Not Your Typical Slow Boat to Luang Prabang

Chess match on the roof of our boat
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Mekong River Cruise, Laos

Over the years I’d heard all the horror stories about crossing from northern Thailand into Laos and taking a slow boat to Luang Prabang. Each day hundreds of travelers cross the Mekong River and join the crush at Lao Immigration, where they wait to be stamped into the country. Once approved, they’re herded like cattle … Read more

Chiang Khong, Thailand – Border Town with Benefits

Food vendors line the streets in Chiang Khong, Thailand

I’ve passed through my fair share of border towns over the years. Many are shabby, filthy encampments that exist on either side of a barren no man’s land where immigration officials with steely gazes extract their pound of flesh. Some, like Poipet at the border between Cambodia and Thailand, feel downright dangerous. As I gradually … Read more