The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Daniel White is a British writer who has been published in major magazines and newspapers in Europe and Asia. He has written for publications such as the UK’s Guardian, Observer, Maxim, and Marie Claire. He has also worked on guidebooks and political commentaries as both a writer and editor, and was editor-in-chief of the now defunct Absolute Phuket magazine in Thailand. He has traveled the corners of Southeast Asia by motorcycle, and is currently working on a website project chronicling his trips on two wheels. Previously based in London and Paris, he has been based in Bangkok since 2002. Published by: WILEY PUBLISHING, INC. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 Copyright © 2010 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201/748-6011, fax 201/748- 6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. ISBN 978-0-470-49778-4 Editor: Jamie Ehrlich Production Editor: Jana M. Stefanciosa Cartographer: Roberta Stockwell Photo Editor: Richard Fox Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services Front cover photo: Young monk dresses below Bousra waterfall in Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri province, Cambodia. ©Dan Morris / Alamy Images Back cover photo: Patuxai Monument in Vientiane, Laos. ©SuperStock / AGE Fotostock, Inc. For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877/762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317/572-3993 or fax 317/572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. Manufactured in the United States of America 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS LIST OF MAPS vii 1 THE BEST OF CAMBODIA & LAOS 1 1 Favorite Cambodia Experiences . . . .1 2 Favorite Laos Experiences . . . . . . . . . .2 3 Best Small Towns & Villages . . . . . . . .3 4 Best Luxury Accommodations. . . . . .4 5 Best Moderately Priced Accommodations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 6 Best Ecofriendly Hotels & Nature Retreats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 7 Best Temples & Wats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 8 Best Restaurants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 9 Best Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 2 CAMBODIA IN DEPTH 9 1 Cambodia Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 2 Looking Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The Rebirth of Nationhood . . . . . . . . .14 Who Was Pol Pot?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Who’s Who in Cambodian Politics? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 3 The Lay of the Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 4 Cambodia’s Art & Architecture . . . .21 Who Are the Khmers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 5 Cambodia in Popular Culture. . . . . .25 6 Eating & Drinking in Cambodia . . .26 7 Etiquette in Cambodia . . . . . . . . . . . .27 The Krama: A Scarf for All Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 3 PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO CAMBODIA 29 1 When To Go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Cambodia Calendar of Events . . . . . .30 2 Entry Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Fake Visas at Poipet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 3 Getting There & Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Pointing the Way with a Rhinoceros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 4 Money & Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 5 Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Come Armed with Singles . . . . . . . . . .39 6 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 A Dark Side of Cambodia. . . . . . . . . . .42 7 Specialized Travel Resources . . . . . .43 8 Sustainable Tourism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 General Resources for Green Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 9 Staying Connected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Telephone Dialing at a Glance . . . . . .48
Page 1 and 2: Cambodia & Laos
Page 3: Cambodia & Laos by Daniel White 1st
Page 7 and 8: 8 SOUTHERN CAMBODIA 152 1 Sihanoukv
Page 9 and 10: LIST OF MAPS The Best Small Towns,
Page 11 and 12: HOW TO CONTACT US In researching th
Page 13 and 14: The Best of Cambodia & Laos The cou
Page 15 and 16: the world’s most rewarding journe
Page 17 and 18: MYANMAR Muang Sing (BURMA) Luang Na
Page 19 and 20: 7 BEST TEMPLES & WATS • Angkor Wa
Page 21 and 22: Cambodia in Depth If ever a country
Page 23 and 24: Phnom Penh (see p. 83 for more on t
Page 25 and 26: was Mahayana, not part of the Thera
Page 27 and 28: keep Cambodia neutral in the confli
Page 29 and 30: Rouge leaders will be prompted to s
Page 31 and 32: As Hun Sen darkly quipped years lat
Page 33 and 34: place largely without violence, Cam
Page 35 and 36: high-rise residential developments
Page 37 and 38: 5 CAMBODIA IN POPULAR CULTURE RECOM
Page 39 and 40: Wherever you are, stick only to bot
Page 41 and 42: Planning Your Trip to Cambodia With
Page 43 and 44: Bonn Pchum Ben. During this period,
Page 45 and 46: 3 GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND GE
Page 47 and 48: spend the night in Poipet, but this
Page 49 and 50: can be cold due to excessive air-co
Page 51 and 52: Come Armed with Singles We recommen
Page 53 and 54: the malarial mosquitoes are at thei
Page 55 and 56:
are riding on a motorcycle, keep yo
Page 57 and 58:
cater to travelers with disabilitie
Page 59 and 60:
General Resources for Green Travel
Page 61 and 62:
INTERNET In Cambodia, where you fin
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0 0 50 km 50 mi N Phumi Samraong Pr
Page 65 and 66:
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
Page 93 and 94:
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
Page 121 and 122:
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.
Page 173 and 174:
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
Page 191 and 192:
part in Lao culture; arguments are
Page 193 and 194:
forces captured and sacked Xiang Do
Page 195 and 196:
1950, an offshoot of pro-Vietminh I
Page 197 and 198:
CCHINA H I N A MYANMAR Muang Sing (
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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
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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
Page 219 and 220:
monsoon forest, diverse wildlife po
Page 221 and 222:
Telephone Dialing at a Glance • T
Page 223 and 224:
also plenty of other shops and bout
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expensive. You will see them lined
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1/4 mile 0 L A O S L A O S 0 0.25 k
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MODERATE Asian Pavilion Hotel Forme
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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
Page 239 and 240:
Vientiane’s Street Fare The busy
Page 241 and 242:
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
Page 255 and 256:
GETTING THERE Vang Vieng is a smoot
Page 257 and 258:
18 17 16 1 Bus Station Hospital Pos
Page 259 and 260:
Vang Vieng Orchid This is an excell
Page 261 and 262:
20m (66 ft.) from the main junction
Page 263 and 264:
The Amazing Mountain Journey to Lua
Page 265 and 266:
20 L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vi
Page 267 and 268:
The Fate of the King Savang or Sisa
Page 269 and 270:
Lao Speedboat Risks Alternatively y
Page 271 and 272:
wood floors, and fashionable room d
Page 273 and 274:
lush rice paddies and picturesque h
Page 275 and 276:
great riverside location, although
Page 277 and 278:
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
Page 285 and 286:
where a shrine of the royal spirit
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Make Merit Picture Sunday Mass at a
Page 289 and 290:
during the reign of Sam Saen Thai.
Page 291 and 292:
Its name translates as “golden ci
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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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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
Page 303 and 304:
6 PAKBENG If you are taking the slo
Page 305 and 306:
next to the post office. The airpor
Page 307 and 308:
containing an oxygen generator in c
Page 309 and 310:
Central Laos is rarely at the top o
Page 311 and 312:
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
Page 323 and 324:
Champasak Palace Hotel This hotel w
Page 325 and 326:
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
Page 331 and 332:
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,
Page 347 and 348:
Pak Ou Caves, 280 Pakse, 307-314 Pa
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Tham Chang (near Vang Vieng), 250 T
Page 351 and 352:
Pavillon Indochine (Siem Reap), 102
Page 353 and 354:
The Red Piano (Siem Reap), 108 Red
Page 355 and 356:
MYANMAR MMYANMAR Y A N M A R (BURMA
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