All posts tagged: Chiang Kong

A Brief Introduction to Laos: “Wait, is this hotel an opium den?”

Like our backpacking forefathers we opted to travel to Laos by way of Mekong slow boat. The trip would take two nights, three day and commence in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  Greg was not convinced that this would be the best route, favoring the 18 hour overnight bus. My choice won out simply because he hadn’t looked into all of the options, sneaky sneaky me. Day 1: travel by mini bus to Chiang Kong, border town. Stop along the way at the Cashew Factory (for the second time, the first visit happened during our visa run to Myanmar) and the White Temple. The Cashew Factory pays all types of minibus tours to stop at their crummy store and ‘restaurant,’ though clean bathrooms are a redeeming feature. The White Temple was incredible. A stunning white temple adorned with small mirror mosaic bits, it appears to be fashioned out of wax and glitters radiantly in the sunlight. At the southwest corner you will cock your head at a unique design feature: a life size replica of Preditor buried waist …