The place is nice, but very tourist-oriented, probably because it's near Bangkok. I didn't explore Thailand this time, but after a week it felt very commercial.
Immediately after arriving in Laos the atmosphere is different, the life flows in its slow patient way, there's no need to rush things. Vientiane is a sleepy capital, more an urban village. The communism is funny because the mentality of people is not to make noise and be content with the small pleasures. They're very sympathic.
The capital is located on the coast of Mekong river, la promenade is full of food and drink vendors. There are also a lot of temples, although there's communism, and monks everywhere. The biggest city can be explored in one day. About 160 km north - Vieng Vieng, a village near Ham Son river. The main street is just a pack of guest houses combined with TV restaurants, where episodes of "Friends" are running all day long, with pretty much success it seems. The river is very nice, good to swim, cool and clear water. People float along the river, in inflated tractor tubes, it's called 'tubing'. On the way there are jumping towers and small cafes.
Motorbike is possible to rent in the village and good to explore around. Beatiful countryside with banana plantations and rice fields.
On the other side of the river - wicked mountains covered with thick jungle, with caves, some of them are very deep and going a long way, with Buddha statues, stalactits, big underground pools of water, strange fish etc. Very nice. Next place along the Rte 13 up north - Luang Prabang, very charming French colonial town. Lots of temples, beatiful night market with clothes & handicrafts. Morning market also very nice, selling frits & vegetables, live and dead fish and animals, insects, spiders, frogs and snakes. The town is pretty small, but not boring. The French villas, together with traditional Lao wooden houses, create a very enjoyable and unique atmosphere.
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