The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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LUANG PRABANG & NORTHERN LAOS
13
NONG KIAOW
Post Office The post office (Mon–Sat 8:30am–3:30pm) is on the corner Chao Fa
Ngum and Kitsarat Road just near the central roundabout by Mount Phousi.
Telephone The city code for Luang Prabang is 071. If you want to make an
international call don’t bother with the post office, simply go to an Internet cafe.
Tourism Information The Provincial Tourism Department (Sisavangvong Rd.;
& 071/212-487; Mon–Sat 9am–noon and 1–5:30pm) has a selection of brochures
available and can help with simple questions.
NIGHTLIFE
Luang Prabang is a morning town, really, but there are a few good spots for drinks and
music. Backpackers fill the quiet lanes of Ban Wat That, the old silversmith quarter near
the Mekong on the east end of town, and you’ll sometimes find folks up late. Take a walk
down any alley for budget guesthouses and adjoining bamboo bars.
Dao Fah A modern Thai-style disco where music is played at deafening volume,
whether by a live band or a spiky-haired DJ, and where Luang Prabang’s young and hip
congregate moodily. Daily 9:30am to 11pm. Rte. 13 near Southern Bus Station.
The Hive This bar on the Nam Khan side of Phousi is part of a small stretch where
opening hours are later than in the rest of town. The Hive is a favorite of backpackers
although it has none of the unimaginative vulgarity that is the curse of similarly aimed
places in Vang Vieng. The music is loud and slightly punky. There is an outside terrace
and the place is the busiest in town after 10pm. Daily 9am to midnight. Kingkitsarath Rd.
Muangsua Hotel At the back of this hotel is a darkened discothèque where a band
plays loud Thai and Lao pop and people emerge from the darkened fringes to engage in
the ramvong (traditional Lao and Khmer circle dancing) as well as more free-form boogie.
When the locals get their en-masse synchronized “thang” together, it is really quite
impressive. Daily 9:30am to 11pm. Phu Vao Rd.
SIDE TRIP TO NAM OU RIVER
Heading north from Luang Prabang is the Nam Ou River. Taking a slow boat either up,
down, or both ways takes you through areas of breathtaking scenery. Limestone karsts
tower over steep river valleys. There are also plenty of villages along the way peopled by
a diverse variety of ethnicities. In the upper reaches during hot season when the water is
low white sandy beaches are revealed—the perfect place for a swim. During rainy season
when the river is high and road transport becomes difficult the Nam Ou still retains its
role as a major trade and transport route and, like the Mekong, the water also flows
through terrain too mountainous for road construction.
2 NONG KIAOW
This small town boasts one of the most beautiful settings in Asia. It is surrounded by
towering limestone mountains fronting fantastic river views. There is not much to do in
the town itself and facilities are still very basic. At nighttime the town remains unlit, and
electricity itself is in short supply. Brace yourself for cold showers in winter.