Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
occasionally forced to sleep in the nearest village or aboard the boat. It's also a good idea to
bring extra water and food just in case.
The
northern Mekong and Nam Ou
services (Houayxai-Pakbeng-Luang Prabang, and
Luang Prabang-Nong Khiaw-Muang Ngoi-Muang Khoua-Hat Sa) are somewhat better
managed, with
tickets
sold from a wooden booth or office near the landing (buy tickets on the
day of departure). Fares are generally posted, but foreigners tend to pay significantly more
than locals. Always arrive early in the morning to get a seat.
Southern Mekong
services
(Pakse-Champasak-Don Khong) have now all but stopped thanks to the improved state of
Route 13, and most trips south now combine a bus journey along this road with a quick ferry
ride across the water.
Travelling by river in Laos can be dangerous and reports of boats
sinking
are not uncom-
mon. The Mekong has some particularly tricky stretches, with narrow channels threading
through rapids and past churning whirlpools. The river can be especially rough late in the
rainy season, when the Mekong swells and uprooted trees and other debris are swept into the
river.
Speedboats
Speedboats
(
heua wai
) are a faster but more expensive alternative to slow boats. Connecting
towns along the Mekong from Vientiane to Houayxai, these five-metre-long terrors are usu-
ally powered by a 1200cc Toyota car engine and can accommodate up to eight passengers.
There are no speedboats on the Nam Ou these days.
Donning a crash helmet and being catapulted up the Mekong river at 50km an hour may not
sound like most people's idea of relaxed holiday travel, but if you're up for it, speedboats
can shave hours or days off a river journey and give you a thrilling spin at the same time. It's
by no means safe, of course, although captains swear by their navigational skills. The boats
skim the surface of churning whirlpools and slalom through rapids sharp enough to turn the
wooden hull into toothpicks.
Speedboats have their own landings in Luang Prabang and Houayxai and depart when full,
which means you should arrive early - they can leave before their stipulated departure time
- and, conversely, should be prepared for a wait. Seating is incredibly
cramped
, so you may
want to consider paying for the price of two seats.
Crashhelmets
are handed out before jour-
neys - to spare your hearing from the overpowering screech of the engine. To avoid the worst
of the noise, try sitting near the front. For safety's sake, insist on being given a life jacket to
wear before paying.
Tickets
generally cost a lot more than what you might pay to take a slow boat: the
journey from Luang Prabang to Pakbeng, for example, is around $24. Speedboats can also be
chartered
for around $50 per hour - Luang Prabang to Houayxai, for example, costs $100.
