Carry on chilling in northern Laos

After discovering the southern and central plains, we head for the mountains further north. The main stop will be the famous Luang Prabang and we will then continue along the different rivers of the region towards the Vietnamese border of Dien Bien Phu.

Once is not custom, everything starts with a bus ride… Finally two rides this time. It is indeed impossible to reach Luang Prabang directly from Thakhek and we must make a change in Vientiane the capital of the country. Indeed, after Phnom Penh we decide again to skip the capital of the country we visit. We prefer to spend more time in the coutryside, especially because the big cities of the region have much less to offer than the countryside. We discover the comfort offered by night buses on our first trip. A bunk for two, 1m60 by 1m, the nose under the air conditioning and under a blanket of dubious cleanliness. Fortunately it only lasted six hours. Make you in good shape to negotiate your tuktuk at dawn  at the descent of the bus in order to join the other bus station and pursue our journey. They know how to make it easy for you!

The second trip to Luang Prabang promises to be better with a VIP bus. We find again our second Belgian couple, Hélène and Yonni, whom we met during our second scooter loop and who take the same direction as us. So let’s tell you right away, getting off the bus, most of us thought that the plane can be a luxury to consider sometimes… Including local people on vacation in Laos. The road is not too bad compared to the rest of the country, but it winds up and down the mountain for twelve hours. And the Laotians, well, they do not like the curves. We did not pay attention to the small plastic bags initially distributed to local people here only, but it was proven be very useful! So we smellt tiger balm for the last hours of the road so as not to be overly affected by the delicate smells. In addition to the toilet (it’s VIP if you recall well) without light and where are stored live chickens (nice to do his little pee in the dark surrounded by birds) and small stops to empty bottles of water on the brakes incandescent Bus, we had a great day, exotic! After these 18 hours of travel, we finally arrived in Luang Prabang.

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Luang Prabang, the jewel of Laos

We had heard a lot about it and we were eager to discover it, this city frozen in its colonial charm and dotted with temples. Audrey expected a touristy town, open-air museum (for 20 years UNESCO World Heritage) and Ben a city mixing preserved history and modern urbanism. We were both wrong!

At the confluence of the Mekong (again!) and one of its tributaries, the Nam Khan, the old city stretches along a main avenue that brings together the main attractions of the city. From the first day we take advantage of the calm to take the main alley and visit the temples widespread here and there. They are certainly less shinny than in Thailand but are nonetheless very charming. The economy of the country is not the same as that of its Thai neighbour and renovations take longer to be done. We still appreciate this morning and peaceful browsing. Such a profusion of culture had been missing from the temples of Angkor visited almost a month ago.

Every morning, at dawn, the monks of the different temples roam the city (every morning!) to collect the offerings of the faithful, who are piously kneeling on the street. It’s called the Tak Bat. It happens in most Buddhist cities around the world, but the profusion of temples here gives this tradition an exceptional dimension. The main street is crowded as of 5.30am. The mini vans drop off groups of tourists (mainly Chinese, as you may guess) close to the locals accustomed to this sad ride. And then suddenly, the bonzes with bald heads and orange toga appear and advance in single file through the streets. The eldest leads the youngest (often children) in front of each group of the faithful sometimes joined by tourists with a need for spiritual exchange (or just sensational). We are lucky enough in all this show because we find a small street crossing back from the main stream. No more than a dozen people accompany us (locals and tourists alike); we make ourselves discrete and we observe this ritual imposing respect and humility.

The city is a tourist hotspot and we finally hear other languages than French and English! The cosmopolitan crowd has a quite relaxing side. Western little oasis grew up all over the city. We rediscover the pleasure of latte coffees, French croissants, Belgian fries, beer giraffes or simply rock music in the background. We did not really want that and we did not feel the need, but this little bowl of air that smelled like home made us feel good. And when he took the urge to do something (if it happens), we jumped into a tuk-tuk at dawn and headed for the beautiful waterfalls of Kuang Si. A beautiful park simply laid out around the turquoise waterfalls where we could walk and swim without being too crowded. A great memory.

We understand why this city is so liked. That said, Luang Prabang is not New York and it is not Rome either, there is not much to do. It’s Laos, we’re used to relax and enjoying the pace offered by the country; but here, we slowed down so much that we almost fell behind! We even have to extend it by a day or two to be able to do our Vietnamese visas at the consulate of the city.

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Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi or how to relax more than ever

Our Vietnamese visas in hand, we are heading to the small town of Nong Khiaw. The trip by minibus is not unpleasant and the last kilometres are the opportunity to discover beautiful landscapes. The road runs along a small river (the Nam Khan also passing through Luang Prabang) in the middle of karst peaks. The vegetation is a little more abundant and green than we had until then. It will be cooler, great news… Well in the end not really! We spend two short days discovering the city and its surroundings in a still stifling heat. It’s decided, we do not stay here, and we take the boat to the village of Muang Ngoi located one hour north along the river. Just the time to say goodbye to our Belgian friends Hélène and Yonni that we could see again here and who are going back to eat French fries and make cheese and wine in Namur after a few months of vacation.

It is after a small motor boat cruise that we discover Muang Ngoi, a small port and former chief town of the region. The bombings of the Vietnam War have practically destroyed the city rebuilt little by little thanks to a modest but constant tourist flow. No more concrete roads here, only dirt tracks (according to some tourists, locals would be attached to the charm of battered roads…of course!). We will spend two days here to discover the small villages of the rice fields a few kilometres of hiking and to attend the celebration of the day of the women’s right (March 8 in this case) by the locals. It’s quite simple, women not working, the village vegetates. Restaurants that have not closed for the occasion have very limited menus. Barely enough to feed the few tourists wandering the main street bathed in sweet melodies (sarcasm) of female karaoke often very drunk! It’s surprising to see in a country with a very macho appearance.

After a storm as unexpected as powerful (finally cool air!), we take the boat for five hours in order to get closer to the Vietnamese border. A very nice cruise if you have a seat. But by dint of making trips a little rotten we begin to have the eye on this kind of bonus / malus and we position ourselves quickly boarding to sit well. Well done chickens! The cunning will be magnified when we have the right to receive a full shower at the passage of a rapid and we will turn around asking if anyone wants to enjoy the comfortable seats. Our soaked faces making everyone laughed and invited us to keep our places trapped. Superb scheme because we had no other surprise shower until the arrival in Muang Khua (at the end of the trip you will have an interview on the villages we visit, so stay focused).

We arrive at the Vietnamese border near Dien Bien Phu after four beautiful weeks in Laos where we saw beautiful landscapes and discovered a nonchalant and friendly people. It was a real pleasure to lose all sense of stress and to learn to put the least expectation or delay into perspective because people here live at their own pace and are not ready to change it, and that is why we feel so good.

See you soon for further adventures in Viêtnam !

Audrey and Ben