Author: Lonely Planet
Category: Nonfiction
Go to read content：https://onlinereadfreenovel.com/lonely-planet/page,12,460391-lonely_planet_laos.html
3Suan Keo Lak Meung MonumentA3
4Suspension BridgeA1
4Sleeping
5Bounhome Guest HouseA3
6Phonchalern HotelB3
7Xayphasouk HotelA3
5Eating
Chittavanh RestaurantB3
8Dan Nao Muang Xam RestaurantA3
Food MarketB2
9Yuni CoffeeA2
6Drinking & Nightlife
10Nang Nok BarB3
8Information
11Agricultural Promotion BankA1
12BCELA2
Foreign ExchangeB2
13Lao Development BankA2
14Tam.com Internet ServiceB3
Transport
15Motorcycle ShopA2
16Tuk-Tuk StandA3
1Sights
Suan Keo Lak Meung MonumentMONUMENT
(ສວນແກ້ວຫຼັກເມືອງ MAP GOOGLE MAP )
At the town's central junction stands the bizarre Suan Keo Lak Meung Monument. Four hooked concrete pincers hold aloft a glittery disco ball that is intended to celebrate Sam Neua's folk-song image as an 'indestructible jewel'. However, the effect is unintentionally comic, with its backing of half-hearted fountains and a frieze full of communist triumphalist soldiers.
Main MarketMARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; hdawn-dusk)
The main market is predominantly stocked with Chinese and Vietnamese consumer goods. However, some fabric stalls here stock regional textiles, and jewellers sell antique coins and silverware used for tribal headgear.
Food MarketMARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h6am-6pm)
The fascinating food market is well stocked with fresh vegetables and meats, some rather startling. Field rats are displayed cut open to show the freshness of their entrails. Banana leaves might be stuffed with squirming insects. And there's plenty of dead furry wildlife that you'd probably prefer to see alive in the forests.
Suspension BridgeBRIDGE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Enchanting river scenes are visible from this bike-and-pedestrian suspension bridge.
4Sleeping
Phonchalern HotelHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %064-312192; www.phonechalernhotel.com; r 80,000-110,000K; aW)
This palatially sized hotel has a mix of rooms; some are dark and uninviting while those facing the river are full of light and have a communal balcony out front. Rooms have fridge, TV and clean en suite. Downstairs there's a lobby the size of a bowling alley. It's a sure bet for one night.
Bounhome Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-2348125, 064-312223; r with fan/air-con 80,000/100,000K; aW)
Next to the bridge, this guesthouse has compact rooms with tiled floors, fans and low-set beds with fresh linen and blankets. You'll be glad to use their powerful hot showers.
Xayphasouk HotelHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %064-312033; [email protected]; r 150,000-200,000K; aW)
Currently the smartest hotel in Sam Neua. The huge lobby-restaurant is woefully underused, but the rooms are very comfortable for such a remote region of Laos. All include piping-hot showers, flat-screen TVs, tasteful furnishings and crisp linen. And there's free wi-fi, plus a cafe downstairs for breakfast.
5Eating & Drinking
oYuni CoffeeCAFE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-52221515; www.yunicoffee.com; sandwiches US$2; h7.30am-7.30pm; a)
A blessing for coffee snobs: if you're missing standard lattes your caffeine privations are over. With battleship-grey walls and a choice selection of refrigerated sandwiches, fresh-baked baguettes and brownies, as well as kick-ass locally grown coffee, Yuni is the only way to kick-start your day.
Dan Nao Muang Xam RestaurantLAOTIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 15,000-50,000K; h7am-9.30pm)
This hole-in-the-wall spot is hardly brimming with atmosphere, but it has the most foreigner-friendly menu in town in concise English. Breakfast includes cornflakes and a delicious fĕr. Dinner includes some excellent rice and soup combinations, plus a steak with al dente vegetables arranged star-like around the plate. It also serves decent portions of láhp, fried-rice variations and omelettes.
Chittavanh RestaurantLAOTIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mains 25,000-40,000K; h7am-9pm; v)
Savouring a delicious Chinese fried-tofu dish makes it worth braving the reverberant clatter of this cavernous hotel restaurant where vinyl tablecloths have been nailed into place. Locals like to eat here as well – always a good sign.
Food MarketMARKET$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h6am-6pm)
For cheap fĕr (rice noodles), samosas, spring rolls and fried sweet potato, the food market is the place to go.
Nang Nok BarBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h6-10pm)
Sam Neua is not going to win any awards for its nightlife, but Nang Nok might be one of the only contenders. It's a thatched pavilion on the edge of town where young locals come to down big bottles of Beerlao.
8Information
Internet Access
Many hotels and guesthouses have wi-fi these days. Tam.com Internet Service ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; per min 150K; h8am-10pm) is a relatively reliable internet cafe.
Money
Agricultural Promotion Bank ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-noon & 1.30-4pm Mon-Fri) Exchanges Thai baht and US dollars at fair rates.
BCEL ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) Has a couple of ATMs dispensing kip, plus it can exchange most major currencies.
Foreign Exchange ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h7am-6pm) Changing money is generally quickest through one of the fabric stalls in the main market: they exchange Vietnamese dong and are open at weekends.
Lao Development Bank ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %064-312171; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) On the main road 400m north of the bus station on the left; exchanges cash and travellers cheques.
Medical Services
Hospital ( GOOGLE MAP )
Post
Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) In a large building directly opposite the bus station. A telephone office at its rear offers international calls.
Tourist Information
Provincial Tourist Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %064-312567; h8am-noon & 1.30-4pm Mon-Fri) An excellent tourist office with English-speaking staff eager to help.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Sam Neua's little Nathong Airport ( GOOGLE MAP ) is 3km east of the centre towards Vieng Xai. Lao Skyway ( GOOGLE MAP ; %020-99755556, 064-314268; www.laoskyway.com; Nathong Airport; h8am-4pm), which is based here, flies to Vientiane on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (US$62, 1½ hours). All too frequently the flights get cancelled just before departure. At the time of writing, there was no flight to Phonsavan.
Bus
Sam Neua has two bus stations. Schedules change frequently so double check and certainly don't rely on timetables printed on tourist maps and noticeboards.
Main Bus Station
The main bus station is on a hilltop 1.2km south of the central monument, just off the Vieng Thong road. From here buses leave to Vientiane (190,000K, 22 hours) via Phonsavan (80,000K, 10 hours) at 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. An additional 8.30am Vientiane bus (100,000K) goes via Vieng Thong (50,000K, six hours), Luang Prabang (130,000K, 17 hours) and Vang Vieng. There are also daily minibuses to Luang Prabang (130,000K) at 7am, 7.30am and 3.30pm. Finally there is a Vieng Thong bus at 7.20am.
Nathong Bus Station
The Nathong bus station is 1km beyond the airport on the Vieng Xai road at the easternmost edge of town (a taxi here costs 30,000K). Sŏrngtăaou to Vieng Xai (20,000K) leave at 8am, 10am, 11am, 2.30pm and 4pm. Other services include 'Nameo' (actually the Nam Soi border post) at 8am (30,000K, three hours) and Sam Tai (Xamtay) at 9.30am (50,000K, five hours).
GETTING TO VIETNAM: NAM SOI TO NA MEO
Getting to the border If going to the Nam Soi (Laos)/Na Meo (Vietnam) border crossing (Km 175; 7.30am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 4.30pm), the easiest transport option is to take the daily direct
bus (sometimes minibus) between Sam Neua and Thanh Hoa that passes close to Vieng Xai but doesn't enter town. It departs daily at 8am (180,000K, 11 hours). Prepurchase your ticket at the main bus station to avoid overcharging. 'Through tickets' to Hanoi still go via Thanh Hoa with a change of bus.
It's quite possible to reach the border by the 8am Na Meo sŏrngtăaou (pick-up trucks fitted with benches in the back for passengers) from Sam Neua (three hours). However, organising onward transport from the Vietnamese side is complicated by unscrupulous operators who seem intent on overcharging.
At the border Westbound, note that the Lao border post (Nam Soi) isn't a town. There are a few simple restaurant shacks but no accommodation and no waiting transport apart from the 11.30am sŏrngtăaou to Sam Neua.
Laos visas are available on arrival at this border but Vietnamese visas are not, so plan ahead if heading east.
Moving on Once in Thanh Hoa, there's a night train to Hanoi departing at 11.30pm and arriving very early (around 4am). Returning from Thanh Hoa (8am), tickets should cost US$14 but foreigners are often asked for significantly more.
8Getting Around
There's a tuk-tuk stand ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; town trips 15,000K) from where you can take trips around town. However, the easiest way to get around and to enjoy the stunning scenery en route to Vieng Xai is to hire a cheap scooter and do it yourself.
A central motorcycle shop ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; manual/automatic scooter per day 100,000/120,000K; h7am-6pm) rents manual/automatic scooters.
For those wishing for a little more comfort when getting about locally or for reaching Vieng Xai there are a couple of taxis (%020-95855513, 020-5627510; taxi rental to Vieng Xai caves one way/return 150,000/300,000K) in town.
Around Sam Neua
It doesn't take much effort to get into some timeless rural villages around Sam Neua. For random motorcycle trips you might try heading south from the hospital for a few kilometres or heading north up the unpaved lane directly to the right-hand side of Wat Phoxaysanalam. The latter winds its way after 11km to Ban Tham, just before which there's an inconsequential Buddha cave (to the left around 100m before the school and shop). But more appealing are rice-terrace valleys around 4km out of Sam Neua where two picturesque villages across the river each sport spindly, old, greying stupas. With a decent motorbike it is easy to make a day trip to Vieng Xai or a longer side trip to Hintang via Tat Saloei.
Vieng Xai (ວຽງໄຊ)
Pop 10,000 / %064
The thought-provoking 'bomb-shelter caves' of Vieng Xai (ວຽງໄຊ) are set amid dramatic karst outcrops and offer a truly inspirational opportunity to learn about northern Laos' painful 20th-century history. Imagine Vang Vieng, but with a compelling historical twist instead of happy tubing. Or think of it as Ho Chi Minh City's Cu Chi Tunnels cast in stone. The caves were shrouded in secrecy until they were opened to the world in 2007.
History
For centuries the minuscule hamlet of Long Ko sat peacefully here, lost amid deep ancient forests and towering karst outcrops. But in 1963, political repression and a spate of assassinations in Vientiane led the Pathet Lao leadership to retreat deep into the Hua Phan hinterland, eventually taking up residence in the area's caves. As the US Secret War gathered momentum, surrounding villages were mercilessly bombarded. Horrified and bemused, locals initially had no idea of who was attacking them, nor why. For safety, they retreated into the vastly expanded cave systems, more than 450 of which eventually came to shelter up to 23,000 people. As the war dragged on, cave sites came to host printing works, hospitals, markets and even a metalwork factory. After almost a decade in the caves, the 1973 ceasefire allowed the refugees to tentatively emerge and construct a small town here. Indeed, until December 1975, it was the de facto capital of the Pathet Lao's Liberated Territories. The town was named Vieng Xai as that had been the secret code name of future president Kaysone Phomvihane while in hiding here. Decades later, many of Vieng Xai's cave sites still retain visible signs of their wartime roles, making the complex one of the world's most complete revolutionary bases to have survived from the Cold War period.
1Sights
oVieng Xai CavesCAVE
(ຖ້ຳວຽງໄຊ %064-314321; entry incl audio tour 60,000K, bicycle rental per tour/day 15,000/30,000K; h9am-noon & 1-4pm)
Joining a truly fascinating 18-point tour is the only way to see Vieng Xai's seven most important war-shelter cave complexes, set in beautiful gardens backed by fabulous karst scenery. A local guide unlocks each site while an audio guide gives a wealth of first-hand background information and historical context. The Kaysone Phomvihane Cave still has its air-circulation pump in working order and is the most memorable of the caves.
Tours leave from the cave office.
Seeing all 18 sites in the three hours available is possible without feeling unduly rushed, assuming you rent a bicycle (available from the caves office) and that you listen to the longer audio tracks while travelling between the sites rather than waiting to arrive before pressing play.
WORTH A TRIP
THAM NOK ANN
Tham Nok Ann (ຖ້ຳນົກແອນ, Nok Ann Cave entry 10,000K, twin kayak 30,000K; h8am-5pm) is a newly opened cave complex that includes a gentle kayaking trip along an underwater stream that flows through the mountain. This is a mini Tham Kong Lo experience for those that don't have the time to explore central Laos and is well worth the detour. The caves are well-lit and include some huge jellyfish-like rock formations. The cave complex includes a Vietnamese military hospital. There are no life jackets included with the kayaks and you do need to stay alert for dangling stalactites.
Look for a signpost on the main road about 5km before Vieng Xai and follow the small track around to the right until it dead-ends at an entrance booth and small suspension bridge.
4Sleeping & Eating
There isn't a great selection of eating establishments in Vieng Xai and many have run out of food by 8pm. By 9pm the town is in hibernation. Several fĕr shops in the market serve rice and cheap noodle dishes until around 5pm.
Sabaidee OdishaINDIAN$
(mains 35,000K; h7am-7pm; W)
Don't be fooled by the less than impressive exterior, cement floor and bare walls of this hole-in-the-wall joint, for the food is terrific. Prepared fresh and with care, it comes with a smile and the menu offers different levels of spiciness. It's in the northernmost corner of the Viengsai market, facing the main road.
As well as Indian, there are rice dishes and láhp. You'll be mopping your plate with their pillow-soft naan.
Thongnaxay GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%030-99907206; r 60,000K; W)
Close to the caves, this new guesthouse has six super-fresh rooms with pink walls, private bathrooms, fans, clean linen and double beds. Oh, and rather nice views of the karsts.
Naxay GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%064-314330, 020-55588060; r 80,000K)
Opposite the cave office, these bamboo-accented bungalows are set around a manicured garden backed by an impressive split-toothed crag. Beds are comfy, hot water flows, lino floors are clean and fans keep you cool. They also have private verandahs and bathrooms, and if you're in luck the attached beach-style cafe occasionally serves up food. There's also a pétanque court.
Chitchareune HotelHOTEL$$
(%030-5150458; r 129,000-260,000K; paW)
This newish white monolith sits immediately south of Viengsai market and has clean air-con rooms with above-average furniture and stylish en suites.
8Information
Vieng Xai Cave Tourist Office (%064-314321; www.visit-viengxay.com; h8-11.30am & 1-4pm) Around 1km south of the market, the cave office organises all cave visits, rents bicycles and has maps, a small book exchange and a useful information board. There's even a display case full of old Lenin busts and assorted socialist iconograpy.
8Getting There & Away
Sŏrngtăaou to Sam Neua (20,000K, 50 minutes) leave at approximately 7am, 10am and 11am on the road par
allel to the market (the bus station was closed for a rebuild at the time of writing). Buses between Sam Neua and Thanh Hoa (one bus daily to each, 25,000K) stop at this same spot. For Thanh Hoa catch the 8.30am, for Sam Neua the 5pm.
Visiting Vieng Xai by rented taxi from Sam Neua (including return) costs around 300,000K per vehicle.
Sam Neua to Vietnam
The scenic route via fascinating Vieng Xai is open to foreigners, Vietnamese visas permitting. It's narrow but paved and offers a feast of varied views. The best incorporate giant teeth of tree-dappled karst outcrops backing bucolic valleys layered with rice terraces. Several villages en route, including Ban Piang Ban (Km 144.5), specialise in basket-making and bamboo crafts. Across the river at Km 169 is a 'steel cave' where knives and agricultural tools were made on an almost-industrial scale during the Second Indochina War.
Turn south at Km 164 for the recently asphalted spur road to Sam Tai (Xamtay), famous for producing magnificent textiles. It has a couple of guesthouses should you feel like getting well off the beaten track to investigate. Public access to the remote Nam Sam NPA beyond is not currently permitted.
Sam Neua to Nong Khiaw
From Sam Neua, Rte 6 runs along winding mountain ridges passing Hintang Archaeological Park and meeting Phonsavan-bound Rte 1 at minuscule Phoulao (Ban Kho Hing), 92km west of Sam Neua, where kilometre markings reset. West of Phoulao the green mountains become much more heavily deforested until reaching the boundary of the Nam Et/Phou Louey NPA, which is best visited from Vieng Thong, and is a convenient place to break the journey. The long descent towards Nong Khiaw lasts many kilometres and offers some glimpses of superb scenery.