LAO Help

[sfinkz]

Attempting to research travel into Laos. Considering a clockwise trip from the north of Thailand back into Issan. Specifically, from Mae Sai area cross from Chiang Khong to Huai Sai and float up Mekhong to Luang Prabang. Then overland on #13 thru Vang Vienh and Nam Ngurn Lake (maybe divert on #7 to Phonsavan and Plain of Jars but probably not) and onto Vientiane and back into Nong Khai. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Pretty straight forward stuff, however in the course of finding answers, and looking for a worst-case update of the road south of Luang Prabang, turned to our friendly U.S. Dept. of State, which advises that the Lao government prohibits sexual contact between foreigners and Lao nationals. $5000 fines, it says, are awarded to foreigners who enter into 'disapproved' sexual relations, and are not permitted to invite Lao nationals of opposite sex to hotel rooms, which may be raided by police without notice or consent. (Couples who have recently celebrated a wedding engagement are also warned that they are likely to be investigated a couple of days later as it will be assumed sexual contact occured).

 

Again, I am seeking travel advise (and thus post here rather than regional sanuk) but in an attempt to involve everyone I throw this out, fully aware that Laos is more of a hardcore 'National Geographic'-type of travel adventure but sometimes the two do intersect. Have never been outside of Vientiane, and only briefly, but I certainly seem to recall that if one wished to pursue it there could easily be something available and that those in on the game didn't seem overly concerned about the heavy hand of the law.

 

I even checked the same state department warnings, and one must question the source, for countries of the "other" Peoples' Republics and for assorted Muslim countries and their religous police but nothing was stated in such chilling terms as Lao which seemed odd.

 

So hows about it? Can anyone with recent Laos experience (particularly the CK border crossing and boat to LP), intimate or otherwise, safely point me up the river and back?

[Nervous_Dog]

I'd say go down the river where possible, I did Vientianne - Svahanaket, useing plane there, back by car. Very easy, apparently the area I was in was getting blown up, but someone forgot to tell the locals!

 

Hotel had instructions on what to pay for if you brought a girl back and she made a mess of the bed!

 

Don't sweat it, don't be OBVIOUS.

 

JB

[samak]

what is the difference between going down the mekhong river on lao side (vientiane - svahanaket) and the thai side (nongkhai - mukdaharn or even further to ubon); how are the streets to drive yourself; are there many opportunities to change side?

[sfinkz]

Well, Luang Prabang is the destination for me and, since I'll already be up north, Chiang Khong seems like the likely departure point. Appeals to me in that I prefer circular journeys without backtracking and also favor a day of overland travel where possible to avoid international flights.

 

Upon further review, there does seem to be a thriving industy of boats leaving from here (1 day/fast, 2 day/slow) for what looks like a 400 click cruise. I just don't know why I hadn't heard of this immigration station before. Would seem to be a viable alternative to the dodgy Mae Sai for those up north. In fact, one of the few references to it regards the recently-apprehended terrorist Hambali receiving his stamp (undoubtedly bogus) from there.

 

Have also run across other vague warnings about the authoritarian government, this time cautioning "unassisted tourism is not permitted without the service of a licensed Lao tour company." I know this to be a crock and see elsewhere that this is not enforced, at least for groups of fewer than five persons.

 

And yes, occassional reports of armed skirmishes as the last vestiges of the half-century Indochine conflict quietly yet tragically plays itself out. Other than a couple of unfortunate incidents on the #13 route from LP-VV route early last year tourists have recently avoided the cross-fire.

 

Sometimes, however, you wonder if such warnings are exaggerated to increase air travel. (Last month on the road to Angkor from Poipet I was told the road is kept in deliberate piss-poor condition as PM Hun Sen is in tight with the Bangkok Air boys).

 

If I understand Samak correctly, the Mekong serves as a buffer zone, that is to enter it one must enter the opposing country first. This is not a problem for Thais but is for foreigners, who require visas. Thus from Chiang Khong, it seems the Thais use it as a jumping off point for the short boat hop to the Golden Triangle, which is a stylin' way to enter, whereas the foreigners feel obliged to travel upcountry.

[gobbledonk]

Hi Sfinx,

 

I've never been to Laos, but one of the Pilot Guides docos recently covered the journey up the Mekong to Luang Prabang, and it looked pretty daunting. Amazing country on each side of the river, but not too much in the way of roadworks. Whether it was purely for effect or not, our guide seemed to be getting into progressively smaller boats at each stage of the trip, and each boat sat lower in the water. By the time he left, I swear the poor bastard was wearing a snorkel ::

[sfinkz]

G'day AW-That's it, then, what I need is satellite TV to satisfy my curiosity as a British neighbor was giving me the low-down on Luang Prabang based on a travel show he had recently seen. Here, however, there seems to be a national guilt with regards to Laos and we don't hear anything except when one of the 2000 unaccounted for POW's is identified. Unlike other countries in the region, trade relations not restored at the insistence of the Hmong leader exiled here in California.

 

Right you are about lack of roadworks. Actually, I believe, more miles of navigable rivers than roads, which is one of the ironies of this landlocked country. It's not all freshwater, however, as upwards of 40% of the 6 million Laotians (which may make it the least dense of Asian countries) lack access to potable water, a major environmental problem in addition to the massive amounts of unexploded ordinance 30 years after more bombs dropped on it than in all the WWII theatres.

 

The roads are being constructed and near completion, though, with Thai-backing to facilitate their trade (north-south, Yunnan to Nong Khai and east-west, Vietnam to Mukdaharn). Traffic, as far as Laos is concerned, can only increase trafficking as some village headmen have observed, 'The only way we will be able to get them to stop is by offering our girls.'

[chuckwoww]

From Chiang Kong you cross the river to Tha Buck and then your basic choice is between fast boats and slow boats to Luang Prabang. The fast boat is noisy and uncomfortable but gets you to LP in about 7 hours. The slow boats take 2 days with an overnight stop.

There is a lot thamadda and a tourist bus from LP to Vientiane. Either one can break down and they both take all day. The road is surfaced but hilly. I don't know how much you should worry about the bandits/Hmong rebels. Just bad luck if your bus gets hit I guess.

There is very little in the way of nightlife in Vientiane and none at all in Luang Prabang (still an important shrine.....to Buddhists anyway) though there are plenty of cafes. Lao people tend to be a bit reserved and they go to bed early.

[chuckwoww]

Sorry.....the Lao border town across from Chiang Kong is called Huay Xai not Tha Buk. If you have time get somebody to take you fishing......