Thanks to the high-speed train, a Vietnamese male tourist had new experiences and shortened travel time in Laos.
During his first visit to Laos in early May, Chu Duc Giang, who works in the media industry in Hanoi, spent 6 days and 5 nights exploring the three cities of Luang Prabang, Vang Vien, and Vientiane and experiencing traveling between locations by Southeast Asia's first high-speed train.
From the Nuoc Ngam bus station in Hanoi, Giang bought a 1.2 million VND bus ticket and spent 24 hours traveling to Luang Prabang. But from the ancient capital of Laos, Giang took less than an hour to catch the high-speed train to Vang Vieng, then from Vang Vieng to Vientiane.
The Laos-China high-speed railway costs $6 billion and is over 1,000 km long, connecting Kunming, the capital of China's Yunnan province, with Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The train was put into operation in October 2021. The inland Lao route is over 400 km long, passing through six stations in Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Muang Xai, Luang Namtha and Boten.
Giang asked the receptionist at the hotel in Luang Prabang to book train tickets to save time and procedures. If booking tickets online, visitors must register an account with a Lao phone number. Buying tickets directly at the station requires a passport and booking before the train departs, tickets go on sale 4 days in advance. Ticket prices are fixed, each leg has a different price.
The Luang Prabang - Vang Vieng route is 190 km long, with a ticket price of about 160,000 VND, while the Vang Vieng - Vientiane route is 130 km long and costs 170,000 VND, and takes nearly an hour to travel.
High-speed train tickets are available in electronic or printed form. When arriving at the station, Giang presents her ticket and undergoes a security check similar to the airport procedure. Giang is then further checked by train staff for her identification and seat location corresponding to the ticket once inside the station.
Giang said there were no shops around the station, "so it was airy and clean." The waiting room was spacious, with enough seats for passengers, so "there was no mess or luggage." Passengers lined up in an orderly manner to go through the screening gate, and the procedure was quick, taking less than 5 minutes per person.
The train runs at a speed of about 160 km/h but is "very smooth and well soundproofed", passing through many mountainous and forested sections.
The train has business class and economy class cabins, Giang chose the economy class ticket to save money. The economy class cabin is divided into two rows, each row has three seats, with an aisle in the middle. The train's interior is new, the seats have fabric cushions, are equipped with two-pin charging sockets under the feet, and the back of the seats has a dining table similar to the design on an airplane. The luggage compartment is located above, but has no lid.
In addition, the train has a separate dining area, currently serving only drinks. The toilets are neatly designed and clean. Each compartment has an electronic board displaying the time and next destination. Each stop has a 16-seat shuttle bus to take passengers to the requested destination, costing about 35,000 VND per person.
Mr. Duong Tue Man, a Vietnamese living in Vientiane, said that you should choose the high-speed train when traveling from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng. The bus on this route goes through "dangerous mountain passes", taking 3-4 hours longer. However, for the Vang Vieng - Vientiane route, the bus can be a reasonable choice if you cannot book a train ticket in time. The bus runs on the highway, takes two hours, and costs about 200,000 VND.
Regarding the tour itinerary, Giang spent two days in the ancient capital of Luang Prabang, which was recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage in 1995, visiting Kuang Si waterfall, Wat Xieng Thong temple, Royal palace, climbing Phousi mountain, and attending the Tak Bat alms-giving ceremony.
"The streets and houses in the ancient capital of Luang Prabang resemble the scenery of Hoi An, but there are fewer tourists, the pace of life is slower and quieter," said Duc Giang.
Vang Vieng, a small, peaceful town on the Nam Song River, is "suitable for those who love to experience nature and enjoy water sports such as kayaking, SUP, and swimming in the Mekong River." The male tourist chose to climb Nam Xay Mountain and enjoy the beautiful scenery at the Blue Lagoon.
After a day in Vang Vieng, Giang spent his last day in the capital Vientiane, visiting the Patuxay Triumphal Arch, the That Luang Golden Temple and the Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuang Buddha Park.
All three places Giang visited had night markets, with food stalls serving many dishes such as khao soi, tam mak hoong, laap (larb), grilled chicken, sticky rice, seaweed, salad, and moss.
"Lao food is easy to eat. Many dishes have flavors similar to Thai dishes, with a lot of spiciness," Giang said. The dish that impressed Giang the most during the trip was fried Mekong river moss, which tastes similar to seaweed.
Looking back on the trip, Giang said that "the high-speed train is a highlight of Lao tourism". From the design to the operating process, "it is not inferior to the high-speed train system in developed countries" and Giang "still prioritizes traveling by this means" if he comes to Laos again.
Bich Phuong
Photo: Chu Duc Giang
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