The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Dokkhoun Handicrafts Mainly specializing in antiques and jewelry, this shop also
stocks some silk and textiles. Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 8pm. Pangkham Rd.
& 021/263-522.
Indochina Old House Antique Café A shop where you can enjoy a cup of coffee
while looking at the textiles, jewelry, and woodcarvings. Open Monday to Saturday
10am to 8pm. 86/2 Setthathirath Rd. & 021/212-579.
Ladies Fingers Specializing in bedspreads, warps, and curtains. They also have some
interesting fabric screens. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm. Phanthong Rd.
& 021/263-823. www.ladiesfingers.net.
Les Artisans Lao Les Artisans Laos Centre was created in 2004 to teach job
skills to disadvantaged and marginalized persons, the majority of them living with a mild
handicap. The center is supported by foundations, private businesses, and international
organizations. Open Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm. Vat Inpeng
St. & 021/223-178. www.artisanslao.com.
Tamarind This upscale shop near the river sells the usual mixture of silk, handicrafts,
and some clothing. Open daily 9am to 8pm. 55 Manthatourad Rd. & 021/243-564.
T’Shop Lai Galerie The owner is dedicated to providing fair-trade products for those
interested in both modern and traditional art in a range of mediums, furniture, and interesting
handicrafts. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm. On Paeng Rd. & 021/223-178.
6 NIGHTLIFE
Vientiane was long known as a city that was firmly shut by midnight. Although it is still
definitely a place that tends to close very early, there are now quite a number of venues
where you can drink, dance, or talk until 1am, or even quite a lot later if the police are
not in the throes of one of their periodic crackdowns. A lot of the restaurants and bars
are indivisible. The Khop Chai Deu (p. 224) is most certainly all things to all men and
all women. The Mex Alexia (p. 225) is another place that functions on both the bar and
the restaurant level. Sticky Fingers (p. 225) is packed on weekends and is a hybrid bar/
restaurant/cocktail lounge fulfilling all functions with a superbly stylish aplomb. In addition
there are a few new chic cocktail lounges doing good business. It’s also something of
an open secret that if you want to be drinking and dancing into the wee hours it is now
very feasible, although you will certainly have to know your venues. Also be aware that
there is a fair aspect of sleaze among one or two of them with a slightly moth-eaten brigade
of weary-looking prostitutes patrolling sadly from one to another like a pack of lost
and slightly resentful penguins. They are, however, vastly outnumbered by boisterous
backpackers loudly trumpeting legends of wild adventures and the joys of Beer Lao while
enjoying British Premier League soccer and comparing iPod playlists.
BARS & CLUBS
The Bor Phen Nyang This is a rooftop bar up four long flights of stairs on Fa Ngum.
The views of the Mekong are absolutely superb and there is a bit of a breeze as the lights
of Thailand twinkle invitingly from over the water. It has two pool tables and is pretty
well laid out. The problem is that it can have a slightly sleazy and threatening atmosphere.
A combination of drunk backpackers, ragged commercial sex workers, and some
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NIGHTLIFE