Bitten once again by the South Eastern Asian bug we booked a trip to Laos over the Easter period, but unfortunately far too late to get any good prices on flights! Note to self, next year, book flights much earlier if we have to go at Easter (which we do). There were some slightly cheaper options but not enough difference to not go with Emirates, so Emirates it was, direct from Manchester, stopping at Dubai and flying into Bangkok. Good flights, good service once again, everything on time but leaving early in the morning meant that we didn’t sleep too well. This is sometimes the advantage of a night flight for long haul, you are already tired. By the time we got to Bangkok 15 hours later we were like the walking dead. Soon off the plane we eventually found a taxi big enough to take the four of us, my husband and I and our two teenage daughters, and our entire luggage, to our pre-booked hotel.
We’d pulled this itinerary together ourselves, trying to include everything we wanted to do and see but without forcing too much into 16 days, which we’ve done before and then needed another holiday to recover when we got back. Because we’d had to fly into Bangkok first and it was 28 years since Martin and I were last there, we thought a couple of days’ sightseeing would be fun, plus the girls hadn’t been before. But we didn’t reckon on being so tired and we just had to sleep for a few hours when we got to the hotel. We’d booked the Royal Bangkok @ Chinatown via Booking.com and as we knew we’d arrive early requested an early check in. When we got there the hotel was rammed with Chinese visitors so we instantly knew an early check in wasn’t going to be possible but nevertheless we pleaded and ended up paying extra to get just one room and we all grabbed a few hours’ sleep.
If we hadn’t put alarms on I think we’d have slept through that first day but we knew we were meeting a local guide at 1pm. I say a local guide; the girl we met is not an official guide but someone off the ‘Meet up with locals’ website who advertise their services to tourists and visitors to show them around the city and the best places to go. It seemed like a good idea because we didn’t have a lot of time in Bangkok. Our guide was very accommodating but I think because we were so tired, we didn’t get the best value of the 10 hours we’d booked with her. Initially we asked her to take us to a pick up point for our train tickets for the next evening and Martin wanted to get a sim card for his dual sim phone. Once sorted we could start some sightseeing! Bangkok is just mad. Hugely busy on the streets, full of people, full of cars and tuks tuks and taxis and it was hot, humid hot. And we were tired!
First we all piled into two tuks tuks with Martin appalled at the cost. 28 years ago tuks tuks were a cheap travel option. Today, they’re more expensive than taxis as they are used mainly by tourists and tuk tuks outside of tourist places just won’t haggle. First stop was to Wat Pho Temple, one of the largest temple complexes in the city and famed for its giant reclining Buddha that measures 46 metres long and is covered in gold leaf. The complex is full of Buddha statues and highly decorated pagodas and stupas and in a very pretty setting. The giant reclining Buddha statue felt penned in especially with so many people queuing past it so for me, this wasn’t the best experience, very touristy and you couldn’t get a very good photograph at all. Strangely neither Martin nor I could remember this place when we were last here. Although the Grand Palace was only 10 minutes away we were all now really hungry so we took off in a taxi this time to find something to eat. Another shocker for Martin was how much lunch cost us. 28 years later and times had changed dramatically!
Although there were plenty of temples on the agenda we were too tired and opted for a stroll down memory lane or rather Kao San Road, the infamous back packer’s domain. This we did remember and not a lot has changed, if anything it looked more run down. It’s an interesting place though and the girls were fascinated, so we picked a bar and sat drinking Tiger beer and watching the world go by.
As it was a Saturday night our local guide had suggested a visit to the night market so we set off on the underground (which wasn’t there 28 years ago) called the Talat Rot Fai train market, now behind the Esplanade shopping centre in Ratchada, right next to the Thailand Cultural Center. The market was packed full of sellers and visitors alike. I think we managed to walk around most of the Thai street food stalls before having to sit and have a rest and a drink and we didn’t even get through the many clothing and household goods stalls. You could have probably spent hours here, but unfortunately we were just too tired. Keen to sleep we jumped in a taxi, but the traffic was so bad it took us an hour to get back to China Town.
Bangkok revisited
Feeling more refreshed the next day we woke early for breakfast to get a taxi to the Bang Wa BTS station to meet our local guide again from the With Locals website but this time on a more organised trip entitled the Ultimate Floating Market Tour. We met up with our guide who took us via taxi to the floating markets. To be fair there wasn’t much of a floating market but the market on the side of the river was really interesting, it was in full flow and there were mainly locals there buying and selling their local produce. Our guide was very knowledgeable and was keen to show us the different foods on offer and getting us to taste a few things. The sights and sounds were fantastic. We spent a pleasant half an hour rowed around the narrow river channels from the market. Back in the market our guide bagged us a table and then set about getting a wonderful selection of Thai delicacies for us to try. I would definitely recommend this experience as there weren’t many tourists; it was mainly Thai families out enjoying their Sunday meals together after a morning shopping.
Back in the centre of Bangkok our guide left us in a community park near to where the river taxis would leave. Walking through the park we saw men and boys playing Sepak Takraw which is an unusual ball game we’d not seen before where they use any part of their body other than their hands. Then we spotted an open air boxing ring with a local Thai boxing tournament taking place so we headed over. They were all youngsters taking place so it was obviously some kind of community club but it was great to watch, even the girls and some young boys who looked about 4 had a go!
Despite getting side tracked we eventually got to the river and found the river boats. It was great to see Bangkok from the river so we stayed on the jump on, jump off river boats for a while, passing all the key sites, the Grand Palace and the imposing Wat Arun Temple which is best viewed from the river anyway. We jumped off at the Grand Palace area to get something to eat. It was too late to go inside the Grand Palace which closes at 3pm but we were happy to just walk around. On the boat again we headed for Kao San Road once more for a drink. But it was time to depart Bangkok, it had been a fast and furious visit, shocked at how much we spent in such a short time. We got a taxis back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and headed over to Hua Lamphang train station for our 8pm overnight sleeper train to Nong Khai.
Overland to Laos
We were all pretty excited about our train journey. We’d booked 2 first class sleeper compartments and they didn’t disappoint. The two compartments opened up with connecting doors which reminded me of an old Bond movie. The train set off on time and not long after a guard came down and made up our bunk beds. We left him to it and went down to the dining carriage. Dining carriage sounds a bit grand, it was more like a café and the food consisted of microwave meals that were pretty bad. And there was no alcohol allowed on the trains which was a shame, it would have been nice to sit with a beer. As it was now dark and there was little to eat and drink we headed back to our compartments and settled down to our night on the train. We did sleep even though I think we all woke intermittently because we either too hot or too cold with the air conditioning or with the motion of the train and before we knew it we were being called really early to say we’d nearly arrived. We had time just to wash and grab our things as the train pulled into Nong Khai. When you get to the station it’s a tuk tuk ride to the Thai/Laos border and then things got really confusing. We shuffled around the various different office points, filling in forms and paying our Laos visas. Fortunately we had read that you needed passport size photos so we didn’t have to queue up at the makeshift photo booth they have for people who don’t have them. Once through the border it’s then a taxi, tuk tuk or local bus to Vientiane, which is still about 40 minutes away. We opted for the local bus as we managed to change some money for Laos at the border but we would find in hindsight that maybe we should have got transport direct to the hotel, but hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Vientiane
Our introduction to Vientiane was a bit, hot, tiring and frustrating. Mainly because the bus dropped us at the main bus station and then we were swarmed (literally) with tuk tuk drivers all vying for our business. We were still struggling to get our head around Thai Bhat so really hadn’t got to know Laos currency yet so it felt hugely confusing to be faced with all these people. We definitely felt like we were being taken advantage of and the girls felt a little bit vulnerable. We eventually got a taxi sorted to our hotel which was just a bit out of town, called S Park Design. A modern, boutique hotel but yet again because it was so early our rooms weren’t ready. We opted to go and get a big breakfast although we didn’t fancy an Asian breakfast but found somewhere nearby that did omelettes, that did the trick.
When we got into our room everyone was tired and went to sleep. I was keen to get out and about and went to sit by the pool, which would have been rather pleasant if it wasn’t heavily cloudy. Shame. I eventually got everyone up and about and we walked towards the centre of Vientiane to explore. We headed towards the river first and there were plenty of locals out walking, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sunset (yes the sun had eventually shown itself in time to go to bed). We stopped off for a drink on the way to enjoy the view. Nearly into Vientiane itself we found two big groups of mainly women doing 80’s style aerobics with an enthusiastic instructor at the front and loud banging music. I videoed it for my fitness instructor back home, said he should come out here to Laos, they have big audiences. I didn’t fancy getting involved however, the humidity was really high and the temperature about 30 degrees. We then found the night market and spent a few hours wandering through the brightly coloured stalls full of t-shirts, dresses, gifts, goods for the home, you name it, they had everything. It was busy with lots of locals so this wasn’t just a tourist market. Eventually reaching the far end of the market we headed up one of the side streets to look for something to eat and found an Italian pizza restaurant run by a French couple (there’s a lot of French influence in Vientiane).
Buddha Park
The next day we’d left ourselves with more to do as we’d been so slow to get going yesterday, so we were up early and back at the main bus station to get the local bus to the Buddha Park. It was a pleasant 25km trip and when we got there the sun had started to come out. The Buddha Park is exactly how it’s described; it’s a park, not particularly very big but in a lovely setting by the river and full of about 200 Buddha statues as well as other religious sculptures. They’ve planted lovely gardens around the sculptures and you can climb up onto some of them. We didn’t really expect an awful lot but it was actually really enjoyable. It’s obviously a place where school children come to visit as there were school trips there when we were there. It was easy enough to get the bus back into Vientiane and then we went off for a bit of lunch before negotiating another tuk tuk (they are exhausting) to Pha That Luang, the large gold-covered Buddhist stupa in the centre of the city and the golden lying Buddha, said to be the most important Buddhist monument in Laos. They would have looked stunning against a blue sky, but the humidity clouds had rolled in again which wasn’t good for photography. I did get some great tuk tuk shots though. There are many more pagodas and temples in Vientiane but we didn’t go looking for them although we did visit the Patuxai Victory monument that was presented to Laos by the Chinese and looks like a Laos version of the Arc de Triomphe. Climbing to the top affords you some great views across the city of Vientiane. We walked back through the city until our feet hurt and we all needed a beer and then Googled a good place to eat. We headed off back to our hotel still not having sorted out our transport to Vang Vieng tomorrow. There seemed like lots of options including mini buses and VIP buses but there were different prices and many different reviews of how good they were. We agreed to get up fairly early and aim for the bus station first thing.
The road to Vang Vieng
It all did get a bit stressful in the morning but we eventually ended up on a minibus and we were pretty fortunate to be part of the first group to arrive and got good seats. The poor people who ended up arriving later were all squashed up in the back, so we thanked our lucky stars. Martin was quite happy as he got chatting to a guy who now lives in Vang Vieng but had arrived there as a traveller about 20 years ago. He had lots of stories to tell about his many adventures so the time passed quickly. The road was better than expected and better than I had read so the journey wasn’t that unpleasant. We arrived in Vang Vieng about 1pm and it was hot and sunny when we got there so we jumped in a tuk tuk to our hotel. We’d really splashed out in Vang Vieng and chosen quite an expensive hotel although there are lots of choices here, particularly for backpackers if you are on a budget. We were going to be here for four days so we wanted a nice pool and some nice views. And we certainly got that with the Riverside Boutique. Located at the far end of town but right on the banks of the river the beautifully appointed rooms around the pool all had stunning views across to the striking limestone mountains. Laura my daughter had started to feel unwell on the journey so she went to rest and we lazed by the side of the pool. I was simply delighted as the sun set to watch the changing landscape from the side of the river and the activity across the toll bridge. I stood for an hour or so taking photos. The area reminded me of Guilin in China and Halong Bay in Vietnam.
That night we ventured into town and immediately found a night market to distract us before finding something to eat in one of the many cafes and restaurants.
The next day we’d planned to go to one of the Blue Lagoons in the area. Vang Vieng with its limestone mountains has lots of caves and lagoons to explore. We weren’t that interested in the caves but the girls wanted to visit the lagoons. Blue Lagoon 1 everyone said was very touristy and we’d been recommended to try Blue Lagoon 2 or 3. Getting there was another challenge as most of the tuks tuks wanted seemingly lots of money to get there and it really didn’t seem that far. We were getting quite frustrated with their willingness to sit and earn nothing than lower their prices. Eventually we found a tuk tuk driver willing to move on his prices and we set off over the toll bridge. It wasn’t long before the road disappeared and became a dirt track and in an open top tuk tuk we were covered in dust. Hiring three wheeled buggies is popular out here but on these types of roads I can’t see how fun it is, you’d be choked on dust. We could sort of see now why the tuk tuks weren’t that keen to drive out here.
Blue Lagoon 3 was very pleasant, not too busy. The water is blue, a bit chilly when you first get in. There’s a small charge to get in and there are tables and chairs to sit and have a picnic as a lot of people were doing. They’d set up rope swings and jump off points for those who felt so inclined to participate and there were a few canoes and rafts to use. The girls and I had a swim and the girls did go for the rope swings. We went for a walk following signs to a viewing point and caves but the pathway sort of disappeared and climbed up rocky ledges which were not safe wearing flip flops so we turned back.
Back in town we lazed by the pool before heading out for something to eat. We also had to find a pharmacist as Laura was now really suffering with her throat, sign language came in useful as there was nobody who spoke English.
Laura really wasn’t feeling well the next day so Martin stayed with Laura at the hotel whilst me and Sophie hired bikes out and went exploring. The bikes were really old and clunky with no gears and bad brakes but it was great to get out in the countryside. We crossed the toll bridge (which sounds quite grand but it is a crickety old thing but you still have to pay) and we were soon passing rice fields and little villages. It was really hot and humid but pretty cloudy which was probably a good thing otherwise we might have been roasted alive. There were lots of opportunities to stop and take photographs at the villages and of children playing by the roadside or walking along the road coming out of school. We didn’t really have a destination in mind but we saw signs for the Blue Lagoon 1 so we thought we’d go and look. We paid to enter and it was bigger than Blue Lagoon 3 but also much busier, with lots of tourists from South Korea. The South Koreans are very funny, really loud and up for the activities on offer so it was fun people watching for a while. We did get a swim although we hadn’t brought towels so we were a bit wet went we eventually got back on our bikes. I really enjoyed the few hours we had out on the bikes in Vang Vieng, it was really peaceful and very beautiful.
While we’d been out Martin had hired a small motorbike and gone off exploring more of the town. I joined Martin in a bar with the guy we’d met on the bus, which was an interesting experience, he’d been drinking since morning, but think that is a regular activity. We also had to take Laura to the makeshift hospital in town later that evening as her throat was now really infected with a white pus and not getting any better. The hospital was welcoming but not really geared up for foreign visitors. We didn’t really get a diagnosis but we came away with some antibiotics for her even though we weren’t filled with the greatest of comfort.
Laura missed out on our next day’s activities again as she really wasn’t feeling very well which was a shame because I really think she would have enjoyed kayaking. Sophie and I booked with a local tour operator which there are plenty of in town offering so many different activities. We were picked up by a minivan at 1pm and when it was full of people we drove out of town for about half hour or so. Then they took us down to the river and people went off doing different activities, some were there to do zip lining and some, like us to do kayaking. We ended up in a very small group. Sophie and I had a kayak, a French couple had a kayak and then our guide joined up with a guy from South Korea and our three kayaks set off back up the river towards Vang Vieng. Sophie and I are similar build so we soon picked up a comfortable rhythm and I think we were doing pretty well. The river at this time of year is not that fast flowing so we had to work a bit to move along. There were a few parts where we had rapids but it wasn’t that difficult to get past but we followed the guide closely for the right path to avoid rocks and tricky bits. We did get beached at one point where one part of the river was quite low. The landscape changed as we went along and we started to see some of the bars that fuel the people tubing down the river. Many of these bars closed quite a few years ago as they had several deaths of travellers getting drunk and drowning in the river. We passed many tubers on our way but they weren’t going that fast today! Kayaking was a fantastic way to spend a few hours, really enjoyable, in such a beautiful setting.
On the road again, this time to Luang Prabang
We were up early for breakfast and picked up outside the hotel by the minibus that was going to take us to Luang Prabang. First on again meant we had the best seats which was a good job as we then spent the next half an hour driving around town until every seat was filled. The road from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang goes up and down mountains so there’s a lot of windy bends. Just make sure you book a minibus on the new road because apparently the old road is even worse and can take 7 hours. Our journey was really pretty although the views from the top had disappeared in the clouds. By the time we reached Luang Prabang bus station 4 and a half hours later it was bright sunshine. Then we had a tuk tuk ride to our accommodation that we’d pre-booked My Dream Boutique. The hotel was lovely and our room were so pretty in gorgeous gardens that overlooked the river. We had lunch as soon as we got there and then crashed out by the little pool area. The hotel put on minibuses into town so we got one early evening into the centre of Luang Prabang and the famous night market. We loved the town straight away, it had a feeling of the town of Hoi Ann in Vietnam, with its beautiful buildings and little streets with markets. The night market was really interesting, especially the food, where you could eat just about anything. We wandered for a few hours before sitting with a beer and then caught the hotel’s minibus back.
The next day we had to visit another hospital for Laura as the antibiotics really hadn’t helped and her throat was now entirely covered in an infection. The hotel management were lovely and arranged for one of their drivers to take us to the hospital and we were seen in a clean facility this time with English speaking doctors. They diagnosed acute tonsillitis and poor Laura had to have an intravenous drip of antibiotics so that they would start working straight away. We were there a good few hours but we felt happier she had now been properly treated. In the afternoon we went exploring and realised that we could walk into town across a bamboo bridge over the river which only took about 15 minutes. I got some great photos at the bridge, particularly one of a monk crossing, their vivid orange robes so striking against the background. We wandered around the pretty town which was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, getting our bearings and visiting some of the amazing sites like the Royal Palace and the Wat Mai Temple and then towards the Mekong River where we sat and had something to eat.
Martin took Laura to the hospital the next morning and Sophie and I were able to take advantage of the sunny weather by the pool. We met up again for lunch and then later in the day we all set off over the bamboo bridge again to climb the 355 steps that zigzag up to the top of the summit of Thanon Phousi. We were able to climb the stairs on the side of the hill where the bamboo bridge was and come down the other side which leads right into the town. It was hot and sweaty walking in the heat, it was a shame there wasn’t a bar at the top! There were plenty of people though because it had been a glorious day so there was going to be a glorious sunset. We were probably there a bit early but we were able to sit and watch the changing colours of the sky as the sun set over the beautiful landscape. We were certainly ready for a beer when we got to the bottom of the hill again. We went back to the night market and Martin ventured to try some of the local delicacies.
The hotel were once again amazing when we asked about where was the best place to watch Luang Prabang’s alms ceremony where the monks receive rice and other foods from the locals early in the morning. They said the monks do go into town but then pass right outside our hotel at about 6.30 and they could arrange to cook sticky rice for us and biscuits if we would like to participate in the ceremony. We couldn’t believe it and agreed readily. So 6.30 the next morning the girls knelt on a mat in the street and when the monks came they stopped and chanted their thanks and the girls gave each monk handfuls of rice and biscuits in their alms pots. Martin and I stood silently nearby taking photos. It was a wonderful experience and one we will treasure. We’d read that so many tourists spoil the ceremony in Luang Prabang so this was really special. As we were up so early we had breakfast early too and then Laura went back to bed for a while whilst Martin, Sophie and I went across the bridge to find the early morning food market. The market was really interesting, with lots of fruit and veg we didn’t know, lots of meat we didn’t really want to see (how do they manage to keep it fresh in that heat?) and lots of interesting people. We got back to the hotel in time so that Laura and Martin could head off to the hospital again for Laura’s final drip of antibiotics and Sophie and I headed off to the pool.
We met back up for lunch and then we were picked up by a minibus that we’d arrange to take us to the 30 km drive to Kuang Si Waterfalls. On the way storm clouds had built up so that by the time we arrived it was torrential rain! We sat in the van for a while then ventured out with a borrowed umbrella and one we bought from a stall. The mud paths were suddenly slippy and treacherous! On the walk up to the falls you can visit the Save the Bears Sanctuary where there are about half a dozen Asian black bears or moon bears that have all been rescued from the Chinese bile trade. One of the bears only had 3 legs and you could tell all had been abused at one time or another, so sad. But they’re being looked after now, even if they can’t be let free, they have room to roam, food and shelter and are no longer abused. We sat for quite a while watching the bears and waiting for the rain to stop. It did stop and we made our way up to the falls. To be fair I wasn’t expecting an awful lot to be honest but the falls were really really beautiful, set in a rain forest and very atmospheric. At first as we came to the first section where people were swimming I thought that was it but actually there are several stages to the falls and it gets more and more spectacular the further you walk up, so despite being extremely slippery from the rain, it was well worth a visit. The sun eventually came out and we got some lovely photographs. Back at the hotel the plan was to pack and then go back into town for a nice meal and a last visit around the night market. But the storm had come back and when we left in the minivan the rain was lashing down. The poor sellers at the night market had given up and were starting to pack up their wares so we went to find a restaurant. We should have been sat in their lovely garden but ended indoors because it was so wet! Goodness knows what it is like in the rainy season.
Shompoo Cruise on the Mekong
We’d arranged an early breakfast the next day as we were being picked up between 6.30 -7am. As soon as we went for breakfast we heard the chanting of the monks so we dashed out the front to catch the alms procession once more. Soon after the driver from Shompoo Cruises arrived to pick us up. We’d pre-booked this in the UK, a two day cruise up the Mekong River to the Thai border. At US120 each it was much more expensive than the regular slow boat travellers use but we hoped this would be less crowded and afford a little bit of comfort. We weren’t disappointed, the boat was lovely and with only 13 passengers we had plenty of room to move about. As we set off it was still pretty chilly and we sat with blankets around us for the first hour or so and given more tea and coffee and croissants. At about 8.30 we arrived at the Pak Ou Caves and we were able to climb up into the caves full of Buddha statues. If I’d got the boat just to come and see the caves I think I might have been a bit disappointed though. Back on the boat the clouds cleared and the sun started to warm up the boat. There were plenty of places to sit but my favourite spot was right at the front of the boat with my zoom lens on spotting boats, wildlife and villages along the wide Mekong river. Our day was pretty much spent doing the same, but it was really relaxing and I didn’t tire of the views. We were given a traditional lunch on board and plenty of tea and coffee and you could buy beer if you wanted. Many people slept or read and it was definitely a chilled way of seeing some of the countryside with some lovely scenery. We arrived at the small town of Pak Beng at about 5pm and just took small bags to our overnight accommodation, PB Guesthouse a short walk from the jetty. It was clean and simple and ideal for just one night. Pak Beng is a tiny town with not much to see or do, obviously built up to service the stop overs for boat traffic. We went to the recommended Indian restaurant for dinner (from Lonely Planet) although it was a bit disappointing. It was soon pitch black over the Mekong and you soon appreciate that we are totally in the middle of nowhere!
It’s another early start and we grab our take away breakfast from the accommodation (which none of us ate, it was terrible) for the short walk down to the harbour and the boat. Then we spot a couple of elephants on the opposite side of the river walking down from a local elephant sanctuary for their morning bath. Shame there’s no wild elephants in the area any more. Back on board we enjoy the scenery once more but we stop after about an hour to visit a Hmong village. We climb up the muddy path up to the simple huts built up on the hillside. It’s only a small village with about 20 families living there. The boat company have been stopping to visit them recently and in return supporting the school with clothes, blankets, pencils and pens, paper and books. It’s a pretty humbling experience to be honest. The village are all farmers and we can see a few of the pigs and chickens around their houses and there are one or two small boats where they go fishing, but there’s little else, they have no electricity or running water and when we think back to the night previously and the blackness of the forests it makes you wonder how they manage to survive. The people welcome us even though I’m sure we do look like aliens to them with our cameras and nice clothes. One of our group had brought bubbles for the children and it was a delight to see them laugh like they had never seen such things before. We visited the school and the children were drawing outside sat on simple woven mats. I did get some amazing photos of the children, of beautiful little girls who are so pretty and two little brothers in particular who were so cheeky and naughty fighting each other. We could have stopped here for hours so we had to be dragged back to the boat.
Back on board I’m sat at the front of the boat again in the sun watching the sights of the Mekong go by, blissful, and feeling very fortunate. We have lunch on board and plenty of fruit and drinks along the way and by 4pm we reach the area of the Mekong that has Thailand on one side and Laos on the other. Then it was time to leave our boat at Houay Xay and our two day river trip, it’s been lovely. Shompoo Travel had organised tuk tuks to take us to the Laos border and our guide helps us through the Laos border. We’d pre-booked with them tickets for a mini bus to take us from the Thai border to Chang Rai. We had hoped to get the public bus but we would have been too late as that left at 5pm. We’re first on the minibus again (we’re getting good at this) so bag the front seats and we set off for Chang Rai which takes us about two hours. Fortunately the minibus takes us right to the front door of our hotel, the Nak Nakara Hotel. Despite being tired we get the hotel’s minibus to take us to the night market and we head off for something to eat.
Chang Rai
The plan was for a lovely relaxing day in Chang Rai, probably with some pool time but when we wake in the morning it’s absolutely throwing it down (this is definitely not meant to be the rainy season!). So we grab umbrellas and head off into town to wander around the markets and some of the more local temples and pagodas. We had lunch in a pizza restaurant and then ended up having tea and cakes in a cat café, whilst it was raining, where are we, Manchester? Fortunately the rain did peter out before the end of the day and we were able to take advantage of the big street market that takes place every Saturday night – it was huge! We did walk most of it and buy a few bits and pieces and then sat in the main square watching the locals dance to a band, it’s obviously a weekly thing to do, which was fun to watch and the girls did join in.
Of course as we were leaving Chang Rai the next day the sun came back out so we only had a couple of hours before we left for the airport to fly back to Bangkok for our flight home. We had booked a hotel even though we were flying at 2am the next day as we thought it would be good to have a base and to shower and change and rest up before we flew. In hindsight we probably could have managed without it but we dropped our bags off and went off to find a big shopping area as the girls wanted to do some last minute shopping. This was one big shopping mall that sold just about everything so we had to be targeted about the things we wanted and then the haggling began! So exhausting! We left shopping at about 8pm and went back to shower and change for the airport and our flight home.
Trying to squeeze in a bit of Thailand again was probably too much but it was fun to visit again after our last trip there was 28 years ago. Laos was lovely and we would definitely have liked to go south of the country too but don’t underestimate how long it takes to travel in Laos, so when time is against you, it’s probably best, as we did and just choose to go to the north or the south.
