Thursday, March 29, 2012

Hanoi to LP flights

Does anyone know if its cheaper to buy a return flight to Luang Prabang when in Hanoi or over the internet prior to travelling?



Hanoi to LP flights


I%26#39;m not sure if it%26#39;s cheaper but I do know that there aren%26#39;t a lot of flights - on the day we%26#39;re doing that trip there%26#39;s only one flight so we decided to book in advance to make sure we got seats. There%26#39;s probably a good chance they%26#39;re cheaper in Hanoi though.





I think it%26#39;s only vietnam airlines and lao airlines that fly; we booked vietnam airlines through expedia (couldn%26#39;t seem to book direct with the airline).



Hanoi to LP flights


not sure what you paid on expedia, but i%26#39;ve read thru out this forum that its cheaper to book while IN vietnam. I am planning on flying Hanoi to LP but am going to wait til I get to vietnam before booking the flight.




I am in Vietnam now and was at the Vietnam Airlines this morning. Hanoi to Luang Prabang is $174 including taxes. I do not know how that compares with what is available out of Vietnam. Bring $ or convert to Dong. Credit card purchased are charged an additional 4%.




JR2000 - Was that for a single or return?



I decided to get mine online with Laoairlines in the end and paid $330 inc return




$174 for a one way ticket including taxes on Vietnamese Airways. There are promotional fares on domestic tickets but not on international flights.




Those prices sound pretty much what you could get them for from the uk - think our single fare was about $180-$190 equivalent (although it%26#39;s hard to tell with exchange rates now !!)





Feeling quite relieved now - glad to see we didn%26#39;t actually pay any more in the end by booking it here !




Also sounds exactly what I paid purchasing it in Australia. Perhaps it is only cheaper when flying domestically. It is good to have paid and booked when there are few flights. Good luck!




Hi there...



i was in Hanoi 2 days ago and i have to fly from Luang Pabang to hanoi in 3 weeks..





In Hanoi i found flight starting from 130 USD one way to 207 USD depending on the travel agency and which company you choose!!! The cheapest is LAOS AIRLINES (130 USD-160 USD)



The last really honest guy told me to wait and get to Laos before booking because from there is cheaper..



Just 2 companies fly from LP to Hanoi: Laos Airlines (cheaper) and Vietnam Airlines.

laos travel queries

hi all!

just have a couple of q%26#39;s re transport in Laos.

What is the most comfortable way to travel from:

Plain of Jars to Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng to Vientiane

Costs, durations, descriptions and where to book would be fab! Thanks in advance!

laos travel queries

Bunny, no answer in a few days to your question so I%26#39;ll punt (and hopefully others can give more specific info).

';Most comfortable'; means hire a car/driver. ';Most common'; means a Bus, or VIP Bus (the difference is cost, aircon and space). Buses can be booked pretty much at any accommodation of note or at a tourism agency like Green Discovery.

Vang Vieng to Vientiane is about 160kms, buses leave morning and evening and are about $US 14 (am not completely sure of that number).

I%26#39;ve not been to Plain of Jars but I think its quite a long and twisty ride (VV to VTE is level and straight all the way pretty much).

I did once get a car/driver from VV to VTE, I think it was around $US 60?

Cheers, --Kip

laos travel queries

Hi - for VV to Vnte - if ';most comfortable'; is your main factor then after a private hire, its the VIP bus as above. They leave VV for Vnte 9am and 1pm cost $14.

Regular, less comfy/clean buses leave throughout the day till 4pm, cost $7.

VV to Vientiane usually 3 hours, but can be anywhere between 2.5 - 4hrs.

Plain of Jars (town Phonsavanh)is a pre-arranged private hire (through Vansana hotel on the hill is one way), or regular bus for about $7 - I don%26#39;t know of any VIP buses doing that route. Trip takes about 4 hours


From Vang Vieng we did a kayak tour which was fun, only problem was not enough kayaking and we still had to sit on a bus/tuk tuk for the rest of the trip, but it was something different.


The normal buses form VTE-VV are good enough- it%26#39;s only 3.5 hours, and the scenery is kinda nice.

I flew there %26amp; back from VTE-Phonsavan (Plain o%26#39; Jars). Time is money for me, and my butt doesn%26#39;t care for 10-hour bus rides from hell...


hi guys! thanks for all the advice! since Plain of Jars to Van Vieng transport doesn%26#39;t sound that great or have that many options, plus will take up more travel time.... BUT we want to fit in Vang Vieng and Plain of Jars..... would anyone think this was a good plan instead...?

fly luang prabang to plain of jars

fly plain of jars to vientiane

then do vientiane to vang vieng and then back to veintiane again by vip bus - this trip doesnt seem to be too long

also, there seems to be 2 x laos airlines websites: laosairlines.com and laos-airlines.com... are they both legitimate? is it best to book flights direct with these websites?

thanks!!


That plan sounds good, and you will be saving a great deal of time by flying. The VIP bus from Vientiane leaves at 4pm, while there are regular buses all day (from 7am). Take the regular bus- it is nice enough.

DO NOT book flights on Laos airlines, it is a bogus operation run out of France. The offical site of Lao Airlines is www.laoairlines.com

  • clarins
  • fish
  • Se Pian NPA or 4000 islands

    I will be in Laos for a few days by myself while I wait for my friend to arrive. I plan to spend those 4 nights in the south near Pakse. I am either going to spend the entire time at Kingfisher ecolodge where I can ride elephants, mountain bike, hike, etc. all around Se Pian NPA. Or I plan to do the typical southern tour of a night in Se Pian and then the rest in the 4000 islands. Any recommendations for which one I should do? I am leaning towards spending the entire time at Kingfisher, but I didn%26#39;t know if I was going to be missing anything spectacular by skipping the 4000 islands. Any thoughts? Thank you!





    Se Pian NPA or 4000 islands


    If you don%26#39;t have your friend there, 4000 islands may be too boring for you, unless you%26#39;re into watching sunsets alone and lights out at 10pm (electricity goes off then). No elephants, either. Then agian, Wat Pu in Champasak is pretty cool, and Pakse is a nive little town to mill around in.



    Have never heard of the Se Pian ecolodge you are talking about, but it sounds like there might be more activity than down in Si Phan Don (4000 islands). I just returned from the latter and it was totally devoid of tourists(off-season now!), good for me and my friend as we%26#39;re into photography, quiet places and drinking Beerlao...

    That Louang festival

    Anyone know when That Louang festival is this year, thanx Callao



    That Louang festival


    That Luang is Nov 12.



    That Louang festival


    Rufuscat,



    Unfortunately, I will be leaving Vientiane on 11 Nov 2008.



    Is there anything to see in the morning of the eve of the That Luang Festival.




    The trade show at ITEC may have started by then. That is worth seeing - some nice furniture etc.




    Thank you for the info Rufuscat.



    However, I am not too interested in furniture.



    If I visit the temple on the eve, would there be some decorations or any kind of preparation activities worth see.





    Gary




    thanx Rufuscat I get to BKK on the 9th, is it going on till the weekend 17 and 18 or just during the week, I may not be there in VTE till the 16 or 17, thanx Callao




    I mean the weekend of 15 and 16




    Think you will miss it.

    Pak Ou caves

    Can anyone tell me if all tours leave at 8am? I arrive from Vientiane 10am and my first day of arrival is the only day I can check out the caves.





    Thank youl



    Pak Ou caves


    Inquire at a travel agency when you get there. You can always hire a boat yourself, but it%26#39;s going to be a little more expensive.



    Pak Ou caves


    I rented a boat to go to Pak ou caves just the GF and me last year, $20 for the day with a trip to the little restaurant across the river from the caves , and a visit to a lao lao making village up river at little ways , the guy parks his boats on the mekong side of Wat Xieng Thong where the stairs go down to the water, bought the driver lunch and he let my GF drive the boat back to LP, it was fun, Callao




    $20 was the going rate when I last stayed in LP, about 6 years ago. Good to hear the price is still the same!




    I think it was 2 years ago in september 06




    I went in march this year - again $20 for 3 of us - no other passengers. There are boat-men waiting near the wharf and elsewhere along the river looking for customers and they will leave any time during the morning. You need about 5 hrs for the trip so that why they don%26#39;t leave after lunchtime.

    what is the best way to get to nanning from Laung Prabang

    Just wondering if anyone has done this before, or is it easier to travel to nanning from hanoi







    I know from hanoi its a 16 dollar bus trip



    Overnight train Bangkok - Vientiane

    We have been planning to use the train to get from Bangkok to Vientiane in January., mainly because we expected that it would enable us to see some of the countryside. However, a Thai acquaintance has just warned us that it is an uncomfortable trip, and that there is little to see , mainly because it will be dark throughout the journey.

    I need some advice urgently, as if we are to change our bookings we need to do it in the next few days.

    Overnight train Bangkok - Vientiane

    Well your acqaintance is right in that you won%26#39;t see much as the train leaves at 8.45pm and aarrives 9.00 the next morning (just bought train tickets for 24th dec!!). You won%26#39;t see much in the morning as around Udon Thani (you%26#39;ll be awake by then/there) and the scenery is pretty boring.Uncomfortable? Well some people find it so and some find it perfectly comfortable. We are a British/japanese couple who don%26#39;t exactly slum it in our trips in/around Thaialnd and find the sleeper trains (that 8.45 train has beds, air-con, fan, - take the fan in jan as its cooler and even cold up North). to be fine,safe, and the added bonus of being cheap.

    We sometimes fly back from Udon Thani to bangkok with airasia (two flights a day - you%26#39;d need the later one) Very cheap and there is a bus service now from Vientiene to Udon. Direct flights with Thai run around 6,000 baht return, probably more with taxes/surcharges.airasia about 2,000 return if booked in advance on airasia.com

    B%26gt;Gas

    Overnight train Bangkok - Vientiane

    Bankokgas-

    How much is the train trip from BKK-VTE? My buddy wants to do that.


    Hi maneki - cat!

    Train from BKK- Nong Khai is about 480 baht (14 dollars) for an upper berth sleeper, 530 for a lower. A 40 baht tuk-tuk ride to the border, your mate can get his/her visa at the border for 30 dollars or 1500 baht so no need to do that in Tokyo/Bangkok, bit it is easier to do so.

    Give my love to Tokyo and Shimokitazawa (where my mrs has an apartment)!!!!!!

    B.Gas


    NokAir also fly to Udon. Nong Khai is quite nice and you would do better flying to Udon and stay a night there, than taking the overnight train and see nothing.


    I think I paid 2300 bt for a first class sleeping compartment for 2 BKK to Nong Khai and you won%26#39;t see much , only farmland around Udon in the morning but if you like the train where else can you get a pullman room for 2 for $60


    Hi -

    I%26#39;m going to be traveling to Southeast Asia for the first time with my sister this winter. I%26#39;m traveling from the US and am on a very stringent student budget. I%26#39;d love to learn more about this train and where I could possibly book a car for the two of us. Thanks!

    Tiffany


    I%26#39;ve taken this trip a couple of times, It is an overnight train, the only scenary is from before Udon Thani to Nong Khai, mostly farmland,and the lights thru Bangkok, leaves BKK at about 800pm but it does save you a nights hotel room and 1st class sleeper compartment was 2300 baht for 2, I may try the 2nd class sleeper this time and that is cheaper, stock up on stuff to eat at the station before you get on as it is better the the food on the train, its enjoyable for me, air asia and nokair fly to Udon Thani as well for about $50 per person, plus 150 baht each to Nong Khai in a minibus, train ends at Nong Khai and a short tuk tuk ride to the border, minibus on the Lao border to VTE is about 350 baht, theres a website for thai rail travel and numerous post on here about it, callao


    Tiffany, check out seat61.com/…20Khai - it worked well for me.

    You can book tickets in advance but deliveries will only be made in Thailand. In my case I had it delivered to my hotel by one of the nominated agents and all went fine. Alternatively you can buy it on arrival - but that train is quite popular so book as soon as you arrive.

    I enjoyed the ride, but I use the comfy end of the train. Other posters are correct - eat before you board and take food with you. Even in the ';pointy end'; the food isn%26#39;t a highlight of the trip.

    Note, as the previous poster indicated, that the train probably still stops in Nong Khai on the Thai/Laos border - 24km short of Vientiane. There was construction of the rail extension over the border but I%26#39;ve seen no update here to suggest it is completed (things move quite slowly in Laos).

    Allow a couple of hours to get out of Thailand and into Laos. Just slow moving lines, not big issues. Chance to meet some fellow travellers. Have a couple of passport photos with you for the visa-on-arrival application into Laos. And some $US or Thai Bhat for the visa cost.

    Cheers, --Kip


    Not ';probably stops';, still does stop in Nong Khai.


    Ah, yes, I should have said ';probably still terminates'; rather than ';stops';. Thanks for the catch.

    Cheers, --Kip

  • vb
  • Volunteering with Open Minds Projects

    My partner %26amp; I would like to volunteer in Laos in Jan 09 for 2 wks. Has anyone heard of this agency or volunteered with it? We would like to get some feedback before committing. Thks.





    Volunteering with Open Minds Projects


    I have never heard of them. The link to their homepage doesn%26#39;t work, either. Under what criteria do they accept volunteer workers? Have you been able to find out any information?





    I have taught voluntarily for the Sunshine School in Vientiane, and I also know of the reputable organization Big Brother Mouse, which produces and distributes books for children. They are always looking for volunteers. Here is the link



    http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/



    Cheers!



    Volunteering with Open Minds Projects


    I have volunteered with this group before, it was the best experience of my life! I volunteered with them for 6 weeks last winter teaching English. I went with two other girls from my college. We spent 3 weeks on the island of Koh Chang, and then 3 weeks in Krabi.





    I think any experience would have been incredible, but going with Openminds Projects made it extra amazing. They are a very small group, but that made it much more personable and special. We lived on our volunteer sites, becoming friends with and getting to know the people we worked with on an incredible level. They always helped us whenever we encountered a problem (which was almost never) and checked in often to make sure we were ok.





    I really enjoyed this group, that being said, their MO is pretty hands-off. We met our contact Mui at the airport (skipped the orientation), she took us to our site, got us introduced and settled in to our room, and then left until the end of the week. We could call her if we needed anything, but otherwise we pretty much just immediately started integrating ourselves into the community and with the people we were teaching. At both sites, the people we were teaching English to were the people who fed us, gave us rides around, and otherwise took care of us. I loved it, but make sure you research a bunch of groups to decide which one is best for you!




    Thks for your feedback. We did end up signing up with Open Minds about 3 wks ago but it%26#39;s reassuring to hear that you had a good experience. This will be our first time overseas volunteering and we%26#39;re really looking forward to it. We will be staying in a rural village in Laos and will be teaching English to the local villagers and guides. Were you teaching English to kids or adults? It was also very useful to know that it was pretty hands off as far as training.....perhaps I%26#39;ll do a little teaching research before we go!





    Thks again!




    Try and find out what age groups you will be working with and what the standard of English is. Then you will perhaps be able to bring some resources with you. This will help you greatly in planning what you are going to do and how to do it, otherwise you will probably be flying by the seat of your pants.





    If you send me a pm I will be able to help you in telling you what suitable resources you can purchase here. There are some decent Laos-English books available at Talat Sao eg.




    I volunteered with them in Thailand, but I%26#39;m sure the program is the same. We taught at a hospital for the first three weeks, teaching the staff who worked there English, helping to translate when tourists would come in, and helping out with some administrative tasks. We lead lessons in a laid-back, fairly causal setting, but as the students were adults and really wanting to learn english for their livelihood, I felt like we really helped some of them.





    The second site we worked at was an elementary school where we led hour or so long lessons in a traditional classroom setting. It was really fun, and the kids brighten up your day in an incredible way, but the they are so used to just reciting information, sometimes it was a little strange, or felt like we were not really getting through to them.





    In both places it was mostly up to us to decide what to teach and how. We didn%26#39;t realize this until we got there so we weren%26#39;t very well prepared, but we quickly figured it out and made some decent lesson plans to go off of. I would definately at least look at some lesson ideas or language instruction techniques. It can be a little challenging when the students (and even the teachers!) speak little to no English, but there are ways around it. I%26#39;m actually persuing my teaching credential now and I would recommend looking into techniques used for teaching English Language Learns (ELLs). I think we found out what groups (ages, location, etc) we would be working with when it got closer to our trip. Good Luck! And try to visit Thailand if you get the chance! (you usually only work Monday-Friday)


  • clarins
  • Laundry

    Hi,





    Can I safely assume there are plenty of inexpensive and reliable places to get my laundry done in Luang Prabang?





    Thanks!



    Laundry


    Erniecat, I just got mine done through my guest house. I think it was $1 per kilo (plus a service charge to the guest house). As I was leaving for the day I saw a staff member running up the road with my laundry to wherever if was being processed.





    I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll have any issues.





    Cheers, --Kip



    Laundry


    Sorry Ernie, you will have to wear your underpants inside out.




    Rufuscat,





    Thanks so much for the helpful reply. If you ever have any questions about a corner of the world you may not have visited, please do not hesitate to ask. I%26#39;ll try to be as helpful to you as you were to me.





    Cheers!




    there are plenty of places everywhere.




    No sense of humour Ernie!




    I heard that some places may not touch underwear



    Any truth to that?




    Reminds me of a funny experience the wife and I had in Thailand earlier this year.



    We are used to getting laundry done in Asia by the kilo but in this instance the laundry lady insisted in sign language that it was per item-you can imagine my wife%26#39;s embarassment when she then proceeded to upend the laundry bag right in the street and count out each item(certainly no problem with underwear there!!)

    If I take a bus from Hanoi to Vientiane can I break up trip

    Hi





    I intend to take a bus from Hanoi to Vientiane but can I break up the 20 hour journey by stopping somewhere for a day %26amp; then continueing on my journey by bus. Where can I get info on a luxury/vip bus?

    discovery airpass??

    anyone konw where i can buy this? I keep hearing about it but can%26#39;t find any place that sells it. tks!



    discovery airpass??


    Hi there...i%26#39;m just quoting from Travel fish:





    The Discovery Airpass cannot be purchased in Thailand, nor can it be purchased throught the Bangkok Airways website (http://www.bangkokair.com), and while we%26#39;d heard you couldn%26#39;t buy it anywhere in Southeast Asia.



    Here%26#39;s a list of agents that Bangkok Airways suggests you approach for the ticket.





    Australia and New Zealand





    Australia - Melbourne



    Airline Marketing Australia



    Level 7, 246 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia



    T: (61) (03) 9639 2400



    F: (61) (03) 9663 6203



    Email: bangkokair-mel@airlinemarketing.com.au





    Australia - Perth



    Airline Marketing Australia



    Level 3, Singapore Airlines House, 178 St George Terrace, Perth WA 6000 Australia



    T: (61) (08) 9442 6044



    F: (61) (08) 9486 1930



    Email: bangkokair-per@airlinemarketing.com.au





    Australia - Sydney



    Airline Marketing Australia



    Suite 1819, Level 18, Australia Square Tower, 264 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia



    T:(61) (02) 8248 0050



    F: (61) (02) 9252 5217



    Email: bangkokair-syd@airlinemarketing.com.au





    New Zealand - Auckland



    Airline Marketing New Zealand



    Level 14, 120 Albert Street, Auckland, New Zealand



    T: (64) 9 969 7600



    F: (64) 9 969 7619



    Email: bangkokair@airlinemarketing.co.nz



    Europe





    Czech Republic - Prague



    Art of Travel Worldwide



    Anny Letensk茅 7, Prague 2, 120 00, Czech Republic



    T: (420) 224 239 250



    F: (420) 224 220 414



    Email: pg@artoftravelworldwide.com





    France - Paris



    Aviareps France 11, rue Auber 75009 Paris, France



    T: (33) 1 5343 7915



    F: (33) 1 5343 7919



    Email: reservation@bangkokair.com.fr





    Germany - Frankfurt



    Bethmannstr. 58, 60311 Frankfurt/Main, Germany



    T: (49 69) 133 77 565/ 566



    F: (49 69) 133 77 567



    Email: info@bangkokairways.de





    Hungary - Budapest



    Art of Travel s.r.o. Budapest Office



    Ferenciek tere 2, 1053 Budapest, Hungary



    T: (36) 1 328 0521



    F: (36) 1 328 0521



    Email: hu@artoftravelworldwide.com





    Italy - Rome



    SPAZIO s.r.l. Via Nazionale, 66, 00184 Rome, Italy



    T: (39) 06 488 2433



    F: (39) 06 488 0862



    Email: bangkokair@spazio.aero





    Italy - Milan



    SPAZIO s.r.l. Via S. Antonio 4, 20122 Milan, Italy



    T: (39) 02 5830 0646



    F: (39) 02 5830 0416



    Email: bangkokair@spazio.aero





    Russia - Moscow



    Tal Aviation Russia, Sadovo Kudrinskaya 20, 103001 Moscow, Russia



    T: (7) 095 234 4074



    F: (7) 095 234 4079



    Email: salestalav@comail.ru





    Spain - Madrid



    Aviareps Espana



    C/ Santa Hortensia No. 15. Oficina E., Madrid 28002, Spain



    T: (34) 90 220 2212



    F: (34) 91 413 6298



    Email: BangkokAirways.Spain@aviareps-group.com





    UK - West Sussex



    Aviareps House, Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9RB England



    T: (44) 1293 596 626



    F: (44) 1293 596 658



    Email: bangkokairways@aviareps-group.com



    Middle east/Asia





    Maldives - Male



    Surf Travel Pvt.Ltd. (General Sales Agent), H.Faalandhoshuge, Ground Floor Ameer Ahmed Magu Mal茅, Maldives



    T: (960) 331 7117



    F: (960) 332 1771



    Email: bangkokair@surftravel.com.mv





    Sri Lanka - Colombo



    Jetwing Air (PVT ) Ltd., No 140 / A Vauxhall Street, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka



    T: (94) 11 473 24561 ext. 403



    F: (94) 11 473 2444



    Email: bangkokair@jetwing.lk





    United Arab Emirates - Dubai



    Sharaf Travel, PO Box 21593, Dubai United Arab Emirates



    T: +971 4 3976161



    F: +971 4 3978176



    Email: gsapg@sharaftravel.com



    North America





    Canada - Toronto



    1235 Bay St. Suite 601, Toronto, Ontario - Canada - M5R 3K4



    T: 1 866 BANGKOK



    F: (416) 972 0185



    Email: yyz@bangkokairwaysna.com





    Canada - Vancouver



    1166 Alberni Street, Suite 1406, Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z3, Canada



    T: 1 866 BANGKOK



    F: (604) 681 8953



    Email: yvr@bangkokairwaysna.com





    US - Chicago



    401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 865, Chicago, IL 60611, USA



    T: 1 866 BANGKOK



    F: (312) 822 0048



    Email: chi@bangkokairwaysna.com





    US - Houston



    3050 Post Oak Blvd, Suite 1320, Houston, TX 77056, USA



    T: 1 866 BANGKOK



    F: (713) 626 1905



    Email: hou@bangkokairwaysna.com





    US - Los Angeles



    16250 Ventura Blvd, Suite 115, Encino, CA 91436, USA



    T: 1 866 BANGKOK



    F: (818) 501 2098



    Email: lax@bangkokairwaysna.com





    US - New York



    350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1421, New York, NY 10018, USA



    T: 1 866 BANGKOK



    F: (212) 279 6602



    Email: nyc@bangkokairwaysna.com



    Asia





    Burma - Rangoon



    0305, 3rd Floor, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyaulktada Township, Rangoon, Burma



    T: (95) 01 255 122



    F: (95) 01 255 119



    Email: rgnrrpg@bangkokair.com.mm





    Cambodia - Phnom Penh



    No. 61A St. 214, Sangkat Beong Rang, Khan Don Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia



    T: (855 23) 722 545-47



    F:(855 23) 725 502



    Email: sales_cambodia@bangkokair.com





    Cambodia - Siem Reap



    571 Rd., No. 6 Phum Salakanseng, Khum Svay Damkum, Srok Khet, Siem Reap, Cambodia



    T: (855 63) 965 422-3



    F: (855 63) 965 424



    Email: reprrpg@bangkokair.com





    China - Guilin



    No. 18, Binjiang Road, Guilin, Guangxi PRC 541001, China



    T: (86 773) 288 0835-6



    F: (86 773) 288 0833





    China - Hangzhou



    19th Floor Biaoli Building, No.528 Yan%26#39;an Road, Hangzhou 310006 China



    T: (86 571) 8577 4571-2



    F: (86 571) 8577 4573



    Email: hghrrpg@bangkokair.com





    China - Hong Kong



    Suite 1418, Jardin House, 1 Connaught Place, Hong Kong



    T: (852) 2899 2597, (852) 2899 2634



    F: (852) 2537 4567



    Email: hkgrrpg@bangkokair.com





    China - Jinghong



    No.8 Jingdexi Rd., Jinghong, Xi Shuang Banna, Yunnan, 666100, China



    T: (86 691) 212 1881-2



    F: (86 691) 212 1880



    Email: jhgrrpg@bangkokair.com





    China - Shenzhen



    No.10# Shop,Shangri-la Hotel,Renminnan Road, Luohu District,Shen Zhen China



    T: (86 755) 8232 1251, 8232 5252



    F: (86 755) 8232 4345



    Email: szxrrpg@bangkokair.com





    China - Xi%26#39;an



    No. B105 Pioneering Square, No.48 Keji Road, XI%26#39;AN Hi-Tech Zone, XI%26#39;AN Shaanxi P.R. China 710075



    T: (86 29) 8835 0081-2



    F: (86 29) 8835 0083





    China - Zhengzhou



    18th Floor, Weilai Building, No. 69 Weilai Road, Zhengzhou, Henan, China 450008



    T: (86 371) 6562 8001-2



    F: (86 371) 6562 8006





    Japan - Fukuoka



    6th Floor, 6th Myojo Building 1-15-2 Tenjin, Chuo-ku Fukuoka-City, 810-0001 Japan



    T: (81) 092-739 6375



    F: (81) 092-739 6378



    Email : reservation.fuk@bangkokair.com





    Japan - Hiroshima



    9th Floor 6-11 Hondori, Naka-Ku, Hiroshima-City, Hiroshima 730-0035 Japan



    T: (81) 82 545 5066



    F: (81) 82 545 5072



    Email: reservation.hij@bangkokair.com





    Korea - Seoul



    Korea Universal co., Ltd.



    8th Floor Soonhwa Building No.5-2,



    T: (82) 2 3706 3322/ 3388



    F: (82) 2 319 0888



    Email: kuc@koreauniversal.com





    Laos - Luang Prabang



    57/6 Srisawangwong Rd., District 3, Bann Xiengmuan, Luang Prabang, Laos P.D.R.



    T: (856 71) 253 334



    F: (856 71) 253 335





    Laos - Pakse



    Ban Sanamsay, Pakse Town, Champasack Province, Lao P.D.R



    T: (856 31) 254 499



    Email : PKZKKPG@bangkokair.com





    Singapore



    WISMA ATRIA Office Tower, Unit#20-02, 435 Orchard Road, Singapore 238877



    T: (65) 6738 0063



    F: (65) 6738 8867



    Email: sinrrpg@bangkokair.com





    Taiwan - Taipei



    Global Aviation Service (Taiwan) Inc. 11F-2, 103, Nan-King E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei,



    T: (886) 2 8712 2113



    F: (886) 2 8712 3151



    Email: gastwn@ms12.hinet.net





    Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City



    Unit 103, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam.



    T: (+84) 8 910 4490 - 91



    F: (+84) 8 910 4548



    Email: sgnrrpg@bangkokair.com







    Ciaoo

    Lunag Prabang to Siem Reap transportation options?

    We will be traveling from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap in Dec, does any one have suggestions for the best options for this route?

    Thanks bluewildyonder

    Lunag Prabang to Siem Reap transportation options?

    bangkok airways do this route. I am flying Siem Reap to Luang Prabang on 29th December, then flying back Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai on 31st.

    Can book online with Bankgkok Airways and get an e-ticket by e-mail.

    Lunag Prabang to Siem Reap transportation options?

    I believe it is the Lao airline you fly with. You can book with Bangkok air but actually it is Lao air. You can book directly with Vietnam air as well.


    I have read somewhere that one can%26#39;t book directly with Vietnam Air. Not sure if it%26#39;s true but I%26#39;ve booked my december trip (from Bangkok to Siem Reap to LPG) through Expedia and Vietnam Air is covering Siem Reap-LPG leg of the trip.

    Heidi


    If you want to book it yourself you can do this with Lao Air through their web site. I am flying Siem Reap to Luang Prabang in October, the cost is $215 inc taxes. The flight time is 3.5hr as the plane stops at Pakse. The booking process was simple and I received instant confirmation and e-ticket.

    Currently you can not book Vietnam Airlines international flights on line even though the flights are shown on the Lao Air web site.


    Make sure you use correct Laoair web site and not dubious agents of similar web title

    http://www.laoairlines.com

    and correct browser=only works for ebookings on Explorer.


    I just flew from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap on 10/2 on Lao Airline.

    I was in Vietnam and booked my flight a week earler for $225. I could have bought the same ticket a day in advance in Luang Prabang for $180. There were empty seats on my flight to SR. I am not sure why the difference unless Vietnamese Airlines makes a large commission.

    Arriving im Laos. I was surprised to see many promotions for buy one get one ticket free on international locations that were good through 9/30. I never saw this promotion on the web site. A new promotion for the fall was buy one get one free between Vietiene and Luang Prabang.

    It will be different in high season, but for those traveling in low season I would recommend buying your ticket locally and seeing if there are any promotions.

  • need girl advice
  • lao apartments

    I am looking for anyone knew of any websites or companies/people I could contact for more info about the Asia apartment...





    Many thanks



    Hanoiapartments



    lao apartments


    There are not that many serviced apartments in Laos, although some hotels will offer monthly deals. Park View Executive Suites offer the best apartments available,





    Lee



    www.vientiane-hotel-link.com

    gibbon experience - weight restrictions?

    Hi, we are doing gibbon experience mid August. My partner is a big boy weighing in at 115kgs. All the vids we have seen on you tube show people more average size. Can anybody tel me if they have harnesses for bigger people and if weight is likely to be an issue with moving around on the zip lines?





    Also would be interested in hearing from anyone who has done waterfall rather than classic during rainy season? ta, B





    gibbon experience - weight restrictions?


    Hello! Did you go on the Gibbon Experience? Did you have any problems with the weight? I am asking, because I am planning on going in November, and I am a bit on the heavy side as well, Lu


  • eyeshadow color
  • mayalaria ??

    do you need to take malarone or another malayaria tablet in this region of laos, going there from mongoalia now in a week and really ned to know cheers



    mayalaria ??


    Oh gawd here we go again!



    mayalaria ??


    Quick answer - no you don%26#39;t. There are already plenty of posts on this topic.

    Senesouk Guesthouse

    Hello, I am wondering if anbody has the contact phone number for Senesouk Guesthouse in Luang Prabrang. www.luang-prabang-hotels.com/Senesouk_House I will be staying in December and would like to make a booking with them personally.





    Thanks for any help you can give me.





    :)



    Senesouk Guesthouse




    http://www.luangphabang.com/senesouk/







    sensouk@laotel.com



    Senesouk Guesthouse


    The e-mail address is what I have used to correspond %26amp; book with.




    Thanks heaps! You are the best!



    size of visa

    This may be a silly question - how big is the Laos visa? Does it take up the whole page in a passport? I am wondering, because if so, I will probably need to get extra pages in my passport.

    Thanks in advance!

    Halankar

    size of visa

    Yes it takes up pretty much the whole page. Mine%26#39;s from 2 years ago but assume it%26#39;s the same. Sounds like you will need one soon anyway so might as well get a new one

    size of visa

    1 page.


    I have 5 of those damn things, plus one from Cambodia, so my passport is presently at the US consulate in Osaka, having new pages added to it...

  • software
  • Reliable tour operators

    Hi





    My husband %26amp; I are planning a trip to Laos mid Dec. Would appreciate if we could get some advice on reliable tour operators who could help us. We intend to cover Vientiene, Luang Prabang, Muang SIng %26amp; Champasak.





    Your responses will be highly appreciated...





    thanks



    Pooja



    Reliable tour operators


    Inter-Lao Tourism



    www.interlao.laopdr.com



    inttour@laotel.com





    Exotissimo



    laosales@exotissimo.com





    Diethelm Travel Laos



    diethelmtravel.com



    dtlls@diethelmlaos.com





    Phoenix Voyages



    http://phoenixvoyages.com



    sphoenix@laotel.com



    Reliable tour operators


    I have had excellent service from Exotissimo and not so good from Green Discovery.




    I%26#39;ve only ever used Exotissimo for booking tickets (in Cambodia) and they were very reliable. I hear Diethelm is pretty good...




    Tiger trails Adventure is the best





    Exotissimo is fine but Tiger Trails is perfect for activity vacation




    thank you all for your help..much appreciated

    Points of interest map for Vientiane

    Before my mind turns completely to mush I thought I%26#39;d put a map together that pinpoints some of the key locations of Vientiane. Not very useful to for the experienced, but maybe helpful for a first-time visitor trying to get bearings.





    The map (downloadable to kml format) can be found at noexpectations.com.au/articles/landmarks-of-…





    Cheers, --Kip

    Bowling Alley

    Hi





    I have heard from various people that there is a bowling alley in Loas - apparenlty the only place to drink and a good backpacker scene? does anyone know where this is?





    Thanks



    Tara





    Bowling Alley


    I assume this is a serious post? ';The only place to drink....'; You have got to be kidding me; you can drink anywhere here.



    There are 2 bowling alleys in Vientiane; one is at Itec and the other is in the city itself. Neither is a backpacker hangout so I don%26#39;t know who or what these ';various'; people have told you, but they are spinning you a yarn.



    Btw in answer to your other posts, ';yes';, there are plenty of ATMs around VTE, and now Luang Prabang and even in Savahnakhet and Pakse.



    Bowling Alley


    theres 2 in VTE 1 close to Settha palace hotel and 1 at the Itecc shopping mall, this 1 is newer, the 1 downtown has pool tables , myself I couldn%26#39;t find 1ball i could get my fingers in thou so played pool instead


  • eyeshadow color
  • Hotels in Luang Prabang

    Does anyone have a recommendation for a nicer hotels in Luang Prabang ? Are there any hotels there with WiFi access in the rooms?



    Many Thanks



    Hotels in Luang Prabang


    Hello,





    I would recommend AcientLuangprabang hotel. It%26#39;s very nice in the center of night market. The room has Wifi access



    Hotels in Luang Prabang


    a cheaper option to the Ancient is Rama Hotel which also has WiFi.





    Lee



    www.luang-prabang-hotels.com




    I will be in Luang Prabang in the last week of December.. I tried booking Ancient Luang Prabang Hotel through three booking agents as well as by directly emailing the hotel.. They all said the hotel is already fully booked.. I%26#39;m now looking for another place to stay at.. Just thought I%26#39;d let you know since someone suggested that hotel =)

    Pakse day trips

    Can someone tell me if it is easy to arrange day trips in pakse to champasak and the khone waterfalls? Are there places that you can join groups to tour these places?

    Also is it easy to get to phnom penh fron here?

    Pakse day trips

    Easy to arrange trips once you are in Pakse - lots of agencies in the town - buses daily to the south and agencies will organise individual trips for you too.

    Pakse day trips

    Yes, they arrange trips to Cambodia as well.


    Yes, lots of agencies. No problem at all.

  • data into xsds
  • Gibbon experience - days od departure?

    Hi,





    I am planning SE Asia trip in April so want to plan arrival to Huay Xai day before departure to GE.





    Can anyone tell me which days of the week are departure days for GE. Or we can go every day?



    I tried to contact them by e-mail but without response for now.





    Thanks for the helpfull answers.





    Vedran



    Gibbon experience - days od departure?


    Read the details here-



    www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa…

    Dinero en Laos



    Hola!





    Viajamos a Laos el próximo 23 de noviembre y tenemos un par de preguntas:





    - ¿Es mejor llevar euros o dólares? ¿Hay que cambiar allí los dólares o se puede pagar con ellos?





    - ¿Nos podemos sacar el visado allí mismo?



    Diferentes foros dicen que sí, que sin problema pero queriamos asegurarnos.





    Gracias



    Dinero en Laos




    Ah cuánto dinero llevariais para pasar 13 dias en Laos? Los hoteles y los vuelos ya los llevamos pagados, sería dinero para comer, compras, visitas, etc.





    Gracias



    Dinero en Laos


    Teneis todo pagado ya? Pues poco dinero, pero depende de que tipo de vida quereis hacer...





    Algunos ejemplos (nosotros viajamos very very budget, comiendo en restaurantes locales, sin top class e alquilando bici o moto para visitar..)





    Mejor llevarse dolares porque a veces puedes pagar con ellos pero aqui la mayoria pone precios en Kips y no en dolares come Cambodia y Vietnam..





    Cambio a ayer: 1 USD = 8.544 Kips





    - agua 1.5 litros: 4.000 Kips



    - platos de curry o comida local = 20.000/45.000



    - autobus de noche 12 horas Pakse-Vientaine 180.000 Kips



    - Botella grande Beer Lao = 10.000 Kips



    - Alquilar bici/moto 1 dia = 10.000/40.000 kips





    Euros? pues no se...siempre puedes cambiarlos en moneda local pero no creo los acepten..





    Visa on arrival? si volais ningun problema..





    Ciao..

    Am I mad? Itinery help

    We are organising our honeymoon at the moment and I would love some ideas on whether I am trying to fit in too much. Is it do-able or just too much?



    Here goes:



    Flying to Luang Prabang (via Bangkok) 3 days



    Hanoi 3 days



    Hoi An 3 days



    Ho Chi Minh 3 days



    Siem Reap 3 days



    Ko Samui for some luxury and beach 5 days



    Finally Bangkok 2 days





    Is there anywhere not worth going to or anywhere that you would recommend in the itinery. Are the times in the places enough or too much?





    Thanks a million





    Am I mad? Itinery help


    Presumably you will be flying between all of these place....





    In my opinion no you%26#39;re not mad - obviously the more time you have in places the better but if you%26#39;re wanting to go round the whole area and you haven%26#39;t been to any of these places before then the time you%26#39;re spending is enough to see the major sights.





    An extra day in Hanoi may be worthwhile so you can fit in a 2day/1 night trip on halong bay, maybe you could knock 1 off HCM? Quite a bit to see in HCM and surrounding area but if it was a case of choosing between halong and the cu chi tunnels or something then Halong would win everytime (not that the tunnels arent worth seeing though).





    Another day in Bangkok as well at the expense of a day in samui? Would enable you to do a day trip somewhere such as Ayutthaya - great place.





    Whatever you choose these are all amazing places and you will have a great time.



    Am I mad? Itinery help


    I%26#39;d off Hoi An, add the 3 days to Laos (You%26#39;re going to be spending $35 for a visa there- get your moneysworth!), maybe a day in Vientiane and 2 in Vang Vieng, at least another day in Siem Reap as you will be losing a day in travel time, and lop off a day form Samui and spend it in Bangkok. As above poster mentioned, you MUST calculate in your travel times. Especially if you are flying, you will have to show up early at airports, and if the flight is in the afternoon and you arrive in the late evening, there won%26#39;t be a heck of a lot of sightseeing to do then. I would personally opt for just one or 2 of those countries, as there is a whole lot to do in each, plus, why rush around on your honeymoon?

    Viengxay

    If you are travelling to Lao [or from] via Vietnam think about the crossing at Nameo in Huaphan province. No visas issued at the border but it gives you the opportunity to visit Viengxay. A place of significant histoy and incredible natural beauty.



    For %26#39;pioneer%26#39; travellers, well worth the tiring journey. Not too many have been there yet.




  • eyeshadow color
  • best stay in Luang prabang?

    My girlfriend and I are heading to Laos for a blisfull two week break from the daily grind! Plan to head to Luang prabang, vang vieng and the area around pakse.

    While in luang prabang, i am looking for an amazing place to stay: big stone bath, deluxe breakfasts in the mornings, beautiful architecture, nice view are the things that come to mind.

    La residence looks in a league of its own but just wondering if it is really worth the money and if there wasn%26#39;t an equal or better experience to be had somewhere else??????

    Happy to blow the budget for luang prabang - assuming this is the only/best area in Laos where you can splurge on luxury.

    Can anyone advise?

    best stay in Luang prabang?

    Check out Maison Souvannaphoum

    Villa Santi is nice but a bit far from town

    best stay in Luang prabang?

    La Residence Phou Vao is a great choice.

    This is an Orient Express Hotels property with wonderful ambiance and service. Not right in town but easy enough to get to and free tuk tuk to and from.

    You won%26#39;t be sorry about this place, check the reviews here they speak for themselves...

  • vc
  • maison de xanamkieng

    Does anyone have the email address for maison de Xanamkieng? Other contact info?



    maison de xanamkieng


    It%26#39;s listed here



    travelfish.org/accommodation_profile/…3716

    New Hotel in Pakse

    For those interested, and I know some are, there is a new deluxe hotel in Pakse.



    The Champasak Grand



    email



    www.champasakgrand.com



    Pakse .. I am looking for a bar that stays open past 10 pm!

    I dont like the sex scene in Bangkok or Pattaya but I do like to have a drink and relax when Im on holiday in SE Asia. In my last trip to Pakse the town appeared to close down at 10pm. Perhaps it was where I was staying but even the hotel bar closed at that time. I am going there again in november. Does anyone know of a bar that at least stays open to midnight where we can have a drink and listen to music?



    Pakse .. I am looking for a bar that stays open past 10 pm!


    Hmmm...That%26#39;s a good question. Didn%26#39;t notice any bars per se, but whenever I%26#39;m in Pakse my friends and I just sit at those riverside restaurants, quaffing Beerlao. I think they pretty much shut down before 11:00pm...



    Pakse .. I am looking for a bar that stays open past 10 pm!


    Yeah, thats what i thought.



    :%26lt;(



    I was hoping there may be something in the area close to the new bridge over the Mekong. Isnt there a hotel/casino complex going up?




    Yeah, I cycled past that a few weeks ago but it looks like it wasn%26#39;t ready quite ready yet. Huge place, almost completed...You might check it out when you get there.




    The hotel/casino has been completed and is advertising in the Vientiane Times. I would guess you could get a drink there.




    What%26#39;s the name of that place? Could you post the website if it%26#39;s listed, Ron?




    How easy is it to get to Luang Prabang from VTE? I only have three days brfore moving to Pakse so should I just spend the time in VTE?




    It%26#39;s a 30-minute flight from VTE-LP. If you only have 3 days, stay in VTE. Nice city, lots to see and do. (And plenty of places to find a drink at night!)




    ok, will do. Any recommendations for a hotel?




    In VTE I always stay at Vayakorn Guesthouse, e-mail



    vayakone@laotel.com



    The place is immaculate (+ hot water shower, cable TV) and they have an excellent staff. 2-minute walk to the riverside. Doubles $23




    I%26#39;ll post the name as soon as I get back from Khon Kaen.

    Many Lao guest hotels don't answer emails.



    There have been many posts on this forum from travellers complaining that such-and-such a guest house or hotel does not answer their emails. Regular posters usually advise that the original poster telephone instead.





    Apart from the limited English of many Lao hotel staff, it may be the case that they just don%26#39;t take emails seriously anymore.





    I handle the email enquiries and reservations for a resort in Laos and every day receive two or three emails like the two pasted below, which I received today.





    Greetings,



    I enquire for reservations for 4 couples coming for their honey moon at your property,I would like you to get back to me with the following.



    1. The availability of the dates



    2. The Daily cost for the required dates



    3. The total cost for the lenght of their stay.



    4. Do you accept credit card payment.



    The arrival date for the couples will be 20th Dec and they will depart on 30th Dec 2008 ,Their stay will last for 10 days.



    Do get back to me with the requirements as stated above.



    Kindest Regards,



    Mr William



    Tel: +44 70457 90678



    +44 70457 90689







    Hi



    I want you to prepare a five[5] days tour program in your facility for my Clients.They are From Jordan Island and shall be touring round your state and some other place in your country.they re coming to your country for their vacation.



    They are just 2 couples.



    Mr %26amp; Mrs Marcint



    Mr $ Mrs Lucerles



    Arrival date: 10th Dec 2008



    Departure date :15th Dec 2008



    Number of days: 6 days



    Number of Guest: 4



    Confirm availability and get back to me with your rates and total cost so that i can give you my credit card details for a deposit payment.



    George Moore





    At first, I followed up enquiries like these. The farthest I got, after 7 or 8 emails going backwards and forwards, answering questions, etc. was something like the following: ';We have hired a security firm to provide bodyguards for our clients during their conference in Laos and will require you to make payment of US$1,500 to them on our behalf. You should add this payment to your total billing.';





    Never having heard of conference participants needing bodyguards in Vientiane, we telephoned the emailer and heard a very excited man with a heavy African accent rambling on incoherently!





    As we receive 2 or 3 of these emails per day I assume it is not only our resort but every hotel and guest house in Laos (maybe the world!) receiving these. To follow up the enquiries is very difficult, time-consuming (esoecially for Lao staff)and ultimately pointless. I usually no longer even open such mail since they all contain the same tell-tale signs. These are:





    1. The message line is always in upper case bold.



    2. The email is always from someone making a booking for someone else.



    3. The email always refers to %26#39;your facility%26#39; or %26#39;your property%26#39;, never to the name of our resort.



    4. The email always refers to %26#39;your country%26#39; or %26#39;your state%26#39;, never to Laos.



    5. There is always a request to make advance payment by credit card.





    I know many regular posters on this forum are connected in various ways to guest houses and hotels and would be interested to hear other people%26#39;s experiences of this and if anyone has gone so far down the line as to find out exactly what the scam is (credit card fraud? money laundering?). Also, perhaps they could pass on the 5 tell tale signs above to the Lao receptionists they know.





    Regards,





    Philip



    Many Lao guest hotels don't answer emails.


    I get several of these a week as well - tell tale sign of this scam is that they will always say that they will provide credit card details to secure the booking - from my experience, most travellers do not voluntarily offer to provide credit card details unless requested.





    Cheers





    Lee



    www.luang-prabang-hotels.com

    Aroon Residence

    Hi The website looks great, but i cannot find any reference to it on T A.

    Has anybody stayed there and is it as good as the web portrays.

    My next selection would be the Chanthapanya but the website is so slow [ even with my fast broadband ].

    Gander.

    Aroon Residence

    I have stayed here and the rooms are nice and big and the location is central - very close to the Morning Market. The staff is also nice. Another place you might want to look at is Villa manoly, a French mansion. Its a little further out, but the prices are the same and VM does have a small pool.

    Aroon Residence

    Thanks again Rufuscat.

    Only small things i know but apart from the expected eg air con / mini bar etc 2 very important things to us are, tea /coffee making facilities and a few English language speaking T/V channels.

    I will check out Manoley, but the walking distance to markets etc sounds good.

    Gander.


    Just one thing. Make sure this is the Aroon guesthouse and not the Aroon Hotel. The latter is a nice hotel, but could hardly be described as central.


    Just checked their website. This is the hotel. I have not satyed there, though it looks nice. It is too far out from the town centre though.


    Just shows how easy it is to be fooled.

    On the website www.aroonresidencehotel.com they give their address as Ban Hatsady Neua

    Chanthabouly Districct

    Saylom Road.

    They say that it is a 5 minute walk to the morning market and the Victory Monument and is in the centre of town.

    Are we talking about the same place ?

    Gander.


    Hi there Gander,

    OMG you correct about the Chanthapanya 鈥榮 slow web page. I too had this one on my notes.

    I have another I am keen on %26amp; have sent you an e-mail of. ( just to add more confusion), it is near the river.

    Plus a map, although I need to buy a magnifying glass to see.

    Thanks for taking the time on this forum Rufuscat your advice %26amp; feedback has been helful to me too.

    Not heard of the Aroon Residence, about to check out.


    Yep we are talking about the same place. I drove past it this morning actually which prompted my second reply.

    The Aroon GUESTHOUSE is located about a 3 minute walk from the morning market; it is the place I have stayed at. While it is not what I would call luxurious, the rooms are quite large. we had the upstairs room - actually a bed room and a sitting room. It is clean and spacious.

    Another suggestion is the Manoly guesthouse I have already mentioned. This is about a 10 min walk from the town cntre and is lovely, and has a pool, (small).

    A decent hotel a mate stayed at about 2 months ago - and I looked at his room - is the one you mention, the Chanthapanya. Now this is VERY central. Further from the Morning Market, but very close to restaurants and the town centre.


    Ok forget my previous post and sorry about the confusion. Just spoke to the Missus.

    The one I drove past this morning is the New Aroon Hotel. The one you are talking about is commonly called the Aroon Guesthouse and is the one shown on the website. This IS the one I have stayed at and this IS close to everything.

    Again sorry, but best to get things right.


    vientiane-hotel-link.com/Aroon_Residence_Hot鈥?/a>

    I found this web site shows location.


    OK, this thread is getting a bit confusing...

    Just to confirm:

    The Aroon Residence Hotel is a recommended hotel in a central location, correct?

    Many thanks.

  • eyeshadow color
  • removing contact lenses
  • Vang Vieng to Phonsavan

    In november I will be in laos for 2 weeks. I want to travel from Vang Vieng to Phonsavan, preferably by minivan.



    Does anyone have information about where to go for minivan tickets and about the costs?





    Hope someone can answer my questions.





    Rachèle



    Vang Vieng to Phonsavan


    There are travel agents in VV that can arrange this for you. Minivans are expensive but you can get a bus along highways 13 then 7.

    staying in a tree house?

    after 4 days in luang prabang I would love to venture into the national park for some eco trekking.





    is it true there are tree houses where you can stay up in the canopy?





    staying in a tree house?


    Um, Laos has no real rain forest, so you won%26#39;t be finding a canopy, but there is a place where you can stay in treehouses. Check out this site www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa…



    staying in a tree house?


    You can stay in a tree house about 80km from Vientiane - the idea is to sleep there and wake up early and observe the wild elephants as they come to the salt-lick at the base of the tree.

    What to eat in Vientiane?

    Hey all,





    Looking to go to Vientiane late Jan/early Feb next year, and would greatly appreciate recommendations for places to eat of any and all cuisines as long as it%26#39;s quality.





    Thanks!



    What to eat in Vientiane?


    Cicatriz, I%26#39;m sure others are better informed than I am so I can only give you a couple of suggestions.





    Around the fountain in town you will find a cluster of restaurants - everything from the Scandanavian Bakery (good for breakfast if you need a bread fix or coffee) to Italian, French, International etc etc etc.





    Along the riverfront there are any number of casual restaurants. Pick one for the ambiance.





    I also really like hanging out at the Spirit House which is next door to the Beau Rivage hotel (which I also enjoy). It has Lao and international food, an outdoor eating area right on the river. And free wifi :-) Good cocktail bar inside too. It%26#39;s not a truly local place, but by any measure the ambiance and food are good (from breakfast through dinner).





    I also like the Sunset Bar for a drink at, well, sunset. Its along the same road (its a dirt road) beside the Mekong, about another 200m or so. Its of a curious construction but I think it is the best place to relax over a beer, some good Lao snacks and watch life on the river.





    I have a few photos from a Vientiane trip at noexpectations.com.au/galleries/laos-decembe… (the first 6 or seven shots are from Vientiane).





    Cheers, --Kip



    What to eat in Vientiane?


    Expensive - Le Silapa



    Good value, not cheap but excellent french food - Le Central.



    Very good lao food - Kua Laos



    My local - good country style french food at reasonable prices, 3.00 corkage - Le Central



    heavily overpriced but good Italian food - La Gondola



    Restaurants by the Mekong are ok, but nothing special.



    Good Korean style bbq - Poysian Bulgogi




    Sorry the above Italian should read La Opera. La Gondola is quite a lot cheaper, not as good though.




    I second the Le Opera for Italian ,they always treat me good there but 10 or 12 bucks per person, you can get a decent steak at the french place next to scandanavian bakery. SB has good coffee and breakfast, so does Joma bakery, Sticky Fingers is run by aussies and has fish and chips etc, Mekong Deck is new and kinda nice, PVO almost next door has good Vietnamese soup, the street venders on the mekong is hit and miss, had some good food there and some not so good, Sunset bar is a cool place but hard to get to if you don%26#39;t have a motorbike, You can rent a bike at PVO, they are good people there, treated me good, Khop Chai Duo Bar is the most popular place for falangs the BBQ is pretty good and the lunch buffet is pretty good, callao




    ';10 or 12 bucks per person, you can get a decent steak at the french place next to scandanavian bakery.';





    That place is called Le Provencal. Good steaks and pizza and they don%26#39;t charge corckage.




    Thanks guys for all the great suggestions!





    I%26#39;ve also heard of a Laos Food Festival which ran in Vientiane early this year, but I can%26#39;t find any more info about it - does anyone know anything about it?




    Last year, not this year. It is not an annual event.




    In Feb. last year we had delicious food at Makphet restaurant, which is part of the ';Stay Another Day'; project. The food was really excellent and so is the cause. here%26#39;s a link: stayanotherday.org/project/…introduction




    Definitely check out Makphet restaurant - its great food - the best I had on my last visit in July. Near the Wat Inpeng - its small though and gets full quickly. Great because its a training restaurant too.





    I also like Le Provencal on Namphpu and last time ate at Le Vendome - okay but not brilliant as I%26#39;d been told.





    Coffee - Jomas is the usual and is good. Also good coffee from a tiny place with only about 3 tables - run by a Japanese lady - they roast their own coffee. Sorry the name is gone but its in road with the Samentha hotel opposite the Lao Women%26#39;s union.





    Also by the time you get there Lao Mountain coffee should have their new premises up and running - they plan to do tasting sessions and have a small cafe. Its up near That Luang not far from the Japanese embassy. They do great coffee.




    Mak Phet is too Westernised for my tastes. Though the cause is great, the food is ok, but not great.



    Joma is overpriced. Try the Swedish bakery instead or the small coffee shop in Talat Sao Mall for cheaper and just as good if not better coffee.

    Laos-Hanoi

    Hi there..



    anyone knows if there%26#39;s any chance to cross the border in north Laos to go to Hanoi in Vietnam without going south to Danang and north again??





    I have to be in Hanoi in a few day and fly to Hanoi is quite expensive now (both from Vientaine and LP)..





    I know that there%26#39;re at least a couple of borders in the north of Laos but are they accessible? if Yes, any bus? or is too long to go that way???





    Many thanks...



    Laos-Hanoi


    Hi. You can travel by bus from Vientiane [25hours], Luang Prabang [19 hours] or Xieng Khouang [7 hours.



    Buses are local so times can be approximate.Travel to Sam Neua and cross the border at Nameo. Visas are not issued at the crossing so you need your visa for Vietnam before arrival.Travel from border by bus is about 300 kms to Hanoi [about 8 hours] or 400 hours to Mai Chau. Best days to travel Sunday and Thursday when the bus is waiting at the border or Saturday when the bus from Sam Neua goes all the way to the coast.



    Laos-Hanoi


    Thank you very much for the info..finally we decided to fly just because we tried the local buses and as we are in a rush we don%26#39;t wanna risk to miss the flight back to Europe..





    We went from Vientaine to LP by bus (VIP) and it took 14 hours with accident included (quite risky but we were lucky we ended up in the good side of the road) so...





    :-)





    Cheers




    Thanks - go well!




    Thanks - go well!

    Atm

    Hi

    Is there cash points around Laos???

    Thanks

    Tara

    Atm

    Yes there are. They dispense kip...

    Atm

    There are many in Vientianne. I saw two in Luang Prabang, both on the main road that runs through town.


    There are now 65 ATMs around Laos, mostly located in the major cities.

    Banks can also do cash advances on your credit card as well.

    Cheers

    Lee

    www.luang-prabang-hotels.com


    Can you open a bank account in Laos in US Dollars? The kip has too many zeros for my peace of mind.

    Thanks, Joe


    Most banks will allow you to open accounts in USD, Lao Kip or Thai Baht.

    ANZ also allow you to have accounts in AUD, Japanese Yen and a couple of other currencies as well,

    Cheers

    lee

    www.luang-prabang-hotels.com


    Yes you can open Bank Accounts in other denominations. Many banks allow you to do this. I have found BCEL to be a helpful and ok bank.

    Personally I would not forgo one in Kip; the interest rates are much higher for Kip than for USD. This particularly holds true for longer term deposits.


    Thanks for your input, Rufuscat... I%26#39;m prompted to ask if a high interest on Kip is due to rapid inflation of that curr. or the other way round. When I was in Ecuador savings interest was 15% because the sucre (?) was inflating by at least that, and monthly.

    Thanx again, Joe


    No the Kip is reasonably stable these days.


    in 3 years the kip has gone from 10500 kip to a $ to 8700 kip to a $ would be been smart to have kip in the bank instead of dollars , thats pathetic GW callao


    Tarafox20 - theres a new ATM in the new ANZ bank in Vnte where you can withdraw 2,000,000 kip at a time with a bank card. All the others only allow you to withdraw 700,000, or some 1,000,000.

    Handy if you get charged per withdrawal by your home bank.

  • protect a folder by adding a password
  • Mid-range fabulous hotel?

    My husband %26amp; I will be returning from a trek and would like to stay in a somewhat upscale hotel or guesthouse...under $80 US per night. We enjoy charming, boutique style hotels...a pool would be nice.







    Does anyone have any recommendations?





    Thank you!





    Vanessa



    Mid-range fabulous hotel?


    Try the Three Nagas. It is a bit over your price range, but you may be able to get a discount. The food is great.



    Mid-range fabulous hotel?


    Sala Prabang is a boutique hotel , upstairs rooms facing the river are nice




    Thanks so much, I%26#39;ve looked at the 3 Nagas, looks amazing! Has anyone heard of the Satri House or Lotus Villa, they get good reviews, but seem ok.





    Appreciate it.




    Hi groove,



    I have a similar desire around price range, boutique hotel and have gone for the lotus villa - will be staying there in a week, so excited!




    We stayed at the Lotus Villa in September and thoroughly enjoyed it. It does not have a pool though. Breakfast was very good, your choice of several different preprations of egg. The rooms were on the smaller side and somewhat dark, although very clean. Bathrooms are wet-style (no curtain/walls for shower in bathroom) and the sink was in the main room area. We enjoyed sitting on the balcony to read or have breakfast if it was raining. The staff is great and the Australian owner was very helpful in providing dining suggestions.





    We also saw Satri House %26amp; 3 Nagas, both of which looked nice as well. I have a feeling most hotels that are in this price range in LP will fit the bill of boutique %26amp; charming.


  • eyeshadow color
  • Thongbay guest house Luang Prabang

    Has anyone been to Thongbay Guest house recently, this place had a great rave on Trip Advisor and subsequently i have booked four nights, yet now the guest house is no where to be seen under the trip advisor hotel site??????????



    Thongbay guest house Luang Prabang


    Not sure if this eases your concerns, but we stayed there in Feb. and loved it. Not too recent, but I noticed no one else had respinded to you. Any other questions, feel free.



    Thongbay guest house Luang Prabang


    Thanks for your reply, i appreciate it. As i stated, i initially found out about Thongbay on tripadvisor and everyone was raving about it, but now does not have a rating??????????




    I think you may just be looking on the wrong page. Click on the hotel page. At the top there is a box which gives you a choice of hotels, B%26amp;B%26#39;s or specialty lodging. Click on B%26amp;B%26#39;s and you will find it is No. 1.




    Hi Casper, thanks for that, muchly appreciated, and yes i found it of course. Heading there mid November, really looking forward to it.

    would u reccommend going tubing in laos??

    Hi All,



    myself and my sister are going traveling through asia in nov 08 for 3months and were thinkin of goin tubing in laos.....would you reccommend it and where abouts can it been done???



    thanks, kate.



    would u reccommend going tubing in laos??


    It%26#39;s very popular in Vang Vieng. I have some photos of tubing (after rainy season). Search in this forum and you%26#39;ll see lots of discussion of this topic. My few pictures of tubing (and a few other Laos images) are at noexpectations.com.au/galleries/laos-decembe…





    Cheers, --Kip



    would u reccommend going tubing in laos??


    Vang Vien is where the tubing is, a small town about 3 hours from VTE, mostly a backpacker hang out with some nicer resorts out of town, lots of partying going on there with alot of college age kids from all over the world, you pay and recieve a tube they drive you upriver about 4 or 5 KMs and you float back to town and along the way there are food and drink places along the river with a couple of having rope swings and zip lines to dare your self with, its pretty fun... even for an old falang like myself, Callao




    that seem a lot of fun.



    how are the water in December?



    it much be very cold.



    I am going to Laos in Dec. 11 and I will try tubing, but I am worry about cold. I live in Texas, anything below 70 degree is cold for me.




    The river water is warm all year - about 80F.




    I was in viang vieng 3 weeks ago, yea the tubing is fun and the place is very relaxed and a good halfway stop between Luang Prabang and Vientiene As others have said their are places to eat and drink along the way just don%26#39;t overdo the alcohol while your tubing and enjoy your trip

    luang prabang or vientiane

    Hi





    I only have 5 days so should I go to Luang Prabang or vientiane? I will fly if I am going to Vientiane but if I choose Luang Prabang will I be able to get a bus from Hanoi to Luang Prabang %26amp; if so how long will it take, is there a website I book from and can I get a more confortable bus option ( I know it wil be more expensive)



    luang prabang or vientiane


    I would do 3 LP and 2 Vte. You can fly from Vte to LP easily.



    luang prabang or vientiane


    I only know of the bus from Hanoi to Vientiane, have not heard of a bus going directly to Luang Prabang. Would recommend flying from Hanoi to either Vientiane or Luang Prabang and doing the internal bus trip within Laos. Will save you a fair bit of time, plus the drive in Laos is more scenic.





    Would spend more time in Luang Prabang than Vientiane.





    Safe travels





    Lee



    www.luang-prabang-hotels.com




    I would stay in Luang Prabang for the whole time if I were you. It is an incredible place. Vientianne is a city (albeit a small one) and if given the choice LP would be mine. I%26#39;d be back there in a heartbeat if I could!!




    I ditto what Rufuscat advises. Vientiane is a great little city and should not be missed!




    You can fly between the 2 cities. I am going to both



    but I have about a week in total for the 2




    just got back from Lao a week ago,Vientiene is my choice as although Luang Prabang is relaxed it feels like its to set up for tourists where Vientiene has more local life going for it, also there is more to do. As for the bus from Luang Prabang to Hanoi its 31 hours with Karioke music going non stop...Fly believe me its worth the extra rather than taking the whole 5 days your in Lao recovering from it. As for hanoi I hated the place and would only recommend using it as the gateway to halong bay.




    LondonAndymac-



    Too bad to hear you didn%26#39;t care for Hanoi. People seem to either love it or hate it, and I spent a week there and fortunately really liked the place! Could you tell us just what turned you off about the place?




    I disliked Hanoi because I didn%26#39;t feel i could relax and couldn%26#39;t even go for a quiet walk due to the pavements being full of parked scooters etc and had to walk in the road and dodge the traffic. the only place I found slightly relaxing was by the lake but almost got knocked over a couple of times by some people who decided to ride their scooter around there. apart from being ripped off by a taxi driver and a hotel owner it did improve slightly thanks to a helpful Japanese restaurant owner and staff and a helpful hotel owner the second night, but overall I found the place overbearing...still thats my view and as you say Im sure that yourself and others may enjoy the place




    Hi Londonandymac,



    Would like to know more about your time in Vientiane and Luang Prabang.



    Cheers,



    Stewie.




    I want to know if it is worthwhile to do both LP and Vientiane for a 5 day trip.





    Keen on visiting hill tribe, should I pick LP over Viantiane ? If spending all 5 days in LP, what is there to see and do ?





    BTW how is the road trip or boat trip from PL to Viantiane instead of flying from PL to Viantiane ? How much time is required for car transport ?

    Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha

    I travelled to Luang Namtha province for the first time in 2002, fell in love with the place, and have been back many times since.

    On my second visit, i decided to spend the nxt few years doing an intensive photodocumentary on the ethic diversity of this rapidly changing province, to record the traditional lifestyles of the minority villages.

    You can see some of my photographs plus descriptions on my website

    http://kees.zenfolio.com/

    Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha

    These are excellent shots. I thoroughly recommend that anyone interested in Laos culture take the time to have a look.

    Ethnic Diversity in Luang Namtha

    TERRIFIC shots. They show not only the heart of these people, but yours.

  • vc
  • Bus Days - V V to LP

    Anyone know if the bus from VV to LP runs on Sundays?





    Thanks





    Luke



    Bus Days - V V to LP


    There are buses daily from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang.



    With a choice of bus type - VIP, local and mini.



    Go well.



    M.

    Luang Prabang to Huay Xai by boat

    From my readings it appears that most of the reported problems with the 2 day boat trip from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is due to overcrowding. It seems most people do the trip in this direction. But all those boats must eventually travel back up river. Other then Asian Oasis has anyone done that boat trip in reverse, from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai. I can%26#39;t think of any neagtives to this, other then the trip might be a bit slower, but I expect it would certainly be less crowded.





    I will be there in December with my family and I know this is probably the busiest time. However, I%26#39;m thinking that busy=more crowded boats going down river=more uncrowded boats going up river.





    Also, anyone have any experience with chartering a boat for this trip between the border and Luang Prabang.



    Luang Prabang to Huay Xai by boat


    I%26#39;m also wanting to do this but in Mid-October - can anyone give any info on whether it is possible.



    Luang Prabang to Huay Xai by boat


    Well, no replies yet but you might find this interesting reading. Among other things, it does suggest that the upriver trip takes longer, 3 days rather then 2. I guess that makes sense as you%26#39;re travelling against the current:





    mekongexpress.com/laos/articles/dc_0695_meko…




    Anyone have any feedback on the boat trip from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai (i.e. going north), as per my original post.




    We are booked on the boat going from L.P up river. STill takes 2 days, not 3.. THEY say that there are only 40 places on this boat. Is also less crowded going this way, and the prettiest, acccording to friends just back.gemmagee




    Which boat are you booked on and where did you book it?




    Hi dclayw:





    Perhaps I can help. In late Dec. last year 5 of us travelled from Huay Xai to LP. by speed boat. We were originally booked by 2 day slow boat but opted for a one day trip instead.





    The boat is fast, loud, and crowded. The river is fairly low and lots of rocks to dodge and weave through. We smashed in the bottom about 3 in the afternoon and spent the night at a little village camped out on a big boat that stopped for the night.





    The captain of our little craft repaired the boat by the light of a flickering fire on the river bank and we arrived in LP about 10 in the morning. So much for the one day trip.





    It was a great adventure but not for the faint of heart.





    The return trip was by slow boat. Nine hours the first day with an overnight stay in Pak Beng. Eight hours the second day. The boat was fairly full and as the day progressed people left to get off at the various villages along the way.





    Take Food and WARM CLOTHES, as it gets quite chilly and damp.





    I plan a trip from Saigon to Hanoi in VN next month and my destination from Hanoi will be the Plain of Jars and LP. again. I am trvelling with a friend who has never been there so will probably do the two day boat trip again. Although the trip on the Mekong has fabulous scenery and is a great river to see, the trip on the boat is rather slow and uncomfortable.




    You can just go to the boat lauch area in LP and buy a ticket for the boat, or do it at a travel agent in town


  • eyeshadow color
  • Champasak to Pakse (to meet morning flight)

    We%26#39;re planning on staying at Champasak the night before we fly out from Pakse on 11:45am flight to Vientiane. I think Champasak is only about 50km or so from Pakse, but do you think this will give us enough time to make the flight. I%26#39;m guessing Laos Airlines requires you to be there about an hour before for a domestic flight.



    Champasak to Pakse (to meet morning flight)


    Just to be on the safe side, go back and stay in Pakse. If something happens with the transport (and it sometimes does!), you will miss your flight. The last time I went to Champsak it took forever...



    Champasak to Pakse (to meet morning flight)




    Just to be on the safe side, go back and stay in Pakse. If something happens with the transport (and it sometimes does!), you will miss your flight. The last time I went to Champasak it took forever...




    Sorry that got posted twice. Got a ';posting error/ message sending failed';, so I tried agian...




    Yes I know, it%26#39;s probably a bit risky. It%26#39;s just that we wanted to stop and have a look at Champasak on the way back from Don Khon. Much eaisier if we can stay at Champasak for the night. But you%26#39;re right, while there should be plenty of time to get back, if something goes wrong.......




    If you%26#39;ve got a couple of hours, you can stop and see Wat Pu, then head to Pakse.

    Visa at Chong Mek

    Anyone aware of any problems getting the 30 day Laos visa at Chong Mek border crossing in southern Laos (we are Australian, I assume cost will be US$35).





    Anyone have any info on transport from Ubon Ratchathani (arriving by train from Bangkok) to Pakse.



    Visa at Chong Mek


    We used this crossing in late June. We actually had our visas (also Aussies) as there had been a few posts about this previously but you definitely can get your visa at the border. If its after 4.00pm you will pay an overtime fee.





    Although we flew to Ubon we had intended to take the international bus across and through to Pakse. We had a morning flight and so could have caught the bus easily - there are 4 per day and its pretty cheap (about 200bt) One of the reasons for getting our visa beforehand was that the bus only waits so long at the border - if there aren%26#39;t many people getting visas then its no problem but if you%26#39;re the last - well who knows. In practice I think this happens rarely but I do know it happens more often at the Nong Khai crossing with some people being left behind.





    As it happened we were meant to fly with Nok Air and on that day they canceled all flights - we eventually got on a Thai flight early afternoon which meant we were too late for the last bus. You can get cars/tuk tuks easily though. We took a car from the airport to the border - 1000bt (a really nice comfortable one) and then walked across the border getting our passport stamped and paying the overtime fee of a couple of dollars. Then got another beaten up old wreck to take us straight up to the Bolovean Plateau as we wanted to be there that night. Around 800 bt from memory. There were lots of motorbike taxis and fancy vans at the border - it was getting fairly late and I think they were expecting us to pay a fortune Vans looking for about 3000bt- none too enthusiastic - one of the motorbike guys when off to get his brother and the old car! It was getting dark when we got to the plateau - the car was okay if you made sure you kept your mouth shut - the windows wouldn%26#39;t close so lots of bugs coming in - fortunately only a light rain until we got there when the rain did come down.





    There is a good bit of info on this crossing on the travelfish board.



    Visa at Chong Mek


    Really appreciate the info, thanks. I keep forgetting to look over on travelfish.





    We%26#39;ve now decided to get Laos visa before we go. Will save any hassle at the border and with the collapse in the A$ it is actually cheaper to get the visa in Australia now (A$45 as opposed to US$35).




    I think its as well to get the visa - its a pain about our dollar!!!! We were very glad to have gotten the visas as our trip did go a bit askew. You just never know what hold ups you might get.





    Have a great trip.




    Yeah, thanks again. I%26#39;m annoyed about the A$ too. Our economy looks like it will handle the current crisis better then anyone, yet we get smashed. What%26#39;s heappening here in Aus is all based on fear, although we are a commodity based economy there is still a great demand for our resources, and we will keep chugging along.





    I can%26#39;t say the same for the US who played a very large part in causing this mess. There%26#39;e plenty of fear over there too, but unfortunately, they have reason to be frightened.





    I also wish the Asian economies would go it alone and unpeg themselves from the US$. The cost of our trip keeps climbing by the day.




    This last trip (in July) to Lao I noticed things changing a bit with the kip/dollar thing. In the other trips everyone asked for dollars - now the US to kip was not so good and kip was the preferred currency in many places. A couple of the hotels who put their rates in US$ were finding themselves out of pocket and were going to change to kip in their advertising.





    Doesn%26#39;t help with our dollar though. Hope it goes up a bit for you before you go. I%26#39;d bought US a bit too early before we went just wish now I%26#39;d bought more at the top of the exchange. Mind you I brought some home and could now change that at a profit!!!! Hardly enough to worry doing that though as I managed to spend most of it.

    Wednesday, March 28, 2012

    What is your reason traveling to Laos?

    I want to say thank you to all the tourists and travlers going from places to places. You all help out the economy of that country.

    I was born in Laos, but i live and work in USA, also a USA citizinship. I go to Laos to visit my family.

    What is your reason traveling to Laos?

    What is my reason for traveling to Laos? Well, I like the papaya salad and Beerlao for starters...:-)

    What is your reason traveling to Laos?

    I%26#39;ll be travelling to Laos next year because I worked there as a volunteer from 1994- 1995. I want to take my children back to see the place where they spent a little of their childhood.

    It%26#39;s a little sad to read this forum because it sounds as though so much has changed. However I hope the Lao people have benefited from the changes and I%26#39;m sure they won%26#39;t have lost their wonderful welcoming and gentle nature.


    Peanuthead1

    I would imagine Luang Prabang has probably been damaged by its tourism, but there are still quite a few places devoid of tourists. Hopefully you can take your kids to see those palces instead of the usual tourist route.


    Thanks Maneki

    We%26#39;ll probably try to do a little of both. I%26#39;ll have my husband and young son with me who have never been there so I think some touristy things would be in order.

    When I read about gibbon experiences and tubing at Vang Vieng it%26#39;s a bit depressing, though.

    And a Tesco at Nong Khai!?!


    Forget about tubing, rent a mountainbike and go for a ride up to the caves. Bring a sturdy little flashlight and strong shoes as there are some serious caves to explore!


    Thanks again, but we won%26#39;t be going to Vang Vieng at all. We%26#39;ll be spending a few days in Vientiane, hanging out trying to find where I used to live - not easy with no street names or numbers! - and a few days in Luang Prabang.

    I%26#39;m really looking forward to it but am just preparing myself for the fact that a lot will have changed.


    If only we could all go to places before they change

    I still like to go to different places and connect with the locals. I will be going to Laos in December

    Laos is a mystery to me and I think I will see more than just other tourists in Luang Prabang :-)


    There are still quite a few places left in Laos that remain unchanged, where you can go connect with the locals. Unless you speak the language, however, that might be a hard thing to accomplish...


    We%26#39;re planning a trip to Laos because we have heard so many good things about it. We love travelling in Asia, the people, the food, the culture, the history, and Laos is about the only Asian country we have not yet visited, so it%26#39;s about time. We tried to fit it in on a Vietnam/Cambodia trip about 3 years ago but just too much to do.

    Yeah it%26#39;s great to visit these places and over time they change, it%26#39;s inevitable, it%26#39;s the way of the world. Whether or not they change for the better or worse, I%26#39;m not sure. I think as long as the locals benefit, then that%26#39;s probably the main thing.

    One aspect that saddens me a little is the inevitable lack of planning that goes with development, tourism and the opening up of a country. I use the Thai beach resorts as an example. Ko Samui was pristine 25 years ago with only a handful of people and a few billion coconuts. I haven%26#39;t been back since (we are spending a week there at the end of the Laos trip) but I have heard a lot about it and I think that kind of develpoment is a shame. But as I%26#39;ve said before everyone%26#39;s out to make a $ and that kind of thing also happens in places like Australia to some extent. (I%26#39;m sure Pattaya was pristine about 40 years ago as well).


    My first trip to Laos in %26#39;02 had to do with my wanting to learn about this mysterious country that reletively few people visit. Based on a wonderful trip to Thailand the year before, I figured that I would like Laos just as much.

    I was wrong.

    I ended up liking Laos much more. Those two weeks there were incredible...to this day, I still tell people that that Laos trip was my best vacation ever.

    My reason for returning to Vientiane last year was not just to use it as a convenient stop-off on my way to China but as a good excuse to revisit and appreciate even more the dusty little capital city with so much to offer. It%26#39;s about the ease and convenience of being able to rent a motorbike and take myself anywhere in town and nearby attractions. It was about enjoying a great meal at the bank of the Mekong and watching the sun go down while sucking down a couple Beer Lao. It was about walking around the different temples and markets and speaking broken Thai (and even less Lao) with the locals. And of course it%26#39;s about reaquainting myself with some of the warmest, kindest people on the face of the Earth.

    I don%26#39;t know when I%26#39;ll be back again - but I will be back.

  • database