Boat Up The Mekong
Still to do
Two days drifting down the Mekong on a long wooden boat, past jungle hills and riverside villages, into Luang Prabang.
The adventure
The slow boat is exactly that, and that is the joy of it. You board a long, narrow wooden boat at Huay Xai, just across the river from Thailand, find a seat among backpackers, local families and sacks of rice, and settle in as the brown Mekong carries you south through northern Laos.
For two days the scenery unrolls at walking pace: forested hills, sandbanks where buffalo wallow, fishermen casting nets from tiny canoes and children waving from the banks. You spend the night in the riverside village of Pakbeng, share Beerlao with new friends, and set off again in the morning mist. Then, late on the second day, the golden temple roofs of Luang Prabang appear, a town where saffron-robed monks still walk the streets collecting alms at dawn.
Why it’s epic
- Around 300 kilometres of the Mekong between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang, over two days.
- An overnight stop in the riverside village of Pakbeng.
- The Pak Ou Caves near Luang Prabang, filled with thousands of Buddha statues.
- Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage town known for its dawn alms-giving.
What it is
The slow boat between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang is one of the most famous journeys in Southeast Asia.
How to do it
Boats leave Huay Xai, near the Thai border, and take two days with an overnight stop in Pakbeng.
Top tip
Bring a cushion and snacks; the wooden benches are hard.
Need to know
- Most travellers cross from Chiang Khong in Thailand over the Friendship Bridge, where visas are available, or apply for a Laos e-visa first.
- Public slow boats can be crowded, so arrive early to get a good seat; more comfortable private cruises are also available.
- In the dry season (roughly March to May), lower water levels can slow the boats and the haze from burning fields can spoil the views.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £750 to £2,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 2 days
- Best time to go
- November to February
- Fly into
- CEI airport
The public slow boat is cheap, so flights to Thailand or Laos and any upgrade to a private cruise are the main costs.
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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