Laos

Vang Vieng, to Love or to Hate?

I have to admit that after visiting Thailand, we had grown accustomed to the friendliness of the locals. On the other hand, in Laos, it was a totally different story. Smiling locals were actually hard to find. It’s not that they were deliberately rude, they just weren’t particularly friendly like the Thais. But this really didn’t bother us that much, at least not...

Is Luang Prabang Still Worth a Visit?

The small town of Luang Prabang is located in northern Laos and has one of the most beautiful settings in south-east Asia. Sandwiched between the Mekong and the Nam Khan River, Luang Prabang is oh so pretty and ever so romantic! This old French colonial town became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 and nowadays it’s very popular with visitors to Laos. Many of them...

Slow boats on the Mekong river

Taking the Slow Boat in Laos to Luang Prabang

A slow boat cruise down the mighty Mekong river was high on our list of things to do in Laos. In fact it was one of the most exciting experiences we had planned for the Southeast Asia leg of our trip. As we cruised slowly down the Mekong over two days before reaching Luang Prabang, we’d be treated to some of the most beautiful scenery that Laos has to offer. How do...