Before we start, here is a brief intro you’ll find at the start of all of my blogs!
This is a story-style travel blog featuring my adventure through Southeast Asia in the fall of 2024. I spent 1 week on my own in Laos, then joined a 14 day tour called Ultimate Cambodian Adventure from the company G Adventures, followed by a final 3 day solo stop in Singapore. You can read the blog in order, or about whichever destination intrigues you! Within my stories, I’ll offer some recommendations and some tips and tricks for a smooth journey. When I travel, I mostly do group tours and the reasons are:
* As a solo woman traveler, it is much safer especially if traveling long distances or to countries that can be dangerous in some areas
*The itineraries are amazing and usually include all of the things you’d want to see and do…and if not, there is free time to do as you wish
*You don’t have to worry about booking transport, finding hotels, etc. Sometimes that can contribute to the adventure, but it’s also nice to sit back and relax and let your Tour CEO be in charge
* And finally…the new people you meet on your tour become your family, and I’ve made lifelong friends in these journeys. For myself, this has equal importance with exploring new countries.
My adventure begins tonight with a 1am departure on the painful 14 hour flight to Singapore. Even though it’s nice to relax and have absolutely nothing to do for 14 hours, I’m just anxious to get there and start my vacation! And bonus…the flight has minimal turbulence, and that is always a win. I manage to get some sleep, and arrive at Changi Airport at 6am. I will talk more about the 4 hour layover in my Singapore blog later on….but in brief, there is lots to see and do at this airport but not everything is open this early!
I manage to keep myself busy enough before boarding my next flight to Vientiane, Laos. It takes 3 hours, and this flight is pretty smooth as well. Yay!! Flying into Laos is like entering a hidden paradise – the endless lush landscape of forest, with the Mekong River winding through it. I’m surprised at how beautiful it looks from up here!
PRO TIPS: AIRLINES – I used Air Canada to get to Southeast Asia; I’ve had some annoying experiences with them before, but I’ll say that this time the service and comfort was great!! Also, my friend is a flight attendant and she had her co-workers take extra good care of me. Hehe. I used Scoot for the flight to Vientiane ; they operate out of Singapore and they are one of the highest rated low cost carriers in the world. The planes are basic, but the service and price made it worth choosing!
Travelers from certain countries need a visa to enter Laos, and Canada is one of them. Yay! I had the option to apply for an evisa ahead of time but my research said it would be cheaper to get it on arrival….so I’m gonna try it out. The process is soooo fast and easy! I had my photos done in Canada, so all I have to do is fill out a small form, and hand it all in with $40 USD.
I have arranged an airport pickup through the hotel as I have learned my lesson from my last 2 trips where I had some challenges getting to my hotel. I’m looking around for someone with my name on a card, but I can’t see anyone and I’m hoping they didn’t forget. In the meantime, I find a kiosk and get myself a SIM card for the next week.
PRO TIP: I have used eSIMS in the past; they are convenient but a bit pricier. I prefer to buy a local card to put in the phone. I’ve found it to be cheaper and the data plans are usually larger.
I go back to have a look around for my ride, and I find my driver just casually sitting down with my name sign out of view. <rolls eyes>. Super efficient!!
It’s a quick drive into the center of Vientiane; I am staying at New Champa Boutique Hotel.
It’s located on a quiet sidestreet beside a small wat(temples in Laos are called wats). It’s a relatively small hotel, but it’s super cute and I’m grateful to have a room on the ground floor right by the pool. The room is nice – spacious and clean.
I settle in, and then make a move to the pool.
Now is the time to mention that it is STUPID hot here. Like how am I going to survive the next few weeks? I sit in the sun for a bit, and have a swim and then it’s back into my lovely air conditioned room. I’m not planning on doing anything super exciting this evening, but I need dinner so I’m off to find a restaurant that’s on my “list”
PRO TIP: I like to do a lot of research before heading to my destinations….where to eat, what to eat, what to see, what to buy, etc. Some people enjoy more spontaneity when they travel, but I like to have as much info as possible so I don’t miss out on anything! Now of course, I can still stray from that list but at least I have an idea of what I want. I also like to check Google maps of the cities, so I can efficiently plan my days!
The restaurant is called Khop Chai Deu, and I want to sit outside and take in the atmosphere of Vientiane.
But it’s still so hot, and my body is not acclimatizing very well so far. Maybe I need a few more days….
I order fried noodles with shrimp and fried river weed (it’s like dried seaweed chips and super tasty!). A lot of Laotians speak English but there are still some language barriers – like when I ask if they have take-away containers. I mean that I probably won’t finish all of the food, but the server doesn’t quite understand , so my meal comes to the table in takeout containers.
We have a laugh and the guy is so apologetic, but hey, who needs plates?? Haha. As I’m enjoying my meal it starts to thunderstorm and I don’t really want to get stuck out in the rain. Plus the heat is becoming unbearable so it’s very convenient that I have my takeaway containers! Haha. I decide to finish dinner back in my hotel room after my obligatory evening shower in refreshing cool water.
Before I start my first day of exploration in Vientiane, here’s an introduction…
Laos is a serene and captivating landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar.
It is considered to be a relatively poor country, but it’s seen some growth recently due to tourism, mining and hydroelectric power export. There are 7 million people in this small country, with a diverse mix of ethnic groups. You can experience so much natural beauty – the lush jungles, flowing rivers, misty mountains, waterfalls and so many golden temples that glisten in the sun and welcome visitors with their warmth and tradition. In the mid 1800’s, The French arrived and you can see some of this influence in the architecture, and some older citizens still speak French. During the Vietnam War, Laos was heavily bombed due to parts of the country being occupied by the Vietnamese. Laos holds the distinction of being the most heavily bombed country in the world, and they are still working to safely remove any unexploded ordnances, which I will talk more about in future blogs. Laos is a socialist state, and openly endorses communism.
Vientiane is the charming capital of Laos, with old world allure mixed with modern touches, set along the banks of the Mekong River. It is the country’s political, cultural and economic centre. It’s very laid back and the perfect place to start your exploration of Laos. Here you’ll find so many Buddhist temples, French inspired cafes and colonial architecture that hints of its past ties with France.
It’s Sunday morning, and I head out early to find a spot for breakfast. Wandering around the streets at his time of day is so quiet and peaceful. The place I want to go for breakfast is closed, so I take a detour down the road that runs along the Mekong River, and have a quick look at Wat Chanthaboury. A couple of men start to follow me, wanting to talk. This is the only time on my entire trip where I felt a little uncomfortable – mainly because there are two of them and there is no one else around. I very firmly tell them no twice and keep walking and they give up. Before coming to Laos, I had been reading about safety as a solo female traveler and the advisories said that tourists need to be careful of petty crime, bag snatching, political unrest, etc. It sounded kind of ominous, and I considered not coming to Laos at all. But I found a Laos travel blog written by a solo female traveler; I sent her a message and she assured me that as long as I take normal precautions, I should be fine.
PRO TIP: Before traveling, you should always check safety advisories. As long as it doesn’t say AVOID ALL TRAVEL, go for it…but be aware of any possible scenarios. I feel like these advisories are dumbed down for the most inexperienced traveler. In general …be aware of your surroundings, be extra cautious at night, don’t get too drunk(watch out for drink spiking and don’t wander the streets drunk), don’t dress too flashy or flaunt expensive jewelry, etc. Two items I purchased this year made a huge difference for keeping my belongings safe….. This travel bag from Amazon
It’s lightweight but it can still hold a lot of stuff. You can wear it under or over clothes..if worn as cross body, the zippers and pouches are positioned so it’s near impossible for anyone to open them other than you.
Also, this is the phone strap that I wore around my neck the whole time. It feels a little silly, but it was brilliant. It provides easy access when you want to take photos, you won’t drop your phone when taking those more complicated photos and no one can snatch it out of your hand!
Continuing on, I find a different breakfast spot from my list. There is only one other person inside, and it has air conditioning so yay!! It’s called See You Coffee.
I order Lao tea and a veggie omelet with toast. It’s ok, nothing fantastic. From here, I can easily explore a couple of temples. First up is Wat Inpeng, an active Buddhist temple with resident monks.
There are some cool statues in the temple grounds, and the décor on the temple is very intricate with its gabled roof and carved wooden doors.
I have a seat on one of the benches in amongst the statues, taking in the serene ambiance.
It’s one of the less visited wats, so it’s worth checking out.
A couple blocks further is Wat Ong Teu, with two white elephants guarding the entrance.
Once through the gate, there is an amazing Naga statue, a mythical water serpent.
The temple in this complex is so pretty, and inside is the largest Buddha in Vientiane.
The roofs of many temples are curved, and this is because evil spirits despise curved lines. Wat Ong Teu was originally constructed in the 16th century and has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the years. It was originally used for ceremonies of allegiance to the King, and then became a school for monks. After exploring this wat, I take the short walk back to the hotel to regroup and cool off.
It’s time to head out again, this time I go a bit further. I decide to walk ; it takes around 20 minutes to get to this next temple and it’s starting to get really hot again. I’m ready to explore two of the more famous wats here in Vientiane. The first is Haw Phra Kaew, a former temple that is now a museum.
It was built in 1565 to house the Emerald Buddha. The statue was stolen by the Thais, so it now resides in Bangkok. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt a few times.
There are many Buddhas that adorn the terrace, beautiful ornate wooden doors, a gilded throne, all amongst this temple that sits in a gorgeous landscaped garden.
After this, I scoot across the street to the Wat Si Saket..thought to be the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane.
It definitely has an ancient feel to it. This is the first temple where I try out my joke of saying I’m a local so I don’t have to pay the higher price. The worker laughs, then tells me to put on one of their skirts to cover my legs( I have a light scarf for my shoulders, but it’s way too dang hot for pants today). I model the Laotian style skirt for him and he approves. Haha. I pop inside the temple, and snap an illegal pic like a badass.
I wander the grounds and have a look at the gallery of Buddhas and the rows of tombs.
Then I begin the long journey to the Patuxai War Monument. I choose to walk, and this is a bad idea. There is no shade down this street. I have a feeling I’m looking like a dumb tourist right now, because no one is out walking. I stop at a small store( that probably rarely sees tourists), and grab an ice cold water and have a chat with the shop guy. Many older residents speak French so he figures I also speak French since I’m Canadian. Nope! Haha
By the time I make it to the monument, I feel like garbage. Luckily I can sit inside and cool off. This is when I make the decision to either take tuk tuks everywhere or stay at the hotel in the “excruciating heat” hours of the day. The Patuxai is dedicated to those Laotians who fought for independence from France. It resembles the Arc de Triomphe, but with a more Laotian design with mythological creatures as decoration. It is pretty stunning.
After a nice rest and cool off, I figure I can walk a tiny bit further to the place I want to go for lunch(this girl apparently never learns).
There’s a little more shade on this jaunt, so it’s not as bad. I pass by That Dam Stupa, and to be honest, when I had first heard about it I thought someone was cursing it out…as in I walked all the way in this damn heat to see that damn Stupa. Haha. It’s pretty cool though.
I arrive at Kua Lao, a bit of a fancy place.
I settle in at a table directly beside a giant fan(it’s a requirement from now on…sit me closest to the fan!). I order Laos’s most famous dish…Larb. I choose the pork version. It’s basically a minced meat salad. A giant plate of pork, seasoned with way too much cilantro and mint(and other herbs), and onion. It also comes with a giant plate of greens and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to eat them without looking like a giant rabbit.
I get about halfway through the plate and that’s plenty of larb for me today. If you want to try cooking it at home, here’s a recipe for ya.
https://thewoksoflife.com/pork-larb/
I have made plans with Merryn for this evening; she’s a cool Australian lady whom I met this afternoon at the hotel. She’s also traveling solo, so it’s nice to have some company. She suggests we hit happy hour for sunset at this cool rooftop bar called Tipsy Elephant.
The cocktails are a bit on the pricier side for Laos, but they are delicious and we enjoy the views of the Mekong River and the beautiful sunset.
Fun Fact: you can see Thailand from up here….it’s just on the other side of the Mekong River!
We need to get dinner, so we head over to the night market that sets up every night along the river. Except there isn’t any food here, and no souvenirs either. Bummer! It’s just clothing, shoes, jewelry and fake designer purses…I spot a really cute purse but the guy starts his price at $75 and he isn’t willing to bargain, so no thanks!
We walk on to find the food street market….it’s pretty cool but we wander around aimlessly, not knowing what is safe to eat or what anything is. It’s like we need to adopt a local to tell us what to buy. Haha.
It’s also really hot and crowded and smelly so this is not going to work. Merryn mentions that she walked by a pizza joint back near the hotel and at this point, I agree that this is a great option!
The place is called Tyson Kitchen; we order pizzas and sodas and it’s perfect. I have the Hawaiian pizza.
I’m still really overheated so Merryn suggests I order a big glass of ice cubes to run along my neck and arms. OMG this is brilliant…I’m almost instantly feeling better(I’ll continue to use this trick for the rest of the trip. Haha). My stomach is still acting up, and it’s probably due to the heat. We call it an early night as we have some big plans for tomorrow!!
Overall, I’m loving Laos so far. Stay tuned for Day 2….
Everywhere On Earth With Erin 