Boat travel in Laos -- keeping the gear dry?

Abig plastic bag, works for all months of the yeat BTW

My wife and I took the slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang in Nov/Dec 2005. Passenger baggage was kept in a roofed area in back and I did not notice anyone taking special measures to keep their gear dry. Even so, it may be a good idea to bring along a large plastic to help keep your backpack dry at any time. For details and photos see the "Thailand & Laos" section of Our Travel Journals: www.evcal.org</a>

There is no need to worry about your gear getting wet. Boats are roofed and there is no perceptible spray or splash. Just be careful not to fall off the rickety gangplank!

I use plastic bags wherever I travel in the rainy season. I don't think you will have much risk of getting wet in the slow boats but if you take a speedboat trip there is a good chance of getting soaked. I did cross a river on a bamboo raft in one place with some trepedation out of concern for my recently purchased digital camera. I placed it inside two knotted plastic bags and hoped for the best.

WeiLong in Laos

slowboat along Mekong OK, but slowboats on other rivers (Nam Ou, etc) are much smaller, don't always have a roof & can be leaky. can be soaked by spray when speedboat passes too closely too. used plastic bags & rubberbands & ziplocs.

If you sink a large plastic bag may be usefull.
speedboats/ spray may affect the luggage. I always put my camera in plastic food bags inide my camera case on belt. rucksack wet just means clothes washed again.

Just came back from the boat trip last week. No problem with gear getting wet.