Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
for kafeh dam baw sai nâm tan . Black tea is
available at most coffee vendors and is
mixed with sweetened condensed milk,
when you request sá hâwn .
rivers for rafters and kayakers. Outdoor
activities and adventure companies
include Green Discovery ( T 021 264 528,
W greendiscovery.org) and Tiger Trail
( T 071 252655, W laos-adventures.com),
which organize kayaking, rafting, trekking
and cycling trips.
Alcohol
Beerlao ( Bia Lao ) is a very enjoyable,
cheap brew sold throughout the country
for around 10,000K for a large bottle. In
Vientiane and Luang Prabang, draught
Beerlao known as bia sót is often available
at bargain prices by the litre. Drunk with
equal gusto is lào-láo , a clear rice alcohol
with the fire of a blinding Mississippi
moonshine. Lào-láo is usually sold in
whatever bottle the distiller had around
at the time (look twice before you buy
that bottle of Pepsi) and is sold at drink
shops and general stores for around
5000K per 750ml.
TREKKING
Trekking is gaining popularity in Laos,
especially in the northern part of the
country, though in recent years there
has been an increase in trekking
opportunities in the south. he main
centres are Luang Prabang (see p.368)
and Luang Namtha (see p.383), where it's
easy to arrange a few days' hiking through
forests and sleeping at village homestays,
offering the opportunity to experience
authentic Lao life.
Companies like Green Discovery will
lead you through spectacular wildlife on
ecotours that cross through national
parks called National Biodiversity
Conservation Areas ( NBCA ), which are
host to a wealth of diverse flora and
fauna. Despite these areas being o cially
protected, poaching remains a problem
and habitats continue to be destroyed.
CULTURE AND ETIQUETTE
Laos by and large shares the same
attitudes to dress and social taboos as
other heravada Buddhist Southeast
Asian cultures (see p.40). he lowland
Lao traditionally greet each other with a
nop - bringing their hands together in a
prayer-like gesture. he status of the
persons giving and returning the nop
determines how they will execute it, so
most Lao prefer to shake hands with
Westerners. If you do receive a nop as a
gesture of greeting or thank you, it is best
to reply with a smile and nod of the head.
Take care to respect Lao attitudes to
religion by sticking to basic temple
etiquette; don't dress too provocatively,
and always remove your shoes before
entering the temple. It can also cause
offence to photograph monks and images
of the Buddha. It's important that women
should never touch Buddhist monks,
novices, or their clothes, and should also
not hand objects directly to them.
CYCLING
Cycling is an increasingly popular way to
explore Laos. Organized trips are provided
by companies such as London-based Red
Spokes ( T 0207 502 7252, W redspokes
.co.uk), which runs a popular two-week
tour that takes in Luang Prabang, Vang
Vieng and Vientiane, as well as some rural
stretches with spectacular scenery. It's also
possible to rent fairly good mountain
bikes in towns like Vang Vieng (see
p.364) and set off on your own adventure
around the countryside.
WATERSPORTS
Watersports fans can opt for whitewater
rafting trips out of Luang Prabang on the
northern rivers such as the Nam Ou, the
Nam Xeuang and the Nam Ming. hose
who prefer a more relaxed paddle can
kayak downriver at a slower pace while
taking in the lovely views of Vang Vieng
(see p.364), Muang Ngoi (see p.381) and
Si Phan Don (see p.397), among others.
SPORTS AND OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES
Laos's landscape is a sports haven:
mountainous highlands and ethnic
villages for trekkers; well-paved, relatively
tra c-free routes for bike enthusiasts; and
 
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