Laos forum

If you get a chopper and come tooling into some village, you'll be an even bigger star than you would normally be.

Villages are interesting for about an hour. After that I find them just boring. So do the inhabitants, which is why they move to the cities as quickly as possible.

But seriously renting a small motorcycle would be the way to go. Allows you to cover 15 or 20 kilometers reasonably quickly, and you'll need to get back to the city to sleep - well you'll probably want to anyway.

Somsai
Not to sound jaded here, but even with a guide who speaks the language, it's going to be superficial. Getting to know people in a serious manner takes months, if not years. A few hours with a guide isn't going to cut it.

As a follow up, homestays are usually a good way to gain a better glimpse into local lifestyle and culture than a hotel or guesthouse. If you've got more time, you could also look into volunteer options at local schools or such. Sorry that I don't have specific recommendations for you in the LP area, but I suspect a bit of research before or after you arrive might turn up something. Cheers.

LPB is larger than what's shown in guidebook maps. a lot of village life in the 'blank' areas in guidebook maps - areas that are devoid of map symbols indicating facilities/things of interest to tourists. just get a bicycle & use these non-guidebook maps:
http://hobomaps.com/LuangPrabangRegionMap.html
http://hobomaps.com/LuangPrabangAreaMap.html

If you're still reading Glomer. . .

I kind of shot far wide of the mark, and I did know what you were after.

It does sound like a good plan, a bike draws less attention and isn't so noisy. Even villages on the road are pretty quiet. Anywhere outside of the very center of town village life goes on as it always does for any to see. Sometimes by just watching carefully for a long while you start to see things. What at first seems boring and dull on closer observation shows much activity.

Village life is lived in public, and everyone expects to be seen, and even noticed.

Strangers from other cultures and ethnicities are not uncommon. I mean besides tourists there are many other peoples wandering through. Given the right circumstances we are just one more.

I hope you have a good time in Laos.

"Even villages on the road are pretty quiet."

In this respect they must be really different from Isaan villages. Between the dogs barking (hundreds of them), the roosters crowing in the early (very early) morning, and the kids racing all over the place on motorcycles which need mufflers... it's the noisiest place I've ever stayed.

In this case they must be really different. Because Thai villages are, without exageration, louder than New York City.

If you guys are still hearing roosters you haven't moved in yet. Unpack your junk and relax why dontcha?

One thing to be said for lack of electricity or money is it sure cuts down on the stereos and motorcyles (and cantankerous old expats shouting "get off my lawn")

Now if you'd mentioned the sound of the big foot powered coke and saht dehusking the day's rice coming from under every house I'd recognise a morning sound. Or in a big town Commie radio (welcome substitution for all the royal baloney) that I hear when I'm already at the market as is every other normal non lazy, non alcoholic, human being.

Laos and Thailand, so similar, only separated by a river and a few years, I'll take the few years.

wanderingcat - those hobomaps of LP are great. Do they sell printed copies, if I tried to print them out, I'd get something unreadable?

The quickest way to get away from the tourist hordes in Luang Prabang is to take your bicycle across the Mekong on the vehicle ferry for 5,000 kip and tour the dirt roads in Chomphet district. Nothing spectacular over there but real Laos without tourists. Hobo Maps has these roads on their regional map but some areas are still blank and fun to explore. Hiking over there is good too but get away from the riverside trail if possible where tour groups sometimes come to see the temples.