Mekong River by Luang Prabang, Laos

Peaceful: The placid Mekong River, with its source in Tibet, is the 10th longest in the world. Yunnan in China is just to the north.

Long-tailed boats: Transporting both goods and people, they are a common sight on the Mekong.

The giant catfish of the Mekong

Luang Prabang, the loveliest city in Laos

                                Welcome: the back of this tuk-tuk says it all

One well-known travel guide raves over Luang Prabang, describing it as one of the loveliest cities in the region. A good but winding road goes all the way from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, taking about 6 hours.

                               Residential areas of Luang Prabang

Most travellers see only the urban area of Luang Prabang, and rarely venture into the residential areas which are more picturesque and traditional.

                               Row of hotels

Luang Prabang is experiencing a tourist boom. Almost every building is either a hotel or restaurant. It's a small town, and a rented bicycle is the ideal way to explore the nooks and corners of this northern city close to Chinese border in Yunnan.

What is there to do in Vang Vieng, Laos?

A pick-up loaded with huge tubes

A friend asked, "What's is there to do in such an ulu (remote) place? Well, you go tubing ie float down the river on a large rubber tube much like what you did as a kid during a flood in your kampung or village.

Ultra cheap accomodation

"What about accommodation? Is there budget accommodation?" was his next question. Plenty. There are cheapies by the side of the river which cost about US$3-4 but they're really for people who have to count their kip (Laotian currency) before they go to bed.

A lounge

"OK, any place to relax with a drink, that sort of thing?" You can relax on deck chairs by the river or in the lounge as shown above. Beer Lao, touted as the best in the region, is cheap and with a can of the stuff and a good book you're close to paradise. Make it a few cans, OK?

Vang Vieng Haven, Laos

With its peace and quiet, Vang Vieng is an excellent antidote for stressed out urban dwellers. If you're still dithering on a holiday destination, these pictures might help you to come to a decision. During the day I explored the place on my rented bicycle, and when dusk fell a Beer Lao and Laotian fried rice were the  perfect way to round up the day.

Observe farmers at work on their farms.

On one side of the town lie the farms and karst hills. There are caves here for exploration.

The River Nam Song where tubing is carried out.

Skimpily-clad western backpackers sun worshipping. (click the image for an XL view if you're curious but only if you're 18)

Vang Vieng, Laos

Vang Vieng Town

One of the two star attractions of Laos is this small town of Vang Vieng (the other is of course the UNESCO Heritage Site of Luang Prabang in the north). It's a small town with one road running through it, and it's best covered by bicycle which I rented for US$2.

Backpackers lounging in cafe

I was surprised to see the cafes packed with western backpackers reclining on pillows watching episode after episode of the TV serial Friends.

Tubing shop

An exciting outdoor activity in Vang Vieng, apart from lying almost comatose in the cafes watching VCDs, is tubing. They take you somewhere outside town, and you float back on a huge rubber tube on the river. During the rainy season, the river swells with water and it can be dangerous. In fact, a western backpacker drowned while tubing.

Guesthouse

The hotels and guesthouses are excellent value. You can get a spotlessly clean room in a guesthouse with attached bathroom for only US$5.

Vientiane, the Lao capital, to Vang Vieng takes about 3 to 4 hours by van or bus.

Vientiane Central Market and Bus Terminal

Vientiane Central Market is called "Ta lard" which means market in both Laotian and Thai. This place is also the transport hub for bus transport.

Vendors do business from any vacant lot of land they can find.

And business is brisk.

This two wheeled cart is peculiar to Laos. Very practical as it can carry all sorts of stuff.

The bus hub: the ancient buses lack comfort but they're cheap.

Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos

In Cambodia, the national symbol is Angkor Wat. Here in Laos, it's Pha That Luang, a Buddhist stupa. It's certainly very beautiful, and the locals look at it in awe and reverence.