My first trip to Laos had highs and lows. To reduce the amount of lows on your first trip to Laos, keep reading. I traveled to three cities in Laos: Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane. Despite all being in Laos, the cities had very different vibes. To start, I entered Laos from Thailand. Next to the Thai border is the Laos city of Huay-Xai. This is the starting point for many Mekong River cruises.

Mekong River Cruise

Traveling on a slow boat along the Mekong is a must on your first trip to Laos. My husband, Colin, and I took a slow boat over 2 days ending in Luang Prabang. A slow boat is a long and narrow boat that travels, well, slow. There are many options, and we chose a mid-range priced tour. During the tour we made a few stops along the way. First, we stopped at a rural Laos village. Second, we stopped for the night in Pakbeng. Third, we stopped at a Buddhist Temple in a cave: Pak Ou Cave. Overall, my favorite part of the journey was the feeling of peace and calmness I felt while traveling along the river. Floating between small mountains of lush vegetation, the scene was mystic.

Luang Prabang

My favorite city in Laos is Luang Prabang. If you only go to one city on your first trip to Laos, go there. The city architecture bares a quaint French colonial style, and a lot of people speak French.

Cuisine in Laos

Having a French influence leads to numerous delicious restaurants to choose from. BOUANG Asian Eatery is a corky, modern, Laos-fusion restaurant with great vegetarian options. Additionally, a short walk from the main street is the most enchanting fine dining restaurant called Manda de Laos. Eating here I felt immersed in a fairy tale. The tables surround a UNESCO classified lily pond. With the stars in the sky, the restaurant is breathtaking. For dinner I indulged in laap. “Laap” means “luck” and is the national dish of Laos. It is typically a minced meat or fish salad that is eaten with sticky rice. I had a yummy vegetarian version with tofu. If you are more of a fan of street food, like other cities in Southeast Asia, there is a bustling night market with food and artisan vendors.

A must see site in Luang Prabang is the Royal Palace Complex. On these grounds stand the Royal Palace Museum and the Haw Pha Bang temple. This temple houses Laos’ most sacred Buddha image, the Phra Bang Buddha. Another must visit spot is Phousi Hill, which is about 100 m tall. The hike to the top is worth the incredible 360 views of Luang Prabang. Expect quite a crowd during sunset.

Morning Alms Giving

One of the most memorable experiences on my first trip to Laos was the morning alms giving ceremony: Sai Bat. To participate, wake up early and go to the city center, making sure to arrive before dawn. There will already be people waiting there ready to sell you sticky rice and other food offerings. You sit on the side of the road. As a long line of Buddhist monks and novices walk by you place an offering into each bowl. Since this ceremony has become quite popular, being respectful as a tourist is very important.

Vang Vieng

I have mixed feelings about Vang Vieng. It is a small city we arrived at via train from Luang Prabang. The city used to be a popular place for backpackers to stop at. Many would get drunk while floating on tubes along the Nam Song river. After a number of accidents, however, bans were implemented restricting this activity. Despite many changes, it is still an adventure seekers paradise. Some popular activities include zip lining, caving, swimming in blue lagoons (there are 6 total named 1-6), and hiking to the peak of Nam Xay mountain. To do these activies there are many all day guided adventure tours. However, in the spirit of saving money and having flexibility we went a different route.

Motorbike rental

The alternative route I will describe was a low on our first trip to Laos. It is very popular in Southeast Asia to rent a motorbike for transportation. With the low price of $7/day, renting a bike seemed like an obvious choice. Consequently, In the morning we mapped out our day, rented our motorbike, and set out. Although we had envisioned the air blowing through our hair as we ventured on the open roads, the reality was quite the opposite.

In contrast to our imagination, we quickly realized how dangerous the roads are in Vang Vieng. About 30 minutes outside of the city, about to reach our first destination, we hit an extra large dirt pot hole. Subsequenty, our motorbike went flying. A skid, a scrape, and we were on the side of the road, bleeding. Physically and mentally broken, we were eventually able to flag down a truck that took us back to town. Myself in the front seat and Colin on the bike in the truck bed. After buying out all the bandages from a store, we went back to our hotel and cleaned ourselves up. That was the end of my motorbiking career.

Blue Lagoons and Caves

In an effort to turn our day around, and in the spirit of FOMO, we paid for a driver for the second half of the day. Our first stop was Blue Lagoon 1. The water was a crystal clear aqua blue. While people were swimming and jumping into the water, overhead we saw people zip lining off of small platforms. Further ahead we saw Phu Kham Cave and made our way there. The entrance to the cave is quite steep and it is very dark inside with minimal signage. I am not a risk taker and this definitely felt like a do at your own risk scenario; although I was getting more and more used to danger in Laos. After hearing about a number of incidents where people got lost in the large cave systems and couldn’t find their way out, we played it safe entering only a small amount.

Nam Xay Lookout Point

Following our brief caving experience, we were driven to the nearby base of Nam Xay mountain. We were surprised by the difficulty of the trek. We were not expecting to be holding onto flimsy bamboo rails and rock scrambling. But the views at the summit: BREATHTAKING. It was sunset, there were hot air balloons in the sky, and the expansive views of the country side were incredible. A top viewpoint of my life – the only one I can think of that beats it is one from Nepal.

Vientiane

If it is your first trip to Laos, it seems only reasonable to visit the largest and capital city of Vientiane. Could I have skipped it, however? Yes. If you do find yourself there make sure to see Pha That Luang, a sacred religious monument. It is a large gold structure with a stupa in the middle. Beware if you are told you need to buy a skirt to enter, this is a scam to have you purchase from some local venders. Additionally, you should see the Patuxai Victory Gate, an ornate concrete arch. It is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Furthermore, other sites to stroll by include That Dam, known as the Black Stupa; and the Presidential Palace.

To sum it up, there is an untouched natural beauty to Laos. Although it is important to stay safe, it is definitely worth a visit! Comment below with your favorite sites in Laos or your first trip to Laos bucket list.

xoxo, keep wandering,

Amy