Laos: 'Love at first sight'.

Hello dear readers

Nepal, you have got a serious opponent.

Laos! Wow, you surprised me in many ways. From the air I could already admire the natural beauty of this country. Immediately after landing I felt a glow of peace and tranquility over me.

Laos: Liefde op eerste gezicht

Luang Prabang, such a fantastically enchanting city. I arrived in this royal city, a beautiful jewel, hidden between lush mountains, somewhere where the Mekong river winds its way through the landscape. There is a wonderfully relaxed vibe, no chaos at all and on top of that the locals are super nice. Enjoying myself I walked through the streets with a smile. And my favorite coffee place that cannot be missed: Saffron Coffee .

The main street looks like a fairytale street with all its temples! The houses are in colonial atmosphere, there are nice cozy shops, cafes, restaurants and palm trees everywhere. In the evening it turns into a gigantic big night market with authentic stalls and eateries!

By bus I visited the Kuang Si waterfalls. On the way we crossed local villages and the incredibly beautiful nature. On the bus I met Patrick and John. Two pleasant friendly men with whom I spent a while. I was momentarily silent by that impressive waterfall with at its feet radiant clear blue pools. Together with Patrick I went to dinner to taste a specific 'Lao dish': crispy fried riverweed with sesame seeds, a spicy chili dip and a minced meat cookie with lemongrass. Mmmmmm, this was delicious.

The next morning we left with the three of us to the authentic village of Whisky and the Pak Ou caves. Sailing on the Mekong by boat between that beautiful untouched nature was wonderfully peaceful. Whisky Village is known for animals on spirits. Actually mainly a snake in a bottle... Because of my fear of those animals I ran past them with a sprint. There are a thousand Buddha statues in the caves.

Actually I found that ride and visits a real 'tourist trap'. In the village one vendor stood next to the other. And those caves, yes I could also put a thousand Buddhas in my house. But I did support the local population with that boat trip and a pleasant visit to the village.

On my last day in Luang Prabang I rented a mountain bike to go cycling on the other side of the Mekong. At the Mekong Sun Pier I took the old local (rust) boat. The crossing took about ten minutes. I loved standing among the Laotians. This side of the Mekong was more authentic. On my way I rode through small villages and saw life as it is in Laos. Children ran up to me to give a hi-five.

Every time I'm on a train, bus or plane, I get a flashback of all my travels. I was on a train to the capital Vientiane. Every time I get a little emotional, purely out of gratitude and happiness for all the past experiences! I compare the euphoria of traveling with cycling through the hills. It goes up and down. Laos, only up or started to get used to traveling.

Traveling: in all ways it is a journey of discovery. The best school to encounter yourself. And every now and then you bump into your character traits, which is completely okay. At home you might do that too, but then you take less, little or no time for it. In any case, traveling broadens your world.

After the train ride, I finally arrived in Vientiane. I quickly dropped my enormous luggage in the Airbnb I booked. My stay was short. Visiting everything was a rush, you didn't want to be there. Before I went into town, what did I do first according to you?! As usual! Drink a nice cappuccino. As a coffee & food lover, I make it a sport to look for the best spots at every destination. Sometimes they came my way. Apart from a few (unknown) temples, the Pha That Luang a Buddhist mega golden stupa, Si Saket the oldest temple and the Laotian Arc de Triomphe Patuxai, there is not much to do in Vientiane. It was impressive, so it was certainly a successful stop. Of course I also like to soak up the atmosphere of a big city, and it was blissfully calm. The streets were a bit dirtier, but the people ooooo how sweet and warm they are everywhere here. In Laos, you pass each other on the street with a smile, isn't that fun? Great, my pedometer ended at twenty-five kilometers when I left the city.

Pakse, the gateway to Southern Laos. Just before sunset I was sitting on the rooftop of my hotel. There I had a beautiful view of the mountains, the Mekong and the city. The temperature here was higher than in Vientiane. I had to make choices so I decided to take a bus to the 4000 Islands in the morning. These idyllic islands are located at the southern tip, in the middle of the Mekong River against the Cambodian border. The trip takes about three hours. Wow, this was another adventure. After the bus I got on the pontoon made of plastic barrels in a small wooden boat. Wonderful, isn't it?! Don Det was the name of the island where I had to be. Had I ended up in the paradise of paradises?!

Don Det, what a beautiful gem! With my small backpack I walked to my guesthouse . How cool was that?! Don Det and Don Khong are best explored by bike. Hehe, I felt a bit like Julia Roberts from the movie 'Eat Pray Love'! Thus, happy, whistling, laughing I toured around. It was boiling hot that day! It was as if time had stood still, so quiet. How I admired the colors of the houses, the sweet playing children who walked up to me to throw hearts or kisses, the small green islands in the Mekong, the palm trees... blindingly beautiful.

The next day I did the same trip but in the opposite direction. Apparently I had missed an important stop. And indeed, wow, luckily I saw those wonderful waterfalls of Khone Phapheng. These were by far the most beautiful I have ever seen. Definitely unique because they are surrounded by the jungle in the jungle!

Unfortunately I had to catch my boat in the afternoon to go back to Pakse. Pffff, actually I was there much too short.

The next day I went out for a while in Pakse. Honestly, there was nothing to see here. Moreover, it was sweltering hot so I decided to install myself in a coffee shop and take an earlier ride to the airport.

Luang Prabang, back again! One last time we ate that delicious dish with riverweed.

And at the evening market I bought some nice gifts.

Avondmarkt Luang Prabang

LAOS, my visit here was way too short! You stole my heart. There is no lie about this hidden gem! You have it all: spectacular landscapes, untouched, delicious food & coffees, lovely warm people, serene atmosphere, peace, adventure for the daredevils and and and... One love 💖!

Dear readers, my next adventure will be to Koh Phangan in Thailand.

Love & kisses, Helena 💖🦩