Mekong Archives - Asian Itinerary https://asianitinerary.com/tag/mekong/ Travel, Holiday, Adventure Fri, 30 Aug 2024 05:56:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Laos, an itinerary at the edge of time https://asianitinerary.com/laos-an-itinerary-at-the-edge-of-time/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=laos-an-itinerary-at-the-edge-of-time Mon, 07 Aug 2023 10:55:38 +0000 https://asianitinerary.com/?p=56330

This is the account of a journey that Percorsi di Viaggio has recently made. Let me tell you that this has been a highly exciting and very photogenic journey, a journey mid-way between natural and ethnic, one that led us to visit an unknown number of local villages inhabited by tribes almost all originating from China. All this in a fascinating and varied setting made of hills of different aspect: some covered by luxuriant woods and inhabited by various species of wild animals including bears, deers and tigers; others stripped of vegetation due to the fires started by farmers to re-fertilize the fields, but not for this less suggestive. We visited Northern Laos in a journey that took us from the border with Thailand, near the province of Chiang Rai, up to Vientiane. Part of the journey was along what for years was considered the main communication route of this country, the Mekong River, which crosses Laos almost along its entire length, marking the border with Thailand for many kilometres, until it flows inside Cambodia. From there, it will continue its journey up to its mouth, in part along winding roads, sometimes dirt tracks and often roads full of holes, roads that climb and then descend on the sides of the country’s highest hills. Breathtaking landscapes, at times even dramatic routes whose end was almost impossible to imagine, with hairpin bends, some uphill and some downhill, constantly traveled by trucks that, trudging along, move goods to and from China, to and from Vietnam. Along these, we saw poor but dignified villages spring up from time to time, rich in their own history, culture and traditions. Villages where, accompanied by Phonsi, our skilled guide, we were allowed to visit houses, villages where water is a common good and everyone has to go and get it from the fountains that arise in one or more parts of the village. A life where inhabitants are forced to steal inches from the land for their crops which, sometimes, do not develop on terraces but vertically. Other ‘suspended people’ who nevertheless do not hesitate to welcome you with a sincere smile that fills your heart, but also makes you realise how privileged we are. It all started at dawn on that first day of travel when we crossed the border to embark on a traditional boat that would take us over the course of a day to our first stop: Pakbeng. A comfortable and spacious boat, a dozen traveling companions, a guide, Deng, also very helpful, and below us the Mekong, a vast, yellow, muddy liquid which flowed in our same direction, at times placid, at times more impetuous, at times agitated by the rapids. During the first stretch, the river marks the border between Laos and Thailand representing, if not really a land, a ‘nobody’s water’, which is really a water for everyone, where fishing boats move casually from one to the other side as if a border didn’t exist at all. Laos and Thailand are countries linked by a solid friendship, and military garrisons to protect the border along both banks of the river are not perceived as needed here. With my eyes I follow the route of our boat, which, based on emerging and non-emerging rocks and on the depth of the river, sails alternating one bank of the river and the other in a sort of ping pong match. It is as if, in spite of ourselves, on the one hand we did not want to distance ourselves from where we came from, and on the other hand Laos wants to appear unreachable. And perhaps, metaphorically speaking, it is a little unreachable. It is with a touch of melancholy that I think about my friend Corrado, who loved crossing borders on foot to stay, for a few seconds, with one foot already in one country and one foot still in the other.  I realise that I am experiencing a similar situation, perhaps less solid and a little more liquid. He also loved the Mekong, Corrado, to the point of mentioning it in the title of his first novel: ‘Father Mekong’. With its approximately 4880 kilometres, the Mekong is the seventh longest river in the world and the fourth longest in Asia. It has its source in China and its mouth in the South China Sea, the large and grandiose Mekong Delta in Vietnam, and its waters touch Burma, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. In Laos, the Mekong is particularly important and cannot be considered only as a waterway, as it represents the lifeblood of the country’s economy and of the people who live along its banks. It provides a source of food, water and transportation, it represents an important source of hydroelectric energy, as well as an ecosystem that supports a diverse range of plants and animal species. It is therefore obvious that many cities and villages depend on this river. This is the case, for example, of the village of Karg Lare, our only stop along the way, which stands on the left bank of the Mekong and it is inhabited by members of the Khamu ethnic group. It is a relatively recent settlement created by government-sponsored migration from mountainous areas, where inhabitants were more exposed to disease, where the level of hygiene was very poor and, for logistic reasons, access to education was minimal. In their original settlement, the inhabitants dedicated themselves to hunting and smoking opium; in the new village, as well as having greater access to water resources, they have spaces used as schools and can enjoy the support of shipping companies on the Mekong which in turn bring visitors. The village can be reached from the river bank by climbing an improbable stairway. It is located high enough not to be reached by the floods during rainy season, and it is made up of wooden or bamboo houses built on stilts. While crossing it, you meet many children, some of whom take care of others even...

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]]>

This is the account of a journey that Percorsi di Viaggio has recently made. Let me tell you that this has been a highly exciting and very photogenic journey, a journey mid-way between natural and ethnic, one that led us to visit an unknown number of local villages inhabited by tribes almost all originating from China. All this in a fascinating and varied setting made of hills of different aspect: some covered by luxuriant woods and inhabited by various species of wild animals including bears, deers and tigers; others stripped of vegetation due to the fires started by farmers to re-fertilize the fields, but not for this less suggestive.

The authors on board ready to leave – photo by Issara Adisorn

We visited Northern Laos in a journey that took us from the border with Thailand, near the province of Chiang Rai, up to Vientiane. Part of the journey was along what for years was considered the main communication route of this country, the Mekong River, which crosses Laos almost along its entire length, marking the border with Thailand for many kilometres, until it flows inside Cambodia. From there, it will continue its journey up to its mouth, in part along winding roads, sometimes dirt tracks and often roads full of holes, roads that climb and then descend on the sides of the country’s highest hills.

Breathtaking landscapes, at times even dramatic routes whose end was almost impossible to imagine, with hairpin bends, some uphill and some downhill, constantly traveled by trucks that, trudging along, move goods to and from China, to and from Vietnam. Along these, we saw poor but dignified villages spring up from time to time, rich in their own history, culture and traditions. Villages where, accompanied by Phonsi, our skilled guide, we were allowed to visit houses, villages where water is a common good and everyone has to go and get it from the fountains that arise in one or more parts of the village.

Local fishing boats – photo by Guglielmo Zanchi

A life where inhabitants are forced to steal inches from the land for their crops which, sometimes, do not develop on terraces but vertically. Other ‘suspended people’ who nevertheless do not hesitate to welcome you with a sincere smile that fills your heart, but also makes you realise how privileged we are.

It all started at dawn on that first day of travel when we crossed the border to embark on a traditional boat that would take us over the course of a day to our first stop: Pakbeng.

A comfortable and spacious boat, a dozen traveling companions, a guide, Deng, also very helpful, and below us the Mekong, a vast, yellow, muddy liquid which flowed in our same direction, at times placid, at times more impetuous, at times agitated by the rapids.

A herd of water buffaloes in the wild – photo by Guglielmo Zanchi

During the first stretch, the river marks the border between Laos and Thailand representing, if not really a land, a ‘nobody’s water’, which is really a water for everyone, where fishing boats move casually from one to the other side as if a border didn’t exist at all. Laos and Thailand are countries linked by a solid friendship, and military garrisons to protect the border along both banks of the river are not perceived as needed here.

With my eyes I follow the route of our boat, which, based on emerging and non-emerging rocks and on the depth of the river, sails alternating one bank of the river and the other in a sort of ping pong match. It is as if, in spite of ourselves, on the one hand we did not want to distance ourselves from where we came from, and on the other hand Laos wants to appear unreachable. And perhaps, metaphorically speaking, it is a little unreachable.

Children of the Khamu tribe – Photo by Guglielmo Zanchi

It is with a touch of melancholy that I think about my friend Corrado, who loved crossing borders on foot to stay, for a few seconds, with one foot already in one country and one foot still in the other.  I realise that I am experiencing a similar situation, perhaps less solid and a little more liquid. He also loved the Mekong, Corrado, to the point of mentioning it in the title of his first novel: ‘Father Mekong’.

With its approximately 4880 kilometres, the Mekong is the seventh longest river in the world and the fourth longest in Asia. It has its source in China and its mouth in the South China Sea, the large and grandiose Mekong Delta in Vietnam, and its waters touch Burma, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia.

The view of the river from my room – photo by Guglielmo Zanchi

In Laos, the Mekong is particularly important and cannot be considered only as a waterway, as it represents the lifeblood of the country’s economy and of the people who live along its banks. It provides a source of food, water and transportation, it represents an important source of hydroelectric energy, as well as an ecosystem that supports a diverse range of plants and animal species. It is therefore obvious that many cities and villages depend on this river.

This is the case, for example, of the village of Karg Lare, our only stop along the way, which stands on the left bank of the Mekong and it is inhabited by members of the Khamu ethnic group. It is a relatively recent settlement created by government-sponsored migration from mountainous areas, where inhabitants were more exposed to disease, where the level of hygiene was very poor and, for logistic reasons, access to education was minimal. In their original settlement, the inhabitants dedicated themselves to hunting and smoking opium; in the new village, as well as having greater access to water resources, they have spaces used as schools and can enjoy the support of shipping companies on the Mekong which in turn bring visitors.

Portrait of a girl from the Khamu ethnic group – photo by Guglielmo Zanchi

The village can be reached from the river bank by climbing an improbable stairway. It is located high enough not to be reached by the floods during rainy season, and it is made up of wooden or bamboo houses built on stilts. While crossing it, you meet many children, some of whom take care of others even smaller than them; there are poultry, piglets and adult inhabitants, some of whom, now accustomed to foreigners, socialise with them thanks also to the help of the guide, while others look at you with such a curious gaze that you almost wonder if you are the attraction for them and not the other way around. Then the faces light up with that disarming smile that restores the right roles and brings you back to normal.

We reach Pakbeng after about 8 hours on a cruise interspersed with a visit to the village and with lunch on board, a very simple buffet of Lao food.

The rest of the time passes between rock formations which break up the monotony of the river landscape, herds of water buffaloes in the wild who drink along the banks of the river, fishermen who cast their nets from the shore or from above boats so small that I fail to understand how they manage to keep themselves in balance. Time also flows among the inevitable children who dive into the river, fully dressed or completely naked, but still carefree; kids who do not  let a single boat pass without shouting their greetings.  And to complete the scenery of this humanity that lives along the river, the gold seekers appear completely unexpected: men and women who lean into the water with a sieve in their hands, seeking their fortune in the form of precious yellow stones.

Emerging rocks that break up the monotony of the landscape – photo by Guglielmo Zanchi

And finally we arrive in sight of Pakbeng. Defining it a village is as simplistic as it is excessive to define it a town. But beyond the size, this place that has seen its growth precisely as a function of the cruises on the Mekong gives you a sense of peace from the moment of disembarkation that will be accentuated with the silences before the evening, and those of the night. Silences that not even the peaceful flow of the Mekong seems to want to disturb, much less a dawn where the sun, appearing in the back side of our room (which is windowless), seems to want to enter our lives discreetly. Tiptoeing.

Only the trumpeting of the elephants, if you’re lucky, could interrupt the quietness, bringing you back to a reality which, although not the usual one, wants to remind you that the rest of the world is around you.

A glimpse of life on the Mekong – by Guglielmo Zanchi

In front of the resort, on the other bank of the great river, there is an elephant sanctuary dedicated to the care of these pachyderms which used to be ‘a million’; their population is today reduced to about 800 throughout the country. The Mekong Elephant Park is home to just under a dozen of them, including a recently born cub, and has set itself the goal of raising public awareness of the situation of elephants in Laos, whose survival is seriously threatened with extinction. The other main purpose is to provide support to recovered animals, protecting them from the abuses of the logging and tourism industry, and returning them to a life as elephants, letting them live in peace as such.

With a little luck, at dawn, the elephants come down to the river bank to quench their thirst. The best way to start our day is to admire them from the comfort of our terrace, without causing them the slightest disturbance, before getting back in the car for another stretch of our journey in Laos.

COME ON TOUR WITH US

Discover the magic of our latest trip! An experience that will take you to enchanting places, blending culture and adventures with our travel branch FANTASIA ASIA – click on the following programs to know more:

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Watch here for our VIDEO on Laos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shuI9Aa_-pQ&t=35s

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]]> Cambodian leader orders Mekong safe zones to save rare dolphins https://asianitinerary.com/cambodian-leader-orders-mekong-safe-zones-to-save-rare-dolphins/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cambodian-leader-orders-mekong-safe-zones-to-save-rare-dolphins Tue, 10 Jan 2023 21:09:25 +0000 https://asianitinerary.com/?p=40631

Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Monday ordered the creation of conservation zones on the Mekong river to protect critically endangered dolphins, after three were killed by fishing nets and lines last month. The Irrawaddy dolphins, known for their bulging foreheads and short beaks, once swam through much of the mighty Mekong but in recent decades have been limited to a 190-km (118-mile) stretch from northeast Kratie province to the border with Laos. Their population has been in steady decline since the first census was taken in 1997, dropping from 200 that year to around 90 currently due to habitat loss and destructive fishing practices. Speaking at a ceremony in Kratie, Hun Sen ordered authorities to set up floating markers around designated protection zones, in which there will be an “absolute ban” on all fishing. “The Mekong river, which is home to near-extinct dolphins and fish species, must be well managed so that dolphins will not die from entanglement in gillnets,” he said. Gillnets are nets strung across parts of the river to snare fish. “The dolphin areas must be protected completely,” he said, adding that the animals’ presence contributed to local tourism. Three healthy breeding-age dolphins died within a week of each other last month. The deaths alarmed conservationists, who called for both day- and night-patrols in order to protect the remaining dolphins from being killed by illegal fishing. Eleven dolphins died in 2022, bringing the total number of dead dolphins to 29 in the last three years, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In a statement, WWF called on all relevant authorities “to enact and roll-out appropriate measures to urgently address the mortality” caused by the threats of gillnets and electro-fishing that take place in the dolphin conservation areas. Cambodia is home to the largest population of Irrawaddy dolphins, which are also found in rivers and lakes in Myanmar, Indonesia, India and Thailand.

The post Cambodian leader orders Mekong safe zones to save rare dolphins appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

]]>

Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Monday ordered the creation of conservation zones on the Mekong river to protect critically endangered dolphins, after three were killed by fishing nets and lines last month. The Irrawaddy dolphins, known for their bulging foreheads and short beaks, once swam through much of the mighty Mekong but in recent decades have been limited to a 190-km (118-mile) stretch from northeast Kratie province to the border with Laos. Their population has been in steady decline since the first census was taken in 1997, dropping from 200 that year to around 90 currently due to habitat loss and destructive fishing practices.

Speaking at a ceremony in Kratie, Hun Sen ordered authorities to set up floating markers around designated protection zones, in which there will be an “absolute ban” on all fishing.

“The Mekong river, which is home to near-extinct dolphins and fish species, must be well managed so that dolphins will not die from entanglement in gillnets,” he said. Gillnets are nets strung across parts of the river to snare fish.

“The dolphin areas must be protected completely,” he said, adding that the animals’ presence contributed to local tourism.

Three healthy breeding-age dolphins died within a week of each other last month. The deaths alarmed conservationists, who called for both day- and night-patrols in order to protect the remaining dolphins from being killed by illegal fishing. Eleven dolphins died in 2022, bringing the total number of dead dolphins to 29 in the last three years, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

In a statement, WWF called on all relevant authorities “to enact and roll-out appropriate measures to urgently address the mortality” caused by the threats of gillnets and electro-fishing that take place in the dolphin conservation areas.

Cambodia is home to the largest population of Irrawaddy dolphins, which are also found in rivers and lakes in Myanmar, Indonesia, India and Thailand.

The post Cambodian leader orders Mekong safe zones to save rare dolphins appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

]]> Mekong Smile Cruise day 1 https://asianitinerary.com/mekong-smile-cruise-day-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mekong-smile-cruise-day-1 Mon, 28 Mar 2016 04:26:14 +0000 http://asianitinerary.com/?p=24880

Day 1 – Houay Xai to Pakbeng The mighty Mekong is born in Tibet, China, and dies in a giant delta in Vietnam after traveling frantically for an astonishing 4500 km. It is this river, running along much of Laos‘ western border with Myanmar and Thailand, that both links and separates these countries. One of the most popular and romantic ways to experience the Mekong is to board one of the many tourist cruise boats that ply the river as it wends through Laos. I was visiting Laos for the first time and I thought a cruise on the Mekong would be the best way to approach this country that is slowing gaining popularity amongst tourists from all over the world. After an extensive search, I put myself in the hands of relatively new Mekong Smile Cruise for a two-days cruise. Final destination: Luang Prabang. The minivan picked us up at 6am from our hotel in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, and we were soon on the way towards Thailand‘s northern border. The trip lasted nearly 2 hours, along roads cutting through an endless and dry countryside. Kilometers and kilometers of land without a single house, the hills in the distance covered by a thick haze. We could make out the magic silhouettes of the mountains until we climbed towards greener hilly areas, passed through sleepy villages with derelict shops and farmers on tractors, and old teak houses scattered here and there. Finally, at 8am the sun appeared behind the mist and everything changed, the colours took life. In Chiang Saen we met with Mekong Smile Cruise owner, Mr. Pheng, and our guide for the cruise Mr. Kae, a young and entertaining chap from Houay Xai area. After the conventional greetings, we were assisted with the formalities and Visas requirements, we paid the 35$ for a 30 days Visa to Laos, then easily passed the border on foot and reached Houay Xai, the first inhabited place on the Lao side. This is a border town home to 6000 hill tribe people as well as a Chinese population that is taking advantage of the opportunities a developing country like Laos offers: mainly the need to build infrastructure and the availability of farming land and local inexpensive labour. Houay Xai was also allegedly home to a heroin processing plant during the Secret War conducted by the CIA during the Vietnam War, though today the most trafficked items through the town are travellers. We were taken by minivan to the pier where we boarded our home for the two day cruise: a traditional Mekong snail boat. Laos  traditional long boats are made of steel and covered entirely on teak and rosewood. This boat, so clean and comfortable, can carry up to 40 passengers, but today group of travellers only counted 14 people so we had lots of space to move around at ease. Mr. Kae asked travellers about meat preference, gave a few information about what to expect from our first day on board, pointed to the toilets and to the lifejackets, and it was soon time for the captain to start the engine and get the boat moving downriver. Our boat slowly left the banks at Houay Xai, sharing the waters with an array of speed boats, slow boats, freighters and luxury cruisers, and finally picked up speed, letting us enjoy an unusual cool morning breeze. During the first few Kilometers, the Mekong functions as a border: on one side there is Laos, on the other Thailand. On the Laos side, roads were being built along old dirt tracks and wooden shacks, with hills as a backdrop. Big boulders protruded out of the waters, catching the attention of the attentive captain. I enjoyed a coffee from the self-service area at the back of the boat, then walked to the front and lied down in the open-air area on one of the comfy teak beds covered by spongy pillows. The sun kissed my face as I looked up, lulled by the gentle movement of the vessel, drops of water from the Mekong splashing to my face… All of a sudden I was an ancient traveler, an explorer on a make-shift boat, one of the first in the area, venturing towards the unknown, marvelling at the dense jungle, facing potential dangers like local tribes hiding in the bushes or crocodiles concealed by murky waters, all ready to jump out and attack me. I woke at 11am by the voice of Kae telling everyone to put on our shoes; the river banks in this area had long sandy beaches, and the waters spitted out pointed rocks that looked like rockets leaving for the sky. Both sides of the river featured green hills now; both sides now belonged to Laos. We were going to visit a village on the river banks. Bane Huay Palam is home to 75 families, 300 people belonging to the ethnic group named Khamu, the largest in northern Laos. We strolled around the village, while knowledgeable Kae fed us lots of information about the place. The first thing we noted was the high number of children, the bulk of them followed us along asking for pens and pencils. Some of the tourists had brought treats and notebooks and even a ball, which the kids appreciated. Make sure you pack some items for the kids if you intend to embark on this journey! Kae also told us that in the near past, mortality from malaria infection here was high. The Laos Government has since set up programs to help communities like this by spreading the knowledge about the use of condoms and making them available, as well as sending visiting doctors to villages once a week and supplying https://www.globosurfer.com/best-mosquito-nets/ to the villagers. With roads connecting these remote places to bigger centres, these villagers are now slightly better off. It is enough to say that Bane Huay Palam now has electricity and satellite TV! We observed women collecting grass for broom making or drying rice in their dusty...

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]]>

Day 1 – Houay Xai to Pakbeng

Mekong River

Mekong River

The mighty Mekong is born in Tibet, China, and dies in a giant delta in Vietnam after traveling frantically for an astonishing 4500 km. It is this river, running along much of Laos‘ western border with Myanmar and Thailand, that both links and separates these countries. One of the most popular and romantic ways to experience the Mekong is to board one of the many tourist cruise boats that ply the river as it wends through Laos. I was visiting Laos for the first time and I thought a cruise on the Mekong would be the best way to approach this country that is slowing gaining popularity amongst tourists from all over the world. After an extensive search, I put myself in the hands of relatively new Mekong Smile Cruise for a two-days cruise. Final destination: Luang Prabang.

At Houay Xai I meet with Kae our Mekong Smile Cruise guide

At Houay Xai I meet with Kae our Mekong Smile Cruise guide

The minivan picked us up at 6am from our hotel in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, and we were soon on the way towards Thailand‘s northern border. The trip lasted nearly 2 hours, along roads cutting through an endless and dry countryside. Kilometers and kilometers of land without a single house, the hills in the distance covered by a thick haze. We could make out the magic silhouettes of the mountains until we climbed towards greener hilly areas, passed through sleepy villages with derelict shops and farmers on tractors, and old teak houses scattered here and there. Finally, at 8am the sun appeared behind the mist and everything changed, the colours took life.

Meeting with Mekong Smile Cruise owner Pheng

Meeting with Mekong Smile Cruise owner Pheng

In Chiang Saen we met with Mekong Smile Cruise owner, Mr. Pheng, and our guide for the cruise Mr. Kae, a young and entertaining chap from Houay Xai area. After the conventional greetings, we were assisted with the formalities and Visas requirements, we paid the 35$ for a 30 days Visa to Laos, then easily passed the border on foot and reached Houay Xai, the first inhabited place on the Lao side. This is a border town home to 6000 hill tribe people as well as a Chinese population that is taking advantage of the opportunities a developing country like Laos offers: mainly the need to build infrastructure and the availability of farming land and local inexpensive labour. Houay Xai was also allegedly home to a heroin processing plant during the Secret War conducted by the CIA during the Vietnam War, though today the most trafficked items through the town are travellers.

Meckong Smile Cruise snail boat

Meckong Smile Cruise snail boat

We were taken by minivan to the pier where we boarded our home for the two day cruise: a traditional Mekong snail boat. Laos  traditional long boats are made of steel and covered entirely on teak and rosewood. This boat, so clean and comfortable, can carry up to 40 passengers, but today group of travellers only counted 14 people so we had lots of space to move around at ease. Mr. Kae asked travellers about meat preference, gave a few information about what to expect from our first day on board, pointed to the toilets and to the lifejackets, and it was soon time for the captain to start the engine and get the boat moving downriver.

Mekong Smile Cruise captain

Mekong Smile Cruise captain

Our boat slowly left the banks at Houay Xai, sharing the waters with an array of speed boats, slow boats, freighters and luxury cruisers, and finally picked up speed, letting us enjoy an unusual cool morning breeze. During the first few Kilometers, the Mekong functions as a border: on one side there is Laos, on the other Thailand. On the Laos side, roads were being built along old dirt tracks and wooden shacks, with hills as a backdrop. Big boulders protruded out of the waters, catching the attention of the attentive captain.

The snail boat is soooo comfortable..

The snail boat is soooo comfortable..

I enjoyed a coffee from the self-service area at the back of the boat, then walked to the front and lied down in the open-air area on one of the comfy teak beds covered by spongy pillows. The sun kissed my face as I looked up, lulled by the gentle movement of the vessel, drops of water from the Mekong splashing to my face… All of a sudden I was an ancient traveler, an explorer on a make-shift boat, one of the first in the area, venturing towards the unknown, marvelling at the dense jungle, facing potential dangers like local tribes hiding in the bushes or crocodiles concealed by murky waters, all ready to jump out and attack me. I woke at 11am by the voice of Kae telling everyone to put on our shoes; the river banks in this area had long sandy beaches, and the waters spitted out pointed rocks that looked like rockets leaving for the sky. Both sides of the river featured green hills now; both sides now belonged to Laos. We were going to visit a village on the river banks.

Bane Huay Palam traditional hut

Bane Huay Palam traditional hut

Bane Huay Palam is home to 75 families, 300 people belonging to the ethnic group named Khamu, the largest in northern Laos. We strolled around the village, while knowledgeable Kae fed us lots of information about the place. The first thing we noted was the high number of children, the bulk of them followed us along asking for pens and pencils. Some of the tourists had brought treats and notebooks and even a ball, which the kids appreciated. Make sure you pack some items for the kids if you intend to embark on this journey!

Bane Huay Palam kids

Bane Huay Palam kids

Kae also told us that in the near past, mortality from malaria infection here was high. The Laos Government has since set up programs to help communities like this by spreading the knowledge about the use of condoms and making them available, as well as sending visiting doctors to villages once a week and supplying https://www.globosurfer.com/best-mosquito-nets/ to the villagers. With roads connecting these remote places to bigger centres, these villagers are now slightly better off. It is enough to say that Bane Huay Palam now has electricity and satellite TV!

Broom making at Bane Huay Palam

Broom making at Bane Huay Palam

We observed women collecting grass for broom making or drying rice in their dusty patios, kids in rugged clothes running in the dust along with black fat piglets and hens, and men returning from foraging in the forest. Some villagers were weaving round rice baskets in the verandah of traditional houses of bamboo walls. The kids kept following us, and I enjoyed showing them the pictures I took of them on the monitor of my camera: looking at their own images gave them a mixed feeling of awe and surprise.

mekong Smile Crusie buffet on board

mekong Smile Crusie buffet on board

Back on board, Kae and the cook were waiting us with a sumptuous buffet lunch of amazing dishes that included a veggie and tofu soup, sweet and sour fish, spring rolls and lots of fruit to clean our mouth. The food was wonderful, and Kae enlightened us about the ingredients and the way to cook local dishes. Lunch was followed by coffee and by a siesta, while the boat resumed its slow journey south. What a perfect way to spend a few days drifting down the Mekong, I thought as I enjoyed the ride, the beautiful scenery and the locals in their environment. There were kids running and playing along secluded beaches and in the waters, water-buffaloes and goats all over the place, villages made of thatched huts, fishermen checking the nets from their fishing boats. At some point we even caught sight of a wild elephant, who quickly backed up upon seeing the boat approaching.

Mekong River with strange rock formations looking like a dog...

Mekong River with strange rock formations looking like a dog…

And so the cruise went on: someone made themselves coffee from the facilities always available, others played cards, drank Lao Beer or dozed off in the gentle breeze.

I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for stunning scenery and landscapes, relaxation and a bit of Lao culture, a very special experience that Mekong Smile Cruise, despite being a relatively new company, helped us live to the full.

It was 5pm when the boat approached the village of Pakbeng, our stop for the night…

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A cruise over the Mekong is a good and more luxurious alternative to the crowded public slow boats. Mekong Smile Cruise is indeed a good choice, we had a great relaxing trip exploring and appreciating an interesting stretch of the river. I definitely recommend this option, which was one of the highlights of our tour.

Mekong Smile Cruise programs and prices can be found on www.mekongsmilecruise.com – for booking and information you can contact owner Pheng at houmphengdalakhone@gmail.com or at info@mekongsmilecruise.com

Mekong Smile Cruise – overnight in Pakbeng

Mekong Smile Cruise Day 2 – Pakbeng to Luang Prabang

Mekong Smile Cruise MEKONG TOURS

COME ON TOUR WITH US

Discover the magic of our latest trip! An experience that will take you to enchanting places, blending culture and adventures with our travel branch FANTASIA ASIA – click on the following programs to know more:

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/the-north-adventure-8-days-7-nights/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/the-new-the-ancient-capital-7-days-6-nights/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/enchanting-laos-9-days-8-nights/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/luang-prabang-tour-4-days-3-nights/

https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/laos-fantasy-12-days-11-nights/

Watch here for our VIDEO on Laos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shuI9Aa_-pQ&t=35s

The post Mekong Smile Cruise day 1 appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

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