As you go further south into Laos there is less and less infrastructure. By the time you get to Champasak and Don Daeng Island, the gateway to the 4,000 Islands region, the feeling is palpably relaxed. Largely unperturbed by modernity the island is a glimpse into a...
Viang Veng is a beautiful and fascinating place to visit in Laos. In Viang Veng, life is slower. This was the scene about 30 meters from the guesthouse I stayed in. These traditional fishermen use bait thrown on top of the water and lot of patience to lift small fish...
From the minute we arrived at the Mekong Riverview Hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos we knew we were in for a treat. The hotel is owned by Urban Paulsson, a successful hotelier who, after partnering in two big hotels in Sweden, was drawn to the simpler life and slower pace...
Sunset aerobics classes on the promenade overlooking Mekong River are just one of the surprises we found on our adventure in Vientiane, Laos. At 4,000 kip (about 50 US cents) it was quite a bargain. The students here were a good mix of locals, expats, and travelers....
All boats that cruise down the Mekong River in Northern Laos between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai seem to stop at the tiny town of Pakbeng, but we really didn’t know what to expect when we arrived. Travel guides and other travelers describe it everywhere from being a...
The giving of alms or alms giving (offering food to monks) is a morning ritual in Theravada Buddhist countries especially Laos and Thailand. The first Buddhist monks were homeless sojourners who begged for all their food – their only possessions being an alms...
After a long day on our Mekong Cruise to Luang Prabang with Luang Say Cruises, we had the opportunity to overnight in style at the Lunag Say Lodge before beginning the next day’s cruise. What a pleasure! While on this retirement adventure I don’t always have the...
I wrote this story about Bombies in a child’s voice because adults continue to prove, over and over again, that they just don’t get it. Bombies are round, about the size of an apple. But, you can’t eat them. On their sides, there are ridges that make them easy to...
