Luang Prabang, Laos

What a difference a short plane ride can make. So far on this trip we have travelled on the ground and change comes slowly. Suddenly we went from noisy, crowded, busy and fairly polluted Hanoi to Vietiane the super laid back, extremely small and manageable capital of Laos. In Laos you don’t have to dodge scooters all the time and the sidewalks are reserved for people.We spent a couple of days in Vientiane and then took a bus north to Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng is a central rendez-vous for young packpackers and we felt like everybodies’ parents. There are lots of fun-filled activities for young people there climbing, tubing ,kayaking, mountain biking and especially-drinking. We rented a couple of pretty nice mountain bikes and headed into the karst-filled hills. The ride was beautiful, a great way to see small villages somewhat off the beaten path. From Vang Vieng we took a crowded mini bus to Luang Prabang. Imagine taking a 300km. ride on old Whistler-style road in a super crowded bus with no brakes and very little steering. The views were breathtaking but by the end we were nervous wrecks. It was worth it to get to Luang Prabang however. This is another UNESCO world heritage sight similar to Hoi An in that the city has retained much of its architectural heritage including the most amazing Wats, or temples, we have seen yet. Luang Prbang is home to thousands of buddist monks and their orange colored robes fill the street. The city is also a gastronomic delight with many beautiful restaurants serving wonderful Laotian cuisine. We have decided to hang in here for a good long time as it’s a great place to relax as well as having lots of excursions to be done in the surrounding countryside.

A journal entry from: S.E.Asia: Traveler Bev and Larry