Laos - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 360

SHOPPING
The Talat Sao area just off Lane Xang Avenue is the best place
to begin a shopping tour of the capital. Although there are
still covered market stalls here selling Chinese electronics and
cheap consumer goods, most of these have been swallowed
up by the imposing Talat Sao Malls (daily 8am-5pm), which
are merging into one big shopping outlet, each housing a
variety of jewellery shops, clothing outlets and banks.
At some stage, most tourists end up browsing the
market stalls that occupy the new riverbank area just
west of Chao Anouvong Park, marked by dozens of red
gazebos. T-shirts, toys, paintings, shoes and gadgets are
available, though nearly everything is mass-produced and
plasticky, and true bargains are impossible to find. The
more interesting textile, souvenir and antique shops are
found on Samsenthai and Setthathilat roads and along the
lanes running between them.

Bowling The Lao Bowling Centre on Khoun Boulom Rd
( T 021 223219) is one of the few places where late-night
drinking is possible. Each game costs 11,000K (13,000K
after 7pm). Open daily 8am-late.
Embassies and consulates Australia, Thadua Rd T 021
353800; Britain, J. Nehru Rd T 030 770 0000; Canada, c/o
embassy in Bangkok T [phone]; Cambodia, near
That Khao, Thadua Rd T 021 314952; China, near Wat Nak
Noi, Wat Nak Noi Rd T 021 315100; Indonesia, Kaysone
Phomvihane Ave T 021 413909 or 413910; Ireland, c/o
embassy in Kuala Lumpur T [phone]; Malaysia,
Singha Rd T 021 414205 or 414206; Myanmar (Burma),
Lao-Thai Rd, Ban Wat Nak T 021 314910; New Zealand,
c/o embassy in Bangkok T [phone]; Philippines,
Phonthan Rd T 021 452490; Singapore, Thadua Rd T 021
353939; Thailand, Kaysone Phomvihane Ave T 021
214580; United States, Thadua Rd T 021 267000; Vietnam,
near Wat Phaxai, That Luang Rd T 021 413400-4.
Hospitals and clinics Alliance International Medical
Centre, Honda Complex, Souphanuvong Rd T 021 513095;
Mahosot Hospital, Mahosot Rd T 021 214018.
Immigration department Hatsady Rd, not far from
the tourist o ce ( T 021 212520; daily 8am-noon &
1-4pm). Here you can extend your visa for $2/day. Travel
agents in town tend to charge $3/day for the same service.
Internet True Coffee has the fastest computers in town
(8000K/hr), but there are dozens of smaller internet cafés
dotted all around the city, each charging around 200K/min
and closing at about 10pm. Wi-fi is widespread.
Laundry Most hotels and guesthouses will wash clothes
for you. The going rate across town is 10,000K/kg, though
some places try to charge considerably more.
Massage and herbal sauna Ajan Amphone, tucked
away behind Wat Chanthabouli on Fa Ngum Rd, offers Lao
massage (55,000K/hr) plus a soothing herbal sauna. Daily
noon-9pm.
Pharmacies The best pharmacies are on Mahosot Rd.
Swimming The Best Western on François Ngin Rd ($7.50/
day, including access to the gym).

5

ANTIQUES
Indochina's Handicrafts Setthathilat Rd T 021 223528.
Beautiful antique shop selling watches, paintings, coins,
medals and Buddhist amulets. There's also a cosy café
upstairs (see p.361). Daily 8.30am-10pm.

BOOKS
Big Brother Mouse Phai Nam Rd, just west of the
National Stadium T 021 264513, W bigbrothermouse
.com. The Vientiane branch of Big Brother Mouse is run
with the same idea as the main shop in Luang Prabang.
Here you can buy colourful, lightweight children's books in
Lao and English (prices start at 10,000K) and then give
them away to Lao children when you visit remote villages.
Mon-Sat 8am-4pm.
Book Café Heng Boun Rd. Small but well-organized shop
with a whole section devoted to learning Lao, plus plenty
of English-language novels set in Laos. Daily 8am-8pm.
Monument Books Nokeo Koummane Rd T 021 243708,
W monument-books.com. Vientiane's largest selection of
English-language books. Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat & Sun
9am-6pm.

BUDDHA PARK
Located on the Mekong River 25km
from downtown Vientiane, Xieng Khouan
or the “ Buddha Park ” (daily 8am-5pm;
5000K, additional 3000K for cameras) is
Laos's quirkiest attraction. his collection
of massive ferro-concrete sculptures,
which lie dotted around a wide riverside
meadow, was created under the direction
of Luang Phu Boonlua Surirat, a
self-styled holy man who claimed to have
been the disciple of a cave-dwelling
Hindu hermit in Vietnam. Upon

TEXTILES AND SILK
Shops specializing in traditional textiles and authentic silk
include Satri Silk on Setthathilat Rd ( T 021 219295) and
Carol Cassidy Lao Textiles on Nokeo Koummane Rd ( T 021
212123).

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange Banks throughout town,
especially on Lane Xang Avenue, can organize cash
advances on Visa and MasterCard; a few local banks and
independent moneychangers also maintain exchange
booths around the city centre. ATMs are found on street
corners throughout the city.