LAOS & CAMBODIA: A JOURNEY ON THE MEKONG

16 November – 4 December  2009 with Richard Hunt

The Mekong River rises in Tibet and after flowing for some 2,600 miles through China, bordering Burma and Thailand, crossing Laos and Cambodia, forms the great Delta that pours into the China Sea in Vietnam. Our magical journey follows the course of the Mekong River from Northern Laos to Angkor in Cambodia. After flying from London via Bangkok to Luang Prabang in northern Laos we first meet the Mekong River, taking boat rides upstream to Pak Ou and crossing to the far bank. Later we take a longer cruise in Southern Laos exploring waterfalls, islands and the wonderful remote pre-Angkor temple of Wat Phou. Sometimes we travel overland - from Luang Prabang via the mountains to Vang Vieng and on to Vientiane, capital of Laos. Sometimes we fly (on reliable routes) – from Vientiane to Pakse, and from Pakse to Siem Reap (Angkor). Along our journey are some of the scenic and architectural wonders of the world: first we come to the lovely old former capital of Luang Prabang with its combination of oriental and French Colonial architecture; then there is the river itself as we wind our way through picturesque Laos. Finally we fly into Cambodia – close to Angkor itself, staying for 5 days in a delightful small hotel and making leisurely visits to some of the wonders of the world in the vast complex of temples of which Angkor Wat is only one.

This journey - taken at a gentle pace - leads us to some of the scenic delights and most wonderful artistic achievements of South East Asia. We cruise in comfort and style along the Mekong - stopping to look at villages and the way of life of the riverside people along the way. We frequently climb into the hills and lakes for a variety of scenery and climate, producing changes in the wonderful vegetation and bird life. Wherever possible we find time to look at the lives of ordinary people - farmers and fishermen, potters and weavers, schoolchildren and monks - as we visit villages and small towns, markets, schools and monasteries. And we visit perhaps the most outstanding and beautiful of religious images in lands that were converted first to Hinduism and then to Buddhism in the middle ages and remain so devout to this day. As in the west, religious patronage and devotion has produced some of the greatest art: statues, temples, monasteries and stupas are everywhere. An additional pleasure of this tour is that we are in lands where we shall receive a smiling welcome from everyone - from tiny children and old people alike. Here is Asian hospitality at its best! And we will be comfortable travellers: the hotels are good and chosen with care for their comfort and charm; our journeys are not too strenuous, with not-too-many early starts and time to relax with a drink beside a pool.

LAOS & CAMBODIA together with Vietnam, were former colonies of French Indo-China in the later 19th and 20th centuries, but their history of colonization was very much earlier. Their rich and fertile valleys (including the Mekong) made them subject to centuries of invasion and conquest by neighbouring warring kingdoms and empires lying within the present-day states of Myanmar (Burma), China, Thailand (Siam) and Vietnam. The French entered the story in the 19th century, and the Japanese during World War II. The colonies only achieved independence in 1953, but their story of conflict continued, as they became pawns in the struggles between Communism and Capitalism. Bitter fighting by opposing factions, backed by China, the Soviet Union and later Vietnam on one side, and the USA and other Western powers on the other, escalated in the late 1960’s and early 70’s. Like Vietnam, both countries suffered extensive bombing. A ceasefire followed the Paris Peace talks of 1973, but peace has come slowly and painfully, with continued internal division and strife. In Laos a government has emerged modelled on Vietnamese ‘open door’ socialism. In Cambodia, after the appalling interlude of the Khmer Rouge regime under Pol Pot, an uneasy ‘democracy’ exists under the nominal leadership of King Sihanouk.    

Both Laos and Cambodia are lands of great beauty, with wonderful monuments reflecting their cultural diversity and Buddhist (and Hindu) traditions. In Laos the overwhelming beauty is in the mountains and rivers and the great Mekong River that flows from north to south. In Cambodia, the great fertile lands are flooded by many rivers that meet at the huge lake and river (Tonlé Sap) that touches Siem Reap (close to Ankor) in the west. Further south the confluence of the Tonlé Sap and the Mekong is at the capital, Pnomh Penh, where they flow on to form part of the Mekong Delta that extends into Vietnam and empties into the South China Sea. Together with Northern Thailand, these lands have a fascinating (and confusing) mixture of ethnic groups and tribes – some living very remotely from civilization in the mountains – with their own languages, customs and clothing. Farming and fishing – usually using traditional very ancient methods - dominate the lives of the great majority of the people of all groups. Perhaps their most astonishing characteristics are their remarkable recovery from their recent painful history, and their wonderful friendliness and hospitality.

Our tour of Laos begins in LUANG PRABANG.  Declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1995, it was described as the best-preserved city in SE Asia. Within a relatively small area – a peninsula bounded by the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers – are the majority of the town’s historic buildings: over 30 temples and monasteries, the Royal Palace (now a museum), other palaces of nobility and rich merchants, old wooden houses and stucco colonial buildings dating from the French colonial period. This is a delightful small town (population only about 70,000) in which to wander about and explore, but we also plan excursions to some wonderful waterfalls and fascinating craft villages in the area. We stay at the small but very pleasant colonial Villa Santi Resort, in a lovely garden on the outskirts of town, for 3 nights.

THE JOURNEY TO VIENTIANE   Avoiding slightly uncertain domestic aircraft, we drive to the capital, Vientiane, by an interesting and picturesque route through the limestone mountains, stopping at villages along the way and making an overnight stop after about 275 kms at VANG VIENG - a small market town, famous for the limestone caves that line the river – where we stay at the Vansana Hotel for one night. A new hotel in a lovely setting overlooking the Nam Song River. River or swimming pool bathing. After exploring the market at Vang Vieng or some of the limestone caves next morning, we resume our drive (152 kms) via a man made lake (and fish restaurant) and the archaeological site of Vang Xang, where 10 Buddha sculptures dating from the 16th century have been carved in the cliff face, arriving at Vientiane by late afternoon.

VIENTIANE. Situated on a bend of the Mekong, Vientiane has had a chequered history. In the early middle ages she briefly enjoyed the status of an independent ‘Muang’ or fiefdom of Lao people. However she soon lost this independence, becoming in turn subject to the rule of Vietnamese, Burmese, Thai and Khmer warlords. The kingdom of Lan Xang (Million elephants) was set up in the 14th century by a Lao warlord – Fa Ngum - supported by the Khmer, with its capital at Luang Prabang. This shifted to Vientiane by the 16th century, the French confirmed the status of capital in the late 19th century and this remains the case under the present government. The city reflects this past, with several 19th century stupas, temples and monasteries, an old quarter near the river, tree-lined boulevards and several buildings evidently inspired by the Soviet Union. We plan to see several of the most important monuments – monasteries and pagodas and enjoy a boat ride on this stretch of the Mekong River. We plan to stay at the Settha Palace Hotel for two nights. A very luxurious ‘boutique’ hotel in the city center, with all facilities including swimming pool.

PAKSE, THE VAT PHOU CRUISE AND THE BOLOVEN PLATEAU
From Vientiane we take an early flight to Pakse in Southern Laos. Pakse is a small town on the banks of the Mekong River – the base for our cruise aboard the R V Vat Phou (named after a famous temple in this area) and exploration of the Boloven Plateau. We use long-tail boats and car ferries to reach first the spectacular waterfalls of Khone Pha Pheng before arriving at the Vat Phou. We use the boat to explore parts of the Mekong including Khong Island  and other islands in the river where life has remained unchanged for centuries in the villages, and where mysterious forest temples and monasteries can be found. A highlight of the cruise is the wonderful 10th century pre-Angkor temple of Vat Phou, built under the shadow of a limestone mountain.
After returning to Pakse (overnight) we  drive up to Tatlo near the Xeset waterfall, taking a short elephant ride in Katou village on the way. The ethnic minorities in this area remain  primitive in their way of life – living from forest products and weaving without looms.
2 nights with full board on the River Vessel Vat Phou, a comfortable and charming small teak vessel with just 12 twin cabins, a dining room and a large relaxing deck area with shade.
1 night at the Pakse Hotel, a modest but adequate hotel, for 1 night after the cruise.
1 night at Tadlo Lodge, a simple hotel, bungalows spectacularly situated beside the Tadlo waterfalls.
Next morning we drive down to Pakse to take the afternoon flight to Siem Riep (Cambodia)

ANGKOR A short flight from PAKSE to SIEM REAP in Cambodia takes us to the former capital of the great Khmer empire and what must be one of the wonders of the world. Angkor was a great tourist attraction from the mid 19th century until relatively recent times. The spectacular jungle temples of Angkor drew archaeologists, painters and the curious prepared to make the long and difficult journey.  Angkor was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Khmer, which, in the 11th century, ruled over the Mekong Valley. The most famous temples of Angkor date from the 11th and early 12th century. The kingdom was overthrown by Siamese conquests from 12th to 14th centuries. Most of the site was overgrown and only rediscovered in 1860, when France established a Protectorate. The Pol Pot regime stopped tourism, of course, but since his loss of power and more recent death, tourists have been returning to Angkor and to the capital Phnom Penh. Our journey makes an extended visit to the truly magnificent temple complexes of Angkor. The sheer size and magnificence of the monuments is overwhelming, but the quality of the reliefs, depicting mythological stories from Hindu and Buddhist scriptures, and the romantic setting of the temples is truly wonderful. We have plenty of time to see the treasures at leisure and to intersperse our visits with trips on the rivers and lakes, explore villages, shop or just relax by the hotel swimming pool. 5 nights, with half board at the Angkor Village Hotel, a delightful small hotel. Spacious comfortable rooms, a delightful restaurant set in a watergarden and a relaxing pool. There is a beautiful theatre where traditional Cambodian dancers perform scenes from the epic Ramayana.

Our return journey is an evening flight Siem Reap to Bangkok, where we connect with our flight to London.