The road from Mai Chau was challenging at times for two people and two backpacks on one motorbike, especially after a good rain. There was one spot in particular that halted us in our journey. In rural Vietnam, a nice paved road turned into a gravel road which the turned into a huge mud puddle. After having driven nearly an hour all we could do was stare at it, both of us pondering our next action. It was then a miracle happened. A local on a motorbike, fully loaded with a mountain of stuff (chickens, plastic bottles, etc.) passed us by and with full confidence maneuvered his bike through the giant puddle with no complications. Maybe it was the shot of whiskey a local man gave me before leaving Mai Chau that day or maybe it was something else, but I said “Go for it!” Obviously we made it through but just warning, it can get a little hairy here and there. That was by far the worst spot. We stayed one night in Quan Son before heading the border the next day.
Motorbike skills
The Na Meo border crossing was very relaxed and easy. It was a Sunday and we were the only people there. The Vietnamese officer gave us a few tips on how to say “Hello” and “Thank you” in Laotian. It costs 200,000 VMD or ($10) to export the bike. Once we got to the Laos side it was $3 to import the bike and $40 each for our 30 day visa. The road on the Laos side isn’t all that great but not too bad. A little bumpy and pot-holish (that’s a word now). Nothing a little Paracetamol (Asian Tylenol) won’t fix. We passed little villages where people will either stare at you in utter surprise (like they haven’t seen a white person before) or warmly wave and welcome you with a resounding “HELLO!!!” It’s heartwarming when the village kids run down the steps of their huts to wave at us as we pass.
Na Meo border crossing
Farmland after the border crossing.
Our first night in Laos was in Viang Xai. We stayed at Chitchareune Hotel for only 100,000 kip ($12.50) a night. It was a good deal. We had a huge comfy king size bed, flat screen smart tv, and air conditioning. Ohhhh happy dayyy. There isn’t really much to this town, in fact it seems like a post-apocalyptic ghost town when you arrive. There is however some very interesting history regarding the impact the Vietnamese War had on the people. Like the people living in the tunnels in Vietnam the Laotian people sought refuge in the many caves that surround the area.
Entrance to Viang Xai. This image can be a little unsettling for an American. Once I learned the history, I had a better understanding.
Tim and I decided to take the audio tour of the caves which is 60,000 kip ($7). It sounds cheesy but it turned out to be pretty cool. First of all we were the only people on the tour which includes a (very little) English-speaking guide. The audio tour had good music, real interviews from survivors and the narrator sounded kind of like a British Morgan Freeman so it was easy to pay attention. I’m not a big history buff, so I had no clue about this “secret” war that the US had going on with Laos during the Vietnam War. So here’s the Readers Digest version The U.S. bombed Laos because they wanted to stop communism and Laos was believed to play a part in its expansion. Planes bombed Laos everyday from 1964 to 1973. Thousands of people belonging to the communist faction sought refuge in the caves from the bombs. The people had to learn life without being seen by the planes, spending most of the lives in the caves. Interesting facts – 1) They only had one hour to cook, 0500-0600, all the meals of the day so smoke wouldn’t be seen. 2) All the clothing they had that was white they rolled in mud to dye it brown. 3) They had ducks and chickens but if one was born white or red they would kill it. They learned this from a captured pilot who told them that he was told to look for chickens. There are many caves in the area but we were only allowed to go into 7 on the tour. Some caves were natural and some were a mix of natural and man-made (via dynamite). Some caves, that housed the bigwigs in the communist movement, had airtight bomb shelters within them that had these really awesome oxygen pumps (provided by the Russian’s). One of them still worked and you could feel the air coming out with manual cranking.
Airtight bomb shelter with oxygen pump.
Walking through the cave.
In the solders’ quarters.
One story stood out to me from the tour. We ascended a steep staircase to the mouth of a cave where the anti-aircraft artillery would attempt to shoot down the planes. We listened to a survivor tell us his story about when he shot one down. The people ran out to the plane to try and capture the pilot but he wouldn’t come out. Suddenly another plane came and started shooting at the people so they had to run back to the caves. Lucky for him, the pilot was rescued. It seemed like a scene from a movie. Standing where the Laotians were shooting down planes in the valley and imagining the scene of them running out to the plane. It felt very real. Viang Xai wasn’t even named until after the war was over, it means “City of Victory.”
View where the antiaircraft artillery was set up and where planes were shot down.
We bungeed our backpacks to the motorbike rack and hit the road to Dong Ha to see the famous Vinh Moc Tunnels. We were excited to go inside the tunnels for a true experience of how the people survived underground during the Vietnam War. We were amazed at the complexity of the tunnels. There are 13 different entrances, 7 of which point out to the sea where they received food and weapons from the north. There are 3 layers of the tunnel system at 12, 18 and the deepest 22 meters. It took 13 months to build and sheltered 300 people. Each family had a very small living space, literally a hole in the wall. The worst part was the fact that there was only ONE bathroom for everyone! ONE… for 300 people! At least the air temperature was cool, being underground and all. When the tour was over I was conflicted with feeling happy to get out, since it can be a little claustrophobic, and a yearning to go back in when the 110 degree heat index and 100% humidity slapped me in the face. The people lived like this from 1966-1972, six years, and 17 children were born in the tunnels. The war ended long ago, but the bomb craters are still visible. The Vietnamese that lived in these tunnels survived during a hard time. I can’t even imagine how awful it must have been.
Sitting in one of the family rooms
Guiding us through the tunnels.
A bomb crater… Awkward… Do we smile or just… Umm…
Anti-aircraft gun
One of the openings to the tunnels
A view of the beach where aid was received from the north.
Ok enough depressing stuff. Our next adventure was at Phong Nha National Park, home to the oldest karst mountains in all of Asia (approximately 400 million years old!). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park has 300 different caves and grottos. We opted to explore Paradise Cave, founded by British explorers in 2005 and recently opened to the public a few years ago. You can walk along a wooden boardwalk for 1 kilometer into the cave but it goes as deep as 31 kilometers. The cool damp air within the cove is mighty refreshing after having hiked a couple of miles in the sweltering heat. I couldn’t stop smiling like a child at the impressive formations within the cave. Every step gets better and better. The park did a fantastic job on illuminating the cave. It felt like being on another planet. The cost was 250,000 VMD each (or about $13 USD). It was one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had in my life and worth every penny.
Paradise Cave
One of many stunning formations within the cave.
Are we still on Earth?
If you don’t have a motorbike, I highly recommend renting one for the day to explore the beautiful park. The loop around the park is incredibly scenic and there are little side trips to do as well.
