The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Banks & Currency Exchange The Bank Pour Le Commerce Extérieur Lao (BCEL;
Sisavangvong Rd.; Mon–Fri 8:30am–3:30pm) exchanges cash and traveler’s checks
and issues U.S. dollars. They advance money on MasterCard and Visa and charge
3% commission. The nearby Lao Development Bank (Sisavangvong Rd.; Mon–Fri
8:30am–3:30pm) also exchanges cash and traveler’s checks but does not advance
money on credit cards. All along the main restaurant drag of Sisavangvong Road
there are small exchange booths open until 9pm that will change cash and
traveler’s checks, and make advances on MasterCard and Visa. The one attached
to the Luang Prabang Bakery seems to offer the best rates.
Business Hours Generally shops are open from around 9am to 8pm on weekdays
with slightly reduced hours on weekends. Cafes tend to run from about 8:30am
to 9pm or 10pm. Many restaurants open for lunch and dinner only and will be
closed between 2 and 5pm. Government offices generally open Monday to Friday
at 8:30am, close for lunch from noon until 1pm, and close again at 5pm. Many
businesses are closed on Sunday.
Bicycle & Motorcycle Rentals Many guesthouses offer bicycles for rent for
between $1 and $3 per day. It is also possible to rent small motorcycles from a
few travel agents but they are expensive. They all come from the same place and
they cost $20 per day. If you want to rent a larger motorcycle for serious touring
then it is better to arrange it in Vientiane. Remote Asia (www.remoteasia.com)
can also send larger-capacity motorcycles from the capital to Luang Prabang.
Climate Between late October and early February, Luang Prabang is pleasantly
warm and usually sunny during the day. It can actually be really quite cold at
night, however, so bring a pullover. The heat starts to build in early spring and
the combination of midday sun and the dust can make it a little oppressive in
the middle of the day. The rains break in May and June, when the climate remains
hot but also becomes humid. The temperature cools in late summer. The best
time to be in the city is between November and February in terms of weather
but not in terms of crowds. During the rainy season the town entertains only a
fraction of the high-season tourist population and given that rainfall tends to be
sporadic rather than constant, it is actually quite a good time to experience Luang
Prabang. You will certainly have more of it to yourself. Hotels also cut their room
rates massively in the low season.
Doctors & Hospitals The quality of healthcare in Luang Prabang is low. If you
are afflicted by anything serious then you will need to get to Thailand. There are
two hospitals in town offering rudimentary healthcare. The Provincial Hospital
(Setthathirath Rd.; & 071/252-049) and the Chinese Hospital (Ban Phu Mok;
& 071/254-026) can deal with relatively simple and nonserious ailments.
Emergencies For police, dial & 071/212-453; for a medical emergency, call
& 071/252-049.
Internet Access There are Internet cafes all over central Luang Prabang charging
100 kip a minute before 10pm and 300 kip per minute afterward. A few places
have free Wi-Fi, the best of which is the Chill Out Café in Dara Market.
Pharmacies One of the more reliable pharmacies in town is the Boua Phanh
Pharmacie (Sakkarine Rd.; & 071/252-252).
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LUANG PRABANG & NORTHERN LAOS FAST FACTS: LUANG PRABANG
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