Sabaidee ('Good morning'), Laos. Goodbye, Meekong.

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This trip has given us the pleasure of following much of the route of the majestic Meekong (or 'Mekhong') river. We first saw it at Vin Long, Vietnam at its delta close to where it joins the Pacific. It is prevented from doing so earlier by the Annam Cordillera limestone mountain range, whose karst scenery and caves we have so much enjoyed, and which follows the Laos-Vietnam border.



We briefly saw the river again in Cambodia in Phnom Penh with Catherine and Rene and in Streng Treng as we headed for Laos. At the Laotian-Cambodian border there is a strip of hard geology the river conquers by a series of waterfalls and cataracts interspersed between '4000 islands'. This was our first destination in Laos and specifically Don Khone an island in the middle of the Meekong. The only way to get to there and to the more populated but smaller neighbour Don Det is by boat, the long narrow flat bottom craft with long shaft outboards out the back you see throughout SouthEast Asia.



They are sleepy kind of places with a hammock for each bungalow. We had booked ahead at Khao Pheng Guest house on Agoda.com ($20), a mistake with hindsight as there were plenty of rooms and it doubled the price. One day we rented bikes. We cycled to the nearby Li Phi ('Spirit Trap') falls which stood out for their higgildy-piggility nature even at the height of the dry season (see panarama). We both then got punctures which meant a tough ride back to the main town as it was too far to walk. It did not help that the saddle was six inches too low.



Don Khone has a fascinating history from the French colonial era. The falls are effectively the head of the Meekong, which is navigable for even relatively large boats from there to the sea. The French wanted to get boats above the many falls because the river separated its IndoChina assets from independent Siam further upstream. Their solution was to build a railway to pull boats across the island (some might remember Herzog's less successful Fitzcarraldo!). The line of the track remains as an excellent cycle path through villages and jungle. We passed two of the rusted hulks of small steam locomotives now displayed with their history. The old jetty where they pulled the boats out at the South of the island is now used by the boats taking tourists to see the few endangered Irrawaddy dolphins that live in this part of the Meekong.



In the afternoon we cycled down the Eastern side of the island heading for the Southern dock and the dolphins. Our way was blocked at one point because the rickety bridge across a ravine had collapsed spectacularly. You could see the buckled railway lines the locals had 'borrowed' from the old French line to support the wooden slats. The only solution was for me to drag the two bikes down and up the steep sandy sides of the ravine. When we came to more bridges we were understandably cautious having seen the fate of the first one.



The next day we joined a kayak tour. This started to the North on Don Det and we paddled downstream to the South of Don Khone on the border with Cambodia. Where necessary we walked around falls and they transported the kayaks by tuk-tuk. It gave a full perspective of the area. Even in the dry season there were some strong currents and vortices created by submerged rocks. At the end they transported kayaks and kayakers to the riverside North of Don Det and we had one last paddle across the width of most of the river to our starting point.



On the trip we has the pleasure to meet Tony and Vicky from Lancashire. They were now both retired and were experienced travellers. Tony had set off hitching around Europe in his early twenties. More recently he had travelled more extensively with his son and daughter after a lifetime in the police force. Vicky had retired from teaching and now they spent 38 weeks a year on the road. Some is out of a caravan in the Vendee in France and the rest is further a field. They were travelling South and heading into Cambodia on the route we had just taken. We happily swapped information at dinner back in Don Khone that evening. Tony generously gave me his Laos SIM card.



Our route the next day took us by boat and bus to ThaKhek on the side of the Meekong with the lights of Thailand blinking on the other bank of the river. There we embarked on the Loop which I have written about in another blog.



It was two more long bus rides, one day followed by one night, to Luang Purbang, North of Vientiane. The Meekong river saunters by having been swelled by the Nam Khan that joins just above the old town. Luang Purbang mixes the sophistication of Ho Chi Minh City with the ambience of a provincial town in Southern France. Its a lovely place to amble around, explore the Night Markets and visit the many temples. We climbed the Phosi hill in the centre of town to the golden stupa to watch the sunset over the Meekong. The numerous French bakeries offered a little taste of France and an attractive alternative to traditional noodle soup for many travellers.



We had scouted out a few guesthouses and most did not have a suitable room. We ended up at the Chamsavang guesthouse ([e-mail]) based on a local recommendation. This had attractive wooden interior. We stayed in a neat clean fan cooled room (100,000kip/$12.50) which remained comfortable at all times despite the outside heat. The sun roof was boiling (it was typically mid 30C's in the afternoon) which was excellent for drying our washing. The internet was good once we had switched the router outside our room on and off a few times. Next door is an excellent traditional place for breakfast.



We got up before sunrise to observe the Buddhist monks from the many temples and monasteries collecting alms at dawn from local people and tourists sitting on the pavements. (Your head needs to be lower than the monk's head.) In modern times with all the tourists it now appears a distorted ritual. The streets are lined with minibuses which have shipped tourists in. The food giving seems purely symbolic like one sees at the foot of many Buddha statues in temples. I sat by a local lady who had sticky rice to give. Next to her she had a basket where monks threw sticky rice and little packets of other foods (biscuits?) they had been given by previous offerers. They then took more sticky rice from the lady. So it seems it is the act of giving which is important. One got the impression the monks, mostly teenager boys getting a cost effective education, did not depend on the offerings for sustenance. Whatever, there appears to be more food given out than everyone there could ever want. One hopes it is not all wasted.



In Luang Purbang Jane finally fulfilled a life long dream of riding an elephant. There are many 'elephant camps' around the town and tourists have now replaced logs as the main thing they carry. It is important for domesticated elephants to earn their keep as they need 200kg of feed a day. They were such docile creatures which lumbered from place to place under their mulhort direction. We rode in chairs on their back at first and then on their bare necks to take them to the river. Mine showed me how it was happy to be completely submerged. Jane's elephant treated her to numerous showers from its trunk.



The day tour we had booked ($55/person) then took us to the Tat Kuang Si waterfalls. These are swarming with tourists and yet remains picturesque. The water is turquoise from the mineral particles and cascades over numerous steps some ten of metres high and others much smaller. We swam in the cool pools which was very refreshing.



There is much more to do in Luang Purbang. We had time to learn about the different Laotian ethic groups at one small and excellent museum. We eat at two restaurants, the Khaiphaen and the Tamerind, which have taken Laotian food to the next level. I really enjoyed the hour of storytelling we went to one evening in a small theatre in the centre of town. They were classic Laotian tales and legends and the performer was accompanied by his 'Uncle' playing a complex bamboo pipe called a khaen.



Our last stop on the banks of the Meekong was in the capital city of Vientiane. It was a very bouncy journey from Luang Purbang around twisting roads through the beautiful scenery we have become accustom to in Laos. No wonder Fred said it was probably one of the best biking roads in the world. Jane's seat was stuck in the reclined position and with her feet not able to touch the floor it was not a comfortable journey. My legs just stuck out in the gangway the whole trip.



Vientiane is not an unattractive city. It has wide streets peppered with temples and orderly traffic. It lacks the stellar in your face sights that the modern tourist seems to crave. There is a wide food choice from traditional Lao food to standard Western fare as well as other Asian cuisines. It would have been nice to have more time to wander by the Meekong with its broad dry season beach. the city came to life even more once I had read Colin Cotterill's first Dr Siri Paiboun detective story which is set in the city.



We can recommend the LP referenced Mixok guest house downtown. The reception were friendly and helpful, despite what LP say, and we had a large clean room with good ensuite for 125,000kip/$16.



We had time to visit ThatLuang stupa. This is the national symbol of Laos, a central point of attraction at festivals and in need of a paint job. Next door is a far more attractive temple complex. It's ceiling and walls were brightly coloured with pictures of the Buddha's life and other scenes. Outside was a large reclining Buddha in gold.



We also went to the COPE visitor centre. This is a small display about the work of the COPE charity which helps Laos people with physical disabilities. The initial driver for this was the lasting damage to innocent civilians from the vast quantities of UXO left over from the American bombing in the sixties and seventies. To this day one hundred Laotians are hurt annually by UXO. COPE runs four prosthetic manufacturing centres for victims as well as supporting clearance operations. Ironically as the number of victims from UXO drop the number of Laotians physically disabled in car accidents is increasing as motor vehicles become more common.



Heading to Thailand from Vientiane is a surreal experience. We took the standard tourist route. You buy the ticket from an agent and are taken to the station in Laos 13km outside the city with fellow travellers. In doing so you pass by the end of the Friendship bridge you will shortly cross by train. The tuk tuk then drives 3km North away from the Meekong to the train station! A key advantage is that border formalities are straight forward. When the train actually leaves they stop the traffic on the bridge so it can cross to the town on the Thai side where the Bangkok train is waiting. It is complicated to do independently because the station is so far out of town and makes it easy for Vientiane agents to sell tickets with commission to tourists.



The train is the only current active railway in Laos. The only previous line in service was on Don Khone where we started our Laotian journey and which ceased operations during WWII. As the train passed over the Friendship bridge and we entered Thailand we lingered over a final view of the river for the last month.



I will miss the Meekong as it has been a source of inspiration and wonder as we have travelled up its length. May be one day we should go and find its source in China.

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Photos

A boat trip to the Irawaddy dolphins on the Meekong
This is below the falls South of Don Khone

Nutella crepes
There is no getting away from the French influence in Luang Purbang

Buddhist monks collecting alms
Excess went in the wicker basket on the far left

Comments

[taracloud]

Great blog!
How fabulous to follow the length of a river from its delta to its head, especially one as important as the Meekong! Love your reference to one of my favorite filmmakers, Herzog, and his amazing film Fitzcarraldo (I'm in Peru and hope to visit its inspiration--the Manaus opera house on the Amazon). Luang Purbang sounds like a magical place with its divine French bakeries, your acute observation on the "giving" to monks, and the realization of Jane's elephant dream! Best luck in finding the real source of the Meekong in China--I so enjoyed your blog--thank you!

[Jem and Jane]

Laos
Thanks for your kind comments. It is always good to hear that someone has read it!