To cross into Laos from Thailand we decided to take a three day tour the included a bus ride from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong and a two day Mekong river slow boat tour to Luang Prabang with a overnight stay in Pak Beng. Overall, our substandard tour made us wish we had of done our journey independently. Aside from all of the problems we encountered we also had to contend with some rather obnoxious backpackers who were more than boisterous about their overzealous enthusiasm towards doing drugs in a developing country.
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The two days we spent cruising down the Mekong was the only pleasant/redeeming aspect of the journey. Armed with a full charged iPod, Kindle, camera and camcorder, I alternated between listening to music, reading, taking photos/videos and drifting off to sleep when I wasn't admiring the views of the murky water, lush jungle and occasional hillside settlements.
In hindsight, we'd travel back in time and either do this journey independently or join a higher end tour. Having the flexibility to choice of our hotels and board boats less crammed with tourists would have made the journey infinitely more pleasant. If you're considering doing a slow boat trip to Luang Prabang, Laos don't make the same mistakes we did ;)
The journey to Laos is actually a three day trip. Day one involves driving from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong, which is at the border between Laos and Thailand. On day two we finally get on the boat and travel from Chiang Khong across the border and arrive at Pak Beng. The last day (the third day) is nine hours on a boat all the way from Pak Beng to Luang Prabang.
We're going to tell you all about our journey - the pros, the cons, the things that were great and what wasn't so great. First, this is the actual trip.
Overall conclusions about this trip - we'd definitely recommend taking the slow boat from Thailand to Laos; however, doing the three day tour is definitely something we'd reconsider.
Perhaps a lot of our negatives come from the fact that we did a budget tour and we took the option that is only 2400 Baht. Some of the things we didn't like so much is that we were always leaving behind schedule and sometimes we'd be waiting around for an hour before anything happened. Also, when it came to accommodations the hotels weren't amazing. Our first night was spent at a former jail and it kind of felt a bit spartan. There was no hot water so we couldn't shower. In terms of food, I would call it prison food. It was boiled cabbage and just overcooked rice. Those were some of the cons.
If I had to do this trip over again I would definitely do it independently. You can take a bus from Chiang Mai (or other Northern Thai cities) all the way to the border. You can cross it yourself and find your own accommodations. You can find something that is a little bit better and more suitable than what we stayed at. Also, you can buy your own boat tickets as well and by showing up early at the pier and purchasing it yourself ensures you get a good seat. That is the key to enjoying your experience going down the Mekong.
A few tips to make the trip a bit more pleasant would be to show up early. You want to be the first person on the boat so you can choose the best seats. You don't want to be near the front because the views aren't that great and you're kind of sitting sideways. You don't want to be near the back because the engine is rambling and it is incredibly loud. You want to choose a seat in the middle. Also, you'll want to bring a cushion or a pillow just in case you end up sitting on the wooden seats. Those are not very comfortable and you'll also want to stock up on lots of food and bring sandwiches, pastries and whatever it is you'll want to eat because it is a long trip and on the boat they just have chips and tea and cups of noodles.
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This is part of our Travel in Laos series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Lao culture, Lao arts, Lao foods, Lao religion and Lao people.
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