Thailand & Laos Trip Comments --- 26 Nov to 19 Dec 2005
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We enjoyed our 2005 trip to Thailand and Laos, as we did all our previous visits to Asia. It was
great to get a non-stop flight from New York to Bangkok, and get there at a reasonable time of day.
It was very convenient to travel by overnight sleeper train directly from the Bangkok International
Airport to Chiang Mai.
It was great to be again in lovely Chiang Mai (although it is getting to seem more and more like
Bangkok) and to visit some sights (such as Doi Suthep) we had not seen before.
To travel again by longtail boat from Thaton to Chiang Rai was great.
We previously had visited Chiang Rai too briefly to appreciate it, but this new visit was like visiting
Bangkok or Chiang Mai, but on a more relaxing human scale; Chiang Rai is yesterday's Chiang Mai.
Getting into Laos, in Huay Xai we enjoyed its "wild west" atmosphere, unpolished, unsophisticated,
undeveloped, with a stream of diverse human traffic passing through.
The two-day boat trip down the Mekong from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang was an adventure; we
experienced total mismanagement by the boat operators, enjoyed the great natural surroundings,
discovered quirky Pak Beng, and had a wonderful time getting to know some of our very interesting
fellow-travelers.
Luang Prabang is in a class by itself, a beautiful geographic setting on the banks of the Mekong, royal
palaces, amazing Buddhist temples, a compact easily walkable town with a historic past, and excellent
facilities for travelers; when in Luang Prabang it is hard to leave.
Before getting to Vang Vieng we were not sure we would like it, and stopped there mainly because it
was on the route from Luang Prabang to Nong Khai. We had heard that visitors either hate it or love
it. We loved it. The scenery around the town cannot be beat. The Nam Song river offers a wide
variety of water sports; the many caves nearby can be easily explored; many good restaurants/bars;
interesting nearby villages which can be visited on foot, by bicycle, or motorbike. Vang Vieng has an
atmosphere of relaxed fun which attracts travelers who enjoy fun and relaxation. Again, an excellent
place to meet interesting fellow travelers. On our next visit to Vang Vieng we definitely will stay at
least three or four days.
We went to Nong Khai because that was where we could get a train back to Bangkok International
Airport. We got more than we expected. A very attractive small scenic town on the Mekong with a
unique sculpture park, beautiful temples, and very pleasant atmosphere. We would have been glad to
stay there a couple of more days.
To us the trip was an adventure in exotic settings far different from our environment at home,
meeting interesting local people who were invariably welcoming, gentle, kind, and non-confrontational.
We also enjoyed getting to know adventurous fellow travelers from around the world with fascinating
stories to tell. An additional important attraction of all the places we visited on this trip is that
(except for the transoceanic airfare) they were extremely inexpensive; we enjoy ourselves more
when it is not costing us much.