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A Land of Outdoor Adventures: Central Laos

June 3, 2016 globallocavore 30 Comments

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.

mekong river central laos luang prabang slow boats
temple mosaic luang prabang wat
stairs to Kuang Si Waterfall luang prabang central laos
sunset mekong river luang prabang central laos

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.

temple luang prabang central laos
view mount phu si luang prabang central laos
waterfall in luang prabang central laos
vang vieng hike rice fields central laos

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.

Nam Song River tubing nature central laos vang vieng
Kuang Si Waterfall pools central laos luang prabang
temple in vientiane central laos captial
view from top of Kuang Si Waterfall forest central laos

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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Photo Essay: My memories of Central Laos are filled with the blues & greens of the natural landscape. Outdoor adventures: hiking, swimming, biking & tubing.
Photo Essay: My memories of Central Laos are filled with the blues & greens of the natural landscape. Outdoor adventures: hiking, swimming, biking & tubing.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small percentage of the sale if you make a purchase through my affiliate link. For more information, see my policy statements here.

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Comments

  1. bettyl-NZ says

    June 4, 2016 at 1:22 am

    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 favoritesMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Mandy says

    June 4, 2016 at 6:58 am

    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 PlaceMy Profile

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 6, 2016 at 10:51 am

      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.

      Reply
  3. Sadie says

    June 4, 2016 at 12:47 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 6, 2016 at 10:30 am

      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.

      Reply
  4. Rhonda Albom says

    June 6, 2016 at 5:29 pm

    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 HeightsMy Profile

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 7, 2016 at 1:07 pm

      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.

      Reply
  5. Ruth says

    June 6, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    Looks great! All those water shots are calling my name. I can’t wait to visit Laos again.

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 7, 2016 at 1:05 pm

      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!

      Reply
  6. Amber-Lee says

    June 6, 2016 at 8:30 pm

    This looks so incredibly gorgeous! Thank you so so much for sharing. This is going onto the vision board for sure. xo

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 7, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Alix Maza says

    June 6, 2016 at 9:30 pm

    My gosh I’m so jealous! Your pictures are gorgeous.

    Alix | http://www.apintsizedlife.com

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 7, 2016 at 12:59 pm

      Thanks so much Alix!

      Reply
  8. Courtney says

    June 6, 2016 at 9:56 pm

    You’ve got some stunning shots on your page! Looks like an incredible journey. I love that you include takeaways. Cheers.

    Courtney
    -thirty30courtney.com

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 7, 2016 at 12:59 pm

      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!

      Reply
  9. Jessie says

    June 7, 2016 at 4:26 am

    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

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 7, 2016 at 12:55 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Ahila says

    June 8, 2016 at 10:19 am

    Love your photos of Laos. It is on my travel list.
    Ahila recently posted…Special Six: London TheatresMy Profile

    Reply
  11. Kaitlyn says

    June 8, 2016 at 5:35 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 12, 2016 at 5:22 pm

      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!

      Reply
  12. Kate says

    June 12, 2016 at 4:29 am

    Great photos! #MondayEscapes

    Kate | http://www.petiteadventures.org/

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 12, 2016 at 11:12 am

      Thanks so much Kate!

      Reply
  13. Amber says

    June 13, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    Would love to go to Vietnam and Laos. Looks so beautiful. On the bucket list!

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 15, 2016 at 4:08 pm

      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.

      Reply
  14. Lisa @ LTTL says

    June 14, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    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

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 15, 2016 at 3:53 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
  15. Sam - Journo and the Joker says

    June 15, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    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 enjoyMy Profile

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 26, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      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! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Ting at My Travel Monkey says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:49 am

    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

    Reply
    • globallocavore says

      June 26, 2016 at 4:32 pm

      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.

      Reply

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