22 & Solo in Laos! My Epic Backpacking Adventure 🇱🇦
Ever since I was a kid, I've had a bucket list of things I wanted to experience at least once in my life. These were often things that scared me, things I wasn't fully motivated to do, or simply things I hadn't had the chance to try...until now!
My Bucket List - And Why It Took So Long
- Crying My Eyes Out After a Breakup: Sadly, none of my exes have been "good" enough to warrant that level of emotion =))). I only cry over the genuinely good ones!
- Epic Night Out with My Besties: Still haven't checked this off! I need a *real* reason to go all out. A random Tuesday just doesn't cut it =)))).
- Solo Travel: Finally, I bit the bullet and did it! The other two required the "right" person or a super special occasion. This just needed *me* to decide. That's the beauty of independence, freedom, and happiness! 🥳
Laos by Land: A Young & Broke Adventure!
So, I set off to explore Northern Laos, driven by the motto "A true Đông Lào citizen must know where Laos actually is" and "When you're young, you gotta suffer a little!" I opted for a bus journey to and from Laos (partly because plane tickets were outrageously expensive - like, 10 million VND!). 24 hours each way. Yep, Motto #2 was definitely achieved =))). The Hanoi-Vientiane leg was smooth, but the Luang Prabang-Hanoi route was like a truck-only road, full of potholes! I just kept praying I'd make it home safe. 🌚
My Laos Itinerary: Where I Explored 👣
☀️ Vientiane
- Vientiane Night Market: Like any night market, it sells everything! After a 24-hour bus ride, I just grabbed dinner, had a quick look around, and headed to Patuxay.
- Patuxay (Victory Gate): A monument dedicated to the soldiers who fought against French rule. I visited twice, day and night. At night, it's beautifully illuminated. During the day, the sunlight reflects off the water. Despite the heat, I spent ages admiring the fountains and listening to cheerful Lao music.
- ICBC Vientiane: I intern at ICBC Hanoi. I saw an ICBC logo flash by in a vlogger's video of Vientiane Railway Station. I knew ICBC had branches in many countries, but I didn't expect Vientiane! Instant bucket list addition! kiki
- Pha That Luang: This Buddhist stupa, built in 1566, resembles a wine bottle. It's a national symbol of Laos! ^^
- Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan): Construction started in 1958. It houses nearly 300 statues of gods, animals, and demons, blending Hinduism and Buddhism. The Vientiane sun scorched my hands, but wandering around, especially seeing the massive 40m reclining Buddha, filled me with peace.
🌤️ Luang Prabang
- Luang Prabang Night Market: After arriving on the high-speed train from Vientiane (7 PM!), I quickly freshened up and hit the night market for dinner and souvenirs. It's open every night, split into shopping and food sections. The shopping area has clothes, souvenirs, etc., while the food area offers everything! There are tables in the middle where people eat and chat. Lots of tourists create a lively atmosphere. I loved it, hunting for things for myself or loved ones every night.
- Kuang Si Falls: About 30km south of Luang Prabang. The road is terrible! My Scoopy and I struggled. Kuang Si is a complex of three waterfalls, with turquoise water sparkling in the Luang Prabang sun. The water invites you in, as does the pleasant weather. After 2 hours, I rode Scoopy back to town for lunch. An hour in the midday sun did *not* treat my skin well! I got badly sunburned. Probably from being out in the heat too long?!?
- Mount Phousi: More like a hill =)))! But from the top, you get panoramic views of Luang Prabang. Climbing up, I understood why Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ancient houses, bustling traffic, coconut palms lining the Mekong River…it's all so picturesque!
- Wat Xieng Thong: Not only the most beautiful and important religious site in Luang Prabang but also one of the oldest. It preserves ancient architecture and murals, considered a symbol of Lao culture. It's close to the night market. On my last morning in Luang Prabang, I sat by a bench, admiring the bougainvillea and peaceful atmosphere. It filled me with serenity.
The People I Met 👫
Thank you to everyone I met on this trip!
- Fellow Vietnamese Travelers: Wherever we are, we help each other. Nam, who rented me a motorbike in Vientiane (he asked if I could drive a car because he ran out of motorbikes =)))! I'm learning when I get back so I can drive abroad! The owner of City Backpackers Hostel in Luang Prabang gave me tips about places to eat, buy souvenirs, and get tickets. (It was so nice to stay in a dorm owned by a fellow Vietnamese person!) And many other Vietnamese people I met.
- Friendly Lao People: Hospitable, friendly, and always smiling, they always helped when they knew I was a tourist.
- Foreign Friends in the Dorm: Though we didn't know each other's names, we smiled when we saw each other around town. Luang Prabang is small enough that you kept running into each other.
What I Gained 📚
- More confidence for future solo trips.
- Better planning skills. Meticulous planning gives you the courage to venture out.
- A better understanding of my "inner child" and the courage to face challenges.
- A *much* darker tan =))))!
What I Lost 🫥
- Less skepticism when someone wants to help.
- Less fear and hesitation about traveling alone.
✨ Every journey ends. Some people say there's nothing to do in Laos, but I'd happily stay in Luang Prabang for a month. I fell in love with the lifestyle: Waking up early for the alms giving ceremony (Tak Bat); cycling around the old town, chilling at cafes, and watching the world go by; hitting the vibrant night market for delicious food and unique souvenirs; then sleeping soundly, ready for another day of exploration.
🥳 That's the end of my first solo trip! Another thing checked off my bucket list. If I do anything else on the list, I'll share (or not) =)))!
🌻 Thanks for reading! I'll borrow a line from the movie "To Me, The One Who Loved You The Most": "Sometimes travel isn't about finding anything. It's just about looking back at the road you've traveled." 💕
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