My first time out of the country was in 2010 when I took a vacation to Asia which included Laos and Singapore. The trip was from June to July and I spent a total of 20 days 21 nights in Laos. For a list of top attractions around Vientiane check out my other post. Below is a run-through of my personal experience in Laos.
The main reason for this trip was to visit my mom’s side of the family in Vientiane. For my sister and I it was actually our first in-person meeting with them. I took this as an opportunity to trace my roots back to where my parents grew up.
Of course I was super ecstatic to travel abroad for the very first time. Admittedly, I was also a little nervous aware of the fact that Laos was a developing country so I anticipated it would require a bit of adapting. My relatives in Laos kindly offered to plan our entire itinerary so I didn’t do much of my own research. Apart from the tidbits I got from my parents I didn’t really know what to expect.
Journey
Los Angeles (LAX) →Hong Kong (HKG) → Bangkok (BKK) → Vientiane (VTE)
Total Flight Time: 20 hrs 10 mins
Culture
Upon arrival to Vientiane, I instantly experienced culture shock. It was a lot to take in at once and felt as if we had been teleported to another world. Everyone was speaking Lao and all the signage was in Lao. Tuk tuks and motorbikes (some containing 3 or more passengers not wearing helmets) outnumbered cars on the road. I was taken aback by the great amount of dust. We drove pass contrasting neighborhoods; some looked rather developed while others looked like slums. I freaked out the first time I spotted a wild gecko meandering about inside the house only to be informed I’d be encountering a lot more.
My uncle ran a small bike shop and one bike sale could make or break their budget for the month. They mostly cooked at home and seldom dined out. Food portions were tiny especially compared to a typical meal in America. Cleanliness was not superb notably at wet markets (swarm of flies on produce, etc.)
During our road trip to Luang Prabang we ran into a road block of a herd of cattle. Young children were seen wandering alongside the roads with no adult supervision. We spotted a monk riding a bicycle. There were a number of stray dogs roaming around. We passed a small village and saw local women walking around with one breast exposed (I believe it indicates one’s marital status).
Although Vientiane is the largest city and capital of Laos it felt much more like a small town. English was not widely spoken. We didn’t come across many tourists; I was told most foreigners hung out in Vang Vieng. The currency exchange was in our favor so everything was quite cheap. It was extremely hot especially in the afternoons so we avoided the outdoors during those hours. Vientiane was actually more developed than I had envisioned but overall Laos lacked substantial infrastructure.
Memories
- My grandma immediately noticing and pointing out how I did not hold chopsticks properly– confession I still don’t
- Trying exotic fruits- mangosteens are my absolute fav
- Dressing up in traditional Lao dresses
- Getting a haircut for only $2
- Riding a motorbike for the first time
- Pigging out at night markets- check out my list of recommendations for must-eat foods in Laos
- Suffering from “vacation constipation” and couldn’t go for over TWO weeks- TMI but true story
Last Impression
To be honest if it hadn’t been for my family history I’m not sure if Laos would have been high on my destination bucket list . But I’m glad it gave me a reason to go otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to see Kuang Si Falls which till this day is still one of my favorite waterfalls.
Essentially, I found almost every aspect of my Laos experience fascinating because it was all so different than what I was accustomed to back in the States. All I ever knew was the fast-paced culture so it allowed me to gain a different perspective of the more slow and simple life. It was certainly humbling to experience the local lifestyle firsthand. It reminded me to be more grateful and to not take things for granted.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience in Laos!
For more Laos inspiration, check out these photos that will inspire you to visit.
Have you visited Laos before? Did you experience culture shock at all? Let me know in the comments!
