The Mekong River carries Southeast Asia’s cultural diversity and history from Laos’ forested northern mountains to Thailand and Cambodia’s rice fields, and visitors can easily access its many highlights and experience the local’s lifestyle along the way. The Mekong begins its lengthy Lao journey at Luang Namtha Province by carving the border with Myanmar’s Shan State through pristine wilderness, and lures trekkers with dozens of community-based ecotourism programs (CBT) operated by the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO), ethnic villagers and local tour companies. A two-day boat voyage from Luang Namtha down the Nam Tha River reaches the Mekong near Houei Xai: the jumping off point for the forest-canopy “Gibbon Experience” and the Thai border crossing to Chiang Saen. Just west of Chiang Saen, the 14th century Lanna Kingdom capital, the Mekong leaves Myanmar at the infamous Golden Triangle to begin tracing the Thai-Laos border before breaking east towards the UNESCO World Heritage site Luang Prabang. Two-day luxury or local cruises depart Houei Xai for the ancient Lane Xang Kingdom capital, anchoring at Pakbeng, before continuing past the Hongsa elephant centre and stopping to observe ethnic village lifestyles.