Vientiane. The capital city of Laos. It’s not spectacular, or even particularly memorable. But, it’s ok, I guess. (Disclaimer: We were tired when we got to Vientiane. We didn’t see many sights of Vientiane. In fact, I could compile a list of the top ten things we didn’t see in Vientiane, so this post in…
Tubing the Nam Song is the highlight of most travellers’ itineraries in Van Vieng, Laos. While it’s a lot tamer now than it used to be, with most flying foxes, swings and slides gone from the riverside bars, drifting slowly downriver in a truck inner tube, stopping for a drink at a watering hole or…
Despite its reputation, there is more to Vang Vieng than just a party – the beautiful karst landscape with cliffs dotted with caves, and the tranquil Nam Song, provide much to explore in the surrounding area. In fact, when you get out and about early (and by early I’m talking 8am-ish, not the crack of…
Vang Vieng is widely known as Laos’ main party destination, where every restaurant has a ‘happy’ menu and boozed-up backpackers float hazily down the Nam Song in truck tyre inner-tubes from bar to bar. Things got a little out of hand there for a while, and a few travellers died zip lining across the river,…
Luang Prabang is our favourite place in Laos – a sparkling jewel in the heart of the north. It’s a must-see. Lazing at the convergence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, its French colonial flavour blends seamlessly with its distinctive Lao history and culture. I’ve already written a couple of posts about our adventures…
When in Luang Prabang, a trip to Kuang Si Falls is a must. We hired a driver to take us by tuk tuk out to the falls for 240000 kip (around A$40 for the day). The falls are the centrepiece a little national park about 30km out of town, along a pretty good road that…
Luang Prabang is an absolutely magical place. French colonial shopfronts and guest houses blend into golden wats, locals and tourists alike glide through the old town centre on bicycles, street food stalls radiate rich aromas of barbecue and spices, and amber-robed monks drift along shady streets, through laneways hung with bougainvillea and frangipani, and traverse…
The Mekong River is one of the world’s longest, running for 4000km from the Tibetan plateau, through southern China, along the borders of Myanmar and Thailand, across Laos, Cambodia and flowing into the South China sea through its massive delta in Vietnam. The Mekong supports the livelihoods of more than 50 million people. The two-day…
If you’ve found yourself in Huay Xai, Laos, you’ve most probably crossed over the border from Thailand and you’re just beginning your Lao adventure. If that’s the case, don’t jump on a slow boat bound for Luang Prabang just yet. Take a couple of days (or more) to explore the Huay Xai area – there…
Huay Xai, in north-west Laos, lazes beside the tranquil Mekong River (it really is tranquil this far north), facing Thailand across the river. Most visitors don’t see a lot of Huay Xai. Some travellers might stay in town for a night before embarking upon the Gibbon Experience, which is a multi-day zip-lining expedition through the…
Raising Explorers 