To experience rural life far away from the hustle and bustle, we decided to take a trip from Luang Prabang to homestay experience in a remote Laotian village. There we spent a night with Kham's family – a very nice Laotian woman who now lives in Luang Prabang and has her roots in the idyllic village of Muang Soune. Since 2010, she has been offering experiences like this to tourists under the name Homestay Laos.
Homestay in Muang Soune village
Um das Landleben fernab vom Trubel zu erleben, beschlossen wir, eine Reise von Luang Prabang nach Homestay-Erlebnis in einem abgelegenen laotischen Dorf zu machen. Dort verbrachten wir eine Nacht bei Khams Familie – einer sehr netten laotischen Frau, die heute in Luang Prabang lebt und ihre Wurzeln in dem idyllischen Dorf Muang Soune hat. Seit 2010 bietet sie Touristen unter dem Namen Homestay Laos solche Erlebnisse an.
On the way to the village, we went straight to a traditional market. Here we found freshly harvested vegetables, exotic fruits, various spices and aromatic herbs. Between the stalls were piles of sacks of rice, dried fish and smoked meat. Particularly exciting were the stalls selling traditional snacks and sweet treats, as well as baskets of live chickens and vats of live fish. At one of the stalls, Kham's mother weighed herself on a large rice scale, much to the amusement of the surrounding traders. After visiting the market, the family prepared a traditional lunch. There was Laap, den berühmten laotischen Salat aus gehacktem Hühnerfleisch, frisch gepflückten Kräutern, Limettensaft und geröstetem Reis sowie Mok Pa, ein in Bananenblättern gedämpfter Fisch, der mit Zitronengras und frischen Kräutern verfeinert war.
Exploring the village and rice fields
At midday, we took a leisurely stroll through the village and the surrounding rice fields. Kham showed us the daily life of the villagers and some of their community facilities – from the small school to the hairdresser and the modest hospital. It was impressive to see how different the standards are here. The school, a simple building with just a few rooms, is the heart of the village for the children, who ran past us with shining eyes and looked at us curiously. The hairdresser's, a simple room with just one chair and a mirror, offered haircuts at a price that would be unthinkable in Germany – just 50 pence.
On our way through the village, the villagers greeted us warmly and seemed to be delighted by our visit. Once we arrived at the rice fields, we had the opportunity to try our hand at rice cultivation. It was a laborious but unforgettable task – and our feet got a little dirty in the process. The return journey was on a ‘tractor’, which Kham's uncle picked us up with and drove us back to the house through bumpy terrain.
Travelling on the Nam Ou River & ant spectacle
In the afternoon, we went on an exciting boat trip with Kham's ‘jack-of-all-trades’ uncle. Together, we chugged along the calm river in his narrow boat, surrounded by untouched nature.
A highlight of the trip was a stop at a bunker cave that goes deep into the rock and, according to the villagers, provided shelter during the war. Afterwards, Kham's uncle showed us his fishing methods. He set out nets to catch fish and proudly explained how important these traditional techniques are for the village community. It was fascinating to watch him and learn more about the craftsmanship that has been passed down here for generations.
In the evening, we gathered with the family around a small campfire that had been lit in front of the house. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the soft crackling of the fire mingled with the sounds of nature at night. We sat together, laughed and enjoyed the peaceful moments after an eventful day.
Suddenly, Kham's uncle jumped up abruptly and asked us with a serious expression whether we might have any food in our room. A little surprised, we said no, but before we could ask any questions, he had already disappeared. Somewhat perplexed, we looked at each other and wondered what that was all about.
After a short time, however, our uncle returned – this time with a large stick, which he used as an improvised torch. With surprising determination, he set about searching the walls of the wooden house and directed his torch at a long trail of ants that stretched along the wooden wall. With practised movements, he began to burn the ants with the flame. The insects had obviously chosen the house as their evening destination, and our uncle knew exactly how to deal with them. It was a situation that will remain in our memories forever!
Alms ceremony & return journey
The next morning, we got up very early to attend the alms ceremony at the village temple – a deeply rooted ritual celebrated in many parts of Laos. Three monks, dressed in their bright orange robes, received alms from the villagers after prayers and traditional chants. It was a quiet, almost meditative atmosphere in which everyone placed a small gift, be it rice, fruit or freshly prepared dishes, into the monks' bowls.
After the ceremony, we set off on another walk through the quieter, less visited part of the village. There we encountered people going about their daily work, marvelled at the simple but fascinating life surrounded by nature, and had the opportunity to discover yet another corner of the village.
Around noon, Kham drove us back to Luang Prabang from our homestay in the village of Muang Soune. Looking back, the time we spent with Kham and her family in their home village was a real highlight of our trip, which we can warmly recommend to all travellers looking for authentic experiences off the beaten track.