Can I just start by saying, I love Laos! It is an often overlooked destination in SE Asia, not having any beaches, but do yourself a favor and schedule a few days in Laos.
Our first day was spent in the city with our wonderful guide. Walking through the markets alone was an education. There were so many new vegetables, fruits, spices and meat that I had never seen before. Our guide was like an encyclopedia! We tasted a few things, but in general stayed away from anything fresh - as advised, most fresh produce should be avoided unless cooked.
We visited a few temples and a museum and climbed a hill in the center of town with a temple on top and panoramic views of the city and the Mekong.
In the afternoon, we tried Laotian whisky and watched the distillation process before boarding our private long tail boat and cruising down the Mekong. You'd never see it if you didn't know it was there, but high on one of the banks is a cave that houses thousands of Buddhas - wooden, ceramic, metal, stacked 30 deep in some areas. Our guide explained that once a year families are selected to place a Buddha in the cave. More wealthy families have more extravagant contributions - like the life size Buddha just inside the entrance - but each one is unique.
Luang Prabang is such a charming city. The whole city is a UNESCO world heritage site, so the classic styles prevail throughout the city. No buildings over three stories means the entire city feels more open and less oppressive. The French influence is clear here as it is in northern Vietnam. Walking through the former palace (now museum) felt at times like being at my grandmother's house, with its mid-century modern furnishings. It really put into context just how young Laos' independence is.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.