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Nguyen Khai Trung (born in 1997, Hanoi) is known as a young man who has conquered all 63 provinces and cities of Vietnam with over 100 trips. Recently, he spent three days exploring Laos.
Nguyen Khai Trung took a three-day trip to Laos to explore the two northeastern provinces of Hua Phan and Xieng Khouang.
3 days exploring the Land of a Million Elephants
On this trip, Khai Trung dedicated his time to exploring the two northeastern provinces of Laos: Houaphanh and Xiengkhuang. These two locations are considered the closest to the Vietnamese border, boast famous historical sites, and are particularly appealing because they are not overly crowded with tourists, making them ideal for experiencing the peaceful life in Laos.
Laos boasts numerous ancient temples that not only possess unique architectural styles but also hold immense spiritual value.
The Hua Phan and Xieng Khouang areas were formerly part of the Bon Mang principality. This land was once dominated and contested by several neighboring countries such as Dai Viet, Lan Xang, Siam, and finally France. Despite numerous ups and downs, the historical landmarks here remain a major attraction for tourists and researchers from both within and outside Vietnam, who come to experience and explore.
The Buddha statue at Wat Phia Wat temple.
That Chomphet
Moreover, these two provinces suffered numerous American air raids aimed at destroying the Pathet Lao and preventing North Vietnamese supplies from reaching the South via the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Therefore, there are many military bases, tunnels, and bomb craters in the area. Not only Lao people but also Vietnamese people should visit to reflect on those brutal years of war.
When asked by Travellive about the must-visit destinations for Vietnamese tourists when traveling to these two provinces of Laos, Khai Trung suggested four must-see locations: the Plain of Jars, Muang Khun, Vieng Xay Cave, and Sam Neua.
Xieng Khouang Provincial Museum
The first, most famous, and oldest site is the Plain of Jars. Dating back over 2,000 years, the Plain of Jars overwhelmed me with its scale and size. This is Laos' third UNESCO World Heritage site, comprising thousands of stone jars scattered across the valleys of the Xieng Khouang Plateau. No one knows how they were made, how long they've been there, or what they were used for. The best time to visit is at sunset, when the twilight makes the jars stand out even more against the rolling grasslands.
The Plain of Jars, dating back 2,000 years.
The second place Khai Trung suggests visiting is Muang Khun – the cultural cradle of Xieng Khouang province. It is one of the oldest localities in northern Laos. Muang Khun is famous for its valuable historical and cultural relics, having once been the capital of 23 ancient Lao tribal chiefs. To this day, the historical landmarks here continue to attract tourists and researchers from both within and outside the country to experience and explore. Notable examples include Phiavat Pagoda, Phoun Tower, and Chomphet Tower.
That Foun is a fascinating cultural tourist destination in Laos. Lao people believe it's the burial place of the Buddha. It's a truly sacred site that you shouldn't miss.
The third site is the Vieng Xay cave system, comprising nearly 500 caves. During the war, it served as the command center of the Pathet Lao revolutionary movement from 1964 to 1975, hosting many important military meetings and providing refuge for revolutionary fighters during American air raids in the Vietnam War. With a capacity of approximately 23,000 people, along with a system of shops, printing presses, schools, and hospitals during the war, this cave system remains a source of pride for the Lao people.
Vieng Xay is particularly famous for its system of nearly 500 caves.
Finally, there is Sam Neua, a place mentioned in the poem "Tay Tien":
"Who went to Tay Tien that spring?"
"The soul returns to Sam Nua, not back down south."
This is the political and administrative center of Hua Phan province. Sam Neua, along with Vieng Xay, is one of the most significant locations in the Lao revolution. This small, tranquil town, with its cool weather, fresh air, and rows of houses, immediately reminds Khai Trung of Da Lat in Vietnam. If you visit, try driving around Sam Neua to experience life in slow motion, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the local people.
Bomb casings along the road
Sam Neua is the political and administrative center of Hua Phan province.
In addition, Khai Trung suggests four amazing experiences worth trying when visiting Laos. In a country with such a rich and diverse culture as Laos, the first thing to do upon arrival is to enjoy the local cuisine.
Besides its fresh air and stunning, unspoiled scenery, Sam Neua boasts a unique culinary scene deeply rooted in the local culture. You should try famous Lao specialties such as Lao sticky rice, Lao pho, and Lao beer – considered one of the best beers in Asia.
Visiting Laos is a must, as it allows you to fully understand the local culture. Vieng Xay Market, Sam Neua Market, and Phonsavan Market are fascinating traditional markets to explore in northeastern Laos. Visiting these markets allows you to learn about the customs, traditions, and culture of the Lao people, and also purchase local specialties.
Lao beer is considered one of the best beers in Asia.
Laos has many traditional markets where tourists can explore the culture and customs.
A Buddhist country like Laos certainly wouldn't be complete without impressive and sacred temples. Khai Trung believes that Buddhism is considered the national religion of Laos. Therefore, visiting Laos is also an opportunity to admire and explore beautiful and sacred temples. Wat Si Bun Hueang and Wat Phoxai Sanaram are two temples you should visit and pray at in Sam Neua.
Experiencing the treacherous mountain passes is an adventurous but worthwhile option when conquering Laos. With its heavily dissected mountainous terrain, driving along roads with many sharp turns and steep inclines will be a memorable and adventurous experience when visiting Laos.
Even with just two provinces in northeastern Laos, a short trip and limited travel time are enough to discover something new compared to more famous destinations like Luang Prabang and Vientiane.
On the road from Hua Phan to Xieng Khouang, Khai Trung had the opportunity to admire the majestic mountain scenery, rolling plateaus, and vast valleys. He also marveled at the picturesque beauty of the villages nestled amidst the rice paddies.
"However, there were also many bumpy, pothole-ridden sections of road that made both people and vehicles bounce around. Despite these difficulties, I felt very tired, but my passion and the feeling of accomplishment I got from conquering this beautiful route motivated me to overcome the long journey and continue," said Nguyen Khai Trung.
The main difficulty Khai Trung faced on his trip was the language barrier. English wasn't widely spoken in the area, and only a few Laotians occasionally spoke broken Vietnamese.
Lao people at a local market.
First, when entering restaurants or hotels, Khai Trung always asks if they speak Vietnamese or English. If they can't speak, he uses body language, gestures, and eye contact to express his intentions. If they still don't understand, he uses Google Translate. Lao people are very gentle and easygoing; they are always patient listeners, so after a while, both sides understand each other.
"The funniest thing was when we went to each drink stall and I ordered a bottle of water but wanted a glass of ice. I had to find pictures of a glass and a bowl of ice water so they would understand," Khai Trung recounted a memorable experience from the trip.
A handy guide for Vietnamese tourists visiting Laos for the first time.
To ensure a fulfilling trip, Nguyen Khai Trung shared some handy tips for Vietnamese tourists visiting Laos.
Khải Trung said: “You should proactively buy a Lao SIM card to have 3G for convenient navigation and translation. I only activated international roaming and registered for internet but encountered an access error, making communication difficult. However, this small inconvenience led to many unforgettable experiences. By diligently listening and communicating with Lao people, I learned some common phrases and how to quote prices!”
As long as you have all the necessary documents (passport, vehicle registration) and pay a fee, the border crossings will facilitate your entry into Lao territory.
This was also Khai Trung's first time riding a motorbike to Laos, so before leaving he was worried about the procedures for bringing the motorbike across the border, traffic police issues, and the deserted roads requiring maintenance... Another piece of advice is to always stay calm on the road to handle any problems in a foreign land.
Regarding immigration procedures, they are quite simple. As long as you have all the necessary documents (passport, vehicle registration) and pay a fee, the border crossings will facilitate your entry. The easiest border crossings for motorbikes are Na Meo (Thanh Hoa) and Long Sap (Son La). Besides stamping your passport, customs officials from both sides will issue you a travel permit allowing you to travel throughout Laos and return through any border crossing (Khải Trung chose the Nam Can border crossing in Nghe An). This is unlike before, when motorbikes were only allowed to travel within the district of the border crossing.
The Lao border crossing at Na Meo
With this travel permit, just follow the local traffic laws and you won't encounter any problems. Traffic police in Laos rarely stand on the roads; just pay attention to the sections entering and exiting the town center. Furthermore, the mountain passes in Laos are deserted, so make sure your vehicle is well-maintained and avoid traveling at night to prevent dangerous situations.
At that time, Laos was running out of fuel, and all the gas stations were closed, so Khai Trung had to buy a large bottle of gasoline as a precaution and prepare himself for having to return early because there would be no fuel. Fortunately, by the time he left, the gas stations in the city center had reopened, although the price of gasoline was slightly higher than in Vietnam. He only used that reserve bottle of gasoline on the last day before leaving Laos.
The 1250 km journey between Vietnam and Laos brought Khai Trung many wonderful experiences and allowed him to discover some of the most famous heritage sites in the Northeast region of Laos.
What Khai Trung loved and was most impressed by in Laos was the traffic culture of the people. They drove slowly, looking ahead and behind, not speeding or overtaking recklessly, and not cutting off other vehicles. If you asked for the right of way, whether you were on a motorbike or in a car, they would politely stop or move to the side of the road to let you pass. Another impressive thing was that Laotians cook delicious food that suits Vietnamese tastes, and the prices are reasonable, even quite cheap compared to the cost of living in Vietnam.
The cool weather, fresh air, and rows of houses immediately reminded Khai Trung of Da Lat in Vietnam.
The climate in these two regions is different from anywhere else in Laos; the weather is cool and pleasant year-round. Furthermore, these two provinces are the least visited by international tourists, so there is no overcrowding or hustle and bustle.
“If I had more time, I would stay in Laos for a few more days to experience more of life there. Soon, I plan to drive around and explore other parts of the Land of a Million Elephants such as Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Savannakhet... It will definitely be an exciting journey!”, Khai Trung added.
