Most times there will be a language barrier but this shouldn’t stop you from trying food carts. At first, we would move cautiously up to the food cart, looking at each other, whispering ‘do you think it’s safe to eat? What is that?’ and then point to something asking ‘how much?’ If you do ask how much, it may cause the street vendor to stop, think, and decide to tell you an inflated price. We now confidently walk up to the cart, have a look, put two fingers up, nod, hold out some cash, and hope for change. Just pretend you know what you’re doing! At times you will need…
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15 Photos from 27 days in Northern Laos
The first trip through Laos started in the northern town of Muang Khua, then took us down the Nam Ou river to Nong Khiaw, through the capital Vientiane and ended with the Thakhek motorbike loop in central Laos. Below is an unedited selection from the Laos photo gallery that we captured during our 27 day trip through this beautiful country. We started in the north east town of Muang Khua and after much negotiating caught a boat down the Nam Ou river to Nong Khiaw. We stopped along the river bank at a small village and found these curious children playing on the river’s mud bank. Our trek in northern…
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Laotian Toilets
Laotian toilets are everywhere. In the bush, behind that tree, outside that building. I was first introduced to a Laotian toilet when we were at the border from Vietnam to Laos. We were at the Laos checkpoint, stamping into the country, and everyone was busting to pee. We had after all, just been on an overnight bus from Sapa. I bravely stepped forward and asked the stern looking official where the toilet was. He looked at me for about 20 seconds, before pointing outside to some waist height mini trees. A bush? Was the toilet behind that bush? Was there a hole purposely dug out for this purpose behind that…
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Soutchai Travel Agency Guesthouse – Pakse, Laos
Price 40,000 kip fan room 60,000 kip air-conditioning What A basic double room, shared bathroom, hot shower, wifi in room, small balcony Where View Nangnoi & Soutchai Guesthouses – Pakse in a larger map Comments A surprisingly nice room for 40,000 kip. Dark wooden paneling with a large bed. Very stuffy during the day but was pleasant with the fan switched on during the night. Downstairs is a travel agency managed by one daughter who speaks English. There were two bathrooms downstairs inside, and a few squat toilets outside where they also have some poorly located ‘bungalows’ for 50,000 kip. Bathrooms were not the cleanest, but usable, and I believe…
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Nangnoi Guesthouse – Pakse, Laos
Cost 70,000 kip (LAK) What Clean fan room, en-suite bathroom, hot shower, wifi in room, double bed, balcony Where View Nangnoi & Soutchai Guesthouses – Pakse in a larger map Comment Run by a Laotian couple with their two children, this is a highly organized guesthouse. There are only about 10 rooms and each are located within the same building were the young family also live. The room was impeccably clean and comfortable. The bedding was white and we did not use our sleep sheets. Nangnoi rents motorbikes out at 60,000 kip a day, or 50,000 kip if you take it for a few days. They also provide a drawn…
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A Silly Calf and the Mother Who Tried to Kill Us
Passed a herd of cows resting on the road from 4,000 islands along the Mekong. In the confusion a calf thought our motorbike was its mum and started running alongside us. Next thing I know a giant cow is chasing us, mooing and huffing and galloping. Lionel thought it was hilarious and was trying to pat the baby calf while keeping the bike balanced at 5kms an hour. I was swearing and yelling, ‘The mother is coming for us, GO, GO, GO!!’ I was bugging out cowering, waiting for a giant cow to rear end us. Finally we took off and the baby cow kept chasing us, struggling to keep…
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The Day I Killed A Goat
We were riding from Sekhong to Attapeu in Southern Laos, when I saw this. It was so funny that I had to get Lionel to stop the bike. I then tried to save the goat with a tin can on its head. Instead, I scared it and it ran across the road. A 4WD hit the goat. A local then picked up the dead goat, slung it over his shoulders, and grinned at me as he took it home. FML.
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How To Say Hello in Laos and our First Impressions of Pakse
Laos is such a chilled out place. It is still relatively friendly as it is a new tourist destination. Not as intense with as Vietnam or Thailand. It’s worth learning how to say hello in Laos, or thank you, as it’s something small that the locals will really appreciate. It’s very handy and it’s always nice to wave and stop to say hello to the locals who are just as intrigued with you as you are with them! How do you say Hello in Laos? Sa Bai Di The easiest way to say hello in Laos is to sound it out slowly. Literally read what is written. Sah. Bye. D. How…
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Beer Lao Company. Our Experience During The Factory Tour
We always thought Vientiane is a cool little city. However there is not a ton of things to do here. So, today we thought, we’d check out the Beer Lao Company and do their factory tour. What does the Beer Lao Company factory tour cost? The price per person to partake in the tour is 40,000 kip. This will certainly not break even the tightest budget! What does the tour entail? Firstly, you get to watch a basic corporate video in their private air-conditioned cinema. The video details the Beer Lao company history, investor statistics and what awards the beer Lao has been awarded. I would call it beer propaganda! It…
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Bangkok to Vientiane by Night Train
We decided to go from Bangkok to Vientiane using the night train which would leave at 8pm, arriving in Nong Khai at 7.30am. You can’t actually buy a direct ticket from Bangers to Vientiane, so you’ll need to go through Nong Khai. Nong Khai is the border town on the Thai side. We took the local bus No. 53 from Samsen St to the train station and bought our tickets the day before. The train station was old but still grand, as all interstate train stations are, and we were approached twice by helpful women with official lanyards around their necks eager to help us. Trust these women as they…
