Cruise along the Mekong

[fussychunk]

Cruise along the Mekong Day 1

Sorry about the delay in posting this report, the cruise was booked online from Naga and started in Huay Xai to Luang Prabang , it involved stop off in a hotel half way to Luang Prabang at a village called Pakbeng.

Had Christmas dinner at the Irish clock and 1 beer as we had to get to the bus station on the outskirts of Udon to get the bus to Chaing Rai to meet up with my folks who had just flown in from London/Bangkok.
Dinner was naff half my meat/gristle had been left of that plate. This Turkey must had been fed on rubber bands. Anyway its Udon, at least it was Turkey!.



Got a tuk tuk to the bus station and plonked the bags in the bus station and waited for the 7pm over night bus to Chaing Rai. The bus was probably a fine example of engineering 15 years ago but as long as it got us there I wasn’t too fussed. The bus stopped about 3 or 4 times on its way to the far reaches of Thailand and arrived at 8.30 am at the bus station about 8 km outside Chaing Rai. Didn’t know the options of transport into the city, and the Tuk tuk drivers were like vultures. It cost us 150 baht to get to the hotel the folks had stopped at.





Had breakfast at the hotel and headed off for a walk around town to find out what time the bus left for Chaing Khong and do some sightseeing in Chaing Rai. Other than the night market that was closed in the afternoon we couldn’t find a bar for a beer, ended up in an Italian place just drinking beer. Picked the bags up and got on the bone shaker of a bus to the border. Chaing Khong. It was a 2hr journey I think the driver must of lived in the bus looking at all the memorabilia and crap hanging around his cab. Arrived in Chaing Khong and headed off on another Tuk Tuk to the hotel for the night.



The Riverside was one of the biggest hotels in Chaing Khong, splendid views across into Laos and breakfast for 2 for 1000 baht. It was a great place to chill, headed off to get our bearings and find the immigration office for the following morning. The town has plenty of accommodation, temples and backpackers. We struggled to find places to eat and ended back at our own hotel, to find the restaurant was full and we had to wait 10 mins for a table. We had found were everyone eat in this town now. Food was excellent!

[fussychunk]

Cruise along the Mekong Day 2

Had a good nights sleep, had breakfast and checked out and walked down the road to immigration. Arrived at the crossing 15 mins before it opened to find about 20 people already queued up. Going out of Thailand was a doddle; the girlfriend had more grief having made sure the paperwork was right. Customs was easier than immigration, which consisted of 3 bamboo poles and a table with no one beside it. You could buy food here while you waited for a boat to cross the Mekong.

Picture below crossing the border


Once across the Mekong, Laos immigration was to put it politely ‘----’ the chap who checks the passport for the 3rd time was out feeding chickens or whatever and he arrived 20 mins late. At this point the tour guide turned up to try and hurry things up as our boat was to leave soon. Typical though they just did things as slow as ever. Eventually we got through the mire of passport control. Into a mini bus and a 10 min drive around Huay Xai to the boat.

The boats at the moorings


On the boat.


The boat was a traditional type boat with what can be described as car seats in it. Tea or coffee was offered and we slipped out of Huay Xai we could see our previous nights hotel and headed off to Pakbeng, about 8 hrs down the river. Food onboard was excellent, freshly prepared and swilled down with Beer Laos that you could buy on board.

The views were spectacular and we stopped off to see a village en route to Pakbang




A pic of part of the village


The boat


Pakbang was a surprise, a backpackers refuge and Beer Laos for 10,000 kip, food was excellent. The hotel that was provided for the night was good, dark wood walls it looked like something the Adams family would visit.

My mother waiting for a beer

[fussychunk]

The electricity in the village was on from 6pm until 10pm and then it came on about 6.30 until whenever. Was awaken by the chug chug chug or the generator being started. That was our wakeup call so we headed off for breakfast. How do these people eat cold scrambled eggs? So it was jam and French bread, jam tasted like 99% sugar.

Waiting to go for breakfast


At 7.30 we walked down to the boat, it was cold.


More breath taking scenery along the way, it was certainly good.. a few more beers as well.




We stopped off at a temple in a cave; the only thing I hated about it was people selling birds in little cages. These things are supposed to be free!

The cave was full of Buddha’s that needed a good dusting. Its was a fascinating place with a top cave as well that you rented a torch to go inside, me I’d eaten carrots the night before. So I felt I knew my way around, just followed someone with a torch!



This was a view from the cave across the Mekong to one of its tributaries.


We arrived in Luang Prabang at about 5pm, headed off to the hotel. Shower, ---- n shave and off out to see what the town had to offer. The main street I found VERY expensive and had food at one place to which I commented to the waiter to send my compliments to the chef on producing the worst meal I have ever had in South East Asia.

Luang Prabang Main Street.

[dougness]

Did this trip three years and it was blast as well.Just a little bit of bs on the Laos side before boarding.Everyone had bought their tickets in Chaing Mai as part of a package and the Laos boat company claimed the Thai hotel owner in Chaing Khong didn't pay them.We stood are ground,refusing to pay another $20 more each for the boat trip .An hour later they claimed it was a missunderstanding and we were on are way.I would have to agree Pak Beng is -----,devoid of any good cafes or hotels.

[BobHelm]

Thanks for the write up and the pictures fussychunk.
Would you do it again & what sort of cost was involved??

[fussychunk]

The trip we did did not include a hotel in Chaing Khong, but it did include the hotel in Pakbang. It was 4600 baht per person and included food on the boat and tea and coffee.

Good value in comparison to the high costs in Luang Prabang, would I do it again. .. Nah I hated Luang Prabang!

[rhodie]

Great trip. Thanks for the report.

[dougness]

Three years ago,I think I paid maybe 1500baht for a bus from Chaing Mai to Chaing Khong,basic hotel in Chaing Khong,two day boat trip to Lao Prahbang.Spent $5 usd for crappy hotel room in Pak Beng.Oh and countless large bottles of Beer Lao at 10,000Kip on the boat.