Leaving Luang Prabang behind, we loaded our rucksacks and belongings onto a slow-boat and prepared for the long two-day sail down the Mekong. The boat, a long barge-type motorised boat was owned by a young Laos couple, a wedding gift from the groom's father.
We meandered slowly down the Mekong past large rock outcrops and trees and small villages perched on hillsides. Past fishermen casting their nets and small groups of children swimming and playing in the river who waved and shouted to us. Past bathing water buffalo and mountain goats and dogs roaming the beaches or mountainside at either side of the river while dragonflies darted in and out of the boat.
We spent our time, around ten hours each day, chatting, reading, playing games, sleeping or drinking. On the evening of the first day we stopped off at a small town Pakbeng, consisting of one main street, and stayed in a local guesthouse for the night, venturing out briefly to sample some food at the Indian restaurant in town before heading back to our rooms. The town looked like it was a stopping off point for boats such as ours and catered almost exclusively for tourists.
Next day it was more of the same, interrupted with a brief excursion to a local village and a quiz after lunch. Otherwise it was a slow, lazy trip down the third longest river in Asia to our final destination on the second day, the border town of Huay Xai, Laos. The next day we were heading back into Thailand. There would be elephants, tigers and opium trails. But first, a final meal in Laos - an interesting meal of a traditional Laos dish 'Larp' made with tofu and a potato curry - followed by an early night.
Laos, like Cambodia, took me completely by surprise in that I hadn't known what to expect and even after I thought I'd figured out Laos it constantly exceeded my expectations. We had only scratched the surface of the country after our all too brief journey into Laos, one of the pay-offs of being on a tour. The itinerary was set and our time was limited but Laos is somewhere that I fell completely in love with and somewhere I fully intend to return to. It's a beautiful, intoxicating, charming country and a definite highlight of my South-East Asia trip. As to the rest of the trip, I'll keep you posted...
Showing posts with label laos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laos. Show all posts
Sunday, 27 May 2012
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Luang Prabang, Laos
After an early start from Vang Vieng in two private minivans, we took the long and winding road through the mountains to Luang Prabang. A journey of around six hours, it took in some of the most incredible scenery yet in Laos as we passed through lush, green mountains covered in trees and draped in early morning cloud, a remnant from the previous night's thunderstorm. We stopped en route to take photos and gaze at the view before continuing on our way past sleepy little villages consisting of little more than a few bamboo houses perched at the side of the road or that hung precariously off the side of a slope, many looking like they'd blow over in a strong wind. Children, dogs, chickens and kittens played in the dust, a copper-coloured dust that seemed to permeate everything including the inside of the minivan.
The roads were riddled with potholes and uneven tarmac. In many stretches, the road was reduced to little more than rubble and dirt-tracks as the driver manoeuvred his way around steep inclines and hairpin bends, dodging lorries, motorcycles and road-fixing trucks coming in the opposite direction. It was a bumpy ride but one that was also quite exhilarating.
After a few stops along the way, we arrived in Luang Prabang in the early afternoon and were immediately struck with the place. Before the separate kingdoms of Laos were unified, Luang Prabang was a kingdom in its own right. Also, as part of French Indochina it has retained its colonial past both in its beautiful architecture and street layouts and in the many French-style bakeries in the town. Nowadays Luang Prabang is also an UNESCO World Heritage site.
We wandered into town eager to make the most of the rest of the day by exploring. The night market was just setting up. A whole street was closed off and lined with stalls selling local handicrafts like bags, jewellery, scarves, paintings, t-shirts and wooden carved souvenirs. As markets go, it was one of the best we had seen so far on our trip. Dinner that night was also one of the highlights of the trip.
In an alleyway off to one side of the market was a fascinating and intoxicating mix of food stalls selling stews and curries in large metal bowls, barbecued meat and fish on skewers, packets of curious looking dried foods and baked goods and, at the end, a couple of makeshift restaurants where for 10,000KIP or around 80p you could get a plateful of freshly-prepared Laos food. Various rice, noodle and vegetables dishes as well as spring rolls and pasta, we couldn't believe our eyes. The place was packed with other travellers eager to sample the food and keen to bag a bargain. We piled our plates high and struggled to finish it all.
After taking in the atmosphere and enjoying a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, I headed to bed as I had an early start next day.
Next day I was awake before 5am to go and see the traditional dawn ceremony that takes place in many of South-East Asia's mainly Buddhist countries, the monks receiving morning alms. We stood and watched as saffron-robed monks from each of the town's Wats filed barefoot and silent past local townspeople receiving offerings of sticky rice into the metal containers concealed beneath their robes. This food would later form the basis of their only meal of the day. As the final line of monks filed past us to return to the temple, we wandered down to the river and watched the town come to life as food stalls and street sellers set up their stalls for the day. After coffee and bagels at a Western style coffee house we headed back to the hotel to get ready for that morning's excursion.
We were headed by songthaew to the Kuang Si waterfall and bear sanctuary, forty or so minutes outside Luang Prabang. After a short walk to the waterfall, the more energetic took a longer hike to the top of the waterfall while the less energetic wandered downstream to the swimming spot to cool off against a charming, picturesque backdrop. As we left the waterfall we headed to the bear sanctuary within the park to see endangered Asaiatic Black Bears that had been rescued from poachers. While it was heartening to see the charity operating in Laos, it was still sad to see them behind cages in captivity.
That afternoon, on another baking hot day, I took a walk into town to the National Museum and Royal Palace. Until 1975 when the monarchy was overthrown by communists, Haw Kham was the royal residence for King Sisavang Vong. Rooms were laid out as they would have been during his reign with an impressive collection of Buddhist statues behind glass cases in the main hall. Dinner that night, on our last night in Luang Prabang, was a return visit to the food market then it was back to the night market to pick up more gifts for family and friends back home.
Despite having spent such a short amount of time there, Luang Prabang and the Laos people had made an indelible impression on me. Such beautiful faces, a mixture of Thai and Chinese ethnicity, endearing kindly faces, that formed into instant smiles whenever you smiled at them or greeted them with 'sabaidee'. Laos bewitched me with its beautiful people and its amazing scenery. As we left Luang Prabang the next day, we passed through more beautiful tree-lined avenues of colonial-style buildings housing boutique hotels and fancy restaurants. It feels like a town and a country that is on the way up. If ever you're in South East Asia I would urge you to visit Laos, Luang Prabang in particular.
Early next morning we caught another songthaew to take us and our bags down to the river to catch a slow boat that for the next two days would be our home as we sailed down the Mekong to the Thai border. Sadly our time in Laos was almost over...
The roads were riddled with potholes and uneven tarmac. In many stretches, the road was reduced to little more than rubble and dirt-tracks as the driver manoeuvred his way around steep inclines and hairpin bends, dodging lorries, motorcycles and road-fixing trucks coming in the opposite direction. It was a bumpy ride but one that was also quite exhilarating.
After a few stops along the way, we arrived in Luang Prabang in the early afternoon and were immediately struck with the place. Before the separate kingdoms of Laos were unified, Luang Prabang was a kingdom in its own right. Also, as part of French Indochina it has retained its colonial past both in its beautiful architecture and street layouts and in the many French-style bakeries in the town. Nowadays Luang Prabang is also an UNESCO World Heritage site.
We wandered into town eager to make the most of the rest of the day by exploring. The night market was just setting up. A whole street was closed off and lined with stalls selling local handicrafts like bags, jewellery, scarves, paintings, t-shirts and wooden carved souvenirs. As markets go, it was one of the best we had seen so far on our trip. Dinner that night was also one of the highlights of the trip.
In an alleyway off to one side of the market was a fascinating and intoxicating mix of food stalls selling stews and curries in large metal bowls, barbecued meat and fish on skewers, packets of curious looking dried foods and baked goods and, at the end, a couple of makeshift restaurants where for 10,000KIP or around 80p you could get a plateful of freshly-prepared Laos food. Various rice, noodle and vegetables dishes as well as spring rolls and pasta, we couldn't believe our eyes. The place was packed with other travellers eager to sample the food and keen to bag a bargain. We piled our plates high and struggled to finish it all.
After taking in the atmosphere and enjoying a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, I headed to bed as I had an early start next day.
Next day I was awake before 5am to go and see the traditional dawn ceremony that takes place in many of South-East Asia's mainly Buddhist countries, the monks receiving morning alms. We stood and watched as saffron-robed monks from each of the town's Wats filed barefoot and silent past local townspeople receiving offerings of sticky rice into the metal containers concealed beneath their robes. This food would later form the basis of their only meal of the day. As the final line of monks filed past us to return to the temple, we wandered down to the river and watched the town come to life as food stalls and street sellers set up their stalls for the day. After coffee and bagels at a Western style coffee house we headed back to the hotel to get ready for that morning's excursion.
We were headed by songthaew to the Kuang Si waterfall and bear sanctuary, forty or so minutes outside Luang Prabang. After a short walk to the waterfall, the more energetic took a longer hike to the top of the waterfall while the less energetic wandered downstream to the swimming spot to cool off against a charming, picturesque backdrop. As we left the waterfall we headed to the bear sanctuary within the park to see endangered Asaiatic Black Bears that had been rescued from poachers. While it was heartening to see the charity operating in Laos, it was still sad to see them behind cages in captivity.
That afternoon, on another baking hot day, I took a walk into town to the National Museum and Royal Palace. Until 1975 when the monarchy was overthrown by communists, Haw Kham was the royal residence for King Sisavang Vong. Rooms were laid out as they would have been during his reign with an impressive collection of Buddhist statues behind glass cases in the main hall. Dinner that night, on our last night in Luang Prabang, was a return visit to the food market then it was back to the night market to pick up more gifts for family and friends back home.
Despite having spent such a short amount of time there, Luang Prabang and the Laos people had made an indelible impression on me. Such beautiful faces, a mixture of Thai and Chinese ethnicity, endearing kindly faces, that formed into instant smiles whenever you smiled at them or greeted them with 'sabaidee'. Laos bewitched me with its beautiful people and its amazing scenery. As we left Luang Prabang the next day, we passed through more beautiful tree-lined avenues of colonial-style buildings housing boutique hotels and fancy restaurants. It feels like a town and a country that is on the way up. If ever you're in South East Asia I would urge you to visit Laos, Luang Prabang in particular.
Early next morning we caught another songthaew to take us and our bags down to the river to catch a slow boat that for the next two days would be our home as we sailed down the Mekong to the Thai border. Sadly our time in Laos was almost over...
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Vang Vieng, Laos
After an all too brief visit to Vientiane, we were back on the road again, this time to Vang Vieng. For the uninitiated, in recent years Vang Vieng has gained a reputation as something of a party town for backpackers keen to take part in the tubing craze. More about that in a moment.
After cramming eighteen people, rucksacks and daypacks onto an open back truck or 'songthaew', we left the hotel in Vientiane to catch the public bus to Vang Vieng. After some juggling of the other passengers between different buses to make way for us we headed off.
Driving north into the Laos mountains, the scenery was stunning. We passed through villages with simple houses made of wood or woven bamboo, through lush green paddy fields and beautiful tree-lined fields. Vang Vieng is without a doubt in one of the most beautiful settings in Laos with the backdrop of the mountains behind and the Han Song river running through it.
Our hotel for the duration of our stay was actually a series of wooden chalet-style buildings on stilts laid out around a garden courtyard. At night the sounds of crickets, geckos and other nocturnal creatures provided an interesting soundtrack.
If you're into kayaking, trekking, tubing, quad-biking, boating or mountain-biking you'll be in your element as Vang Vieng is a haven for all these activities. Quite a few of our group took part in kayaking and tubing and said they had a fantastic day. Otherwise, as a destination Vang Vieng has very little else to offer. It's a small, sleepy backwater that got caught up in the tubing craze and has now become a town catering almost exclusively to backpackers, arguably at the expense of its identity. A series of bars, many with day beds, show back to back episodes of Friends or Family Guy whilst serving buckets of cocktails to backpackers; every other shop is a convenience store or a shop selling flip-flops, t-shirts or sunglasses; restaurants tend to serve mostly Western food such as burgers, chips, omelettes and pizza or American style breakfasts. The locals, perhaps now bored by the drunken antics of the thousands of travellers who pass through every year are a little more detached, a little more distant in their dealings with you than the friendliness you encounter in the rest of Laos. In a nutshell, that's Vang Vieng. Same same but different. It saddened me a little.
We spent two nights in Vang Vieng. The first I spent sleeping after the heat and lack of sleep of the previous few days finally caught up with me, missing a trip the rest of the group made to the Blue Lagoon just outside the town. The second I spent drinking large measures of gin and tonic in a couple of the bars and eating disappointing pad thai at a vegetarian restaurant before going on for more drinks, buckets of cocktails and games of table tennis at yet another bar. Disappointingly, I too became a Vang Vieng cliché.
After exhausting the bars and restaurants I was glad to move on because the next place we were headed to, Luang Prabang, was one of the most memorable of the whole trip with a journey to match.
After cramming eighteen people, rucksacks and daypacks onto an open back truck or 'songthaew', we left the hotel in Vientiane to catch the public bus to Vang Vieng. After some juggling of the other passengers between different buses to make way for us we headed off.
Driving north into the Laos mountains, the scenery was stunning. We passed through villages with simple houses made of wood or woven bamboo, through lush green paddy fields and beautiful tree-lined fields. Vang Vieng is without a doubt in one of the most beautiful settings in Laos with the backdrop of the mountains behind and the Han Song river running through it.
Our hotel for the duration of our stay was actually a series of wooden chalet-style buildings on stilts laid out around a garden courtyard. At night the sounds of crickets, geckos and other nocturnal creatures provided an interesting soundtrack.
If you're into kayaking, trekking, tubing, quad-biking, boating or mountain-biking you'll be in your element as Vang Vieng is a haven for all these activities. Quite a few of our group took part in kayaking and tubing and said they had a fantastic day. Otherwise, as a destination Vang Vieng has very little else to offer. It's a small, sleepy backwater that got caught up in the tubing craze and has now become a town catering almost exclusively to backpackers, arguably at the expense of its identity. A series of bars, many with day beds, show back to back episodes of Friends or Family Guy whilst serving buckets of cocktails to backpackers; every other shop is a convenience store or a shop selling flip-flops, t-shirts or sunglasses; restaurants tend to serve mostly Western food such as burgers, chips, omelettes and pizza or American style breakfasts. The locals, perhaps now bored by the drunken antics of the thousands of travellers who pass through every year are a little more detached, a little more distant in their dealings with you than the friendliness you encounter in the rest of Laos. In a nutshell, that's Vang Vieng. Same same but different. It saddened me a little.
We spent two nights in Vang Vieng. The first I spent sleeping after the heat and lack of sleep of the previous few days finally caught up with me, missing a trip the rest of the group made to the Blue Lagoon just outside the town. The second I spent drinking large measures of gin and tonic in a couple of the bars and eating disappointing pad thai at a vegetarian restaurant before going on for more drinks, buckets of cocktails and games of table tennis at yet another bar. Disappointingly, I too became a Vang Vieng cliché.
After exhausting the bars and restaurants I was glad to move on because the next place we were headed to, Luang Prabang, was one of the most memorable of the whole trip with a journey to match.
Friday, 18 May 2012
Vientiane, Laos
To travel into Laos we caught the overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Nong Khai on the Thai-Laos border. Following our experiences on the overnight train in Vietnam we were pleased and a little relieved to find that this time the carriage was arranged in a two-tier bunk arrangement running the length of the carriage, rather than the six-berth arrangement in Vietnam. Sleeping arrangements were spacious and comfortable. Porters made up the beds with cotton sheets and blankets and each bed had its own curtain for privacy. As experiences go it was very pleasant and one of the better overnight travel experiences so far.
Next morning, the conductor woke everyone up by walking the length of the carriage making rooster noises before offering options of breakfast and coffee. It was then we discovered that we were going to be delayed by some four or so hours and would be getting into Nong Khai nearer midday rather than the 8.20am printed on our tickets. We still had to cross the Thai and Laos borders so, allowing for any delays, we would be getting into Vientiane quite late in the afternoon. Given that we were leaving the very next day to go to Vang Vieng, it allowed us little or no time in the Laos capital.
Finally arriving at Nong Khai we crammed ourselves and our belongings into tuk tuks for the short drive from the train station to border control. This time we were through the Thai border pretty swiftly, though as usual I seemed to have chosen to stand in the slowest moving queue with the most officious and miserable-looking immigration official. We then caught a public bus the short distance over the Friendship Bridge to the Laos border.
After filling in an immigration form, submitting a passport photo, paying $35 and waiting for a few minutes, I was rewarded with a Laos visa and duly made my way into the People's Democratic Republic of Laos. We caught minivans to travel the 20km or so to Vientiane. Luggage had to be stored on top of the van, secured, somewhat optimistically, by a single piece of rope. We spent the journey wondering which of our backpacks would fly off the roof first but amazingly the rope held everything in place.
Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world but I was immediately struck by how lush the country seems. Green paddy fields and trees lining the horizon give way to surprisingly well built and elegant-looking houses, interspersed with simpler wooden built homes. Vientiane, much like Phnom Penh, has remnants of its French heritage in the colonial style buildings and wide boulevard-style avenues. I felt an instant connection with Laos. Much like Cambodia the people seemed friendlier and were quick to smile. It was refreshing after our experiences in Thailand.
We arrived in Vientiane late in the day. After dumping bags and a quick bite to eat we decided to make the most of the remaining day by hiring a tuk tuk to bring us around the city. What we realised having done the tour is that there isn't a great deal to see in Vientiane apart from the odd Wat or temple. However I'm glad I got to see at least a little bit of the city. I should also mention our tuk tuk driver who had one of the kindest, smiliest faces I've ever met. Indeed, as we leaving next morning he was outside the hotel and smiled and waved. He's the one in the photo above.
Dinner that night was at another charitable restaurant Makphet, part of the Friends network of restaurants that we had visited in Phnom Penh. One of the dishes I had - eggplant in a traditional Lao sauce served with sticky rice - was absolutely delicious and had a real kick to it. As a first introduction to Lao cooking, it was a triumph. After a long day and night travelling, and with another long day ahead we all headed home for an early night. Tomorrow we were off to Vang Vieng, the party capital of Laos.
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