Le Café De ParisFRENCH$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 50,000-80,000K; h6-11pm; W)
The best spot in town for Gallic grub like duck breast, Tournedos Rossini, and goat-cheese salad. Add to this a cosy interior of vintage film posters and a low-lit atmosphere and you have the recipe for a decent dinner.
Mitthaphap FusionKOREAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-22254515; Th Luang Prabang; set barbecue 50,000K; h5-10pm; W)
Popular Mitthaphap Fusion serves seen dàat, do-it-yourself Korean-style barbeque and a Lao interpretation of hotpot, and is busy with a local crowd most evenings.
LOCAL VENDORS
For Lao food, a string of breakfast vendors ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Luang Prabang; mains 10,000-15,000K; h6-9am) sets up shop every morning across from the Organic Mulberry Farm Cafe. In the evenings, hit the strip of Th Luang Prabang near Chillao where you'll find popular Mitthaphap Fusion, serving seen dàat (Korean-style barbeque), and a grilled-meat vendor ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Luang Prabang; mains 15,000K; h1-9pm) – there's no English sign, so look for the wooden shack adjacent to Chilllao.
6Drinking & Nightlife
oGary's Irish BarIRISH PUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-58255774; www.irishbar.weebly.com; h9am-11.30pm; W)
Still the best bar in town thanks to its friendly, unpretentious atmosphere, indie tunes, free pool and great grub like homemade pies, burgers and Lao fare (mains 40,000K to 60,000K). When there's live rugby or footy you'll find it on the flat-screen TV. It's also a good spot for breakfast (full Irish). And watch out for live music. If only all bars were like this!
Jungle ProjectCLUB
( GOOGLE MAP ; h10pm-6am Fri, 9pm-3am Sun)
If you want to recapture the hedonistic spirit of Va Va Vang Vieng before the clampdown, the Jungle Project parties are the easiest way to get your flashback. Friday night is the big all-nighter and Sunday night sees the occasional foam party, both at the decrepit Vang Vieng Mai Resort, about 2km north of town.
Kangaroo Sunset BarBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-55578477; h9am-midnight; W)
Long-running Kangaroo Sunset Bar no longer has the sunset view as it has relocated to the centre of town, but it still offers a friendly venue for an evening session, including cocktails, shots and regular promos. It holds regular baci (bąasǐi; sacred string-tying) ceremonies for visitors and, in contrast, regular party nights.
HeartbeatCLUB
( GOOGLE MAP ; %020-55113366; Nathom Village; h6pm-late; W)
For something completely different with more of a Lao flavour, head to this big beer garden and nightclub about 2km north of town. This is where the visiting weekenders from Vientiane end up for fun and frolics and it often hosts live bands from the capital.
Sakura BarBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-78008555; Rte 13; h6pm-late)
At the time of writing, Sakura, one of the most popular late-night bars in Vang Vieng, had just opened a new spot in an old beer garden and nightclub on Rte 13. Expect a raucous crowd, shot promotions and a loud, late night.
EarthBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h5-11.30pm; W)
Made from driftwood and clay, this hip hillside bar-restaurant pipes out fine tunes to match the ambience. Check out the sumptuous view of the cliffs from the candlelit garden, between snacking on toasties, waffles, sandwiches and curries (mains 20,000K to 40,000K). Look for the glowing green sign to find it.
PARADISE LOST? PARADISE POSTPONED
Back in 1999, Vang Vieng was a little-known, bucolic affair where travellers came to float on tractor inner tubes down the river, cycle through its stunning karst country and maybe smoke the odd spliff between exploring its fantastical caves. Then the word got out – Vang Vieng was Southeast Asia's next hedonistic mecca and ravers were marking it on their party itinerary like a sort of Thailand's Ko Pha Ngan in the mountains. As Lao locals were quick to erect guesthouses to serve the increased traffic, the drugs got heavier, the party darker.
By 2009 makeshift rave platforms had established themselves along the tubing route. Forget the natural scenery and outdoor activities like climbing, biking, kayaking and trekking; gap-year kids were here to get wasted on reefer, Red Bull and shots, methamphetamine and opium cocktails. Ugly, but great business – some bars were making US$2500 per day (a fortune in Laos). Drug busts were frequent, as were half-naked travellers, wandering around town like lost extras from The Beach.
But behind the revelry was a darker truth: by 2011 at least 25 Western kids (mainly Aussies and Brits) had variously died from heart attacks, drownings and broken necks, having ridden the ‘deathslide’ (a hastily erected zipline over a seasonally perilously low river). Under pressure from the Australian government after more deaths in 2012, the Laos government moved to close down the rave bars in August. Vang Vieng’s river-bar owners were called to a meeting by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and those without licences (most of them) were ordered to shut down within 10 days.
With drugs generally off the menu, the town has been repositioning itself from a soiled party venue to the rural paradise it once was. And while local doctors in Vang Vieng’s diminutive emergency ward are less overworked, guesthouse owners are looking for ways to fill their rooms with an influx of South Korean tourists and family visitors.
For the first time in years mainstream visitors are heading to Vang Vieng, many en route to fabled Luang Prabang, stopping to kayak the Nam Song, go caving and climb the karsts. Relief pretty much describes the current feeling of Vang Vieng's more conservative inhabitants. Locals are glad that Vang Vieng is now untroubled by thumping music, disrespectful teens and the misconception that anything goes.
8Information
A useful website detailing up-to-date events is www.vangvieng.biz.
Dangers & Annoyances
Most visitors leave Vang Vieng with nothing more serious than a hangover, but this tranquil setting is also the most dangerous place in Laos for travellers. Visitors die every year from river accidents and while caving. Theft can also be a problem, with fellow travellers often the culprits. Take the usual precautions and don't leave valuables outside caves.
Internet Access
Most hostels, guesthouses, hotels, cafes and bars now offer free wi-fi. There are a few internet cafes on the main drags, usually charging around 10,000K per hour.
Medical Services
Provincial Hospital ( GOOGLE MAP ; %023-511604) This modest hospital has X-ray facilities and is fine for broken bones, cuts and malaria. When we visited, the doctor spoke reasonable English. However, if it is more serious, you will need to get to Vientiane or Thailand.
Money
Agricultural Promotion Bank ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Th Luang Prabang; h8.30am-3.30pm) Exchanges cash, plus has an ATM.
Banque pour le Commerce Extérieur Lao ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8.30am-3.30pm) Money exchange, cash advances and has a 24-hour ATM.
BCEL ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %023-511434; Th Luang Prabang; h8.30am-3.30pm) Exchanges cash and travellers cheques, and handles cash advances on Visa, MasterCard and JCB. Has two ATMs in town including at its other branch ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8.30am-3.30pm) by the old market.
Post
Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %023-511009; h8am-5pm Mon-Sat, to noon Sun) Right next to the old market.
Tourist Information
Tourist Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %023-511707; Th Luang Prabang; h8am-noon & 2-4pm) The staff's English might be lamentable, but this is a useful port of call to pick up various leaflets on things to do in the area.
DRUGS
Since the 2012 clean-up, drugs are not so widespread; certainly the likes of yaba (methamphetamine) are no longer available. But dope is still around and local police are particularly adept at sniffing out spliffs, especially late at night. If you're caught with a stash of marijuana (or anything else) it can be expensive. The normal practice is for police to take your passport and fine you 5 million kip or more than US$600. If you don't have much cash on you, you might be able to n
egotiate the fine downwards with the donation of a camera or watch. But ultimately you have broken the law and will have to pay something. Don't expect a receipt, and don't bother calling your embassy.
If you do use opium, don't mix it with too much else and certainly not with lime juice. We haven't tested this theory (our dedication to research doesn't go quite that far), but several Vang Vieng residents told us that at least one traveller has died after using opium and having an innocuous-sounding glass of lime juice. According to local folklore, this mix has long been used by hill-tribe women who suicide as an ultimate act of protest against a bad husband.
Magic mushrooms are also on offer as happy shakes or happy pancakes, but hallucinating while tubing the river, climbing the karsts or riding a motorbike is really not advisable.
8Getting There & Away
Buses, minibuses and sŏrngtăaou depart from the main bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Rte 13) about 2km north of town, although if you're coming in from Vientiane you'll most likely be dropped off at or near the bus stop ( GOOGLE MAP ; Rte 13) near the former runway, a short walk from the centre of town. When leaving Vang Vieng, be aware that, even if you purchased your tickets at the bus station, the more expensive minibuses and air-con buses often cater predominately to falang (Westerners) and will circle town, picking up people at their guesthouses, adding as much as an additional hour to the departure time. They then stop at the secondary bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %023-511657; Rte 13) to ensure they are full before departure.
Heading north, buses for Luang Prabang stop at the bus stop for about five minutes en route from Vientiane about every hour between 11am and 8pm. These services also stop at Kasi and Phu Khoun (for Phonsavan). However, do be aware that there have been occasional attacks on night buses heading north through the edge of Saisomboun Province in the district of Kasi.
Heading south, there are several bus options to Vientiane. Alternatively, sŏrngtăaou (30,000K, three to four hours) leave about every 20 minutes from 5.30am until 4.30pm and, as they're often not full, the ride can be quite enjoyable.
Buses from Vang Vieng
Destination Price (K) Distance (km) Duration (hr) Departures
Luang Prabang 110,000 168 7-8 9am, 2pm, 3pm (minibus)
130,000 6-7 10am, 11am, noon, 8pm, 9pm (VIP)
Vientiane 40,000 156 3-4 5.30am, 6.30am, 7am, 12.30pm, 2pm (fan)
60,000 9am, 10.30am, 1.30pm (minibus)
80,000 1.30pm, 2pm, 3pm (VIP)
8Getting Around
Vang Vieng is easily negotiated on foot. Renting a bicycle (per day 10,000K) or mountain bike (per day 30,000K) is also popular; they're available almost everywhere. Most of the same places also rent motorcycles from about 50,000K per day (automatics cost 80,000K). For cave sites out of town you can charter sŏrngtăaou near the old market site: expect to pay around US$10 per trip up to 20km north or south of town.
Vang Vieng towards Luang Prabang
The road between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang winds its way up over some stunningly beautiful mountains and back down to the Mekong at Luang Prabang. If you suffer from motion sickness, take precautions before you begin.
Roughly 20km north of Vang Vieng, Ban Pha Tang is a pretty riverside village named after Pha Tang, a towering limestone cliff. The town's bridge offers a very photogenic view of its namesake.
In the middle of a fertile valley filled with rice fields, Kasi, 56km north of Vang Vieng, is a lunch stop for bus passengers and truck drivers travelling on this route. The surrounding area is full of interesting minority villages, and there are allegedly a few big caves in the area, but few people bother to stop as there isn't much in the way of tourist infrastructure.
Uncle Tom's Trail Bike Tours (%020-29958903; [email protected]; Rte 13, Kasi; 2 lessons & overnight stay for 1/2 people US$120/208) in Kasi is a reputable operator with decent 125cc hybrid motocross bikes on which to learn to ride off-road (an essential skill for motorcycle travel in Laos).
If you've got trailblazing on your mind, you can base yourself at Somchit Guesthouse (%020-22208212; Rte 13, Kasi; r 80,000-170,000K; naW), an expansive and tidy hotel about 1km north of the city. Another option is to book a basic room at Vanphisith Guest House (%023-700084; Rte 13, Kasi; r 60,000K), conveniently located near the bus-stop restaurants.
While Kasi town isn't memorable, the road on towards Luang Prabang certainly is, despite the ravages of slash-and-burn agriculture. For around 50km to Phu Khoun you'll ascend through some of the most spectacular limestone mountains to be found anywhere in Laos.
Central Laos
Paksan
Pak Kading
Ban Khoun Kham (Ban Na Hin)
Tham Kong Lor
Lak Sao
Tha Khaek
Around Tha Khaek
Savannakhet
Around Savannakhet
Dong Phu Vieng NPA
Phu Xang Hae NPA
Sepon (Xepon) & the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Central Laos
Why Go?
Ever since Tha Khaek opened its French-colonial shutters to travellers and the dramatic 7km-long underworld of Tham Kong Lor became a must-see fixture on itineraries, central Laos has been enticing visitors. Thanks to its honeycomb of caves and dragon-green jungle, activities on offer run from world-class rock climbing to trekking in Dong Phu Vieng NPA where you can sleep with the spirits in a Katang village. Cave exploration is an obvious headline attraction, but kayaking trips are also a big draw thanks to the myriad rivers that course like veins around and, often, through the karst mountains.
This part of the country claims the most forest cover and highest concentrations of wildlife, including some species that have disappeared elsewhere in Southeast Asia. With its rugged, intrepid travel, and stylish pockets of comfort in Savannakhet and Tha Khaek, central Laos makes for a great place to combine your inner Indiana Jones with a Bloody Mary.
When to Go
ANov–Feb The best time to visit: temperatures are balmy, paddy fields green and roads passable.
AMar–May Leading up to the monsoon, fields are bone dry and the humidity ratchets up. Avoid the oven that is the south.
AJun–Nov Despite pockets of intense rain, sealed roads are still passable, the landscape vividly green and air cool.
Best Places to Eat
A Savannakhet Plaza Food Market
A Sala Vann
A Khop Chai Deu
A Lin's Café
Best Places to Sleep
A Inthira Hotel
A Spring River Resort
A Thakhek Travel Lodge
A Vivanouk Homestay
Central Laos Highlights
1 Tham Kong Lor Going underground to experience a boat trip through this incredible 7km-long limestone underworld.
2 Phu Hin Bun NPA Trekking amid gothic limestone karsts, subterranean caves and meandering rivers.
3 The Loop Riding and journeying on winding roads through flooded valleys, dense jungle and jagged mountain peaks.
4 Savannakhet Soaking up the old-world atmosphere of the colonial-era architecture.
5 Dong Phu Vieng NPA Staying in the remote villages and experiencing life in the spirit forests.
Climate
The Mekong River valley is always pretty warm and from March to May Savannakhet is positively steaming. It gets cooler as you head east towards the Annamite Chain and Lak Sao, and the villages along Rte 8B can be close to freezing during winter nights. The southwestern monsoon brings bucketloads of rain from June to October. Far-eastern areas around the Nakai-Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA) also receive rain from the South China Sea that lasts longer, thus supplying enough water to maintain the thicker vegetation.
National Protected Areas
Central Laos is the best-preserved part of the country with six National Protected Areas (NPAs) accounting for vast swaths of the region. Access to Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA, Hin Namno NPA and Se Ban Nuan NPA is limited to those with decent Lao language skills and pl
enty of time and money, but others are easy to get to.
In Khammuan Province the labyrinth of limestone karsts, caves and rivers in Phu Hin Bun NPA is accessible either on your own or on a community-based or commercial trek. Similar treks lead to the sacred forests and animist villages of Dong Phu Vieng in Savannakhet Province.
8Getting There & Away
Central Laos is well connected to the rest of the country by road and there are regular bus services connecting the region with towns and cities of the north. Flight connections are more limited via Savannakhet, but Nakhon Phanom Airport in Thailand offers some affordable budget flights to Bangkok and beyond.
Rte 13 is sealed, and thanks to its vital status as a Chinese trade route, it's particularly well maintained. Other decent roads include Rte 9 from Savannakhet to the Vietnamese border at Lao Bao; Rte 8 between Rte 13 and the Vietnamese border at Nam Phao; Rte 12 between Tha Khaek and the Vietnamese border; and the road to Tham Kong Lor.
Bolikhamsai & Khammuan Provinces
Bolikhamsai and Khammuan straddle the narrow, central 'waist' of the country. Physically the land climbs steadily from the Mekong River valley towards the north and east, eventually reaching the Annamite Chain bordering Vietnam, via an area of moderately high but often spectacular mountains. Laid-back Tha Khaek is the logical base.
Lonely Planet Laos Page 32