Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng & Vientiane, Laos
Initial Thoughts: Driving into Luang Prabang on the back of a converted pickup truck after two days aboard a boat felt like waking up on a new continent. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, Luang Prabang boasts gorgeous French colonial buildings, wide-tree lined avenues and a market selling elaborate baguette sandwiches. It was a world apart from the Asia I’d seen thus far. In a future post, I plan to try to unpack the complex socio-economic impacts of colonialism and development on Laos, but on my first day I simply marvelled at the lovely town and beautifully untouched natural surroundings.
Best Moments: My memories of Laos come to me in shades of green and blue. They invariably take place out of doors in the baking heat of Laos in autumn. I vividly remember climbing to top Mount Phu Si in the centre of Luang Prabang and relishing the view of the rolling green hills until the sunset over the Mekong River. I find a smile creep across my face when thinking about renting bicycles in Vang Vieng and getting lost along the unmarked, unpaved roads. I can still feel the relief of plunging into the cool, ice-blue waters of the Kuang Si Waterfall pools after a gruelling hike to the top. I can recall the giddy, youthful feeling of freedom that came from tubing down the Nam Song River under a clear blue sky.
Take Away: Having been tempted by a friend to visit only a few days prior to arriving in Laos, I actually knew very little about the country. I hadn’t even glanced at a guide book or read a blog post until stepping foot in Luang Prabang. A quick online search informed me of an infamous town in central Laos where backpacker kids go together for multi-day ragers that frequently ended in death. After spending two days in the company of some less than desirable travel companions (read: drunk), I vowed I would not be visiting the town of Vang Vieng. However on that same boat ride I’d made some lovely new friends with whom I ended up spending the next month and as a group we decided to make a stop in Vang Vieng. Travelling as a group has it’s advantages, not the least of which is you find yourself where you’d never expect to be. I never could have imagined that I would have hiked to remote swimming holes in the base of caves, or swung from a rope swing into the brilliant Blue Lagoon, or enjoyed stopping for a beer while tubing down a rushing river. If I’d never given an apparent party town a chance, I’d never have experienced the allure and appeal of the Laos countryside.
You can see more photos of my time in Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Vang Vieng on the Global Locavore Facebook page!
Now It’s Your Turn: There aren’t too many places left in the world where you can experience untouched splendor, where nature is more pervasive than human structures, where you can imagine life as it once was. Central Laos offers all of those things and more, but it might be remain that way for long. Visit now while you can. Getting around, finding a place to stay and learning a few local words is easy if you have your very own Lonely Planet Laos. I must admit, although I used my Lonely Planet frequently, I didn’t carry around a paperback version but instead used my iPad Mini which came with me everywhere anyways. You can download the e-book version of this guidebook and dozens others so you are always covered on your trips! Trust me the investment is well worth it for the piece of mind and the amazing adventures!
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I have always heard that Laos is full of beauty, and I thank you for sharing it with us! I doubt I will ever see it for myself.
bettyl-NZ recently posted…random favorites
Your photos are exquisite and I love your writing! A friend of mine once travelled to Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. A few other countries too I think. I remember her saying Laos was by far her favourite and now I see why!
Mandy recently posted…Bologna: An Unexpected Place
Wow, thank you so much Mandy, that’s a wonderful compliment. Yes, Laos was my favourite of South East Asia as it was simply less developed than many of the places I visited.
Laos is soon beautiful! I didn’t know much about it either but had to go over to get a Thai tourist Visa. After my boyfriend and I spent a little time there, we wished we had planned for more. I cannot wait to go back!
Absolutely! My advice is make sure you dedicate some time to the Bolaven Plateau. It is less busy than the north around Luang Prabang and you can explore the whole thing by motorbike. Also relaxing in the 4000 islands in the south is pretty great.
Beautiful photos. We are currently planning travel in SEA and were discussing Laos yesterday. Glad to find this today.
Rhonda Albom recently posted…Capilano Suspension Bridge Challenges my Fear of Heights
Amazing! I would recommend thinking about adding Laos to the list. There is so much of the country that is undiscovered by mainstream tourism (mostly the north) so you can get away from the crowds. I’ll be sharing a few more posts about my favourite activities in Laos as well.
Looks great! All those water shots are calling my name. I can’t wait to visit Laos again.
Travelling through Laos both on and along the Mekong was incredibly beautiful! I’d love to have followed it through Vietnam as well. I have a post up today about fishermen on the Mekong River that you might be interested in. Thank you so much for stopping by!
This looks so incredibly gorgeous! Thank you so so much for sharing. This is going onto the vision board for sure. xo
Nice! I never expected to love Laos but now I am encouraging anyone with a sense of adventure to check it out, so I’m very pleased that you’ve added it to your ‘someday’ list. 🙂
My gosh I’m so jealous! Your pictures are gorgeous.
Alix | http://www.apintsizedlife.com
Thanks so much Alix!
You’ve got some stunning shots on your page! Looks like an incredible journey. I love that you include takeaways. Cheers.
Courtney
-thirty30courtney.com
Thank you so much Courtney. I think reflecting on what a particular travel moment has taught me is an important part of the journey and I love having a place to share my musings. Congrats on re-launching your blog, the style is beautiful!
What a great post! Sometimes unexpected choice lead us to unexpected, yet beautiful destinations… 🙂 I’m glad you had a good time, and thanks for sharing! Xoxo
Absolutely! Some of my favourite travel moments have been completely unexpected and unplanned. There is something magical about having no preconceived notions about a location. It makes you more open to experiencing what is instead of what you think should be. Thank you for your comment. 🙂
Love your photos of Laos. It is on my travel list.
Ahila recently posted…Special Six: London Theatres
How amazing that you made new friends on the boat ride and ended up traveling together! That’s so neat. Your pictures are absolutely amazing!
Thanks so much Kaitlyn! I was so pleased to have made a wonderful group of friends. That’s one of the great things about solo travel, you never know who your next travel companion could be!
Great photos! #MondayEscapes
Kate | http://www.petiteadventures.org/
Thanks so much Kate!
Would love to go to Vietnam and Laos. Looks so beautiful. On the bucket list!
Yes! Do it if you can! I haven’t visited Vietnam yet but Laos and the Philippines were two places in SE Asia that simply blew me away. Thanks for stopping by Amber.
What a beautiful country. The color of the water in the waterfall shot is breathtaking. I think I’d like to visit Laos someday. Thanks for linking this post up to #LTTL.
Lisa @ Life Thur the Lens
The countryside in Laos really is stunning. I’m sure when you visit you will be inspired to create some wonderful photos, Lisa. Thanks for hosting. 🙂
Laos is beautiful. So much quieter and less bustling that many other Asian countries. Everything is very laid back. I loved 4000 islands, although it was very rustic when we were there. Had only had electricity for about a year on one or two of the islands. We always recommend a visit to Phonsevan and the Plain of Jars. Quite amazing. But there are many other places we did not get a chance to visit.
Sam – Journo and the Joker recently posted…England’s green spaces — 5 parks to enjoy
Hi Sam. I totally agree, the 4000 islands are fantastic and worth visiting. Sadly I didn’t make it to see the Plain of Jars but I heard great things. I never expected to visit Laos but having been I feel like there are many reasons to return. Thanks for reminding me! 🙂
I felt exactly the same way after I got off the slow boat too! It was amazing. So lovely to see your post and photos as it brings back such good memories. I remember loving Luang Prabang and the baguettes and coffee! Thanks for linking up with #MondayEscapes
Yes the coffee! After a month in Thailand drinking instant coffee with powdered milk, I was delighted to try Laos coffee. Did you know you can visit a coffee farm on the Bolaven Plateau? Well worth it if you ever find yourself back in central Laos. Thanks for commenting.