luang Prebang
You have to start somewhere, so why not this northern town with food markets, temples, breathtaking waterfalls, and bowling. Yes, I said bowling, but we’ll get to that later.
I personally chose Luang Prebang because I like to navigate through a narrow country from one end to the other, as to not go back-and-forth to the same places. In this case I didn’t have many options, considering Laos is a scarcely populated country with very few populated centers, so my airport options were limited. I had also heard through the Southeast Asia (SA) grapevine that the capital city, Vientiane, wasn’t the most desirable of towns to visit. So after all things considered, this is where I found myself, and the decision ended up being one that I wouldn’t regret right from the start.
One of the first tips I will give is to always have US dollars (USD) on hand. I mention this first, because this was the first mistake I made before landing at the airport in Luang Prebang. When you get inside the airport from the tarmac you will immediately pay for the visa upon arrival, which could be anywhere from $30-40, depending on which country you are from. If you do not have US dollars then they will hold on to your passport until you retrieve cash from an ATM machine, which will give you Lao kip, the national currency (tell your bank beforehand where you are traveling and for how long). You will need this currency throughout your trip, but at the airport they prefer US dollars, and I had to pay much more than $40USD in Lao kips to receive my visa. I now keep $100-150USD in cash for emergencies, which has always come in handy.
The second tip I recommend is to purchase a SIM card if you are going to be traveling in a country for more than a few days. These can be bought at the airport when you arrive, or at a wireless provider’s shop in town. In most places they are no more than $20USD for your basic package, and it will help you to avoid the hassle of finding your destination while out-and-about on numerous occasions. They will also install and unlock the SIM card for you, which I always ask for.
From the airport I took a tuk tuk to my accommodation, which is always my preferred mode of taxiing in SEA. It’s also likely that the driver will know where your hostel or hotel is located, based on endless knowledge of their home town. I, a backpacker on a yearlong journey on a budget, chose a hostel for the affordable prices and social aspects. I used the Hostelworld.com application for most of my solo backpacking trips, but switched to Booking.com for private rooms after finding a partner in crime.
And finally, after settling in, take a walk around town. Take in all the smells of the markets, the sound of the language, observe the monks passing by, walk up to Wat Chom Si shrine overlooking the village, and enjoy the peacefulness of an ancient Buddhist town on one of the major rivers in the world, the Mekong.
KUANG SI FALLS
The trip to Kuang Si Falls is only around 29 kilometers and will take you about 45 minutes to an hour to arrive. I would recommend renting a scooter for this day trip. These can be rented at a number of places by simply asking your accommodation host. If you don’t have any experience I wouldn’t worry too much about it. You won’t be hopping on a highway or any major roadways, and you will not be reaching any major speeds. They also offer automatic scooters and provide helmets, so you do not have to worry about shifting gears or any safety issues. My favorite aspect of getting around on a scooter is the freedom you feel with the wind in your face, the new smells of a foreign place, and 180° views of your surroundings.
When you get back from an amazing day at the breathtaking falls there is a number of evening activating to partake in. While there’s still some daylight I would recommend heading over to Utopia Bar where they have an enormous deck overlooking a river with lounge cushions to sit back and relax. My friend and I opted for some refreshing fruit shakes and enjoyed the guitarist strumming and singing his favorite tunes.
After a quick shower you are ready to go walking around for some street food while sipping on Beerlao. The street food here has been adapted for foreigners more or less so you won’t have to worry too much about questionable meats or other ingredients. Check out the spicy papaya salad if you’re feeling bold, or if not, you can never go wrong with noodle soup.
If you’re looking to extend your day into the night, look no further than the local bowling alley. A quick tuk tuk ride to the outskirts of town you will find bowling lanes, cheap drinks, outdoor archery, loud music, and travelers from all over the world. This is also the only place open until 3am, so it’s really your only late night choice, but nevertheless an experience worth checking out.
vang vieng
You will have a few transportation options when it comes to getting to Vang Vieng. Your most cash conscious choice will be public buses, but for this trip I chose a shuttle van for the convenience and early arrival time. The problem with public buses in Laos is the unpredictability. They will stop for any number of reasons; between food stops, package pickup and delivery, driver changes, or even police inspection points. By taking privately owned shuttle vans you can count on accurate departure times, a scheduled meal stop, and a fairly accurate arrival time, for a not so inconvenient price.
Let’s start by mentioning the absolutely stunning drive from Luang Prebang to Vang Vieng. This is the first time you will really get to witness how rural this country is. If you have been to other SEA countries you will have noticed the amount of people that live everywhere, whether it’s the bustling cities or the country villages between cities. Here in Laos you will see pristine forests, rivers, lakes, and wildlife everywhere you go, with very few villages throughout.
The benefit of this trip is the proximity of the two towns. Leave early in the morning and arrive early in the afternoon. I arrived to Vang Vieng, checked into my hostel (to which there are a variety of options for whatever you’re looking for), and walked to the nearest scooter rental shop. The rental shops are a great one-two punch for your mode of transportation, as well as your itinerary for the day via recommendation and maps from the shop owners/employees. For a half-day excursion I chose the Blue Lagoon, which was great for an afternoon of cruising through this beautiful area, swimming, and relaxing on your favorite tapestry while reading a book. Make sure to circle the places you’re interested in before heading out and to star the locations on a maps app in your phone.
I also use the maps.me app for assistance, and download the maps to my phone while I’m connected to wifi. Like me, you will probably find it difficult to operate a scooter while navigating with your phone. As a helpful tip I learned while motor biking through Vietnam; if you have the capability to use one earbud of your headphones, with your maps.me volume on, you can listen to the directions in one ear and the sound of traffic in the other. But don’t get too frustrated about directions. It’s okay to get lost because that’s part of the adventure.
The second day I decided to join a group of people at my hostel for a day of tubing down the river. At one-point, years ago, this became a dangerous activity due to large crowds of rowdy, young drunk adults, but since then has been made safer with less bars and more precautions fitted. Your always going to have those people that overdoes it, and the issue is the strong currents of the river in some parts, so always respect the river and stay safe.
We decided to grab some beers at the market and some waterproof baggies for money and other belongings. I would advise against bringing your phone along, for obvious reasons, unless you have one of these. For us the water was perfect temperature, cold enough to keep your bag of beers cold in the water, and perfectly refreshing in contrast to the warm sun. As you make your way down the river you will have a couple bars to stop at along the way. You can grab the rope lines and pull yourself up to the floating bars where you can grab drinks, listen to music, and play games. After making some new friends throughout the day you’ll end up a restaurant bar, which has beer pong, more music, and offers food with a nice view of the river.
Another major attraction is the Tham Nam cave, which is another floating excursion, except this one involves floating through a cave. I opted out of this experience due to the small spaces in the dark that would be required to maneuver through. But if you’re into that kind of thing, check it out.
You can easily spend many days in Vang Vieng with its endless supply of outdoor activities and beauty. I, on the other hand, had to continue south to meet a friend in Thakhek to start my first Laotian motorbike loop. So if your trip ends here or continues to the capital, I hope this article was helpful. Otherwise, continue on south with me to the Thakhek Loop and Four Thousand Islands!
