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Asterism Travels & Tours - Myanmar | Travel in Laos - Hinboun river valley in Dec - Jan |
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29 Dec 2011 to 3 Jan 2012 trip in Khammouane province, Laos: Heup cave, Konglor cave, Hinboun river At the end of 2011 we went for a week long trip in Hinboun river valley in Khammouane province of central Laos. During the trip we hiked through one km long Heup cave, rode open wooden boats on the Hinboun river, stayed in the nice village lodges overlooking the crystal river between the limestone cliffs, visited villages and their primary schools, and went into 7.5km long Konglor cave. Central Laos province of Khammouane is a limestone country rich in caves, underground water passages, variety of numerous useful plants, wildlife, and river valleys. It is also the headwaters of several rivers that flow into the Mekong river in the west and into South China sea in the East on Vietnam side. The province is sandwiched between Thailand's Nakhon Phanom province and Vietnam. The area is also home to many small villages where tribal peoples have been living for hundreds of years depending the rivers flowing in the valleys and through the limestone bodies of the mountains for their life and transport. Things have been changing since the encroachment of tourism and other development such as roads amd dams building. Lives in many villages have changed for both betterness and worse. Education has been slow to arrive. For the visitors from Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand there are so many things to learn and exchange. Since they belong to the similar environment and cultures of Southeast Asia, they do have to study from each other and help each other. Proper education, mental & physical health care need to come at all cost and continue progressively. |
