A dream cultural adventure in Laos
Here’s a trip I planned recently for Kathy and David Quistad: described by them, now yours to steal...
The travellers
We’ve jumped around Southeast Asia on trips for many years. The food, people and general sense of adventure have always left us spellbound – and we aren’t done exploring yet. So, we got in touch with Steph, saying we didn’t mind where we went next, so long as it was somewhere new and we could experience life as it’s really lived. She instantly recommended Laos.
The trip
Our trip was action-packed, exploring cities and islands by bike and travelling between places by road. We favour real experience over luxury, so we got to see the country and its communities at their relaxed and natural best. Our homestay with Ms Kham and her family was a true highlight, alongside the day spent cycling through tiny Mekong islands in the south.
Vientiane
Steph told us the best introduction to Laos’ capital is to grab an espresso and take a morning tour of the city’s historical and most architecturally striking sights. We saw Wat Si Saket, the only temple left intact after the 1828 Thai invasion and cycled up Lanexang Avenue to the imposing Patuxai Monument. Resembling the Paris Arc de Triomphe, there’s some great city views at the top.
As evening fell, we hopped in a tuk-tuk to visit the night market where the carnival by the Mekong River absolutely blew us away. People were Zumba dancing, kids were riding neon bumper cars, locals and tourists were drinking bottles of Beerlao… the atmosphere was electric.
Heading down side streets, away from the party, there was more of a local feel – and loads of opportunities to try traditional food sold by street vendors: from very spicy sausage to crispy banana chips.
Ban Kong Lor and Thakhek
Travelling by road was slow and gave us the chance to take in every moment as it happened – the traditional homes we passed, the turkeys that strut into the street, and the mango sticky rice we ate roadside.
Steph suggested stopping at one of the world’s longest caves: Kong Lor. Set within limestone karsts, forests and rice paddies, our fabulous guide led us through the underground section of the Hin Boun River and took us to the hill caves, where Lao villagers hid in the 1950s-70s to avoid civil war bombings.
We stopped in Thakhek overnight, expecting a sleepy, quiet town. But we were very pleasantly surprised. Down in the town square, local kids were practicing their Laotian line dancing (similar to Western style, but with Lao music!), boom box blaring. It’s these kind of un-planned-for moments that keep us coming back to Southeast Asia.
Si Phan Don
We didn’t expect islands in landlocked Laos. But we were wrong. Further south, the Mekong River widens to 10 km across – here, Steph arranged a day we’ll never forget.
She told us that the Si Phan Don archipelago (also known as 4,000 islands) is best explored by bike. Each island has its own identity (Don Phou Man is a quiet fishing village, Don Loppadi locals are specialists in making bamboo baskets and fishing nets). Cycling through, we met school kids shouting “thank you!” to practice their English, and dodged meandering water buffalo. We then wheeled the bikes onto a small motorboat and chugged off to the next island. This sure beat squeezing into a tuk-tuk and driving over the bridge!
Not many tourists make it down to these more remote islands, so we were a novel spectacle for the people we met – that welcoming feeling will remain in our hearts forever.
Luang Prabang
We arrived in Luang Prabang, a city set against shadowy mountains and thick jungle. Ready to explore the architecture (a mix of French colonial and traditional Lao styles has given it World Heritage status), Steph recommended exploring the other side of the Mekong with a guide, first. Back in the saddle, we biked down the river and met locals firing pottery in wood-flamed kilns. That evening, we tried Lao BBQ and played the traditionally French game of pétanque, watching river cruise boats with bright lights and music blaring – it was mesmerizing.
Using Luang Prabang as a base, we visited MandaLao elephant sanctuary where we got to meet rescued elephants and hear their stories. We walked peacefully alongside these amazing creatures, as they foraged freely through nature’s “grocery store.” No restrictions, no barriers, just us and our new-found giant friends.
Nam Ou
When Steph suggested we spend a night at a local home stay, we were a bit apprehensive, but it turned out to be a real highlight.
Gliding up to Ms Kham’s home by boat, the entire family came out to welcome us (I counted perhaps five cousins!). They took us on a tour before we helped catch fish for dinner (with varying degrees of success) and then got to cooking: pounding pastes, wrapping spring rolls and carving papaya. We made a real feast and ate it together on the veranda – wind chimes clinking in the evening breeze. The next day, we joined the village alms giving, offering rice to monks. Our local guide, a village resident, looked after us as if we were his own, and gave us a traditional sash to wear.
We were incredibly lucky to have been immersed in the true, unfiltered lifestyle of the Lao people. We’ll remember our time with the Kham family for life.
Meet Steph
