Mar 10, 2010 | Luang Namtha Province

Everyone loves Laos, and it's easy to see why. Large chunks of the country have been set aside for environmental protection, and Luang Namtha is the mecca for ecotourism. I met Xai, the owner of Namtha River Experience, and told him I don't like package tours and I want to be productive. He invited me on a trail survey with some village and government guys, then we did a 4-day, 400-km tour of the entire province on an off-road motorcycle. As for being productive, I polished the English translations for his tour catalog and restaurant menu, and also volunteered at some local ESL classes.