lost in laos
An untouched, unexplored country that has the potential to become as big as its neighboring countries. Laos is a hidden gem that is a landlocked country surrounded by mountains and forested hills. The country is famous for its temples, caves, forests, waterfalls, and elephants.
Laos as a traveler can be explored in two parts. Northern Laos and southern Laos where your base is Vientiane city.
North Laos – Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw
South Laos – Thakhek, Pakse, Don Det.
Northern Laos is very well connected with a high-speed rail network that goes to China. At the same time, Southern Laos is not yet associated with a rail network. You have to take a bus to reach southern cities which is not that comfortable. This is the main reason why I skipped south and only traveled north. Though South has a lot to offer especially for bikers. It also has a very famous 300-metre waterfall – Tad Fane which has a zipline. South Laos also has Don Det which is famous among backpackers. It is a combination of 4000 small islands from where you can enter Cambodia.
For bikers, Thakhek and Pakse Loop are very famous which gives a unique cave experience where you can take your bike in a boat inside a dark cave.
You can apply for your E –Visa through https://www.laoevisa.gov.la/
Note : You can also enter the country through the river route from Northern Thailand by boat to Luang Prabang. The boat journey takes around 2 days.
We were three Indian couples traveling together into unknown territory. We only did North Laos so will be covering all cities and things to do. We were unable to do The Gibbon Experience due to a shortage of traveling days. But I highly recommend you to experience it. Our entry was from Vientiane and our exit was from Luang Prabang.
Vientiane
Vientiane is the capital city of Laos and has colonial architecture along with Buddhist temples.
The first day in any country is very important so our priority after landing was to get a sim card and some local currency. We did not exchange any currency from the airport as the locals do accept dollars. If you walk outside the airport then you will find many local tuk-tuk drivers ready to take you to your destination. This is a cheaper option to save some bucks. We stayed in Nana Backpacker Hostel which is situated at the center of the city. The walking street and river are nearby. You can easily get money exchange and two-wheelers on rent near the hostel.
Make sure that you book your train tickets well in advance. The train ticket opens 3 days before departure day. You need a local Lao sim to book online on the LCR Ticket app/website. In our case, we hired an agent who booked our tickets well in advance before we even arrived in Laos. You can contact her (Click Here)
Day1:
We rented a scooter and visited the famous Patuxay Victory Monument and ITECC mall. We were staying in Nana Backpackers which was near the walking street where you can do roadside shopping and enjoy the nightlife. Everything from here was walkable distance. Just be careful about the surroundings at late night.
Day 2:
Early morning we had a train to catch. We were heading towards Vang Vieng – The adventure capital of Laos. To our surprise, the train was very clean and had a high speed of 150+ Kmph. The staff inside the train will make sure that you put your bag properly. If you are carrying luggage that cannot be put over the head compartment, then there is one common space where you can put it. The railway station checking is very strict similar to the airlines. You cannot carry many things, unlike airlines where you have separate check-in luggage. Do visit their website to find out more. They even asked me to drink water that I was carrying. It will take around 1:20 hrs to reach Vang Vieng. The route is very scenic surrounded by hills and tunnels. The rail network is built by China so this train will enter China in the future from Laos.
Vang vieng
How do I even start to express things to do in this amazing city?
Vang Vieng is the adventure capital of Laos. You can get lost in Vang Vieng if you love adventure. Here also stayed in the Nana Backpacker Hostel which is on the main road where the main walking street is nearby. Tuk Tuk is easily available from the railway station which will directly take you to the hostel.
Note: If you are renting a scooter then don’t rent it from the main road. There is one small road near the hostel, you will find many cheaper options on that parallel road.
There are a total of 6 Blue lagoons in the city. Everyone has their charm. Without wasting any time, on the same evening, we visited the most famous Blue Lagoon-1. This lagoon has its cave which you can climb and also visit a Buddha statue. After visiting the lagoon, we visited riverside shacks which are very famous in Vang Vieng. This city/country became famous around the world because of tipsy tubing. In tipsy tubing, you flow on a tube and visit these famous shacks that serve you alcohol. So always make sure you have a good sunset plan in this city.
Day 3:
Today was the big day when we visited the famous Nam Xay viewpoint. Whenever you google Laos, one of the images of Nam Xay’s viewpoint will surely pop up. This place is so picturesque that your trip to Laos will be successful. This place is near Blue Lagoon 1 only you can do it on the same day when you visit Blue Lagoon. In our case, we decided on a sunrise trek but were late and started from our hostel at around 8 am. It takes 25-30 mins to reach the destination by scooter. There is an entrance fee but parking is free. The trek to the top takes 40-45 mins and during monsoon, it becomes very slippery. Don’t forget to take a beer along with you or else you will regret it when you will reach the top. The view from the top is breathtaking. One of the best 360-degree views I have ever seen. The trek is moderate and there are natural stairs which you can climb. On the top, there are 2 bikes both covering breathtaking views from where you can click one of the best photos. I was carrying a drone and to date, it is one of my best drone shots ever.
We were late so we climbed in the afternoon but still it was worth it. There are shades at the top so you won’t feel that heat.
Note: There are many hills in the same area with the same viewpoint but the best one is Nam Xay. So always cross-verify on the map before you start climbing.
In the evening it was time for us to explore tipsy tubing / Kayaking. We were afraid of tubing as 5 out of 6 were non swimmers so we decided to do kayaking instead of tubing. The river for us was too intimidating with rapid flows. This happens when you are visiting during monsoon so always plan accordingly.
Many adventure shops provide local tours for kayaking or tubing. So we took a kayaking tour. They take you from their shop in a tuk-tuk and drop 7-10 km away from the ending point. The starting point is the same for tubing/kayaking. It is best enjoyed if you are in a big group. You will find many shacks in between where you can stop and grab some beers. Earlier there used to be many shacks but due to many deaths in recent years, the government has banned many shacks and now there are only a handful of shacks left. But never the less this is an experience that will give you that adrenal rush.
Day 4:
Today we visited Tham Nam water cave. We were the only ones, perks of arriving in the morning. The experience was so unique. I have experienced many caves but this cave was unique where you have to go inside in a tube holding on the tied ropes. The water is cold and the cave entrance is shallow but this is one of the most adventurous things you will ever do. We were afraid to enter so we did hire a guide who was with us. Later we went inside the cave again with our beers. There is also a multiple zipline option which you can do here. There is an entry fee and they do provide a torch, helmet, life jacket, and tube to go inside the cave.
Note: There are many more places near Tham Nam Cave within 2 km radius like Blue Lagoon 4, Elephant Cave, and Loup Cave which can visited if you have more time.
The best is always saved for the last. In the evening 4 of us were doing rock climbing and 2 were doing paramotor. Vang Vieng is one of the cheapest places in the world if you want to experience a Hot Air Balloon. It costs around 100$ per person for Balloon or Paramotor. You will see balloons everywhere during sunrise and sunset. We skipped the hot air balloon / Paramotor because we were on a budget but 2 of our friends did paramotor adventure. They fly very low just above the rocky hills and national highway traffic you will enjoy it to the maximum. The view from the top is breathtaking and you will also see the river flowing through.
We did our rock climbing at Adam’s climbing school. It was our first rock climbing experience. The owner gave us 2 guides who were very friendly and professional. They taught us the art of climbing and all 4 of us enjoyed the whole experience a lot. I don’t remember the fees but the fees included pick and drop from the hotel in tuk tuk. There is a 20-minute walk into the jungle till you reach the rock. The rock is natural and the difficulty level is moderate. You will not reach the top but will have to rappel back from midway. I was not able to climb to the top but still, it was worth the experience. This is a must-do activity even if you are not able to climb.
This was our last day in Vang Vieng where we were staying in River View Bungalows. The hotel had its swimming pool with a great hill view along with the river where travelers were doing kayaking/tubing. The last sunset in Vang Vieng was memorable and emotional because of the memories we created in an amazing city that had so much to offer.
muang fuang
Day 5:
I called this place the Maldives of Laos. The place is so affordable and unique and is very famous amongst the locals. There are plenty of resorts to choose from where you can even bargain if you have a large group. We were staying on the opposite side of the river. There is a boat which takes you to the opposite side where you can go along with your vehicle. Villa we stayed in click here.
The villa had AC, and the washroom was outside just 10 steps away but personal for each room, unlike the ones on the opposite side of the river. They do provide a life jacket if you want to swim and have a barbeque setup for an amazing dinner. We cooked our Indian meal where rice and veggies were provided by hotel staff. They do have a kayaking option and a boat ride option as well. Apart from this, there is not much to do but the sunset and sunrise view from the villa hangout place is just amazing. Early morning monks do visit on boats for offerings and witnessing that is an experience one cannot miss.
luang prabang
Day 6 – 7:
We took an early morning train from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang which takes around 1.5 hours.
Luang Prabang the whole city is Unesco World Heritage Site. The city is a peninsula where two rivers Nam Khan and Mekong meet. The different colors of both river meetings are easily visible. Luang Prabang is well known for its numerous Buddhist Temples and Monasteries. Every morning, Hundreds of Monks from the various monasteries walk through the streets collecting alms (offerings). This practice has stopped worldwide but is still happening in Laos. If you are in the city, then do not miss this opportunity to witness it. The hotel we stayed in click here
There are two main waterfalls – Kuang Si and Tat Sae waterfall. Both are equally good and I would recommend visiting both. We visited Kuang Si waterfall which is 29 km south of the city. The waterfall is a three-tiered waterfall that is famous amongst tourists. It consists of natural shallow pools that can be enjoyed.
You will also witness the Bear Rescue Center while visiting Kuang Si waterfall. I have never seen a bear so big up close. They were very clean and well-maintained. The rescue center is doing a good job. There are multiple elephant sanctuaries as well which you can visit.
Note: Don’t visit during monsoon. The perfect blue/green color will not be visible. We got lucky as it did not rain for a week so the water wall was all clear.
There are three main roads on the peninsula and on the main middle road, there is a night market. You can do all the shopping from here. There are many branded shops and cafes as well on the main street. Explore all sunset and sunrise cafes and take the evening party boat to have some fun. Don’t forget to visit Pak Ou caves which takes half a day and consists of a boat ride to reach the destination.
nong khiaw
Day 8:
I tried renting a bike but the prices were way too high compared to that of its neighbouring countries. So we decided to go in a van and return by bus to experience both before leaving this country. Nong Khiaw takes 4 hours to reach from Luang Prabang. The view is scenic so you will not get bored.
The bus stations in Laos are usually outside the city and the same you will experience in Nong Khiaw. But the city is small so it is walkable and you may be able to walk from the bus station to your hotel. There are plenty of hotels to choose from with the river view. This was our second last day in Laos so we wanted a good hotel/villa. We walked and saw many hotels and finally found this amazing villa with a river view click here.
Note: We had a return flight from Luang Prabang so we left our luggage in Luang Prabang only and travelled light.
We rented a two-wheeler from the city center where a day tour was also available with guide. There are plenty of things to do in Nong Khiaw like kayaking, hiking, cave exploring, camping, 4WD, ATV, etc. This city has too much to offer for adventure junkies. But the city is not that developed and many few tourists visit it.
In the evening, we visited Pha Kuang cave which was not far from our villa where we were staying. You have to cross a small river on foot to reach here. There is a guide who will take you to the cave. There are three main caves inside and in one of the caves, there is a big Buddha statue. The cave is so large that during the Vietnam America war locals used to hide here. There are gunshot marks in the cave wall which are visible. It is said that during the war from a helicopter, they fired arms inside the cave and even dropped a bomb that place is also visible.
You will have to cross through paddy fields and we were unaware of the leeches. If you are afraid of the leeches don’t go here. The guide does carry hot oil with him that helps in removing the leeches. But damn it was scary for my wife and one of the funniest memory of us in Laos.
Day 9:
We had a morning 10 am bus to catch but before that, we had planned to hike one of the most scenic. There are two 360-degree viewpoints available. We choose the smaller and quicker one due to lack of time. The clouds are easily visible from the top and the fun fact is that the villa in which we were staying, the clouds were visible from its balcony. I have never seen clouds so down up and close just above the river in my life. The mountains in the background with clouds and rivers in mesmerizing. Do visit for sunrise and you will be speechless. Just google images for it and you will know what I am talking about.
Day 10:
Today was our last day in Laos. We were in Luang Prabang and the morning we saw Monk’s offerings. Laos has too much to offer and is still untouched by tourism. Do visit as early as possible before it gets ruined by over-tourism.
So this was our experience about how we traveled and had some great adventures together as a group which we will remember all our life. If you have any questions then do contact me.