D9: From Vientiane-Thaqu, the navigation shows 346 kilometers, and it takes 6 hours.
At 9:00 in the morning, the tire shop in Vientiane has not yet opened, and the pace of life of the Lao people is really slow. If the two tires are damaged, they must be replaced, otherwise the subsequent itinerary will not be able to continue, 1100/tyre.
Putting on the Laos DVD bought at the night market, the three of us continued to set off to the south of Laos, and the other four bikers went to Phonsawan-Luang Prabang-Mohan to return home.
Depart Vientiane at 2:00 pm and head to Thakhek.
Oil prices in southern Laos are 600kip/liter cheaper than in northern Laos.
The proprietress of the gas station gave each of us a bottle of water and warmly invited us to have lunch.
Compared with the Mohan-Vientiane road, the Vientiane-Thaqu Highway No. 13 is a world of difference. The road here is flat and straight.
Here, I found that there is a road crossing the Mekong River on the right to get to Thaqu, and turned into it without hesitation.
The whole process is full of flying sand and stones
The navigation showed that there was no way for the river ahead, and I turned around and found a ferry.
After some gestures and paying a transition fee of 50,000kip, we set sail.
The scenery here is beautiful.
keep getting dusty
Arrived at 8:00pm, Thakur’s cozy riverside charm remains the same, with little sign of change save for a new bridge to nearby Thailand. Find the Lebton D’Or boutique hotel recommended by the old wolf in “Self-driving Geography”.
400,000kip/room, which may be more expensive than the 285 yuan/room recommended by “Self-Driving Geography” during the Spring Festival.
French decoration style, sitting on the balcony can see Thailand on the other side of the Mekong River.
Thailand on the other side of the Mekong River is obviously more lively than here.
Taqu Supper Stall
This aunt makes omelets as if she is completing a work of art. Every production process is very serious, 10,000kip/piece, which makes people have endless aftertaste.
Today is 2.14 Valentine’s Day in the West, and tasting Lao coffee on the terrace is also a different mood. There are no famous scenic spots in Taqu, but it is just a very suitable place for a daze. Staying here for a day and a night is a place that makes people imagine.
D10: Taqu-Siqianmei Island is 475 kilometers away, and the navigation shows 7 hours by car.
his song sunrise
The living environment and conditions in the southern plains of Laos are much better than those in the northern mountains.
via Pakse
After passing the Four Thousand Island Bridge, this is also the first reinforced concrete bridge seen in Laos.
Then there is this kind of bridge, but it is not this ferry that is mislead by the navigation.
Arrive at the ferry pier at 5:30 pm, just in time to see the sunset on the Mekong River.
The more you go to the south of Laos, the fewer Chinese people there are. There are many European and American backpackers in Siqianmei Island, and you can’t even see Asian backpackers, not even the group of Japanese and Korean tourists who like Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng in Laos. The French colonists went upstream along the Mekong River, gained a firm foothold in the area of Siqianmei Island and then entered the hinterland of Laos.
20000kip/person
The afterglow of the setting sun burns the entire river into “a piece of blood”
Among the four thousand beautiful islands, the big islands where people live all the year round are: Dongde Island, Dongkon Island and Dongkuo Island, which are also the three most popular islands in Siqianmei Island. The north of Dongde Island is Dongkon Island, and Dongde Island There is only a bridge between Dongkuo Island and Dongkuo Island. Dongkong Island is the largest island. Mengkong is located on the east coast of the island, and Muncai is located on the west bank. There are two villages connected by an 8-kilometer dirt road in the middle. Most of the hotels are concentrated in Mengkong Village.
Dongde Island is the most popular island, but it is very quiet. It is relatively close to Kongfafeng Waterfall, surrounded by dense rivers, and there are many riverside restaurants and family-style bamboo inns.
Only a few foreigners wandering the streets
After walking for two kilometers, I finally found the only restaurant on this island opened by people from Shaoyang, Hunan, China, which Lu Zhenzhen introduced. This is the signboard, very original.
The boss excitedly took out the guest’s message and showed it to us for appreciation.
The meal fee of 30,000kip/person is really cheap, so don’t be picky if you can eat Hunan taste here.
The inn was introduced by the owner of the restaurant. Please note that you must take off your shoes as long as you enter any indoor space such as rooms, restaurants, bars, etc. on the island.
80000kip/night
As an interior designer, I must praise this. Almost all the hotels, inns, and bathrooms in Laos are equipped with this flushing gun, which is very convenient to use.
After dinner and settled accommodation, come to the bar
In the past, Laos has always had the custom of taking drugs, and you can lie down in restaurants and bars here.
Get up with a handsome French guy from a romantic country. Everyone comes to this strange country. Although the language is different, music does not hinder communication.
To travel is to relax
D11: Dawn of Siqianmei Island
The island is surprisingly quiet, and the pigs are raised on ropes.
The Laotians on the island live a leisurely life. Looking at the beautiful sunset and the Mekong River, they seem to be isolated from the world. There are no big hotels on the island, they are all homestays, and the facilities are uneven. People on the island feel quiet, even lazy. The folk customs here are simple and far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. They welcome backpackers from all directions on the island every day, feed cattle and chop firewood. They are not rich or wealthy, but they are happy at ease.
The boss’s son, Xiao Huang, is a very restrained and down-to-earth young man.
Rent a tricycle to see puffer fish, 150,000kip for car rental.
Dongkuo Island and Dongde Island are connected by a stone bridge, and it is also a gathering place for backpackers. You can rent a bicycle for 10,000kip on Dongde Island to go to Dongkuo Island.
Forty minutes on the road of more than ten kilometers
French colonial train
Watch the puffer fish boat ticket office, 70000kip
Have breakfast in the garden first
There are more than 4,000 islands, large and small, hence the name of the 4,000 beautiful islands, and it is also the end point of the Mekong River shipping.
More than half an hour’s voyage to the puffer fish viewing point
It’s a pity that I didn’t see the scene of the pufferfish leaping
There is a small waterfall and a quiet and white beach on Dongkuo Island. You can swim and play in the clear river water in front of the beach, but you should pay attention to the river water closer to the shore, which has more rocks.
Fresh coconut 10000kip + bottled Red Bull 5000kip = perfect match
This is the true face of rural life, without too many material desires, without gorgeous decorations, a wooden house, two hammocks, fresh air, simple smiles, and a lot of leisure time.
Two students from Qingdao, Shandong Province are complaining to us. They participated in the winter camp organized by the school teacher. They gave 20,000 RMB to the teacher and gave them 10,000 kip for each meal. We shared some of the chicken the boss made for us with them, and lunch was 35,000 kip/ people.
The restaurant owner helped to contact a boat to see Kongfafeng Waterfall, the widest waterfall in the world and the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia. The boat fare is 250,000kip, including scenic spot tickets.
Chinese engineering ship
The hydropower station invested and built by China is under intense construction
The ubiquitous egrets prove that this place is very untouched. In the section of the Four Thousand Islands, the broad Mekong River is divided into countless large and small river forks by countless islands, and the water flow is blocked and becomes very turbulent. The flowing water reaches the southwest of Dongkung Island, but a huge waterfall is formed, and the waterway cannot continue to sail here.
The environment outside the waterfall scenic area is relatively dirty
But it feels very good to enter the scenic spot
The toilets are clean and tidy, which is hard to see in other scenic spots in Laos
I don’t know what kind of sacred tree is enshrined here
Falls Observation Deck
This waterfall is blocked by dangerous rocks and trees, and the end cannot be seen. The width of the part that can be seen is probably no less than one kilometer.
Walk through the rocks to the waterfall
The waterfall is not high, and the drop is only about five meters. I saw the rushing water falling down one by one. The muddy river water with sand and mud couldn’t fall smoothly between the immovable boulders. It seemed to be full of complaints. There was nowhere to vent her grievances, and in a fit of rage, she soared into the sky, turning into snowflakes dancing wildly in the gust of wind.
Grayish-brown rocks, yellowish-brown water, and snow-white waves are mixed together, turning rivers and seas, sending out thunderous vibrations.
flocks of egrets
Returning in the afterglow of the setting sun
This is also the most beautiful time of Siqianmei Island
It was about an hour’s boat ride back against the current, and the restaurant owner helped to introduce an inn. Today it only costs 50,000kip.
The uncle and aunt of the neighbor next door
D12: I am going to leave the quiet, peaceful, and simple Siqianmei Island. I must live here for a while next time I come here.
Wall paintings can be seen everywhere on the island, the scenery is beautiful, and the sunrise and sunset are refreshing.
Siqianmei Island does not have the high-end scenic spots that Chinese people like, and it cannot meet the needs of taking pictures and posting to Moments, so there are very few Chinese tourists here, but there are many European backpackers. It is also interesting to bring your family and children here to spend the most lazy life and time. I personally think it is very recommended.
Dabai is quietly waiting for us on the shore
Continue along Highway 13 to the south for 34 kilometers and you will arrive at the Laos-Cambodia border checkpoint, which is much cooler than the China-Laos Mohan Port.
Arriving in Pakse at noon, I came to the shop of my classmate Xiaoxia who has been here for nearly 20 years and is the general agent of electric tools in Pakse.
Brother Xiaoxia took us to experience the Wapu Temple Fair and passed the toll station. This road was built by Chinese businessmen, so it has Chinese characteristics, and the toll fee is 20,000kip.
The boat restaurant opened by the local village head on the Mekong River
One fish and five meals
Thank you Brother Xiaoxia for your kind hospitality. Next time you can fly directly to Vientiane and find him to rent a Hilux pickup locally, so you don’t have to work so hard.
Wat Phu, one of the most famous monuments in Laos, is the most important Brahman temple of the Khmer Empire in the 12th century, located at the foot of Phu Kao. Wapu means “stone temple” in Laotian. The temples are all made of stones carved with various patterns. The whole building complex is large in scale. It is one of the most famous places of interest in Laos and is listed by UNESCO. World Historic Heritage List. The Lao people compare it with the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It is said that it is 600 years earlier than the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, but the scale is not as big as Angkor Wat.
Today is the first day of the Wapu Temple Fair, the parking lot is full, and the parking fee is 50,000kip.
In the Wapu Temple, there is a “holy lake” that is 300 meters long from east to west and 200 meters wide from north to south. On its west bank, there are three halls and a small bridge leading directly to the center of the lake; The solemn stone temple is decorated very elegantly.
There are various vendors on both sides of the entire temple fair passage, and there are crowds of people everywhere, which will not be smaller than the scale of the Nanyue Temple Fair on the first day of the new year.
Domestic product promotion
It takes an hour to walk from the entrance to the ruins of the palace of the Lao Dynasty at the Wapu Temple
The palace of the Lao Dynasty is located on the mountainside of Mount Fuji at an altitude of 1,200 meters. It is the ruins of two square temple corridors used for Hindu sacrifices. The temple porch built in the sixth century AD was built with large stone blocks. Although it has collapsed, the carvings on the doorposts, lintels and corners are still clearly discernible.
The road leading to the Buddhist temple is dilapidated and full of garbage. The Lao government’s protection of cultural relics is too poor!
After passing the sacrificial temple corridor, there are more than 300 meters of stone avenues and stone steps leading to the last area on the mountainside. The stone steps at nearly 60 degrees are narrow and steep.
The steps about 40 centimeters high and 15 centimeters wide can only be climbed with hands and feet.
The only well-preserved Buddhist hall is built on the flat slope between two caves under a huge stone known as “the roof of the holy house”. The inner and outer stone walls are carved with beautiful images, exquisite and magnificent, and delicate and vivid.
There are several Buddha statues enshrined in the Buddha Hall, and the tall one in the middle is the center. From the scale of the ruins, one can imagine its grandeur at that time. But the inside is dilapidated, and the top is a temporary shed.
The inlaid Buddha statues on the outer wall of the Buddha Hall are intact, exquisitely carved and lifelike.
Does not affect people’s admiration for the gods
Originally planning to go to Taqu, but due to the sudden heavy rain on the way, I had to find a motel on the way to settle down, and I had to borrow the boss’s kitchen to cook for dinner.
80000kip/room car hotel
D13: Depart at 8:00 in the morning, the navigation shows that it will take more than 10 hours to reach Phonsavan 525 kilometers.
Lunch is settled at the fast food restaurant at the roadside gas station
The sofa and sink made of petrol barrels are very creative
35000kip/person, the taste is good, 10000kip/cup of iced coffee is recommended
The road in the direction of Phonsavan after passing Thakurk is very good, but all of them are curves, and only the scream of wheels rubbing against the ground can be heard when turning.
Similar to the viewing platform on the domestic 318
The little monkey jumped up and down excitedly when it saw someone coming
Arrive at Phonsavan at 5:00 p.m., and come to Huayu Hotel, a Chinese-run hotel recommended by caravan riders, 120,000kip/room.
Brother Shiyun in the hotel introduced us to eat Laos hot pot
This meal cost 320000kip
I don’t know English, so I ordered a bottle of 4.5% alcoholic beverage. After I drank it, I felt dizzy. I went back to the hotel and slept for more than two hours before I recovered.
Day D14: Brother Shiyun recommends this rice noodle shop on the right side of the hotel for breakfast, 15000kip/bowl is really delicious and worth recommending.
Cyclists in Guangxi are also ready to set off
Come to the Stone Jars Plain Scenic Area, 15000kip/person
These large cans scattered around the crater. These large pots, the Plain of Jars, are the most mysterious place in Laos so far. Together with the British Stonehenge, the Chilean Stonehenge and the South American stone circle, they are called “the mystery of the four stone circles in the world”.
crater
Air Raid Shelter
Departing from Fengshawan at 11:00, the whole journey to Mansai today is 447 kilometers, and the navigation shows that it will take 11 hours.
Observation deck
just have lunch here
They also fought hard for two cabbage
In such a beautiful scenery, what to eat is not very important.
Today is the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in China, and the moon in Laos is big, round and bright.
Encountered two cars fell down the hillside on the way
At 11:00 p.m., I arrived safely in Muang Sai, and found a Laos self-service hot pot, 55000kip/person to eat with an open stomach.
Thank you Mr. Ye for arranging the hotel for us
D15: Going out of customs today and returning to China, I purchased Laos specialties in the supermarket opened by Xiangpu Brothers Mansai.
Provide them with Laos route reference
At the Boding Port, I ran into a group of four cars from Toule riders and pedestrians from Changbai Mountain in Jilin, and Daewoo Canglang.
Smoothly exit Laos customs
Successfully entered Mohan Customs in China
Arrive at Jinghong Gaozhuang at 3:00 pm.
Come to Xishuangbanna Camp of Tule Family – Zi Ri Ke Dai Inn.
Tourle family moderator punch card
Later, the brothers kept up with the punch card
You must taste the pineapple in Banna
Banna’s special barbecue snacks
D16: I can finally sleep until I wake up naturally. At noon, brother Xiao Wang invited us to taste the most famous Dai dish in Gaozhuang—Manfeilong Roast Chicken.
The beautiful Xishuangbanna becomes more beautiful at night
Thank you Li Jiang Brothers for your hospitality at dinner
After eating the fish, we rushed to Tule Day Camp for the second meal
Unable to withstand the invitation of Xiao Wang and his wife, we came to enjoy the night view of Gaozhuang. The night market of Gaozhuang was bigger and more lively than last year.
Gaozhuang Night Market is bigger and more lively than last year
Fifteen moons and sixteen rounds
Off-road e-family Tourle Family Camp welcomes brothers who play off-road from all over the country to the beautiful Xishuangbanna. Please bring your own team flags, team uniforms, team caps, and car stickers. Brother Xiaowang must welcome you warmly.
D17: Thanks to Brother Xiao Wang for introducing Rongda Auto Repair.
Thanks to Brother Xiaofu from Rongda Auto Repair for helping to send the tires from Kunming and arrange for someone to replace them in time.
Thanks to Brother Xiaowang for your continued retention, we left Xishuangbanna at 12:00 noon. Via Honghe Hani Terraced Fields in Yunnan – Fangchenggang, Guangxi – Nanning – Guilin – Changsha.
D20: Arrive home safely at 10:30 in the evening. This “Back to Nature Journey – Laos Deep Self-Driving Wave” activity has come to a successful conclusion.
The total trip, a total of 20 days: 8442.7 kilometers, an average of 422 kilometers per day.
The cost statistics of this in-depth self-driving tour in Laos.
1. Total cost of refueling: 9660 yuan, fuel consumption 1.14 yuan/km;
2. Total cost of unilateral road and bridge: 1045 yuan;
3. Change of three tires: 3200 yuan;
4. Total accommodation cost: 4100 yuan;
5. Total meal expenses: 1975 yuan / person (excluding the hospitality of local friends).
The total cost shared by two people per vehicle (excluding shopping) for this activity is: 8000-10000 yuan per person.
“The farther the road, the closer the heart”
“No brothers, no cross-country”
“Across the hills, there are brothers waiting”
(End of the play)
