Chiang Khong & The Slow Boat to Laos: 12-14 Dec 2013

Boarding the slow boat at Huay Xai

Rach says:

Our next stop was the Thai border town of Chiang Khong, where we would stay for one night, before crossing over to Huay Xai in Laos to board the two-day slow boat to Luang Prabang. Not being ones to struggle with a bit of idling, we were really looking forward to just sitting back with a Beer Lao, gazing at some beautiful views from the Mekong River and settling into the laid-back vibe we'd heard characterises the country.

At 8am the next morning, we were picked up by our tuk-tuk and driven to the border. Swiftly stamped out of Thailand, we were then bussed over the newly opened Friendship Bridge to the Lao side, where we awaited our visas-on-arrival. In the drizzling rain, a pick-up truck was our next less than ideal mode of transport, but whilst Pete, Marije, Evelien and about 5 others
were crammed in the back hanging onto themselves and their luggage for dear life, lucky me was squeezed in the front.

The group was rounded up at a small restaurant next to the slow boat dock, where we were welcomed with a torrent of warnings and a sandwich. Imagine this barked like military orders by our guide - and a group stunned into silence - and you'll see where our apprehensions about Laos began...

"I want you to like my country!"

"I want you to tell your friends to come to Laos!"

BUT!

"Don't give your passport / bags to anyone - they will steal them!"

"All the phones and computers you see - they are from tourists!"

etc. etc.

Obvious advice maybe, but the need for such an intense warning did give us concerns about the scale of the crime there...what were we letting ourselves in for?

Slow boat dock in Huay Xai

Foetal Evelien

Inside the boat

Our boat was overloaded, almost entirely with tourists, hippies and over-excited gap-years, sitting on the floor because there weren't enough (old car) seats to go around. As the boatmen navigated us through the rocks and whirlpools of the mighty Mekong, we admired the misty mountains and jungle views. Apart from the occasional tiny village where we'd drop off passengers or collect goods for delivery, we saw nothing but countryside. It was serene. Completely undeveloped, it felt more like Cambodia again. We saw orange-robed monks, waved to the local children who ran alongside the boats and even saw an elephant on the riverbank.

Elephant!

Another boat like ours

Typical Lao village

We reached Pakbeng, the halfway point between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang, just before dark. We had zero hopes for this town, but it was surprisingly pleasant with appealing bars, restaurants and pastry shops to sustain the tide of tourists who arrive every evening and leave each morning. We tucked into a Lao chicken and vegetable curry, which was a revelation - mild, creamy, tomatoey and very very tasty. We found out about the unfortunate problems caused by the imbalance of wealth in Pakbeng, the poorer residents resenting the few who have successfully cashed in on the tourism. Some have shadier ways of making money in this Golden Triangle town - we were freely offered opium in the street.

Day 2: Boarding the boat in Pakbeng

At 9am the next day, furnished with rice packed lunches, we set off on the second leg of our journey. The mist and clouds cleared to sunny mountain views and sparkling waters, there was an impromptu song by a French lady and her ukulele (I napped through half of it, so had to make Pete promise to wake me the next time something exciting happened) and all was going well until late afternoon when the boat pulled in to "Luang Prabang".

Beautiful views from the boat

It was not Luang Prabang. It was a riverbank in the middle of nowhere. Passengers who'd done the trip before said it was a scam - and after one of three boats at the dock emptied, it did continue downriver. Tuk-tuks were charging a rip-off 20,000 kip per person for the 10km into town - and refusing to leave until they'd crammed in eight people plus luggage. The two remaining boats were in uproar...passengers refused to leave, the hippies started passing around rum, and someone else pulled up the anchor. The mutiny was still in full swing an hour later and whilst we were curious as to how it would play out, we decided to leave before it got dark. I read afterwards that the slow boat dock had been officially 'moved' a few months before, a thinly veiled scam by the tuk-tuk mafia which was also sanctioned by the corrupt authorities. It left us with a bad taste and was not a good first impression of Laos.

• The roads on the main tourist route through Thailand are all excellent, which is good because you tend to be rattling along them on a 1960s-era bus, patched together with bits ready to drop off at any moment. Still, the fear-factor is low.
• Bus stations in Thailand have segregated chairs/waiting areas specially for monks.