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Of all the time we have spent in Thailand, we are woefully lacking jungle adventures. There was some trekking in the north but that seemed to be more hillside than anything, so it was with childish excitement that we pulled into the drive for Anurak Community Lodge in Khao Sok National Park. To hear all about the lodge and our activities during our stay, read on for our full Anurak Community Lodge review.
Thailand is a country that is absolutely packed with wonderful experiences and places to exxplore. From the white sand beaches of the south to the lush green hills of the north there is so much to see and do. We have spent around ten weeks here in total but we still find it hard to cram everything in that we want to see. On our last trip, we decided to visit Chiang Rai and explore the northeastern corner of Thailand with an expert. After some research, we decided to team up with Tony at Lanna Cultural Tours for a day of adventuring across the Golden Triangle Region. Read on for our Lanna Cultural Tours review.
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The south-east Asian backpacking circuit is well established. From Bangkok, travellers head north-west to Chang Mai, Pai and go trekking in the golden triangle, before heading east into the small country of Laos. Most travellers cross the border and then get on “the slow boat to Laos”. That is exactly what we did on our five month trip across south-east Asia.
We bought a package from Pai. We had a van transfer to the Thai border, one night in a hotel there and then the boat tickets. The van transfer took an age. We were on the road all day and worked our way through far too many box sets on the iPod classic. (Seriously, how did we both watch such a tiny screen!)
We got to our guesthouse that backed onto the water and it was a bit rubbish, but then that’s what you get when you don’t pick it yourself. We made the mistake of going for dinner with the rest of the group and got eaten alive by huge swarms of river-dwelling mosquitoes!
It was with frustration and disappointment that we realised something was wrong with our camera. It was refusing to take any photos. We later learned that the memory card had caught a virus in a Bangkok internet cafe. It probably isn’t the only thing to leave Bangkok infected!
We stocked up on food and drink from local vendors before climbing aboard the long wooden vessel. There were benches to either side of a central aisle but the back section was a nice open space, and drenched in sun. We decided to indulge in a spot of sunbathing.
The slow boat to Laos is exactly that, slooooooow! It takes two days to chug along the Mekong River from the Thai/Laos border to Luang Prabang down river. Plenty of time then to get to know our fellow passengers. The boat was only about half full and so there was plenty of room for everyone. A group of louder, younger, drunker backpackers hung out at the back, and so ensued a six hour boat party. The cheap booze flowed on deck, as the sluggish Mekong River flowed beneath. It was a most leisurely way to spend a day, even if it did lead to a hangover and slight sun stroke.
We stopped in Pakbeng and checked into an utterly nondescript guest house. We popped out for some dinner but the long hours of day drinking had taken their toll. Others hit the bars in town but we hit the sheets and slept until the early morning wake up call for the boat.
The next morning, we were up and out bright and early, ready for another day on the water. It was with confusion and mild horror that we saw the waiting boat. Nearly every seat was taken. Where on earth had all these extra people come from!? We scampered down the gangplank and grabbed two of the only seats that were left. No longer was there room for everyone to stretch out, sunbathe or host a dance party. Instead, we were sat on a hard wooden bench, with only our cheap travel pillows for comfort. It was very different, and although still perfectly pleasant, nowhere near as fun.
A quick note: From looking at recent photos of the slow boat to Laos, it looks like the hard wooden benches have been replaced by padded seats with full back supports. This is probably a lot more comfortable but it must be harder to socialise with those around you.
After such a long day of relative peace drifting along the Mekong, stepping off the boat into a hoard of touts was a little overwhelming. They swarmed down the concrete slope and we had to haul our stiff limbs and heavy backpack past them. We made straight for the cheapest guesthouse in our guidebook and it was with great relief that we checked in. The guest house was odd, we had to pass through the families front room, clamber through a hatch and then the rooms were lined up along a wide utility corridor. At 40 kip we weren’t complaining. It seemed that Laos was going to be that little bit cheaper.
Want to read more about our five month trip across Asia? Check out even more of our adventures.
Taking the slow boat to Laos was somewhat a rite of passage into the backpacking world. There are other options so as a quick comparison, from Thailand to Luang Prabang, you can take:
I would happily take the slow boat to Laos again, if I had the time. Sometimes when you are travelling at a million miles an hour, having the time to do nothing is a welcome breather. I guess that is why we love train travel too, it is the transport that gives you the time to take it all in (without the car sickness).
Rosie xx
So as a traveller you go trekking Northern Thailand. Why? I don’t really know, it’s just what you do…so it’s what we did. Trekking in this area of the world is a great way to get out and see the jungle of the Thai/Burmese border, see life in the hill tribes and is a rewarding physical challenge.
Having done quite a bit of research, we decided not to do the normal trek from Chiang Mai. This backpacker route takes you up to a Kayan tribe village and then, if you opt for the three day option, often brings you back on a bamboo raft. The Kayan people are very famous for their tradition of wearing a large amount of metal rings around their necks. This slowly changes the shape of the clavicle and so the neck looks longer. This creates a very tourist-friendly photo opportunity, which will cost you a few Thai baht. You can also purchase traditional handicrafts and of course, a commission from your trek will contribute towards the village as well. These villages receive so many visitors that we didn’t think they needed our visit too.
Trekking Northern Thailand from Pai takes a different route and visits different villages. This helps spread the money throughout the region, the poorest in Thailand. Plus, it meant taking a bit of time out in the odd little town of Pai.
Read about our time spent in Pai, Thailand
Sitting in the tiny minibus we assessed the other trekkers with whom we would spend the next 36 hours. It didn’t bode well. The rest of the group consisted of five people in their late-twenties, conversing in French. They joked, they debated, they chatted and they made no attempt to include us. Even more worryingly, they were all extremely lithe and looked much fitter than us.
Trekking Northern Thailand began with a walk up a long, steep and miserable road. It was already very hot and the heat from the sun blazed down upon our heads, while the reflected heat from the road burned up from below. I have never been a fan of walking uphill and was quickly lagging behind, huffing, puffing and swearing. If you’ve read ‘A Walk in the Woods’, by Bill Bryson, then just picture a short, blonde Katz. Someone found me a stick and my progress (and mood) improved considerably. At what seemed like a totally random point, we turned off from the road and strode into the trees.
We pushed upwards until we hit the top of a ridge and the view fell away. Suddenly the jungle canopy rose and fell before us like a sea. It was beautiful, but all those peaks and troughs meant there were plenty more uphills and downhills to come. This really was going to be a trek and not just a nice hike in the woods.
The humidity rose as we descended the bank, between the trees.
We began to sweat.
There are those that say that going downhill is harder than walking uphill….I am going to throw in my two cents and say that it is not. Walking down the hills, I could work with gravity. Going back up, it was DEFINITELY against me. After a few unhappy hills, we finally got to one that was very steep and where I could use my hands; I do love a scramble.
After a couple of hours we came across a stream. Our guide told us that he hadn’t passed this way since the rainy season, and we would have to help rebuild the little bamboo bridge. They set to work as we sat down to lunch. The fare was simple, fried rice from a little plastic bag. It felt seriously odd, eating out of a bag, but it was tasty and carb-filled. What more can you ask on a trek?
Check out all our travels in Thailand
After lunch, we pushed ahead and temperatures went up again. It was with great relief that we heard the thunder of water on rock. This must be the waterfall mentioned in the tour office. We were given the option to get under the water, and a few of the group did, but I opted to stay dry. I’m not a fan of a soggy undercarriage. So, I dipped my feet, legs and hands in to cool off before we were whisked off just ten minutes later. I wondered if my slow pace was messing the group up somewhat. Oh well, what could I do?
We hiked on for the rest of the afternoon, with a quick stop for a slice of giant melon.
We finally spied the village in the distance. One last descent got us there in about 30 minutes, and by that point my feet were screaming. Knowing that I had no appropriate footwear for a trek, I had bought some trainers in Chiang Mai. They looked like proper walking shoes but I quickly learned that they were not..at all! The bones on the outside of my foot were really sore and it was starting to make me limp in a very odd way. I couldn’t wait to sit down.
Our home for the night was in a large long house on stilts. We were all in one room, on individual mats. There wasn’t a pretense that the village is a super traditional tribe or anything. In their family room, next door, was a TV blaring away with a small satellite dish and the people living there weren’t in traditional dress, just their every day clothes. I thought this was pretty refreshing.
We ate dinner and then met some of the local kids. They were really fun and we loved playing silly games with them. I have read blog posts that warn against this interaction but I don’t see what the harm was to be honest. This village doesn’t host people every day and it is not their only source of income. They weren’t asking for money either, just wanted to play.
Once the kids were called in to bed, and the lights were turned off, we got to see the sky properly for the first time. I was entirely blown away. Growing up in the UK, surrounded by light pollution, I thought I had seen the stars. I had no idea what the night sky could really look like. The galaxy stretched for light years, with swatches of purple across the inky blackness. We could actually see the milky way. No longer was it just a concept from science lessons! It was genuinely mesmerising, and if we weren’t expected to rise early, I would have stayed up to enjoy it for longer.
Staying in a Thai village in a bamboo hut sounds rather romantic doesn’t it? The issue with the stilts is that all night, animals will wander under your head and snuffle, crow, snort and generally make a whole lot of fuss. I barely slept. The cockerels started at about 3:30am and I looked around in dismay at my fellow trekkers. They were all sleeping soundly and didn’t stir until gone 7:00! Once everyone was up and moving, we got up and prepared for our second day of trekking.
Saying goodbye to the village, and setting off, on feet that very quickly became painful again, we were soon in dense forest. I was quite sad that we hadn’t managed to bond with our trek buddies, as there was a real divide and it put us in a strange mood. Thank goodness we only picked the one night trek! We walked down a river bank, following a clear stream. We had to cross it at one point and Mr Fluskey, in his hardcore walking boots, stood in the flowing water to help fling me over it. He saved my poorly protected feet from being drenched. What a hero Mr Fluskey is.
We came across a rather deadly looking snake. It was the first snake I had seen in the wild and I was genuinely a bit scared, but at least it stood out and I didn’t accidentally stand on it!
We stopped for lunch in another village. It was more plastic bag fare, instant ramen noodles this time. It reminded me strongly of being a student. The villagers didn’t seem fussed that a bunch of pale, grimy backpackers were going into one of their houses, and just kept working.
The rest of the trek was just an exercise in odd hobbling. I was having to walk in weird and wonderful ways to avoid the pain in my feet from being too bad. It was with such joy that we saw the little minibus driving along a long open road to collect us. I was so thrilled to change my shoes back at our little A-frame hut and get stuck into some delicious food.
Read all about our next adventure in Thailand, The Slow Boat to Laos – A Two Day Treat
Trekking is an amazing way to see a little nugget of a country that you are exploring. It can be a great mental break from the madness of going between one town and another the whole time. Nature has a way of calming you down and the action of walking, steadily, constantly allows your mind the space to wonder and wander. I loved that we didn’t see any other tourists on our trek, I am pretty sure the whole thing was a little more…I struggle to use the word authentic, but maybe beneficial to the communities we briefly passed through, I really hope so anyway. So get those walking shoes on, go trekking Northern Thailand, and see what you can find.
Rosie xx
We can hardly claim to be experts on the life of Pai, but it doesn’t mean we aren’t going to tell you all about our time there! This small town in Thailand‘s north-east is a strange microcosm of backpacking life in the country. A timeless town where the strumming of The Beatles drifts out onto the sleepy streets amidst the tempting wafts of curry paste steam. So what is it about life in Pai that keeps drawing us in? (more…)
The first time I visited Chiang Mai was during our five month trip around Asia. I can tell you that I am struggling to remember much of what we did. It has all blurred into the mists of mis-memory (I think I just invented a word) and is the sum of our photos. But seeing as you are here, let me share with you what I do remember about Chiang Mai.
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Travelling between Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, and Chiang Mai, it’s second city is easy. You can fly, you can take an overnight bus, you can get a private transfer or, like us, you can catch the night train. It was inevitable that I would be on the night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
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Bangkok, a sprawling Asian metropolis of almost 8.3 million people, is the capital of Thailand. Glittering shopping malls and glittering temples abound, and through it all, the Chao Phraya river flows. However, if it is your first time visiting the city, it is highly possible you will end up on the infamous backpacker street in Bangkok, the area through which a never-ending supply of backpackers flow; Khao San Road. This is very special place, a time suck like nowhere else you’ve ever been. If you are not careful, you will end up spending a week on Khao San Road.
Are you a dark tourist? What is dark tourism? Here at Flying Fluskey we most certainly are dark tourists! That is why we are sharing (what we think are) the best dark tourism places around the world. But first:
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Taking to the tracks is such a joy. I know that we are Flying Fluskeys, and flying also makes me a happy girl, but there is something special about a train journey. (I don’t mean my morning commute). People say romantic, honestly, I’m not sure I could call it that, but it is kinda special. Here are some of my absolute favourite train journeys.
My hubby, Mr Fluskey, has a travel quirk that most people don’t understand. He likes to eat a McDonald’s Big Mac in every new country he visits. After a long debate about this, I bent to his will. To try and alleviate my slight corporation guilt, I try to eat something from the menu that we don’t have at home, like the samurai burger in Thailand. So why does he love munching on Mcdonald’s?
We have eaten burgers across the world, ranging from utterly delicious (in India) to truly terrible (the burgers in Indonesia were little better than chewing polystyrene). I really couldn’t work out if I enjoyed my chicken shakers in Japan. But there was a particularly saucy little number in Copenhagen, Denmark that left me in an ecstatic BBQ mess. In South Korea there was lots to great food to eat, (check out Seoul Food – Eats and Treats in South Korea) but we still tried the local golden arches offering!
Only six countries have thwarted Karl in his beefy conquest so far:
Big Macs are not served in India, in fact there are no beef burgers whatsoever on the menu in this mostly Hindu country. Instead they serve the Maharaja Mac.
This is built like a Big Mac (two patties, the extra bun in the middle) but consists of two chicken burgers and a mild curry sauce. We enjoyed this burger so much, we went back two weeks later for another one.
Check out all of our travels in Incredible India
When we visited Vietnam in 2009, McDonald’s was still forbidden fruit. With many investment restrictions stopping some of our best known big western businesses setting up shop, McDonald’s were kept at the gates. Weirdly there was a KFC in Hanoi and Karl accepted this as a substitute. The restrictions were loosened in 2014 and the countries first McDonald’s served 400,000 customers in the first month. The Vietnamese obviously love munching on McDonald’s as much as Karl does.
Check out all our travels in Vietnam
As an unrecognised Soviet country, there is little to no western investment in this tiny place. We went out for a pizza but I know Karl must have had a burger-y niggle in the back of his mind.
Read all about when we spent One Night in Transnistria
McDonald’s served its last meal in Iceland back in 2009. The countries economic problems meant that the franchise became too expensive to run and so they closed their three branches and left Reykjavik’s residents to enjoy homegrown fast food joint Aktu Taktu. We did the same when we visited in 2012.
Read 4 Days in Iceland – A Long Weekend in the Land of Fire and Ice
On our travels through South-East Asia in 2009, I got to eat delicious, cheap food through Laos without the glare of the Golden Arches.
Read about all our travels in Laos
I’d like to say that we ate really healthily when McDonald’s was nowhere in sight, but I ate a lot of super noodles for breakfast in Cambodia. It’s traditional, but not much healthier than a burger really.
This habit can be a little bad for our waistlines. When we are dashing through countries Karl needs his fix once every few days (where available). I used to roll my eyes when we entered a McDonald’s abroad, wondering if the other people in there thought we are too scared, or too fussy to try the local food. But I have since come to realise that they are in there too and a sneaky Happy Meal doesn’t hurt once in a while.
Aqaba, Jordan, it’s 46 degrees centigrade, it’s Ramadan and everywhere is shut. In the distance we spy the golden M. It is open, but we can’t have any food, or sit in the air conditioning, or on the veranda. We got the biggest iciest drinks we could walked away with our very hot tails between our legs.
Check out our Your 10 Day Jordan Itinerary – World Wonders and Wadis
Rosie xx