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Laos, Phongsaly Province, Hat Sa (hat sa)
Project gen story hotsia
Hat Sa (hat sa), Ou River, before reaching Phongsaly (must be able to read it), Phu Fa Stupa .. Phongsaly, eating at a local Phongsaly house, Muang Khwa to Dien Bien Phu, Phongsaly Bus Station 2014, Guesthouse in Phongsaly, Boat from Hat Sa to Muang Khwa, Phongsaly morning market 2014, starting point for rafting on the Ou River by boat. This morning I woke up early because I had to walk to catch the bus at the bus stop going to Hat Sa, which required walking beside Phu Fa. The last morning waking up in Phongsaly.
It turned out to be a very nice day. A light mist spread throughout Phongsaly, making it very beautiful. I paid for the room and then walked around taking pictures and asking locals for directions. The Hat Sa bus queue is on the same route as the villagers' gardens, so I had several friends walking to the bus stop together. Hat Sa is a small village located by the Ou River. The Ou River flows from the northernmost part of Laos, southern China, passing Hat Sa and continuing to Muang Khwa, Muang Ngoy, Nong Khiao, and flows into the Mekong River at Pak Ou Cave near Luang Prabang.
Hat Sa was an important village in the past because travel relied mainly on waterways. Imagine traveling from Vientiane to Luang Prabang and then on to Phongsaly, relying mainly on the river, similar to how in the past in Thailand, traveling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was by boat. This was how travel was a hundred years ago in Thailand before cars and dams existed. On the morning of the day I was traveling to Muang Ngoy, Hat Sa is 20 kilometers from Phongsaly town. The bus fare to Hat Sa is 10,000 kip or 40 baht. There is one bus daily to Hat Sa. If you want to take a boat from Phongsaly to the south, you must come early. The boat checks if there are 7 passengers. If full, the cost per person is 400 baht. If not full, the price increases. If there are not enough people, you must stay overnight at Hat Sa, which has accommodation called Wanna Guesthouse, priced at 100 baht per night, to wait for enough passengers or until you can afford the shared price. The 400 baht boat only goes as far as Muang Khwa.
From Muang Khwa, you can take a bus to Luang Prabang or Udomxai, or continue by boat to Muang Ngoy and then to Luang Prabang. My plan was to travel by boat all the way to Luang Prabang. Conversely, if traveling upstream from Luang Prabang, Muang Ngoy, Muang Khwa to Hat Sa, you can share or rent a car from Hat Sa to Phongsaly or wait for the next day's bus. I do not recommend traveling upstream by boat because it is slower, more time-consuming, and more dangerous than going downstream. The boat upstream from Muang Khwa to Hat Sa takes 10 hours, but from Hat Sa to Muang Khwa takes 6 hours. Ticket sales and bus services at Hat Sa are well organized with scheduled boat departures. However, the number of river travelers is decreasing. When I went, there were only a few people. I had to pay 500 baht to take the boat to Muang Khwa. Calculating expenses, the boat is definitely more expensive. But if you think you might be one of the last tourists to have the chance to boat from Phongsaly to Luang Prabang, it is worth it. This route offers great experiences waiting to be discovered, so I was willing to pay a bit more for an experience you can't find anywhere else in the world. After agreeing on the price, I immediately looked for food. At Hat Sa, a simple pho shop can satisfy hunger. I want to warn tourists to bring food from here because sometimes unexpected problems arise and having food can sustain you.
French bread or grilled sticky rice with chicken like this is suitable to carry in your bag. For the long bread or 'pa jee' as the Lao call it, be careful when buying because it may have black mold. You must check carefully. I have encountered it and had to throw it away. The Hat Sa pier, the starting point, used to reach Vientiane. Although Hat Sa pier is far in Phongsaly near the Chinese border, if necessary, you can pay in Thai baht. For currency conversion to Thai baht,
kip, if exchanged at a bank, you get 254 kip per baht. Using Thai baht in Laos anywhere always loses 4 kip per baht. That means if I pay 1,000 baht, I lose 4,000 kip. After eating, when everyone was ready, we started the boat trip. On this trip, I traveled with 6 people, all Lao, no foreigners. The Ou River at Hat Sa is considered the upper part of the river. You can almost walk across the Ou River as it is not very deep. People were casting nets to catch fish and setting up nets as well. I traveled during the early rainy season after the Ou River had been nearly dry for a long time. It rained continuously for two days (it rains often in Laos; the forests and mountains are lush), making the water muddy and flowing faster than usual, increasing the excitement of rafting on the Ou River by boat. And then I started the journey rafting on the Ou River. Follow along to see how far I get today.... Mr.HotSia woke up early. This photo was taken from inside the room. I came out to stand on the balcony this morning; the mist was beautifully settled.
Backpack and computer bag, ready to go. Food vendors sell from early morning on the way to the bus stop for Hat Sa. This elderly lady showed me the way to the bus queue... Thank you. Another Lao coffee shop. Wherever they sell, they arrange things like this. The path to catch the bus to Hat Sa is 3 kilometers from my accommodation. Many Phongsaly villagers walk to their gardens along the same route as me. Phongsaly people commonly carry loads on their shoulders like this, with shoulder pads. Ahead is the bus queue to Hat Sa. On the way between Phongsaly and Hat Sa, the bus station and bus queue for Hat Sa.
Hungry or not, you must eat pho first to stock up, or you will be hungry on the way. Boat departure to Muang Khwa.
Laos, Phongsaly Province, Hat Sa (hat sa) Picture 2
Laos, Phongsaly Province, Hat Sa (hat sa) Picture 3
Laos, Phongsaly Province, Hat Sa (hat sa) Picture 4
Laos, Phongsaly Province, Hat Sa (hat sa) Picture 5
