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Why I Hated Muang Ngoi and Why I Didn’t

Mar 12, 2014 by Daniel McBane 8 Comments

Muang Ngoi Neue in northern Laos from a viewpoint

Other travelers are a great source of accurate and up-to-date information, but be careful taking any advice you get at face value. I’ve gone out of my way to visit places lauded by backpacker after backpacker only to end up disappointed; I’ve also visited places despite steady advice to avoid them and ended up having […]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: Laos, rural

Forget Vang Vieng—Go Tubing in the Mekong at Si Phan Don

Aug 24, 2013 by Daniel McBane 6 Comments

Don Det in the 4000 Islands in Laos

For many backpackers, Laos is synonymous with tubing. The majority largely ignore my favorite country in Southeast Asia, apart from a small loop through the northeastern corner and the highlight of that loop is Vang Vieng. For years backpackers have been flocking to this little village of bars and guesthouses amidst hundreds of limestone peaks […]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: drinking, Laos, Mekong, Si Phan Dom, Southeast Asia, tubing

Don’t Eat Cow Pies Despite the Name

Mar 16, 2013 by Daniel McBane 8 Comments

Water Buffalo in Muang Ngoi

I want to make this clear right off the bat and state that there is no actual consuming of cow pies in this post. Not voluntarily anyway. I only mention that, since I know most of you sick bastards followed the title here expecting……who knows what you were expecting? And who wants to know? Certainly […]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: Luang Prabang, Laos, transportation, Vang Vieng, annoying people

Buddhist Monk in Vientiane Doing Some Grooming

Feb 6, 2013 by Daniel McBane 4 Comments

Saffron Robed Buddhist Monk

This Buddhist monk was sitting outside a temple in Vientiane, Laos and checking himself out in his little mirror for a good half hour. After a few minor adjustments, he seemed happy with what he saw. Who can blame him?

Filed Under: Funny Photos, Laos Tagged With: culture, funny people, monk, Buddhist, funny image, Laos, Vientiane

Would You Get a Haircut at this Vang Vieng Barbershop?

Dec 5, 2012 by Daniel McBane 4 Comments

Barber Shop Vang Vieng Laos

I found this place on the northern end of the main street in Vang Vieng, Laos. I guess when you’re opening a business in a tourist town where restaurants have menus for drugs—in addition to the standard food and drinks menus—and the majority of visitors are sober for a few hours a day at most, […]

Filed Under: Laos, Funny Photos Tagged With: funny image, Laos, haircut, Vang Vieng, barber

Finishing the Loop With a Tour of Lao Bike Repair Shops

Oct 23, 2012 by Daniel McBane 3 Comments

Rural Gas Station Laos
This entry is part 10 of 10 in the series Riding the Motorbike 'Loop' in Laos

We hung out at Hin Poun Viewpoint at the top of the pass for a bit, admiring the view, taking pictures and enjoying some celebrity treatment at the hands of a group of Laotian college students on break. Basically that involved every one of us posing for various pictures with [read more…]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: Laos, transportation, Tha Khaek, motorbike, central loop

Exploring Gigantic Kong Lo Cave by Boat

Oct 20, 2012 by Daniel McBane 6 Comments

Kong Lo Cave Laos
This entry is part 9 of 10 in the series Riding the Motorbike 'Loop' in Laos

At its entrance, Kong Lo (Konglor) Cave is relatively narrow, but once you get in a ways, it widens considerably. In some places it apparently gets up to 90 meters wide and 100 meters high. At narrower points, the river fills the cave from wall to wall; when the cave widens, you even [read more…]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: motorbike, central loop, cave, Laos, transportation, animals

Another Detour in Search of Another Nonexistent Attraction

Oct 16, 2012 by Daniel McBane 10 Comments

Dead Trees in Lake Laos
This entry is part 8 of 10 in the series Riding the Motorbike 'Loop' in Laos

After we left the little village, we had a few hours of bad roads ahead of us. We picked our way through the obstacles in the road slowly, stopping a bunch of times to take pictures of the very strange and unique, post-apocalyptic-looking landscape along this section of the motorbike ‘loop’. We [read more…]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: transportation, motorbike, central loop, cave, Laos

New Year’s Party in a Tiny Laotian Village

Oct 13, 2012 by Daniel McBane 6 Comments

New Year Drinking Game Laos Village
This entry is part 7 of 10 in the series Riding the Motorbike 'Loop' in Laos

When we got to the parking area, one of the drunkest Laotians immediately jumped on one of our bikes and insisted he drive, to show us the way. He was holding a bunch of stuff in one hand and a bunch of alcohol in his stomach, so he would be driving one handed while seeing [read more…]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: food, Laos, motorbike, culture, central loop, party

New Year’s Lao Style – Water Fights, Karaoke and Drinking in a River

Oct 9, 2012 by Daniel McBane 4 Comments

Laos New Year Party River
This entry is part 6 of 10 in the series Riding the Motorbike 'Loop' in Laos

The next morning, our smooth, paved road soon turned into a rough, dusty gravel road and would stay that way for the next two days of the motorbike ‘loop’. It was slow going as we had to weave all over the road, picking our way between large holes, puddles, jagged rocks, patches of [read more…]

Filed Under: Laos Tagged With: central loop, party, Laos, New Year's Eve, motorbike, culture

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Welcome!

As the more astute among you may have guessed, my name is Daniel McBane. I've been traveling and working overseas for almost ten years now and have finally decided to document some of the strange, crazy or just plain funny encounters and observations from my travels. I've also added a travel guide section, figuring I should reward my four readers by providing at least something of use. Read more on my about page.

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