The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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13 Luang Prabang & Northern Laos Northern Laos is part of a chain of wild and mountainous country stretching from north Thailand and on to northern Vietnam. Dramatic limestone scenery dissected by rivers sometimes torrid and sometimes tranquil provides the setting for hill tribe settlements, enigmatic remnants of past empires, and vast wild areas of immense ecological worth. Set among all of this stunning scenery is the jewel of northern Laos and indeed Southeast Asia as a whole—Luang Prabang. Many a traveler’s tale in Luang Prabang begins like this: “Well, I was only 1 LUANG PRABANG supposed to stay here for a couple of days, but . . .” The quiet street-side cafes, ancient temples, and laid-back, friendly locals give this town a tranquillity that has sucked many unsuspecting visitors in for weeks (or years) at a time. A visit here feels like a vacation from your vacation. The town is fed by rivers and a journey up either the Mekong or the Nam Ou will take you through a land of incredible mountains, dense forests, and contorted limestone outcrops alternating between being clothed in mist, grilled by the sun, and pounded by intense monsoon rains. When talking of Luang Prabang it is hard not to employ superlatives, and pretty much everyone who has spent time in the town does. It is a place where history, atmosphere, and terrain combine to create something of astonishing beauty. Set in the northern mountains where the Nam Khan tributary joins the Mekong, the surrounding hills are rugged, jungle clad, and spectacular. The town itself is a magical mixture of some of the most ancient and exquisite Buddhist temples in the region combined with the sort of intimate French colonial architecture that often makes towns in Indochina so atmospheric. Start your day at dawn, when the temple drums break the early morning silence and saffron-clad monks walk the misty streets to receive rice from the townspeople for their daily meal. Buddhists believe that by giving rice in this life (“making merit”), they are ensuring that they will not go hungry in their next life. Tourists can also participate in this ancient tradition, but should understand that although it has become an attraction of sorts, it is still a sacred ritual. The rest of the day can be spent seeing the sights or relaxing and soaking in the atmosphere. The town itself is the main attraction, though, and the timeworn streets will undoubtedly reveal hidden gems and memorable encounters, whether it’s a store selling the perfect antique or a temple housing monks anxious to practice their English. Add into this mix of perfect architectural yin and yang the fact that the streets are not crowded with traffic (buses and lorries are not allowed) so noise levels are low and stress levels even lower. Even with all the development of facilities purely designed for tourism, the soul of
20 L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vientiane Vientiane Old Stadium Boats Boats to Vientiane M e k o n g R i v e r Mekong River Rd. Rd. Khong Khong Khem Khem Phothisarath Phothisarath Rd. Rd. 19 Phou Phou Vao Vao Rd. Rd. Phou Phou Vao Vao Rd. Rd. 0 Bunkhong Bunkhong Rd. Rd. 0 0.5 km 17 18 Rd. Rd. Noradeth Noradeth Boats Boats to to Pak Pak Ou Ou 15 Khem Khem Khong Khong Rd. Rd. Chao Chao Sisouphan Sisouphan Rd. Rd. Samsenthai Samsenthai Rd. Rd. Nam Nam Khan Khan River River Sakkarine Sakkarine Rd. Rd. Sisavangvong Sisavangvong Rd. Rd. Setthathilath Setthathilath Rd. Rd. Ancient Luang Prabang 15 The Apsara 11 Ban Pack Luck Villa 5 The Chang Inn 6 Chittana Guesthouse 10 Khoun and Khone Guest House 19 Khounsavanh Guest House 18 La Maison de Xanamkieng 14 Lao Wooden House 8 La Residence Phou Vau 21 Le Calao 2 Where to Stay in Luang Prabang Dara Market Phamahapasan Phamahapasan Rd. Rd. Mount Phousi 1/2 mi 5 8 16 Visunniath Visunniath Rd. Rd. Naviengkhan Naviengkhan Rd. Rd. Khem Khem Khong Khong Rd. Rd. 14 Kounxoa Kounxoa Rd. Phommathat Phommathat Rd. Rd. 2 3 4 9 10 11 6 7 13 12 Chao Chao Xomphou Xomphou Rd. Rd. Kingkitsarath Kingkitsarath Rd. Rd. Chao Chao Gningthongsi Gningthongsi Rd. Rd. Old Bridge To Airport & Mekong Speedboat Landing Vieng Mai Market Sisattanak Sisattanak Rd. Rd. New New Rd. Rd. Bank Information Post Office 21 Les 3 Nagas 9 Lotus Villa Hotel 3 Mekong Riverview Hotel 1 Merry Lao-Swiss Hotel 16 Riverside Guest House 13 Senesouk Guesthouse 12 Somkhounmuong Guest House 17 Villa Maly 19 Villa Santi Hotel 7 Villa Santi Resort 20 Villa Sokxai I 4 1 253 LUANG PRABANG & NORTHERN LAOS 13 LUANG PRABANG
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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
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To To To Banteay Banteay Banteay Sr
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The Magic Hours at Angkor Wat The s
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Enter the temple from the west, the
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Westerners until a French researche
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Body Tune Spa, in the very heart of
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Colors of Cambodia Here’s a fun o
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A Dance for the Divine The royal cl
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APSARA DANCE Having spent the day l
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Battambang & Northern Cambodia From
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0 0 0.25 km 2 DINING Bus Stop 10 Th
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either a car with a driver or a mot
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pleasant indeed with casual but sma
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its relaxed, open-air charm. The ty
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into a trip back on a small metal-a
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a mix of traditional Khmer ballads
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The Spiders of Skuon In the town of
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$10 but can be more during high sea
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all over by 10am. The Reclining Bud
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1 3 4 2 5 7 6 8 10 8 11 12 9 15 14
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Ochheuteal Beach to Victory Beach c
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Beach Road Hotel Covering both the
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Koh Rong Beach. & 016/214-211. www.
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Snakehouse INTERNATIONAL Here’s a
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Cooking Courses If you want to lear
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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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Page 223 and 224: also plenty of other shops and bout
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Page 227 and 228: 1/4 mile 0 L A O S L A O S 0 0.25 k
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Page 241 and 242: 35 1/4 mile 0 4 34 0 0.25 km Khoua
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Page 255 and 256: GETTING THERE Vang Vieng is a smoot
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Page 277 and 278: L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vient
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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
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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
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Page 301 and 302: with Western-style toilets and hot
Page 303 and 304: 6 PAKBENG If you are taking the slo
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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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