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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.
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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 {7 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…)

48 hours: Winging it Solo in Vientiane

Filed under Laos tips & stays, Vientiane by Christine Ka'aloa on July 28, 2011 at 3:06 pm {4 comments}

My first impression of Vientiane?

Dust. Dirt. Dry. Barren.

Vientiane was warm for winter, with no oasis of lush vegetation to seduce the eyes. I had just spent a horribly restless night on my overnight train , crossing the border from Thailand into Laos. I was wanting to be impressed..

When I arrived at the Laotian capital, I was still waiting…

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What will your Kip buy in Laos budget hostels and hotels?

Filed under Accommodations, Laos by Christine Ka'aloa on June 23, 2011 at 12:37 am {4 comments}

Mixay Guesthouse in Vientiane

In Laos, it seems that you’ll always have a place to lay your head. Even if it’s peak season.

Taking advantage of Laos’ budget holiday accommodations is where the backpacking fun is at. But awesome digs at a quarter of the cost takes real shopping. You might want to figure out if it’s worth your time. While I didn’t come across many guesthouses which dazzled me with electric chic, the pads I slumbered in might give you an idea of the backpacker budget median you’ll find in Vientiane, Nong Khiaw, Muong Ngoi and Luang Prabang. (more…)

Surviving the overnight seater train to Laos

Filed under Laos, Laos tips & stays by Christine Ka'aloa on March 28, 2011 at 5:37 am {12 comments}

Taking the overland train from Bangkok to Nong Khai (to Laos)

Sometimes life throws you a condition that isn’t satisfactory or even palatable. Let’s say you’re crossing overland from Thailand to Laos (via Nong Khai), you got the last seat on an overnight train and it’s a seater! Should you be worried?…

Well, you show up as scheduled to find your train isn’t a luxury Thai sleeper train but is god-awful noisy, seats munchkin-sized passengers, it’s an 11 hour ride and the AC is sending you into hypothermia. This is the worst ride of your life! What do you do?

… Whatever you can.

I thought I could learn to live with temporarily uncomfortable situations– I thought wrong.

We all go through moments of personal horrors stories. Not every travel condition is ideal…

When I boarded my car, my jaw nearly fell. I flashed back to the moment when the station guy at the ticket counter told me I was getting the last seat on the train.

Did I buy third class seats?!

No AC but a fan blowing warm air and narrow, miniature bench seats. For a full car, I didn’t know how my bags would fit.

The “princess” in me panicked.

Third class. Iffy.

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