After traveling in Myanmar I actually went to Thailand via land first. I spent 3 weeks in Thailand's north and went to Laos after that. But since I visited Thailand for a long time again later, I will write about it in another post. I took a night bus from Chiang Rai to enter the north of Laos.
Laos is in general the most relaxed country I have been to. Unlike most countries in Asia, Laos has not undergone major industrialization. That causes a very rural & relaxed lifestyle and a lack of big cities. Laos is mostly famous for 5 things: The mighty Mekong, a mountainous terrain, French colonial architecture, Buddhist temples and elephants.
I traveled in Laos for 30 days from North to South with my goal to reach Cambodia at the end. One thing I started to use and love in Laos most of the time is hitchhiking. It doesn't only save money with free rides, it is also an amazing opportunity to meet local people. I hitchhiked several times by sitting at the loading area of pick-up trucks and even got a ride with monks to a monastery for 300 km.
In Southern Laos, I rent a motorbike and did an amazing road trip through villages, mountains and national parks. I saw wild elephants there the first time in my life and a Laotian family invited me for dinner and even let me sleep at their home.
5 Highlights:
- Luang Prabang, UNESCO city full of amazing temples, markets and colonial architecture
- Bolaven Plateau, a highland with stunning waterfalls, elephants and jungles
- Si Phan Don, 4,000 islands within the Mekong in Southern Laos
- Tham Kong Lo, an impressive limestone cave in Phu Hin Bun National Park
- Vientiane, relaxed capital on the banks of Mekong
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| Hilltribe villages in the north, the capital Vientiane in Central Laos and Mekong flatlands south, mostly covered by hitchhiking |
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| Traveling to Laos in style |
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| Kuang Si Falls |
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| Monks after sunset, Luang Prabang |
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| Monks at dawn collect alms of rice, Luang Prabang |
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| Night Market, Luang Prabang |
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| Crossing the Mekong |
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| Beautiful landscape around Kuang Si |
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| What a place for a swim |
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| UXO Lao Center, Luang Prabang |
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| Prosthesis museum, Vientiane |
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| Hitchhiking Route 13 southwards |
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| Not an unusual napping position in Laos |
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| Waterfalls around Bolaven Plateau |
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| Two elephants enjoying themselves in a national park |
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| Rural village home where a family invited me for 2 days after giving me a ride |
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| On one of the 4,000 islands in Mekong Delta |
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| Si Phan Don |
