Going Upriver and Back in Time in Laos

October 11, 2010 By Khiri Insider
VOLUME 3 - OCTOBER 12, 2010

Great river escapes still exist. Mekong River Cruises & Mekong Islands Tours, a Lao-German company, launched the first Laotian cabin river cruiser on the upper Mekong in 2006. Today, Mekong River Cruises operates three boutique river cruise vessels and is the leading cruise company in Laos.

By cruising the Mekong River you can discover some of the remotest parts of Laos, and indeed Southeast Asia. There are insights into villages of Lao and minority people, many without electricity, road access or telephone connections. From the boat itself, and on several land excursions led by the crew, the ever changing scenery of lush green mountains, amazing rock formations and peaceful villages along the river banks acts as a perfect antidote to big city pretensions.

Mekong River Cruises has launched an eight-day cruise from Luang Prabang to Chiang Saen on the Thailand border.

This amazing cruise starts in Luang Prabang, the charming former French colonial town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and probably one of the most beautiful towns in Southeast Asia. The cruise winds its way through the Laotian countryside on the Mekong, passing the sacred Pac Ou caves, the small town of Pak Beng and many small minority villages until it reaches Hoay Xay in Bokeo province. It then proceeds further west up the river to the Thai town of Chiang Saen, its final destination in the Golden Triangle, a border region between Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.

This eight-day cruise on the upper Mekong River is an extraordinary experience traveling on the most comfortable river vessel available in Laos.

Khiri Laos country manager, Marc Albert, took the trip and concluded: “Exploring the Mekong River on Mekong Explorer is an unique way of traveling through Northern Laos. Although I have visited quite a few remote places in Laos, I was deeply impressed by the insights on riverside communities along the Mekong River.”

He adds: “With no modern communication tools, electricity or overland road access, these communities along the Mekong River live their traditional lives pretty much as they did 100 or more years ago. The Mekong Explorer allows you to discover these remote areas and people in a unique and very comfortable way. The slower pace of river travel lets one relax and enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature. It is a lost paradise only accessible by boat.”

Khiri Travel can arrange such cruises as well as pre- and post cruise extensions throughout Laos, Indochina and Thailand. Visit www.khirilaos.com.

Khiri Travel Launches ‘Tribes and Rivers of Northern Laos’ – A 7 Day Tour

BANGKOK, THAILAND, 4 February 2010 – Khiri Travel has launched a “Tribes and Rivers of Northern Laos” tour. The luxury seven-day tour is part of the company’s Khiri Gold collection of travel experiences. Khiri Gold tours are designed for discerning top-end travellers who require authentic travel without compromising comfort levels.

The tour explores the northern Laos UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang and its surrounding areas for two days. Then the focus moves to the exotic array of hill tribe minority villages available from the Muang La luxury boutique resort in Udom Xay province. The area is deep in the mountains of northern Laos on the way to the Chinese border.

From Muang La Resort, there are trips by 4WD and gentle hikes on foot to visit an Akha village perched on a 3,000 foot mountain top. In the village the women folk wear colourful headdresses adorned with silver coins. Guests also explore Hmong, Lao Loum and Khmu tribal villages.

Khiri Gold’s “Tribes and Rivers of Northern Laos” trip includes five hours on a comfortable riverboat cruising on the Nam Ou River. Guests enjoy a picnic lunch on a secluded river beach amid some of the most dramatic scenery in Southeast Asia.

“We are confident that discerning guests will love the Muang La boutique resort,” said Marc Albert, the Country Manager of Khiri Travel Laos. “The resort is surrounded by forests, rice fields, and hot water springs that are thousands of years old. A Buddhist temple on the valley side adds spirituality to a place that has changed very little through the years.”

Muang La resort consists of three wooden villas of ethnic design. Local Laotian art in the rooms add to the experience. A unique feature of the resort is its candle-lit Lao sauna, where steam is scented with natural herbs and grasses to create a truly relaxing experience. There is also a large spa plunge pool for guests to luxuriate in.

At the resort, guests can select where they would like their dining table placed in the gardens which are lit by torchlight and candles in the evening. The Muang La resort serves a fine selection of wines and champagne.

Guests also spend over two and a half days exploring the attractions of Luang Prabang and the surrounding area. Highlights include walking tours and visits to textile galleries, weaving centres, museums and temples. Early risers can witness the moving sight of long lines of bare-foot monks on their silent morning alms rounds.

Visitors also get to inspect the Pac Ou caves which contain up to 3,000 Buddha images, many of them inlaid with semi-precious stones.

According to Willem Niemeijer, co-founder of Khiri Travel, guests can now explore many culturally-rich corners of Indochina without compromising comfort levels, service standards or food and beverage options. “Khiri Gold itineraries open a new world of possibilities to top-end travellers. It’s a growth trend we see continuing, especially in source markets such as Europe, North America, Australia and among expatriates in Asia.”