All the Vaccines Were Worth It: To Laos and Back

Sah Bah Dee everyone! Much time has passed due to our time constraints, but we wanted to fit in a quick recap of our time in Laos, even though we are now in Cambodia. We are a little behind in our blogging timeline, but promise to catch up this week. Let's start, shall we?

The Mighty Mekong

Our journey into Laos began with a slow boat ride down the Mekong, a river that extends through the countries of Burma, China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

We traveled along the river from Chiang Khong, Thailand to Luang Prabang, a northern Laos city. Traveling by slow boat takes around three days and two nights, but it is a much safer option than the speedboat, where they offer helmets and grant death wishes upon boarding. While the speedboat mimics those found in the lakes of the U.S., the slow boat is more reminiscent of American houseboats.

In addition to being a safer option, the slow boat offers a vast array of benefits, including:


Beautiful Scenery

An Eclectic Mix of Weary Travelers


And Us!

Lovely Luang Prabang

We had a blast meeting new faces which we saw continuously throughout our Laos journey. It was like one big backpacking family! In fact, many of our new friends also chose to stay at Spicy Laos, a backpacker haven in Luang Prabang. It has a cafe/bar that stays open all night, as well as a campfire, a pool table, beer pong, and lots of lounging.

As most bars and restaurants in Laos close at 11pm, we found Spicy Laos to be kind of the partying headquarters, first to our delight and then to our sleepy dismay. However, we added to the mayhem as much as possible. We especially bonded with a young British couple, Che and Alec, who are on a year long backpacking endeavor. We enjoyed drinks and dinner with them practically every night.

Notice Che's awesome monkey hat!

Per usual, we were very active during the day. We made quite an American impression on the other Westerners by cycling 60km (roughly 38 miles) to get to a well known waterfall spot, usually only reached by car or motorcycle.

Our long and winding bike road


We forgot to take pictures of ourselves, but here is the beautiful landscape!

The ride to the waterfalls was tough, considering our rented bikes were practically scrap metal and it was mostly uphill. However, once we got there, it was well worth the trek.

Per usual, we went Wat hunting. And, as always, it was astounding. We found one Wat in particular that had amazing views of the entire city.

When visiting the Wats, monks are everywhere! And a good deal of them are young boys. In many southeast Asian countries, the boys are encouraged and/or required to do a stint as a monk. It is considered an rite of passage and something not to be taken lightly. The period of time varies from country to country, but it is always a treat to see these little guys, who are usually very stoic, cut loose and laugh. These young monks found an abandoned cannon to play with.

Another amazing Wat. You can see why we Wat hunt all day.

Laos Munchies

Of course we have to tell you about the food! Laos and Thailand have many things in common when it comes to cuisine, including noodle soup, street carts, and curry. What makes Laos unique is the strong influence of Western food, thanks to the former French occupation. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we found the elusive sandwich!

Nom nom nom


Sandwich, Laos style.

Laos is also known for its delicious national dish: Laap. It is a sort of spicy meat salad, made with lots of spices and served with large lettuce leaves and sticky rice.

Food Nirvana

Tubing In Vang Vieng

After Luang Prabang, we took a wild mini bus ride down to Vang Vieng. Please, do not make this same mistake. Take a boat over the bus. ALWAYS.

Luckily, we survived and were able to participate in the permanent spring break that is Vang Vieng. We stayed at Spicy Laos once again, as they have several locations and we had so much fun at the first one. We were treated to a treehouse-esque bedroom, complete with mosquito net:

And a Laos style steam room, located within a raised tent:

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Vang Vieng, the main attraction is renting a tube and floating down a 3km portion of the river all day. Unfortunately, we were unable to bring along a camera, as there was an elevated risk of water damage, but we did take a pre-tubing picture:

Before. Note that we are spray paint free.

Of course, progress is impeded as the river is lined with an assortment of bars hoping to lure in customers with promises of free drinks, spray painted tattoos, and snake whiskey. The bartenders literally reel you in with rope tied to an empty water bottle. Nobody ever makes it to the end... But we did!!! Thanks to determination, careful planning, everyone telling us it couldn't be done, and a British friend with strong swimming arms, we covered all 3km AND hit up a fair amount of bars, all within the time restraint of 6pm (if you tube past 6pm, the rental place charges you an extra $10)!

The aftermath, complete with spray paint and partners in crime.

Many people stay in this town for weeks, just partying along the river every day and night. But for us, one day was MORE than enough. It was time to head back to Thailand.

Kayaking to Thailand

You know what the worst part of backpacking is? The travel days. After the nightmare of a bus ride from Luang Prabang, we decided to try a new way of traveling: by kayak!