Baannukanong Guesthouse showing airy room 20 where I stayed during my reconvalescence,
Owners Somnuk (far left) and Anong (far rigth) plus the friendly ladies of my of my 'nursing home' plus one of the two pug dogs belonging to the guesthouse. The picture was taken by 'Big Nash' who went out of his way to help where he could.
I took a bus to the new Friendship Bridge near Chiang Khong that connects to Houay Sai in Lao across the Mekong River. Gone are the days when you had to catch a ferry-boat to cross the river from one side to another; instead, I entered a modern building on the Thai side and after passing both immigrations stepped out of another up-to-date building on the Lao side. Shuttles bring you to the local bus terminal with connections to the rest of the country.
About four hours the bus followed a winding road through rugged lush green mountains dotted about by occasional small villages of rustic bamboo cabins before the coach enters the town of Luang Namtha. Luang Namtha is best known as a stopover point on the backpacker trail from China to Lao. It is also a popular starting point for hill tribe treks, especially those into Luang Namtha National Protected Area. This small town lies on the banks of the Nam Tha River in a vast plain and is surrounded by limestone mountains that rise up to 2000 m above sea level. Its weather pattern is characterised by a rainy season lasting from May to October followed by a cool dry period from November to February, being March and April the hottest months as anywhere else in Southeast Asia.
Luang Namtha has one bigger hotel and a number of guesthouses mostly lined up along the throughroad, as well as a good deal of restaurants serving Lao food, 'minority food' of the various ethnics that inhabit the mountains, and also western fare.
The town itself has not many attractions. There is a very small night market, a minority museum, a stupa and some scenic spots on the banks of the Nam Tha River. The place is all about trekking, kayaking the Nam Tha River, cycling through tribal villages, tempting your palate with local food and get into the laid-back Lao way of life.
A Lao 'jungle soup' with noodles,beef, vegetables and chilies. A tree bark adds a distinctive flavour to it
Flowers outside a suburban home in Luang Namtha
Another soup tipical for Lao. Noodles, an assortment of herbs, chilies and lettuce are the ingredients
At my guesthouse 'Zuela' they had a low frame bike which I used to explore the surroundings of the Nam Tha River valley
The Nam Tha River south of Luang Nam Tha. This woman had just tumbled off a bamboo bridge when she tried to cross the river. Luckily the water is very shallow.
Two boys watch as villagers prepare for a ceremony during Songkhran (New Year) festivities at Ban Khon a few km south of Luang Namtha
After a few days of sitting out the water splashing and quaffing activities that nowadays mainly characterise New Year celebrations, I left Luang Namtha on a packed local minivan on a very bad road full of potholes. The road followed the Nam Pak River into the remote and rural village of Muang Khua on the banks of Nam Ou River, a major tributary to the Mekong River. On our way there were villages and hamlets with the throughroad being the only paved road, whereas the settlements to the left and to the right stood on bare ground.
As the dry season was coming to an end, the smallholder farmers were eager to get their land ready before the rains set in. Unfortunately 'slash and burn' is a widespread practice to clear the grounds. Thick black smoke rose from the valleys as whole mountainsides were literally on fire, At times the fires were so close to the roadside that, despite the oppresive heat on the bus, windows had to be shut to fend off the flames and the pungent smoke. My eyes were sore and I was happy when we finally arrived at Muang Khua.
A mountainside on fire. Unfortunately not an unusual view along the Nam Pak River
When we arrived, the bus driver helped to get my trolley off the van's roof, handed my crutches over to me, and, upon my inquiry as to where to find accomodation, pointed vaguely to a row of houses that lined the only road leading down to the river. Luckily I found a decent guesthouse at a short distance from the bus stop and not too far from the riverbank. The owner was just celebrating his 60th birthday and all his neighbours had joined in the hurly-burly and quaffing.
My guesthouse in Muang Khua and adjacent hardware store on the mainroad of the village
Being not a prime tourist destination you'll likely to find only a few other travelers in town For most of them Muang Khua is only a stopover point on their way to Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam, but the place has its own morbid charm and, for the true traveller is well worth more than just a bus stopover. Muang Khua is about halfway between the town of Phongsaly further in the north, and the scenic village of Nong Khiao with connections further south to Luang Prabang. Approximate travel time by boat is six hours to Nong Khiao and from there another day to Luang Prabang.
In town there's nothing more than a single road in bad state that leads down to the Nam Ou River and is lined by a hodgepodge of derelict houses and wooden cabins. There are a few rustic restaurants overlooking the Nam Ou River. I walked down the road to a concrete ramp with floating pontoon that serves as a jetty. A few pirogues were moored there, locals were strolling along the riverbank, while others were washing their cars and motorbikes in the river.
The ticket counter for the slow boats was a wooden cabin and was closed, A sign said that you were supposed to turn up in the morning hours of the day of your departure, and, provided a sufficient number of passengers were to take the same route as you, the boat would depart at 9am and the final fare would be fixed according to the numberer of passengers on the boat. That said, there was nothing more for me to do this day, I had a noodle soup in the lowest of the restaurants on this remote and tropical river, and a Lao beer in the next one further uphill.
View of the Nam Ou River, surrounding mountains and some of the houses of Muang Khua. The jetty is to the left
The boat ticket office of Muang Khua. Some pirogues are moored at the jetty. Ticktes sell for about 14 Euro for the six hour trip to Nong Khiao.
I was alone at the ticket counter early next morning except for the two Lao booking clerks. At first,I was afraid to be the only passenger on that day and the boat would not run at all. But, little by little more travelers and locals showed up, and in the end the boat was packed with about a dozen or so travelers and another dozen locals. There were only seat boards on on either side of the rather narrow boat, Stretching out legs was not an easy task as bags and bundles were put on the floor. Luckily the pirogue was roofed to protect passengers from the scorching sun. Although the boat was nearly complete when we departed, there was still some space left, so the skipper en route took more passengers from remote settlements on board. The scenery and views were spectacular, even more so for the stretch between the tiny hamlet of Muang Ngoi and my destination Nong Khiao which was an hour or so further downstream.
En route more and more locals boarded, so we had to move closer together every time. Only few got off again on the way, most of them came with us all the way to Nong Khiao
Passengers, bags, bundles, all was accomodated somehow onto that pirogue
Lao girl dozing away the tiring journey and the hot air
Arriving by boat at the picturesque village of Non Khiao is impressive. This small village lines the banks of Nam Ou River on both sides. A bridge connects both shores. From this bridge that spans about 80-100 m above the water, you have breathtaking view of the river and the surrounding steep limestone cliffs popping up like sugarcones from the ground. It's this unique scenery that makes Nong Khiao so special and popular among travelers. I too was very much impressed by this stunning backdrop and with my spirits high and accomodation prices low, I decided to stay a few days, rest my leg and enjoy the pleasant ambience. Being low season after the New Years festivities were over, restaurants and guesthouses were eager to lure the few tourists that stopped by, either to do trekking or mountainbiking into the hills, rock climbing, visit even more remote villages, spend a day kayaking the river or just stroll the few dirt streets, or just relax and watch the scenery from their guesthouse balconies or from one of the many restaurants overlooking the river, and unwind with a cool drink- just the way I did.........
View of the village of Nong Khiao stretching on both banks of the Nam Ou River
Some of the guesthouses line the river banks high above the water
Spectacular scenery of the Nam Ou River with mountain backdrop during the very early morning hours
Late afternoon on the Nam Ou River
A tipical Nong Khiao restaurant, this one with a hanging cradle as an additional accessory
A wooden map for bikers showing some of the trails that can be explored by bicycle
A woman and her daughter cross the Nam Ou River on the only bridge connecting both riverbanks
It's not easy at all easy to leave a place like Nong Khiao, in particular when you are not in a hurry, and when you think that you have found the perfect place to ease off for a while, let time pass and when you are not fit enough or keen on joining in one of the many activities that clever local tourist operators try to sell. However, I had my mind set on going to Luang Prabang for various reasons. I had visited this town on a short stopover a couple of years before. At that time I promised myself I wanted to come back again and spend some more time. I dismissed the idea of another bone breaking boat ride on the Nam Ou River for one more day, instead I wanted to go comfortably by bus and arrive in Luang Prabang in about four hours.
So, one early morning I left my cozy and cheap guesthouse. A friendly Lao holidaymaker took me in his SUV to the bus stop. I got the very last ticket. To my surprise the 'bus' turned out to be a songthaew, that is a small truck with a pair of bench seats on the back, one on either side- hence the name, which means 'two rows' in Thai and Lao languages. It is most suited for short distance rides, long distances however, that's quite another matter. Its obvious that you have unobstructed views in all directions, and of course dust blowing in from all sides as there are no windows, doors or anything that qualifies for a normal bus- but what else could you do? There's no other means of transportation available.
The road conditions were bad to very bad. The road winds along the many bends of the Nam Ou River and offers striking views along the way. But this may soon be over, as on this relatively short stretch alone there were two building sites of huge Chinese built hydroelectric dams with unpredictable impact on the river, its species and people living along and from the river. The negative impacts of dam building are multifold and very complex. Many people are to be discplaced not only because of rising water levels, but moving to the acces roads to the dam. I have no doubt that very soon this will change the face of this unique landscape, and also the traditional way of living of its residents forever.
After about four hours we arrived at the northern bus terminal of the City of Luang Prabang, the most picturesque city I have seen in Asia so far. The town is situated on a peninsula formed by the Mekong River and its tributaries, with the Khan River being the largest of them. It is home to some 50-60 thousand souls and lies in the heart of the mountainous region of northern Laos in a clay basin surrounded by limestone hills that dominate the landscape. According to a legend, the Buddha smiled when he rested there for a day during his travels, prophesying that it would one day be the site of a rich and powerful capital city. The town is listed since 1995 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its unique architectural, religious and cultural heritage. It is a charming blend of rural and urban developments over several centuries, including the French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries, There are dozens of fine old temples. All of them are the nucleus of settlements or "Ban" (Ban=village) and many of them are placed in shady yards with huge lush green frangipangi trees, palms and other tropical plants creating a unique serene and secluded ambiance.
One of the jetties on the banks of the Mekong River, Luang Prabang
Vat May on Sisasvangvong Rd. One of the many temples that dot Luang Prabang
Richly decorated ceiling of Wat Sene on Sisavanvong Rd
This tranquil lane passes in front of my guesthouse which is at the far end. On the other end are Wat Xieng Mouane and Wat Choum Khong whose gate can be seen on the left. A fantastic place to get away from the bustle of the tourist area, although only a few steps away from there
A temple cat dozes during the hot midday hours in the yard of Wat Choum Khong
Long boats are guarded in the yard of Wat Sene on Sisavangvong Rd. They are used during the annual boat races of the Boun Khao Pansa festival paying tribute to the Naga, a mythical serpent of the river
Gilded wooden front doors of Vat Sene
Henri Mouhot, a great explorer of the 19th century died in Luang Prabang from malaria and is buried on the banks of Nam Khan River, about 15 km distant from town. I took a bicycle to visit his burial site
I had only a sketch map and very vague description how to get there and nobody even in the nearby settlement and elephant camp knew about him or where his tomb was. I finally found the place and there was not a single soul around. Luckily I did not have to share the tranquil serenity of his last refuge with hords of other tourists, and this made it even more special for me
The modest monument donated to him by his home town Montbeliard in France
Young monks take back a wooden Naga into the temple of Wat Sisavang Tevalok. It is a carved single tree trunk and hollow inside. During the New Years celebrations it is placed on a stand over a buddha image outside the temple. Water is poured into its channel and trickles over the buddha
Although countless restaurants line Luang Prabang's Mekong riverfront there is still room for some rustic privacy. This man prepares his supper in a makeshift shelter high above the waters of the Mekong
....and only a few meters away tourists enjoy a superb sunset from a riverbank garden restaurant
Luang Prabang's touristic heart beats on Sisavangvong Rd. Here, temples, restaurants, outdoor cafes tour operaters and handicraft shops blend into a hodpodge of holiday dreams
to be continued....
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