The Taste of Mekong River from Slow life slow time on a slowboat in Laos

Here we are, exploring a new country and another 30 days of exploration with a different culture to discover, we've been exploring Thailand but most of the time we are just exploring the northern region of Thailand which the country is so peaceful compared to the capital which is Bangkok other than being quiet, Bangkok is so busy city and expensive compared to the other towns but since our time is limited on the country, we have to leave and go to a new country. we decided to visit Laos since it's the nearest to the north area, before we could get there we had to travel and visit Chiang Rai and take a bus transportation going into the Chiang Khong Vehicle Border Checkpoint of Thailand and Laos Border Control and Immigration Office via Thai - Lao Friendship Bridge No.4.
Let's change how life goes by taking a boat from Huay Xai, Laos to Luang Prabang, Laos instead of taking the bus trip which is boring and common.
Life is slow on this boat in Laos and there is a different vibe that you can feel and see, some people are just writing, or reading on the corner, a group of people who enjoy what's going on and play some music, watching the mountains, water flow, and tourist who loves to drink beer from start to end of the trip, playing cards just to kill the entire time different people, different nation, different behaviors is lovely to see, especially families traveling together, locals who lived on the remote mountain that you could never imagine being possible, no electricity, and no network services that amazed me on this trip.

Let's break into how can you able to experience this adventure in Laos:

How to get into Huay Xai?

The easiest way is to take the Bus from Chiang Rai, Thailand Province at Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/dukZpKk626LkUjuF7) for only 90 THB and it will take you to Chiang Khong which is nearest to the Border of Thailand and Laos. You have two options when going to this city;
One is heading down to the main city of Chiang Khong but this option is only advisable if you still have some allowance on your visa time, It means I'm not recommending you to stay if your visa is run out of time, also this will be the last time you will see 7-eleven and buy everything you need before crossing the next time you will meet them is at the Capital and Pakse;
The second will be directly going down to the intersection heading towards the Friendship Bridge. Once you arrive at the Intersection you have the option to take the tuk-tuk ride near the friendship bridge for 60 THB for one person and for 2 people and above will be 50 THB per head or you have the option to stay in Chiang Khong for a night and get into the border very early in the morning to the border and it opens at 6 AM to catch the 9 AM slow boat schedule.
I'm skipping the visa process but you have to fill out some paper and submit your passport for visa stamping and you need to pay if you're required to obtain a visa before crossing. after you successfully cross the immigration, you can take care from the outside that can take you to the city or directly to the port it will charge you 100 THB per person, and if its fewer than 3 people, they will charge 400 THB fixed, so its better to wait to another person to meet the condition of at least 4 person

How can I get the ticket for the slow boat?

You can have the option to take the car after the immigration directly to the boat pier for 100 THB but please check the condition above or you can just take a walk to the Slow Boat pier (here) If you stay in the city to relax for a night. The ticketing office is open from 8 AM to 4 PM based on the google information.

How much do I need to prepare?

You have at least 400k KIP directly to the boat pier, it's better to have KIP rather than paying using other currencies, which will lead you to overpricing. In terms of paying KIP just give the exact amount.

Do I have a seat on the boat?

Yes, there's a seat on the boat, but the problem is the seat is not permanently yours, anyone can sit on it if you leave it unattended and the boat is full of people so don't expect to come back on the same seat unless you have things there blocking them for taking the seat.

 

Is it fun taking the Slowboat?

It will depend on how you gonna take it, some people don't enjoy the slow boat because it is really slow and overcrowded, but in my experience, it was fun even though it's so slow because of the vibe on the boat., different people, nationalities, activities, etc. there was a time on the second day when one of the passengers fell from the boat and got rescued by the locals and tourists needed to pay. If you have a good timing of people on the boat like what we have, 4 different areas from the front to back;
The first area was the sunbathing area where white people usually enjoy the sun while the boat is moving; 2nd area was the drinking group and party area is which was so lively and fun; 3rd area where the chill people is staying sitting and enjoyed the view maybe we can say introvert people are staying on 1st area and 3rd area, and the last area was the engine area where the drinking group and sleeping area is happening I don't know how they can sleep despite on the engine noise was terribly loud. Well, overall my experience is so fun.

Does it sail for 2 days continuously?

It only sails from 9 AM (but we left the port around 10:30 AM) until 5 PM to stop at the Slow Boat Pier, Laos Pak Beng overnight and resume at 9 AM on the next day at this rate, you can sleep on the near the boat but make sure that you have a tent to use and you cannot sleep on the boat because they will change the boat for the 2nd day and the other option left for you is need to go up to village and look for some accommodation.

Will the boat will stop at Luang Prabang?

It will stop at Luang Prabang but it will not stop at Luang Prabang Proper the port name was Slow Boat Terminal the distance will be  7km away from the city and you have to take the tuk-tuk.
Overall experience.

The most important factor in your trip experience is where you sit on the boat. Good seats can make for an amazing journey, while bad seats can lead to a terrible one.
At the pier, you have the opportunity to choose your seats. This means they work from a list, assigning seats in order. Tickets bought directly from the official ticket office are for the first available seats on the boat—let’s say the first 50. Somehow you'll be assigned to a seat but on the next day it will change
However, if you book through your hotel, they usually sell tickets for the seats that remain after the official ticket office has assigned theirs. This means you cannot choose your seat; you’ll simply get whatever is left.

Our Strong Recommendation:

Buy Your Ticket at the Official Ticket Office.

Here’s why:

1. On the first day, seats are numbered, and your seat assignment makes a big difference.
2. Our boat had around 180 seats. The first 20-30 seats are by far the best—spacious, with plenty of fresh air, and located at the front of the boat, making for a comfortable journey.
3. Seats 30 to 150 are decent, similar to a bus, with rows of 3 or 4 people. You’ll have windows, but less legroom. The further back you are, the closer you get to the engine (noise and vibrations), the onboard shop, and the toilets (functional but basic).
4. Seats after 150 are in or near the engine room—widely considered a nightmare by other travelers.

Our Experience:
We had a great first day on the slow boat, thanks to the good seats. Plan wisely, and your journey will be much more enjoyable!

Other Notes:

• There's no convenience store in Huay Xai, Laos if you want to take some extra snacks or anything.
• There's a 7-Eleven in Chiang Khong, Thailand so can buy some pieces of stuff and save your visa time before going into Laos.
• Make a small exchange to Huay Xai's small stores enough for you to arrive in Luang Prabang at least 1M KIP per person.
• Bring some cash THB or USD EUR or KIP if your passport is not a visa-free country entering Laos.
• You cannot pay online for the accommodation except for the luxury hotels.
• It is recommended to do the exchange at the Jewelry Shops (Luang Prabang has a lot of options)
  Don't hurry to buy a SIM card in Huay Xai. Your Slowboat will take two days, so just enjoy the trip.