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Highs and Laos - Southeast Asia's Secret Shangri-la
divinecaroline.com — Laos is one of the last “off the beaten track” destinations for tourists and travelers who have become jaded with the creeping homogenization of global culture.
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- stignordas, on 07/22/2008, -0/+28Nice write up! My friend rode through Laos on a small motorcycle after a very long ordeal with customs agents. Strangely he was only able to bring in a small displacement motorcycle because of safety. He said it was gorgeous.
- mitzuzake, on 07/22/2008, -0/+20The Plain of Jars is so spooky, it's too bad about all the unexploded bombs in the area . Cute/scary that the local people call them "bombies".
- mecharabbit, on 07/23/2008, -1/+4It's too bad that Laos had to suffer also for the Vietnam War. So much tragedy. The U.S., Vietnam, and Laos all suffered a great deal. It is a good lesson in the futility of war. My father fought in Vietnam and he never talks about the terrible things he experienced there, and I never ask about it. I hope we never forget what happened there, but I also hope that we will all be willing to experience the beauty of Southeast Asia and its people.
- JoJones, on 07/22/2008, -0/+3Loas is a gorgeous place, I was there in 2004, take a slow boat down the Mekong and you will see some of the most amazing countryside Southeast Asia has too experience!
- sksteiger, on 07/22/2008, -0/+4I spent a week and a half durring a two month stint in Southeast Asia about a year ago and it was amazing. Of all the places on the trip (traveling the world for 6 months) there wasn't a more acute example of a kind stranger. Knowing none of the local language and in the search for food, my travel buddy and I went looking for some grub in Luang Prubang (spell?) and found a little storefront restaurant. There was only one local eating at the only table available and we asked him to the best of our ability, through an effort that was mostly gesture based, if the restaurant was still serving food. They were, and we ended up with some delicious noodles on the super-cheap, but at first he thought that we were asking to share and without hesitation he tried to share his meal with us. It really stuck with me as a great random act of kindness.
If you would like to see the pictures that we took you can see them at the (unfinished) photoblog. I know it's not well polished, but the pics are there if you are interested.
http://mac.web.com/sksteigerwald - Hiji, on 07/22/2008, -6/+11Who is Divine Caroline paying to get this ***** on Digg?
- locomien, on 07/22/2008, -1/+1When I was there quiet a few years back.....I converted maybe $150 US into Laotion money. I litterally walked around with 2 grocery bags full of paper money!!! Not recommended since a lot of the off beaten roads have shiesty people who would probably rob you in a heartbeat.
- carlos259, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2A trip there would definitely be more than a few steps away from the traditional western vacation. Reading this makes me want to take one.
- KikoCy, on 07/23/2008, -1/+10Highs and Laos - I see what you did there.
- WiseWeasel, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6Riddle me this, submitter; if you're so concerned with Laos being "one of the last 'off the beaten track' destinations for tourists and travelers who have become jaded with the creeping homogenization of global culture", then shouldn't I bury this story to keep it that way? : P
- WordsnCollision, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1You should not, because (a) the nature of Laos, time needed and travel expenses make it a prohibitive trip for "typical" tourists, (b) those who do end up making the trip will help a struggling economy with their dollars/pounds/yen, and (c) it's satisfying to know there ARE still places like Laos, regardless of whether you visit or not.
Now i have a similar riddle for you, c/o the late George Carlin: "If God is all-powerful, can he make a rock so big that he himself can't lift it?"- WiseWeasel, on 07/23/2008, -1/+3That one's easy: No, he's not all-powerful, since he's fictional.
- WordsnCollision, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1You should not, because (a) the nature of Laos, time needed and travel expenses make it a prohibitive trip for "typical" tourists, (b) those who do end up making the trip will help a struggling economy with their dollars/pounds/yen, and (c) it's satisfying to know there ARE still places like Laos, regardless of whether you visit or not.
- PardonneMoi, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Wow, this is timely for me because I've been looking into a trip to Thailand and Laos is a pretty short distance away. Anyone that's been in the region have any tips for sightseeing?
- mizike, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Make Bangkok your home base. Plan your trip roughly, but work out the details when you get there. You will guaranteed save money by working out the details when you get there as the local travel agents will be cheaper than anything you can find online. They will all speak English so you don't need to worry about language barriers. If you're traveling alone, there are lots of tours where they will cater to people of similar age groups (ie., if you're 20 they'll put you on a tour with other 20 year olds). It's a great way to meet people and feel a bit more secure if you're on your own. You should definitely do a tour of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. When taking cabs or buying things from a market, never pay the asking price, immediately reduce it by 50% and you'll be closer to the price they actually expect to get. The beaches in the south of Thailand are not to be missed, some of the islands have become really touristy (Koh Samui for one), but there are still quite a few places which, while still somewhat touristy, are much more authentic. If you're looking to party, Koh Phagnan is the place to go. Actually Koh Phangan is a great place to go regardless, really laid back, not too touristy, parties if you want them, if you don't, you can easily avoid them and just chill in your hut / on the beach.
- whorunbartertwn, on 07/23/2008, -0/+0Unless your trip is months he'd be biting off way to much visiting Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Stop to smell the roses, or lotus flowers in this case.
Either way as much as Laos has to offer if it's your first trip to the region hit Thailand and maybe depending on your time swing through Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. Careful on the Cambodia tour though mizike is right on about tourist groups but beware the cheapo bus trips you catch from Kao San road... those scam buses will often be twice as long as promised and you'll get his with all sorts of fees.
If you do decide Thailand I recommend the North. Fly up to Chiang Mai, fly to Mae Hong Song over on the Burmese border, then take the loop up thru Pai. It's absolutely gorgeous mountain scenery up there and feels far less resortish than South beaches.
Vietnam is great (I mean really great) but for a side trip from Thailand you're probably gonna have to fly and it's much more of a take your time North to South (or S to N) kinda deal. Make Vietnam it's own trip, Cambodia is more something you can see some of the bigger sites on a cross border Thailand dash. - PardonneMoi, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1Thanks for your advice!
- Jhiaxuz, on 07/23/2008, -0/+7HANK: This is my new neighbor.
DALE: He's Japanese.
COTTON: No he ain't. He's Laotian. Ain't you, Mr. Kahn?- amonthei, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5BILL: He's from the ocean.
- JeffSpicoli, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Mr Kahn (clap clap) .. mah bags!
- Moisgreat, on 07/23/2008, -0/+0Divine Caroline has been watching Anthony Bourdain on the Travel Channel.
- gumby05, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1So if it's landlocked, why is the picture near the ocean?
- KingGorilla, on 07/23/2008, -1/+2It could be a lake. They have lakes outside the US right? Or is that just an American thing?
- Moisgreat, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Laos has only a few small lakes and natural wetlands, but hydroelectric dams form huge artificial lakes. A notable example is the Nam Ngum dam near Vientiane.
- futureisours, on 07/23/2008, -6/+1Yeah but how much are the teenage hookers?
- stagmire, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1Cambodia is way more fun. Laos has lots of pretty countryside but traveling around takes forever on their crappy roads. I wouldn't suggest it unless you have a ***** of time to kill.
- mille716, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Are you saying then that Cambodia has good roads? Have you taken the Poi Pet to Siem Reap drive?
- funkymoose, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1the roads have gotten MUCH better in the past few years. Just in general, I don't know about the specific road you're talking about.
- stagmire, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1"Have you taken the Poi Pet to Siem Reap drive?"
lol, who takes that road when you can fly for like $100? Not to mention the ten hours it takes to get through the border crossing on weekends when all the Thai gamblers flock to the casinos.
In any case, that's the only really nasty road you'll have to take in Cambodia. And it can be done in less than 6 hours if splurge and pay the $15 or whatever for a Camry taxi. If you're cheap pay $5 and get there about as quickly in the back of a pickup truck. Just don't pay for the ripoff ***** buses that arrive at 3am and force you to stay and their ***** guesthouse.
You'll have no trouble getting around the rest of Cambodia, and truth be told you won't really need to because there's enough to see and do to keep you occupied in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
In Laos you go to one sleepy village, look at the mountains, then sit on a bus for 12 hours until you get to another sleepy village where you look at the mountains, then get on another bus for 12 hours until you get to another sleepy village where you look at the river, and on and on and on. All told, if you have only a week or two to spend traveling, Laos will force you to spend half your time bored to death on a big ass bus wondering when you're going to get to the next rest stop so you can finally take a dump.
- WordsnCollision, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2That's where the "off the beaten track" thing comes in :o)
- mille716, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Are you saying then that Cambodia has good roads? Have you taken the Poi Pet to Siem Reap drive?
- mille716, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Weird. I just arrived in Laos last night from Vietnam. After spending a week in Vietnam and only one night here I can already verify that the people are way more laid back and polite. For example, I had a taxi driver follow me around Saigon for 25 minutes trying to get me to hire him after repeatedly yet firmly telling him I was just going to walk. This was not out of the ordinary for Vietnam (and Cambodia actually). When I arrived here (Luang Prabang) last night and was walking around not one person hassled me for anything yet everybody has been excessively polite. I love this place already.
P.S. - The reason I'm in an internet cafe is that its raining right now. - aceinhibitor, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Is anyone becoming jaded with the "creeping homogenization" of global backpackers?
- jdog2050, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1Laos is awesome. I went last year around this time and it was amazing. Once you get up into the mountains it's like the clouds are only a few feet away. The people are so damned nice. I'm American and was constantly shocked that there was just no hatred there; I probably felt uncomfortable in Thailand more than in Laos.
- tehknotte, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1I am good at calculation.
- pennvneff, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Traveled around SE Asia for about a year back in 2000, I spent a lot of time throughout that area. During that time, Laos wasn't that interesting but back in 2000 there really wasn't a whole lot to do in Laos except to see the Plain of Jars. That and kind of walk around with a sense of horror because it seemed everything was put together using metal from old American bombs.
I'm sure a lot has changed in the past 8 years throughout that whole region, when I was in Cambodia it was still generally known as place for cheap weed, Happy Pizza, and the temples in Siem Reap. When I was there they had just finished building the first luxury hotel but the area was mostly all backpackers. And even then, you walk through Ankor Wat and without seeing a whole lot of other people. - cadora, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1my fiancee is Laotian. does that count?
- paehk, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0Hi there,
Great post, I've also shared here: http://www.iloho.com/posts/3088-Highs-and-Laos. - vendo, on 08/27/2008, -0/+0Looks like an absolutely gorgeous country. Other photos of Laos I found: http://www.fotegrafik.com/gallery/laos+scenery
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