Asia - HOUEISAY- LUANG PRABANG cruise on the Mekong

Has anyone done this cruise between Houeisay, Thailand and Luang Prabang, Laos? www.asian-oasis.com/Luang/html# I would like to hear of your experiences.

Huay Xai (http://wikitravel.org/en/Huay_Xai) (a rather more common spelling, although there are several dozen!) is located in Laos, not Thailand. However, it's just across the river from Chiang Khong (http://wikitravel.org/en/Chiang_Khong) on the Thai side.

I've done it the old fashioned way. Bought a ticket on one of those locals "fast boat", death defying, flat bottom canoe looking things with a car engine on it. It is quite exciting that way. When you are in a part of the world that does not take transportation safety even slightly seriously and they issue passengers motorcycle helmets and life vests..... and the locals all actually put them on, you know you are in for a wild ride. The tour shown on the web site looks much more civilized. I have not tried anything like that but I saw the local slow boats and if the boat is not over crowded, the scenery is absolutely stunning. There is not much to see in Ban Huay Xai. Pak Bang is the likely overnight stop and although it has million dollar views of the Mekong river valley there is little else of interest there. And unless the hotel has it's own generators, they shut the power off to the town around 8:00-9:00-ish at night. My hotel provided candles. :D In all. The scenery is indeed absolutely fantastic. There is not much other than the scenery. I found it kind of rough territory but I have a very high tolerance to things not being up to western standards and had a great time. If the tour company has their own boat and facilities and claims to have a tourist package that smooths out all the rough edges, I suppose, how much confidence do you have in the tour company? I can't comment on that.

Visa on arrival is available at Ban Huay Xai. It is USD$30 or THB 1500 so bring US dollars for Visa or pay a premium for paying in Baht. Bring Passport photo too. There was no funny business in the visa process and it was very easy. US Dollars, Thai Baht or Lao Kip were universally accepted interchangeably for any purchases along the route with a slight preference towards US Dollars.

If the tour company has their own boat and facilities and claims to have a tourist package that smooths out all the rough edges, I suppose, how much confidence do you have in the tour company?

That is why I am looking for someone who has done a trip with this company. Thank you for the other info though. And thanks to jpatokal for the correction as to leaving from Laos vice Thailand.

I will be leaving Huay Xai on either January 16 or 18 (depending whether I stay two nights at the "Gibbon Experience" tree house accomodations. I'd also like to know if the "luxary boat(s)" are worth the price (and what the price is). I don't know if I will end up taking the tour boat you mention or the normal slow boat to Luang Prabang yet. I guess I can post my experience with either alternative after the trip.

I will be leaving Huay Xai on either January 16 or 18 (depending whether I stay two nights at the "Gibbon Experience" tree house accomodations. I'd also like to know if the "luxary boat(s)" are worth the price (and what the price is). I don't know if I will end up taking the tour boat you mention or the normal slow boat to Luang Prabang yet. I guess I can post my experience with either alternative after the trip.

Please post your impression of the Gibbon Exoerience (http://www.ecotourismlaos.com/activities/gibbon_trk.htm) as well, if you would. It looks very interesting.

I would like to hear any experiences with the various boat trips, too.

The two day trip is $348 pp double occupancy. We will probably do it as my husband loves boat trips. We are planning to go late Jan. or early Feb. The company sent me an e-mail saying that at that time, the Huay Xai to Luang Prabang boats are quite full but the boats in the opposite direction are open. As I am in the early stages of planning, I can probably reverse our trip.

Thank you for posting the Gibbon experience.

The two day trip is $348 pp double occupancy. We will probably do it as my husband loves boat trips. We are planning to go late Jan. or early Feb. The company sent me an e-mail saying that at that time, the Huay Xai to Luang Prabang boats are quite full but the boats in the opposite direction are open. As I am in the early stages of planning, I can probably reverse our trip.

Thank you for posting the Gibbon experience.

Down river is more peaceful since the boat basically glides along with the current with the engine at a low power level. Upriver they are running the engine at full throttle against the current so it is not quite as nice as down river. When they say boats, I'd be real sure to clarify they are talking about some kind of special tourist boat and not just a ride on the ordinary "slow boats" that ply that route. Not that a ride on the local slow boats is not worthwhile. Just the ticket price for a slow boat ride is something like $8. If you are the adventurous type you could put the whole thing together yourself for <$50 a person for 2 days with decent accommodations so I would be REALLY sure they have some kind of super duper tourist boat and accommodation's at that price. It is not really a $348 pp for two days part of the world. The average local is making like $1 a day along that route.

I did the slow boat downstream along the Mekong from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang on January 21. Two similar river boats departed from the slow boat dock on the north side of town at about 11:20am. The "normal" departure time is 11am, but hey, this is Laos. Both boats were full. The passengers in the other boat sat across on benches. No benches in our boat; we sat on mats flat on the deck with our backs to the railings, which left an aisle down the middle on the boat between everyone's feet.

I arrived in Pakbeng about 6pm, and found a nice hotel -- reasonably clean with private bath and shower for $25 U.S. (It's the first big place after you turn left after scrambling uphill from the riverbank.

The boat fare is 95,000 kip for each of the two segments to and from Pakbeng. Figure a conversion rate of 9,000 kip to a U.S. dollar, but dollars are universally accepted in Laos.

The boats (different ones with real chairs this time) left Pakbeng about 9am and arrived in LP about 4pm. The boats really are not that bad, EXCEPT for the rude underage trash on board who think its cool to smoke pot, get drunk and generally embarrass themselves and shame their ancestors in public.

Bowgie

The mention of Pak Beng brings back memories of the Cold War in the late 60s and early 70s, when the free world -- SEATO and then the Thais, US, Australia, etc., feared the Chinese roadbuilding project through western Laos towards Pak Bang. All the "good guys" saw the road as evidence the PRC would soon be sending PLA in large numbers to be able to reinforce the pro-Chinese armed insurgency in northern Thailand. It took decisive Thai Army action led by retired General Pichit Kullavanich to defeat the insurgency once and for all. The memorial at Khao Khor celebrates this strategic defeat of the armed insurgency.

Regular briefings were given quite often back then within national security offices and embassies in Bangkok on the progress of the road. Also, the movie The Ugly American with Marlon Brando and Kukrit Pramoj had as one of its premises the big bad enemy's (PRC) attempt to build a road closer and closer to the border of the fictional country Sarkan (Thailand).

I did the slow boat downstream along the Mekong from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang on January 21... Bowgie


Thanks for posting your experience. Did you do the Gibbon Experience? How was it?

Which again brings the question of, is the $348 pp "tour" using some kind of super special tourist boat or are they just selling you the same slow boat and Pak Bang hotel that Bowgie bought for 95,000 Kip X2 and $25............. <$50.

The hotel on the web site looks quite scenic and the views of the Mekong river valley from Pak Bang is indeed fantastic but I also notice fans and mosi-nets. Not signs of 5* accommodations in this part of the world. I say it is very much worth the trip but I question the $348 pp price tag.

Before I left Huay Xai on January 20, I was able to start the "Gibbon Experience" on January 17. For their web site and info on how to book, just google "Gibbon Experience."

The Gibbon Experience's office in Huay Xai is located on the main river front road as you turn left walking up from the ferry landing and Laos Immigration, and just past the guesthouse on the corner. I stopped in on Jan 16 and they told me they were booked full for the 17th, but they offered to contact my guesthouse if something opened up.

Over dinner somewhere else in Huay Xai that night, the nice woman there found me and said they had a cancellation and asked me to show up at their office at 8:30am the next day.

I did so. Me and the other eleven in the group watched a short training film on zip line safety, paid our fee, and signed liability releases. The fee is 100 Euro dollars or $140 American or the equivalent in Thai baht, cash only. (Euros are the exchange rate cheapest, followed by USD, then baht.) They expect to be raising prices soon.

On even-day departures, they do a "Waterfall Experience", which involves far more hiking then the "Traditional Experience", which was the program for our start date on the 17th (an odd day).

By 9am, we piled into a Land Rover and drove two hours along a paved (mostly, but some is still be constructed) highway. We turned off at a roadside food stand to cross a river and drove from another hour up a very narrow and steep dirt path. I understand that during rainy season, this drive is replaced by a six hour hike. We arrived at a small village and from there walked thru a cornfield and stopped for a shady break and a sandwich lunch. This and all food was provided by the Gibbon Experience. From the cornfield, the real jungle started, and we walked for an hour to reach the cabin the Gibbon Experience (GE from here on) guides stayed and cooked in. The first treehouse is nearby and sleeps six. Farther away, two other treehouses sleep two and four people. There are some other treehouses much more distant being used by those on the second day of their "Waterfall Experience." (part 1 finished, part 2 to come later).

I'm also interested in the Luang Say cruise, versus a normal slow boat down the river.

My concern is safety, shade, and how crowded they are. Some sort of toilet would be great too.

If you were just getting a normal slow boat, where would you go about getting a seat on it? Reservations? I'll be around there mid to late March.

I'm also interested in the Luang Say cruise, versus a normal slow boat down the river.

,My concern is safety, shade, and how crowded they are. Some sort of toilet would be great too.

If you were just getting a normal slow boat, where would you go about getting a seat on it? Reservations? I'll be around there mid to late March.

I'll give a few more details on my January 20, 2007, "slow boat" departure from Huay Xai.

In the busy season, a pair of boats depart each day. So neither boat will be grossly overloaded to the point that capsizing would ever be an issue. Even if a boat sank, this part of the Mekong is narrow enough and flows slow enough that most people could easily swim for shore.

You get a boat by showing up at the "dock" just north of Huay Xai anytime from about 9:30 to the 11am departure. Pay your fare of 95,000 kip (about $10 USD) (and another 95,000 kip at Pakbeng departure) or with the equivalent in baht or U.S. dollars cash at the shack (or to the guy at the card table if paying for the leg departing from Pakbeng). I say "dock" because there is no actual dock; the end of the boat just runs up to the shore.

Reservations? Bah Hah! Hah! You don't any silly reservations. There's always room for one more! More the merrier, and maybe your bench or floor mate will share some of his dope with you if you're nice or cute. You can prepurchase your fare from a travel agent the day before in Huay Xai, but there is no real advantage in doing so. The agent marks up the fare a little bit and throws in a free tuk-tuk ride to the non-dock dock. One of the travel agencies in Huay Xai sells flower print tush cushions for about $2.50 U.S. Beer on the boat costs about $1.50, but on the Huay Xai to Packbeng leg, the boat stopped briefly in the afternoon for villagers to sell snacks and less pricy Beer Lao to the passengers.

Shade? If going downriver, try to sit on the left side of the boat. The boat has a canopy running down its entire length, but the angle of the sun makes the left side of the boat more shady. Try to sit in the front of the boat, which is quieter away from the engine in back. The bathroom is in the back, and is the normal Chinese squat and/or aim set-up. As normal in Laos, a bucket and water tank is providing for "flushing" and/or "bad aim".

Overall, the travel is cheap and easy. If you find yourself a little too squashed against your seat mates, you can alway stand up and stretch a bit or sit on the boat's railing. The boat's crew does discourage passengenrs from hanging off of the railing outside the boat as some pax try. Does seem rather unsafe not to stay inside the boat.

. Just the ticket price for a slow boat ride is something like $8. If you are the adventurous type you could put the whole thing together yourself for <$50 a person for 2 days with decent accommodations so I would be REALLY sure they have some kind of super duper tourist boat and accommodation's at that price. It is not really a $348 pp for two days part of the world. The average local is making like $1 a day along that route.

From Frommer's Southeast Asia, 2005, "Boat travel to and from Luang Prabang is quite popular. The local boat (called the slow boat) from Houaysay ... departs for Luang Prabang every morning. Arrive early at the riverside quay. The trip costs 120,000 kip ($12) and takes about 1 1/2 days. You'll stay overnight in Pak Beng, a village with basic accommodation, before arriving in Luang Prabang in the afternoon of the next day (assuming no engine trouble or other delay.) Be prepared for all kinds of discomfort, but you'll have many tales to tell sitting in the cafe or getting a massage in Luang Prabang.

LuangSay Cruises also operates tour boats on the same route between Thailand and Luang Prabang. (...www.mekongcruises). ... the two-day trip takes you on the river in style, catered and comfortable, with a one night stop at the LungSay Lodge, a charming, rustic eco-lodgethat's the most luxurios choice in Pak Beng."

I think you are right that the LuangSay cruises are not a stellar bargain. There seems to be no middle ground between cheap and know discomfort, and expensive and an unknown increase in comfort. Unfortunately we are old and spoiled, so will probably try one of the LungSay cruises in the future. Sadly work conflicts have caused us to shelve the trip for a while.

On arriving at the first tree house, we took turns zip lining in. First time, I stopped short of the tree house, rolled backwards, and two of the guides had to pull me in. Everybody needs a couple of tries to get the hang of it, but we all quickly are able to gain confidence to go on our own without much difficulty.

There is enough daylight on the first day for us to all hike together to the other two treehouses. The jungle is quite beautiful and amazing. The view from the ground is a whole separate ecosystem from the canopy level where the treehouses are. I returned with my treehouse mates to the first tent while others hiked a little with another guide. As evening approaches, the guides carried in our hot dinner in tins, ready to unpack and share. The food is really outstanding and is freshly prepared Lao dishes. It is impossible to go hungry on the Gibbon Experience.

Our guide encourages the gabby people among us to stop and listen to the sounds of the jungle. He points out these neaby "giant squirrels" and later civits jumping from branch to branch nearby. The most immediately striking thing about the jungle at night is that it's NOISY. Just an amazing collection of bird calls, insect clicks, and distant animal calls. We take abvantage of the avialable surplus of (cold) water in the hillside tank for a shower righ in the treehouse and settle down for the night in the comfortable bedding and netting available in the different nooks of the treehouse. (end part 2)

I think you are right that the LuangSay cruises are not a stellar bargain. There seems to be no middle ground between cheap and know discomfort, and expensive and an unknown increase in comfort. Unfortunately we are old and spoiled, so will probably try one of the LungSay cruises in the future. Sadly work conflicts have caused us to shelve the trip for a while.

When I visited Luang Prabang in late December 2003, some travel agencies were selling discounted, last-minute only fares for the trip from Luang Prabang to Huay Say (sp?). We were told that the boats are usually full going downstream from Huay Say to LP, but pretty much empty on the return. And since they need to return in order to pick up the next load of pax paying $348 each, they sold off their empty spaces at a significant discount. I don't remember exactly how much, but I think it was maybe around $100-$200 per person (?).

So another option would be just to show up in LP and see what you can arrange from there - if you can't get a discounted fare, you can always take the normal boat or fly.

This information is a few years old, though, so may be quite wrong by now...

- Michael

I did the trip last week in the opposite direction starting in L.P. on Feb 3rd and arriving at Houseisay Feb4th. The price was $195. I bought my ticket at a travel agency in L.P., who also arranged for a driver to drive me to Chiang Rai and also booked my flight back to BKK. I had a tight schedule, leaving from BKK the following morning at 8:15 for my flight back to the U.S.
I was happy with the trip and even though more expensive than the regular slow boat I felt it was a good deal. It included all meals, ovenight at the lodge in Pak Beng where I had a separate hut with hot shower, a warm comfortable bed with mosquito netting (which was not needed due to the chilly weather). Our guide Pohnsi was very well informed and happy to answer questions and point out places of interest along the way. We stopped at the 1,000 Buddha caves, and 3 villages.

The boat seats 40 but only 17 were on my boat and 4 of them only went half way so we had plenty of room to move around, change seats or lie down. They also provided blankets and which were needed both mornings, as it was chilly and overcast for about half the day. A shell/windbreaker would have been nice but I didn't bring one.

Going up river ,as I did takes about 3 hrs longer, than the ride down river but I never found it boring. Take a book and map it is really pleasant trip.

The food on the boat and at the lodge was delicious and the boat's restroom was clean. The boat has a bar so if you want a beer or drink along the way you can get one. They also provided fresh fruit each morning and afternoon.
And sell a very limited amount of snacks (cashews and maybe some chips).

The trip was perfect for me and my tight schedule. I didn't decide to do it until the day before and all my plans fell together perfectly. The scenery is great and it was a nice change from flying and a relaxing way to spend the better part of two days. BTW the boat is covered and part of the roof is retractable so there is plenty of shade and the seats are cushioned and comfortable and have tables so reading or eating is not a problem.

I hope this was of some help.

write me back if you need more info.

have fun.

It's nice to hear from someone who has done the trip -- thanks.

your welcome.

I did the trip last week in the opposite direction starting in L.P. on Feb 3rd and arriving at Houseisay Feb4th. The price was $195...

Good to now that you can still get discounted trips from LP to Houeisay. I find $200 to still be a bit steep, but it's a lot less than the full-fare $400 rate...

- Michael

Obviously you can do the trip cheaper so if that is your #1 issue I would look elsewhere, but this route was hassle-free for me. I didn't have to look for a place to overnight in Pak Beng and all meals were provided. Also, I was able to leave my luggage on board the boat at night without having to haul it up the hill, I don't know if that is allowed on the other boats. Granted none of those issues are huge but it did free me up to relax and enjoy my last two days in SE Asia.... I guess convenience comes with price. dan

Has anyone done this cruise between Houeisay, Thailand and Luang Prabang, Laos? www.asian-oasis.com/Luang/html# I would like to hear of your experiences.

The Luang say Cruise on the Mekong ? It is very nice, how can I say : It is a bit more expensive than what I would usually go for, but I really believe it worth it.
I travel this path at least twice a year as a photographer based in Chiang Mai. You have here ample description how it is to take the "usual slow boat"... it is actually boring to fight for "just ok" accomodation in Pakbeng once you have to spend 2 time 7 to 8 hours on a wooden banch. It seamed to me 2 or 3 times that there was more people than rooms available.

Since I travel with Luang Say (3 times already), sure I spend more money, but the comfort, the food, the atmosphere of the Luang Say Lodge at Pakbeng, make this trip actually each time a treat ... and it is how I take it. I agree with Dano 18.
luangsay.com is their website. They sure don't need me for their promotion, but I really like to go there ...

I did this trip recently, and the last minute booking price (from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai) was $229. I purchased it directly from the company in Luang Prabang a few days before the departure. They take credit cards (charged in dollars) and are located right on the main street.

This is pretty smart pricing. While it is still significantly more expensive than the local slow boat, I know my travel limitations and at this point in time, I would not have enjoyed the local slow boat experience no matter how scenic the views. On the other hand, I probably wouldn’t have been willing to pay the ~$475 list price either since that seems grossly inflated. The discount price is just about the cost of a one-way ticket LPQ-CNX (or BKK) + 1 night hotel, which was the alternative I was considering.

Anyway, I would highly recommend the trip. There were only 3 people on the boat (and ~8 crew members), due to a combination of New Year’s and going the less popular direction, so it was basically a personal tour. Apparently the boat holds up to 40 people, and it does occasionally get that full during high season (Oct-Feb) going from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. Even ~35 people or so would be quite crowded, and it sounds as though it routinely reaches that during high season. Personally, I think 20-25 people would really be the maximum number for comfort on the boat, so I would recommend going from Luang Prabang if you have to travel during the high season. Sure, it takes ~2 hrs more on the river, but you also save time from having to deal with less people.

The company is a French-Laos joint venture. We had both an English and French speaking guide on the boat. One person was from Geneva so the French guide focused on her (though her English was excellent of course as well)—I think he was happy there was someone he could speak French to! I saw him read up on a French language primer during his spare time on the boat, and that impressed me. At the end, we were told that we could tip both the crew and the guides (eg a tip was expected). The crew and guides were great, and we tipped similar to what we would give for a tour in the US/Europe. I think the company does pay more than the market wage for the crew members, but probably not that much more. I read in one of their room brochures that they were proud to create x# of new jobs that paid a whole ~5 cents/hr more than the prevailing wage! This was in French though, so I’m not quite sure I read it correctly.