Trip to Thailand and Laos (page 14 of 19)

Thanks Muriel! 🙂

Anyway, thanks a ton Richard and Kate for this four-handed feedback—still so complementary. A perfect example of task-sharing 😄

When are you putting Lulu to work? :P ;)

We’ll have to face the facts—this four-handed travel journal is coming to an end… Too bad, I really enjoyed our almost-daily meet-up during your trip, which got turned upside down at the last minute.

I’ve noticed that, in the end, the choices made under the geopolitical constraints of the moment turned out to be the right ones. And if I was able to contribute to those decisions, I’m really happy about it.

Thanks for taking me back there in such a beautiful way—I know how much work it takes. See you soon for new adventures, just the two of us… or all four of us! 😊!

Next trip?

Kate and I were thinking about the Sultanate of Oman, Malaysia, or a combo of Mumbai / Sri Lanka. But if the geopolitical situation becomes unmanageable in those parts of the world, Kate will definitely want to return to her beloved Morocco.

Hey, totally biased opinions on these destinations:

Oman: its perfectly restored ancient fortresses, the kindness of its people (and its Indian and other employees), the calm, the desert... you gotta rent a car, but nothing’s complicated.

Mumbai / Sri Lanka: the gigantic and bustling city, and then in SL a bit of beach and tea plantations...

Malaysia: personally, far from my favorite country. Stupid religious laws (can a male hairdresser cut a woman’s hair, that kind of thing), not a fan of the food either... but it’s developed and people speak English. And above all, don’t be Jewish, of course.

But to answer your question, it was mainly in Luang Prabang that I felt this pressure of a kind of overtourism

There’s still a little wiggle room before we can call it overtourism in LP, right?

This must come from the disappointment of the takbat, that feeling of overtourism 😉

It must come from the disappointment of the takbat, that feeling of overtourism 😉

Since I stayed in bed that morning, that’s why I didn’t feel it…

This might come from the disappointment of the takbat, that feeling of overtourism 😉

Muriel and Bruno

Not just that... Lots of people (Chinese tourists, and you know how discreet they are ) on the trains in the area, in the streets, restaurants, and iconic sights like the Kuang Si waterfalls. You’ve got to play with schedules for visits, switch streets to stroll around, and look for more "intimate" restaurants... They all crowd into the same spots. But hey, it’s still not Venice or Mont Saint-Michel!

I don’t remember hordes of Chinese tourists when we were there (there was definitely a presence around construction sites everywhere, but not particularly in tourist areas). My trip wasn’t *that* long ago either 🤪... things change fast, and not always for the better 😕.

Otherwise, I really liked Oman 😉

See you soon for new adventures as a duo... or a foursome! 😄

Well, at the end of the week, the two of us are heading to Brive-la-Gaillarde. In July, we’ll be in the Landes, and by late August, we’ll wrap up in Normandy before heading to Brittany. But there won’t be a travel journal—I don’t think many people would be interested. Plus, Richard wants to take a breather. Speaking of which, he’s about to set off (alone) on the Chemins de Saint François, from Vézelay to Assisi, for 3 months!

Ugh, thanks for the article, Alain, but what a total disaster 😱. Westerners won’t be coming back, and the Chinese won’t even make up for it. It’s really heartbreaking for the locals! I’ve traveled all over Southeast Asia, but like you, it doesn’t inspire me anymore... except for three places: Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar, where I hope to return someday when they’re at peace again 🤞

Hi! First trip to Luang Prabang in 2000 and the last one in 2019. In 2000, it was the trendy backpacker city. By 2002, the city was calm and stunning—backpackers had moved on to Thailand. In 2019, the city had evolved, of course, but its UNESCO designation helped limit the damage.

Apart from the evening and the night market, it’s one of the cities whose charm, for me, has been the least altered.

The Takbat is best seen in the side streets if you want to experience it.

Thanks for your tips. Personally, I’d be most drawn to exploring the Sultanate of Oman. But what will the region be like by then?

The term "overtourism" is a bit excessive, you're right. But as Muriel rightly said, I think it's partly due to the disappointment of the takbat, as I describe in the travel journal.

I also want to thank everyone for this beautiful travel journal. I’ll be using it to plan the next part of my previous trip, especially the south, which really makes me dream. In Luang Prabang, there were a lot of tourists when I was there—Chinese and a lot of French. In Nong Khiaw, *so* many French, and it threw me off a bit. I’m not used to it after my trips to India, where I’m usually the only tourist. When I was in Luang Prabang, I realized I didn’t find it as charming as I’d read everywhere, and I might have even preferred Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Kate, do you have a good zoom on your camera? I need to replace mine and I’m looking for something lightweight and at a reasonable price. I’m currently in India, West Bengal—no tourists here. The departure was complicated, and I’m not even thinking about the return trip yet.

Kate, do you have a good zoom lens on your camera? I need to replace mine and I'm looking for something lightweight and reasonably priced.

Lightweight and reasonably priced is exactly what mine is. Canon 18-150, with an aperture of F/3.5 and image stabilization. It costs around 500 €. Even lighter and much cheaper is the 50 mm lens with an aperture of F/1.8. Very bright, perfect for street portraits and other close-up shots. But if you're used to zooming, it might throw you off at first since it's a prime lens. You’ll have to move closer to your subjects! [;]

It’s true—I’m spoiled from my trips to India where I’m often the only tourist.

We’re all here comparing everything to India Pierre, a former VF member, once told me: "Kate, there’s India, and then there’s the rest of the world." !

Otherwise, at the end of the travel journal, we can debate without guilt—I’ve got several topics!

Did you think we’d stop there? What was topic 1? 🤔

Otherwise, at the end of the travel journal, we can debate without guilt—I’ve got several topics! !

Did you think we’d stop there? What was topic 1 again? 🤣

We’ve already covered several topics over 2 pages 😉 For example, why don’t you or Pagal want to go to Thailand? Why is Aleph baffled by French tourists? Why doesn’t Southeast Asia inspire Solene anymore? (Apparently, the Philippines are now colonized by the U.S. and China, so...)

I also remember being surprised by the number of French tourists in Laos (at the time, more than the Chinese 😏). It was during school holidays, but actually, there weren’t many families with kids—mostly young people. No matter where we were, I had the impression of hearing French being spoken 🤪