Travelling to Laos with kids

In choosing Laos as our travel destination to celebrate Snufkin's 4th birthday, I exposed myself to questions on my sanity. "Surely there are better alternatives, say Disneyland or Universal Studios Singapore?" Laos sound to many (especially Malaysians) like a backward, 3rd world country with no facilities to cater to travelling children. After all, you would be hard-pressed to find the words "family-friendly" and Laos in a single sentence.

But I beg to differ. Although our travel in Laos was only limited to the main tourist trail, i.e. Luang Prabang and Vientiane, from what I have experienced Laos is a doodle and there's plenty to keep the little rascals occupied. Here's 7 reasons why:

1) Hassle-free South East Asia

Unlike many other South East Asian cities/towns, you will seldom be hounded by touts and people trying to sell you massages, tuk-tuk rides, postcards, bangles etc. We felt perfectly safe walking the streets and in those instances when it was too far to walk, there was always the tuk-tuk which by the way would not try to get you on an extended tour of the city. The roads within the city/town were mainly not congested and in no circumstances that we felt the tuk-tuk drivers were playing Russian Roulette with our lives.

2) Food glorious food

The topmost concern for any parents wishing to take their kids on holiday in developing/3rd world countries must surely be food. In Laos, your kids do not have to eat unfamiliar food bought for a few thousand kip at a roadside stall. Nor is your choice limited to the other end of the spectrum, i.e. expensive hotel food. What I love about Laos is the abundance of Western-style bakery and cafe - La Banneton, Joma Bakery, Scandinavian Bakery, Croissant d'Or. These places serve good quality freshly-cooked food, all prepared (hopefully) under hygiene standards that you are used to back home.  As much as I want Snufkin to be adventurous food-wise,  I have to concede to the fact that he loves his creamy pasta. And by the way, the pumpkin soup from Joma Bakery is to die for.

La Banneton Luang Prabang

3) Juice galore

Your kids will not have any problem getting their 5-a-day in Laos. Lao fruitshake stalls are everywhere, especially in Luang Prabang. I love the fact that you can choose the combination of fruits that you like from the rows of transparent cups, then get it zapped in a blender in front of you - all for a fraction of the price you would normally pay in KL. In Vientiane, Noy's Fruit Heaven is aptly named. We stumbled upon it as it was just around the corner from our hotel. I still remember our dinner of camembert sandwich and the freshest fruitshake in that unassuming miniscule shop. There's certainly nothing 3rd world about that.

Fruitshake stall on Sisavangvong Road

4) River eco-system

No kids will be able to resist a boat ride down that wide expanse of water that is the Mekong, not especially if you get them to watch documentaries on giant catfish in the Mekong before the trip (as Snufkin did). And if that is not enough, a walk along Nam Khan river in Luang Prabang will almost certainly get you within touching distance of what could possibly be the biggest spiders that you have ever seen in your life, weaving equally frightening-looking and gigantic webs. I shuddered at the mere thought of it - but it was fascinating to Snufkin.

Nam Khan River

5) Rice education

Living Land Farm is probably the best place to be educated on this grain that forms the staple food for most Asians. Kids can learn that rice do not necessarily come from an orange box that is Uncle Ben's. The buffalo ride is a bonus point.

Entrance to the Living Land Farm

6) A lesson in gratitude

Our visit to the COPE Visitor Centre in Vientiane provided an insight into the unfortunate side of Laos, more specifically the impact of UXO on ordinary people of Laos. Although there are no kids-specific activities here,  the prosthetic legs and cluster bombs displays have an aesthetic value that  makes them somewhat riveting. The information on the display boards are probably too much for young children to absorb, but the condensed moral of the story that can be conveyed is that kids in some parts of the world are not as lucky as them and they should count themselves blessed.

7) Children's Books

I try to make a point to buy local children's books in each country that we visit. In Luang Prabang's night market, we came across Big Brother Mouse (BBM)'s bookstall. BBM is not just a book publishing outfit - it is a literacy program intending to promote the love of reading to Lao children. I bought a few books for Snufkin, not only for the Lao folklore stories but also to support the noble mission.  There are other things you can do to help or volunteer, including reading English books to children at the BBM centre. More information here.

I also found the cutest cloth books in the night market. Although the storyline is very simple and Snufkin is probably too old for cloth books, I think it is very creative and the fact that the stories are about highlights of Luang Prabang makes it a perfect souvenir for kids.

So Laos is not only about the wats and Tak Bat ceremony. There are other things that kids can see and learn about. Until today, some of Snufkin's sentences still start with "When I was in Luang Prabang..."

Vientiane, Laos - An evening with the locals

As a capital city, Vientiane is somewhat off-radar with many treating it as a stepping-stone to get to other main sights in Laos, e.g. Luang Prabang, Plain of Jars. Vientiane has never been on my to-go list but since we had to fly there to get to Luang Prabang, I decided to throw in a couple of nights at the tail end of our Laos trip.

On the flight from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, Snufkin suddenly got sick. He threw up after eating some biscuits and looked so poorly that I was afraid that he has caught some bugs. He slept for the remainder of the journey, in fact he stayed asleep as we embarked from the plane, collected our luggages and even in the taxi on the way to our hotel. So between the two of us, we had to carry 2 backpacks, 1 daypack and a 16-kg child.

 Luckily whatever it was that he has caught was short-lived as after the long sleep, some take-away sandwiches from the nearby Joma Bakery (a Laotian institution as far as I am concerned) and a dose of TV, he was back to his usual active self. But even then we decided to take things easy, staying in the hotel for the rest of the afternoon, and only venturing out after 5pm.

The Mekong riverside promenade was a short walk away from our hotel. Vientiane has got to be the most laid-back South East Asian capital city. There was no nasty traffic, no blaring horns and we were seldom hounded by tuk-tuk drivers. The city was refreshingly clean and peaceful. A pleasant surprise was the newish and relatively large playground just off the promenade. On that evening it was full of Laotian kids, many of them looked like they were from the surrounding villages. One particular girl caught my attention. She was barefooted and looked unkempt - but was probably the most agile of the lot. Snufkin too had a ball on the playground equipments. There is nothing like a playground to keep a child happy anywhere in the world.

We walked along the promenade, amazed by the sheer number of people that turned out on that Sunday evening. In a city possibly lacking in recreational facilities that we often take for granted, a sunset walk on the promenade with all its accompanying activities surely must have taken the #1 spot of things to do during the weekend. There were families taking a leisurely stroll, kids doing stunts on bicycles and skateboards, more kids racing their remote-controlled cars.

Sunday evening in Vientiane

 The best part is the mass aerobics sessions held near the giant flagpoles, accompanied by what must surely be 90's Laotian pop songs. Walking along the promenade surrounded by the people of Vientiane enjoying their Sunday evening, without another tourist in sight and with the loud and kitschy music in the background - that has got to be one of my best travel experiences. There were moments when I got goosebumps and Snufkin must have also sensed the great vibes for he went absolutely berserk dancing and jumping and skipping. If I did not know any better, I would have though that he was high on something.

It struck me then that I don't get to see people enjoying the outdoors in masses like this in my country. Well, we probably could if we managed to pry the ipads and whatnots from kids and adults alike.

Oh I forgot about the sunset. If people watching is not your cup of tea, at least be there for the spectacular sunset. You can sit on the banks of the Mekong river, with a view of Thailand across the river, watching the skies turn brilliant shades of orange, red and indigo.

Overall, we did not do anything much else in Vientiane. We did pass the Patuxai Monument on our way to visit Pha That Luang, the latter to see the impressive gold-covered stupa and the gigantic reclining Buddha statue. We skipped the many wats recommended in our guidebook for I did not think I could persuade a 4-year old to look at another wat/temple regardless of any number of bags of tricks I might have left. But still, the visit to the COPE Visitor Centre and that walk on the banks of the Mekong River were memorable enough - at least memorable enough for me not to consign Vientiane to the deepest recess of my memories.

Accommodation

We stayed at Vayakorn Inn, a guesthouse set down a quiet alley strategically located within walking distance to the promemade, Joma Bakery, La Banneton and the Scandinavian Bakery. At USD35 per night, the rate is decent enough but if you want to save more on accommodation, the nearby sister guesthouse Vayakorn House offers cheaper rates.

Vientiane, Laos - Remnants of bygone conflicts

A piece of info that I was not aware of prior to my research for this trip - Laos is the most bombed country, per capita, in history. The effects of the Vietnam War reached far and many. From 1964 to 1973, the US Government dropped more than 260 million ordnance to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh trail which was used to transport Vietnamese troops and supplies from North Vietnam to the South, and also in a secret war to support the Royal Lao government against the communists. Out of the 260 millions ordnance dropped, up to 80 million did not explode and because of this, at least one person is still killed or injured every day by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos.

Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) is one of those noble missions set up to provide ccomprehensive rehabilitation services for the UXO survivors. The COPE Visitor Centre in Vientiane is the home of a permanent exhibition providing education on UXO in Laos, as well as information on the rehabilitation services that COPE offers.  I would never have thought that a centre on bombs and prosthetic limbs could be the #1 attraction to see in Vientiane but we were intrigued enough to go there on our second day in Vientiane.

For a Visitor Centre focusing on such sombre things, it is nowhere near being stuffy and boring. There is something artsy about the way the exhibits were set up, in fact I almost felt like I was in an art gallery with prosthetic legs and cluster bombs installations.

On the walls are information boards providing insights into the UXO problem currently faced by the people of Laos and the work undertaken by COPE for people affected by UXOs. 

There is a small movie theater (on the left, as you walk in through the entrance) where you can choose to watch any one of the short documentaries. In my opinion, this is one of the best features of the Visitor Centre. While we were inside the theatre sleeping watching a documentary, I remember thinking what a perfect place this is to kill a few hours if you are stuck in Vientiane waiting for the next bus or for your hotel room to be ready. It is dark and cold (a respite from the scorching heat outside) and you could watch a movie or two. For free.

The centre also has many quiet corners where you can just sit down to read booklets relating to COPE efforts, watch short videos on those affected by UXO on the TV provided (with headphones) and even try on a prosthetic leg. Snufkin enjoyed going in and out of the mock village house displaying the ways the villagers use bomb shells and shrapnel in their day to day lives.

I would recommend COPE Visitor Centre to parents travelling with their kids to Vientiane. While they may not understand the complications of Vietnam War, they could walk away with some sense that war and fighting only inflict devastation, and that they are  fortunate enough to be able to play and run around at home without risking a limb or even life. 

If that is not enough, the homemade ice-cream sold at adjacent Karma Cafe would do the trick. And iced Lao coffee for Mummy and Daddy.

  

Note:

COPE Visitor Centre is located on Khou Vieng Road, 1km from the Talat Sao (Morning Market) and opposite Green Park Hotel. It is open everyday from 9.00a.m. to 6.00pm. Entrance is free but every kip/dollar you spend at Karma Cafe and the gift shop go directly to fund COPE services.

Luang Prabang, Laos - An early morning jaunt

Travelling to Luang Prabang will not be complete without witnessing the Tak Bat or morning alms giving ceremony, an ancient Buddhist tradition. At dawn every day, hundreds of barefoot monks clad in saffron robes walk the streets in single file and locals kneel by roadsides to offer food to the monks (mostly sticky rice) as a way to seek spiritual blessing. Tak Bat can also be witnessed in other Buddhist countries but nowhere else do the scenes look more spectacular than in Luang Prabang. Perhaps it's the amalgamation of French and Indochinese architecture of the wats and buidings, gilded roofs, stupas and all, that form a majestic backdrop to the monks procession. Or perhaps it's the absolute peace and tranquility of the streets of Luang Prabang.

At the ungodly hour of 5.30 a.m, we bundled Snufkin who was still sleeping into the pre-arranged tuk-tuk. It was that time between night and day, when the diminishing darkness and the increasing light combined to create an almost magical feel. We thought we were early enough but as we got to the roundabout before Joma Bakery, we saw a small procession of monks walking in silent. Our tuk-tuk sped on until right after the primary school where we got off. Sadly, the first thing I saw there were flashes from tourists' cameras and groups of tourists standing so close to the monks procession. I had read before about the way the tourists were turning the sacred tradition into a circus show but I found it hard to believe that people could be so inconsiderate and insensitive

Now, it was all there in front of my eyes. Tourists shoving their cameras into the monks' and almsgivers' faces and blocking the way of the procession. I understand that many travel agencies offer the opportunity to be part of the ceremony in their travel packages and have seen such itineraries. The upshot of this is tourists who kneel by the roadside with baskets of food in their hands, waiting for their next monk to feed - much like buying bananas to feed the elephants at the zoo. It is perfectly fine if this was done for a spiritual purpose. But to do so just for the sake of having some photos to brag about is totally wrong and to do so with two fingers raised in a peace sign while looking smiling at a friend's camera is a nothing short of a crime. It demeans the purpose of the whole ceremony and reduces the authenticity of it.  

I do not mean to be self-righteous as after all we were there too to witness the ceremony. But there is one major rule you have to abide to show some respect. Maintain your distance - we stood across the road and took photos as discreetly as possible. In fact, because Snufkin was still sleeping and one of us had to carry him, half of the time we were sitting on the steps of an ATM booth. After a while, when the main procession had passed, most of the tourists trooped back into their vans presumably back to their hotels to continue their slumber. This is the best time to watch the alms giving. There were still monks walking in single file and we could see the synchronized way each of the monk open the lid to his basket for the alms giver to put a scoop of sticky rice in. 

It was at this time that Snufkin decided to wake-up, bleary-eyed, with the question "Where are we now?". I explained that we were out to see his friends "the men in orange t-shirts" and that we could have our breakfast now. And thus a few steps away we stepped, into La Banneton which was just opening its doors. So that was how, at 6.45 in the morning, we found ourselves having breakfast of croissants and yoghurt with fresh fruits in a French bakery in Laos. A new day has dawned and across the road at the grounds of magnificent Wat Sop, young monks were quietly doing their daily chores. Both of us took turns taking Snufkin to explore the temple grounds and the surrounding areas (and took turns having a quiet breakfast!)

After a long and leisurely breakfast, we decidevd to take advantage of the early start and visit Wat Xien Thong, before the crowd descended (Opening time: 8.00 to 17.30, Entrance fees: 20,000 kip). This wat is also called the Temple of the Golden City and it is located towards the end of the peninsular near the confluence of Mekong River and Nam Khan River. Travelling with a young child, I thought it was more important not to get templed-out and this meant visiting not more than 3 temples. And Wat Xien Thong has got to be one of these. Built in the 16th century, it is a beautiful piece of Lao architecture - with a sweeping two-tiered roof, ornate carvings and gilded facade. The pièce de résistance is the tree of life mosaics/murals at the rear temple wall. We sat there for quite some time, admiring the mosaics and trying to tell a story from all the intricate sequence of pictures. 

Being out and about so early also meant that we could see the Luang Prabang Morning Market, a true feast to the senses and more so for a 4-year old boy. Located in the alleys off Sisavangvong Road, there were stalls selling everything from fruits and vegetables from the surrounding hills and fields, spices, animals (dead and alive), handicrafts, coffee, meals wrapped in banana leaf for breakfast and an assortment of other things that I could not quite recognise. 

As we stumbled out of the morning market feeling tired and sweaty and with aching feet, we breathed a sigh of relief when we came across Saffron Cafe, much like a person lost in a desert would feel at the first sight of an oasis. After tasting the coffee, we agreed that it must have been heaven-sent. Until today, the coffee we had there set the benchmark of what good coffee should taste like and more importantly, it was a perfect ending to our early morning jaunt.

Luang Prabang, Laos - From paddy fields to the Mighty Mekong

Our 2nd day in Luang Prabang was not too bad. I managed to fulfil my long-time desire of stepping onto a paddy/rice field, saw my first orange-robed monks (or in Snufkin's words: the men in orange t-shirts), had coffee/late lunch at the legendary La Banneton while listening to the sound of drum-beating from the nearby wats, boated (and dipped my toes into) down the mighty Mekong, had the obligatory fruit shake (this time mango and banana) and a heavenly Lao massage in-room for only USD 15. Snufkin got his much-awaited boat ride and by the end of the day managed to get his shirt and trousers soiled with chocolate ice-cream, fruit shake and sediments from the Mekong river water.

While planning my itinerary for this Lao trip, I came across the glowing reviews of Living Land Farm's Rice Experience on Tripadvisor. It was rated 5 stars. I knew then that this was something that we had to do. Tiger Trails quoted USD72 pax which I thought was ridiculously expensive. We managed to get a cheaper rate by booking through the hotel. At 8am, our tuk-tuk was waiting for us and it took 20 minutes to get to Living land Farm. This is an organic farm using land-friendly methods and more importantly it is a Community Enterprise, employing locals with little employment opportunities and from remote villages. If responsible tourism is your cup of tea, then this is for you.

The Rice Experience is the farm's half-day programme intended to educate the participants on the various (seemingly endless) processes of rice farming, from preparing the soil to planting and harvesting. As we reached the farm we were greeted by Laut Lee, the farm manager who always had a smile on his face. Each of us was given a straw hat and we were first taken to a large wooden house where we were shown the various implements used in traditional farming as well as the seed selection process.

This was followed by Laut showing us how to toil the land, starting from using the buffalo to plough the paddy field in preparation for rice planting. I had a try in pushing and steering the plough and let me tell you that this was no easy task as the blighted buffalo had a mind of its own. After a mere few minutes, I was panting for breath.

 And then there was the rice planting itself where my legs were treated to a free mud bath. Snufkin initially looked repulsed at the thought of sticking his legs in all that goo but he relented when Laut showed him some snails he caught in the mud. I asked Laut whether there were any snakes and he said "Only during the rainy sesaon". I was not sure whether that was a reason enough to breathe a sigh of relief.

 We then had a try in harvesting the crop using a sickle, then threshing and seperating the rice grain from the plant straw.

Other activities were also shown to us, including how to make rice flour, juice sugar canes from the garden, weave a rug, weld metals to make sickles and even make toys using bamboo strips and plant straws. It was a great show of sustainability and a reminder of how, in our world of convenience, we do not  always fully utilise on what we have and are never resourceful enough.

Laut and his team planted a variety of vegetables in a large garden at the edge of the farm. He brought us to see many types of plants including citronella, lemongrass, strawberry, okra, beans, pumpkin and spinach and even plucked some rocket leaves and cherry tomatoes for our lunch salad. There were also plenty other things to keep kids entertained including a fish pond and fighting roosters kept under baskets.

The rates we paid included lunch. Although the food served (white rice, salad from the garden, an assortment of rice products and some buffalo by-products that we totally ignored) will not make you full, it was as local as you could get with next to nothing carbon footpritnts. 

At the end of it, Laut presented us with a "certificate" proclaiming "I Planted Rice in Luang Prabang" and bade us goodbye. We were tired and feeling hot and sticky and at one point I asked myself did I really pay a good amount of money to slave under the sun? But then again, this was an experience that you could not get elsewhere and if anything, you will not take a single grain of rice for granted again. Travel lesson # 2: Sometimes it pays to pay to do work. And the best part was that we were the only participants there as it was the low season so it felt very much like a private tour.

Later in the evening, after our afternoon rest at the hotel, we went to the Mekong riverside for the promised boat ride. Now, practically every tour agencies and hotels will be able to sell you the Mekong Sunset Cruise. You could buy one of these or you could walk along the riverside and wait for one of the boatmen to come and try to get you on their boats. We did the latter and paid probably a third of what we would have paid to a travel agency. Cut the middlemen, I always say.

So we spent the remaining hour of the day cruising down the Mekong, watching the village kids diving into and swimming in the river and waiting for giant catfish to surface.