Mystical, stunning, magical…those would be just a few of the words that travelers might use to describe Luang Prabang, Laos and the Mighty Mekong River that flows beside it.
Throw in gorgeous and vibrant for good measure and you would be close to trying to explain how this place affects you. As Luang Prabang has many, many mini adventures and beautiful places to explore, most of which we will be posting later, we will try to concentrate on just one of those, our Mekong River trip.
Along the river bank in Luang Prabang, lie many small long boats and their various Captains. Most are looking for travelers that would be interested in seeing some tourist spots along the Mekong and are willing to negotiate for their time. Never ones to be fearful, we were ready to jump into the first boat available and excited to head out. Up river or down river…that was the only question. Up river, a tourist attraction, safe, known, well travelled. Nope, definitely down river we go. So, we’re off…
Time along the river seems to pass by in seconds, as we travel for an hour and a half down the Mekong to search for a small village that our Captain recommends for photos. Do tourists go there? No, he says, no one usually asks him for a place like this, he just knows the people who live around there…so we go…
We climb the red mud steps cut into the vibrant green hillside and find ourselves in the backyard of some local Laotians having a family BBQ. They welcome us on through with wonderful smiles and friendly waves. The village is beautiful…and local. Off to one side, a temple that is slowly being swallowed by the ever-expanding jungle. Down the path, a small village with people going about their daily life, gorgeous simplicity and we are in the midst of feeling like time has stood still. No other tourists or foreigners, we feel slightly intrusive, but are welcomed any ways. The serenity of this amazing place is like a opiod.
Ultimately, we must the leave the village behind, and so we hike back down the hillside, climb into our little boat and pull up the stake from the mud bank. We head back towards Luang Prabang, up river on the wonderful life giving Mekong as the days sun starts it’s descent. We daydream about living a life in the village that is simple and connected with those things that truly matter in this world…people, nature, our senses. We stare off toward the river bank on either side of our boat, watching the children play in the coolness of the river as the water buffalo look on and can only think one thing…when can we get back here…
LOCAL | yetnot 