Riding the Mekong River Sa Sa Sunset Cruise
Sunset cruise?
Drinks, sunset, river cruise… what more can you ask for?
Sa Sa Sunset Cruise tl;dr
- Complimentary Drink and Local Whisky Shot
- Slow Going River Cruise on a Large Boat
- Sunsets and Riverside Views
One of the highlights of our time in Luang Prabang was riding the current of the Mekong with Sa Sa Sunset Cruises. Nadia and I headed over to their location to get our tickets and then proceeded to walk around town a little bit before getting on the boat.
Turns out we shouldn’t have wait till departure time because a lot of the seats were already picked by the time we got back. This is one of those times I shouldn’t have ignored my instincts to stay at their onsite bar and take a drink versus walking around in the heat.
Beautiful Sunsets
That aside, we slowly made our way up river to catch the sunset. It was a beautiful sun set over the Laotian hills across the Mekong River. Nadia and I patiently watched as the sun dipped beyond the horizon trailing the last of it’s bright rays, leaving beautiful colored tones dazzle across the sky.
All in all, it was slow going and made only slower with the introduction of our complimentary cocktails, which I have to say didn’t taste the way it should but free is free. We passed on any snacks to maintain our appetite for dinner later on that night.
The staff did entertain us with stories about Luang Prabang’s history. They even had us write wishes on leaves to be released with fish that they had in a tank in some kind ceremonious significance which to this day still eludes me. I think it was something akin to whichever leaf the fish takes with it or something will be granted or something along those lines.
Full Moons
Coming back the light faded to darkness and the full moon took center stage in the sky. It was a stark contrast to what it was just an hour ago. We fought staying awake from all the heat and slow churning of the boats engine both nearly succesul in rocking us to sleep.
A staff member walked around handing out shots of the local rice whiskey lao lao which did a number on us. The nearly perceptible gasoline strength of the alcohol jarred our palates awake, and then to painfully, anxiously waiting for dinner to wipe it clean of the liquor. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great, but perhaps it was better elsewhere around town.
What is It
The Sa Sa Sunset Cruise is essentially a 2 level boat that will slowly take you up the river to catch the last rays of the sun before making it’s way back to port over the course of a couple of hours. You’re definitely won’t be in a rush and literally going with the Laotian flow.
Where is It
You can get your tickets at their road/riverside bar and you could also get a drink. Otherwise come back after walking around town to catch the boat before it departs.
I would suggest getting back to the boat early if you want to pick any seat!
What to Do There
As you would expect there isn’t much to do on the cruise other than enjoy the ride and partake of any of the extra luxuries that their bar and kitchen can potentially provide to you:
- Eat food
- Drinks cocktails
- Watch the sunset
- Relax and chill out
