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116 SIEM REAP 6 SIEM REAP ATTRACTIONS Angkor Thom The temple name means “the great city” in Khmer and is famed for its fantastic 45m (148-ft.) central temple, Bayon and nearby Baphuon. The vast area of Angkor Thom, over a mile on one side, is dotted with many temples and features; don’t miss the elaborate reliefs on the Bayon’s first floor gallery or of the Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of Elephants. The Angkor Thom Gates, particularly the south gate, are good examples of the angelic carving of the Jayavarman head, a motif you will find throughout the temple sites. The bridge spanning the moat before the south entrance is lined with the gods and monsters said to have been in competition to churn the proverbial sea of milk that would cause creation of the world. The line of statues with the gate in the background is a classic Angkor scene. The Bayon The Bayon is the very centerpiece of the larger Angkor Thom city, and with its classic carved faces is one of the best loved of the Angkor temples. A magical, eerie, and mysterious place. Bayon is a Buddhist temple built under the reign of prolific Jayavarman VII (a.d. 1190), but the temple was built atop a previous Hindu site and adheres to Hindu cosmology and, with its central tower depicting Meru and its oceanic moat, can be read as a metaphor for the natural world. The Bayon is famous for its huge stone faces, usually set in groups of four around a central prang, or tower, and each face indicating an ordinal direction on the compass. The curious smiling faces are done in deep relief at Bayon, and you’ll also find them in different forms at the entrance gates to Angkor Thom, at Ta Prom, and Banteay Kdei. Their expression is as enigmatic as the Mona Lisa. Representing compassion and equanimity, they are also said to depict Jayavarman VII, the temple’s very builder and benefactor, himself. You approach the Bayon along a forested area at the city center, cool and misty, where streams of light come through in visible rays and the drone of cicadas is deafening (you might even see some monkeys). Elephant trekkers also line the road to the temple. The three-level Bayon is nearly square. The first level is surrounded by an intricate bas-relief gallery depicting stories of Khmer conquests and battles, as well as daily life and ritual among the early Khmers. A good guide can lead you to the juicy bits of the fun story, and you can spend a good bit of time sorting out the details for yourself too (kids love it). Look for the unique pairs of Apsara dancers on columns near the gallery (Apsaras usually dance alone). On the South Wall, find three tiers depicting Khmer battles with the Cham from 1177 to 1181, a battle that took place on the waters of the Tonle Sap Lake in boats—look for the grisly images of crocodiles eating the carcasses of the fallen. Also note the Chinese figure with beard, top knot, and lance on a horse. Khmer soldiers ride elephants and have short hair, a spear, and a magic string for invincible fighting; they also carry shields and banners. A good guide can point out details like a lady crouching and getting burned on a fire and a man handing a turtle to a chef, as well as a scene of a cockfight and soldiers sacrificing a buffalo to ensure good luck in battle. There’s a real sense of humanity to these images. The second level has some Apsara reliefs and porticos with lingam, but the third level is the most interesting, the place where you can get up close with the many Apsara Faces thought to resemble a serene Jayavarman. Each of the 54 small towers is adorned with a face, or a number of faces, and you can have a ball with your zoom lens. There are a number of porticos with small lingam statues, and elderly matrons sell incense sticks and a chance to make merit by making an offering. The large central tower, or Prang, is 25m (82 ft.) in diameter with 16 small coves for meditation of kings and high priests. In 1933, French archaeologist George Groslier excavated the main prang only to find a massive
To To To Banteay Banteay Banteay Srei Srei Srei Ta Ta Ta Som Som Som Neak Neak Neak Pean Pean Pean 8 Preah Preah Preah Khan Khan Khan 1 mile 0 North North North Gate Gate Gate Angkor Angkor Angkor Thom Thom Thom 0 2 km East East East Mebon Mebon Mebon Victory Victory Victory Gate Gate Gate Ta Kaeo 7 Ta Kaeo 6 11 Banteay Banteay Banteay Samre Samre Samre 9 East East East Gate Gate Gate Pre Pre Pre Rup Rup Rup Ta Ta Prohm Prohm 4 5 West West West Mebon Mebon Mebon Prei Prei Prei Prasat Prasat Prasat 12 10 3 Sras Sras Sras Srang Srang Srang Banteay Banteay Kdei Kdei South South South Gate Gate Gate Prasat Prasat Prasat Kravan Kravan Kravan 2 1 Airport Airport 6 Angkor Angkor Angkor Wat Wat Wat Kuk Kuk Kuk Bangro Bangro Bangro Main Main Main Entrance Entrance Entrance Police Police Police Roluos Roluos Roluos Siem Siem Siem Reap Reap Reap The Temples of Angkor Kuk Kuk Kuk Talek Talek Talek Tram Tram Tram Nak Nak Nak Lolei Lolei Lolei SIEM SIEM SIEM REAP REAP REAP 6 Preah Preah Preah Ko Ko Ko Bakong Bakong Bakong C A M B O D I A Angkor Wat ROLUOS ROLUOS ROLUOS Prei Prei Prei Monti Monti Monti To To To Tonle Tonle Tonle Sap Sap Sap Boat Boat Boat Landing Landing Landing Angkor Thom 5 Angkor Wat 1 Bakeng Hill 2 Banteay Kdei 12 Baphuon 6 The Bayon 4 Eastern Baray 11 Elephant Terrace 7 Preah Khan 8 Roluos Group 13 Ta Keo 9 Ta Prohm 10 Terrace of the Leper King 7 Vimean Akhar 6 Western Baray 3 13 Phnom Penh 117 SIEM REAP 6 SIEM REAP ATTRACTIONS
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Cambodia & Laos
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Cambodia & Laos by Daniel White 1st
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CONTENTS LIST OF MAPS vii 1 THE BES
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8 SOUTHERN CAMBODIA 152 1 Sihanoukv
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LIST OF MAPS The Best Small Towns,
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HOW TO CONTACT US In researching th
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The Best of Cambodia & Laos The cou
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the world’s most rewarding journe
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MYANMAR Muang Sing (BURMA) Luang Na
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7 BEST TEMPLES & WATS • Angkor Wa
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Cambodia in Depth If ever a country
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Phnom Penh (see p. 83 for more on t
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was Mahayana, not part of the Thera
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keep Cambodia neutral in the confli
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Rouge leaders will be prompted to s
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As Hun Sen darkly quipped years lat
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place largely without violence, Cam
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high-rise residential developments
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5 CAMBODIA IN POPULAR CULTURE RECOM
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Wherever you are, stick only to bot
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Planning Your Trip to Cambodia With
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Bonn Pchum Ben. During this period,
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3 GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND GE
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spend the night in Poipet, but this
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can be cold due to excessive air-co
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Come Armed with Singles We recommen
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the malarial mosquitoes are at thei
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are riding on a motorcycle, keep yo
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cater to travelers with disabilitie
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General Resources for Green Travel
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INTERNET In Cambodia, where you fin
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0 0 50 km 50 mi N Phumi Samraong Pr
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2 THE BEST OF LAOS IN 1 WEEK Althou
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Pak Lai Gulf of Thailand Mekong Mek
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Sao Market to shop for special Lao
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Founded in the mid-14th century by
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The Tonle Sap: The Heart of a Natio
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2 WHERE TO STAY There is a huge cho
Page 77 and 78: Mao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217
Page 79 and 80: No. 227 St. 19. & 023/222-280. www.
Page 81 and 82: Hotel Scandinavia This relaxed offe
Page 83 and 84: Inexpensive Capitol Guesthouse The
Page 85 and 86: Mao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217
Page 87 and 88: Phnom Penh’s Much-Loved Pachyderm
Page 89 and 90: completely punitive. They also have
Page 91 and 92: Le Jardin Café WESTERN As its name
Page 93 and 94: ao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217)
Page 95 and 96: The Khmer Rouge on Trial As this bo
Page 97 and 98: SWIMMING & FITNESS Many top hotels
Page 99 and 100: 5 DAY TRIPS OUTSIDE PHNOM PENH OUDO
Page 101 and 102: (& 023/211-534) and carries a simil
Page 103 and 104: The excellent Sovanna Phum Art Asso
Page 105 and 106: The ruins of the ancient city of An
Page 107 and 108: 1 Airport (8 km) Siem Reap Phnom Pe
Page 109 and 110: 10% VAT. Budget travelers are also
Page 111 and 112: Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay
Page 113 and 114: combo and sinks set in unique overs
Page 115 and 116: fan). The courtyard area is a pictu
Page 117 and 118: Mandalay Inn One of the first thing
Page 119 and 120: NIGHTLIFE Angkor What? 28 Dead Fish
Page 121 and 122: Shinta Mani INTERNATIONAL Shinta Ma
Page 123 and 124: Taj Mahal NORTHERN INDIAN It has be
Page 125 and 126: Some Guidelines When Visiting Angko
Page 127: 0 1st Level Vishnu’s victory over
Page 131 and 132: The Magic Hours at Angkor Wat The s
Page 133 and 134: Enter the temple from the west, the
Page 135 and 136: Westerners until a French researche
Page 137 and 138: Body Tune Spa, in the very heart of
Page 139 and 140: Colors of Cambodia Here’s a fun o
Page 141 and 142: A Dance for the Divine The royal cl
Page 143 and 144: APSARA DANCE Having spent the day l
Page 145 and 146: Battambang & Northern Cambodia From
Page 147 and 148: 0 0 0.25 km 2 DINING Bus Stop 10 Th
Page 149 and 150: either a car with a driver or a mot
Page 151 and 152: pleasant indeed with casual but sma
Page 153 and 154: its relaxed, open-air charm. The ty
Page 155 and 156: into a trip back on a small metal-a
Page 157 and 158: a mix of traditional Khmer ballads
Page 159 and 160: The Spiders of Skuon In the town of
Page 161 and 162: $10 but can be more during high sea
Page 163 and 164: all over by 10am. The Reclining Bud
Page 165 and 166: 1 3 4 2 5 7 6 8 10 8 11 12 9 15 14
Page 167 and 168: Ochheuteal Beach to Victory Beach c
Page 169 and 170: Beach Road Hotel Covering both the
Page 171 and 172: Koh Rong Beach. & 016/214-211. www.
Page 173 and 174: Snakehouse INTERNATIONAL Here’s a
Page 175 and 176: Cooking Courses If you want to lear
Page 177 and 178: ACCOMMODATIONS Champa Koh Kong Gues
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can take a motorcycle or car into t
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New Bridge Kampot 1 2 Prek Kampong
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also a more straightforward house w
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and a turnoff to a small waterfall
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Information Post Office 3 2 Kep Bea
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WHERE TO DINE All the hotels and gu
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part in Lao culture; arguments are
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forces captured and sacked Xiang Do
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1950, an offshoot of pro-Vietminh I
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CCHINA H I N A MYANMAR Muang Sing (
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visited places such as Savannakhet,
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There have been some tensions along
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Water in restaurants is safe to dri
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LAOS CALENDAR OF EVENTS For an exha
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2 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS PASSPORTS A pa
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A simple river crossing connects Th
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will help your blood pressure to pl
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able to organize a car and driver f
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Although levels of HIV/AIDS are, at
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Prabang and Vientiane are geared mo
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monsoon forest, diverse wildlife po
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Telephone Dialing at a Glance • T
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also plenty of other shops and bout
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expensive. You will see them lined
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1/4 mile 0 L A O S L A O S 0 0.25 k
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MODERATE Asian Pavilion Hotel Forme
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Riverine Hotel This old colonial vi
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37-01 Nokeo Khoummane Rd. & 021/262
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1/4 mile 0 26 0 0.25 km Khoua Khoua
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favorites from home. They have subm
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Vientiane’s Street Fare The busy
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35 1/4 mile 0 4 34 0 0.25 km Khoua
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Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan Wat Ong Teu i
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start start 11 Khoua Khoua Luang Lu
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Organized Tours Most hotels, guesth
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Dokkhoun Handicrafts Mainly special
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has closed, going on until 2am in p
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ead in cafes and bakeries. You will
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GETTING THERE Vang Vieng is a smoot
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18 17 16 1 Bus Station Hospital Pos
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Vang Vieng Orchid This is an excell
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20m (66 ft.) from the main junction
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The Amazing Mountain Journey to Lua
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20 L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vi
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The Fate of the King Savang or Sisa
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Lao Speedboat Risks Alternatively y
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wood floors, and fashionable room d
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lush rice paddies and picturesque h
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great riverside location, although
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L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vient
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Lao-style crème brûlée, a custar
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75/76 Ban Xieng Mouane. & 071/212-2
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0 0 0.25 km 27 Old Stadium Phou Pho
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where a shrine of the royal spirit
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Make Merit Picture Sunday Mass at a
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during the reign of Sam Saen Thai.
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Its name translates as “golden ci
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mount Phousi Wat Pua
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SHOPPING The central area of Luang
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Banks & Currency Exchange The Bank
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If you go by road it takes about 3
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with Western-style toilets and hot
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6 PAKBENG If you are taking the slo
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next to the post office. The airpor
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containing an oxygen generator in c
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Central Laos is rarely at the top o
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L A O S Vientiane Savannakhet 4 3 S
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Dinosaurs in Laos Quite strangely,
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ACCOMMODATIONS Hotel Riveria 1 Inth
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Souksomboun Hotel This hotel is sim
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Southern Laos Southern Laos is ofte
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DINING Delta Coffee Shop and Restau
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Champasak Palace Hotel This hotel w
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More Choice Eats in Pakse There are
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WHERE TO STAY & DINE In Champasak,
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(snake) Kaliya, the god Indra ridin
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Getting There Boats leave Ban Nakas
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Fast Facts 1 FAST FACTS: CAMBODIA A
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There is no Canadian Embassy in Lao
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Khmer & Lao Glossary 1 THE KHMER LA
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HOTEL English Khmer Do you have any
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English Lao Call a doctor Toh-ha ta
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GENERAL INDEX AARP, 43, 204 Accommo
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Food stores and markets, Vientiane,
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Pak Ou Caves, 280 Pakse, 307-314 Pa
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Tham Chang (near Vang Vieng), 250 T
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Pavillon Indochine (Siem Reap), 102
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The Red Piano (Siem Reap), 108 Red
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MYANMAR MMYANMAR Y A N M A R (BURMA
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