Archive-name: travel/laos-guide/part2
Posting-Frequency: monthly

                                   LAOS

                         The Internet Travel Guide

                              Peter M. Geiser


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Contents
 
 Introduction
 Copyright (c) 1995, 1996

 1. General Overview
 1.1 Geographical Information
 1.2 Climate
 1.3 People
 1.4 Events
 1.5 Visa
 1.6 Embassies
 1.7 Border Crossing
 1.8 Getting Around
 1.9 Money
 1.10 Acommodation, Hotels
 1.11 Eating
 1.12 Health

 2. Transportation
 2.1 Flying
 2.2 Boat
 2.3 Bus

 3. Places
     Vientiane
     Luang Phabang
     Pakbeng
     Plain of Jars
     Savannakhet
     Ho Chi Minh Trail
     Pakse
     Champasak
     Wat Phu
     Don Khong Island
     Bolaven Plateau
     Tadlo Resort
     Salavan
     Muang Phin

 4. Literature
 4.1 Guidebooks
 4.2 Travellers Tales
 4.3 Language
 4.4 Historical/Political Books
 4.5 Other Publications
 4.6 Internet

 A. Contributors

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The Internet Travel Guide
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm
Copyright (c) 1995, 1996 Peter M. Geiser
Peter.Geiser@student.unisg.ch

Last change 15. October 1996.
Updates: FAQ: monthly, HTML: more often

Currently available in the series of the Internet Travel Guides:
Cambodia
China
Laos
Myanmar (Burma)
Sumatra
Switzerland
Tibet
Vietnam

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INTRODUCTION

The main objective of this FAQ is to provide the reader with the newest
travel information available, like what is the current situation on visa,
where to stay and what prices are reasonable, etc. It is not a guide to
the Laotian culture or history (although I started to include some
information about those subjects as well), for these non-changing facts
are much more pleasantly presented in many good books (see the list in
section 4 in this FAQ). It is also not intended to be a political pamphlet
since politics is often a very opinionated subject. However, I started to
include some political facts where I felt it was appropriate.

Remember: Things change very fast, so by the time you get to Laos the
information in this FAQ may be outdated. If you encounter this, please
bear with me. Instead of being upset, rather share your experiences with
other people on the net. The next tourist will thank you if he or she can
rely on your new information. Also, if you find time during your travels
to write a postcard or a letter to me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Some paragraphs are led by the name of the author in brackets. This
doesn't mean that these are their only contributions, but rather that in
that case I chose to leave the words as the author wrote them, adding a
more personal note to the FAQ.


Answering questions

There are many people who send mail to ask me some questions. As much as
I like to answer as many questions as possible, my time is limited. I do
this work in my spare time, so I frequently answer the questions only
after a couple of days (or even weeks if I'm away for a while.) It also
happens that I cannot return an e-mail due to an invalid e-mail address.
Please be careful to include a valid e-mail address, or then ask me to
post the answer in rec.travel.asia.

This guide lives by being up-to-date. Since I cannot travel all the time,
I am glad to receive suggestions, contributions and comments. Any addition
is useful, regardless of the size.

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

In accordance with the Bern convention, this document is copyrighted
worldwide. The information provided within this document is the property
of the original authors. The author especially reserves the right to the
exclusive use of the term "The Internet Travel Guide".

This document or parts thereof may NOT be sold for profit or included in
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following the common practice of the Internet, this document may be freely
redistributed without any modification whatsoever, including this
copyright notice.

If you as the reader has paid to get this document, please let me know. As
much as I would like I cannot give you back your money, but I can try to
put an end to the illegal stealing of other people's work.

**************************************************************************

The Internet Travel Guide
Copyright (c) 1995, 1996
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm

Peter M. Geiser
Seeblickstr. 10
9010 St.Gallen
Switzerland

Peter.Geiser@student.unisg.ch

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3. PLACES

VIENTIANE

Pronounced Vieng Chan, the capital of Laos is a slow paced, clean city.
Only the pavement is badly in need of some repairs. And when it rains
some streets are flooded.

The main attractions are Wats, Wats and then some more Wats. And finally
there are some Stupas (called That).

In Vientiane (and in Laos generally) there are many monks. They are very
friendly and often speak good English. All of them are eager to learn, so
it is very probable that you'll get invited to a chat (and some tea or
Milo (chocolate milk)). They do not expect presents, but they are happy
about them (and used to them, at least from the local people), especially
since they are not earning money and don't get support from the
government.  English books make good presents, it enables them practice
that otherwise would be far too expensive.

Pha That Luang
The Great Sacred Stupa dates back to 1566. It was built on the site of a
much older That. In the 17th century it was covered by some 500 kg gold
leaf.

Wat Si Saket
Wat Si Saket is the oldest monastery of Vientiane, built in 1824. Inside
the wall surrounding the main temple are niches displaying buddhas. It is
said that there are ten thousand buddhas.

Don't miss the morning market, which is open from 6 am to 6 pm. Many small
food stalls sell a variety of food.

The Wattay International Airport is only about 4 km from the town center,
and a taxi costs about USD 4. You can also take a Tuk-Tuk for 1500 kip.

There is an excellent bookstore, Raintree Books, just opposite Lao
Aviation.  They have a good variety of English books and they also buy
books. They are not exactly cheap, but then you don't really have a choice
and English books are a rarity there.

It is possible to rent motorbikes for USD 10 per day from the Lao
International Guest House.


Accommodation

The main tourist hangout is the MIC (Minitry of Information and Culture)
Guest House (formerly known as the SECP (State Enterprise for Cultural
Production) Guest House) at Thanon Manthatulat. They have cheap rooms for
USD 2 to USD 8. If they are full, you can ask for a room in the building
next door. These rooms are even cheaper, but they are extremely dirty
and uncomfortable.

The Santisouk guest house has very nice rooms for USD 10 and USD 12 with
air conditioning and hot water.

Another good place is Lao International guesthouse (USD 10) which is clean
and is located centrally.

The Vannasinh Guest House at 51 Phnompenh Road has large, clean double
rooms with showers and fans for USD 10. Tel/Fax (21) 222020.

The Saysana hotel offers middle-market accommodation. There is an in-house
restaurant offering Lao, Sino-Thai and European cuisine, accompanied by
traditional Lao music. On the ground floor is a disco.

The Villa That Luang Guest House and Restaurant, located at Thanon That
Luang has nice, big rooms with private toilet and shower and
refrigerator for some USD 25. Older rooms are available for less.


Eating

A good place to eat typical Lao food, drink Lao beer (a two liter jug for
1200 kip, half a jug for half of it) and relax for a beautiful sunset is
the Mixai restaurant on the Mekong.

There is another restaurant and several nightstalls on the riverbank
further up the Mekong well worth trying.

Another good place for a beer is the bar at the fountain in the center of
Vientiane. This is also a good place to meet ex-patriats.

For good Lao meals try the Dong Palan Night Market. It can be found on the
east bank of the Nong Chan ponds, a bit south of central Vientiane.

For a small snack try the many roadstalls. The one at the junction of
Thanon Khun Bulom and Thanon Heng Boun is very popular with the Lao for
the rice and manioc steamed in bamboo and the chicken and fish kebabs.
Rice and chicken will cost you about 2800 Kip.

For people being for some time in Asia, the stylish Italian restaurant
L'Opera at Namphu Circle, will provide a welcome break from the Asian
food. They serve excellent pizza and pasta in a very nice surrounding.
Absolutely worth a visit, even if it's a bit pricey. Tel 21 5099,
Fax 21 6294.

At the Scandinavian Bakery at Namphu Circle, Sune Wissmar offers fresh
bread, sandwiches and pastries. Tel 21 5199, Fax 21 5231.

There is a Japanese restaurant, Suki Yaki at 100 Luang Phabang Road, Km 2
Ban Khoun Thatong. They also serve Lao, Thai, Chinese and European dishes.

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LUANG PHABANG

Luang Phabang is the most beautiful city in Laos, situated between the
Mekong and the Khan river. It has been nominated as a World Heritage
Site. It was the royal capital until 1975. Nowadays it is famous for its
many Wats (32 of the 66 before the French colonialisation still stand),
all of them well kept and with numerous monks. The most beautiful Wat is
(in my opinion) Wat Xieng Thong. Don't miss the sunset over the Mekong!
A very good place to enjoy it is in the Wat Pha Baat Tai.

Around 4 or 4:30 pm the monks in Wat Ho Siang and Wat That begin to beat
the drum and the cymbals in the drum tower. When I first heard it I
thought there must be some pop festival around. The beat was just
incredible! For somebody that loves a good drum beat it is definitively
not to be missed.

The hill Phu Si, topped with a white stupa, offers an excellent view of
the city. There is a small admission.

The central market is worth checking out, as well as the That Luang
Market near Wat Pha Baat Thai.

An interesting place to visit Banpo Village. People there still live very
traditional with many women weaving beautiful emroideries for bags,
clothes, etc. Since this is a closed-knit society there is not much
competition and prices are virtually fixed. A silk sarong is about
USD 10 and a silk shawl goes for USD 4. There are rucksacks and pouches
as well, all beautifully embroided.

There are other villages around Lunag Phabang that specialise in pottery
and one is even famous for its cucumbers, another for its waterfall.

(Sebastian) While in Luang Phabang, we made two excursions. One to the
Kuang Si falls and one to the Pak Ou caves. The falls are not spectacular
at all but still worth a visit. There are some villages on the way there
and there's a lot to see. We hired a tuk-tuk for the trip (but I forgot
the price).  The caves are also not very spectacular but the way of
getting there definitely was. We hired a speed-boat (with emphasis on
SPEED) for 25$ (six people) and it's quite an experience. You are required
to wear helmets and once you're on your way you know why... By chance, we
stopped over at a village where they were celebrating a marriage. We got
invited and had to drink a lot of lao lao. (Our speed-boat driver too and
I was even happier for the helmets afterwards than I had been at the
beginning...)

The Silversmith Thid Pheng on the Boulevard Phabat-Tay (main street) has
the best reputation in town. During weekdays, his factory is open to
visitors and prospective buyers. It seems that his products are also
available at other shops, often cheaper.


Accommodation

I stayed at the Viengkeo Hotel. They have double rooms for USD 6 (at least
for one person) and in a small back shed for USD 5.

The Rama Hotel is excellent value. The rooms have private bathrooms with
hot water and cost 5600 Kip for a single and 8000 Kip for a double.

The Khem Kern Guest House and Food Garden at Boulevard Apha, overlooking
the Man Kahn River, offers three rooms. The newly modenised singles with
twin bed and air conditioning are USD 17. The generous host only speaks
Lao and French, and just a little English.

The Muang Sua Hotel is on the road leading from the Morning Market to
the Phou Vao Hotel. Tel 2056.

A new French-owned hotel is near the fountain on Boulevard Phabat-Tay.

The Phousi Hotel is reight in the center of the town, just accross the
Post Office. A rather dirty single with private shower and air
conditioning costs USD 25.

With USD 40 definitely up-market, but worth every cent of it, is the Hotel
Villa Santi (also known by its former name La Villa de la Princesse). A
former residence of the Crown Princess Khampha, the 120 year old
French-Laotian building is now managed by her and her husband. The staff
there are very friendly.

An excellent choice is the Phu Vao (Mountain View) Hotel. It has singles
with private bath and air conditioning for USD 55. The hotel contains a
restaurant and there even is a swimming pool. The hotel has been run
under several differen names, including Luang Phabang and Mittaphab. It
is under Swiss management and run by the French Pierre Henri Mainietti.
The address is P.O. Box 50, Tel/Fax 7233.


Eating

Make sure you eat at La Villa de la Princesse, where you get a wonderful
Laotian dinner for only USD 8. The cuisine is royal style, what with the
chef being the daughter of the last king's personal chef. If you are
early (around 6 pm) you'll be able to get one of the tables made from the
trunk of a tree on the terasse overlooking the main street (no, it is not
noisy; even main streets in major towns in Laos are quiet.) When I was
there they served the following dishes:
  Keng Phar (vegetable soup)
  Phat KinKay (chicken, ginger, coconut milk)
  Kao Lons mit (fried traditional vegetable)
  Nuat Sen Lone (steamed vermicelli)
  Salad Phar Nam (water cress salad)
  Season fruit for dessert (bananas)
  Coffee or tea
Of course there are also a la carte dishes.

Good Lao food is also available at Maly restaurant, although it recently
has been transfered into a tourist place. It is worth trying the delicious
'Vin Lao', a special wine made with black rice and limon.

Just opposite the Rama Hotel is a small restaurant with friendly service
and an English menu.

The Luang Phabang restaurant on the same street as the Rama Hotel serves
excellent food and has live (traditional) music in the evening.

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PAKBENG

Pakbeng is a very small town upriver of Luang Phabang at the juncion of
the Mekong and its smaller tributary the Beng River. It is a good place
for an overnight stop on the boat trip from Luang Phabang to Huay Xia. It
is a very quiet and delightful place. There is a nice market and two Wats.


Accommodation

The Soukchareun Sarika Hotel is about USD 6. Perched high up on the bank
of the Mekong and built completely out of wood, it has toilets and
washrooms outside on a platform extending over the river, accessible only
by a steep wooden ramp. Of course, there is a chamber pot provided!

There is a new hotel under construction next door of the Soukchareun
Sarika Hotel.


Eating

There are several restaurants, none with an English menu.

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PLAIN OF JARS

The Plain of Jars contains huge jars, the biggest as high as 3 m with a
diameter of 30 cm and weighing up to six tons. Their origin is not known,
although archeologist mostly agree that they have been made by megalithic
Austronesian people.

The plain starts 4.5 km east of Phonesavan, extending as far as Lat Sene,
some 30 km to the south.

It is supposed to be one of the major sights of Laos. I did not go there,
because it would have cost me three days (and around USD 70 for the
flight) just to see a few stone jars. I was told that there are not many
jars left anymore (due to the heavy bombing during the American war), and
that it is not the impressive sight one imagines from the name. Of course
I cannot confirm this, I just re-tell what I heard (from travellers, not
from officials).

The Mines Advisory Group and the Mennonite Central Committee have a
project going on, destroying unexploded US bombs dating back to the
Vietnam War that lie on or just under the ground everywhere. The whole
area is covered with bomb craters and many buildings have been
constructed using shell casings.


Accommodation

The Vinhtong Guest House in Phonsavan is quite ok. They will organize
tours for you.

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SAVANNAKHET

Savannakhet is the fourth largest town (45000 people) in Laos. It is an
important city on the route between Thailand and Vietnam (the road going
to the border town of Lao Bao.)

The best thing in Savan (the short name of Savannakhet which is often
used) are the nice monks of the Wats.

The temple festival of the That In Hang is one of the four largest in
Laos.

The Sensabay hotel is cheap (3000 kip to 5000 kip), but is not very nice.

Food is not too easy to obtain, as there are not that many restaurants.

I was able to get a tuktuk at 2 am (my bus was due to leave at 3 am). Of
course it was more expensive than normal (perhaps twice or even thrice as
much), but I was quite happy not having to walk, especially so since there
were some stray dogs running behind us for some time. They were even more
aggressive than the ones in Pakse!

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HO CHI MINH TRAIL

The Ho Chi Minh Trail is a whole network of paths in the dense forests
running parallel to the Vietnamese border. It was used by the Viet Minh
against the French in the 1950s and later by the North Vietnamese in the
American War. Many remains of the war can still be found.

It is best accessed by Xepon on the road from Savannakhet to Lao Bao.

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PAKSE

Pakse is a good starting point for many excursions in south Laos. It is
the second largest town in Laos, having 60000 inhabitants, and quite is
quite pleasant.

Definitively worth a visit is the market. Watch out for the jumping fish
(the fishes in the tubs are kept alive by only a very small quantity of
water so they cannot really swim. But from time to time one of them
manages to gather enough energy to jump right out of the tub onto the
dirty ground of the market. Of course the lady had her hands full to put
them back in.)

In Pakse there are also some nice Wats.


Accommodation

I stayed at the Phonsavan Hotel for some 4000 kip. The hotel is not too
nice, but the people are very friendly. They speak good French. The latest
travellers' messages can be found in its cafe.

Sebastian also spent a night at the Pakse Hotel which once used to be a
theatre or cinema. The rooms are a little nicer and it's probably the
better place to stay. Anna paid 6500 kip for a quiet, spacious and clean
double in Jan 96.

If you're prepared to pay 20$ and more, the Salchampa guest house is the
place to stay (incidentally, it's right next to the local prison...).

The Bounome Palace has been converted into a luxury hotel. It looks very
beautiful, but a bit expensive.


Eating

The restaurant just across from the Salchampa serves absolutely delicious
Vietnamese spring rolls in the evening! A bit further down the road
towards the market, you'll find the Sedone (spelling?) restaurant which
has an English menu and is geared (a little) to tourists' needs.


Others

When I was walking to the bus station at 4 am (no tuktuks at that time),
there were many dogs. Some of them were quite aggressive (although none
did actually attack me) so I walked in the middle of the street. I was
quite happy to have my umbrella ready.

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CHAMPASAK

Champasak (20000 inhabitants), once being the royal capital, nowaday
doesn't offer much more than being a stop on the way to Wat Phu.

The bus from Pakse to Champask costs 600 kip and the trip lasts 2 1/2
hours. You may get a Tuk-Tuk from Champasak. It costs around 6000 kip,
bringing you to Wat Phu, waiting for you and returning with you.

Since there is no bus back to Pakse in the afternoon you probably have to
spend the night there, walk the 30 km to Pakse, be lucky to get a ride or
go by taxi from Pakse (I was lucky to meet a very nice man from Pakse,
who gave me a lift.)

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WAT PHU

Wat Phu is one of the main attractions in the area. These ruins of a
Khmer temple some 40 kilometers south of Pakse are definitely worth a
visit. The earliest remains date back to the 6th century. The main temple
was built by King Jayavarman IV in the 10th century. It is thought to have
been linked to Angkor by a 100 km long road, marked out with stones.

Originally a Hinduist temple, the site is still in use as a Buddhist
temple. At the full moon in the third lunar month, a three-day Buddhist
festival, the Boun Wat Phu, is held. It is one of the four largest temple
festivals in Laos. At the full moon of the 7th lunar month there is a
water buffalo is sacrificed to the local earth spirit on the Crocodile
Stone.

It seems as if Wat Phu sees very few tourists. While I was visiting I did
not see anybody. It is a very interesting, beautiful and impressive place,
definitively worth a visit.

You may get a Tuk-Tuk from Champasak. It costs around 6000 kip, bringing
you to Wat Phu, waiting for you and returning with you to Champasak.

(Sebastian) Unless you hire a boat, the trip is almost impossible to be
done in one day. If you have enough time, take a public boat to Champasak
(3 times in the morning) and look for the Khmer monuments office. The man
working there is able to organize private accomodation for about 2000
kip/night. There is also an official hotel in town but it costs 20$.  Then
go and explore the temple during the late afternoon hours when the light
is a lot better than at noon. (Don't be daunted by the steep stairs, the
nicest bit is all the way on top!) The following morning, you can take the
public boat back to Pakse. (It is not necessary anymore to register with
the office before you go and visit the temple.)  We didn't have much time
so we hired a small boat for the day which cost 15000 kip and had space
for six people.

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DON KHONG ISLAND

Don Khong (meaning Khong Island, Khong being the Laotian name of the
surrounding Mekong) is a good place to sit around for a few days. There
are about 55000 inhabitants, mainly concentrated in the two villages Muang
Saen (west) and Muang Khong (east). There is a village in the north, Ban
Dong, and one in the south, Ban Huay.


Accommodation

Muang Khong

(Jan 96) Don Khong Guest House in front of the jetty has nice clean rooms
for 7000 kip. There is a restaurant attached that serves an evening meal
for 2000 kip. Tell the owner earlier in the day how many people will be
eating and any special food requests.

There is an unmarked house behind the Don Khong Guest House that offers
nice rooms for 7000 to 9000 kip. Inquire at the pharmacy.

(Anna, Jan 96) Turn right at the jetty to Suak Son Guest House. Travellers
gossip says the owner is an 'avaricious dragon woman'.

(Anna, Jan 96) Turn left at the jetty to the luxurious Auberge Sala Hotel
USD 25. Book in advance for the evening meal which is good value when the
French manager is not around.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOLAVEN PLATEAU

(Sebastian) The Bolaven Plateau is quite interesting, too. Don't attempt
to go there on your own, though! People who took a public truck to Paksong
found themselves stuck there and there is absolutely nothing resembling a
hotel up there! Also, you won't see the interesting villages if you take
public transport. You will need a private car and a guide and that will
cost a lot. We were lucky (once again) and met a French guy who is working
for an organisation supporting the coffee plantations on the plateau. He
took us around in his pick-up and showed us places that Sodetour and other
travel agencies won't take you to...


ATTAPU


XENU


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TADLO RESORT

Tadlo Resort is near the Tat Lo waterfall. There is a pool underneath the
waterfall in which great swimming is possible.

It is possible to ride an elephant for 3000 kip.


Accommodation

(Jan 96) The Saise Guest House asks 10000 kip for a double with
uncomfortably short beds.

(Jan 96) The luxurious Tadlo Resort Hotel offers doubles for USD 25. It
has an expensive, but good restaurant.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
SALAVAN

This small, laid back country town of 40000 inhabitants does not see many
tourists. People are friendly. It doesn't have any real sights to offer,
and only the post office remains from the French colonial aera.


Accommodation

(Jan 96) The Saise Guest House offers rooms for 4500 to 10000 kip. A
tuk-tuk from the bus station should be about 400 kip.


Eating

There are several cafes and restaurants around the central market.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
MUANG PHIN

(Anna) Walk down highway 23 to spot aeroplane remains.

(Anna, Jan 96) There is a hotel on the south side of the road that offers
rooms for 2000 kip per person. It used to be barracks for Russian military
advisors.

On the north side of the road is a good trucker's restaurant.

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4. LITERATURE

4.1 GUIDEBOOKS

Lonely Planet, Laos - A Travel Survivel Kit
Contains many good hints about travelling. Has always good lists of
hotels, restaurants, etc. It is one of the smaller guide books, covering
only a small part of the country.

Moon Publications. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, 1st Ed. Dec 1995
This book will have 650 pages and 75 maps.

Lonely Planet. South-East Asia on a Shoestring
Covers the whole region.

Nelles. Cambodia, Laos. 1994.
(Laos part only) Nice pictures and good insights into culture, but lacks
the support for independant travel that the Lonely Planet guide has. Good
reading for people on organised tours or for at home.

Merian, Vietnam, Laos, Kambodscha, ISBN 3-7742-9510-7, German
This is more a nice picture book. It makes a nice souvenir and can
certainly help in preparation, but I would not recommend to carry it with
you during travelling.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.2 TRAVELLERS TALES

Lewis, Norman.  A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
(1951; current reprint by Eland Books).

Stewart, Lucretia.  Tiger Balm: Travels in Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia
(London: Chatto & Windus, 1992).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.3 LANGUAGE

Lao Phrasebook. Joe Cummings. Lonely Planet, ISBN 0-86442-276-8. 176 p.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.4 HISTORICAL/POLITICAL BOOKS

Die Krallen der Tiger und Drachen. Wirtschaftsboom und Selbstbewusstsein
in Asien. Sabine Stahl/Ulrich Mihr (Hrsg.). Droemer Verlag 1995.
An excellent book about the current political and economical developments
in Asia.

Fall, Bernard B.  Street Without Joy: Indochina at War 1946-54
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Company, 1961).

Griesenfeld, Guenter.  Land der Reisfelder. Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea,
Geschichte und Gegenwart  (Pahl-Rugenstein, 1988). This is an excellent
history book on the three Indochinese countries.

McCoy, Alfred W.  The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global
Drugs Trade  (New York: Lawrence Hill Books, 1991).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.4 OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Discover Laos is a journal published in Laos covering tourism in Laos. It
costs 1500 kip, but can be obtained at various places for free.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.5 INTERNET

The newest version of this guide is available on WWW at
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/laos/
The archive for this guide is at
rtfm.mit.edu in /pub/usenet/news.answers/travel/laos-guide/

The University of Texas at Austin has a lot of information at
http://asnic.utexas.edu/asnic/countries/lao

The Bane Lao (Lao home) Homepage is at
http://WWW.Monash.edu.au/cc/student/cos/ftp/pub/bane_lao/WWW/html/lao.htm

There is a homepage for Hmongs. It is on
http://www.stolaf.edu/people/cdr/hmong/

Other Hmong material is obtainable by ftp from
ftp.monash.edu.au in /pub/bane_lao/Hmong

Lonely Planet has a page on Laos
http://www.lonelyplanet.com.au/dest/sea/laos.htm

An archive with many tips and a lot of stories is
ftp://ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca/pub/rec-travel

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A. CONTRIBUTORS

Apart from my own personal experiences I have been able to include a lot
of information from other people and sources. Where it is necessary to do
so, I put the author in front of the paragraph, mostly so when personal
experiences/feelings are important. Whenever possible I tried to contact
the author of the information to get permission and I include his/her
e-mail address for reference.

Anna Kettle                  Anna@altern8.demon.co.uk
Gil Carroll                  jrsap@comnet2.ksc.net.th
Sebastian Hoffmann           sebhoff@es.unizh.ch
Dr. Stephen Attwood          stephen.attwood@one024.demon.co.uk
Dr. Steve Jones              sj203@hermes.cam.ac.uk

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The homepage of the Internet Travel Guides is at
http://www-students.unisg.ch/~pgeiser/itg.htm

Please send your comments, suggestions and contributions to the address
below. For questions, please see my note in the introduction.

e-mail:peter.geiser@student.unisg.ch

Peter M. Geiser
Seeblickstr. 10
9010 St. Gallen
Switzerland

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