Need-to-knows
Everything travelers ask before a visa run from Da Lat and Bao Loc to the Moc Bai–Bavet border — the QL20 highlands loop, pickups and transport options, border paperwork, the 90-day Vietnam e-visa, costs, and the edge cases that change the plan.
The basics
A visa run means leaving Vietnam and re-entering so your period of stay legally restarts when your visa, e-visa, or visa-exemption stamp is close to expiring. Our daily Da Lat visa run picks you up in Da Lat or Bao Loc, drives the highlands route down QL20 to the Moc Bai–Bavet border crossing in Tay Ninh, exits Vietnam into Cambodia, and brings you back the same evening with a fresh entry stamp or a newly approved 90-day e-visa.
Every stay Vietnam grants has an expiry: a 30-day tourist visa runs out after 30 days, a 90-day e-visa after 90 days, and a 45-day visa exemption after 45 days. When the clock hits zero you must leave the country — overstaying means fines and the risk of an exit ban. Expats and remote workers across the Central Highlands solve this with a one-day border run to Moc Bai, which gives you a legal exit stamp and a fresh stay on the way back in.
Yes. You are simply leaving Vietnam before your current stay expires, entering Cambodia legally at Bavet, and returning through immigration with a new entry stamp or e-visa. The whole process is recorded with official entry and exit stamps on both sides of the border, and thousands of travelers do it every month. There is nothing illegal about a same-day border run when your documents are valid.
Plan on roughly 16 hours door-to-door for the full Da Lat to Moc Bai run. The private car leaves Da Lat before dawn, picks up Bao Loc riders along QL20, reaches Moc Bai around 08:30, clears the immigration loop by late morning, stops for lunch in Tay Ninh, and gets back to Da Lat between 19:00 and 21:00. The sleeper bus combo runs overnight instead: you board around 22:00 the night before and return to Da Lat the following evening.
It depends on the length of stay Vietnam grants you. On a 90-day e-visa you typically run once every three months, on a 30-day tourist visa every month, and on a 45-day visa exemption every 45 days. The Da Lat convoy operates every single day of the year — weekends and holidays included — so you can book the run that falls just before your stamp expires.
Moc Bai is Vietnam's busiest land gateway into Cambodia, a proper international checkpoint with marked lanes and orderly queues that processes thousands of crossings a day. Leaving from Da Lat means you arrive before the Ho Chi Minh City rush, and our Tay Ninh fixers work there daily so passports move through both counters fast. The highlands route also avoids city traffic entirely.
Yes, when the 90 days run out. The e-visa resets the clock on your stay, but you still have to physically exit Vietnam and re-enter to activate a new one. That is exactly what the Da Lat run is for: our visa desk submits your new 90-day e-visa application the moment your exit-stamp photo lands, and you re-enter the same day once it is approved.
You can — buy a bus ticket to HCMC, connect to Tay Ninh, walk through Moc Bai, pay the Cambodia visa-on-arrival fee in cash, and hope the queues are short. It is cheaper on paper, but one missed connection or a slow Bavet counter can turn your day into an overnight stay in a border town. Booking with us gives you a door-to-door vehicle or sleeper combo, a fixer who queues your passport at all three counters, and the visa desk filing your e-visa while you eat lunch.
The service is built for foreigners living in or visiting the Central Highlands — digital nomads, English teachers, remote workers, retirees, and couples — who need to renew their stay without flying to another country. We also handle special cases like TRC holders, families with newborns, and group bookings of up to four travelers per car or ten per visa reservation.
The highlands loop
It is roughly 300 km each way — about 600 km round trip on the highlands loop, which is what makes the dalat to moc bai run a full-day trip. The convoy drops down QL20 through Bao Loc, Di Linh, and Madagui, crosses the Dong Nai valley, and joins the CT01 expressway toward Tay Ninh before reaching Moc Bai. Most runs arrive at the border between 08:30 and 09:30 depending on pickup stops and truck traffic.
Pickups in Da Lat center, Trai Mat, Nam Ban, and Tuyen Lam merge onto QL20 heading south, collect Bao Loc City, Di Linh, and Madagui riders along the way, then continue through the Dong Nai valley onto the CT01 expressway toward Tay Ninh. You cross at Moc Bai into Bavet, Cambodia, and the return leg comes back up the same corridor with drop-offs starting in Bao Loc around 18:30 and finishing in Da Lat by 21:00.
Private-car pickups run roughly 02:00–04:00, the QL20 descent takes 04:00–08:30 with a coffee stop in Bao Loc, the Moc Bai window is about 08:30–12:00, lunch in Tay Ninh follows, and the return leg brings you back to Bao Loc around 18:30 and Da Lat between 19:00 and 21:00. The sleeper bus combo starts the night before with a bus leaving Da Lat around 22:00 for HCMC, then a private car legs you to Moc Bai and back.
Yes. QL20 is a wide, sealed national highway that climbs the Lang Biang plateau and descends through pine forests and rubber plantations, and the CT01 expressway into Tay Ninh is smooth divided highway. Our private cars are modern vehicles built for mountain switchbacks and highway cruising, and the driver stops twice for breakfast and bathroom breaks so nobody is rushed.
The temperature swing is the biggest surprise on this run. Departure temps sit around 14–18°C in Da Lat and 18–20°C in Bao Loc, while Moc Bai runs 30–34°C by midday. Pack a light jacket or hoodie for the QL20 descent and a breathable tee plus sunscreen for Tay Ninh heat — the vehicles carry blankets and cold towels either way.
Because the run serves the Central Highlands cities of Da Lat and Bao Loc and follows the highlands corridor down QL20 to the border. It is the standard one-day highland visa run for everyone living on the Lang Biang plateau, and the term separates it from coastal runs like Nha Trang or Danang that use the same Moc Bai crossing.
Yes. Saigon drop-offs can be arranged for riders continuing south — for example if you are flying out of Tan Son Nhat or moving to HCMC. Note it on the booking form or message WhatsApp +84 369 308 237 when you book, and the team will schedule the return leg to end at your District 1 or airport drop point.
Your Tay Ninh fixer holds your spot in line, pre-fills the entry/exit cards, and queues your passport at the Vietnamese exit desk, the Cambodian visa counter, and the Vietnamese re-entry desk, so you skip most of the standing around. Because Da Lat departures arrive before the HCMC rush, morning queues at Moc Bai are usually short, and the driver stays staged curbside with live WhatsApp updates until you clear.
Bao Loc is about 110 km south of Da Lat on QL20, roughly a 2-hour drive. Yes, the convoy picks up at Bao Loc City, Di Linh, Madagui, and gated resorts along QL20 every morning — Bao Loc pickups typically run around 03:00–04:00 so riders join the same convoy before the QL20 descent.
Getting there
Da Lat center, Trai Mat, Nam Ban, Tuyen Lam, Bao Loc City, Di Linh, Madagui, and gated resorts along QL20. If you are staying anywhere on the Lang Biang plateau or the QL20 corridor, message us your address before booking and the dispatcher will confirm your pickup window.
Private-car pickups in Da Lat center run around 02:00–03:00, with Bao Loc and QL20 resort stops following until about 04:00. The sleeper bus combo is different: the bus leaves Da Lat around 22:00–23:00 the night before and you meet the HCMC–Moc Bai car the next morning. Your exact pickup time is confirmed by WhatsApp the day before the run.
The sleeper bus + car combo is the budget option: an overnight bus from Da Lat to HCMC (900,000 VND per person) plus a private car from the HCMC bus station to Moc Bai and back (1,600,000 VND per car), from about 2,500,000 VND solo. The private car is a flat 6,000,000 VND per car for up to four passengers, door-to-door from your hotel, leaving before dawn and returning the same evening.
Up to four passengers per car at the flat 6,000,000 VND rate — the price is per car, not per person, so four people pay just 1,500,000 VND each. Groups larger than four are split across multiple cars, and the team adjusts the vehicle count for your party; custom quotes are available for more than four travelers via the booking notes.
Private car or bus-and-car transport, tolls, fuel, the bilingual driver, blankets, water, snacks, and the Tay Ninh border fixer who queues with you at immigration are all included. The Cambodia visa fee (1,100,000 VND add-on) and Vietnam e-visa government charges are separate, as are the optional online (250,000 VND) or onsite (1,000,000 VND) guided support tiers.
Private-car riders can bring one checked bag plus a personal item per person — the trunk fits a normal suitcase and a daypack comfortably. If you are moving cities or carrying extra boxes, an extra luggage trailer can be arranged; just note it on the booking form so the dispatcher can assign the right vehicle.
Yes — cars run 365 days a year, weekends, holidays, and festival days included, so you never miss a visa deadline. The one caveat is the e-visa desk: Vietnam immigration processes e-visas Monday to Friday, so rush-tier e-visa add-ons must depart on a weekday for a true same-day turnaround. A border-only run works any day.
Fill in the booking form on dalatvisarun.com with your transport option, date, departure slot, pickup address, and any visa add-ons — the form calculates the total live and accepts Wise, Revolut, PayPal (5 USD fee), and Vietnamese QR payments. The dispatcher confirms by WhatsApp and sends your exact pickup window the day before the run.
Immigration
The convoy arrives at Moc Bai, Vietnam's busiest land border with Cambodia, and your fixer walks you through three counters: Vietnamese exit stamp, Cambodian visa-on-arrival at Bavet, and Cambodian exit stamp. You then re-enter Vietnam for a fresh entry stamp — or with a new 90-day e-visa if you added the visa desk — and meet your driver curbside.
Most nationalities do. The standard Cambodian tourist visa on arrival costs around 30 USD at the Bavet counter, paid in cash — clean USD bills are strongly preferred because the exchange booths on the Cambodian side give poor rates. When you book with us it is handled as a 1,100,000 VND add-on: the fixer fills the form, queues the visa-on-arrival line, and pays the fee for you.
ASEAN passport holders (Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, and others) and a few extra nationalities enter Cambodia visa-free for short stays. Even if you are exempt, our fixer still escorts you through Bavet so your exit and re-entry stamps get photographed and logged — that photo is what the e-visa desk needs to file your new Vietnam visa.
The Bavet counter takes cash, and USD is what the officers expect; the 30 USD fee must come out of your pocket or the 1,100,000 VND add-on. Cards are not accepted at the border window, and VND exchange rates at Bavet are poor. Bring clean, undamaged USD bills — torn or heavily folded notes are often refused.
The fixer pre-fills your entry and exit cards, queues your passport at the Vietnamese exit desk, the Cambodian visa counter, and the Vietnamese re-entry desk, and escorts you across to Bavet and back so you never stand in the wrong line. They also photograph your stamps the moment they land, which is what triggers the e-visa submission if you added the visa desk.
On a normal day the whole loop — exit stamp, Cambodia visa, Cambodian exit, Vietnam re-entry — takes about 45 to 90 minutes. Da Lat departures arrive before the HCMC rush, so queues are usually short in the morning. Your driver stays staged curbside with live WhatsApp updates while you clear, and the convoy leaves for lunch in Tay Ninh once everyone is stamped.
Your passport valid for at least six months, your current Vietnam visa, e-visa, or TRC, your exit slip if you were issued one, and two spare passport photos for the Cambodian visa form. USD cash covers the Cambodia fee, and some nationalities are asked for proof of onward travel — keep a printout or screenshot of your next flight or bus ticket handy.
E-visa desk
You upload your passport photo page and a white-background selfie when you book, then ride to Moc Bai as usual. The moment Cambodia stamps your exit, you snap a bright photo of the exit stamp and send it to the visa desk; they file your new 90-day e-visa through the official government portal, refresh it until it is approved, and WhatsApp you the approval PDF and the green light to re-enter.
Three tiers: Standard (3–4 working days), Fast (1–2 working days), and Rush (4 hours to same day, weekday exits only). The desk fee is 2,400,000 VND for a single-entry 90-day e-visa or 3,100,000 VND for multiple entry, covering the government portal charges — the same portals that cost USD 25 for single entry or USD 50 for multiple entry if you file yourself. Online guided support is 250,000 VND and onsite guided support is 1,000,000 VND.
Yes. Vietnam's e-visa program grants stays of up to 90 days, and both single-entry and multiple-entry options are available. The multiple-entry e-visa costs 3,100,000 VND through our desk versus 2,400,000 VND for single entry — worth it if you plan to leave and return within the 90 days, for example on trips to Cambodia or Thailand.
As soon as you lock in the vehicle. The visa desk prefills the application form and verifies every passport and portrait before departure, so the only thing they need on run day is the exit-stamp photo. Uploading late risks missing your re-entry window, especially on Fast or Rush tiers.
A clear photo of your passport bio page (under 5 MB), a selfie with a white background, your Vietnam address plus phone and email for the application form, your desired re-entry date, and your preferred processing tier. Everything is uploaded through an encrypted portal and stored in a private booking folder shared only with you, your driver, and the visa desk.
Vietnam immigration only accepts an e-visa application once you are outside the country, so the submission is triggered by your exit stamp. That is why the timing works so well with a visa run: you exit at Moc Bai in the morning, the desk files immediately, and by the time you finish lunch in Tay Ninh the approval is usually in your inbox — the border systems sync within 30–60 minutes of approval.
The team does not strand you. If approval is still pending when the convoy is ready to leave, the desk keeps refreshing and escalating, arranges lodging at the border if your buffer runs out, and your driver waits or returns for you the next day. In practice, Fast and Rush tiers clear before the return leg departs; Standard tier is best booked with a multi-day buffer or a hotel night in Tay Ninh.
The cars run every day, but the e-visa desk pauses on weekends because Vietnam immigration only processes e-visas Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). If you need Rush or Fast same-day service, book a weekday departure; weekend runs still renew your stay if you already hold a valid visa and simply need the exit-and-re-entry stamps.
Payments & policies
Transport starts at about 2,500,000 VND for the sleeper bus + car combo solo and 6,000,000 VND for a private car that seats up to four (1,500,000 VND per person in a full car). The Cambodia visa add-on is 1,100,000 VND, and the 90-day Vietnam e-visa add-on is 2,400,000 VND single or 3,100,000 VND multiple entry. Bundles start from 6,000,000 VND.
Standard (from 6,000,000 VND) bundles bus + car, the Cambodia visa, and the 90-day Vietnam e-visa — the clean core run. Premium (from 6,250,000 VND) adds online guided support for travelers who want hand-holding remotely. Elite (from 10,500,000 VND) upgrades to the direct private car with onsite guided support at the border. Pick Elite if you value door-to-door comfort and someone physically escorting you through every counter.
Private cars are paid in cash (VND or USD) or by bank transfer when you return to Da Lat. The booking form also accepts Wise, Revolut, PayPal (a 5 USD fee applies), and Vietnamese QR payments, and e-visa and push fees can be paid via Wise or Revolut. Government visa fees are collected separately at the border or inside your booking total.
Private-car bookings are typically settled in cash or by transfer when you get back to Da Lat, after the run is complete. E-visa and Cambodia visa add-ons are confirmed at booking time so the desk can pre-file paperwork. The booking form reserves your slot with the payment method you choose, and the driver never handles your money.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Same-day cancellations incur 50% of the fare because the driver and Tay Ninh fixers are already staged for your run. Rescheduling to another date within the free window costs nothing — just message WhatsApp +84 369 308 237.
Yes. Many schools and companies in Da Lat reimburse visa-run costs for their foreign staff, and the team provides invoices on request. Note it on the booking form or tell the dispatcher on WhatsApp and the invoice will be prepared with the correct company details.
The private car is already the group deal — 6,000,000 VND covers up to four passengers, so a full car costs just 1,500,000 VND each. For more than four travelers the team adjusts the vehicle count and offers a custom quote via the booking notes, and returning customers can ask about recurring-run arrangements on WhatsApp.
Bring 30 USD per person in clean bills for the Cambodia visa-on-arrival if you are not visa-exempt, plus a little extra for drinks or emergency cash. If you booked the 1,100,000 VND Cambodia add-on, the fixer covers the fee, but carrying 50 USD in good condition is still the safest habit for any border day.
The private car is a flat 6,000,000 VND per vehicle with door-to-door pickup from your hotel before dawn, no bus-station transfers, blankets and snacks, and your own schedule — the same driver takes you there and back. The combo shares a sleeper bus to HCMC and only uses the car for the border leg, which is why solo travelers pay as little as 2,500,000 VND.
Special situations
An overstay changes everything and must be handled before the border. Under Decree 144/2021, overstays draw a warning for a day or two, then fines that scale with the overstay length — roughly 3–5 million VND for 3–15 days, 5–10 million VND for 16–30 days, and more beyond that — and serious cases can be blacklisted or exit-banned. Message the team before booking with your exact overstay days: the fixer can guide you through paying the fine at Moc Bai, but we never advise running with a seriously expired visa without checking first.
Vietnam and Cambodia both expect a passport valid for at least six months beyond your entry, and border officers can refuse entry for damaged pages or a torn cover. If your passport is close to expiry, renew it at your embassy first; if it is damaged, check whether the bio page is readable. Ask the team before booking and they will tell you honestly whether the border will accept it.
Yes. TRC holders do not need a Vietnam visa, but they still need to exit and re-enter to keep their multi-entry card valid, and the border run is the cheapest way to do that — no visa fees, just transport, the Cambodia visa (unless you are exempt), and stamps. Your TRC must remain valid on the return date, and you should carry it together with your passport.
Only when your exemption period runs out. The EX5 card for overseas Vietnamese allows multiple entries with stays of up to 180 days per entry, so most holders only need the border loop every six months. When it is time, the same Da Lat to Moc Bai run works perfectly — you pay no Vietnam visa fees, just transport, the Cambodia visa unless exempt, and your exit and re-entry stamps.
Yes. Children need their own passport and, depending on nationality, their own visa or e-visa entry on the parent's application; babies under a certain age are exempt from some fees but never from having travel documents. The private car is the comfortable option with a baby — air-conditioned, door-to-door, and with extra stops if needed. Let the team know at booking so the car seat and timing are arranged.
Stop, do not cross, and tell your fixer immediately — they know the local police and immigration offices on both sides of Moc Bai–Bavet. Your embassy in Hanoi or HCMC is the only one who can issue an emergency travel document, which takes days, so the team's first job is helping you recover the passport or getting you and your family safely back to Da Lat while you sort it out.
Message WhatsApp +84 369 308 237 immediately. If the car has not left Da Lat yet, the driver can often loop back for you; if the convoy is already on QL20, the team will try to slot you into the next vehicle or reschedule at the cancellation-policy rate. Being at your pickup point 10 minutes early is the best insurance — the drivers wait about 5 minutes before moving on.
Possibly, but only after a document check. A small number of nationalities face extra scrutiny or restrictions on Vietnam e-visas, and the desk cannot file applications that the government portal rejects. Send a photo of your passport bio page to the team before booking and they will confirm whether the e-visa route works for you or whether a different corridor — like a land border with a visa-on-arrival letter — is needed.
The Moc Bai–Bavet crossing is open daily and closures are extremely rare. If weather, an accident, or an unexpected border closure disrupts the run, the team coordinates a safe stop — usually a hotel in Tay Ninh — and completes the crossing the next morning, keeping you updated on WhatsApp the whole time. Your visa deadline buffer should always be at least one day beyond the planned run.
Flying from Lien Khuong (DLI) to Tan Son Nhat takes about 45 minutes, but it adds airport transfer time on both ends, baggage rules, a second ticket, and the same 100 km Moc Bai leg from HCMC. Door-to-door, the flight rarely saves time and almost always costs more than sharing a private car. The highland visa run's real advantage is simplicity: one booking, one vehicle, the fixer and the visa desk all included, and you are home in Da Lat the same night.
Dispatch responds daily via WhatsApp or email. Special nationalities, overstays, or group bookings — ask us before you book.