Everything You Need TO Know ABout PAKBENG
Pakbeng is a small village, located on the Mekong River, about halfway between the Thai border and Luang Prabang and therefore a guaranteed stop for anyone taking the slow boat. While there is not a great deal to do and see here, it is a great place to stop and unwind as well as to see how most Laotians live their lives.
If you choose to take a standard slow boat, many of them will not make any stops along the way to Pakbeng. However if you opt to travel through a tour company you may be given the opportunity to visit a local Khmu tribe on your way from Huay Xai to Pakbeng. Our slow boat stopped along the river bank where we climbed a sandy hill to the village of Ban Houy Pha Lam. Here we were given a short tour of the village where we were able to see how the ethnic minorities of the Khmu tribe lived their daily lives. Children played, women congregated in the bamboo stilt homes and others wove fishing nets, carried firewood and sharpened tools.
Take a stroll through Pakbeng, up the winding main street, passing guesthouses, restaurants and small local shops. When you see the ATM machines, take a left up the stairs to reach the local markets. A large covered market where locals sell everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to foul, fish, fried rats and even squirrels. This is the heart of Pakbeng.
There are two temples nearby Pakbeng. One kilometer along the main road you will find, Wat Sin Jong Jaeng, which was built during the French Colonial period. It is best known for it’s murals containing images of westerners. The lesser known temple is Wat Koh Khor, which is about 500 meters uphill from the town. While the Wat itself is not particularly noteworthy it does offer nice views over Pakbeng.
Around 30 kilometers, or a 1.5 hours drive from Pakbeng, is the Thousand Year Tea Forrest. The tea forest, near Ban Mok-Khe, is said to have trees as old as 2000 years. There are a few tour companies offering activities to the surrounding areas of Pakbeng where you will be able to organize your day trip.
Directly across the river from Pakbeng is the Mekong Elephant Park, as I discovered early in the morning when I was woken by the trumpets of two large Asian elephants wandering down by the river bank. Boat transfers across the river run every hour from 9am to 5pm. Entry to the park is $12USD per foreign adult and $5USD per foreign child. The elephant park aims to raise awareness and support the protection of Asian elephants, by providing quality natural environments for the elephants as well as allowing mahouts to earn regular incomes as a means to stay out of the logging industry. You will be given the opportunity to learn about Asian elephants and their situation in Laos, watch mahout’s demonstrations, visit traditional handicraft workshops and for extra costs you can feed and bathe the elephants. They also have a bar and restaurant where you can relax after a day exploring the sanctuary.
While in this quiet, little town why not relax and unwind with a drink and watch the sunset over the Mekong. There is a surprisingly large choice of restaurants, where you can sit and try to decipher the unintentionally hilarious menus. If you’re a fan of Indian food pretty much everyone will tell you Hashan is the place to go. For something a little more local take your pic from one of the many restaurants along the main street.
Popular among backpackers and other travelers, Hive Bar, is among the liveliest bars in Pakbeng. My personal favourite, and funnily enough where everyone seemed to end up, is Happy Bar. Located right above the Mekong River they offer beer pong, bonfires and generously poured drinks at great prices. One way or another everyone traveling along the slow boats seemed to end up at Happy Bar. A word of warning; beware the free shots of rice whiskey.
