Romantic Mekong River sunset cruise is for all

(KPL) The panoramic view of the Mekong River during the sunset hours, 17.00 hours to 19.00 hours, was a sight that should not be missed by any Laotian or tourist to this country.
The sad thing is that there was no boat service to take you out, to chug upstream at a snail’s pace to get you to feel the sensation of entering the deep cavern of the sunset sun and to be bathed by the yellow rays of the weakening sun.
However, a few years ago, from 1999 till 2003, That Luang Tour, a local company offered such a service to walk-in locals, tourists and any organised group.
Any organised group could charter the 40-seater boat for USD 70 for two hours and the boat would steam from Sikhay Village to Khemkong and back to the starting point.
According to Mr Thonglith Tammavong, who was the tour organiser for this company, the “who’s who” in Vientiane, like the staff of embassies, rich NGO’s, powerful international organisations and Lao companies regularly chartered his boat to foster the spirit of camaraderie of their employees.
Speaking to the KPL News reporter last week, he said that most of the people he met took this river cruise seriously. They would bring on board delicious food, playing cards, musical gadgets and most important of all, their girlfriends.
He also said he observed that the setting sun and the river scenery had a “magical effect” and put the passengers in a happy mood.
Love blooms when it was starting to get dark. That was the time when the men and their girlfriends smiled, laughed, talked, dined on good food, drank alcoholic drinks and flirt with one another.
Unfortunately, this river cruise service came to an end when the owner passed away and his wife shuttered the company.
The boat was sold off and the new owner refitted it to become a boat restaurant, anchored on the Nam Ngum River, near Thangnon.
This company had a bigger boat that it had leased, a 200-seater, it was used for the same purpose and this one was handed over to its owner.
It was now used as a dine-and-cruise ship that steamed out during the early hours of the evening from Thadeua, Vientiane and back to its starting point.
Unlike the free-and-easy cruise of That Luang Tour, this was a more formal and starchy affair, the tour organizer expected its patrons to dine on food sold at restaurant prices and at the same time to enjoy the river sunset scene. Veteran river cruise operator, Thonglith, said that to revive the river cruise of the old days, there was a need to build a jetty on the Mekong River in Vientiane’s glitzy Khemkong, located in the heart of the capital city’s tourist belt.
While tourism was the, “Number Two” money spinner for Laos, but in order to ratchet up the number of tourist arrivals, there was a need to provide them with thrilling, romantic and unforgettable experiences in Vientiane and in fact, in the country.

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