2 Day Slow Boat to Luang Prabang: Day 2

The final day of our boat cruise down the Mekong. Our group was one of the last to arrive which sucked. The boat today was smaller than the previous. The only spots we found were in the back next to the engine, where it was incredibly loud and insanely hot. I was selfish and left the group and found an empty seat next to an older Australian man with shorts so short I could almost see his shlong.

This boat ride was not as fun as the previous one. I was separated from my new friends and it was a much smaller squeeze. Luckily, the beauty of the boat ride made me forget this quickly. If anyone is every travelling from Thailand to Lao or vice versa, I highly recommend taking the slow boat. Flying may be faster, but I heard that they may be building dams on the Mekong, so this option may not be available for much longer. There is also the option of a fast boat or the night boat. I would not recommend the fast boat because I've heard that it is incredibly uncomfortable and cold and not fun at all. And I would not recommend the night boat because then you couldn't see the beauty of the Mekong! Duh. I have also heard that doing the less popular direction (Luang Prabang to Thailand) is more comfortable with less passengers on board. Both boats I was on were always packed to the brim with backpackers, but I saw boats heading in the opposite direction that were almost empty.


Here are pictures of the scenery to make you jealous:

Anyways, I pretty much daydreamed or slept throughout the ride. We finally made it to Luang Prabang. The German, Brit, and new friends a Kiwi and a Korean found the cheapest guesthouse we could and settled in.