It seems this town has seen an upsurge in its tourist trade since being made a UNESCO heritage town. Every square inch seems to have been built on to provide more hotels. I counted at least eight small guest houses before we eventually reached ours - The Nacknoy Lanexang.
We were greeted in what has now become traditional style, cold towels and drinks being offered and then a briefing on what sights are on offer. We weren't all that bothered about tours to caves or waterfalls and the procession of monks at 6am was just a bit too early, and, how many more temples did we want to see? No, our plan was to chill and book a flight to Hanoi.
We checked out a nearby travel agent and discovered there was a flight out on the Saturday morning (19th March). We would book it the following morning. So, not venturing too far we found a restaurant called the Lao Blossom on Main Street where I ate amongst other things Buffalo Sausage. It was early to bed again in another very clean and comfortable room.
The next morning we went in search of a booking office for a £20 a head dinner cruise we had seen advertised in the travel agent. The map on the company flyer was very vague so we headed down to the Mekong promenade and started our exploration.
Having been badgered by every boat and Tuk Tuk owner wanting to take us on an excursion we stopped for a coffee. Minding our own business the peace was shattered by our friends off the boat trip, Ted and Dianne. Ted shouting a loud hello, I mentioned to him he looked like he was out for a game of golf. The electric trolley they were being driven in was provided by their hotel but they were, in fact, looking for another one with a pool.
Pleasantries over we set off to look for this elusive booking office. It turned out to be one man and an advertising board. He wrote down our names and told us to be back at 5pm.
Our plan was to head back for town, we used our now honed in sense of direction and found ourselves on a street that could easily have been mistaken for one out of France. It was tree lined with shutters on most properties. Art galleries, boutiques, coffee houses and restaurants dominated the frontage as monks mingled with the tourists with the odd temple here and there reminding you that yes, you were in SE Asia. We ate lovely French baguettes and fries in the Lao Blossom before that all important siesta.
We married up with the Nava of Mekong at 5pm, walked down another steep embankment and joined other tourists plus a group of South Koreans for our evening cruise. It was to say the least a great way to pass two hours at sunset.
All of us on board managed to get spectacular photos of the sun going down over the river, eat a very tasty Laos set meal and watched traditional dancing accompanied by two accomplished percussionists (aged about twelve). A perfect end to a day.
We finished the night off with drinks in the Indigo House, a boutique hotel on Main Street where at sunset you can ascend to the top floor in the lift to watch the sun go down over the river. It's situated outside the towns famous night market.
An early night beckoned again before an early start for the airport in the morning.
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