Nomadic Lenses: Vientiane

Showing posts with label Vientiane. Show all posts

Sunday, November 13, 2011

25 Days of Laos (Part 18)

This is a journal of our 25-day trip around Laos on a rented Honda FTR that we fondly called Mustafa. It starts with a long bus ride from Hanoi to Laos and ends with a longer bus ride back to Hanoi.

Day 24: Thakaek to Vientiane
This day was spent heading back to Vientiane and sorting out our visa for Vietnam. Then, we checked in the Mixay Guest House where we stayed last time. After that, we headed to Le Silapa for dinner. It's got amazing food, fantastic decorations and really friendly cats. So, make sure you sit inside if you don't want to be anywhere near them. We sat aside and it was difficult to pry them off my lap -- They're not shy nor afraid of humans.

Vientiane

Day 25: The Buddha Park
We drove 25 kilometers out of Vientiane to see Xieng Khouan, a sculpture park which was created by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat in 1958. The park represents the union of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs. In the park, you'll see statues of gods, animals, humans and demons. You'll also see a pumpkin-shaped head of a monster with its mount open. Inside this monster is the creator's interpretation of heaven, earth and hell. You can climb into the monster's mouth to check out the different compartments filled with statues.

The Reclining Buddha

Enter The Mouth If You Dare

What's Inside The Head

The Buddha Park

Our last day in Laos ended with ice cream in Swenson's and some pizza at Le Ranch after failing to find the shooting range which has apparently moved to a different location. With a box of pizza for the road, we headed to the bus station for our trip back to Hanoi.

Read About The Journey From The Beginning:

25 Days of Laos (Part 17)

Day 22: Hin Boun to Thakaek
The next town that we were going to visit was Thakaek which was around 181 kilometers away from Hin Boun. The journey would've been more eventful were we able to visit the legendary Kong Leng lake which the villagers believe to be sacred. They say that they hear the sound of a gong from the lake every full moon.

The Lonely Planet describes the lake as crystal clear since the water in it has been filtered through the limestone karsts. The thing is it's hard to get to -- You'd have to get through terrible dirt roads. And, when you get to the lake, you'll have to ask for the villagers' permission to swim in there. Also, you can only swim in the stream near the wooden footbridge and not the lake itself. But, some lucky tourists have made it to this location and it is indeed magical.

What Stopped Us From Getting To The Lake!

We got to Thakhaek in the afternoon. And, we decided to splurge a bit and stay in the Inthira Hotel where we got a beautiful room with a terrace. What made the room unique was that the toilet and the shower seemed as if they were in two wardrobes separated by a sink. Feeling a bit rich that night, we decided to have their sashimi platter and were sorely disappointed to find out that the serving was small and it was more like a ginger platter than a sashimi platter.

That orange glob in the middle is ginger!

Day 23: Around Thakaek
We visited Tham Pha Pa, a Buddha cave which is 18 kilometers from Thakhaek. Their collection of six-hundred-year-old Buddhas was impressive. And, one of the people guarding the place recited some incantations while tying bracelets on our wrists. I guess this means that we will have double the protection during the remainder of our bike trip. Sad to say, I wasn't able to take any pictures in the cave.

The Cave Guardians' Pet?

The Pool Outside The Cave

After the Buddha Cave, we decided to go to a nearby stream called Tha Falang. It may not be as beautiful as the lake that we missed the day before but it was definitely a magical place. By the stream, you'd see several butterflies flying about, making it seem like a place you'd only hear about in fairy tales. And, the best part about it is that you've got it all to yourself. During our stay there, we only ran into two tourists who jokingly left us to have the place for ourselves.

The Road To Tha Falang

Tha Falang

After a dip, we headed back to our hotel and chilled. After that, we looked for a place to eat. This time, we had dinner by the Mekong River, looking at the bright lights on the Thai border. And, we decided to get a cheaper fare that night -- Some local food from the stores scattered by the river.

Quick Travel Tips:

Khoun Keng Long. It's about 30 kilometers northeast of Thakhaek. These are the directions according to the Lonely Planet: "Head north along Rte 13 and turn right (east) at Km 25 onto a dirt road. After 2 km, turn right (south) again and bump up over hills and through villages for 16 km until your reach Ban Na Kheu. Once you've got approval for swimming, it's another 1 km to the lake."

Tham Pha Pa Cave. We weren't exactly asked for an entrance fee but there was a donation box at the entrance. Tham Pha Pa is arond 18 kilometers away from Thakhaek.

Tha Falang. It's just a few kilometers away from the Tham Pha Pa Cave.

The Journey Continues:

Part 18

Thursday, November 10, 2011

25 Days of Laos (Part 15)

Day 20: Vientiane to Phu Hin Boun NPA
After having gone through our loop and with 5 more days in Laos, we decided to go to the Phu Hin Bun NPA which is around 311 kilometers for Vientiane. The roads from Vientiane to Vieng Kham were pretty straight and were sort of boring after going through the mountainous terrain up north. The only thing you'd probably find exciting during the trip would be having a glimpse of North Eastern Thailand across the river or the occasional traffic jam caused by water buffalos. We had two stopovers before getting to Sala Hinboun where we were going to stay for the night. One was at a restaurant (for the sports commission according to the sign) by a river and a bridge and a small store in Vieng Kham.

A Temple That We Passed Along The Way

In Laos, water buffalos tend to have their way on the road.

Beep all you want but they ain't moving.

It was after a turn in Vieng Kham that the landscapes changed. The karsts that we passed were definitely striking. Around 38 kilometers from Vieng Kham was a view point. Below it stood several limestone karsts that had a dark, gothic appeal amidst the green and blue hues that surrounded them. It was absolutely breath-taking.

The View From The Viewpoint

The Sala Viewpoint

It was already 7 in the evening when we finally reached Sala Hinboun. There, we got a charming bungalow with a spacious terrace by the river. It was well-maintained and the bedroom was beautifully decorated. The only complaint that we've got would be the water running out at night. And, on our first night there, we did have some challenging shower situations. Since it was already dark, we didn't get to appreciate the beautiful view opposite our terrace.

Quick Travel Tips:

Sala Hinboun. It's around 15.1 kilometers from the Kong Lor Caves. http://www.salalao.com/Salalao/Content/Hinboun.htm

Sala Kong Lor. It's around 1.5 kilometers from the Kong Lor Caves. We didn't get to stay here when we were in the area since it was open yet. http://www.salalao.com/Salalao/Content/KongLor.htm

The Journey Continues:

Sunday, October 23, 2011

25 Days of Laos (Part 2)

The second day started with a nice breakfast at Joma's, a cafe located beside Jules Motorbike where we rented our FTR. Outside the cafe was a man who seemed to be selling bracelets. When we got out, the man tied one around my wrist while chanting some prayers. I tried to pay him but he didn't accept my money. I was quite amazed to see someone sitting under the heat of sun, giving away bracelets and prayer. And, I wondered what belief motivated him to do that.

After breakfast, we left for Vang Vieng which is around 108 kilometers from Vientiane. Instead of taking the usual route to Vang Vieng, we went through the more scenic Route 10 which passed Don Noun, Tha Ngon, Hat Klang, Phong Mang, Na Pheng, Keune Kang Kagnoung, Phonemy and Phonhong. It was a pretty easy ride. The roads were relatively flat and straight. It was a very long trip though. So, sore bums didn't come as a surprise at the end of the trip.

On the way to our destination, we stopped by a viewpoint where I took some pictures of the river below. Our next stop was a family-owned guest house and restaurant by a bridge. The food was really good -- We had fish lap and sticky rice.

We had a few more stops before we reached the Pha Tang Resort which is 17 kilometers north of Vang Vieng. Located beside a river, this serene and quiet place is a contrast to Vang Vieng's party atmosphere. For around $12, we got to stay in a beautiful rustic, bungalow. Since we had a long drive, around eight hours, dinner and sleep was all we needed.

River Restaurants

Life In The Countryside

Beautiful Mountains

Monks on Bikes

Free Range Cows

A Peaceful Spot

Cows In A Line

A Really Huge Bug

Yumm!

Elephant Deco in the Restaurant

Seats By the River

The Temple On The Other Side

The Bridge By the Restaurant

Really Interesting Decoration

Fish Laap

Served With Cucumber and String Beans

Back on the Road Again!

The Most Uphill Part of the Trip

Vang Vieng

Be Ready To Dodge Cows!

Pha Tang Resort's Welcoming Committee

Where We Stayed For The Night

Quick Travel Tips

Motorcycle
We rented the Honda FTR from Jules Classic Rental. The rent was reasonable and it included loads of assistance from the rental shop. It was so nice to know that they have affiliates around Laos who could assist us if we encounter any problems with our bike.

Accommodation
We stayed at the Pha Tang Resort for around $12 a night. The rooms are really beautiful and well-decorated. Being a family-owned place, the service was amazing and the people were warm and friendly. Try not to order too much when you're here -- The portions are huge.

Map
My boyfriend got his map from GT-Rider. It's really useful because it gives you an idea of what the terrain would be like.

The Journey Continues:

Nomadic Lenses

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