I booked space on a “luxury” slow boat trip from Houayxay, Laos to Luang Prabang, Laos with Shompoo cruises. I found only two companies advertising luxury cruises and while Shompoo was more expensive than the other, it was the only one operating on the day I needed to depart. I was happy with the choice. When I told them where I’d be staying the night before departure, they said they’d have someone meet me at my hotel in Thailand and escort me through the somewhat complicated border crossing into Laos. It was nice to know that I would not need to figure out all the pieces of getting from my hotel across the border and to the boat all on my own.
It takes two days to cover the distance from Houayxay to Luan Prabang by slow boat. We would cover less than half the total distance the first day because we had to cross from Thailand to Laos (a bus or taxi to the Thai border, passport control exiting Thailand, a ride on a bus across a bridge, passport control entering Laos which required payment of fees and obtaining a visa requiring payment of more fees, and then a bus/taxi to the boat dock) before starting down river. We also stopped at a local village (Ban Paksith) the first day. I thought the visiting the village was awkward. While I found it interesting to see how people lived and was pleased to learn that the boat company contributed money to help the village, I couldn’t help but feel that many of the people tolerated the visit, but they didn’t like people gawking at them. I can’t say I blame them as there was nothing subtle about 30+ people traipsing through their village and taking pictures.
Just before arriving at Pak Beng, a one-road town whose existence depends on river boats overnighting on their two-day voyage to or from Luan Prabang, we passed the construction site for a dam. China has built several dams upstream from Thailand and it is currently building two dams on the section I’d be traversing. One group we spoke to who are working to preserve the Mekong and who are opposed to dams said they believed construction had been halted while their litigation was pending. It was clear that this was not the case at either proposed dam site.
We pulled into Pak Beng, a little after 5:00 pm. Pak Beng is essentially a one road town whose existence depends on river boats overnighting on their two-day voyage to or from Luan Prabang. I made my way to my hotel; the Sanctuary lodge, which is across the river from an elephant sanctuary, and enjoyed the sunset from my balcony.
The next morning we got underway a little after 7:30. We had 180 some kilometers to go to Luang Prabang and two scheduled stops. I enjoyed watching the every changing river scenery.
The first stop on the second day was a village that makes rice whiskey, known as Lao Lao. Apparently the tradition of making whiskey goes back many years, but it is really nothing more than moonshine. I think most people were surprised to see the cooked rice mash or whatever it’s called fermenting in plastic garbage cans! I know I was. There was also a temple to visit and streets lined with people selling souvenirs. I suspect the boat stops there in an effort to bring tourist money into the village.
Just before we rounded the bend in the river to the final stretch to Luang Probang and the Pak Ou caves described below, we passed a bridge for the China railways high speed rail that connects China with the Laos capital, Vientian, and then the second dam site. This one was much further along in development and very busy with construction activity. Our guide indicated that the dam would raise the river level 20-25 meters. He indicated that the government says they will install locks to allow boats to continue to navigate, but not only will it take boats much longer to go up and down in locks, but it will dramatically change the nature of the river by creating large lakes behind the dams and altering the river flow and ability for fish to travel up and down the river. The guide was reluctant to share his true feelings with me about the dams as dissent is not well tolerated by the Laos government.
The second stop was at Pak Ou caves, which was very close to Luang Probang. The caves are a popular excursion from Luang Probang and there were a constant stream of boats departing and arriving while we were there. There are two caves that are filled with budhas. The upper cave required climbing several hundred stairs. The stairs were not a standard or uniform height requiring concentration when ascending or descending to avoid tripping. It was very dark in the upper cave, so many people used their phone’s to light the way and avoid stumbling.
The river trip ended about 45 minutes after leaving Pak Ou caves. I was met at the boat by a driver who took me to my home for the next several days. When I told the guide that I was staying at the Victoria Xiengthong Palace at the advice of my friend. He said, is your friend the King. I thought he was joking, but it turns out the hotel is on the grounds of the last home of the former Laos King.
