Northern Laos

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June 11th 2008

Published: June 11th 2008

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Steve and Laura

Tat Kuang Si

The most beautiful waterfall you'll ever see? Probably!

Vientiane

We arrived into the capital of Laos, Vientiane, after a long bus journey from Tha Khaek.
We had heard mixed reports about the City, some saying it was bland with little to do and some saying it was a lovely place with a relaxed atmosphere and lovely bars and cafes.
We definitely agreed with the second opinion, the town was a very easy place to spend time, which was just as well as we ended up having to spend 5 nights here whilst we waited for our visa for Vietnam to be sorted out.
We spent the days wondering around the streets, visiting the markets, admiring the beautiful Wats and drooling over the fantastic French restaurants and bakeries (who served the best fresh baguettes we’ve possibly ever had!)

Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is a small town a few hours north of Vientiane by road. It has become a bit of a back-packers Mecca. Travellers from all over come to this small town for the stunning karst scenery, the great activities such as rafting, kayaking, trekking and rock-climbing and to enjoy the cheap booze whilst watching endless re-runs of Friends!
The main draw is however the infamous tubing, hundreds of

Tham Chang

inside the cave

people set off down the relatively fast flowing river on tyre inner tubes, stopping every few hundred yards when they are hauled in by workers of one of the riverside shack-bars that serve all sorts of alcohol and have huge rope-swings from which you can plunge into the river. It may not pass any kind of safety tests in this country but it wasn’t half fun!
We met some fun people on our way down the river and the scenery was jaw dropping.
When we were not tubing we spent our time walking around the area, exploring local caves and also did a great kayaking trip down the river.
Our Bungalow was beautifully furnished and had great views across the river to the mountains beyond, it was one of the most memorable views of our trip.
Vang Vieng may not be high on culture but the scenery and fun factor make it a must for anyone visiting Laos.

Luang Prabang

After Vang Vieng we continued north to the ancient capital Lunag Prabang.
This was without doubt one of the most beautiful towns I have ever seen, with elegant french villas lining the streets, trees framing every view, beautiful ancient

Morning Alms

Monks in Luang Prabang at dawn

wats and the mighty Mekong river running alongside.
We enjoyed several days of wandering around the beautiful lanes and alleyways, visiting the famous night-market and gorging ourselves on the great food on offer.
We also visited the most stunning waterfall you are ever likely to see called Tat Kuang Si, a stunning series of falls and milky blue pools perfect for swimming in. This was as close to paradise as could imagine being.
After 5 days of staying in this beautiful town it was time to continue our journey north.

Nong Khiaw

We continued north to the small riverside town of Nong Khiaw, set amongst towering mountains.
We stayed in a bungalow overlooking the river and spent our few days here relaxing and just walking around to the local villages.

Udomxai & Luang Nam Tha

We travelled next to Luang Nam Tha via the town of Udomxai, by this time we were very close to the Chinese border and a great proportion of the population was of Chinese origin.
We enjoyed some great cycling trips, more sedate and sober tubing and some lovely walks around this fantastic area of Northern Laos covered in emerald green rice fields.
Now

Buddha Buddha Everywhere

Inside Wat Si Saket

we had to start our mammoth journey across the mountains to Vietnam.
It would prove to be as arse numbing as we had feared but the views along the way made it worth the while.
We crossed the border and headed down to the town of Dien Bien Phu where we would catch a flight to Hanoi.
Our time in Laos had unfortunately come to an end, this country had given us some of the friendliest local people, the most breath-taking scenery and the best food and coffee of our whole trip.
A fabulous country, even if the people can be a little infuriatingly laid back!

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