We’re on the move again this morning and leaving Luang Prabang for Houay Xai on the border with Thailand up in the Golden Triangle. But before we commence that journey, we rise at 5am in order to witness Tak Bat for one final time. It’s really really busy on the main road that leads in to the centre of town and a bit of a scrum so we retreat to our side street and observe the monks with just the locals for company.
We return to our hotel to gather our bags and collect some pastries for breakfast. Have I mentioned that our hotel contains a fabulous bakery and cafe – Brownie has been in heaven throughout our stay here.
We’re picked up at 6.30am and taken to our boat dock. We’re taking a boat up the Mekong to Northern Laos over the next 2 days a journey of 475 kms. Now like everything in life there are options depending on your budget. So, when I first researched this part of our trip I discovered to my dismay that our option was a $20 each “Slow Boat” that consisted of passengers sitting in rows of random car seats (yes car seats), food vendors sell food throughout the journey and the toilet was prone to leak within the 1st hour and for the duration of the trip. In additon, at the halfway stop, you need to negotiate with the locals for a bed for the night prior to rejoining the boat the following day for more of the same. By all accounts, the only way to survive the trip is to drink through it!! I’ve backpacked but that was 27 years ago, and although happy to rough it, there’s a bit more cash in the coffers, so I did some more research. I discovered that a company called Shompoo, have a boat that leaves Luang Prabang 4 times a week and for $270 each we would be fed by local chef, relax on comfy seating through the boat including day beds. We would sleep overnight in a 4-star hotel with dinner and breakfast included and learn about local customs and food as we sailed. We would have flushing Western toilets that didn’t leak and have the run of the boat. It was a tough decision but you know which one we chose.
We leave the boat dock at 7am with 18 passengers on board from France, Germany & Norway. Today’s journey to Pakbeng – the halfway stage – will take 9 hours!! We will leave the boat at Pakbeng and overnight in a hotel.
We set sail with a plate of pastries – yay more – and refreshments. Our guide advises that we’ll be sailing for 2 hours and will then make a stop at Pak Ou to visit the caves that are absolutely jammed full of a myriad of different Buddha statues placed there by devotees at New Year.
The first cave is an easy walk up but the ascent to the second cave is slightly more challenging and the chill we felt on the board that necessitated blankets is soon gone as our heart rate rises and our blood is pumping.
We return to the boat and set sail Pakbeng and watch life along the Mekong. In an hour, we’re ushered to a delicious buffet lunch of stir-fried dishes, vegetables, rice and fruit. It’s an absolute feast. There’s also a bar for our alcohol refreshment.
We return to observing life on the river that includes panning for gold on the riverbank. Fisherman dot the banks and on the river in their boats. We read, listen to podcasts and snooze. It’s a very very relaxed way to travel.
We arrive in Pakbeng shortly after 6pm and transfer our day packs to a truck – we leave our large bags on the boat overnight. We’re driven to our hotel high up and overlooking the river. There’s a glorious sunset illuminating the sky this evening.
We eat dinner outside on the terrace with 2 Norwegians and a German who we met on the boat. It’s a lovely evening that includes a couple of glasses of chilled red as we swap travel stories and all things Europe. An early start for us in the morning so we retire to bed.
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