3 Days 2 Nights in Laos: Vang Vieng & Vientiane (No Water Activities)

Hello.

This trip consisted of 8 people who booked round-trip flights to Udon Thani Airport. The round-trip flight cost 1,525 baht per person (excluding checked baggage on the return flight). They also used a van rental service with a driver and border crossing services provided by Parichat Tour http://pkgethouse.blogspot.com/2011/07/1.html.

Day 1
5:15 AM Depart from Don Mueang Airport
6:30 AM Arrive at Udon Thani Airport. A van will pick you up for breakfast and then drop you off at the Nong Khai border checkpoint.
9:00 AM A Lao van will pick you up at the checkpoint and take you to Vang Vieng, stopping for lunch at the Nam Ngum Dam.

After a long four-hour drive, we arrived in Vang Vieng at 5:00 PM and checked into the Maylay Guesthouse. We then indulged in some sweet treats at Luang Prabang Bakery.

We intended to walk to see the waterfall, but we spent too much time at the bakery and the light faded before we could make it. For dinner, we all ate the same dish, which cost around 100-200 baht per plate. The main seasoning was onion. After dinner, we checked into our accommodation, marking the end of the first day of our trip.

Day Two

7:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel is an American breakfast set menu with options such as fried eggs, omelets, etc., served with French toast, coffee, and fruit. However, it is not filling.

The morning atmosphere in Vang Vieng is very refreshing. From the hotel, it is not far to walk to the Song River to enjoy the scenery.

The first stop of the day is Tham Jangkang Cave. The orange bridge is a landmark of the area, and everyone who comes here takes a picture.

At the entrance to Tham Chang Cave, local villagers sell various goods, including fruits, forest products, and boiled corn. The stairs leading up to the cave are not very high, making for an easy climb.

The cave's interior is spacious and cool, making for a comfortable and effortless walk.

On the way back out of the cave, after descending the stairs, I stopped to pay my respects to the Buddha.

After seeing the photos of Wiang Tha Dara Resort, I was eager to take some pictures there myself. I asked the driver to take me to the resort for a photo shoot.

The resort does not allow outsiders to take photos, but guests who dine at the restaurant can take photos outside. However, we arrived early in the morning before the restaurant opened, so we could only take photos from afar.

Continuing on to the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon offered a plethora of activities, from swimming and tubing to exploring the Crab Cave and ziplining. However, all of these activities involved getting wet, which wasn't ideal for our onward journey. We were left with no choice but to admire the lagoon from afar.

The large picture on the right shows people ziplining. The cost is 600 baht per person. There are many checkpoints, which makes it seem like a lot of fun.

After lunch, we traveled back to Vientiane. After about 3 hours of travel, we went to pray at the first temple, Wat Ong Tue Mahawihan.

The Emerald Buddha Temple is a museum where photography is prohibited inside.

Photography is permitted only outside and around the temple. The entrance fee is 10,000 kip, approximately 40 baht.

Across from the Emerald Buddha Temple is Wat Si Saket, with an entrance fee of 10,000 kip per person.

We continued our pilgrimage to Wat Si Mueang, a temple where, according to our guide, a woman once jumped into a well. That's all I can recall.

After checking in at the hotel and leaving our belongings, we went for a walk along the Mekong River. There were people exercising, and the hotel was close to a black market where there were many things for sale, although they were slightly more expensive than in Thailand.

After a satisfying meal, I hailed a skylab taxi to admire the majestic Pha That Luang illuminated by the night sky. The round-trip fare was a reasonable 400 baht.

Day Three

The hotel breakfast on the last day was similar to the one in Vang Vieng, with two sets available, but with the addition of porridge. The breakfast at this hotel was much more delicious than the one in Vang Vieng.

The morning sun shines brightly on the Patuxai, casting a warm glow over the city. The air is thick with heat, making the climb to the top of the monument a sweaty endeavor. But the panoramic views from above are well worth the effort, offering a stunning vista of Vientiane and its surroundings. Admission to the Patuxai is 4,000 kip per person.

Upon arrival, I was disappointed to find only shops selling overpriced goods, which is to be expected. The interior appeared dilapidated, and even the national treasures required an entrance fee. Shouldn't the interior be more focused on history and preservation? Would anyone willingly pay to go shopping?

The Grand Finale: A Visit to Pha That Luang

The final stop on our journey was Pha That Luang, a magnificent temple bathed in the intense midday sun. The heat was almost unbearable, but the allure of the temple's grandeur proved irresistible.

As we approached, vendors lined the pathway, offering a variety of souvenirs and local goods at reasonable prices. To enter the inner sanctum of the temple, a 10,000 kip entrance fee was required.

After that, the van dropped us off at the Nong Khai checkpoint. We had lunch at a restaurant in the checkpoint, which was a single-dish meal that was still expensive as usual here. After we finished eating, the Pariwat Tour picked us up at the checkpoint and traveled to Nong Khai. We stopped by Wat Luang Pho Nam Sai and then continued to Udon Thani to buy fermented pork sausage at VT Restaurant (actually, you don't have to buy it at the restaurant because the price at the restaurant is the same as the price at the airport).

5:00 PM. The van will take you to the airport.
6:30 PM. Take a flight back to Bangkok. The flight takes about 1 hour. Arrive home safely.

No text provided for translation.

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