Vang Vieng

The party never ends

Jan 2024

Evening View from Green Restaurant

I was picked up by a Mercedes Mini Van which was very comfortable, especially required as the roads were not too good in many places. My travelers were a bunch of Europeans who were picked up from various hotels, before we started driving.

There is the main highway towards Vang Vieng but apparently it as under repair and would take a lot of time, so we took the mountain route which was faster. Just as you cross into the Vang Vieng province, there is a nice mountain cafe with good views over the valley. After 5 1/2 hours, we reached Vang Vieng and from the main road, the vang Vieng Global Guesthouse where I was staying was a few minutes.

I was warmly received by the reception lady who introduced herself as Anna. After checking in, I took a list of restaurants to go to from Anna and went around checking the place out. I went down to Green Restaurant which has the most spectacular sunset and spent the twilight hour enjoying the views over food and drinks.

Vang Vieng is along the Nam Song river and it is popular with backpackers, seeking adventure sports and for its spectacular limestone karst landscape surrounding the town. The town is very popular for tubing, a sport where one floats down the river on tubes, but due to accidental deaths and bad reputation over the years, it is restricted now and there are many other adventure activities to chose from.

The next day, I hired a bike and went out to explore the different Lagoons and caves around Vang Vieng. The karst mountains are lovely and worth exploring around. Finally it was time to leave Vang Vieng for Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Meanwhile I was quite impressed with Anna's energy and how she engaged with all the guests. I hadn't seen this kind of attitude in Laotians who are more relaxed and easy going. The French colonists had a saying "The Vietnamese plant the rice, the Cambodians watch it grow, and the Laotians listen to it grow." That pretty much sums up the Indo-China experience! 

While sitting at the reception, Anna told me her story. She was originally from Vietnam (No Wonder for her work ethic), but moved to Vang Vieng after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her many times. She was hoping to find a white European in Vang Vieng (many of whom pass by) and settle down in the future. I told her Laos was not the place to be in as the travelers are just passing by and instead to go back to Da Nang where she would do very well as economic opportunities are high there and there are more westerners looking to settle down. I wished her all the best, then boarded a van which would take me to to Vientiane which was about a 2 hours drive away.

 

Luang Prabang

A World Heritage City

Jan 2024

Luang Prabang is a small quaint town at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.It was the royal capital of the country until 1975. The town has Laotian and French architecture with beautiful temples, traditional houses and colonial villas. At the square is a night market where you get wonderful street food and wares. Its a delightful place to wander around and the place is dotted with Cafes, restaurants and local food stalls. 

A world Heritage site, the roads and building are well maintained and one can spend a few days just walking around the Wats and the cafes. On both sides of the town are the riverfront restaurants and residences. It is a pretty sight all around. 

The next day, I had an early start. I walked around to the Wat May Souvannapoumaram,  Wat Sensoukharam both of which were built in the 18th century, then went to the most important temple Wat Xiengthong which is near the confluence of the two rivers. Xiengthong means Golden City which was the name of Luang Prabang earlier. This Wat or temple was set up in 1560 and is a representation of Laotian architecture.  The Sim which is the central shrine hall is composed of nine cascading roofs and is decorated by gold stenciling. The roofs sweep downward in an elaborate array, unique to the architecture of Laos.

Luang Prabang means "the place of the Buddha," for the sacred image of Buddha from which kings would derive their divine right. After the Emerald Buddha which has got a special place in the lives of Laos and Thailand, this is the most sacred image of Buddha in the lives of Laotians. This buddha image is located in a specially made temple Haw Phra Bang in the grounds of the Royal Palace Museum. I spent some time in the museum and then managed to see the Phra Bang before they closed the temple for the afternoon.

In the Palace Museum grounds is also where there is a Laotian Ramayan performance. Unfortunately the performance was cancelled. On enquiring, I was told that the entire troupe had gone to Ayodhya, India  where the Ram temple was being inaugurated. Apparently all Ramayan troupes from South East Asian countries were invited to be part of the celebrations.

I ambled around the river front and then had my lunch. In the evening, went around to the Night markets and enjoyed hanging around. The next day, I got up early in the morning to watch the Alms Giving ceremony. Every day the monks come out with their begging bowls early in the morning and residents and tourists alike give them rice, vegetables and any other food items. It was quite touristy, but if you go away from the crowds in the inner lanes, you can see ordinary residents giving alms with devotion and empathy. 

I hired a bike and went to visit the Kuang Si Waterfall, one of the most famous in Laos. The road to the waterfall went along side the Mekong before it turned inward to the waterfall. On the way was an Elephant Sanctuary. You need a ticket to see the waterfall and it is a well kept place with adequate parking, a walking trail and stops in between to see the waterfall cascades. I spent half the day there going up to the top of the waterfall and stopping at various pools in between. It is one of the most prettiest waterfalls I have seen and a definite highlight of Luang Prabang and Laos.

On the way back, stopped by at Mekong Cafe which had great coffee and views of the river, before reaching Luang Prabang in the afternoon. I then went to visit one of the oldest antique collectors in Luang Prabang, the Pathana Boupha Antique House. The owners are from a prominent local family and the late patriarch of the family designed many of the costumes and ornaments used in the former Royal Palace. 

After browsing through the many antique pieces, I settled on buying a 100 year old wooden Buddha with gold leaf Lacquer. Even if one doesn't buy, It is worth coming here just to check out the beautiful old building and antique collection. 

The following day, I started out on my journey to Vang Vieng, the party capital of Laos. 

Laos - Food

Earthy and Umami Flavors

Jan 2024

Laotian food has a mix of influences from Thailand and Myanmar. While the food is similar to Thai, there are some important differences. 

Let's start with Laab which is the National dish and a type of meat salad. It is a representative food of Laos that consists of mixed meat, fish sauce, red pepper, garlic, herbs and spices. The secret ingredient is an earthy strong fish sauce called Padek which has a very earthy umami flavor. Laab is unique to Laos and you have different kinds of meat salads, which use beef, pork, fish etc. 

Laab is derived from the sanskrit word "Labh" which means lucky and is considered a food of good luck in both Laos and Thailand. Laab is very popular in Laos and Isan and Lanna regions of Thailand which has a lot of Laotian influence.

Tham Mak Hoong with Khao Niew

The second important food is the Green papaya salad or Tham Mak Hoong. Tham means smashed and the papaya salad is made up of strips of green papaya smashed together with fish sauce and Padek to give it a strong umami flavor. It is funky, spicy, and aggressive in flavor and a little bit of an acquired taste, but enjoyable once you get used to it. The papaya salad juice is dark due to the mix of crab paste, shrimp paste, and Padek.

The third important dish of Laos is the sticky rice, Khao Niew. The rice doesn't stick to the hand and can be picked up with the hand and dipped into the sauces of salads to be eaten. It is similar to eating with a Roti. 

Yao Khao and Khao Tom

There are different variations of the salad and one which is popular is the Yam Salat which comes from the Luang Prabang region.  This is a fusion salad and has French influences. It is made with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, watercress, mint, coriander and spring onion. It’s topped with chopped peanuts, slices of boiled egg, crispy shallots and a distinct sweet and creamy dressing.  

There are also the rice noodles starting with the Khao Piak which is an Udaan style noodle made from rice flour and tapioca. Then you have the Khao Poon, a fermented rice vermicelli noodle. Finally, there is the Khao Soi which is made from flat rice noodles dipped in a pork broth and embellished with a bolognese of minced pork, tomatoes, garlic and fermented bean paste. 

Then there are different crispy rice salads like Nam Khao, Spring rolls like Yao Khao, coconut sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves like Khao Tom and coconut cakes like Khao Nom Kok (which look and taste like Kerala Unniyapams)

So that's broadly the cuisine of Laos.

The Slow Boat

The Slow Boat to Luang Prabang

Jan 2024

Slow Boats at the River Bank 

In the morning, we went to the river banks to catch the slow boat. There was a huge crowd of tourists waiting to get in and we were guided to one of the boats where we unloaded our luggage. All luggage was stashed at the bottom of the boat by removing a few planks. There was no chance of removing anything from the luggage till we arrived at our destination.

Stacking the luggage

There was a rush to get the seats and we were given seats on the rear end of the boat where we had boarded from. Soon the boat was full and after what felt like an eternity, the boat chugged off from the banks. One of the tourists was a young man and had a Ukulele and his neighbor took it and started playing some music. 

Most of the tourists were from Europe and there were also a few Americans. The Ukulele player turned out to be an American and had a chequered career including being a porn star and then a Papirazzi for Hollywood. 

An American in Laos

The journey across the Mekong was slow and the land was mainly forests with hills around us. In many places, we could see small villages with people bathing and boats stopping for transfer of people. While the idea was to have a slow travel and enjoy the scenery, most people were on their phones (a modern diversion). There were some groups chatting away getting to know each other. 

Slow Boat Travellers

Early evening, we docked at the night stop which was a small village called Pakbeng about halfway between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang. I booked into a hotel called BKC Villa and took a stroll across the village in the evening.   

The next day, we were off. The passengers were different this time and I managed to get a better seat in the Center of the boat. In front of me, there was an American girl reading "Shantaram". We soon got talking. She had been to Nepal and loved her stay there. She was looking forward to meeting her dad in Vietnam. He had retired and she was trying to goad him back to travelling like he did in his younger days. 

Beside me there was a French girl who spoke pretty good English. I complemented her English skills and she acknowledged happily saying she has been practicing hard to perfect it. She then got back to her ear phones listening to music.

At the Boat Terminal in Luang Prabang 

After a long day, we got into the final bend of the river near Pak Ou Caves which is famous for having hundreds of wooden miniature Buddhas. Soon we arrived at the Luang Prabang slow boat terminal and docked in.

There were many vehicles parked and all tourists were going to almost same part of town. I got in and soon got dropped off at the city center, a few minutes walk to my hotel.

Laos - Border Crossing

Crossing over to Laos from Thailand

January 2024

Thai-Lao Friendship bridge 4

Laos is a landlocked country and borders Thailand, Myanmar, China, Cambodia and Vietnam. My plan was to enter Laos from Thailand through the land border. Since this was the first time I was crossing a land border, I was a little nervous and not sure what to expect.

I started off from Chiang Rai in Thailand and the bus took me up to the border at Chiang Khong. There we underwent immigration clearance from the Thai authorities before crossing over to Lao through the Thai-Lao Friendship bridge 4. We were a motley crew of a few foreigners, local Thai and Laotians and I also saw a few Indians at the Lao immigration counters probably there for trading. 

Youngsters from Netherlands at border with their cycles

At the Lao immigration, dollars are preferred over Thai Baht or Laotian Kip. I had read about it and was prepared. I brought out a $100 note and $60 was returned back by the authorities with the visa stamping done immediately. Entry was efficient and I was quickly over the border. There was a group of young adults with bicycles and on checking with them found out they were from Netherlands. A few friends came together and decided to cycle across South East Asia and they were now planning to cycle across Laos!

On crossing over to the Laos side, I took a bus to Huay Xai, the nearest town. From the bus station, it was a short ride to the Oudomphone Guesthouse, which was where I planned to stay before leaving for my next destination. 

Initial impression of Laos

Laos looked very much like India. The roads were not as well made like Thailand and didn't have lane marking nor drains at the side for storm water. The Mekong river served as the border between Thailand and Laos for most of the country. 

I was expecting to see a small town with mainly locals and language challenges, but was taken aback when I reached my guesthouse. The road was teeming with foreigners and the host spoke very good English. The room was well maintained and bathrooms clean. The overall experience was very good.

Sunset over Huay Xai

Food was rice based and similar to Thailand. I figured out the differences in food over a period of time as I travelled through the country. The local beer is called Beerlao and available across the country. I was also inexpensive and costs about a dollar for a bottle. Fruits and juices are readily available. 

I went ahead and booked the Mekong cruise for the next day. In the evening took a stroll down the road and to the river. The sunset was beautiful with a great view of the river, the boats and the Thai border across the river. 

The next day after having a hearty breakfast, we went down to the river front to board the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

 

Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle

Chiang Rai

Wat Phra Kaew

Founded in the year 1262 by King Mang Rai, the 1st Lanna king, Chiang Rai is North of Chiang Mai. The bus took around 3 hours and I checked in to the Moon and Sun Hotel in a quiet street to the North of the city. Further North flows the Kok river where there are some beautiful resorts and restaurants. In the evening, I took a stroll around the city and the clock tower which is quite unique and a symbol of the city. 

The next day I started early and hired a bike as along with the city I planned to visit the countryside over the next 2 days. Chiang Rai is a small town and can be finished in a day. I started by first visiting the temples in the city. The notable Wats are Wat Phra Kaew Chiang Rai which had hosted the Emerald Buddha and Wat Phra Sing Chiang Rai which at one time housed the Phra Singh, the second most revered Buddha image which is now in Bangkok. In the outskirts of the city at the top of a hill is the Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong which has the city pillar and some good views from the top.

White Temple

However the crown jewels of Chiang Rai are the new contemporary temples. The most famous one is the Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple in the south outside the city. Then there are the Blue temple and Black house towards the North on the other side of the river. 

Blue Temple

The white temple is south of Chiang Rai and a spectacular smorgasbord of twisting figures and spires put together using cement, plaster and mirrored chips. It is built by the Thai visual artist Chalermchai Kositpipat and is still work in progress. The overall effect is impressive and its worth spending half a day there. Attached to the complex is a golden building dedicated to Ganesha and a gallery displaying the works of the artist. The road to the White temple from Wat Phra Kaew is a pleasant drive through fields taking a side road and I went back through the main road back to town.

Garden of Reeds

In the evening, after completing the Blue temple spent some time at Chivit Thamma Da Coffee House, Bistro & Bar on the river bank and later visited the Garden of Reeds where they have the annual flower festival.

Mae Salong Highlands 

Early next day, I took the bike out to drive to the border town of Mae Sai (near Myanmar border) and take a loop through the Golden triangle back to Chiang Rai. The Golden Triangle is the point where 3 countries meet - Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. I didn't know at that time, but later found out that this is an area with legendary tales of Opium smuggling, human trafficking and Casino Mafias. 

With Owner of Ming Yong Coffee and Tea

Enroute, I took a detour to the mountains to the west towards Mai Salong which turned out to be a pleasant ride through Coffee plantations. Off the main trail in the middle of the jungle with breathtaking views, I came across a well kept temple, Wat Phra That Santitham. On the return loop back, I stopped at Ming Yong Coffee & Tea, a cute tea shop with great views and run by a lovely couple. They were from the Akha tribe which is one of the hill tribe groups that initially resided in Yunnan and moved to Thailand. 

Mae Salong is known for its settlement of soldiers from the 93rd Division of the Chinese Nationalist Army that refused to surrender to Chinese communists after the Nationalist Kuomintang government was routed in 1949. They escaped from Yunnan to Burma and some left for Thailand in the 1960s. The soldiers that settled in Mae Salong kept it as a military base in preparation for an eventual counter-attack against communist China and funded their arms purchases with opium production. In the 1970s the Thai government struck a deal with the soldiers to cease opium production in favour of cultivating mushrooms and oolong tea, which is now Mae Salong's main product.

The Golden Triangle

After reaching Mai Salong, I took a side road and drove along the Ruak river which is the natural border between Thailand and Myanmar. The river then joins the Mekong river coming in from the North which is the natural border between Myanmar and Laos and the triangle where they meet is called the Golden Triangle. As I descended down a hill into the triangle point, I saw a massive set of buildings ahead of me and I was puzzled as all across there were open ground and fields and there was no big city that I was aware of. It was then I realized its actually a whole set of massive building across the river in Laos, the infamous Golden Triangle Special economic zone (GTSEZ)

Golden Triangle

Inside the SEZ's King Roman's casino which is conspicuously visible for miles around, millions of dollars are exchanged in cash for chips in what seems to be an open display of large money laundering activities. Zhao Wei, the Chinese crime boss responsible for developing the zone has been on the U.S. Treasury sanctions list for “drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, bribery and wildlife trafficking” since 2018. Recently they have moved to online fraud operations that rely on trafficked labor, putting India's phishing capital, Jamtara to shame.

On reaching the Golden Triangle, I spent a few hours and then took the highway back to Chiang Rai. Earlier, I visited the Golden Triangle Park Hall of Opium where Opium's history, cultivation & usage are explored at this museum. Even today this region especially Myanmar is one of the world's biggest drug trafficking corridor for Heroin, Opium and Meth.

After a full day's riding and a night's well deserved rest, I left the next day morning to Chiang Khong to take the land border crossing to Laos through the Thai-Laos Friendship bridge No 4.  

 

Chiang Mai

Gateway to North Thailand

A Cooking Class

Chiang Mai (which means New City) was my base for exploring Northern Thailand before entering Laos. Part of the kingdom of Lanna, Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 by King Meng Rai and is the second largest city in Thailand. The river, Ping flows through the east of the city. Further North is the city of Chiang Rai which was the capital city before Chiang Mai and which I planned to visit next.

I was staying at the Red Brick Guesthouse outside the old city walls and straight away signed up for a cooking class that evening. Our instructor picked us from the hotel and we went up to the Kad Kom market to buy ingredients and then travelled to the Thai cottage Home Cookery school about 7 Kms in the outskirts of the city. For the next 2 1/2 hours, we cut, washed and cooked a complete Thai meal of 6 dishes including soup, curry and dessert. It was a great experience and a good introduction to Thai cooking for newbies.

Doi Ithanon National Park

At a Karen Village

The next day was the weekend and I joined another travel group to go to the Doi Ithanon National Park which is located in a mountainous range around 100 Kms outside Chiang Mai. We went to a waterfall called Wachiratan and then on a trek in the National Park to a Karen village and finally to the highest point in Thailand. Nearby the summit, we visited the Royal Pagodas of Noppamethanedon and Nopphonphusiri. 

What struck me throughout the journey was the high quality of roads and infrastructure and how well the tip was organized. Everywhere there were restaurants, public amenities and adequate parking so that both individual travelers and travel groups can easily move around. I found this all throughout Thailand and even remote mountain roads and inner roads were well maintained.

The Old City 

Wat Chedi Luang

The next day was a Sunday and kept for walking around the old city. The old city is a charming area of beautiful roads neatly laid out in a grid and dotted with ancient monuments and temples. There were boutique restaurants, hotels and tiny coffee shops all across the city. The city is surrounded by a canal and an ancient city wall with entry and exit gates at various points. 

Early morning, you could see the monks walking in the city receiving alms from the residents of the city, a daily ritual in Chiang Mai. The first stop was the city pillar shrine where you can see the Intakhin or God Indra's pillar. City pillars are the foundation of the city and common in Lanna areas and Laos. Nearby is a status of Indra on his elephant carrier, Airawat. The Intakhin is in the campus of Wat Chedi Luang, one of the oldest and fascinating temple in Chiang Mai. It was here in 1468 that the Emerald Buddha was installed before it moved to Luang Prabang in Laos. Details and significance of the Emerald Buddha is explained in another section of my blog.

Wua Lai Neighbourhood 

Ganesha, the Boss

Next day, set off early to explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in Chiang Mai called Wua Lai where you have craftmanship families making silverware, bamboo and Lacquerware. Two temples, Wat Sri Suphan and Wat Muen San are spectacular examples of silver craftsmanship and are a must see. There is a large status of Ganesha at Sri Suphan and he is an important God in these areas. In one of the later temples I visited, I saw a note labelling him as the "God without a boss", a strong endorsement of his personality!

At Wat Phra Singh 

From Wua Lai, I moved into the old city to see Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan temple which houses the Phra Buddha Sihing statue which gives the temple its name. According to legend, it was based on the lion of Shakya, a statue since lost which used to be housed in the Mahabodhi Temple of Bodh Gaya. The statue is supposed to have been brought, via Sri Lanka and Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai.

The way to understand importance of Buddhist temples (Wat) in Thailand is the word "Phra". Phra means "Royal Status" and usually contains a relic of the Buddha or is considered of Royal importance.

I ended the day with a nice lunch in one of the beautiful neighborhoods and then looked for some co-working spaces which Chiang Mai is famous for and there is a large digital nomad community working from here. 

Next day, I packed up my bags and got ready to travel to Chiang Rai.