Laos — The Mighty Mekong River, Laos
That’s one big river
September 2015
One of my all-time favourite films is Apocalypse Now. In the film, Captain Willard embarks on a journey up a river from South Vietnam to Cambodia — the Mekong River.
I didn’t cross the Mekong on my train journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. And, during my stay in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I was nowhere near the Mekong.
But in Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos, I was on the Mekong. And its size and power, particularly when considering that the river must have several thousand kilometres to flow before reaching the sea, were impressive.
It’s a big, mighty river!
The river rises on the Tibetan Plateau and flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia before entering the sea in Vietnam. The River is the twelfth longest river in the world at approximately 4,900 kilometres (3,044 miles) long. For more information, see Wikipedia.
I first saw the Mekong as I was wandering around Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) and stopped at the Viewpoint Café. From the café, I could see the Mekong, and knowing how far I was from the mouth of the Mekong, its size was surprising.
As I walked around Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), I stopped to watch boats on the Mekong. It was much bigger than I was expecting.
And on my first evening, I sat by the Mekong, drinking a beer and watching the sun go down.
I got up close to the Mekong on my first tour out of Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) when I visited the Tham Ting (Tam Ting)/Pak Ou (ถ้ำติ่ง) Caves, as I had to cross the Mekong from Ban Pak Ou (ບ້ານປາກອູ) to the caves.
Being in the water, in a small river taxi, helped me realise the size and power of the river.
It wasn’t only beer at sunset that I drank by the Mekong; there was also coffee.
And I had to take a ferry across the Mekong to get to Ban Xieng Man.
The views of the Mekong, and Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), from Chomphet Temple (Wat Chomphet), Ban Xieng Man, were spectacular.
On my last night in Laos, it seemed only fitting that I have another beer by the Mekong and watch the sun go down.
The Mekong impressed me. It is a spectacular and powerful river with some great views. And drinking a beer by the Mekong in Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) was a great way to finish a day.
