly traders, truck drivers and local passengers. The police newspaper CAND reported 23,388 vehicle crossings and 110,458 passenger crossings at Bo Y from January to May 2025, plus $120.65 million in import-export turnover. Travelfish calls it a route mostly locals use, and a 2015 blogger met no other foreigners.
Buses on this road carry cargo next to passengers, and travel bloggers describe cargo-heavy minibuses. Expect a schedule that follows the load, and do not plan a tight connection behind it.
How Do You Get to Bo Y from Da Nang, Kon Tum or Pleiku?
I found no direct public bus from Da Nang to the gate. The usual chain is Da Nang to Kon Tum, about 269 km by road, then roughly 82 km to Bo Y. Buses toward Attapeu and Pakse start in Pleiku, 40 to 50 km south of Kon Tum, and stop in Kon Tum only if you pre-book by phone.
The Nha Trang side of this route is in what a DIY visa run from Nha Trang to Laos really costs.
Travelfish lists morning departures from Kon Tum to Attapeu at 07:45, 09:00 and 09:30 for $5 (120,000 VND) and about 5 hours, and Pakse for $10 (260,000 VND) in about 12 hours. A 2024 blogger paid $10 (260,000 VND) for the Attapeu leg alone, so budget the higher figure. Dien Hong, Mai Linh and Vietlao are the operators named in blogs. All of these listings are dated, so confirm times by phone.
What Happens on the Lao Side at Phou Keua?
Lao immigration lists Phou Keua as open daily from 07:00 to 19:00, with visa status “visa on arrival, eVisa”. Traveler guides disagree: Travelfish’s late-2025 text says Lao Bao is the only Vietnam land crossing that reliably issues Lao visas on arrival and that the Lao e‑visa is not accepted at land borders. Its own table says both. Get your Lao visa in advance unless your nationality is exempt.
A Vietnamese commercial source lists the Vietnamese side as closing at 18:00, an hour earlier. Reach the gate by mid-afternoon and check the hours in the week you travel.
How to Cross at Bo Y on an E‑Visa, Step by Step
The process has five stages, and only the form has a waiting time: the portal quotes about 3 working days, so start at least a week before you travel.
- Apply at evisa.gov.vn and choose Bo Y as the entry gate for the day you come back into Vietnam, or as the exit gate if you are leaving for good.
- Pay the $25 single-entry or $50 multiple-entry fee online and print the approval.
- Arrange your Lao visa in advance if your passport needs one.
- Reach the gate between 07:00 and 19:00, ideally by mid-afternoon, and exit Vietnam at the Vietnamese post.
- Clear the Lao post at Phou Keua, then return through the Vietnamese post with the printed e‑visa.
The step that costs a day if you get it wrong is the form: a wrong entry gate or wrong dates means a refused entry on a road with few buses. You can check both yourself against the portal list. Message me on WhatsApp if you want a second pair of eyes on the gate and dates before you pay, and I will tell you straight if Bo Y is the wrong border for your route.
Bo Y or Lao Bao: Which Border Should You Pick?
From Da Nang, pick Lao Bao: it is the crossing I use for visa runs, and coaches serve it regularly. Choose Bo Y when you already live or travel in the Central Highlands or on the southern coast, want to skip a long backtrack, and can give a full day to local buses. The e‑visa fee is the same $25 or $50 at either gate, so distance and bus connections decide.
The other Vietnam-Laos crossings used from Da Nang are compared in Da Nang Visa Run: Lao Bao vs Cau Treo vs Nam Can.
| Detail | Bo Y | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnamese side | Bo Y commune, Quang Ngai province (formerly Kon Tum) | Vietnamese provincial-merger reports |
| Lao side | Phou Keua, Attapeu province | Lao immigration |
| Status | International land gate | E‑visa portal FAQ |
| E‑visa accepted | Yes, listed on the portal | E‑visa portal FAQ |
| Listed hours | 07:00 to 19:00 daily | Lao immigration, Travelfish |
| From Kon Tum city | About 82 km | Travelfish |
The e‑visa form, the gate and the dates are the three things that cost you a day if they are wrong. You can handle all three alone with the portal and the five steps. If you would rather hand them over, send me your travel dates on WhatsApp and I will tell you which border fits.
Frequently asked questions
How many border gates accept the Vietnam e‑visa now?
The original list from August 2023 named 42 gates, including all international airports. Later reports from December 2025 mention 41 more land and sea gates, so check the current list on evisa.gov.vn before you go. Bo Y is on it. If you’d rather not handle this yourself, our Da Nang visa run page shows the timings and what’s included.
Can I enter Vietnam by air on an e‑visa and leave through Bo Y?
Yes, as long as Bo Y is a listed gate for the e‑visa you hold. The portal states that entry and exit gates do not have to match. Choose the exit gate you plan to use when you fill in the form.
Is Bo Y open on weekends, and where do I wait if I miss the closing time?
The Lao listing shows Monday to Sunday. Vietnamese authorities have been told to coordinate with Phou Keua to ease traffic, especially at weekends, so expect it to be busier. If you miss the close, Ngoc Hoi is the nearest town on the Vietnamese side, about 18 km back.
How far is it from Bo Y to Attapeu and Pakse?
Attapeu is about 119 km from the gate according to Travelfish. Pakse is roughly 400 km from Kon Tum, which the bus takes 11 to 12 hours to cover with border formalities. Treat both as approximate.
