Slow Boat
As we made our way from Chiang Rai to the Laotian border, we braced our ourselves for the chaos we had grown accustomed to during border crossings - long lines, random bag checks, frenzied crowds, and furious head nodding at documentation questions. Yet when we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised with the opposite. Affectionate smiles greeted us and an oddly peaceful energy permeated the building. Other than the exchange of a few khop jai’s (thank you), the entire experience was quiet and warm, not out of formality but rather what felt like a genuine acceptance. It’s hard to explain, but the feeling was acute even at a trivial border crossing. The calm of the country and its people struck us in that moment, and it was a quality that ended up shaping our experience during our 5 days in Laos.
Crossing the border from Thailand to Laos
Our journey from the border town of Huay Xai to the historic city of Luang Prabang began with a 2-day boat ride through the tributaries of the Mekong River. True to its name, the slow boat requires 16 hours and an overnight stop in the village of Pak Beng to make its entire trip. It was akin to taking a local bus, but on water. We prepared for the long journey with snacks (you’d be surprised where in the world you can find Oreos and Pringles) and local beer (ah, Beerlao).
Long journey, slow boats
The slow boats were long and narrow, with cramped rows of car seats nailed into the ground. The close quarters meant getting to know your neighbors as well, which we did. Foreign backpackers made up half the boat and locals filled the rest. Not surprisingly, they came better prepared than us with lunches of sticky rice and fresh spring rolls.
Inside the boat with our young captain and some fresh caught lunch
The environment felt similar to the Amazon - a rapid, brown river surrounded by lush, tropical greenery everywhere - but lacked its intense humidity, even in the midst of the rainy season. We lucked out with overcast skies and a relatively quick current that brought in an absolutely wonderful breeze during our daily 8-hour trips. We read, we chatted and we napped. But we mostly we stared outside the boat. Rolling past nothing other than green hills, other boats and the occasional fisherman for hours, I found myself mentally quiet and at ease. It’s funny how it doesn’t take much to be content, something that completely escapes me in daily life. In this case, I learned that cool breeze, no WiFi, and hours of a confined quiet time can do the trick.
Rolling through the jungle
Our overnight stay in Pak Beng was memorable. Stepping off the boat after a long day’s journey, we were of course greeted by an Indian local who passed us a flier for his Indian restaurant in town. Yes, that’s right. In a rural, Laotian village with no more than a few thousand folks and few dozen restaurants, we met the one Indian immigrant who found his niche selling Indian food to tired tourists looking for a unique meal, or in our case, a taste of something familiar. Have to love that hustle. We of course had to try his restaurant (not bad given the remote location) and a few Laotian dishes as well, including the laap, a delicious blend of ground chicken, lemongrass, shallots and other veggies and herbs served with sticky rice.
Waiting for our Indian meal 😆 and morning views of the Mekong River from our hostel in Pak Beng
The next day, we made our way to one of our favorite cities during our Asia tour, Luang Prabang.
