Laos offers an amazing choice for visitors, especially backpackers. Apart from sightseeing, there are new musical experiences to be had, dining on fine French or spicey Laotian dishes and shopping for local handicrafts from beautiful silver articles to luxury items like silk, at amazingly cheap prices.
What to See in Laos
If its art and culture you’re after, then the temples and ancient buildings will impress. In certain areas the latter may appear shoddy but they all retain their original style and character and it is better to see them now rather than when they are restored.
If it’s flora and fauna you want to see, then you’ll be spoilt for choice for Laos is liberally endowed with forests, waterfalls and mountain scenery.
Facts about Vientiane
Buses drop passengers at the station from where it is a short walk to the centre of the town (a circular plaza with a fountain in the middle) where tourist hotels are located. Prices range from 745 to 1590 baht. $23 to $48 (the baht. Is currently strong and the $ is weakening, so these prices are approximate). It is not necessary to change any money into Laotian currency as they accept Thai Baht and US Dollars.
The layout of Vientiane resembles many European cities as Laos was a former French colony. The district in which the hotels are located still looks French colonial and many of the hotels occupy old buildings. To the west of the town, the main road was once lined by mahogany trees, but sadly there are only a few left. Walk along this road to see government offices, shops, western restaurants and souveneir shops.
Food in Laos
Food in Laos is much influenced by that of Vietnam, as well as French, of course. Try Naem Nueang, a Vietnamese dish that is very popular in Laos, a dish of fermented rice noodles eaten with little meatballs of cucumber, garlic, chillies and unripe bananas. Be careful of this, however, as it has been known to give rise to “the Laotian trots” in visitors overkeen to rush in and try everything.
Minced shrimp packed around a stick of sugr cane is also a popular dish, a dish that is also popular in Thailand and Vietnam and well known in Malaysia, another country where sugar-cane is in plentiful supply. Anyone who has travelled in Thailand or Vietnam will have no problems in identifying the ingredients in the dishes served in Laos, and they have in common the fact that they are delicious.
How to Get There from Thailand
Most tourists, especially back-packers, visit Laos from a base in Thailand, and with the two new bridges that have been built this year, access is easy. One stretches from Nong Khai in Thailand to the Laotian capitol, Vientiane; the other from Mukdahaan on the Thai side to Sawannakhet. Then, the best way to reach the capital is to take the 30-minute trip in the air-conditioned bus from Nong Khai (fare 55 Baht, $1.60).
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