Cruising down the Mekong - it sounds so adventurous, so off the beaten path, so remote - it was none of those things. Taking a boat down the Mekong is the easiest form of transport from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang - two major points on the banana pancake backpackers trail thus every European backpacker will be on the boat with you. Although the reality of the cruise differed from initial expectations it was still an enjoyable, albeit cramped ride.
The "cruise" starts in Huay Xai, Laos. I had no issues with immigration and my Laos visa on arrival was processed in less than five minutes. After clearing customs I hopped into a tuk tuk to continue the ride to Huay Xai. On arrival I walked along the Mekong down to the pier and back. I tried to see if I woke up early or arranged a separate boat ride I could avoid tomorrow’s tourist rush. No luck. The Mekong Tours appeared to be a government controlled operation and if you wanted to take the cruise you’d be leaving at 11 with everyone else.
On the way back to town, I stopped at a restaurant prior to reaching the main tourist drag. I ordered my first of what would be many of the infamous Beerlao. For dinner I had deep-fried Mekong fish - a simple but amazing dish and a sign of good meals to come. I was glad I spent the night in Huay Xai rather than take a tour from Chiang Mai that spent the night in Thailand - this initial snapshot of Laos set the tone for what would be a great ten days traveling through the country.
The "cruise" starts in Huay Xai, Laos. I had no issues with immigration and my Laos visa on arrival was processed in less than five minutes. After clearing customs I hopped into a tuk tuk to continue the ride to Huay Xai. On arrival I walked along the Mekong down to the pier and back. I tried to see if I woke up early or arranged a separate boat ride I could avoid tomorrow’s tourist rush. No luck. The Mekong Tours appeared to be a government controlled operation and if you wanted to take the cruise you’d be leaving at 11 with everyone else.
On the way back to town, I stopped at a restaurant prior to reaching the main tourist drag. I ordered my first of what would be many of the infamous Beerlao. For dinner I had deep-fried Mekong fish - a simple but amazing dish and a sign of good meals to come. I was glad I spent the night in Huay Xai rather than take a tour from Chiang Mai that spent the night in Thailand - this initial snapshot of Laos set the tone for what would be a great ten days traveling through the country.
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The next morning I woke around 7 and purchased the ferry tickets. Before boarding the boat I picked up lunch and snacks for the seven hour ride. I was one of the first ones to board the ferry and claim my seat but there was a slow and steady stream of other travelers making their way onto the boat - by the time we left, no seats were available, and a few unlucky individuals had to sit on the ground back by the engine.
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The next seven hours were peaceful and beautiful but uneventful. There was very little excitement or romanticism associated with taking the slow boat. Occasionally the boat would pull over to the river banks and Laotians would load and unload - these would be some of the few times you had a glimpse into life on the Mekong. There’s snacks and large bottles of Beerlao available but its too hot, you’re too cramped, and the ride is too long to really engage in any sort of raucous drunken debauchery behavior.
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We arrived in Pakbeng a little before six. There are a few motorcycles waiting at the “port” offering hotel stays. I hopped on the back of one and after inspecting the room it fit my needs and budget. I then did what felt like the natural thing to do…head back down to the main drag, grab a Beerlao, and enjoy the changing Mekong landscape during sunset. Not a bad end to the day. Surprisingly, of the seventy or so people on the cruise, very few left the hotel restaurants and ventured to the small restaurant zone of Pakbeng.
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The next day was a repeat of the second day. Wake up, buy a packed lunch, and board the boat early enough to grab a good seat. After a few stragglers we pushed off to Luang Prabang around 9:30. This day’s ride was a little more picturesque and seemed to go quicker but it was just as uneventful…until we reached Luang Prabang.
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Within the past six months the disembarkation point for the Mekong ferry was moved upstream about ten kilometers from the previous point in the center of Luang Prabang. This meant that instead of a free walk to your hostel you were compelled to purchase a tuk tuk ticket. All of us on the boat appeared to have read about this situation and the recent changes but when confronted with the 1,000 KIP ~ $1 charges at the peir a protest started to develope.
Ascerbating the situation, the protesters at the front of the boat did not relay to those of us in the middle and back that this was indeed the final stop. After about ten minutes I went to the back of the boat, grabbed my bags, elbowed my way through the crowd, and jumped off the boat.
I walked to the top of the hill and sure enough there was an official tuk tuk ticket station with a fixed price - so at least there would not be any haggling over a final price. I bought my ticket then when back outside and called out to everyone who was still on the boat that this was legitimate. There was an official ticket office and tens of tuk tuks waiting to take us into town. One person exited the boat. There were a few other people in my tuk tuk who had arrived on a day trip so after the other person made it up the hill our tuk tuk was full and we were on our way into Luang Prabang. I kid you not - I saw people on our boat riding a tuk tuk into town two hours later that evening - you could tell they weren’t just getting a ride around town because they still had all their bags. I wondered if the Pathet Lao would receive word of their protest.
I couldn’t comprehend the mentality of those on the boat - Laos is a military controlled, socialist country. It’s the most bombed country in the world and one of the poorest and here were a bunch of Western Europeans, Canadians, and Australians staging a protest over $1. If you felt that strongly about the country and the way it’s operated…don’t come - that’s a real sign of protest. Instead all the only thing these people did was make the poor tuktuk drivers sit around for a few hours instead of going back to their families.
Despite the lack of adventure and excitement the cruise was still a worthwhile experience. The highlight may have been the night in Huay Xai before the cruise even started but it wasn’t too much of a let down after that first night.
Ascerbating the situation, the protesters at the front of the boat did not relay to those of us in the middle and back that this was indeed the final stop. After about ten minutes I went to the back of the boat, grabbed my bags, elbowed my way through the crowd, and jumped off the boat.
I walked to the top of the hill and sure enough there was an official tuk tuk ticket station with a fixed price - so at least there would not be any haggling over a final price. I bought my ticket then when back outside and called out to everyone who was still on the boat that this was legitimate. There was an official ticket office and tens of tuk tuks waiting to take us into town. One person exited the boat. There were a few other people in my tuk tuk who had arrived on a day trip so after the other person made it up the hill our tuk tuk was full and we were on our way into Luang Prabang. I kid you not - I saw people on our boat riding a tuk tuk into town two hours later that evening - you could tell they weren’t just getting a ride around town because they still had all their bags. I wondered if the Pathet Lao would receive word of their protest.
I couldn’t comprehend the mentality of those on the boat - Laos is a military controlled, socialist country. It’s the most bombed country in the world and one of the poorest and here were a bunch of Western Europeans, Canadians, and Australians staging a protest over $1. If you felt that strongly about the country and the way it’s operated…don’t come - that’s a real sign of protest. Instead all the only thing these people did was make the poor tuktuk drivers sit around for a few hours instead of going back to their families.
Despite the lack of adventure and excitement the cruise was still a worthwhile experience. The highlight may have been the night in Huay Xai before the cruise even started but it wasn’t too much of a let down after that first night.
For additional Mekong Cruise photos see FLICKR ALBUM.