501 Places

As our month in SE Asia nears its all too rapid conclusion, our thoughts are turning to life on our return home. While it’s true every time we travel that getting back to normal seems to take no time at all, there are a few elements of travelling in Laos and Cambodia that have become habits and that we will have to  shake out of our system quickly on our return; for our sanity, safety and freedom. Here’s a few, and I’m sure those who have spent time out here will identify with these and be able to add to them:

1. Crossing the road. I now cross a road when it is full  of traffic, knowing that to wait for a clear road would result in an eternal roadside vigil. Weaving in and out of moving traffic is fun and exhilarating once you get the hang of it, but I suspect will attract displays of road rage in the UK.

2. Waving back at children. After a month of seeing children greet us with curious smiles and exuberant waves, it has become second nature to return the warm welcomes. If we start waving at children in the UK we will quickly attract the attention of the authorities, so we had better lose that habit sharp. Not much risk here though, as I can’t remember a British child ever waving at us!

3. Smiling like an idiot at everyone we meet. The genuine warmth in the greetings we have received from countless strangers is without doubt the most special memory from this trip. We have grown accustomed to receiving the largest, most smiley, welcoming expressions of kindness from old men, little children and street cleaners and have quickly adapted to reciprocate these. I suspect a similar smile on the Tube will lead to a very nervous response from fellow passengers. It may be worth a try though!

4. Not wearing shoes and socks for a whole month.

5. Eating a fantastic meal for under a pound and crossing a country on a bus for five.

6. Having an almost daily massage (a decadence that has been way too easy to get used to!)

7. Hearing almost anything offered for sale with that magic phrase ‘mister, only one dollar’

8. Learning that seven is in fact an unlucky number.

SE Asia Games, Vientiane

I heard much about Vientiane being a very laid back capital where there is little to do for the visitor. After spending over a week in Laos it was hard to imagine anything other than a chilled city as the centre of this smiling, easy-going nation. Happily, Vientiane lived up to its billing, with one notable correction; there IS much to do here, and if you spend three nights in Vientiane as we did, you have no reason to get bored.

As we travelled through Laos the previous week there had been only one main topic of conversation for Lao people: the SEA games. These are the SE Asian Olympics, and were being held this year in Vientiane. Teams from Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor, Malaysia and Singapore joined the hosts Laos in competing for gold medals in several hundred sports. Watching the crowds on TV we were thankful for our luck in deciding to book a hotel room in advance, as others who we met described their difficulty in finding a bed during the Games.

Certainly the multi-national crowds of spectators added to the festive atmosphere in the city. Every Lao person seemed to be wearing a T-shirt supporting their team, and the largest foreign contingent, the Vietnamese, were also out in force, waving their flag and blaring horns through the city centre. The football tournament sparked the most passion, and on our final day a major party was in store with Laos competing for the 3^rd place medal and Vietnam in the Gold medal final. Sadly both lost, and the small victorious Malaysian crowd were hardly noticeable in their celebrations.

The giant reclining Buddha, Vientiane

We did chill out in Vientiane, but also got to see a few of the city’s impressive sights. Perhaps the most memorable is the Buddha Park, around 25km from town (close to the Friendship Bridge, the main crossing into Thailand). The park is not large, but is crammed with some of the most extraordinary Buddha statues, including one reclining Buddha which must be over 100 feet in length. There are also statues of many deities from the Buddhist and Hindu faiths. The park was full of visitors from Laos, as well as many of the visiting sports people who were taking a break from the SEA Games. A local bus runs directly to the park from the city’s Talat Sao bus station and takes around 45 minutes. The bus ride itself was an adventure, crammed in with many traders heading to the market and children on their way to school.

Pha That Luang, Vientiane

Vientiane’s most notable landmark is Pha That Luang. This is not only an important national monument but also a place of holy significance. A 40 minute walk from town brings you to this golden marvel, with two impressive wats flanking the central monument. It’s a calm and peaceful place to linger and enjoy the intricate detail of the buildings in the complex, although after 10am the heat gets quite uncomfortable, and there are not many places to escape the blazing sun.

Patuxai, Vientiane's Arc de Triomphe

Halfway to Pha That Luang is Patuxai, Vientiane’s version of Arc de Triomphe. Built in 1969, it is a bit of a hideous concrete lump from close up, although from a distance it makes a striking and powerful landmark. The views from the top are worth the climb, although be prepared to pass an enormous souvenir market as you climb the stairs to the summit.

As elsewhere in Laos, the noodles and rice were delicious and very cheap, and we enjoyed yet more sub $2 meals. One extravagance we had was a few visits to JoMa bakery. We found this place first in Luang Prabang, and were happy to see another branch close to our hotel. It does wonderful cheesecake, and the best fruit shakes in Laos!

There is not much traffic in the city, and even in rush hour the cars and tuk-tuk seem to have plenty of space to make their way across the fairly small downtown area. As elsewhere in SE Asia, we saw no signs of road rage, with near misses on the road invariably greeted with a smile.

Vientiane offered a relaxing, indulgent yet entertaining three days for us, and while it might not have the magical atmosphere of Luang Prabang it is still the capital of this small, beautiful country, and is worth a few days to explore.

Plain of Jars

In the West we are familiar with the Vietnam War, where millions of American soldiers went to fight the communist forces of the north during the 1960s and early 1970s. Few are aware however that the bulk of the carnage inflicted by both sides in that war in fact fell on Laos, desperately unfortunate in its geographic location. A strategic shortcut between north and south Vietnam, the communist forces used Laos as a supply route, and the Americans in turn dropped the equivalent of over half a tonne of bombs on the country for every Lao citizen.

Bombs found in the Phonsavan area

Laos is in fact considered the most bombed country in the world, and the shameful campaign led by the CIA (known here as the American War) led to hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths, and proved ultimately futile as the communists swept to power as the US troops retreated. Despite almost 35 years passing since the American departure, the legacy of the bombing lives on, as hundreds of Lao people die every year from accidents with UXO (unexploded ordinance). Of these casualties, 40% are children and the numbers are rising as poverty and an increase in demand for scrap metal mean that many are willing to risk their lives for a kilo of bomb  metal, which might yield $20.

The most important health and safety sign ever seen

Xieng Khouang province, in the north east of Laos, is the most heavily bombed part of the country. We stayed at the lodgings of Sousath Pethrasy, the man who single-handedly campaigned for the Lao government to open this area to tourism. Sadly Sousath passed away recently, but his family continue to run the guest house and take visitors to see the military relics of the war, as well as the UNESCO recognised Plain of Jars.

The mysterious Plain of Jars

Starting early, we checked in at Phonsovan’s Tourist Office to get clearance to visit the sites. There we were able to see many bombs and bomblets found in the area.  Having visited the MAG (Mine Advisory Group) offices in the town a day earlier and learned about the extraordinary task of clearing the area of UXO, it was fascinating to see some of the ordinance at first hand.

On arrival  at the Plain of Jars, we carefully followed our guide’s briefing on where to go and where not to stray. After all, only the marked paths had been cleared of UXO, and stepping far off the trail could lead to sudden death or worse (there are a shocking number of amputees in this region of Laos).

This small cave near Nong Khiaw served as the Luang Prabang bank HQ for 5 years during the US bombing

The jars themselves are a real mystery and well worth the visit in their own right. No-one knows how old they are (best guess is around 2500 years old), what they were used for (common assumption is that they were part of the burial ritual), and who used them. Scattered over many sites in Xieng Khouang, we visited three of the earliest excavated site that had been cleared of mines and deemed safe for tourists. The jars make for a wonderful backdrop and leave the visitor with a sense of speculating on the unknown.

Jar split by growing tree

We decided to walk between two of the sites. It involved a 5km hike, and as we passed over the brow of a hill between the two sites, our guide stopped us and pointed under a bush. There, before our eyes was a small bomblet; a real UXO. It was only around 30cm in length, but would be enough to cause a life-changing injury. Needless to say, there was no need for our guide to tell us not to touch!

Our very own discovered UXO

A visit to this part of Laos is hugely rewarding. Not only does the visitor get to see one of Asia’s most impressive archaeological sites in the absence of mass tourism, but there is a frightening, sobering yet intriguing facet of recent history that is still being played out today, and will make a strong impression on almost anyone who visits.

Monks collecting alms at dawn

If you visit Laos you will almost certainly spend at least some of your time in Luang Prabang. While Vientiane is the adminstrative capital there is little doubt that Luang Prabang is the cultural, historic and tourism centre of Laos. If you travel here by boat as we did, approaching the city along the Mekong the buildings are almost unseen amid the trees and the high river bank. Yet once you climb the steps from the landing points you are quickly transported into another world.

Ok, first you need to get past the pushy tuk-tuk drivers. They’re touting their wares, just as they do elsewhere in this part of the world, although as with other traders in Laos they stay on the right side of the acceptable level of harassment. As you walk on you will soon be surrounded by wats, and likely see monks performing their daily duties around the temple grounds.

Wat Xieng Thong

Luang Prabang is really about monks and wats (Buddhist temples). They are everywhere, and you will often be stopped by monks as you linger in the grounds, eager to practice their English. They were very happy to share with us their daily lives, their plans for life after the monastery (girlfriends feature high on the wanted list!) and their curiosity about us falang (foreigners).

Lao ladies chatting on street corner

While the monks were relaxed about talking with us during the afternoons, in the dawn light they were altogether more formal, as they collected alms from the local people and tourists. This is an ancient ceremony that is carried out each morning, as they march through the main street on their way to the temple, and the people of Luang Prabang pass their gifts (sticky rice and bananas mainly) to the monks. The whole ritual took place in silence (although the street vendors are trying to sell over-priced donations to the tourists to give to the monks).

A deserted wat on the left bank of the Mekong

We also took the chance to cross the Mekong on the local passenger ferry (a long motorised canoe) and explore the small villages on the other side. Here, as the only foreigners we were greeted with curiosity, laughter and various attempts by local children to extract money or soft drinks from us.

There are many great spots around the city to chill out and enjoy the great views of the river and of the temples. And when you’ve had enough of walking there’s always the chance to indulge in a Lao massage. We had a head, back and shoulder massage and it was one of the most pleasant experiences, even if at times I was forced to conceal a yelp of pain.

Luang Prabang: where different worlds mingle freely

There are of course countless opportunities for tourists to spend their dollars here, and while many local seek to profit from the visitors to this city they seem to manage a balance between selling and harassment that is sadly missing elsewhere. Even at the crowded night market, the stall holders invariably smile and greet you, allow you to browse and will not chase after you if you decline their offers.

The night market, Luang Prabang

There were many individual highlights in our four days in Luang Prabang, and no doubt I will add to this brief summary once back home. For now it is sufficient to say that we found this to be a truly unique city, and worthy of the high praise we had heard before. Amid all of the beautiful buildings and the serene backdrop of the mighty Mekong, the people of Luang Prabang were for me the undoubted highlight.

The Luangsay Boat at a village stop

There are several ways to travel between the Thai-Lao border and the ancient city of Luang Prabang. The bus journey takes around 10 hours on roads that leave a lot to be desired. Most people choose to travel along the Mekong River as it meanders south through lush Lao countryside and passes simple villages that rely on the river for their existence.

Even then there are three alternatives to consider. There is the speed boat, which can make the journey in one day, but as an option that has had so many serious accidents and even fatalities in recent years, few ‘farang’ (foreigners) take the trip. Most will take the slow boat, which makes the journey in two days and stops overnight in Pakbeng, where travellers need to find a place to stay. This is the cheapest option, but not the most comfortable journey, particularly if the boat is full to capacity or worse.

Sunset on the Mekong

The third, the most luxurious and most expensive option is to take the Luangsay Boat operated by Mekong Cruises. At a price that would blow a gaping hole in the budget of the long-term backpacker, this boat caters far more for those on relatively short itineraries, where keeping the daily budget to a minimum is not a priority and where comfortable travel is a must. At a standard rate of around $400 you would expect a lot for your money.

The children came out to meet us in the villages

For me this trip lived up to those expectations. Guests are met at the immigration post on the border and ushered into the Luangsay office to complete their formalities with a drink in hand and well away from the early morning scrum waiting to get their Lao visa. Once everyone has the necessary stamps they are whisked away in tuk-tuks to the boat pier further upstream. Another drink is served to welcome passengers onto the Luangsay boat, and the river cruise is underway.

Water, tea and coffee are served on demand and are very welcome in the cold mornings. Lunch is served on board on both days, and is an excellent quality buffet. We had four vegetarians on our cruise and they were very happy with their lunches. In between meals we were offered plates of fresh fruit and banana chips, so were never even slightly hungry. And the seats were comfortable recliners which could be moved around to face the sun or the shade. It would be hard to find a way to make the boat more comfortable.

Luangsay Lodge at Pakbeng, where we continued being pampered for the night

There is a crew of three or four, including our guide who spoke good English and took the time to tell us the history of the river, the places we saw along the way and a little bit of Lao culture and etiquette. Apart from his briefings we were left largely in peace while cruising, and the thankful absence of a microphone might have meant more work for him in repeating his message several times, but spared us a loud intrusion in a serene setting.

The Mekong River at Pak Ou

I expected a trip to middle-age to elderly Brits, Germans and French passengers. While that would account for some of the 20 aboard our boat, we also had a young family taking the slow road to Australia, a Thai lady on vacation and a young German couple who were cycling all the way through Laos and Cambodia. People soon mixed and shared their travel plans, life histories and war stories from the road, and listening to others sharing their tales while watching the river life of the Mekong was a relaxing and decadent joy.

We made a couple of stops on each day. On both days we visited a tribal village, and were able to see how people scrape an existence on the river. One village was completely geared up to the passing visitors, and was really more of a giant tourist market with every other resident sitting on the street hoping to sell their scarves and shawls to us. The first village we visited was far more memorable, as the people here seemed unprepared, or unphased, by our arrival. The adults carried on life as normal and ignored these intruders, and only the children took an active interest in these strangers in their midst. It was the interaction of the group with the children however that made the visit such a pleasant one.

Life on the Luangsay boat

Our overnight stay was also in Pakbeng, but we stayed in the Luangsay lodge (meal and accommodation included in the cruise cost). This really was a beautiful place, set on the banks of the river and with amazing views of the sunset from our large en-suite bungalows. The meal was excellent, and as we were a large party a group of local villagers performed a Lao song and dance show. These spectacles can be hit and miss, and at 30 minutes it was the right length and didn’t keep us unduly from our dinner. The costumes were fascinating to see.

It got cold at night, so we were glad of the extra blankets that were provided. They even offer wi-fi in reception, which is amazing considering the remote setting. That being said, I was unable to connect when I tried. I must admit though, that in such a beautiful setting I felt a bit guilty for even trying to make contact with the rest of the world.

Before arriving in Luang Prabang we even made a short stop to visit the Pak Ou caves, something that most visitors to the city make time to do. In this way the boat trip saves passengers a half day excursion that they would otherwise have made. Although the many Buddha statues were remarkable, I was not over impressed with the caves, probably because of the swarms of people trying to squeeze into the the tiny space. Having spent so long in luxurious spaciousness the crowds were a rude awakening. I would not have considered it a worthwhile trip to take four to five hours of my time just to visit Pak Ou.

Lao Whisky distillery

Choosing the Luangsay boat along the Mekong river is not for everyone. If however you are wanting to travel to Luang Prabang from northern Thailand with comfort and great service all the way, this option offers travellers a chance to enjoy the river scenery in luxurious style, with a well thought-out itinerary that keeps guests entertained and educated along the way.

(My 2 day trip on the Luangsay boat was taken at a discounted rate in exchange for featuring the experience on 501 Places and elsewhere)