confirmation of flight - lao airlines

Hi All,

Is there any way to confirm our flight on Lao Airlines? We are flying on December 29, 2008 from Luang Prabang to BKK. Should we do this in person when we arrive in Bangkok? The website does not facilitate for this. Has anyone had any experience with this?

Thanks!

confirmation of flight - lao airlines

On my visits we have always asked our hotel/agents in Laos to reconfirm flights at least 48 hours before-just as well because we had a time change and a double booking on one occasion.

confirmation of flight - lao airlines

If your hotel has a travel desk they should be able to do this for you, or alternatively any travel agent should be able to help.

Personally have never found it necessary to reconfirm the flights, but normally I only buy a week or so in advance at most.

I had no trouble boarding Lao Air flights in and out of Luang prabang without re-confirming. In fact the only time in this day and age where flights need to be reconfirmed is if you missed the outbound leg of a flight, the airline%26#39;s computer system will flag you as a possible no-show for the return leg. If you%26#39;re still concerned, ask your hotel to ring the airline office to re-confirm.

hanoi to laos

hi,

was wondering if there is anyway of getting from hanoi over to laos? also our other option of getting from either siem reap or phnom penh up to laos is either possible?

hanoi to laos

Hanoi to Laos is 24-36 hours on the bus, a journey I hear most would never do again. Best to fly if you can afford it.

If you are coming up from Cambodia, then cross the border, go to Si Phan Don, Pakse and then fly or bus to Vientiane.

pimple

Luang Prabang to Hanio overland trip

hi there

answers to the following questions would be appeaciated:

1. What is a realistic time to allow for this trip assuming no stops for sight seeing

2. Are there any regular buses that ply this route - can i buy one ticket and/or travel on one bus for the entire trip?

3. What are the options for this trip?

Thanks in advance

Luang Prabang to Hanio overland trip

Dont know if I qualify to answer this question as i havent actually taken the trip yet.... however I am at the end of Jan and have one quite a bit of research and everyone seems to say the overland trip can be pretty traumatic and there are quite a few nightmare stories. It takes 24hrs on a bus.

Dont know if its an option for you but I have finally opted for the recomended, much easier and overpriced flight. The more I red on this trip, the more it appealed.

Luang Prabang to Hanio overland trip

24-36 hours on the bus with little leg room, boxes on your lap, breakdowns, scary clifffaces, etc. Hmm

I%26#39;ve done the trip to Na Meo border half a dozen times both in cars and the bus - the bus to Phonsavanh from LP is fine, but the trip from there to Sam Neua and on to the border is mostly switchback roads clinging to a mountain side with sheer drop one on side. Landslides are common and can cause long delays.

You have to change buses at Phonsavanh and again at Sam Neua (or at least I did - its not a common tourist route and I%26#39;ve never heard of a through-bus, but might be wrong)

Personally I usually enjoy long bus trips, but not this one - once in the mountains the view is the same for hours, and the crazies overtaking round blind bends on the wrong side of the road don%26#39;t go well with the sheer drop offs.

postage costs from laos to ausralia

Arriving in Laos soon does anyone know the cost of posting a parcel from Laos to Australia?

postage costs from laos to ausralia

Not sure about parcels but postcard to Aust are about 8500 kip $1.60Aus) . The main reason I am replying is to let you know that the postal service is not brilliant. In Nov we sent 2 lots of 10 postcards ,one lot about 15/11 and one lot about 20/11 . To our knowledge 2 of the 15/11 have so far been received. If you can make sure that you see them put their stamp onto your parcel.

postage costs from laos to ausralia

there is a fedex in Vientiane which is much more reliable than the Lao postal system but more expensive

I have had no problems with Lao post in the 3 years I have lived here. Btw the closest Fed Ex to you is at the Vientiane Post Office.

I find the parcel rates quite expensive if you are thinking of posting things back to Australia - about the same as Australian/US parcel rates. I was quoted US$45 for 5kg a year ago.

The couriers - fedex etc are a lot more though, as you%26#39;d expect - $45 for a 50g letter 5 day delivery.

Question about flights: HCM - Vientiane

Howdy travelers!

I%26#39;m about to head to SE Asia for 5 weeks but am wondering if anyone can give me some advice on flying from Vietnam (HCM) to Vientiane? Have been looking for flights online but there doesn%26#39;t seem to be any direct between the two. I%26#39;ve looked at Air Asia, Vietnam Air, Lao Air but to no avail. I would really appreciate any suggestions.

Many thanks! :)

Question about flights: HCM - Vientiane

Hi - last year I flew Air Asia HCM-Vientiane via Phnom Penh and it was fine - just a one hour stop over at PP airport. It was $25 plus $25 taxes

Irawaddy Dolphins from Pakse

Is it possible to do a day trip to the see the Irawaddy dolphins (or try to see the anyway) from Pakse or is it too far away for a day trip?

Irawaddy Dolphins from Pakse

Staying over one night at Si Phan Don is recommended.

Cheers.

Irawaddy Dolphins from Pakse

Yeah but is it possible to do it in one day from pakse? I will not have time to stay overnight in si phan don

It would be a hell of a trip in a day if you could get it organized and actually get out on the boats. There is only a small chance of seeing the dolphins anyway - (we didn%26#39;t on our trip up the Mekong) so I think you could use your time better than rushing at that!

There are so few left as it is and they are very shy.

There use to be complaints about the boats getting too close to the dolphins when they see them and damaging them - don%26#39;t know if its still the case as there may be some sort of regulation but I doubt it makes much difference.

I have seen the dolphins on every one of my 10+ trips down there. However it does depend on the time of year. At this time of year you should be in luck, although you may need to hang around looking for a couple of hours, and binoculars would be a good idea.

If you leave Pakse and drive to a village called Ban Nagasang this will take about 2 hours. From here it is a 20 min or so boat trip to the sland of Don Khone. Once on the island you will need to walk approx 5km around to the far side of the island on the other side of Liphii Falls where boats leave from - however ask at the guesthouses in the village as sometimes boats are available closer to the village depending upon the water levels.

It is possible, but will be a long day and would recommend hiring a private car in Pakse to speed things up.

If you only have one day I would actually recommend you visiting Wat Phou (UNESCO World Heritage site), Ban Khiet Nyong (elephant trekking up onto Phu Asa mountain) or head out onto the Bolaven Plateau instead.

Are the dolphins the only thing worth seeing in SOuth Laos? If so, it seems a long journey just to get there.

not at all. The dolphins are probably one of the things that are least worth visiting!! In terms of the south of Laos, you could easily spend several weeks exploring the area. Starting in Khammouane province, you have an 8km long cave that goes underneath a mountain that you can kayak through! Savannahket is well worth a visit and as well as temples, historical sites, a town with a lot of French influence, Savannakhet is famous for its dinosaur remains.

Heading further south to Champasak province, you have the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wat Phou - which dates back to the 6th century. The Bolaven Plateau which not only produces some of the best coffee in the world, but is a lovely area to spend a few days with several lodges overlooking huge waterfalls. Not too mention the largest waterfalls in SE Asia, the Four Thousand Islands, and yes the dolphins!

Caves sound cool but waterfalls you can get anywhere in the world!

I suppose I have to weigh up the trip between Pakse and Luang Prabang to see an area that seems like the only thing going for it is to chill out.

malaria tabs

Are malaria tabs necessary for Laos and Cambodia?Does anyone know if it is possible to buy Malarone malaria tabs in Laos? if so about how much are they ? I%26#39;m taking my 3 grownup kids for a 5 week adventure and buying them in uk will cost as much as the trip!!

malaria tabs

Are malaria tabs necessary for Laos and Cambodia?Does anyone know if it is possible to buy Malarone malaria tabs in Laos? if so about how much are they ? I%26#39;m taking my 3 grownup kids for a 5 week adventure and buying them in uk will cost as much as the trip!!

pimple

Gem stone fossicking?

Can anyone advise me of the best area and contact for gem stone fossicking in Laos?

Local guide in Luang Prabang

I just returned from Luang Prabang and I recommend the Red Cross herbal sauna (a great place to hang out and relax with the locals, sipping herbal tea in the open air in between herbal steam sessions). A 1 hour massage is $3 us and sauna admission is $1 us.

I met a local fellow there who invited me out for a beer and we ended up spending some part of each of the next 3 days together. He works as a tour guide and I was thinking that if anyone wants a unique personal experience, I could put you in touch with him. What I enjoyed was the insight to Lao life hanging out with him gave me - I had been once already to Luang Prabang and knew how to find my way around the tourist attractions (although he can do that for you too).

Local guide in Luang Prabang

Thanks for the sauna info. I didn%26#39;t even SEE any places like that when I was in LP in December.I%26#39;ll be going back again this year so I might check it out! Didn%26#39;t even feel the need for a guide- the place is so small you can pretty much walk around and see all the sights in a day or so. Took a boat to Pak Ou caves, but didn%26#39;t get a chance to see the falls, nor did I go to the temples on the other side of the river. (Will do this on my upcoming trip.)

Local guide in Luang Prabang

It is right across from Wat Visoun. It%26#39;s open from 9 am to 9 pm for massage and the sauna opens at 4 pm.

The Lotus Herbal Spa on the main road also has massage and spa treatments for $3. usd as well - but no sauna - it%26#39;s great esp. if you want a traditional Lao massage which is sort of like a Thai massage. The Red Cross massage is not like that - it%26#39;s sort of more like a muscle rub.

I love the sauna though, salternately teaming and then sipping the herbal tea in the open air. You do it a few times and it really makes you feel great. Love being there with the locals - everyone from old ladies to the odd tourist.

I am going with my family at the end of August, and would love the name of your guide.

Sounds like the traditional Laotian massage is great! I love Thai massage.

His name is Douk. You can email him at douk2003@hotmail.com and tell him you heard about him from his friend Floyd in New York. For $25 per day, he will take you to all of the sights -- he is a very nice dependable and personable guy -- a Luang Prabang native. I have known him since 2003 (my first trip there). I think you will have a wonderful time in Laos.

Be sure to go to the Lotus Spa -- it%26#39;s great.

I had fully intended to go to the Red Cross for massage when I was in Luang Prabang, however once I had sampled a leg/foot massage at the Lotus Spa, I never made it there. I returned to Lotus on several occasions and had some of the best massage I have ever had there, particularly a 2 hour traditional Lao massage, which is the same as Thai for $6.

I would give a complete thumbs down to the Garden Spa just along the road from L%26#39;elephant. It is in a nice quiet setting, but my experience was that the massage was bland and repetative - very much just going through the motions.

The Red Cross sounds great though!

Thanks for the information, Floyd. I%26#39;ll definitely email him regarding my visit at the end of June.

Another question: I%26#39;ve been looking through reviews for hotels in Luang Prabang and Vietiane. As far as I can tell, it seems like the Satri House in LP is a great mix of intimacy, style, location, and comfort. Have you been to this hotel?

Thoughts about a nice Vietiane Hotel would also be appreciated. I don%26#39;t mind spending money for a quality experience that oozes Asia. The Settha Palace looks good on paper and in picture. Is there truth in advertising? Any other nice options?

Thanks.

For an experience that oozes Asia, stay at a guesthouse.

I have not stayed at the Satri House -- but I do agree with the person who recommends staying at a guest house. There is a good review on the Trip Advisor site and photos to help you decide. Luang Prabang is small and it%26#39;s sort of nice to stay on a quiet street -- because you can walk everywhere easily. And believe me you will appreciate a dip in the pool after exploring temples all day because it is very hot there.

I did stay at the Settha Palace in Vientiane for one night in 2003. It was fine. I remember it as colonial and elegant and also remember having a wonderful meal there in the restaurant with a group of friends and later that night despite being tired, a few of the guys working in the hotel convinced me to go with them (via motorbike) to the Novotel discotheque where we drank pitchers of Beer Lao (with ice cubes) and danced with their friends. It seemed very Indian to me with all of the guys dancing on one side and all of the girls on the other like a Bollywood film. They were not expecting me to pay for them, but I insisted and the bill for 6 of us (many pitchers of beer) was about 7.00 usd - probably a fortune for them. It was a highlight of my visit to Vientiane. The other folks traveling with me who said they were too tired to go were jealous the next day.

If you stay at a guest house, you really do get to meet people more on their own terms. One day after a lunch at the Cafe Vat Bene Sene (I think that%26#39;s the name) -- owned by the same man who owns L%26#39;Elephant - I asked the waiters where they bought the Cafe Lao served in the cafe. They sent me to a guest house where this lovely Lao man and his wife sold me 2 kilos of coffee beans and entertained me with his enthusiasm for coffee. He gave me a card for their guest house which is in the middle of town -- near the Lao Development Bank - back from the street but in a busy area. (busy for Laos). I%26#39;m not sure if I would like staying there that encounter is typical of how charming and friendly the people there are.

Hi....would you still have the contact of the tour guide in LP?

Thanks

alvin@busads.com.sg

@fsync, thanks for the tip, I went to the Red Cross sauna as well. Steam room was brilliant, I met some really nice travelers and also some very nice locals. And sipping tea outside the steam room is just so Lao... a really nice, low key, relaxed place.

Levady Guesthouse

I have the location and phone number of this guesthouse but would like to prebook- does anyone know if they have an email address. Thanks

Mary

prices

Can someone post some recent prices for typical purchases in LP such as (but not limited to):

day trips (caves, waterfalls, ';city'; tour

guides

food

drinks: coffee, beer

accomodation prices seem to be well covered in recent posts so no need to post these.

BTW do prices vsry much depending on time of year and do frangs typcially have to pay more?

thanks

prices

Depends where you buy them. There is a big diffeence between buying things in a 4/5 star hotel and a beer bar or mini mart.

Same with coffee - big difference if you buy it at Joma or at a local lao noodle soup shop. In all of the above mentioned places you pay the same as Laos people.

prices

Hi - recent prices (in US as you may be unfamiliar with kip)are:

cave trip - US$20-25 for the full boat (half day)

waterfall trips (2 of them)- US$15 return tuktuk plus $2 entry

Guide - don%26#39;t know

Food - On the main tourist streets around the river, from $5 to $20 a restaurant meal, or $2 BBQ chicken %26amp; rice from a stall near the post office,for example. Away from the tourist area you pay real Laos prices, $1 noodle soup, $1 fried rice, $2 pad kapao %26amp; rice etc.

Coffee - 50 cents in a local place, or maybe $2 in some tourist restaurants

Beer (660ml) under $1 in local place, nearly $2 in tourist bars/restaurants

Hotels %26amp; guest houses - rates go up in high season in many places, but not all. I%26#39;m there pretty much every month and my regular place is $7 April-Nov and $15 Dec-March, for example. Most basic places with aircon start at $20, with a river view $50 and upwards. On the cheap side, there is a narrow street near the post office with several GH%26#39;s offering clean but small $6 rooms with bathroom.

thanks for these responses

train from Bangkok to Vientiane

Hi fellow tarvellers,

does anybody know if the overnight train from BKK to Vientiane stops in Knong Kai or in Udon Thani?

Planning to fly into BKK on Jan 2nd and then go right away to Vientiane. Thanks!

train from Bangkok to Vientiane

The train stops in Nong Khai. You then need to take a taxi or tuk tuk to the Friendship Bridge to cross the border.

train from Bangkok to Vientiane

The train also stops in Udon Thani so make sure you get off at the right station!

But how can I take a train from Bangkok to Vientianne ? Do I need to book train tickets in advance ? And where can I do that. Anybody can help me ?

Thanks

See my answer to your post in the thailand forums.

malaria tabs

Are malaria tabs necessary for Laos and Cambodia?Does anyone know if it is possible to buy Malarone malaria tabs in Laos? if so about how much are they ? I%26#39;m taking my 3 grownup kids for a 5 week adventure and buying them in uk will cost as much as the trip!!

malaria tabs

Hi, as I posted in the Thai forum, no you can%26#39;t get them over the counter. No they are not necessary either. Some posters will say they are, but speak to an expert, say a speacialist in tropical medicine, not an ordinary GP who just looks up the information on the WHO site or the web. Fwiw I know of NO expats who tqake prophylactics and before someone says we have buot up immunity, - you can%26#39;t. Wear long sleeves and use Deet.

If you are going jungle treking, then that is a different sory.

malaria tabs

Hi Shazwina - if you%26#39;re in the UK try calling the London school of tropical medicine - your doc will have their number, or google their website. They are a world leader and will point you in the right direction.

If they recommend meds for yor trip you should get them in a bangkok chemist if you transit there - there are lots of chinese fake medicines in Laos and Cambodia.

Alternatively the Vientiane Province malaria control Unit keep a stock, but this is a way out of town and will be inconvenient for you to get to.

Expats and other lifetime/long term residents, even in very malarial places like tropical africa or melanesia, don%26#39;t take anti-malarial meds as they are not viable for long durations -they are too hard on the body when taken for a long time ( I%26#39;ve lived full time in malarial coutries for 20 years). However for periods of up to about 6 months they are viable, and are worth it if the risk is significant. See what the LSTM say.

Hi

I have travelled to Thailand, India, Vietnam and have not taken maleria tablets. Touch wood have been OK. One of the girls on the trip to India was taking maleria tablets and she became very ill, she is a nurse so she knew what she was doing. Lots of mozzie spray I say.

The border crossing areas and jungle are malarious. Cities and areas close to coasts are fine.

FWIW, I%26#39;m taking doxycycline while here anyway as I have no idea day to day where I%26#39;ll be and sometimes go on treks and doxycycline also has the benefit of fighting off some other diseases as it is a general antibiotic.

Shazwina, if you want real on the spot information, I suggest you ask Dr. John Marie in Vientiane. He is a specialist and is on the spot. I don%26#39;t know his email, but as Bluecramp%26#39;s nic says he lives in Vientiane he can no doubt get it for you as everyone knows this doctor.

pimple

visa

I want to go to Laos from Feb 21st till March 10th.From London,but get any info on how to get a visa.Apparently theres nowhere in UK to get one.So spose you get it at airport when you arrive.Is that right? and also want to spend 2 weeks,so can anyone suggest a inteniary please.

visa

30 day visa on arrival. Suggesting an itinerary for you? Well you don%26#39;t give us any information to go on, so this is impossible.

visa

there is a stack of resources on itineraries - do a search of this site, travel fish and thorn tree; one key parameter you%26#39;ll need to consider is where/how you will enter loas and and leave loas and this in turn will depend on what/where else you%26#39;ll be doing in indochina/thailand.

if you have booked your flights yet and loas is your primary desitination I%26#39;d suggest u look at flying into KL and then the Air Asia flight into Vietianne OR into Bangkok; from there there are mutliple options for getting into and out of loas depending on your tastes and budget.

hope this helps; enjoy your post.

p.s. take some time to read the overviews for loas on the three sites i mentioned; it will then allow you to ask for some more specific advice that will be more useful for you.

hanoi to vientiane??

hi was wondering if traveling from hanoi to vientiane was possible? flying or bus?? also thinking about other options of flying from either phnom penh or siem reap up to laos?

hanoi to vientiane??

It certainly is possible. Both flights and buses make this trip daily. Would recommend the flight as its a long bus trip.

hanoi to vientiane??

The bus trip is about 30 hours. Laos and Vietnan Airlines fly to Vietnam. If you book on the Laos Airlines web site, make sure you use IE and not Firefox as a browser.

cool cool, thanks for that your help! Does ne one know of some nice places to stay in Phnom Pehn??

Vientiane - Bangkok without the 12 hour bus/train journey..

Hi there, Im just wondering can anyone advise me on a way from Vientiane - Bangkok maybe stopping over in a thailand town or village as I%26#39;m in no rush to reach BK....and preferably not suffer a 8+ hour trip

many thanks in advance

Vientiane - Bangkok without the 12 hour bus/train journey..

Easy. Take the international bus from Talat Sao, (Morning Market) to Udon Thani and fly from Udon with a budget airline. Udon is worth a stopover. Aletrnatively take the bus to Chiang Mai and train it or fly from there.

Vientiane - Bangkok without the 12 hour bus/train journey..

another alternative make your way back through Isaan. Buses go from morning market bus station to Khon Kaen,

We%26#39;ll be staying in Khon Kaen in January, and then heading north to Vientiane. What%26#39;s the recommended method of travel, bus, train, or ??

Is it still possible to cross the Mekong by boat at Nong Khai, or must one take the Friendship Bridge?

Thanks!

Bus from Khon Kaen straight to the Morning Market. No baot at Nong Khai.

Just a general comment/whinge re direct buses from Vientiane to bangkok:

The service from Talat Sao to Nong Khai, Udon and Khon Kaen are good, but I would avoid the %26#39;direct%26#39; bus from Vientiane to bangkok, and not only because of the 8-9 hours it takes.

I took this bus (through the normally good Green Discovery) before xmas as the Nok Air flight and sleeper train were already full, and found it to be an unashamed rip-off from start to finish:

-They charge 800 baht from Vientiane, whereas the exact same bus costs 350baht from just over the river at nong Khai. It costs 55 bt to go Vnte-NongKhai on the hourly Talat Sao bus.

-The bus pickup is intentionally always at least 1 hour %26#39;late%26#39; from the advertised time, so that you spend money on drinks etc at the pick up point.

-The advertised %26#39;free evening meal%26#39; at Nong Khai is a bowl of plain low quality rice, the stop being designed to get you to buy more overpriced drinks

-Because you arrive at the border with several other overnight buses, you queue at immigration with 100 people who are unfamiliar with the process and havent filled their forms in - it took 90 minutes standing on the Thai side, whereas it usually takes 10 minutes or less.

If you make your own way to nong khai (very easy, quick and cheap) you save 400bt on the bus fare and save 2-3 hours of overall journey time.

Australian embassy social club

When I lived in Vientiane 13 years ago it was possible to visit this place and use their swimming pool. Is this still possible? I think there was an entrance fee if you weren%26#39;t an Australian citizen.

Australian embassy social club

Sorry, I forgot to add that this is in Vientiane.

Australian embassy social club

Due to the pevious ambassador, the Oz social club no longer exists for expats. Try sengdara Fitness instead at Ban Sapanthong Tai.

Oh what a shame. I was looking forward to a trip down memory lane. :(

Thanks for your reply.

ATMs & hotel with pool in Vientiane

Two questions and grateful for advice. One, is there an ATM at the airport in Vientiane? Secondly I%26#39;ve been looking at hotels , (travelling mid Feb) the Lao Orchard looks good but no pool. Can anyone recommend a really nice (not large western type) hotel with pool as am anticipating it being quite hot.

Thanks

ATMs %26amp; hotel with pool in Vientiane

Yes ATMs at airport.

Would suggest Villa Manoly, which is a restored french villa with a small pool. It has nice large rooms and is very pleasant.

Other hotels with pools will be expensive, eg Novotel, Laos Plaza etc etc. Lan Xang Hotel has a pool but is pretty run down these days.

ATMs %26amp; hotel with pool in Vientiane

Rufuscat, many thanks. I%26#39;ve just looked at postings for Hotel Manoly and it looks exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. Your help appreciated.

Phonsavan or Pakse?

I have the choice of spending either 2 days (and 2 nights) in either Pakse or Phonsavan in late february. I%26#39;m leaning towards Phonsavan and the plain of jars at the moment as they sound fascinating but also i would like to see Wat Phu Champasak. Unfortunately it is one or the other though and i am limited to the 2 days only - can anyone help me make my mind up?

Phonsavan or Pakse?

I%26#39;d do Phonsavan. Wat Phu is nice, but pales in comparison to anything at Angkor Wat, if you%26#39;ve seen that. There is no place that has jars except in Phonsavan.

Phonsavan or Pakse?

Well, very different and both have their attractions. Up to you.

pimple

laos logistics

hi guys! i%26#39;m in thailand at the moment and we reorganised our trip to include laos. i%26#39;m wanting to see vientiane, luang prabang, vang vieng, and si phan don. then i%26#39;m off to ho chi minh to catch my flight home.

logistically, which is the best order to do these points, i heard from a some british guys that going from the south and making my way north is slow. we%26#39;ll either be flying in from bangkok or entering by road (also from bangkok).

oh and also, do i need to suss out a vietnamese visa if i intend on not leaving the airport?

laos logistics

Your intended route for Laos is doable and I have done that route myself. I hope you are allowing a fair amount of time to get from one place to the other as domestic travel can be quite slow. I also recommend breaking up the trip by stopping somewhere halfway (as opposed to attempting to do for example two 7-hour bus trips in one day!). As long as you do not exit immigration and instead remain in the transit section of the airport, you will not require a visa for Vietnam.

Chang Heritage Hotel

Hi,

Has anybody stayed at the Chang Heritage hotel? I%26#39;m wondering if it%26#39;s worth the price, over $150 for a Khan Suite? I%26#39;ve booked a room at the Ramayana but the reviews all mentioned the very loud street noises so we%26#39;re looking for alternatives.

Cheers,

Chang Heritage Hotel

Hi Pooky,

Just got on here myself to do some research. From your dates I assuming you are in Luang Prabang? I also was looking at the Chang. Any feedback or suggestions for someplace quiet,convenient and reasonable?

cheerio.

Chang Heritage Hotel

Hi taiwanne,

Yes I did spend 4 nights at the Chang Heritage and thought the hotel was very good. I recommend that you call their office in Bangkok and ask for a discount as we got quite a good reduction.

The location was very nice, quite peaceful with the Khan river in front and within easy walking distance to the old city part of Luang Prabang.

Check out my review of the Chang Heritage here on TA.

Cheers,

Wow! Thanks for such a quick reply. Used the link to go to their site. Lovely place. Bit pricey for me at the moment since I%26#39;m travelling in peak season. Could you also let me know the contact info in Bangkok? Perhaps I could splurge for a couple of days if I can get a discount.

Cheers.

There should be a contact page for their web site. Here%26#39;s the information:

Bangkok Office

1606 Ladprow Road, Wangthonglang,

Bangkok 10310, THAILAND

Tel: +66(2) 933 7774 Fax: +66(2) 933 7775

E-mail : info@the-chang.com

I traveled there during the peak season too and I got the price for their top suite down to $175 net with an extra bed and breakfast for 3. They also included the airport transfers as well as the morning alms(for the monks) for us.

While I was there I looked at La Residence Phou Vao, 3 Nagas, Villa Santi and I thought the price they charge for the Chang Heritage was much better than the other places I%26#39;ve mentioned.

I took some pictures and if you would like to see click on the Luang Prabang gallery from the link below:

http://khun-pook.smugmug.com/

Good luck and I hope you will enjoy LP!

I contacted the Chang Heritage Hotel with my dates and they offered me the Khan Suite at $210 per night for the four days we%26#39;re in Luang Prabang. And requested 50% of the total tariff deposited in their bank account immediately. Decided to pass.

Le Jardin Organique Bungalows

Has anyone stayed at Le Jardin Organique Bungalows in Vang Vieng? What did you think of it?

Le Jardin Organique Bungalows

Hi - I stay there often, as my first choice in VV. It is quiet, mice garden setting and right by the river, and whilst it is a 10 minute walk to the main drag of bars restaurants etc, that isn%26#39;t a bad thing. The bungalows have a clean bathroom, hot water, aircon and fan, and a small deck out front. Rates from $13 low season to the $20 I paid 2 weeks ago. Just as nice as some of the other riverside ones that charge $30+

Le Jardin Organique Bungalows

I was pleasantly surprised. Much quieter than the other options in town, but I found Vang Vieng to be a huge disappointment. Spend a night here to break up the journey, and reserve ahead, since Le Jardin Organique is deserving of its popularily, but it is all true what you hear, the sitcom Friends does play on large screens and people watch the reruns over and over. That is not why we travel is it! They will book the mini bus for you and you will be collected.

I made a booking there in December. We confirmed our booking in advance.

When we arrived more than 3 hours before our specified arrival time only to find that they had already given our room away to someone else!

It%26#39;s a fair walk out of town and it took us a long time to get there and back with luggage (as tuk tuks are fairly scarce in Vang Vieng).

Would definitely be wary of booking.

If you book online you shouldn%26#39;t have a problem with them keeping your booking, but like many small guesthouses across Laos, unsecured bookings are not always kept.

You can also see more feedback at vang-vieng-hotels.com/Le_Jardin_Organique_Bu…

We stayed there with our children very recently. It was very nice, with a picturesque little cafe overlooking the river. They did not respond to any emails ( I tried several times) so we rang to book from Vientiane. They only had the aircon room for one night so we were moved to riverside non aircon rooms. It was fine without aircon but these beds were very very hard. Otherwise fabulous. Kids loved the tubing, the scenery is lovely and the friends reruns happening but not a problem (IMHO)

Travel from Luang Prabang to Siam Reap

We would like to travel in Feb to Bangkok, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Siam Reap, boat trip to Saigon. Can anyone advise best way to get from Vientiane to Siam Reap. We have a total of 20 days. Thanks

Travel from Luang Prabang to Siam Reap

The best way is to fly with Laos Airlines.

Travel from Luang Prabang to Siam Reap

Given the destinations you%26#39;ve listed, then you might consider Bangkok Airway%26#39;s %26#39;Discovery Pass%26#39; since they fly to all the above places. However, Lao Airlines also offers a discounts on multi-detination or segments with their %26#39;discovery pass%26#39; (modeled on Bangkok Airways) but they don%26#39;t have flights to Saigon, which shouldn%26#39;t affect your plans since you%26#39;re taking a boat. Overall, I%26#39;ve found Lao Airlines to be considerably cheaper than Bangkok Airways for flights. Since Lao Airlines issues e-tickets, you can also book via a reputable Lao travel agency.

4-day itenerary in Laos (solo traveler)

Here is my itenerary for my trip to Laos early next year. Feel free to comment on it.

day 1(AM): hanoi to luang prabang

a. mt. phousi

b. golden city temple

c. royal palace museum

d. wat pa phon forest temple

e. tad sae waterfall

(the order is not final yet. feel free to suggest)

day 2(PM): visit remaining sites and travel by land to phonsavan

a. plain of jars

(Are there other attractions within the area that I can visit after the plain of jars?)

day 3(AM): fly from xieng khouang to vientiene

a. pha tat luang

b. wat si saket

c. patuxai monument

d. Black Stupa (that dam)

e. ho pra keo

f. buddha park

day 4(AM): visit remaining vientiene sites and fly to bangkok

Is my itenarary too tight or can I still squeeze some more sites?

I haven%26#39;t arranged any accomodations yet. Is it easy to get a hotel once I get there or is it advisable to reserve accomodations beforehand? I am willing to stay to any hotel as long as it has a decent enough bed and bathroom.

4-day itenerary in Laos (solo traveler)

You are not going to see the Plain of Jars. All your time on day 2 will be travelling. 4 days is not enough. Spend 2 in Luang Prabang and fly to Vientiane for the other 2, much as the P.O.J is worth visiting.

4-day itenerary in Laos (solo traveler)

I agree with that. If you want to include Plain of jars think you should be looking at a 6 day trip - otherwise you will spend most of your time just travelling. With just 4 days would stick to Luang Prabang and Vientiane.

Here%26#39;s my modified itenerary. I will be skipping plain of jars (but is it really worth skipping? hehe)

day 1 and 2:

a. fly from hanoi to luang prabang

b. mt. phousi

c. golden city temple

d. royal palace museum

e. wat pa phon forest temple

f. tad sae waterfall

day 3:

a. fly from luang prabang to vientiane

b. pha tat luang

c. wat si saket

d. patuxai monument

e. Black Stupa (that dam)

f. ho pra keo

g. buddha park

day 4: visit remaining vientiane sites and fly to bangkok

Is it advisable to travel by land from luang prabang to vientiane?

would recommend flying considering the short time you are here. The drive is a nice one mind you but takes approx 8-9 hours. There is now a night bus that makes this trip but then you miss out on the scenery.

are there other airlines that fly around laos aside from laos airlines?

lao airlines laos airlines and laos aviation are one and the same airline company right?

I think your revised itinerary is ok. As I said, the P.O.J is worth seeing, but you really don%26#39;t have enough time.

Lao Aviation no longer exists; it is now called Laos Airlines. They are the only airline for internal flights. Vietnam Airlines Thai Air and Air Asia fly here as well, but not internally.

If you are posting this because you are worried about Laos Air, don%26#39;t be. I have flown them more than 30 times. I would rather fly with them than Qantas.

Btw the drive from Luang Prabang to vientiane has some excellent scenery, but is not a pleasant drive as the road is very windy in parts. I know a number of people who have lost their lunch. You get a good view from the plane as it does not fly that high - short flight.

Thanks Rufuscat for all your help. I decided to add another day on my Laos trip (I will just schedule my phiphi island trip some other time) and here it is:

day 1:

-fly from hanoi to luang prabang

-visit sites in luang prabang

day 2:

-visit more luang prabang sites

-take the night bus to vang vieng (6-8 hrs?)

day 3:

-go tubing

-try other outdoor activities

day 4:

-early morning travel to vientiane (3-5 hrs?)

-explore vientiane

day 5:

-visit more sites in vientiane

-take the bus from vientiane, cross the friendship bridge to udon thani

-fly to bangkok from udon thani

I%26#39;ve decided to travel by land to save money. I%26#39;m already used to 8-10 rough road trips. Used to do this in the phils.

What do you guys think of my new travel plan? :)

Day 5 looks a bit crowded. You will need to work out your times really carefully on this. Not sure of the Vte - Udon bus timetable.

Your revised itinerary with the added day is much more do-able. but as the above poster suze mentioned, pay particular attention to the last, fifth day, especially if you%26#39;re trying to catch a flight from Udon Thani to Bangkok.

You might find it easier just to take the overnight VIP bus from Vientiane to Bangkok which leaves central Vientiane (one pickup point is in front of Nam Phu Fountain but you should reserve a seat for the bus from a Lao travel agency or hotel/guesthouse at least a day before, leaves around 5:30-6pm)and arrives in Bangkok around 6AM.

You could %26#39;cover%26#39; all the destinations you%26#39;ve listed for Vientiane in 1 day, even inclduing %26#39;buddha park%26#39; by public bus but the park segement will take up the better part of a half day because of slow public transport roundtrip. The Patuxai, That Dam, vats Sisakat and Prae Keow aren%26#39;t that far apart.

Takes about 4 hours between VTE and Vang Vieng but there%26#39;s a fair amount of road construction just south of Vang Vieng recently.

six weeks in asia, where should i go?

Hey guys. i%26#39;m only allowed six weeks off work and so have booked flights into singapore and then will depart from bangkok. Where should i go and how should i get there? (Realistically as i know i won%26#39;t be able to do everything!!!) Having trouble prioritising and planning most cost effective routes!

Many thanks for your expertise!!!!

six weeks in asia, where should i go?

no one can answer this but yourself. Get a guidebook and look up what interests you.

pimple

Travel to Greece...

Hello, Happy New Year to you all!!!

I have a question i want to find out ...

A Lao citizen friend of mine wants to come for holidays in Greece on April, what does he have to do for a visa? Can he/she ask for it at Athens airport or it%26#39;s better to arrange it in Laos before he travels here so he/she can save time waiting at the airports?

What will be the cost of it?

Thank you

Steve

Travel to Greece...

No, you absolutely cannot get the visa in Greece.

I arranged this for my sister in law recently. You must get a Schengen visa. There is no Greek embassy in Laos, so you need to do it via the German or French Embassy. Your friend will need to show proof of Health Insurance for the period of time in Greece and will need to be sponsored. This means she, (come on, don%26#39;t be coy, of course it is a ';she';), will need a letter from her friend in Greece showing bank account statements and stating that you are prepared to support her for the period of time in Greece.

I can%26#39;t remember the exact cost, but I am pretty sure it was less than $100.00US. The health insurance was the most expensive part. It does take a little bit of time to do all this though, so look up Schengen Visa on the web and make sure you have all the necessary documentation before she goes to the embassy.

Send me a PM if you need more information.

Travel to Greece...

Hey there Rufus thank you for your reply!!

You know what? You made me more worried than before now!!! She has already been to German embassy there and has the documents needed to be filled up. She only stay on holiday here for 3 weeks though, she still needs schengen visa for rhis sort time? Can she ask for visa in Athens borders?

And what you said about friends account ,does it mean that i have to have a big bank account ?? I%26#39;m not a millionair you know...lol lol I just want to be thankful to the family i stayed last April and i was so happy to meet them all,so i want to invite 1 of them at a time in my country hopefully!!!

I have heard that i can send an invitation to her there that i will accomodate her here so she doesn%26#39;t need to have the 40000 US$ account they asked her in German embassy in Laos. Isn%26#39;t that true?

Looking forward to your reply

Thank you so much

Steve

Hi Steve,

No you definitely have to get the visa before you fly out. You can%26#39;t get it in Athens or on the border. Yes, she MUST have a schengen visa. Even my wife has to have a schengen visa to get in to Europe. I also forgot, you have to show a return airline ticket.

Steve, don%26#39;t be worried. like I said, i arranged this at the German Embassy for my Lao sister in Law. It was no problem. Just be prepared with the documents. No, you don%26#39;t need to be a millionaire, just show that you have a bank account with enough money in it to support her for the length of time she is there. Did they really say 40,000 dollars? They didn%26#39;t ask that of the guy who sponsored my sister in law.

Cheers,

Ron - and don%26#39;t worry; its not as bad as it sounds.

If you are REALLY worried, send me a message and I will give you my phone number. She can phone me and i will talk to her or go to the Embassy with her.

Hello again ,Thank you for all !!!

I will give all the info you told me to him and see what will happen. Besides there is plenty of time until April...

And yes when he asked for a schengen visa to Greece they told him that he needs an account in Lao bank with 40000 UD $. I thought that was really crazy!!!

Anyway if anything goes wrong again i%26#39;ll contact with you and let you know,we can chat through msn perhaps if you have,unfortunately phone is to expensive to call to Laos from Greece.

Thank you once more for everything Ron;)

Take care

byeee

Maly Hotel in Phonsavan contact details correct?

Been trying to contact the Maly Hotel in Phonsavan to reserve a room but am getting no response. Im using the email address on their website which is sousathp@laotel.com is this the correct one?

Maly Hotel in Phonsavan contact details correct?

hi- email is pretty bad in phonsavanh and they probably don%26#39;t check that often anyway. Better to call or just turn up without a reservation - I%26#39;ve stayed in Phonsavanh on about a dozen separate occasions and there is never an accomodation shortage in the Maly price range

Maly Hotel in Phonsavan contact details correct?

They were good about replying to my mails when I stayed there 2 years ago, but caveat emptor- the place gets very cold during the winter months and they do not have heating NOR do they have hot water (although they advertise it and it comes out only for the first minute you are in the shower). I froze my a$$ off there (as did 3 other groups of folks I met who stayed there) even though I had mountain climbing innerwear and fleece. The food was bad, too. Good restaurants for half that price in town.

Japanese B Encephalitis

Hi,

Has anyone discussed the need for this series for traveling in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Burma with their travel doctor? Apparently the disease is somewhat seasonal in some of these places. I am planning to travel for a couple months January to mid April in SE Asia. Where I live the travel medical advice is pretty thin.

Thanks

Japanese B Encephalitis

Yes. Don%26#39;t worry about it. Your chances of picking this up are remote.

Japanese B Encephalitis

I asked about this 4 years ago - a doctor who had been working in laos. She said the chances of getting it were about a million to one, but the consequences were serious, which is why they offer the shots.

It is seasonal because it is transmitted by mosquitoes, and you will miss the main wet season when they are more prolific - so your chances of getting it are even less.

When I asked my travel he did mention all the above -HOWEVER at that time the biggest hiccup was that you couldnt get hold of any vaccine due to a world wide shortage of vaccine. ( I was happy to have shots if I could have gotten hold of vaccine)

So all the usual precautions one takes against mozzies ( DEET, cover up, use mozzie nets if available) still recommended as most areas youve mentioned also malaria and dengue fever areas ,all carried by mozzies ( especially vietnam- friends in vung tau in vietnam know personally of 5 westerners there who have had dengue fever in late 2008).

The only people that should bother with getting the Jap E vaccine is those who will be working closely with farm animals or waterfowl. If you will be in SEA for a month or two, it would be a good idea to get a Hep A and Hep B shot (usually in a series of two, so start it now) as well as a tetanus booster.

You can pick up mozzie sprays, coils and bednets for super-cheap in Bangkok. The shopping is also good for these items in Cambodia, but the pickins are slim in Laos so it would be best to stock up in Thailand once you arrive.

3 weeks in Laos

Hi,

we are looking to travel around Laos over a period of three weeks. we are on a budget and have already decided to go to Vientiene, Vang Viene and Luang Prabang. we would appreciate more tips on where else to go around Laos and what is good to see in the areas we have already decided to go to. also, we would really apprecite info on budget hotels and budgets transport. we are looking ourselves but any help will be a big help.

thanks.

3 weeks in Laos

After heading up north and seeing Luang Prabang, head up even further and check out the Plain of Jars.

Click here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7930283@N04/

(and scroll down just a bit) to see some photos of Laos and the jars, etc.

From Phonsavan (where the jars are) fly back to Vientiane, and head down to Pakse. From Pakse you can see Wat Phu, a World Heritage Site. Pakse is also worth a day for sightseeing and hanging out. If you plan your trip really carefully, you can even spend a couple of days on the islands in Si Pha Don before you head back up north (I am assuming you fly in/out of Vientiane). There are flights from pakse-Vientiane or you can opt for the bus. (The night bus is the most comfortable) Cheers!

3 weeks in Laos

Sorry, they didn%26#39;t post that as a link, you%26#39;ll have to copy %26amp; paste it...

thank you - am taking a look now - greatly appreaciated

If you%26#39;re on a budget you might not want to fly to Pakse, but you could take buses there via Thakek and Savannakhet. The ecoguide unit in Savannakhet does a really nice one-day tour around the place. It%26#39;s also well worth visiting the Kong Lor caves on the way down, too - amazing 7 km. journey through a river-tunnel under the mountain. You can stay in a homestay nearby at US$5 per night - real family life in a village, and give alms to the monk (there%26#39;s only one in residence!) in the temple next morning. Not far from Thakek there%26#39;s a Buddha cave with hundreds of statues - it was only discovered recently and the villagers run it as a community enterprise.

eastridinglass,

Could you tell me where exactly is Kong Lor caves?

I am going to Laos in Dec. 9.

bump

Konglor caves are near Thakek.

To get to Khong Lor caves head eastwards along Route 8 towards the Vietnamese border. You will come across a small town and the Theun Hinboun hydro power project. Just before this you will see signposts. I think the small town is called Naphouak, but not 100% sure.

The above directions are not clear. Try this link:

travelfish.org/location/…konglor_cave

Lao Airline flights to SR or PP in Feb booked up?

Having had some problems booking an internal flight online i was going to leave booking my flight out of laos to cambodia (PP or SR) until i got there but having looked at their webiste it appear there are a lot of days where flights arent available. Am i best to try and sort something out before i go?

Ideally i would be flying out of laos on Feb 26th (doesnt appear to be a flight to either SR or PP available on this day though)

Lao Airline flights to SR or PP in Feb booked up?

thats out of vientiane by the way

Lao Airline Online Payment Problem

Trying to book flights on their website (yes the real one not the french one) and go all the way through to the end where my credit card details are sent off but keep getting an error message saying ';The following error(s) occured

We have difficulty with the finalisation of the external payment. Please call the airline call centre. (4685)';??? Can anyone help? I notice on another site someone has posted the same problem but with no resposnes....

Lao Airline Online Payment Problem

Try using a different card if you have one; also give your bank a call; sometimes you%26#39;ll find that the loas transaction triggers a security flag - let them know the transaction is to processed.

Lao Airline Online Payment Problem

It seems to be that my bank issuer isn%26#39;t registered for Mastercard Securecode - and this is needed to make payment on the site. Unfotunately i don%26#39;t have another credit card.....

you could look at booking with a laos based travel agent such as www.greendiscoverylaos.com - i found them very responsive to enquiries.

Hi there,

I had exactly the same problem- same error message and all. Contacted my bank and they said it wasn%26#39;t their end so I ended up emailing Green Discovery in Pakse and they sent it on to their office in Vientiane who in turn replied quite quickly with the option of booking the flights by credit card or bank deposit. When I confirm they will send me the booking form. That%26#39;s as far as I have gone with it.

Still wondering how popular the flight from Pakse to Siem Reap would be and if I will just book it when we get there. Not sure on that one.

The difference in price from Laos Air website and Green Discovery was about $25US each ticket plus if you pay by Bank Card a fee of 3.1%

Let me know how you get on

Mary

In the end i have phone the Lao Airline office up in vientiane and I believe i have managed to book a return flight to phonsavan. A few dificulties with the language barrier but i think (and hope) im booked on the right plane on the right day with the right name.....I have a booking reference anyway. I have to go to the domestic terminal or their office in vientiane when i get there and pick up the tickets and pay for them there.

Trouble is i forgot to book my ticket to siem reap as well so will no doubt have to go through it all again.....

re booking by phone, can you comment on whether the price was the same as bokking online.

re the language problems, if you look at there website, you%26#39;ll note that they have offices in Chang Mai and Bangkok; if you are travelling there before Thailand, it may be easier to book with them and pick up your tickets there. i have dealt with the Chang Mai office and they were helpful

No i am going to Laos via KL.

With regards the price of booking on the phone - i made a bit of a schoolboy error. He didnt tell me the price and with all the stress of making sure all the details were correct i put the phone down and then realised i didnt even know what it was going to cost.....i am presuming it is going to be similar to the online quoted price (i hope)

pimple

Thai-Lao International Bus Service to Udon Thani

Hopefully my last post....

Anyone used this? Have seen various timetables but i seem to find that the following is the current one?

Leaving vientiane at 7.00, 9.30, 15.00, 17.00

My plane lands from Phonsavan at 14.20 - is this enough time to catch the 17.00 bus? Do these sell out very often?

Travelling at the end of Feb

Thai-Lao International Bus Service to Udon Thani

Yes used it often. Provided your plane isn%26#39;t late or cancelled, you should make this bus easily. Grab a taxi from the airport to the Morning Market.

Thai-Lao International Bus Service to Udon Thani

Thanks

Are they often late or cancelled?

Can happen; generally depends on how full the plane is.

Temperature now -- at night ??

Anyone who is in LP now -- what%26#39;s the temperature at night and during the day? I want to make sure we bring sweaters/jackets if we%26#39;re going to need them for mid January.

Thanks !!

Temperature now -- at night ??

Hi - I was in LP 2 weeks ago and at night you could use a jacket - maybe down to 10 degrees. Oudomxai a bit further north was down to 6 deg at night.

Temperature now -- at night ??

Thank you !! Any new dinner recommendations in town ??

Yes, hello anyone in LP now..how about daytime temps? I%26#39;ve gotten lots of contradictory info. Warm enough to do any water activities? Thanks!

As previously posted, several weeks back it was quite cold at night but now it%26#39;s not nearly as cold but still requires a jacket or jumper. Sometimes at night it really does get quite cold so it%26#39;s best to be prepared. Even the mornings have been quite cool to cold requiring something for warmth until it starts to warm up around 9:30 or 10. By 11am and usually by noon it%26#39;s warm enough for just a T-shirt and shorts but it cools off in the evenings again.

tainwanne--oh, almost forgot, yes, no problems. It%26#39;s warm enough for swimming activities in the late morning to late afternoon. Just bring a jacket to the waterfalls in case it cools off in the early evenings coming back from Kuangsi.

jenskar--not really new since it%26#39;s already 1 year old but a French Lao chef opened an upscale restaurant along mainstreet called Arisai. Serves mainly French provencal food but some fusion too. Very nice setting with a good selection of wines (and some very nice wine glasses too!).

thanks seagypsy. i live in taiwan and according to the weather underground,our temps are similiar to lao. still,it%26#39;s hard to know unless one is actually there. will pack a light sweater and jacket. b.t.w. tried out any cooking classes?

Practical Hotel

It seems that most of the recommended hotels/guest houses in Luang Prabang are trendy rather than practical which is not what we want. Are there any good value (up to about USD70) quiet hotel rooms in LP with a wardrobe, clothes drawers and a shower cubicle (or, better still, a bath)?

Practical Hotel

For up to $70 you can take your pick.

There are about 200 hotels in LP and 95% of them are under $70 and have a bathroom and wardrobe etc. For $70 you can have one of the trendy riverfront french-villa type hotels with all the facilities you mention. Only a few on the river are more expensive than this (villa santi, 3 nagas etc).

Or - if you take a 10 minute walk away from the river you can have the same for $15-20.

Le Parasol Blanc is good value in your range - about $50 and 5 mins walk from the river. Its an old restored french mansion set next to a fish pond.

Practical Hotel

We Loved the Apsara. Rooms are large and beautifully decorated. We had a large, deep bath and shower. The location opposite the small river is peaceful and quiet, but just around the corner from the main street. Not sure what the rates are now, but we paid $65 B%26amp;B for a downstairs room.

Stephen,

Thanks for that but, from what I can see on the Apsara web page, the shower is just open rather than being in a cubicle. That was one of the first hotels that I looked at but it seemed to be more style over function.

The shower in our room (downstairs deluxe from memory) was over the bath. Others may have a different configuration. There wasn%26#39;t a shower curtain, but a bit of water splashed on the bathroom floor is hardly a holiday wrecker....or is it? I certainly didn%26#39;t see anyone in the hotel reviews complaining about the bathroom design.

Traveling south to north

I%26#39;m going on a backpacker trip april 2009.

I want to see as much of Laos as possible.

I%26#39;m going to enter Laos from Cambodia in the south.

How long time will I spend going to Vientiane from the very south of Laos?

Whats the best way of travel northbound on a budget?

What cities are worth a visit on the way to the capital?

Many questions - hopefully some of you will be able to answer some of them.

Traveling south to north

If you%26#39;re entering Laos from northen Cambodia, then you%26#39;ll need a Lao visa in advance since, presently, no visa upon arrival is issued.

Well, you could actually get from Don Det or Don khon to Vientiane in one full 24 hours provided you leave in the early morning, get to Pakse and take the overnight VIP or VIP sleeper bus to Vientiane which arrives around 6pm.

BUT you%26#39;d miss quite a bit of southern and central Laos which has quite a bit to offer.

Perhaps, if you%26#39;re not in a rush, take a week to 1.5 weeks, spend a few days on Det or Khon, then visit Wat Phu just south of Chamapasak before hitting Pakse. Then from Pakse rent a motorbike and do a 4-6 day tour of the Bolavens (Tad Lao, Tad Fane/Paksong, Sekong and especially Attapeu) before returnig to Pakse to take the overnight bus to Thakhek for the Kong Lor Cave areas. This area alone is worth 3-4 days and you%26#39;re within 5 ours of VTE.

Traveling south to north

Hi - if you want to see more of laos than the standard Vientiane- VangVieng - Luang Prabang trip that most visitors seem to do, you should allow a month at least, maybe 2 weeks for the south and the same for the north. The previous poster had good recomendations but I would also stop in savannakhet for a couple of nights, between pakse and thakhek.

The ';VIP'; buses are good and run between all the main towns on your route, and are cheap (especially by norwegian standards!) - for example Vientiane-Savannakhet overnight aircon bus about $15. (The local buses are half the price and run more regularly but take twice as long).

pimple

Romantic restaurant with good food

We will be in LP at the beginning of October. This is the first time in many years when my husband and I travel without kids. The day in LP will be my birthday. Anybody can recommend a nice, romantic restaurant with good food where we can celebrate my day?

Thank you.

Romantic restaurant with good food

I loved Blue Lagoon. The service was excellent. I think it is owned by European. It has a nice outdoor dinning area. The food was very good. They even serve compound butter and warm baguette with meal. It%26#39;s near the museum off main street(I forgot the street name).

Romantic restaurant with good food

Best restaurant in LP is the Three Nagas. Read the review in the NY Times.

Thank you for recommendations. We will try them.

Would also recommend the Apsara by the Nam Khan River, or the Villa Santi Hotel, which has a balcony on the colonial villa overlooking the town,

Cheers

Lee

www.luang-prabang-hotels.com

';Blue Lagoon.';

I recently came back from Luang Prabang (August 15-22) and would NOT recommend this restaurant. First, the owner seems to be insensitive to the local people. I am originally from Laos, but have lived in the US since 1978. This owner spoke in English to his staff, insinuating that we might not be able to pay for the meal and to make sure there was enough money before we could leave. I of course understand English and heard everything he said and more importantly in the tone of his voice. He must have assumed since we spoke Lao that I (we) would not understand, and that we might not be able to afford his restaurant because he thought we were from the town because we spoke Lao. I felt he discriminating against me in my own country, yet he is the outsider. He is an entrepreneur who comes to a foreign country to make money, yet he does not treat the local people well. I was insulted and hurt. Second, the food was NOT good. The Laos food was terrible, and my cousin who lives in Luang Prabang tried the pasta, and got sick for two days after. I would recommend that you try true Lao food in a restaurant that tries to respect the people, culture, and the food. Elephants is a nice restaurant with very good food, with a nice atmosphere. For a romantic meal I would recommend dinner at the hotel La Residence Phou Vao. You can have a romantic candle lit dinner over looking Mt. Phousi, which is lit up at night. The staff and service is excellent, warm, and inviting.

I don%26#39;t blame you for being annoyed; this would really annoy me too. I have a Laos wife and I get peeved when a) we are in Lao places and all comments, questions etc get directed to her and b) we are in a western restaurant and the reverse happens.

Are there any restuarant in Luang Prabang that provide dinner together with a Lao cultural show?

Please list the Resturant, type of food and price range.

Thank you.

Villa Satri has a beautiful restaurant overlooking the gardens, good food and even a wine list!

roflmao every western restaurant and a number of Laos restaurants have wine lists.

Now there are even a couple of wine bars on mainstreet and they%26#39;re only 5 shops from each other. I like the atmosphere of Blue Lagoon but l%26#39;elephant is still my favorite restaurant for a splurge.

Kualao Restaurant

Hi all,

is this restaurant worth for a try or any place better?

good local food would be preferable, atmospheric one is a plus.

Any good one close to Lao Orchid hotel to recommend?

Please help, i%26#39;m starving!!!

Kualao Restaurant

They have very good Lao food and usually traditional performances. Go for the full course, where you can try a whole line-up of Lao foods!

Kualao Restaurant

Thank you very much. That sounds really interesting. I like the cultural show. Hope it%26#39;s good. I think for 2 persons then a reservation may not be necessary (?)

On a weekend they%26#39;re pretty busy (when I%26#39;ve been there). Wouldn%26#39;t hurt to reserve beforehand...

Thanks again. It%26#39;s on weekday :)

but will call them 1 day prior for peach of mind

Hongsa

Can anyone suggest a nice guesthouse or hotel in the small city?

I would love any help

Hongsa

can you help us out here? your age? your budget ? travellng alone or with others ?

pimple

Should we use a tour operator to see Laos?

My wife and I are planning a trip to Laos in March. What is the best way to see the country - we will have about a week. Do we need to use a tour operator and if so who is recommended?

We need to book urgently!

Should we use a tour operator to see Laos?

I don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;ll have time to see ';the country';, but a week will afford you a couple days in Vientiane and the rest in Luang Prabang. Definitely plan on flying otherwise you will be spending 2 full days on a bus. The Lonely Planet has a good guidebook that can help you plan your itinerary. No need to go through an agency- the aforementioned cities are small enough to figure out/navigate on your own.

Should we use a tour operator to see Laos?

My friend has 6 days %26amp; wants to trek in the hill tribes of N Laos %26amp; spend 2 nights in Luang Prabang...

When you have a few days, it%26#39;s kinda scary to just show up %26amp; hope that some local travel agent will not rip you off or send you on some touristy wild goose chase.

That is why I%26#39;ve been asking for advice for an inexperienced (in Asia) female friend of mine who wants to go trekking... and see Luang Prabang... If she were experienced or had more time, I could see just winging it, but I think for inexperience %26amp; 6 days, she needs to prebook %26amp; IMO I think an Laotian travel agent would give a better price...

I just need a recommendation for one. I%26#39;ve read that the LONELY PLANET guide is rather outdated.

I bought their Thailand one last August, hot off the press %26amp; found it inaccurate, biased against mid-level/moderate travel, biased towards hostels, backpacking %26amp; street food... and not everyone wants to travel like that... the inference was, if you want to eat in a restaurant %26amp; stay in a hotel w/ a private toilet, then you are somehow %26#39;less of a traveler%26#39;... so I%26#39;m not a fan of Lonely Planets, I find the posters here far more informed %26amp; open minded.

Posters on Thorn Tree and Travelfish are far more knowledgeable than most posters on this site, though some, eg Maneki, do post on all.

Two tour operators I have experience with are: Exotissimo. Expensive, but highly reliable and very helpful.

Green Discovery. My experiences with them have not been happy, though many people swear by them.

';When you have a few days, it%26#39;s kinda scary to just show up %26amp; hope that some local travel agent will not rip you off or send you on some touristy wild goose chase.';

My dear Oksana, let me tell you the number of times I have heard reports of tourists getting to their destination, with a pre-booked tour/excursion/hotel whatever, only to be completely disappointed %26amp;/or ripped off. And if you have paid for everything in advance, the chances of you being able to get your money back are very, very slim.

Anyhow, it%26#39;s up to you. The only tour operators I know operate out of Vientiane, but of course you can book through them for excursions in LP, etc.

Here%26#39;s MY list-

Phoenix Voyages

http://phoenixvoyages.com

Diethelm Travel Laos

diethelmtravel.com

Exotissimo

laosales@exotissimo.com

Inter-Lao Tourism

www.interlao.laopdr.com

Did a totally DIY trip to Vientiane and LP last year. Booked flights on line and also the hotels by email.

Did our own thing on arrival,either through hotel or through guide books and everything ran so,so smoothly for our short 7 day trip.

One of the best trips we have done in recent years only beaten by a magical couple of weeks in Burma over New Year.

Methinks if I was doing 4 center rather than just the two towns I might have used Agents.

Laos is a big country with lots to see so a tour operator could be useful if you don%26#39;t want to waste time as you only have a week. Depends what kind of holiday you want and on your budget!

A good company that I know are:

http://www.experiencesoutheastasia.com

They specialise in the area so seem to know it very well and aren%26#39;t too pushy.

Have a good holiday!

how to buy Discovery Pass, Lao Air tickets in US

Bangkok Air%26#39;s website in the US does not show many flights that I know exist.

The website also does not sell the DISCOVERY PASS %26amp; suggests contacting a travel agent... most US travel agents don%26#39;t know what it is.

Does anyone have a PHONE number for Bangkok Air in NY or L.A.?

Or a travel agent in the US, preferably near NY or Toronto that sells the DISCOVERY PASS for Bangkok Air?

Also how does one buy domestic flights on VIETNAM AIRLINES or LAO AIRLINES on the web or via a US or Canadian travel agent?

how to buy Discovery Pass, Lao Air tickets in US

One of the most reliable agent for Vietnam airlines and Lao airlines for domestic flight is TF travel info@tftravel.com.vn/ www.tftravel.com.vn

how to buy Discovery Pass, Lao Air tickets in US

Oksana, check ';Contact Us'; at the bottom of the Bangkok Airways homepage. In the US or Canada phone 1-866-BANGKOK (if you reach India, ask for the number of a US or Cdn rep).

thanks James,

I was on there last night %26amp; CONTACT US, has no such info...

it%26#39;s a useless website is says contact our agents to buy DISCOVERY PASS but there%26#39;s no suggested agents or numbers

my galpal in Toronto was on the phone w/ me doing the same thing %26amp; neither one of us could find anything

The ';Contact Us'; page is:

bangkokair.com/passenger_support/index.php…

Information found there about the NYC office is:

450, 7th Ave. Suite 705,

New York, NY 10123, USA Tel : 1 866 BANGKOK

Ticket/Reservation/Reservation Center :

Fax : +1 (212) 279 6602

E-mail : nyc@bangkokairwaysna.com

Similar information is available for Toronto and other cities.

When you go to the URL above, click on the link under ';Passenger Support'; on the LH side for ';Representatives Offices.'; That will bring up a list of a dozen counties including US and Cda.

Did you try the 1-866-BANGKOK phone number I gave you in my earlier post?

The 866 BANGKOK number goes to Delhi %26amp; communication is difficult %26amp; next to impossible.

It%26#39;s virtually impossible to get the ticketing agents in India to transfer you to a local one in the states... the agent in India was so inexperienced he came up w/ a total of $471 %26amp; wanted to charge me a 5% fee to use a credit card! He also tried to put me on Vietnam Airlines, which doesn%26#39;t share flights with PG, but Lao Airlines does...

So, I googled around %26amp; found a ticketing agency in the San Fernando Valley (they answer the phone AIR ZIMBABWE) but ticket for BANGKOK AIRWAYS %26amp; sell the DISCOVER PASS)... at

818 990-9215

tall to Rashi, she%26#39;s lovely...

it%26#39;s $360 plus tax = $383.60

Here is a link to all the BANGKOK AIRWAYS offices all around the world w/ fax %26amp; email addresses, scroll down

www.travelfish.org/feature/118

all the numbers in North America go to 866 BANGKOK which is in Delhi India %26amp; I dealt w/ a very inexperienced agent, who gave me all sorts of wrong info...

but I was able to find an office in Los Angeles %26amp; got the price %26amp; the correct schedule... and a way to pay w/ a CC... the guy in Delhi was strong arming me to use PAYPAL... and then a 5% fee for a cc...

THANKS, you guys rock!

5 days in Laos

Hi..we are going to Laos in March and have 2 nights/1 full day in Vientiane and 3 days in Luang Prabang. Is it worth planning excursions with local travel companies in advance or when we get there..? I have a guide book but would be interested to hear what are the must sees given the time we have. Thanks!

5 days in Laos

The city of Vientiane is great for a walking tour, or you can opt to rent bicycles to get around and see more. Luang Prabang is totally navigatable on foot. You can head down to the riverside in the morning and catch a boat to the Pak Ou caves or hire a tuk-tuk to take you to the waterfalls, but you will not need to book a tour.

5 days in Laos

Agree with Maneki.

bella cosmetics

Best Trips out of Luang Prabang

I%26#39;m in Luang prabang for a week or so and am looking to do various day trips and overnight trips eh elephang trekking, rafting, cves, kayaking, biking etc. The problem is there are so many agencies in Luang prabang. Which trips are best, which shoudn%26#39;t I bother with, and spefically, which agencies are best to use. By best I don%26#39;t necessarily mean cheapest, but at the same time I don%26#39;t want to be competely ripped off either. All suggestions welcome, thanks in advance!

Best Trips out of Luang Prabang

Read here, and scroll down to the very bottom of the page

travelfish.org/sights/…luang_prabang

Best Trips out of Luang Prabang

Contact ALL LAO TRAVEL via their website, they are terrific.

They respond w/in a day, in English, they%26#39;re based in LP %26amp; can plan group or private trek tours for various lengths.

They%26#39;re also connected with a beautiful riverside lodge outside of LP which has a website too, it%26#39;s called MAHOUT LODGE, with individual traditional cottages along the river bank... you can do elephant or jungle treks, or do what my galpal is doing a one day mahout course... where you ride, bathe, feed the elephant.

I contacted at least 4 Lao travel agencies %26amp; ALL LAO TRAVEL is in a class by itself.

They actually lowered the price by US$90 for a trek I booked my galpal on because some area of the trek was unavailable due to rains/washout of trails. I was very impressed.

Trek rates include meals %26amp; English guides. They do river tours, kayak tours, etc.

Also, they book airfares if you need it.

One of the best trips we did was a day of kayaking...we stopped at the Pak Ou caves and the %26#39;Whiskey Village%26#39; and did about an hour of elephant riding during the day as well. The Pak Ou caves and elephant riding was good but overall the experience of kayaking along the Mekong and seeing the amazing landscapes and river life unfold in front of us was one of the highlights of our stay in Laos.

Villa Maydou or Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel

Hi

Have to choose between staying at either the Maydou or the Maison for 4 nights in August. Any opinions on which one to select, both seem to have much going for them?

thanks

Suz

Villa Maydou or Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel

Just to let you know both of these are in Luang Prabang (presume you just have the wrong forum rather than going to the wrong city!). Personally I would pick Villa Maydou, but haven%26#39;t actually stayed at either, only visited to check them out,

Villa Maydou or Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel

Thanks for that feedback, yes I accidentally posted on the wrong forum! Shall place it on the other one now.

I am wanting somewhere nice to stay for the 4 nights before we start the boat cruise, which would you recommend in Luang Prabang?

BTW - is it rude to ask what your connection is with the Beau Rivage. At least I know the information you gave me is accurate.

Pakse to Tad Fane

Was wondering if anyone has ideas for me.

We are flying into Pakse then going direct to Tad Fane. ( three nights)

What is a rough cost for transport there ? also, as we not in a hurry ..are there sights to stop along the way ?

Pakse to Tad Fane

The bus is about $5. If you get off the bus, you might have to wait hours to get on another, so forget en route sightseeing. BE SURE you tell the bus driver to let you off at your stop or you will go all the way to Sekong.

Pakse to Tad Fane

Thanks Maneki-neko. A tut tut would suit better, I have been known to miss bus stops.:-)

Found out the tut tut is $20-$25 to take you up or down to the plateau.

The bus sounds like a good idea for back to Pakse.

Do you or anyone have suggestions for sightseeing along the way up ?

No, as my friend %26amp; I just headed from Pakse to Tad Fane Lodge, where we spent 2 nights. (Is that where you are staying?)

Yes this is where we are staying

It%26#39;s a lovely place, but the food is marginal, be warned. Also, there are no stores within miles so bring your own snacks etc if you like that kind of stuff (You can stock up in Pakse). They have nice, cold beer at the restaurant.

You are probably already back, but I was trying to leave a review of the Tadfane or Tad fane Resort and it is not listed, so anyone doing a search, be warned! We were on a first class tour of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and they had this as a 3 star hotel. You can%26#39;t even call this a hotel let alone a 3 star. Dirty, water all over the bathroom floor, the beds were so hard the floor could have been better if it wasn%26#39;t for all the huge black ants. Unless you are a hiker that can deal with bugs and dirt, stay away. We did not sleep all night it was also freezing. The food is terrible and there is nothing around! There is nothing to do here but see the Tadfane waterfall and you can’t hike to the bottom unless you have pretty advance gear. Instead stay at La Folie in Don Khong Island. The workers here were the only unfriendly hotel staff we met in our entire trip.

Star

Too bad you didn%26#39;t enjoy it. It realy isn%26#39;t as bad as you say, unless of course you are used to an extremely high level of comfort. I found the beds to be very comfortable, and the place fairly clean (this was back in February, things might have changed since then). It is a LODGE not a 5-star hotel after all. The food is not so good, that%26#39;s for sure.The reason I chose to stay at that place for 2 days is BECAUSE there was nothing there.

I found that area to be warm compared to Phonsavan. Head up there and it gets below zero in this season. If you read Tad Fane%26#39;s website, it advises to bring appropriate clothing. My fleece jacket sufficed for me...

Star, thanks for your review. We haven’t left yet %26amp; wondering if will be able as trans thru BKK airport !!! ( acouple more weeks..fingers %26amp; toes crossed)

I did understand it would be basic accommodation %26amp; being in the bush to expect insects %26amp; ants etc. these things can not be avoided. As for the hard beds..partner %26amp; I both prefer.

But the food well ..this is a worry to me %26amp; had read before of this complaint...so on Maneki-neko advise I will be taking some snack foods to have with the beerlao. I find out first hand what everyone means by ‘terrible food’ as long as they have noodle soup or sit fry we happy, so my review may not be helpful to others.

Anyway, thank you all, we have now decided 2 nights will be enough. My main concern is not having a guide to take us on the walking trails, as I heard/ been told they usually do not have.. they advertise this service???

We know %26amp; familiar with our countries creatures but cautious of others, so happy just to walk in the middle of well worn tracks %26amp; hopeing this is possible %26amp; the reason limiting the time spent there.

Oh, I bought thermo’s especially !!!

I (hope) will report back here, how we got on, did %26amp; thoughts.

Star, the la folie looks lovely, this trip doesn’t allow but I will remember. Thank you.

The food is edible, but not ';terrible';. I usually like snacks with my Beerlao so I %26#39;m glad my friend %26amp; I stocked up in Pakse before we left. The Tad Fane Resort website advertised guided hikes, and I was REALLY looking forward to this. When we arrived, they informed us that there were no guides there. Period. I did a couple of one-hour hikes which consisted mostly of sliding down bamboo-grass lined hills and grasping on tree branches to keep my balance, returned covered in dirt. I would have preferred to know where I was going, though...If you wish to do this, DEFINITELY bring sensible shoes. You will not need thermals in the daytime (I was sweating my butt off during the hike) and you will suffice at night wiht a warm jacket. And the beds are firm, but comfortable.:-)

I am scheduled to fly via Bangkok to Phnom Pneh on Dec. 20, and I am patiently waiting out all the mess in Bangkok at the moment. Good luck with your flights, too!

Well yes Tad Fane is basic - ants yes, bed really really hard (and lumpy), water in bathroom yes but just like most of the bathrooms it tends to go beyond the shower. I must say our bathroom had the added advantage of a shower from the sky!!! I put clothes on a hanger to dry overnight but some rain came through in an overnight storm - so what, nothing drastic. Food perfectly edible but certainly nothing to write home about.

The biggest thing for me was lack of guides - they had answered emails saying it would all be sorted as soon as we arrived but there weren%26#39;t any or a car or tuk tuk available - had to get one up from Pakse. Just didn%26#39;t even indicate that they ever did so I don%26#39;t understand the emails from them at all.

Would I go again. Yes but I%26#39;d take nibbles and wine which I normally do but things were not sorted last time as we%26#39;d come across the border with a rush because of canceled flights. I%26#39;d also think about the beds - again my back was hurting last time before we got there but I%26#39;d probably carry a light mat to Lao next time - 3 visits and I still can%26#39;t believe the hardness of them. Guides - well if I had the money I%26#39;d be taking a driver with me as another person there had done - in fact he had a guide and driver - with the guide organising nibbles and wine for him everywhere - thats how to do it.

Its still a beautiful place and worth going and although you can see the falls on a day trip I still liked staying.

Lao Orchid (vientiane) contact details

Been trying to contact the Lao Orchid hotel in Vientiane to reserve a room but am getting no response. Im using the email address on their website which is info@lao-orchid.com is this the correct one?

Lao Orchid (vientiane) contact details

Lao Hotels rarely answer emails. Send them a fax.

Lao Orchid (vientiane) contact details

Phone number for Lao Orchid is +856 21 264134 and fax is +865 21 264138 - I get an answer when I call!

The op was using the email address, not the phone line!

oooops sorry!!

i just emailed to the Lao operator that i wanted this hotel. they did it for me and with a bit better price than published rates in a web

Hi, sorry but what do you mean by ';the lao operator';?

sorry, i should have said the tour operator or the travel agent

just try to send your inquiry to them

http://www.viengchampatour.com/index.php

http://www.visitasiatravel.com/

good luck and happy travel

phiphi . I happened to read your posting when I was on the computers at Lao Orchards foyer earlier this week. Sorry forgot my TA pass word.

My first booking with them I did with whl ..which btw I very happy with this booking site.

vientiane-hotel-link.com/accommodation_midra…

I also, made a reservation with the hotel via phone last week.

I suggest you try Rufuscat’s advice %26amp; ring or fax, most times I noticed there is at least two staff members at reception %26amp; when phone rang it was answered. I have found Hotels in Lao are slow or never respond to e-mails. But Guesthouses are just great if they have internet.

Haha unlike Lao airlines. btw have you sorted that yet ? You are lucky they answered a phone call.. I tried %26amp; got zero so, walked afew blocks to the office.

Also, re your other post : I noticed this month my flight was full as goes via Pakse , I would prebook.

Hope helps.

Thanks for everyones help. I emailed them again at a reasonable local time to see if that made any difference. I did get a reply back and hopefully i am booked in now.

Alicie - doesnt look good for getting into cambodia on laos airlines or down to pakse. Looks pretty much booked up on the week i want to go (not sure why maybe there is something going on??). Have decided to get the international bus across to udon thani in thailand and then get a flight down to bangkok (which only cost £15) and then a flight into cambodia from there. Didnt really want to go into bangkok but there you go. I like the place but been there a few times already. From what ive read the bus into udon is quite an easy thing to do and it actually works out cheaper although its a lot more running around. I can then get into PP with air asia at a reasonable price.

The international bus from the morning market is a very easy alternative. It is a pretty comfortable bus as well. Get there a bit early so you can easily stash all your luggage underneath in the storage hold.