The Journey(s) of Ian

This cluster of numerous islands is found at the far southern border of Laos in the middle of the Mekong River. Cambo is just a hike away. At this point the Mekong River widens to over a kilometre and reveals many islands (four thousand? I don’t know) above the waterline. In the dry season many of these tiny and low islands are revealed. In the wet season many of these temporary islands disappear under the flooding waters while the main islands suffer from aquatic inundation. So—why go there? In short, relaxation. The 4,000 is the most laid back environment in Southeast Asia. Just what is it? There are two islands that bear the main brunt of tourism. These islands are named Don Det and Don Khon. Each is only a few square kilometres. Most of the land area is given over to rice and agriculture. On Don Det there is a road encircling the island with several roads criss-crossing the island. Next to the jetty is the tourist strip, 100m of small restaura...

The short answer—so so. It is a comfortable and fun locale with sufficient resources to get work done, but not more than that. No expansive infrastructure, no community, and a town not oriented towards productive work. Score (5 stars) accommodation: * * * * * living: * * * * internet: * * 2.5 nomadic community: * Tourist todo: * * * * OVERALL score: * * * 3.5 stars. NOMAD score: * * 2 stars. Tell me more about this town! You may have heard of Vang Vieng, as a town of tubing, as a backpacker hangout, and significant destination on the “Banana Pancake Trail”. All correct. It is a town where you can relax, live easy, watch the world go by, or indulge in an orgy of nature adventure. It is a small, northern Laos town surrounded by green hills and lush rice paddies, and lots of nature. Small—a few main streets—an hour of walking will show you everything there is to see. You will quickly see that it is a tourist town. The centre is filled with restaura...

Luang Prabang, Laos — A Good Spot for Digital Nomads? To answer this question quickly—good even fine, but not great. Let me explain. Luang Prabang has sufficient resources for a wandering digital nomad in search of a place to rest a weary head, but there is no community of nomads and the IT infrastructure, while adequate, is not oriented to online work. Score (5 stars) accommodation: * * * * * living: * * * * internet: * * * nomadic community: * Tourist todo: * * * * OVERALL score: * * * 3.5 stars. NOMAD score: * * 2 stars. Tell me more about this town! Luang Prabang is a small town (like all Laos towns) in northern Laos. It has a colourful history and it is now a UN World Heritage Site, a tourist destination, a locale on the ‘Bamboo Circuit’ of southeast Asia, and a peaceful spot in which to hang. It is not too far from China (and there are flights and buses to). About 8 bus hours ($20) or 1 flight hour ($100) from the Laos capital, Vi...

Getting from the capital of Laos to any of its outlying towns is not a difficult task, but one that requires a little planning and knowledge, so to be accomplished without trouble or annoyance. In this case let us examine a trip from Vientiane to Savannakhet. First, a sleeper bus. These depart from the Southern Bus Station, with is a dozen kilometres to the north of Vientiane. The VIP bus departs at 20.30, an overnight sojurn. Tickets can be purchased at any tourist place in the tourist area, or at the bus station itself. Just walk into the station and there are the ticket counters. Most signs are in Loas, but there is sufficient English to find your buss. A ticket is 120,000 Kip (400 baht, $13)—not expensive, however… Each ‘bed’ on the sleeping bus is for two people. Fine, if you are a couple, but if not you will be bunking down with a stranger for your overnight recline. Also, the ‘beds’ are not overly large. For an average height westerner, too short for a comfortable trip. My...

Back again! I do enjoy this town. It would be hard not to. Luang Prabang is a world heritage site, a town in northern Laos, capital of the province of the same name, and a major tourist drawcard. The quiet, but still somewhat busy streets draw tourists from all over the world, mainly younger, backpacker oriented people, who visit as part of their tour of Laos and south-east Asia. People come to relax, enjoy the beautiful scenery, spend a little time with nature, and generally to chill. The town is a days journey by bus from Vientiane and half a day from Vang Vieng. LP is a tiny destination by most standards, dwarfed by the megacities in neighbouring countries, it has a population of 55,000 . The town lies between the Mekong River and Nam Khan Rivers. Essentially, the town is a long peninsular. The peninsular area consists of four main roads, which form the main tourist area. This is filled with r estaurants, hotels, tour companies, tourist trinket shops, and massage shops —...