Laos | GRRRL TRAVELER

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Laos

Filed under Laos, Laos tips & stays by Christine Ka'aloa on November 30, 2011 at 8:18 pm {3 comments}

luang prabang river
After writing my Top 5 things to do in Luang Prabang, you’d think I’d be done; but then one of my readers asked me what my Top 5 things to do in Laos were. For a country you don’t often hear about, you can never have too many lists.

The truth is, when I got there, I really wasn’t sure what there was to do and even now, after having had the most wonderful time, I’m still uncertain. So for this post, I’m going to grab a little help from other travelers. You won’t be bowled over by a checklist of itinerary activities to do there; that’s not the point. Laos is largely rural; it has marvelous beauty, nice treks and subtle charm. Simply put, traveling Laos is to get lost and take your time soaking in the experience of it.
(more…)

Exploring Beautiful Laos with Trekking

Filed under Great Outdoors, Laos by Christine Ka'aloa on November 28, 2011 at 4:52 am {4 comments}

These days I enjoy trekking where it’s possible. Aside from a great workout, I like visiting mountain life, its lush and pristine settings of streams, hills and rice paddy fields and simple, hardworking and content inhabitants.

I arrived in Muong Ngoi. Closer to trekking routes and offering lower tour prices, I decided to take a trek from my guide at my guesthouse.

Mary was a Dutch woman in her 50′s, who had traveled for over two years now, solo. We had met on the boat and decided to share a room in Muong Ngoi. Now we hoping to take a day trek.

“It’s an easy walking trek,” Aoot, our guide pitched as he sized up Mary, two senior U.K. ladies and myself.

Easy walking?

My enthusiasm dropped notches. No gasping for air with breathless intensity? No hard-burning physical workout. This didn’t seem like the treks I’d (more…)

Photo Essay: Escape to the secret village of Muong Ngoi Neua

Filed under Laos, Luang Prabang & N.Laos by Christine Ka'aloa on November 21, 2011 at 9:33 pm {7 comments}

: Welcome to the Lao’ village of Muong Ngoi Nuea

Muong Ngoi Neua is a beautiful cove of a village, one hour north of Nong Khieuw on the scenic Nam Ou River, accessible by boat. An authentic Lao village, it sits in seclusion between towering mountains and is a serene haven for frazzled travelers to kick back or launch into trekking.

Is it a secret? Yes and no. It’s in tourist guidebooks, but it’s strays off-the-beaten path and is not over-run with tourists yet. Here, the Lao lifestyle is clearly chill and simple. The small village has one Buddhist temple, a school, a trekking agency and one worn and dusty main road, tenanted by roosters, dogs, local women and playing children. At night, local men gather around open fires to chat over their day; others, occasionally gather outside the unofficial community TV house to catch a peek of (more…)

Photo Essay: Is Laos still a virginal beauty?

Filed under Laos, Photo Essays by Christine Ka'aloa on November 3, 2011 at 2:57 am {4 comments}

top photography Laos

At first, visiting the tourist cities of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, my spirits were a little low. Vientiane was a bland-spirited, straight-faced urban player with few bones of humor to pick; and though, Luang Prabang was inviting as a foreigner-friendly, party-throwing mecca, convivial to tourists, its only dwellers seemed to be travelers, monks and those who work in tourism. Where was the virgin Laos I’d heard about from others?

Hitting the Laotian countryside, the facades of French colonial architecture melted away. Concrete turned to wood and earth, revealing a Laotian maiden. Small communities of bamboo hut villages, wrapped in the karst landscape that’s fed by the Mekong snake. Rice paddy fields stretch over the land like canvas and locals enjoy the simple unfettered existence of ‘village life’.

Outside of the cities, rural Laos is ‘purely’ refreshing... (more…)

Top 5 things to do in Luang Prabang

Filed under Laos, Laos tips & stays by Christine Ka'aloa on October 31, 2011 at 10:58 pm {8 comments}

: Luang Prabang’s main street

At the heart of Northern Laos rests Luang Prabang. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the small city blends old European colonial architecture with a Lao urban structure and has a bit of everything. From river beach to tourist bars and riverside restaurants, roadside baguette stands and Buddhist temples, the diverse jewel of a city can easily be explored on foot or bicycle. So with all there is to see, what should you actually do?

Here’s 5 things to top your itinerary:

1) The view from the top of Mount Phou Si

Sometimes, I’m all for sentimental travel cliches. Watching sunsets and city views from mountain peaks are quickly becoming one of them! As the highest hill point in Luang Prabang, Mount Phou Si beckons travelers with an alluring and romantic view of the city. It’s a casual 8-10 minute stroll up (more…)

Photo Essay: Vientiane after Dark

Filed under Laos, Photo Essays by Christine Ka'aloa on October 30, 2011 at 10:45 pm {no comments}

Photos of Vientiane at night

Full Story »

How to get around in Laos

Filed under Laos, Where can I get a ride? by Christine Ka'aloa on October 21, 2011 at 10:32 pm {12 comments}

When I took the overnight train into Laos, that was the start of my adventure with Laos transportation. Getting around in Laos isn’t hard but it can occasionally be interesting. Check your expectations at the door and go along with the fun.

Full Story »

Photo Essay: Finding the bizarre at Buddha Park (Vientiane, Laos)

Filed under Photo Essays, Vientiane by Christine Ka'aloa on October 10, 2011 at 3:04 am {6 comments}

Tired of dingy rooms for your budget dollars? Does your hotel stay shape your love of a place? Sometimes for me, it does. From bungalows, boutique hotels, guesthouse resorts and overnight trains… in Thailand you can experience a gamut of ways to lay your head or rest on your laurels. Thailand inspires a wealth of wanderlust, affordable tour packages and unique accommodations that budget holiday travelers won’t have to cringe about.

Though Thailand isn’t as cheap as it used to be; the prices are still pretty good and matched with the Thai aspiration to provide first class service, it’s raised my standards for travel considerably.

Full Story »

Fear Factor Foods in Laos

Filed under Fear Factor Foods, Laos by Christine Ka'aloa on August 22, 2011 at 6:55 pm {9 comments}

As an American, I’ve lived most of my life in a shiny glass bubble…

So for me, traveling is my time to experience bold new adventures and broaden the glossy sheen of my bubble. One of the greatest thrills for me in visiting Asian/Southeast Asian countries, is encountering the unique culture shock or Fear Factor (see my Korea post here) of its different cuisines.