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Questions about travel to Laos


Alfmaz

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In Udon, the previously mentioned Charoun is older but well maintained with a good outdoor pool. I recommended it to a friend last month and he liked it: B900

 

In Vientiane, the Sengphachanh Hotel on Lane Xane Blvd, 1/2km from the Memorial Arch is two years old, clean, well furnished, guest friendly and at US$18 a night, a bargain.

The breakfast buffet does suck.

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Just came down from Vientiane to Khon Kaen by direct bus (2 per day; far more frequent from Udon Thani and Nong Khai) a week ago, then bus on to Mochit in BKK. No problems re waiting for Thai formalities coming in that direction, but as an earlier poster pointed out, it looks like Laos red tape is heavier the opposite direction and the bus wonâ??t wait for you at Laos immigration if you do not already have a Laos visa US$30 â?? 35 depending on nationality. But even if the bus doesnâ??t wait, there is plenty of cheap transport from the Friendship Bridge border post into Vientianeâ?¦ only 15 kms?

 

Luang Prabang is a beautiful laid back place with lots of old French colonial architecture. I preferred it to Vientiane. Tuk tuks charge about 10-15k ($1- $2) kip for most destinations around town. Get a VIP (not local) bus from Vientiane to LP (115,000 kip US$14)â?¦ fantastic scenery. Saw a couple of local buses broken down.

 

I stayed at Villay GH central location near night markets, clean large room with ensuite for (80k kip) $9/ night with wi fi. But you may want something more upmarket. Google Travelfish for reviews.

 

You can do a big favour for the orphans of Luang Prabang if you have any books you have finished with. There is a 21stC saint running a book exchange and restaurant/cookery school in LP on the main drag on Sakkarine Rd opposite Villa Santi.

 

This middle aged Aussie woman (retired diplomat) has the best range of books in LP. The deal is swap your book for one of hers plus 20,000 kip per book (about $2.50). or simply donate your books, especially guide books which she can sell for cash. She runs an orphanage for 461 kids at the moment, and the Laos government wants her to take on 2,000 more! It costs $2,600 per month to run the orphanage and any shortfall from restaurant/bookshop income is made up by her and her friends and family back in Oz.

She told me some real horror stories about well dressed tourists probably staying in $300/night hotels shoplifting her books, and other travellers haggling over the $2.50 donation per book, when the kids sometimes have to go without a meal when funds are low! What a world we live in!

 

Her Three Elephants (Tamnak) restaurant is super clean and the food excellent. My only regret is that I didnâ??t take the Lao cooking class $30 for whole day and $25 for evening classâ?¦. Ran out of time. The setup at each cooking station in the kitchen looked very professional. You get to visit the local market to learn about ingredients, you eat your own lunch and dinner, walk away with 12 recipes and get to help some Laos orphans less fortunate than ourselves.

 

Her website is www.tamnaklao.net and phone number (71) 212239/252525

 

:beer:

 

 

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The Laos Air web site said noe 737's - so I wiki them and found

 

Fleet

 

As of February 2008, the average age of the Lao Airlines fleet is 5.2 years, and includes the following aircraft:

 

* 2 ATR 72-202

* 4 Xian MA60

 

[edit] Ordered

 

* 2 ACAC ARJ21-700, for delivery in 2011[4]

* 2 ATR 72-500, for delivery in July and September 2009

 

[edit] Previously operated

 

At August 2006 the airline also operated[5] :

 

* 2 Harbin Y-12

* Airbus A320

 

I mistook the 320 for 737's/.

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Has anyone flown Loas Air, are their plan like in the picturehttp://www.laos-airlines.com/ a bit scary

Yes, we did in december from BKK to LP, 2 weeks later in january from VTE back to BKK.

Smooth as a babies' ass.

Small planes, small seats, small legroom though.

Other than that, on time service and a quick flight.

 

BB

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