drinking water

do other travelers recommend bottled water? while in Laos for things like brushing teeth? I%26#39;m assuming this is a yes, but doens%26#39;t hurt to ask!

thanks :)

drinking water

Yes

drinking water

We did . Having said this you are often given a glass of water when you dine in a cafe and after a while we drank this . It is said that it is always bottled/filtered/water that you receice and we never fell ill.we did draw the line in some remote area where the water was serve yourself from a barrell .

You can brush your teeth safely in vientiane and luang prabang with tap water. I have for several years with no problems. It is treated to western/Japanese standards in these 2 towns.

Elsewhere use bottled water - most guest houses %26amp; hotels throughout the country leave a couple of bottles of water in your room for no charge anyway.

If you are here for a visit only, I would certainly use bottle water. I use tap water now, but the stomach does take a bit of getting used to.

I would say to be safe. Don%26#39;t!!! I got quit sick when I was there last year. Not too sure it caused by the drink or the ice or something else.

You wouldn%26#39;t have got sick from ice as noone makes it from tap water.

As the others, it%26#39;s not necessary to use bottled water for brushing your teetch BUT on another issue with regards to water and that is frequently when you go to a local food stall they%26#39;ll have water glasses in a metal holder and a pitcher of water to serve yourself. However, frequently these water glasses are %26#39;communal%26#39; meaning that the Lao generally use the glass, pour themselves some water for their meal and then when they%26#39;re done either they or the restaurnat worker will turn the glass over back unto the metal water holder.

So, in other words, those glasses aren%26#39;t always cleaned or washed after use.

Again, I do want to emphasize that this is mainly with small local restaurants or food stalls and not the typical restaurant that caters to tourists. These other ones serve a glass of water when you arrive in contrast to %26#39;serving yourself%26#39;.

Before you go, ask your doctor to prescribe the food or water illness related medicine. More than likely you will need it, and let face it beside the water who can resist all the local tradition foods and fruits. You have to try them. They are so good. I would start with fully cook food in those restaurants (look like residential rather than restaurant) for the local, then slowly move on to cold drink and those fruit mix with ice and sweet water (don’t know what they call). However, I did get those I got to go thing and flu like symptom, but the medicine I brought with me took care of it in less than 24 hours. I would do that again if I ever go there because those foods really worth to try. Enjoy the trip and the food!!!