There is one epic journey that you can’t miss when travelling to Laos: the slowboat from Houayxay to Luang Prabang.
We went to the pier where the slow boats were in the morning. Our boat was number 92 and was easy to find. We had to take off our shoes and the bags were loaded onto the boat.
After that, we were allowed to take a seat on one of the chairs that seemed to have been plucked straight out of an airplane or car.
On the first day, we sailed for six hours to Pakbeng. Along the way, we saw herds of cows, rocks, longtail boats, people fetching water from the Mekong, washing their clothes, or fishing. It was a wonderful experience on this wide river.
The first stop was in Pakbeng, a small village. For less than 15 euros, we booked a family room and saw a beautiful sunset over the Mekong.
The second day passed two spots where there were a lot of children. At the first spot, the boys and girls climbed aboard and sold bracelets, of which we bought one. At the second spot, Lucas and Marloes gave away a large portion of their toys. The children were super happy, and for our children, it was the highlight of the day.
In the evening, we arrived in the UNESCO city of Luang Prabang.
