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Down the Mekong (+Photos)

Posted on July 26, 2007

When we were planning our trip all of the guide books listed as a highlight the slow boat down the Mekong from the Thai border crossing of Chiang Khong, and the Laos border town of Houai Xai, via Pakbeng to Luang Prabang. So we should have expected the throngs of ‘falangs’ that greeted us in Houai Xai early on Saturday morning.

But we were some of the first on the boat. There were about a dozen pairs of comfortable seats (ripped out of minivans) in the back, but all appeared to be taken, and about 70 more bench seats. After we boarded, and chose a bench seat closer to the front, I went off to get some water and snacks. When I got back Caitlin had moved to the back, to a pair of the minivan seats. A couple of guys (Andy and Simon) that we sat next to on the bus the day before were already back there and noticed a couple freeing up. We were very thankful for that over the next 9 hours!

We boarded at around 8:40, but didn’t set off until close to 11. People just kept boarding, so we were happy we had got there early. After a while it was clear there was another boat being loaded up too, and in the end they left before us, though we played leapfrog all the way down to Pakbeng - the other boat was faster but stopped more often to pick up and drop off.

Once we were moving the time passed pleasantly. I had picked up a couple of cans of Beer Lao, and they were selling the 32oz bottles for $1.50 on board, which helped. Beer Lao is delicious, probably the best warm-weather lager I’ve ever had (I’m nursing one right now!) It’s a good thing, because it’s hard to find anything else here.

The scenery around the Mekong river in Northern Laos is very dramatic. Densely forested mountains rise steeply from either side of the river. Once in a while a village appears, clinging to the bank of the river. Bamboo poles with nets tied to them are wedged in to cracks in the rocks on the river bank.

We sorted out our accommodation quickly after arriving in Pakbeng. It was very basic, but only $6 for the night. The restaurant served up delicious spring rolls, Beer Lao, a litter of cute puppies and a gorgeous Mekong sunset. We were to discover later that the power is turned off at 10pm. Fortunately we were already in bed, but from the sounds outside a half hour later others weren’t as unaware of the deadline as we were, but were still out and about at 10 with nothing but their cellphones to light there way back to the guest house.

We woke with the sun the following morning. I rallied down to the boat pier, aware that there would be heavy competition for the good seats from our fellow passengers. I was surprised to be pointed to a different boat, much larger with a nice interior, and a little bar / snack shop on board. There were many more comfortable seats, and since I was first there I had the pick of them. I settled in and our boat mates from the day before began to dribble in, and we ended up surrounded by the same people in the comfy seats. After an hour or so it became clear that the two boats from the day before had been consolidated to this one, larger boat. People just kept streaming in, until we finally set off around 9:45, packed to bursting with tourists.

The Irish backpackers started hitting the Beer Lao soon after. Way to reinforce a stereotype! Their session lasted all the way to Luang Prabang 8 hours later, culminating in some Oasis karaoke around someone’s iPod speakers.

The clouds had dispersed somewhat for our second day on the river (most of the photos you see are from day 2.) The scenery was equally as grand. The villages were more frequent, and since we were only one boat there were more frequent stops. At one village we slammed hard into some rocks when attempting to swing round to unload some rice and on-load some villagers - and more crates of Beer Lao for the Irish. We also stopped to pick up a man with his live pig, and a couple of men with rifles and a dead deer. The pig was tied to the front of the boat, a living breathing masthead. The men with rifles leapt off one stop later and ran into the wilderness.

The riverbank became more and more populated, and the scenery even more dramatic as we approached Luang Prabang. After another 7 hour day on the river we arrived at the Luang Prabang boat pier (muddy riverbank,) to a rousing chorus of ‘Don’t look back in anger.’

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