Huay Xay - Gateway to Slow Boat Travel And Gibbons
Huay Xai: Laos' Gateway to Gibbon Encounters and Slow Boat Adventures Welcome to Huay Xai (sometimes spelled Houayxay or Huoeisay because standardized spelling is overrated), the Lao border town that most travelers speed through faster than you can say "visa extension." But those in the know realize this unassuming frontier outpost deserves more than just a passport stamp. Perched on the Mekong across from Thailand, Huay Xai is indeed home to the famous Gibbon Experience and serves as the launchpad for legendary slow boat journeys to Luang Prabang. Where in the World? Huay Xai sits in Bokeo Province in northwestern Laos, directly across the Mekong River from Chiang Khong, Thailand. It's basically the town equivalent of the kid who lives on the edge of the neighborhood map. It's technically part of Laos but constantly looking across the river at its more developed Thai neighbor. The surrounding landscape features mountains draped in jungle so dense it would make ...