My Travel in Luang Prabang, Laos (Pictures from 2002-03-15 to
2002-03-17)
Based on what other travelers have told me, I chose to enter
Laos not through its capital but through a border crossing between Laos and
Thailand much further up north in Xuay Xai. From there, I took a 7-hour
"adventure" of the Mekong River via a speedboat (read on to find out what I
call it an "adventure") to reach the city of Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabag is considered the cultural center of Laos and I
went there with high expectations given what Lonely Planet has described
about the city and the fact that it is a UNESCO city. After spent a
day exploring the city, however, I find myself disappointed and discouraged
by what I saw. While the city does indeed contain many temples, most
of them seem neglected and unorganized. The city itself was
rather small and really doesn't have much to see. On top of that, it
seems many farmers in the surrounding countryside are clearing mountains by
setting fire to them. As a result, the sky is filled with smoke and
raining ashes. Hopefully, the rest of the country will be much more
interesting.
Mekong River and the City of Luang Prabang
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Thus Begin My 7 Hour "Adventure" on Mekong
I was presented with 2 options for continuing on to Luang Prabang: 1. Slowboat, 2 days, 560Bhat ($16); 2. Speedboat, 7 hours, 1000 Bhat ($25). Thinking that it would be one of those fiberglass speedboats, I opted for the second option. Imagine my surprise when I was presented with this. In addition to being small, uncomfortable and noisy, the boat made only one rest stops. It was, however, pretty fast, averaging upwards of 30 Km/H. |
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Mekong River
The good thing about taking a boat is that I got a good view of the Mekong River and all the beauty that it offers. |
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While on the Boat
Some of us did manage to get some rest without falling overboard... And yes, a life jacket and helmet is highly recommended. |
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Lao People and Mekong
While going down the river, we are often greeted by cheerful locals. |
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Lao People and Mekong
Mekong River provides more than just a means of transportation for Laos peole, it also gives the kids a giant playground. |
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Lao People and Mekong
Though I am not sure why she is so happy but I am glad she is having so much fun. That's more than what I can say about myself, my butt was killing me by this time for not being able to move for the last 4 hours or so. |
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Mekong River
Logging is a big industry in Laos and elephants and Mekong plays a crucial role. |
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Children at Play
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Forrest Burning
To clear the mountain for farming, locals set the mountains on fire. This practice is so common that the sky was filled with smoke through out my journey. |
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Finally! I Made It.
After 7 hours of tourture and breath-taking views, I finally made it to the city of Luang Prabang and in one piece too! |
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A Cheerful Young Girl
As we walked around the city of Luang Prabang at night, we met this wonderful young girl who gladly showed us her pet monkey. |
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Temples of Luang Prabang
Being the cultural center of Laos, Luang Prabang is dotted with temples, much like Koyto in Japan. |
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Temples of Luang Prabang
While the style is fairly similar to temples found in places such as Thailand, on close inspection one finds that the decoration is quit different and more elaborate than its peers across the border. |
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People of Luang Prabang
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Handicraft Market
The style and pattern of the handicrafts sold here are quit unique but the prices are just okay |
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Friends from Home
In general, Americans do not travel to South-East Asia. Here in Laos, I was fortunate enough to meet 3 other fellow Americans. These guys are cool! |
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Temples in Luang Prabang
Temples and temples everywhere... |
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Hey! Let Go, It Is MINE!
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The Old Royal Temple
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A War Relic
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Another War Relic
While Lonley Planet warns of UXOs, I couldn't find anything that comes even close to being dangerous. The closest I found were these flower vase. |
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Volleyball Game
I sat and watched a game of volleyball. Unfortuante the home team that I was cheering for lost... Oh well. ( : |
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Hilltribes
Laos has a large number of hilltribes, each with its distinct culture and customs. Here a lady pose for me in front of her handicarft stand. |
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This site was last updated
03/21/02
