We took the slowboat from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai, the border town for onward travel into Thailand. We were getting back into Thailand via the top and going to make our way down to Bangkok; Chiang Rai being our first official stop in Thailand.
But first, it would be two days of solid boat living, requiring one overnight at one of the villages en route – we got a dainty welcome to Laos sign for a snap when we looked behind us as we got to our final destination!
It was a really tranquil journey and was just lovely to sit and watch the daily life on the river and the boat we were on for those two days.
The boat sails (at a glorious speed of no more that 15 km/hr and that’s at the best of times!) along the Mekong River and fishing boats are dotted along the way every few km. The fishing boats are tiny skiny long tail boats that fit at most 4 people. Typically we saw two people together (straw hats atop) fishing together off the boat.
The boat sails (at a glorious speed of no more that 15 km/hr and that’s at the best of times!) along the Mekong River and fishing boats are dotted along the way every few km. The fishing boats are tiny skiny long tail boats that fit at most 4 people. Typically we saw two people together (straw hats atop) fishing together off the boat
Every couple of km there was signs of a little community to either side of the river. Bamboo shacks typically built on stilts could be seen at the top of the shore.
Then kids were always down at the shore of the river running around playing and laughing. Families could be seen gathering bamboo sticks in the distance for presumably fire wood; without the river, these people would have nothing. It provides them with their food source, their income source (they sell the fish, they provide logistics to and from the various towns, their community etc).
The boat sails (at a glorious speed of no more that 15 km/hr and that’s at the best of times!) along the Mekong River and fishing boats are dotted along the way every few km. The fishing boats are tiny skiny long tail boats that fit at most 4 people. Typically we saw two people together (straw hats atop) fishing together off the boat.
We set off each morning around 8.30AM and arrived at our destination for around 5pm both days. The first day we stopped in Pak Beng.
The river bed is so low now because of Dry Season a steep sandy climb up to dry land is required to get off the boat!
We were being bombarded of course by locals selling guesthouses and food before we even had stepped off the boat. So we conveniently landed a 100k KIP guesthouse for the night (10 euro) whereby the man who owned it was so cute and dotey and just so thankful to us for staying there. The village has nothing really just a ridiculous amount of guest houses and some questionable “bakeries!” Every “bakery” sold the exact same selection of five pastries. We ordered some the following morning for breakfast and we were treated to cooked on high in the microwave soggy dough! It was grand like but gas. The things left out are there for days if not weeks. With so much preservatives in them, having been shipped to the tiny village in one big order for the whole village probably months ago! It was gas like. But a lovely community feel to the place and everyone was really trying to please us and help us. The village is probably the most propserous of villages on the Mekong river route from Laos to Thailand given it is the only official stop for tourist boats between the locations. So they get the standard income from being a fishing village and this tourism is an extra bonus.
The following morning we wore up early with the place buzzing by 6AM with boat trawlers up with the sun rise. It was great to be on the main street where we saw an even better, more authentic take on the alms ceremony. Monks in groups of four and five came in their bare feet to the village. One local from each shop/guesthouse/house sat at their entrance and had their bowl of sticky rice ready. The monks stopped at each place where they received the rice and blessed the house with a quick chanting session. It was amazing to watch how everyone was up so early but still was giving this imprortant ritual the time of day.
Back on the boat for day two – a new family greeted us! It turns out that one family does the route from Luang Prabang to Pak Beng. Another family (And another boat as a result) does the route from Pak Beng to Huay Xai. The “woman” of the house tends to the “shop” (basically sells pot noodle and a hot water canister, along with some pringles or something like that) and does the anchoring when coming into shallow areas. The “dad” then just drives. Both family boats we travelled on had kids and the kids just had a great time playing around the boat. This was seen as a very lucrative job for anyone living in Laos.
So off we set off with our new drivers and hosts and we sat back and enjoyed the easy ride down the Mekong – taking in all the sites en route, a great way to clock up some mileage!
How do you pronounce your name? 