I suspected Laos was changing quickly after the high-speed train went in. It was completed in December 0f 2021. This is the beginning of the third year of operation and already the change is dramatic. I’m shocked by how quickly and how much it has changed. Shocking!.
From a quiet warm friendly personable country, it now seems like it’s focused on taking as much tourist money as possible. In Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, the local people seem to have shifted from warm personal Laotians to professional distant business people. I went to several restaurants and coffee shops here in Vang Vieng. ZERO interaction, no response to a “thank you” in Laotian. No warmth and connection. In other parts of Laos, I never experienced that!
In a way, I’m not surprised. The last time I was here in 2015, I came not knowing it was Chinese New Year! HUNDREDS of vans, caravans of a dozen or more vans, came South across the border to Luang Prabang to play!
It took me three hours walking around to find a room for the night. One hotel that was way out of my budget told me to leave my backpack and they watched it for me. When Chinese New Year was over, the Chinese left, and things returned to normal. With the high-speed train comes the ease of coming here so the crowds of Chinese tourists are now a permanent fixture. I can imagine local people becoming more calloused dealing with them every day.
Yesterday morning, I went up early for breakfast. It doesn’t start until 7:30 but isn’t really stocked until 7:45. Normally, it is my peaceful place to relax. Yesterday, dozens of Chinese tourists were there already, complaining about the food. Demanding, walking into the kitchen, pushing me out of the way to grab one egg, taking rice pancakes by the handful, and attempting to pop the bread I had just placed into the toaster out so they could use it. They are just different and in ways that can be really annoying! When they are on my bus or I’m around them in a business, it’s like one long continuous shouting match when they talk with each other.
Yesterday, my rest day and organizing day, I found a place recommended for massage. It was early so I walked over. Their reviews were great but there was a caution about being there when vans of Chinese tour groups come for massage. I arrived and fortunately, it was very quiet. I had a 90-minute massage for $10. Awesome massage. When I came out to the lobby, there was a buzz in the air. Suddenly, more than a dozen other therapists were scurrying around. A definite buzz was in the air indicating something was up. Then, the truck carrying roughly 12 Chinese tourist arrived and everyone seemed to be running around. I gather that they find it difficult to do enough to please the Chinese and it sets everyone on edge.
I am really happy I came now because the changes, ad dramatic as they have been in the past few years, they will only magnify in future. Luang Prabang was my favorite city in SE Asia but I don’t know if I will be back? I’ve had other really peaceful experiences but now, rather than being the norm, they have been the exception. I have had to search them out!
Young travelers from around the world contribute to changes in Vang Vieng. It’s become the “DO” capital as in ‘there is so much to do” here! Yes, lots of doing. No, not so much connecting!
DO: hot air baloon, rock climbing, rent a dune type buggy, mountain bike, hiking trails, parasailing, zip lines, swimming in one of the many “blue lagoons”, sunset from a bar, motor bike tour…a TON of doing now.
So to me, yes, it does feel like a Disney entertainment experience. And that made it more difficult to connect with locals. The locals I did connect with, those were awesome moments! That is difficult but, still possible.
Before Vang Vieng, peaceful experience in nature! Awesome!
Listening, I heard about places. Then, I began exploring whether I wanted to visit or not. Writing and getting responses helped a great deal. Once I had a feeling for it, the next part was figuring out how to get there. I wrote about such an experience with the Bio Bamboo HueanPhae NamOu floating bungalows. Challenging to get to, uncertain about how to leave, and everything worked out perfectly.
Hillside was a similar story. I saw it online. It looked beautiful and inviting but out of my price range. Writing to them to ask about the price for a single person, they offered a good discount. Transportation was provided for $4 US. So off I went, not knowing what to expect. It was a short 12 kilometers but took around 30 minutes on the rough unpaved bumpy road full of rocks and potholes.
When I arrived, I was happy to be in the perfect place! Initially, I was a little concerned that they didn’t have AC. However, being in the forest, it cooled off at night. I opened the door and windows around 4:00 am the first night and had the fan running. Perfect sleeping weather. The second night, I opened everything up as I went to bed. No traffic sounds, only the quiet of nature and a sky filled with stars.
On my first night I woke around 1:30 am so dressed and walked to the pool. With no trees overhead, it was the perfect spot to star gaze. And yes, the constellations on this side of the world are all different so that was interesting!
The food was excellent. The swimming pool was a perfect spot for cooling off. I had an excellent massage in the outdoor sala with a cool breeze blowing through the shaded area. I had perhaps the best burger I have ever had anywhere in my travels. Everything I ate was great!
It was so relaxing and rejuvenating, I would have liked to stay longer. When I got back to Luang Prabang, it was shocking with all the traffic tourists and noise. My new hotel was comfortable but unfriendly and the AC not great. My coffee spot outside DaDa’s every morning around 7:00 was a perfect means to begin my day. The travel agency that helped me was awesome! And I found some great spots to eat. When it was time to leave, I was ready!
Then the train!
Leaving Luang Prabang included travel on my first high-speed train. They refer to it as a bullet train but the speeds don’t come near other bullet trains around the world. Still, it was quite fast compared to bus travel 9 years ago! I traveled to Luang Prabang from Luang Namtha up North and it was an all day affair! Then, it took hours to get to Vang Vieng, today it still takes about 4 hours. The train takes 49 minutes.
A shuttle picked me up to take me to the train station. True to form, it took forever and kept winding around picking up other passengers until there was not a speck of space. We were dropped in a parking lot with an elevator. Once off the elevator, I spotted an “entrance” sign and headed in that direction. There were only about 6 people in front of me being checked for tickets and then directed to security. A Chinese couple walked up to the table, stepped in front of everyone waiting, and asked the agent to help them. The agent helped them by telling them there was a line and they needed to go back.
Once I was through, I had NO idea where to go o I walked up to a woman in what looked like a boarding area It was empty…but that wouldn’t last. She slowly and carefully explained how boarding would happen, at what time, and where I needed to come to when that happened. When I turned to leave, I was surprised to see at least 50 people waiting to get through the ticket check and security process! Good timing on my part!
Once it approached boarding time, people started lining up. I joined them. Not because I was in a hurry. Because I simply wanted to avoid the confusion, jostling, chaos, and such that happens when the gate opens. It turned out to be a good move on my part. People behind me were drunk or hungover and kept shuffling around. When the boarding process began, I was smoothly through and shown which car to get on. It was a very smooth process, the staff was all very helpful and I found myself in car #1. I booked a first-class ticket because it had more seat and leg room. Again, good choice!
The ride was smooth and a very comfortable way to travel. Once we arrived at the station, I set off finding an exit that was packed! Outside, I skipped the first couple lines for Tuk Tuks, walked deeper into the parking lot, and told a man where I was going. He pointed and told me to go toward a bus. Once there, a driver specified which bus to get on. I didn’t realize the bus would deliver me to my hotel! I assumed I would have to arrange another tuk-tuk in the village.
I arrived at my hotel to find it was overbooked! They had, however, booked me into a different hotel in the village. It was closer to everything, included breakfast, and had nicer rooms all for the same price! And that is where I spent my few nights in Luang Prabang!
I had a day of play, then a day exploring with by motor bike followed by a day with a great massage. I hadn’t really liked the village on my first visit and liked it less now. THis is the place I describe as Laos Disneyland. Crowds! Tourist everywhere. Lots of tuk-tuks transporting tourists around. Boats, balloons, busy street, professional but not warm staff, bad coffee and simply not my kind of place! It was difficult for me to connect! I did find some great food and my last night, had dinner at an old original restaurant the looked over the Mekong River with a very friendly family running it. That was a perfect ending for me!
And next, I’m off to the Plain of Jars tomorrow. That is after I find Cafe Vanille for a genuine French Croissant, coffee and some breakfast. Have to keep exploring treats!
The Plain of Jars is an interesting place with an unknown history! It is in a different geographic area of Laos. More plain, less forest, and cooler at night! Lots to explore there by motor bike or by tour!
I’ll write more after I get back. I’m leaving my big travel pack and going off for three days with my day pack!
Ciao!