DAY 1, CHAING MAI TO HUAY XAI
The 3 Day Slow Boat From Thailand To Laos, Pt 1. If you want to take part in the infamous and death-defying tubing in Laos then there’s a good chance you have to take a boat from Thailand. To get from Chang Mai to Luang Prabang there are two options both of which include a day bus drive from Chang Mai to the river port in Huay Xai. There is an 8 hour speed boat, which I am still to meet anyone who enjoyed it or the other option of a two day slow boat (the local boat)
I felt drawn to the faster boat to spend less time traveling. After asking many people, I chose the slow boat based on recommendations. It turned out to be an experience in itself!
First thing in the morning, a minivan collected me for the 8-hour drive to the border. I immediately started talking to three American guys. I would go on to travel the rest of Southeast Asia with these boys. If you really want to get to know someone, spend three days sitting beside them.
CHIANG RAI TEMPLE
As I mentioned before, I wasn’t sure about the bus and boat trip, but now on our second day, I’m loving it! The bus was fairly cramped, but we stopped at a temple called the White Temple in Chiang Rai, the only temple I was looking forward to. I couldn’t believe the design and wondered how they made it. Then we learned it was built in 1996. Inside, they had paintings of the Twin Towers going down, along with Spider-Man, Angry Birds, and other weird stuff.
THE BOOMROOM
Another few hours brought us to our accommodation at the river port. No one comes here for anything other than getting to Laos, so it’s not the most exciting place. We stayed at a place called The Boomroom, which should have been called the Broomroom as it was so small and cramped.
Part of traveling (and part of me) is leaving things behind. I hate it at the best of times, but it’s worse when you’re traveling because you can’t exactly go back the next day to pick it up. I brought a bright orange travel adapter to ensure I never left it behind. It lasted a week into my two-year trip! You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to find a replacement and another iPhone charger. Knowing how forgetful I can be, I brought another one along. Next up – Part 2 of the trip to Pakbeng.
The 3 Day Slow Boat From Thailand To Laos, Pt 1
FINAL THOUGHTS
First leg overland was epic, but the real fun is over the next two days where we get the slow boat from Thailand to Laos.
NEXT UP
Day 2 when we experience a buddhist celebration than can only be described as a riot! Click here to read on.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
20/229
This episode is part of The South East Asia Series, click to see episode 1.
