The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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46 PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO CAMBODIA 3 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM Cambodia’s wildlife areas have disappeared as a result of the ravages of logging. Endangered species in Cambodia include three species of gibbon, several species of wild dog and wildcat, leopard, tiger, Asian elephant, Sumatran rhinoceros, Thailand brow-antlered deer, kouprey, giant catfish, Indian python, Siamese crocodile, and estuarine crocodile. As of 2001, 23 of Cambodia’s mammal species and 18 of its bird species were endangered. Cambodia has a problem with the illegal hunting of rare species, something to keep in mind when shopping in the markets. There has been some progress in environmental tourism and attempting to preserve what is left. In Kratie, for instance, fisherman no longer use grenades to fish, thereby killing the endangered river dolphins. Yet there is also a lot to be worried about, including the rapid development of Cambodia’s coastline and nearby islands, particularly around Sihanoukville. There is a great deal being built there, and the developers are almost entirely unregulated. ECO-TOURISM IN CAMBODIA With the construction of the brand-new road from the Thai border at Koh Kong- Hat Lek (near Trat), the Cardamom Mountains, one of the last areas of forest wilderness in mainland Southeast Asia, is set to become the scene for eco-tours, with Koh Kong as its base. This is something “Heritage Friendly” Establishments that will have to be managed very carefully, if it is to do more good than harm. Hoteliers have also begun to adapt to the ecofriendly trend, opening ecoretreats and a few carbon-neutral options. See “Best Ecofriendly Hotels & Nature Retreats” on p. 6 for a few of our top picks. In Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, there are more and more opportunities to enjoy one of Cambodia’s most remote areas. The heavy jungle is home to 12 different Khmer Loeu ethnic minority groups. On the way, you can stop in Kratie and go dolphin spotting on the Mekong (p. 148). The rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins break the surface every now and then, but they remain powerfully shy. Wild Asia (www.wildasia.net) is a social enterprise working to support the conservation of natural areas and the communities dependent upon their resources. They have a big presence in Cambodia and their website is an up-to-date source of on-theground environmental initiatives across the country. Buffalo Trails (www.buffalo trails-cambodia.com) operates tours on the Tonle Sap Lake and in the surrounding countryside. Based in Siem Reap, they specialize in sustainably run day trips where they aim to let tourists discover the beauty of the countryside and daily lives of local families. Pepy Tours (www.pepy tours.com) is actually part of a wider NGO and environmental education project (PEPY stands for “Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself”). They run a variety of Much of Cambodia’s ancient history has been lost, thanks to its violent past and the continued looting and trafficking of Khmer artifacts. To help prevent this, look for the “Heritage Friendly” logo. This logo was created by the Heritage Foundation (www.heritagewatch.org), an organization working to preserve Khmer antiquities and culture. The presence of the logo indicates that a business or organization has met certain standards that help protect Cambodian heritage. Travel to Cambodia is good, but responsible travel is even better.
General Resources for Green Travel In addition to the resources for Cambodia listed above, the following websites provide valuable wide-ranging information on sustainable travel. For a list of even more sustainable resources, as well as tips and explanations on how to travel greener, visit www.frommers.com/planning. • Responsible Travel (www.responsibletravel.com) is a great source of sustainable travel ideas; the site is run by a spokesperson for ethical tourism in the travel industry. Sustainable Travel International (www.sustainable travelinternational.org) promotes ethical tourism practices, and manages an extensive directory of sustainable properties and tour operators around the world. • In the U.K., Tourism Concern (www.tourismconcern.org.uk) works to reduce social and environmental problems connected to tourism. The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO; www.aito.co.uk) is a group of specialist operators leading the field in making vacations sustainable. • In Canada, www.greenlivingonline.com offers extensive content on how to travel sustainably, including a travel and transport section and profiles of the best green shops and services in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. • In Australia, the national body that sets guidelines and standards for ecotourism is Ecotourism Australia (www.ecotourism.org.au). The Green Directory (www.thegreendirectory.com.au), Green Pages (www.thegreen pages.com.au), and Eco Directory (www.ecodirectory.com.au) offer sustainable travel tips and directories of green businesses. • Carbonfund (www.carbonfund.org), TerraPass (www.terrapass.org), and Carbon Neutral (www.carbonneutral.org) provide info on “carbon offsetting,” or offsetting the greenhouse gas emitted during flights. • Greenhotels (www.greenhotels.com) recommends green-rated member hotels around the world that fulfill the company’s stringent environmental requirements. Environmentally Friendly Hotels (www.environmentally friendlyhotels.com) offers more green accommodations ratings. The Hotel Association of Canada (www.hacgreenhotels.com) has a Green Key Eco- Rating Program, which audits the environmental performance of Canadian hotels, motels, and resorts. • Sustain Lane (www.sustainlane.com) lists sustainable eating and drinking choices around the U.S.; also visit www.eatwellguide.org for tips on eating sustainably in the U.S. and Canada. • For information on animal-friendly issues throughout the world, visit Tread Lightly (www.treadlightly.org). For information about the ethics of swimming with dolphins, visit the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (www.wdcs.org). • Volunteer International (www.volunteerinternational.org) has a list of questions to help you determine the intentions and the nature of a volunteer program. For general info on volunteer travel, visit www.volunteer abroad.org and www.idealist.org. 47 PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO CAMBODIA 3 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
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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
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: cater to travelers with disabilitie
Page 61 and 62: INTERNET In Cambodia, where you fin
Page 63 and 64: 0 0 50 km 50 mi N Phumi Samraong Pr
Page 65 and 66: 2 THE BEST OF LAOS IN 1 WEEK Althou
Page 67 and 68: Pak Lai Gulf of Thailand Mekong Mek
Page 69 and 70: Sao Market to shop for special Lao
Page 71 and 72: Founded in the mid-14th century by
Page 73 and 74: The Tonle Sap: The Heart of a Natio
Page 75 and 76: 2 WHERE TO STAY There is a huge cho
Page 77 and 78: Mao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217
Page 79 and 80: No. 227 St. 19. & 023/222-280. www.
Page 81 and 82: Hotel Scandinavia This relaxed offe
Page 83 and 84: Inexpensive Capitol Guesthouse The
Page 85 and 86: Mao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217
Page 87 and 88: Phnom Penh’s Much-Loved Pachyderm
Page 89 and 90: completely punitive. They also have
Page 91 and 92: Le Jardin Café WESTERN As its name
Page 93 and 94: ao Zedong Blvd. onireth Blvd. (217)
Page 95 and 96: The Khmer Rouge on Trial As this bo
Page 97 and 98: SWIMMING & FITNESS Many top hotels
Page 99 and 100: 5 DAY TRIPS OUTSIDE PHNOM PENH OUDO
Page 101 and 102: (& 023/211-534) and carries a simil
Page 103 and 104: The excellent Sovanna Phum Art Asso
Page 105 and 106: The ruins of the ancient city of An
Page 107 and 108: 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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able to organize a car and driver f
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Although levels of HIV/AIDS are, at
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Prabang and Vientiane are geared mo
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monsoon forest, diverse wildlife po
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Telephone Dialing at a Glance • T
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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
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Vientiane’s Street Fare The busy
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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
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GETTING THERE Vang Vieng is a smoot
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18 17 16 1 Bus Station Hospital Pos
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Vang Vieng Orchid This is an excell
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20m (66 ft.) from the main junction
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The Amazing Mountain Journey to Lua
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20 L A O S L A O S Luang Prabang Vi
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The Fate of the King Savang or Sisa
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Lao Speedboat Risks Alternatively y
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wood floors, and fashionable room d
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lush rice paddies and picturesque h
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great riverside location, although
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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
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where a shrine of the royal spirit
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Make Merit Picture Sunday Mass at a
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during the reign of Sam Saen Thai.
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Its name translates as “golden ci
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mount Phousi Wat Pua
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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
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6 PAKBENG If you are taking the slo
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next to the post office. The airpor
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containing an oxygen generator in c
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Central Laos is rarely at the top o
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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
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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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