Southeast Asia - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 294

and there's little to do but
walk up the hill to the
lighthouse and stare out to
sea. Accommodation is at
the fourteen-room Liberty's
Community Lodge, which
keeps its own impact down
with solar panels and
rainwater-harvesting systems,
while also supporting the
island's school. No TV or
phone can disturb your
escape: instead enjoy the
sound of the sea lapping
at the shore beneath your
balcony and the rosy haze of
the sun setting. And although
almost everyone's come for
the reef, it's never crowded underwater - to
protect the corals and the fish that feed on them,
only fifteen people are allowed in the sanctuary's
waters at any one time.

far the most scenic route from Laos to Thailand
- such as hanging on for dear life and missing
the view in a six-man speedboat, or idling along
in a rickety public river bus. Probably the best
choice, therefore, is to travel on the Luangsuay,
a 34m river barge with its own bar and lunch
served onboard. It's a more peaceful, leisurely
way to appreciate life on and around the river
than the other two choices, plus the two-day
journey is broken at the Luang Suay ecolodge.
Perched on the steep sides of the bank just
outside the small town of Pak Beng, this locally
staffed lodge is the perfect place to sit and watch
the sun set over the Mekong.
Many people stay at the lodge just for a meal
and a bed for the night, but you're welcome to
stay for a few days more, which will allow for
a visit to the school that the lodge funds, or an
extended hike into the surrounding countryside.
However long you stay, this trip, from the most
beautiful town in Laos deep into the Golden
Triangle, is a chance to feel the romance of
travelling upriver in a way that has hardly
changed for almost a century.

Fishermen's boats on the
Mekong

Need to know You can reach Apo in 35min by
boat from Malatapay. For further info about the
island, including Liberty Community Lodge, see
W www.apoisland.com. For those interested in reef
conservation in the Philippines, Coral Cay ( W www.
coralcay.org) runs an excellent volunteer project off
Leyte Island.

395 TAkE A BOAT Up ThE
mEkONg, LAOS

The boat journey between Luang Prabang
and the Thai border at Huai Suay passes
through some of the most unspoilt passages of
the Mekong River. Amid the endless tracts of
primary jungle that line the steep, cloud-topped
hills, signs of human habitation are scarce
- chances are you'll see little more evidence
of civilization than rice paddies, small teak
plantations or isolated wooden fishing villages,
their stilted houses clinging to the hillsides.
There are many ways to take this journey - by

Need to know The journey can be done in either
direction. For itineraries and booking information
see W www.asian-oasis.com/Luang.html.