After breakfast
We set off for the Red Lotus Sea (Red Lotus Lake), located in Nong Han Lake in the southern part of Udon Thani city’s Gong Pa Wat district. This is where the red lotuses bloom in abundance. At the Red Lotus Lake pier, there are several types of boats available. For those who enjoy taking personal portraits, the two-person flat-bottomed wooden boats are highly recommended. However, the most common are the electric passenger boats we boarded, which can accommodate six passengers. The boatman will steer the boat towards the heart of the lake where the red lotuses are in full bloom. Upon reaching the center, the boat will stop and change positions several times to allow tourists to take as many photos as they desire. The Red Lotus Lake is more familiar to Western tourists, as CNN has previously featured a special report on it. In a selection of the world’s fifteen wonders, Red Lotus Lake ranked second.
Previous experiences
The lake is home to numerous islands, with approximately over 300, hence its nickname, Thousand Islands Lake. The picturesque Nam Ngum Lake is referred to by the landlocked Laotians as the ‘Laos Sea’. Being from Hangzhou, one of my favorite vacation spots is the Thousand Islands Lake, and Nam Ngum Lake is strikingly similar.
As we left Nam Ngum Lake, there was a small market outside the scenic area selling various dried fish. What touched me the most was the pile of chicken coops by the roadside and the chicks running around. It’s envious to see, as Hangzhou is a city without live poultry; all chickens and ducks are frozen. I rarely buy them in Hangzhou, only purchasing them during festivals or holidays when I visit the countryside for stewing. The rich flavor of those free-range chickens and ducks is a cherished childhood memory. It seems that coming to Laos can still make this a reality.
The upcoming journey to the border hall will be the longest of our trip, approximately 3 hours, as we head to Thailand. Laos and Thailand are separated only by the Mekong River. When crossing the border, we need to separate from our vehicles, holding our passports, 2-inch photos, and immigration cards to queue at the border checkpoint. However, the process is actually quite smooth. After exiting the border hall and waiting for a while, the bus arrives, and we continue on to the restaurant for tonight’s dinner.
