After visiting Laos, the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia for the first time in 2008 for a boat trip down the Mekong River, this time I wanted to explore some of its hidden secrets on a motorcycle, being able to enjoy the freedom of this truly individual form of travel.
Founded as the kingdom of Lang Xang in the 14th century Laos, which borders present-day Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Myanmar, has gone through many difficult periods under the reign a number of foreign powers finally gaining it´s independence in 1949. However, that didn’t mark the end of foreign interference and a civil war which ended with the declaration of a socialist republic in 1975. Numbers indeed aren´t on the side of the Laotian people. The Global Hunger Index ranks the country in the 25th position with roughly one third of the population living below the poverty line. It´s strategic location in Southeast Asia led it´s northern section being invaded by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War who used the area as one of the main supply routes for the Vietcong. This lead to more bombs being dropped on this area of the country than all those dropped in World War II making it the most heavily bombed country on Earth.
Laotian Women carrying home harvested straw
Yet Laotians are extraordinarily warm-hearted and open-minded, with a smile always at the ready when greeting a foreigner. It´s also a very safe country, low crime rates and safe streets to walk at night even in the Laotian capital of Vientiane, home to 10 percent of the country’s 6.5 million people. The majority of the rest dwell along the Mekong River and its surrounding valleys.
There are a variety of ways to enter the country. One of the most popular is to cross the border from northern Thailand’s “Golden Triangle” by boat to Luang Prabang. This beautiful UNESCO World Cultural Heritage city’s well-preserved French colonial style buildings give the place a unique charm. While a speedboat is the fastest way to travel, the journey on a slow boat takes two days giving passengers the opportunity to truly explore life along the Mekong. For my first visit to Laos I chose this route then continued my journey to Vientiane by bus. This time, with my motorbike my sole form of transportation, I picked up my bike in Vientiane, then travelled to Luang Prabang passing Vang Vieng, a small town on the riverbanks of the Mekong which has became a backpacker´s paradise. The younger international crowd has made this a major party location.
Laotian Boy and apparently Rapper Psy fan
My 500km trip on roads in good condition with only a few led me from the lowlands surrounding Vientiane across higher passes in the more mountainous northern areas of the country. The climate changes accordingly and so do the people encountered on the way such as Lao Suong and Lao Theung, midland and highland tribes.
Traveling on one’s own motorcycle lends itself to traveling off the beaten track at times exploring some of the smaller paths which lead off into the jungle. Crossing small rivers and climbing hills with your hopefully off-road capable bike gives the rider that special “Indiana Jones” feeling.
Arriving in Luang Prabang one can deeply inhale Laotian culture which is strongly influenced by Theravada Buddhism. Whichever mode of transportation is used to explore Laos, memories of a mysterious and yet largely undiscovered country will be one of the most meaningful souvenirs to be taken home and cherished.
Deep Into the Jungle – Laos
Photo Credits
All Photographs Are © Emanuel Luttersdorfer
Emanuel Luttersdorfer Photographer Bio
Emanuel Luttersdorfer is a medical doctor who has been born and growing up in Austria. He is currently working as a General Practitioner in an International clinic in Beijing, PRC. His interest in foreign cultures and places has led him to study Tropical Medicine in Thailand where he has been living for a year and which has been the starting point of his life as an expat in Asia. Equipped with his camera, fund knowledge about basic photography and an open mind he is exploring the world always looking for that special thing to see. So far his journeys have taken him to many locations all over the world but fortunately there are still lots of adventures to be lived and places left to be explored by him.
Website: Luttersdorfer.com
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