From its source in the Tibetan Plateau, the mighty Mekong River meanders 4,350km through Tibet, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia to its mouth at the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. As such it is something that all the nations of South East Asia have in common, and for many it is the lifeblood of their daily lives. We wanted to dedicate some time to the Mekong River in Laos, its lush surrounds and the people who inhabit its banks, so we decided to follow its course for 2 days between Houi Xai and Luang Prabang. This is quite a common trip taken by travellers as it has the added benefit of covering a good distance (more than 300km) between the northern hill tribe areas and the lowland darling of Laos that is the riverside town of Luang Prabang.

Options to cruise the Mekong

There are a few ways to approach this route along the Mekong, but all involve an overnight stay in a small transit town called Pakbeng, as it is not possible for tourists to sleep on the boats or for the boats to navigate during the night. There is not much in Pakbeng town, and if you are on a similar trip you won’t have a great deal of time to explore as you arrive at sunset and leave in the early morning. There are however some reasonably priced local restaurants serving typical Laotian food and kiosks where you can stock up on snacks like buffalo skin (hairs still attached of course!). Our group took over the Mekong Riverside Lodge whose private wooden bungalows had great views on to the river and were very comfortable.

We immediately ruled out the fastest transport option which is to take a speedboat (a small wooden canoe boat with a powerful outboard motor) as this means of travel is rumoured to be uncomfortable and dangerous. We did see these speedboats zipping up and down the river and they seemed to be dwarfed by the river itself and therefore quite flimsy. The driver was normally wearing a motorcycle helmet, but this protection was not extended to the passengers, who just looked cold and miserable huddled under their coats!

Another option is to get a seat on a public traditional Lao style 36m river boat which just provides the transportation. There could be up to 70 passengers to share with so we opted for the same type of boat, but operated by a tour company for smaller groups up to around 30 passengers (our group was 13). The company operates the tour, but you are joining a Lao family who live on the back part of the boat and look after all the navigation, cooking and cleaning.

We would certainly recommend this option if you want to have more of a holistic experience rather than just a form of transport. Our boat was really very comfortable as it had been fitted out with coach style seats in blocks of four, each with a table and blankets for the early morning and wind. There was also some space for people to lie down and sleep or read as well as ample space (inside) for all of our belongings. There was one bathroom with a flushing toilet which was kept clean and tidy for the duration of the trip.

Going on a small group cruise gave us a chance to meet and chat to other travellers during the hours that we were cruising down the river. There was also an enthusiastic local guide from whom we were able to learn about the Mekong and the local tribes. We found the company that we chose to be organised, safe and also not really all that expensive. The price included the 2 days of cruise, an English-speaking guide, cultural stops along the way, refreshments and healthy local lunches aboard and accommodation and breakfast in Pakbeng. We also chose to include (for free) the transfer to Houi Xai in Laos from Chiang Khong in Thailand, early on the morning that the cruise departed. Having some local guidance made the border formalities much easier for us.

The food that we got to try during our lunches was all very fresh and tasty and included vegetarian options. The highlight was definitely a fragrant coconut curry soup.

We went during January, soon after New Year and the weather was a little unsettled in the north, and at times we felt quite cold on the open boat. However, as soon as we got off to do anything on land, the tropical heat became more than apparent!

The Mekong River.

The Mekong itself is a dirty brown expanse, incredibly wide in places and although it mostly appears to be calm, the surface belies swirling rapids. You certainly won’t see any locals or their kids swimming.

Our boat drivers were clearly very knowledgeable and skilled in their navigation to keep us on course.

The biodiversity of the Mekong River basin is second only to the Amazon. Quite a surprising fact seeing as we felt like we didn’t really see much wildlife along the way, apart from some elephants at a couple of camps near to Pakbeng and Luang Prabang and a snoozing salamander at a cave.

Some might say that a cruise along the Mekong is quite monotonous, and that is true to a certain extent, but the vista is really very dramatic and expansive. Weirdly, it sometimes reminded us of our cruise of the Patagonian Fjords in Chile! We really enjoyed watching the emerald green scenery slip by and change subtly with the time of day and as the terrain became more mountainous towards Luang Prabang.

It was also interesting to spot the livestock (including water buffalo) villages and settlements along the banks and observe the ethnic villagers going about their business by the waterside.

There were many moments when our boat was the only one for a good stretch of river, and that afforded us a certain sense of isolation in nature and the power of the river, which is refreshing in the modern world!

The Ethnic Lao villages

We stopped at a village on each day of the cruise, so there was a chance to get down from the boat and have a look around. There are many ethnic highland and lowland tribes in northern Laos, each with their own distinct language, characteristics and crafts, many of whom live near the Mekong. The villages were definitely very rustic to our western eyes; dirt floors, reed or wooden houses on stilts and children and chickens running everywhere! Clearly these communities are fairly isolated and also lacking somewhat in infrastructure. We were told that the villagers act communally, helping each other in farming, building and other tasks.

At times we felt a little intrusive wandering round these villages as we weren’t quite sure what they thought of a load of westerners coming to stare at them. That said, our guide did her best to engage everyone and we got the chance to try some rice liquor, see how rice was de-husked,  speak to some ladies who were preparing Mekong weed (like seaweed that is dried into crispy snacks), visit a school and speak about the weaving craft with the ladies selling their wares. Other than buying the handicrafts, we weren’t sure what the benefit for the villages is, and we couldn’t really get an answer out of our guide!

Pak Ou Cave

Most people visit Pak Ou Cave as a short cruise from Luang Prabang, and it was our last stop before we arrived to the town on our second day. It’s probably more hyped up than it should be, but the cave is nonetheless an interesting stop as it is crammed full with Buddha statues of a variety of ages. We were lucky enough to catch a couple of monks performing a ceremony for a couple of ladies. There is also a second cave further up the mountainside if you are up for the short steep climb.

Taking a cruise in order to appreciate the Mekong was definitely the right decision and we were very pleased with the overall quality of the trip and the activities, even though most of the time was spent aboard the boat covering the distance. If we did it again, an idea could be to stop over in Pakbeng for a few days, as it is from here that various treks or visits to remote Lao villages can be organised, as well as visits to see elephants, caves and temples. Delving a little deeper into the Laotian interior would certainly have been rewarding, as this lush and relatively untouched country still feels like it has many hidden gems yet to reveal!

Have you been to Laos? Have you done this trip? We’d love to hear how you did it and what you thought!