This post is a little out of time order but is dedicated to one of the worst sets of bus journeys we’ve been on since leaving Peru, which we felt deserved their own special mention. Half built roads, overturned trucks, questionable overtaking, thick fog, mountain ridges and narrow bends are just some of the obstacles to be over come when touring Laos by road (the other options include taking propeller planes between regional airports using airlines with questionable safety records- also a terrifying prospect). Journeys of 200 miles take 12 hours, the buses have no air-conditioning and stop every 20 minutes for seemingly no reason (or for cigarette breaks, or to allow ladies with whole barbecued chickens on sticks to enter the bus and waft them in your face, or for the driver to chat to his mates...)
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The overwhelming characteristic of tourism in Laos seems to be ‘sleepy’. Restaurants with rows and rows of tables for crowds of people sit almost empty, guesthouses with 30 rooms are only ever a quarter full, shops stock cobweb and dust covered items that haven’t been touched in years and the major attractions seem almost deserted save a few stall owners and Laotians exploring their own cultural heritage. It’s a far cry from the booming tourist trail in Thailand and it comes both as a blessing and curse. On the one hand, you have interesting sights almost to yourself, hiring a motorbike is relatively safe given the lack of people and traffic and there is always the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful landscape in total peace. On the other hand, transit is difficult, basic and prone to overcharging, shops are few and far between and there’s no such thing as haggling against ridiculously overpriced items (the stall owners know you have nowhere else to go so if you won’t pay $5 for a bottle of water then you won’t be getting any water!) And the area in the Mekong River known collectively as 4000 Islands, or Si Phan Don in Lao, was no exception…
After the biking adventures of Phonsavan we headed for Chompasak in the South West of Laos. This required some epic bus journeys and stops in smaller towns along the way (more on that coming later), but the main reason was to see the ruins of Vat Phu. Built by the same civilisation of Angkor Wat fame, Vat Phu is an earlier and now ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex which became a centre of Buddhist worship. It’s location at the base of mount Phu Kao makes for some steep steps and some beautiful views in a setting that is much quieter than it’s Cambodian sibling.
Located on the Xiangkhoang Plateau in the North of Laos lies a megalithic archaeological landscape consisting of thousands of carved stone jars from the Iron Age (500 BCE to 500 CE), perhaps unsurprisingly known as the Plain of Jars. Their origin and purpose was shrouded in mystery and local legend until excavation by French researcher Madeleine Colani and subsequent investigations by Lao and Japanese archaeologists found evidence to suggest they were used for burial purposes. They are the main tourist attraction in the province and after leaving Tom we decided to head out over the hills to see them. The main Jar Site (site 1) is the biggest and best example of the features and offers a small but detailed museum which explains the theories of how the jars were used (spoiler alert: the best guess is that whole bodies were placed in the jars which were then sealed, leaving the body to rot until just the bones remained, after which they were removed and cremated). The jars, however, are not the only reason this area is steeped in history.
After another cramped mini van ride, we arrived at arguably the best visitor attraction in Laos – Luang Prabang. Lying at the confluence of the mighty Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers, the town enjoys UNESCO status as “an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries” [1]. The town a great place to walk around – French colonial houses and traditional temples sit side by side, and with hotels and restaurants catering for all budgets, the result is a relaxed atmosphere and chilled vibe with enough going on to satisfy both those looking for bar hangouts and those hunting for cultural nourishment.
One of the main stops in any Laos itinerary is Vang Vieng. This small town was once the unlikely party capital of Laos, where backpackers headed for days of drink and drug fueled debauchery whilst floating down the Nam Song river in the inflated inner tubes of tractor tires. The ‘glory days’ saw bars, complete with makeshift rope swings and zip lines, lining the river banks, pumping out dance music and offering drugs on their menus alongside beer, Pad Thai and the stupidly cheap local tipple – Lao-Lao whiskey (this is so cheap bars often offer free bucket cocktails of the stuff). Perhaps unsurprisingly, high numbers of tourist deaths (mainly from backpackers under the influence drowning in the water or landing on sharp rocks whilst jumping in the river) led to a crackdown by the Lao authorities and today Vang Vieng is much more peaceful. You can still go tubing and some bars remain on the riverbank, however, they only open in strict rotation and the once legendary crowds are no more. Instead we went on a kayaking trip , stopping only for a 10am beer in a nod to the towns previous reputation and basically didn’t see another living soul.
After planning, syncing up itineraries and waiting to see if Tom could actually get some time off work, finally the day of his arrival was upon us! For the first time in 6 months we were going to have some physical contact with home and we were both pretty excited (a bit of an understatement). We’d been talking to Tom about our plans from the very beginning and were always keen for him to come out and join us if he could so when he planned some travels in South East Asia and Canada we were beyond excited. Laos was decided as the best place to meet up and our ten days together started in the capital, Vientiane. We managed to surprise Tom at the airport with a little home made name sign after his epic three stop plane journey (London – Copenhagen – Bangkok – Vientiane!) and took a bus back to the hotel for him to have a well earned rest. After a little acclimatisation and some jet lag recovery, we were able to spend some time exploring the streets of a city that is pretty unusual in Asia. With a population of only around a quarter of a million people, Vientiane is a far cry from the traffic choked mega cities that seem so ubiquitous in the region. Additionally the weather seemed to have cooled just in time for Tom’s arrival so he wasn’t overwhelmed by the heat and humidity.
Heading back to Bangkok after our amazing time in Myanmar weirdly felt like going home. As our third visit to the city it felt reassuringly familiar, and we stayed a night before heading to the train station to take our second sleeper of the trip so far. We were heading for Nong Khai, a small town close to Laos and from where you can catch a train across the Friendship Bridge to complete the border crossing.
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Hi! We're Alice and Joseph, currently on a year long RTW trip :) Archives
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