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pawthoo · 7th September 2006, 12:18

Sounds like a decent tour. Vientiane won't take you much longer to see than LP.
Vang Vieng has more tourists than Lao. Outdoor activities, trekking, kayaking, etc.
The lake is Nam Ngum. There are a couple of newer, nicer lodges not far away. The golf course at DanSavanh is rubbish at the moment (as of last weekend the greens were dead).
There is a Chinese owned 'casino' (can you say money laundry?) near the golf course. But it is moribund and boring on the best/busiest days. Don't bother, frankly.

Down south is scenic and beautiful. Several spectacular nam tok (water falls) near Pakse, easy day trips. You'll probably hear more Viet spoken in Pakse and Savannakhet than Lao.
Si (4) Phan (thousand) Don (islands) so...to add 4,000 islands is as redundant as saying the Nam (water) Phu (fountain) fountain. Vat Phu is pretty unremarkable unless you're an archeologist specializing in that period.

XiengKhouang is boooooooorrrrrrring and remote. Zip to do unless you fancy drinking and eating local fare with Tai Puan, Tai Dam, Tai Daeng, Hmong et al. at the local street side shops. Ice is rare so the locals tend to drink lao khao, lao lao etc. Lethal and the worst headache maker ever bottled. They have a saying which translates to 'don't drink for the dog.' Whilst retching if you feel something hairy in your throat, don't spit it out, it's your arsehole.

Sam Neua and Hua Phan are out where Buddha lost his khao niew basket and unless you like listening to the rats run in the attic all night not much to do. Food is suspect as well, they eat them w/great relish...probably some cheaw (sauce) too.

Be advised. Lao is really, really undeveloped anywhere outside the major cities. Route 13 is pretty much ok but any other roads are grim at best. If you speak a little Thai you can communicate on a rudimentary level. Most understand from their addiction to Thai TV.

Have fun. Lao is backward but has a certain charm outside the big cities ( I say big advisedly).

And if you go down Hospital 103 Road in Vientiane look right across from the main gate to the military hospital and you'll see a Gothic English sign for a school. It is a shop house between a fruit market and a handicraft/folk medicine shop. If you see a largish, grey
falang at a computer come in and I'll give you a drink of water, a cuppa and maybe some free advice about Lao. 'Course it will be worth about what it costs.

7th September 2006, 12:18	#12 (permalink)
pawthoo pawthoo is..... Established User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Vientiane, Lao PDR Posts: 392 vCash: 500 Rep Power: 45	Re: Travel to Laos Sounds like a decent tour. Vientiane won't take you much longer to see than LP. Vang Vieng has more tourists than Lao. Outdoor activities, trekking, kayaking, etc. The lake is Nam Ngum. There are a couple of newer, nicer lodges not far away. The golf course at DanSavanh is rubbish at the moment (as of last weekend the greens were dead). There is a Chinese owned 'casino' (can you say money laundry?) near the golf course. But it is moribund and boring on the best/busiest days. Don't bother, frankly. Down south is scenic and beautiful. Several spectacular nam tok (water falls) near Pakse, easy day trips. You'll probably hear more Viet spoken in Pakse and Savannakhet than Lao. Si (4) Phan (thousand) Don (islands) so...to add 4,000 islands is as redundant as saying the Nam (water) Phu (fountain) fountain. Vat Phu is pretty unremarkable unless you're an archeologist specializing in that period. XiengKhouang is boooooooorrrrrrring and remote. Zip to do unless you fancy drinking and eating local fare with Tai Puan, Tai Dam, Tai Daeng, Hmong et al. at the local street side shops. Ice is rare so the locals tend to drink lao khao, lao lao etc. Lethal and the worst headache maker ever bottled. They have a saying which translates to 'don't drink for the dog.' Whilst retching if you feel something hairy in your throat, don't spit it out, it's your arsehole. Sam Neua and Hua Phan are out where Buddha lost his khao niew basket and unless you like listening to the rats run in the attic all night not much to do. Food is suspect as well, they eat them w/great relish...probably some cheaw (sauce) too. Be advised. Lao is really, really undeveloped anywhere outside the major cities. Route 13 is pretty much ok but any other roads are grim at best. If you speak a little Thai you can communicate on a rudimentary level. Most understand from their addiction to Thai TV. Have fun. Lao is backward but has a certain charm outside the big cities ( I say big advisedly). And if you go down Hospital 103 Road in Vientiane look right across from the main gate to the military hospital and you'll see a Gothic English sign for a school. It is a shop house between a fruit market and a handicraft/folk medicine shop. If you see a largish, grey falang at a computer come in and I'll give you a drink of water, a cuppa and maybe some free advice about Lao. 'Course it will be worth about what it costs.