The Best of Cambodia & Laos

More documents

Recommendations

Info

134 The city runs along both banks of the Sangker River north to south. The city center and pretty much everything you need is on the west bank. The only three numbered streets in the city run parallel to the river. These are the blindingly complicated Street 1 (by the river), Street 2 (the first parallel), and Street 3 (the second parallel). All run from the two-lane crossroad near the post office and the Teo hotel to Phsar Nath (the “Meeting Market”). Street 3 is the town’s main street with shops (an incredibly high proportion of which are devoted to mobile phones), hotels, and restaurants. Phsar Nath is very much the town hub. Banks and travel agents are all situated around here. There is a cluster of hotels around this area and an increasing number of tourist-focused eateries. To the south of the central district and largely hugging the river are a number of administrative and municipal offices and some glorious colonial-era villas on leafy grounds. On the east bank of the river there a number of hotels and restaurants on the old route NH#5, heading toward the main road that takes you to Phnom Penh. Crossing the river south to north are the “New Iron Bridge” and the “Old Stone Bridge” (which is actually concrete and restricted to motorcycles and pedestrians), both linking up with Old NH#5 taking you to the main Phnom Penh Road. There’s also the “Old Iron Bridge” linking the east bank directly to the center of town and the “New Stone Bridge” linking the north end of town to the main road to Phnom Penh via the new NH#5. In reality, it doesn’t matter too much where you cross, since most roads on the east side will take you to the Dambong Roundabout and all other roads radiate out from there, and on the west side the grid system is simple to navigate both north and south. BATTAMBANG & NORTHERN CAMBODIA 7 BATTAMBANG Getting There BY PLANE There are no flights to Battambang at present, although the airport is still there and this may change. Until relatively recently there were flights to and from Phnom Penh on decaying prop planes run by a number of fairly dubious outfits. Those companies are no more and it does not seem to be in any airline’s financial interest to run the route at present. BY BOAT Daily ferries leave in each direction to and from Siem Reap at 7am. This is becoming a major tourist draw in Cambodia. The fare is $19 to $25 per person. It’s a beautiful, 7- to 9-hour journey across the Tonle Sap and along the Sangker River in the wet season, but can take a lot longer in the dry season due to low water levels—rarely under 8 hours at any time of year. Passengers also get dropped off along the way and the stops can slow up the trip. Ask about current conditions. The boats are not incredibly safe but it’s not far to swim to the bank in a worst-case scenario, and the water is mostly quite shallow. It can become very uncomfortable on the wooden seats after many hours, so bring a cushion. There is no direct boat to Battambang from Phnom Penh. BY BUS The road from Battambang to Siem Reap around the west side of the lake is now finally in excellent condition the entire way. It takes about 4 to 5 hours. Bus companies running the route are Neak Krorhorm, Mekong Express, and Rith Mony. There are frequent air-conditioned buses daily. Tickets can be bought from the company offices for $4 or $5, just north of Psar Nath on Rte. 5. Making Your Shared Taxi Bearable For more comfort, pay double and keep the whole front seat to yourself. You won’t regret it.
0 0 0.25 km 2 DINING Bus Stop 10 The Cold Night 27 Fresh Eats Café 2 The Gecko Café 7 Pkay Proek 19 Pomme d’Amour 9 The Riverside Balcony Bar 21 Riverside food stalls 18 Smokin Pot 14 White Rose 11 Wat Wat Peapatid 20 ATTRACTIONS Ek Phnom 1 Provincial Museum 16 Ta Dambong statue 25 3 8 Road Road #3 #3 Wat Tahm Rai Saw 17 1/4 mi 4 5 Road Road #2 #2 6 10 10 9 11 13 15 14 19 N 7 Road Road #1 #1 16 Wat Kampheng New New Stone Stone Bridge Bridge Sangker River Iron Bridge 18 Boat Dock 12 New New Iron Iron Bridge Bridge Governor’s Residence SHOPPING Psar Nath 5 Psar Leu 22 Pulp 13 Smiling Sky Bookshop 15 Wat Bovil Wat Kandal 1 Wat Bo Knong Old Old Stone Stone Bridge Bridge 22 ACCOMMODATIONS Bungalow Guesthouse 20 Bus Stop 10 Chhaya Hotel 8 Golden Palace Hotel 23 International Hotel 6 Khemara Battambang Hotel 24 La Villa 12 Royal Hotel 3 Seng Hout Hotel 4 Spring Park Hotel 28 Teo Hotel 17 New New Route Route #5 #5 C A M B O D I A Battambang Phnom Penh Wat Wat Sangker Sangker 26 28 23 27 24 21 Wat Pachhaa Battambang NIGHTLIFE Sky Disco 26 25 Bank Hospital Information Post Office Train Station Taxi Stand 135 BATTAMBANG & NORTHERN CAMBODIA 7 BATTAMBANG
Page 1 and 2:
Cambodia & Laos
Page 3 and 4:
Cambodia & Laos by Daniel White 1st
Page 5 and 6:
CONTENTS LIST OF MAPS vii 1 THE BES
Page 7 and 8:
8 SOUTHERN CAMBODIA 152 1 Sihanoukv
Page 9 and 10:
LIST OF MAPS The Best Small Towns,
Page 11 and 12:
HOW TO CONTACT US In researching th
Page 13 and 14:
The Best of Cambodia & Laos The cou
Page 15 and 16:
the world’s most rewarding journe
Page 17 and 18:
MYANMAR Muang Sing (BURMA) Luang Na
Page 19 and 20:
7 BEST TEMPLES & WATS • Angkor Wa
Page 21 and 22:
Cambodia in Depth If ever a country
Page 23 and 24:
Phnom Penh (see p. 83 for more on t
Page 25 and 26:
was Mahayana, not part of the Thera
Page 27 and 28:
keep Cambodia neutral in the confli
Page 29 and 30:
Rouge leaders will be prompted to s
Page 31 and 32:
As Hun Sen darkly quipped years lat
Page 33 and 34:
place largely without violence, Cam
Page 35 and 36:
high-rise residential developments
Page 37 and 38:
5 CAMBODIA IN POPULAR CULTURE RECOM
Page 39 and 40:
Wherever you are, stick only to bot
Page 41 and 42:
Planning Your Trip to Cambodia With
Page 43 and 44:
Bonn Pchum Ben. During this period,
Page 45 and 46:
3 GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND GE
Page 47 and 48:
spend the night in Poipet, but this
Page 49 and 50:
can be cold due to excessive air-co
Page 51 and 52:
Come Armed with Singles We recommen
Page 53 and 54:
the malarial mosquitoes are at thei
Page 55 and 56:
are riding on a motorcycle, keep yo
Page 57 and 58:
cater to travelers with disabilitie
Page 59 and 60:
General Resources for Green Travel
Page 61 and 62:
INTERNET In Cambodia, where you fin
Page 63 and 64:
0 0 50 km 50 mi N Phumi Samraong Pr
Page 65 and 66:
2 THE BEST OF LAOS IN 1 WEEK Althou
Page 67 and 68:
Pak Lai Gulf of Thailand Mekong Mek
Page 69 and 70:
Sao Market to shop for special Lao
Page 71 and 72:
Founded in the mid-14th century by
Page 73 and 74:
The Tonle Sap: The Heart of a Natio
Page 75 and 76:
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 and 128: 0 1st Level Vishnu’s victory over
Page 129 and 130: To To To Banteay Banteay Banteay Sr
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: Battambang & Northern Cambodia From
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
Page 179 and 180: can take a motorcycle or car into t
Page 181 and 182: New Bridge Kampot 1 2 Prek Kampong
Page 183 and 184: also a more straightforward house w
Page 185 and 186: and a turnoff to a small waterfall
Page 187 and 188: Information Post Office 3 2 Kep Bea
Page 189 and 190: WHERE TO DINE All the hotels and gu
Page 191 and 192: part in Lao culture; arguments are
Page 193 and 194: forces captured and sacked Xiang Do
Page 195 and 196: 1950, an offshoot of pro-Vietminh I
Page 197 and 198:
CCHINA H I N A MYANMAR Muang Sing (
Page 199 and 200:
visited places such as Savannakhet,
Page 201 and 202:
There have been some tensions along
Page 203 and 204:
Water in restaurants is safe to dri
Page 205 and 206:
LAOS CALENDAR OF EVENTS For an exha
Page 207 and 208:
2 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS PASSPORTS A pa
Page 209 and 210:
A simple river crossing connects Th
Page 211 and 212:
will help your blood pressure to pl
Page 213 and 214:
able to organize a car and driver f
Page 215 and 216:
Although levels of HIV/AIDS are, at
Page 217 and 218:
Prabang and Vientiane are geared mo
Page 219 and 220:
monsoon forest, diverse wildlife po
Page 221 and 222:
Telephone Dialing at a Glance • T
Page 223 and 224:
also plenty of other shops and bout
Page 225 and 226:
expensive. You will see them lined
Page 227 and 228:
1/4 mile 0 L A O S L A O S 0 0.25 k
Page 229 and 230:
MODERATE Asian Pavilion Hotel Forme
Page 231 and 232:
Riverine Hotel This old colonial vi
Page 233 and 234:
37-01 Nokeo Khoummane Rd. & 021/262
Page 235 and 236:
1/4 mile 0 26 0 0.25 km Khoua Khoua
Page 237 and 238:
favorites from home. They have subm
Page 239 and 240:
Vientiane’s Street Fare The busy
Page 241 and 242:
35 1/4 mile 0 4 34 0 0.25 km Khoua
Page 243 and 244:
Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan Wat Ong Teu i
Page 245 and 246:
start start 11 Khoua Khoua Luang Lu
Page 247 and 248:
Organized Tours Most hotels, guesth
Page 249 and 250:
Dokkhoun Handicrafts Mainly special
Page 251 and 252:
has closed, going on until 2am in p
Page 253 and 254:
ead in cafes and bakeries. You will
Page 255 and 256:
GETTING THERE Vang Vieng is a smoot
Page 257 and 258:
18 17 16 1 Bus Station Hospital Pos
Page 259 and 260:
Vang Vieng Orchid This is an excell
Page 261 and 262:
20m (66 ft.) from the main junction
Page 263 and 264:
The Amazing Mountain Journey to Lua
Page 265 and 266:
20 L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vi
Page 267 and 268:
The Fate of the King Savang or Sisa
Page 269 and 270:
Lao Speedboat Risks Alternatively y
Page 271 and 272:
wood floors, and fashionable room d
Page 273 and 274:
lush rice paddies and picturesque h
Page 275 and 276:
great riverside location, although
Page 277 and 278:
L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vient
Page 279 and 280:
Lao-style crème brûlée, a custar
Page 281 and 282:
75/76 Ban Xieng Mouane. & 071/212-2
Page 283 and 284:
0 0 0.25 km 27 Old Stadium Phou Pho
Page 285 and 286:
where a shrine of the royal spirit
Page 287 and 288:
Make Merit Picture Sunday Mass at a
Page 289 and 290:
during the reign of Sam Saen Thai.
Page 291 and 292:
Its name translates as “golden ci
Page 293 and 294:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mount Phousi Wat Pua
Page 295 and 296:
SHOPPING The central area of Luang
Page 297 and 298:
Banks & Currency Exchange The Bank
Page 299 and 300:
If you go by road it takes about 3
Page 301 and 302:
with Western-style toilets and hot
Page 303 and 304:
6 PAKBENG If you are taking the slo
Page 305 and 306:
next to the post office. The airpor
Page 307 and 308:
containing an oxygen generator in c
Page 309 and 310:
Central Laos is rarely at the top o
Page 311 and 312:
L A O S Vientiane Savannakhet 4 3 S
Page 313 and 314:
Dinosaurs in Laos Quite strangely,
Page 315 and 316:
ACCOMMODATIONS Hotel Riveria 1 Inth
Page 317 and 318:
Souksomboun Hotel This hotel is sim
Page 319 and 320:
Southern Laos Southern Laos is ofte
Page 321 and 322:
DINING Delta Coffee Shop and Restau
Page 323 and 324:
Champasak Palace Hotel This hotel w
Page 325 and 326:
More Choice Eats in Pakse There are
Page 327 and 328:
WHERE TO STAY & DINE In Champasak,
Page 329 and 330:
(snake) Kaliya, the god Indra ridin
Page 331 and 332:
Getting There Boats leave Ban Nakas
Page 333 and 334:
Fast Facts 1 FAST FACTS: CAMBODIA A
Page 335 and 336:
There is no Canadian Embassy in Lao
Page 337 and 338:
Khmer & Lao Glossary 1 THE KHMER LA
Page 339 and 340:
HOTEL English Khmer Do you have any
Page 341 and 342:
English Lao Call a doctor Toh-ha ta
Page 343 and 344:
GENERAL INDEX AARP, 43, 204 Accommo
Page 345 and 346:
Food stores and markets, Vientiane,
Page 347 and 348:
Pak Ou Caves, 280 Pakse, 307-314 Pa
Page 349 and 350:
Tham Chang (near Vang Vieng), 250 T
Page 351 and 352:
Pavillon Indochine (Siem Reap), 102
Page 353 and 354:
The Red Piano (Siem Reap), 108 Red
Page 355 and 356:
MYANMAR MMYANMAR Y A N M A R (BURMA
show all

The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?