Bolaven Plateau Loop

Got on a bike to visit what they call the Bolaven Plateau loop, surrounded by waterfalls, coffee plantations and ethinc minorities. Visited the famous and gorgeous Tad Fad waterfall from above and hiked to Tad Yuan, which was a challenging and unclear route. After a long journey and mudd everywhere arrived to the second impressive waterfall. After this walked to Tad Chip, which was still closed so there was no parking to go there by bike and got completely attacked by leeches because it was completely abandoned. After this and a lot of rain, continued my journey, stopped for some local coffee (tried typica coffee, which was very sweet and delicious) and continued my way through the minority villages until Capitan Hook homestay. The arrival, totally shocking and amazing, pigs, chicken, naked kids running around a very simple wooden made small village. No road no nothing, only empty spaces where you could find yourself. Everyone pointing towards a direction, until I arrived to this house, that looked exactly like all the others. There, I was greeted by Hook. The place looked so simple and real that was just a blast, not even a mirror in the whole place. He was building a new bed with bamboo, and invited me to go cook dinner with his wife. All the equipment were a small stone oven, a casserole and some veggies. But when we ate... How amazing the food was! I was the only guest in the place, but there was all the time kids running from side to side. Apparently, in front of the guest house, there was the family house, where 25 family members lived (which is not a lot, because before they used to be 200). Chatted with Hook, his wife and his sister for a while and learned a lot about so many things (Hook was a really really intelligent, interesting and open minded person) tried their bamboo pipe (which apparently they start smoking at 2 in this village, because they believe it protects and scares bad spirits) and went to bed after my longlong day. On the next day, woke up and learned how to make sticky rice with his wife, and had, again, an amazing breakfast with some coffee made with a traditional bamboo filter (most things in the village where made with bamboo). And again, the food was soooooo delicious, probably ate better in this place than for the past months. Then had a private tour that lasted for about two hours (and only for 1€!!!) Where I learned so much about the history of coffee, its process and its several applications, all the medicinal plants that they used in the village and the traditions and lifestyle of this minority village, such as their religion (they are animists) and their very different traditions and rituals. For example, you can't take pictures of people in here because then you are stealing their soul, you can't knock on doors because it gives bad luck, you can't give candy to children because if they die months later, the parents will believe that you poisoned them, they think white people stay white because they don't work and only spend money, and that we have big noses because we eat a lot of bread, they are also sure that the earth is flat and make woman give birth in the forest and make them cross a fire to enter to get cleaned. And sososo many other things about this interesting ethnical village and their very different approach of life.
On the next day, headed towards Fandee guesthouse and visited two more waterfalls and another village, and relaxed in the peaceful environment. Even though the drive wasn't as amazing as expected, the destinations where quite interesting, and even more to feel like I was the only tourist on the whole area.

📍Essentials: Tad Fad waterfall (make sure that you do it on a nice clear day), Tad Yuan waterfall (you can trek from Tad Fad, but the hike is pretty difficult, slippery, steep and some points it felt like you were out of the track), Tad Chip cave waterfall (it was closed so it looked a bit abandoned, but still beautiful, it looked like with less water you could reach behind the waterfall), Capitan Hook tour
🍴 Food: Jhai coffee (beautiful chill place with amazing homemade coffee, good spot for a coffee break)
💡Travelling tips: 📢 Beware there's so many leeches everywhere on the treks, bring a lighter with you, you'll need it to take them out of your skin quite often
💡Travelling tips: apparently there is a big problem with stealing bikes in Laos, so you always have to leave the bike in a parking (which is to say, you always need to pay to leave your bike), and double lock it. This is quite annoying because, instead of letting you enjoy the freedom of bikes, you end up trapped having to walk to many places (or be unable to visit many others) so your bike is safe.
🏠 Accomodation: Capitan Hook (realrealrealreal local experience, dinner and breakfast included), Famdee Island (french owned place, food is small and expensive though, but really chill place with wood tents and tree houses, there is a water park which kinda destroys the vibe as well in my opinion)Read more