We Went Together

Laos · 11–16 October 2025

Laos

Six days between limestone hills, cold water, caves and quieter days in Vientiane.

Vang Vieng · Day 1

Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng felt very different from the trips we had done before. We stayed beneath the limestone hills, travelled around in local songthaews and spent most of our time outside. The children took to it immediately.

Vanessa, Sophie and George at Bearlin Bungalow with limestone hills behind them
The children travelling in a local songthaew
The children loved every songthaew ride.

Blue Lagoon and Tham Phu Kham · Days 2–3

Cold Water and Caves

Blue Lagoon 1 became the clearest memory of the trip. The day was hot, the water was cold, and Sophie and George each took the zipline with me, holding onto my back.

The next morning began with a small river crossing and a steep climb to Tham Phu Kham Cave. On the path back, we stopped to watch red palm weevil larvae cooking over the fire. None of us tried them, but none of us could look away.

The family at Blue Lagoon 1
The children at Blue Lagoon 1
Ziplining into Blue Lagoon 1.
A river crossing on the way to Tham Phu Kham Cave
The family walking towards Tham Phu Kham Cave
Inside Tham Phu Kham Cave
Grilled red palm weevil larvae beside the path
Grilled red palm weevil larvae beside the path.

Vientiane · Days 3–6

Quieter Days in Vientiane

Vientiane slowed the trip down. The children had time to play, and we visited Patuxai and the COPE Visitor Centre. At COPE, we learned how unexploded ordnance still affects families in Laos decades after the war.

The children playing in Vientiane
Patuxai in Vientiane
Patuxai, Vientiane.
The family at the COPE Visitor Centre
A final quiet moment in Laos

Singapore · 16 October

Home

6 days · 5 nights · approximately 4,000 kilometres