Receding Mekong erodes tourist arrivals in Bokeo
Vientiane Times, By Panyasith Thammavongsa
(Latest Update March 06 , 2010)
The number of tourists arriving in Laos through Huayxai district in Bokeo province has fallen slightly in recent weeks, according to a provincial immigration official.
Deputy Head of Huayxai Immigration Checkpoint, Police Captain Savai Sisavath, said on Monday the decline in visitor numbers was caused by the unusually low level of the Mekong River which has led some Thai tour operators to cancel trips to Laos.
Most tourists who cross into Laos from Xiengkhong district in Chiang Rai province, Thailand, continue their trip by slow boat down the Mekong River to Pakbaeng district in Oudomxay province and the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, he said.
It's unusual for the river to be this low so early in the year, as it's usually at its lowest in April. Some tour operators have cancelled trips to our province because there are some difficulties with the slow boats travelling downstream.
However, tourists do have other options, including taking a speedboat. It takes six hours to get from Bokeo province to Luang Prabang.
Tourists can also travel to Luang Prabang by road, a journey of around eight hours, he said.
Cap. Savai said the number of tourists travelling through the checkpoint is highest between September and March, with most tourists coming from the UK, France, the Netherlands and Thailand.
We've had more than 80 Chinese students, who are currently studying in Thailand, returning home for the holidays through Bokeo province in the last few days, he said.
There are usually around 80 people passing through the checkpoint every day at this time of year, but this has fallen to about 50 people per day in recent weeks.
Director of the Bokeo provincial Tourism Department, Mr Vanthong Chittakoun, said tourists who arrive at the checkpoint early in the morning usually take the slow boat to Luang Prang, while tourists who come through in the afternoon often visit the Nam Kan Forest.
Visitors to the forest can sleep in tree-houses and participate in activities such as zip-lining and trekking. The forest is about 70km from provincial capital of Huayxai and is located in Donchai village.
Mr Vanthong said the province expects to receive 900,000 tourists in the five years from 2011 to 2015. Almost 127,000 tourists visited the province last financial year.
A young British tourist waiting to pass through immigration in Huayxai said It's my first visit to Laos, and my group is travelling from Thailand to Laos and then on to Cambodia and Vietnam. I'm very excited about the trip. |
