The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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168 SOUTHERN CAMBODIA 8 KAMPOT and guesthouses line the riverfront. The main attraction here is the eerie and decayed old French colonial hill station of Bokor. At the time of writing, access to Bokor is either not allowed or highly restricted as the inevitable renovation of Cambodia’s only real place in the cool gets underway. Don’t let that put you off a visit to Kampot and the surrounding area—there is more to it than Bokor. The surrounding countryside is some of the prettiest in the country with the usual flat, deep green rice paddies, this time interspersed with steep limestone outcrops and crisscrossed with inlets and rivers. GETTING THERE From Phnom Penh, there are two routes to Kampot, National routes 2 and 3. Neither remotely matches National Rte. 4 to Sihanoukville. Both are bumpy but adequate. Rte. 3 is the more direct route, but also in slightly worse condition. The best way is to take Rte. 2 from Phnom Penh until Sambout halfway through Takeo Province. Then take a right on Road 22 that takes you the short distance onto Rte. 3 for the rest of the journey. The road from Sihanoukville is good and takes 2 hours by car. BY BUS Sorya Transport leaves Central market (Psar Thmei) in Phnom Penh and takes 4 to 5 hours. From Kampot buses leave from the central bus stand. The first service is at 7:30am, the last one at noon. It is a long journey since the bus has to take the long way round, making a stop at Kep, because of vehicle restrictions on bridges on the more direct routes. There are no scheduled buses from Sihanoukville. Your guesthouse can book you a seat in a shared taxi costing $5. You can also go to the bus stand at Psar Leu, from which they depart, and negotiate the ride yourself. BY TAXI From or to Phnom Penh, a seat in a shared taxi costs $7 each way. Better to pay double and book the whole front seat. In Phnom Penh, the taxis leave from a stand near the InterContinental hotel (p. 70). In Kampot, your guesthouse can organize one for you. Make sure that they don’t organize one that is empty apart from you, or you will be driven back to the taxi stand and might have to wait awhile for it to fill up. If the guesthouse knows what they are doing, they will contact a driver who has a full taxi already but has been informed to reserve the front seat for you, hours before your departure time. GETTING AROUND Kampot is tiny and you can walk everywhere. If you wish to explore, you can rent a motorcycle. Many decide to stay in Kampot and do Kep as a day trip since Kampot is a friendlier place to overnight, unless you actually want the evening isolation that Kep offers. The countryside around Kampot is delightful and well worth a day’s two-wheel pottering, even though Bokor is off-limits. There are a couple of places near the main traffic circle that rent out bikes, Sean Ly Motor Rental Shop (No. 27 D Soeng Ngoc Rd.; & 012/944-687), just south of the central traffic circle, and Cheang Try (& 012/974-698) next door. Renting a small step-through, 100cc machine costs $5 a day. A 250cc dirt bike costs $11 to $12 a day. You can also arrange this through your guesthouse, which keeps your passport for security (instead of the rental shop). The same offices also rent cars or even four-wheel-drive vehicles for $20 per day. The dirt bikes have spent their days being plowed up to Bokor and they have suffered accordingly. Check the brakes, lights, and above all check the horn—it is your friend. If you don’t want to drive yourself, you can take a motorbike with a driver to Kep for just $10 per day trip, or $5 one-way if you stay in Kep overnight. For more extensive tour services, contact Art Suriya Travel (& 012/501-742), sponsored by the owners of the
New Bridge Kampot 1 2 Prek Kampong Bay (Kampong Bay River) River Rd. C A M B O D I A Phnom Penh St. 713 Old Bridge 3 11 10 12 Market Wat Kampong Bye 4 Old Old Market Market 5 6 Year 2000 2000 Monument 7 8 9 City Hall Central Traffic Circle Bus and Taxi Stand Bank Bus Station Information Hospital Post Office Taxi Stand ACCOMMODATIONS Blissful Guesthouse 13 Bokor Mountain Lodge 6 Les Manguiers 1 Little Garden Guesthouse 3 Rikitikitavi 9 DINING Bamboo Light Café 5 Jasmine 4 The Rusty Keyhole 8 Ta Eau 2 13 Vietnam Cambodia Friendship Monument SHOPPING Kepler’s Kampot Books 11 Kampot Souvenirs and Handicrafts 10 NIGHTLIFE Honey Bar 12 Bonkors 7 Kampot Champey Inn in Kep, which offers custom tours of the surrounding area or other parts of the region. Costs are higher than the storefront tour offices, but you get the full custom treatment here. Or contact Mr. Sok Lim at his tour offices on the north end of Kampot (at riverside, north of the central bridge; & 012/719-872) for adventure trips and jungle-trekking tours. Kampot ATMs Both ACLEDA and Canadia banks have 24-hour ATMs accepting all major cards. Banks & Currency Exchange Canadia Bank (one block northwest of the central traffic circle; & 033/932-392; Mon–Fri 8am–3pm, Sat 8–11:30am) and ACLEDA Bank (Ekareach St.; & 033/932-880; Mon–Fri 7:30am–4pm, Sat 7:30am–noon) cash traveler’s checks, exchange major foreign currencies, and issue advances on Visa and MasterCard. 169 SOUTHERN CAMBODIA 8 FAST FACTS: KAMPOT
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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
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Mao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217
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No. 227 St. 19. & 023/222-280. www.
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Hotel Scandinavia This relaxed offe
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Inexpensive Capitol Guesthouse The
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Mao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217
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Phnom Penh’s Much-Loved Pachyderm
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completely punitive. They also have
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Le Jardin Café WESTERN As its name
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ao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217)
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The Khmer Rouge on Trial As this bo
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SWIMMING & FITNESS Many top hotels
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5 DAY TRIPS OUTSIDE PHNOM PENH OUDO
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(& 023/211-534) and carries a simil
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The excellent Sovanna Phum Art Asso
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The ruins of the ancient city of An
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1 Airport (8 km) Siem Reap Phnom Pe
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10% VAT. Budget travelers are also
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Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay
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combo and sinks set in unique overs
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fan). The courtyard area is a pictu
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Mandalay Inn One of the first thing
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NIGHTLIFE Angkor What? 28 Dead Fish
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Shinta Mani INTERNATIONAL Shinta Ma
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Taj Mahal NORTHERN INDIAN It has be
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Some Guidelines When Visiting Angko
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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 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
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Page 167 and 168: Ochheuteal Beach to Victory Beach c
Page 169 and 170: Beach Road Hotel Covering both the
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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: can take a motorcycle or car into t
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
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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
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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
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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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