“Wait, we need a visa? We don’t have any money or a photo!”
Our quick journey to Laos got off to a rough start when we made a fundamental mistake.
We flew into Luang Prabang after a few days enjoying the craziness of Bangkok. Our short flight to Laos ended with an amazing mountainous approach, as our plane weaved around and between the hilly jungle. We disembarked at one of the smallest airports we’ve ever seen, one with a total of three or four gates and a single runway that works as a taxiway once a plane lands. The afternoon was hot and sunny and we happily joined our fellow passengers in the customs queue.
Our excitement quickly turned to quiet dread as we realized that everyone around us seemed to be pulling out small packets of information for obtaining their visas on arrival and crisp US bills. We scanned the various signs in the customs area and saw that yes, in fact, we needed to get a visa on arrival, and that this visa required new US currency ($35 each) and photos that we did not have.
We are usually so diligent about looking up visa restrictions when we travel, as you should be. For some reason, it just slipped our minds to Google the rules in Laos, and it turns out, this is one of the few countries around that require American citizens to get a visa. We’re definitely spoiled with our American passports and how easy it is to get around the world visa-free most of the time and we were scared about the repercussions of this dumb move.
An amateur move by seasoned travellers to say the least.
Peace and Quiet
If it’s one thing that Southeast Asia isn’t known for, it’s peace and quiet. The region is teeming with sprawling cities, packed beaches and islands that were once off the beaten path but are now fully discovered, uncovered and dripping in cocktails and tourists.
To be honest, this is not the region we normally go for a relaxing vacation. If you have a lot of cash and time, there are certainly nooks and crannies that are unspoiled, but those places are inevitably many hours or even days away from major airport hubs. For those of us with limited time, finding a peaceful corner in Southeast Asia is often a futile exercise.
Laos, as we recently discovered, is the closest exception to that rule.
Why? Well, for many short and long-term visitors to the region, there is often a choice to be made between visiting Laos or Cambodia. They’re next to each other, and it’s inconvenient to see both for most vacationers. When you factor in that Cambodia is home to one of the world’s ancient wonders, it’s no surprise that tourists will often pick Cambodia. Also, Laos doesn’t have very many direct flights, so for international visitors, that extra flight makes it just that little bit less convenient to visit.
Back in the immigration queue at the airport where your two heroes are anxiously awaiting their fate and/or deportation, we got lucky with the understanding staff who obviously has seen this mistake before. They instructed us to walk through immigration to the ATM in the terminal. Imagine this happening in New York, London, Rome, Tokyo, or almost any city for that matter. In Luang Prabang, Drew skipped the queue, walked past the officers, exited customs, got money, and then walked back through the “Do Not Enter” gates to collect me, our luggage and our passports.
Only in Laos.
It took us a while to recover emotionally from the snafu at the airport. Our lovely hotel, the Belmond La Residence Phou Vao, sent a car to pick-us up, and despite the fresh coconuts and cool towels, we sat quietly on our ride to the hotel, each deep in our own shame and embarrassment for making such a rookie mistake.
Things to do in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is a small city, and the capital of Laos. From end to end, it’s about a fifteen minute drive through city center, and nearly all of the in-town activity centers around one main street. While there are small hotels all around downtown, many of the larger hotels and resorts are a short drive away. Therefore, there is an active market for tuk-tuks and hotel shuttle buses moving people from place to place.
This city is definitely the kind of place where people camp out in their plush hotels, venturing into town only for a look around. This is also a city frequently found on tours of the region, so each day we saw at least one small group tour, exploring temples and watching the Mekong River for a while before moving on to Cambodia or Thailand.
Our time in Luang Prabang was a nice mix of activity with plenty of down time thrown in for good measure.
The main attraction near the city is Kuang Si waterfalls, which we did love. Located only 45 minutes outside the town, the cascading waterfalls are pristine and have turquoise-tinted pools perfect for a quick dip.
The main drag of Luang Prabang’s Old Town is lined with bars, restaurants, tourist shops, massage parlors, and a whopping 34 active Buddhist temples. We meandered up and down the street, stopping for a replenishing bowl of noodle soup and mango smoothies the size of our heads. When in Southeast Asia, we hop on the smoothie train as quickly and frequently as possible.
In addition to walking around town, there are two touristy attractions if you need your fix. First up is the big hill in the center of town, which you can climb (300+ stairs) to the ‘peak’ of Mount Phu Si, the highest point in Luang Prabang. It’s the best spot for sunset/sunrise seekers, and the views attract a crowd. Along the path, there are two Buddhist sites to explore, with Wat Chom Si on top of the hill, a Buddhist stupa. The path is not free, but cost only 20,000 Kip (US$2.50) to climb.
Secondly, Luang Prabang has become one of a few places in the region where people gather in the early morning hours to give alms to the Buddhist monks. This cherished activity has been pretty much overrun with tourists in recent years, and many people don’t adhere to the very decent requests of limited photos and not disturbing the ceremony. We actually opted not to participate in the ceremony during our visit, partially due to the location of our hotel (more on that below) and partially because we didn’t want to add to the spectacle of something meant to be holy and humble.
One of the most popular things to do in Luang Prabang is to visit the Night Market, which takes place every night from 5pm. We thought it would be a small market with a limited array of crafts and possibly some food.
Boy, were we wrong.
Around sunset, the main street of Luang Prabang is closed entirely to traffic. Hundreds upon hundreds of stalls pop up seemingly out of nowhere, and street vendors set up shop on the sidewalks, firing up grills and whipping up fresh fruit smoothies.
The bars, with their open air front patios, spill out onto the street, and people just chill out over a few cocktails or pints. It isn’t a raucous party, and tourists of all ages can enjoy the market, but a comfortable lounge chair at a pub is a fantastic place to people watch for a few hours.
Us being us, we quickly found empty stools at a noodle soup stall, and just pointed to what other people where eating.
Home Sweet Home
The Belmond La Residence Phou Vao is a fantastic high-end resort hotel, located just outside city center. It’s one of the hotels that are frequently used by luxury tour companies, and we booked it thanks to an amazing deal online a few months ago. Luang Prabang is the kind of city where you can get a really decent hotel stay for around $100 US, but if you’re in the mood for a splurge, there are several very high-end resorts willing to cater to your every whim.
The Belmond had all the comforts you’d expect from a luxury hotel, from a sprawling bedroom to beautifully-maintained grounds. Small touches like a nightly fire pit with marshmallows and a small but delicious cocktail menu felt personal and unique. The infinity pool just outside of our room was the perfect place to catch the mid-afternoon sun for a solid dose of vitamin D and where our nightly happy hour drinks started.
The downside to an out-of-town hotel is that it can feel a little stuck. And while the Belmond is generous with their shuttle service, and will take you the ten minutes to town anytime, you’re on your own to get back by tuk-tuk, or wait for the evening when the shuttle runs every hour.
I don’t particularly enjoy most hotel restaurants, and I hate how overpriced they are, but it’s also a pain to go into town for every meal, so we compromised, eating more hotel meals than we normally would, but making the effort to sample several restaurants in town. The hotel did serve many of the same local foods you would find at the Luang Prabang Night Market as well, including glutinous coconut pancakes and the lemongrass-spiked Laotian sausages, and of course, khao piak sen, the popular rice noodle soup.
Laos is not on many people’s radar. Having famous neighbors certainly doesn’t help. But that is exactly what makes it so special.
It is the kind of place where you might find yourself alone in a temple, or watching the sunrise overlooking the Mekong without another human in sight. There is enough to keep busy but not enough to stress you out, and can we all agree that when you’re in Laos, this is exactly what you should be looking for. Peace and quiet, at last.
Just don’t forget about the visa.
