Laos - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 371

5

Suan Keo Off Chao Fa Ngum Rd T 071 254404. Flowery
bedspreads enliven the good-sized rooms at this peaceful,
ever-popular guesthouse in Ban Wat That. You'll have to be
quick to nab one of t he two lov ely wooden rooms upstairs.
Good value. Double 100,000K
Wat That Off Chao Fa Ngum Rd T 071 212913, W watthat
guesthouse.net. Very pleasant guesthouse set across two
buildings on either side of a pretty lane. Ask for the big,
wooden room upstairs at the back of the lovely traditional
Lao house next to LPQ ; the bigger building opposite is more
expensive (double 150,000K) but has a g orgeous w ooden
balcony. Big discounts off-season. Double 100,000K
Xayana Guesthouse & X3 Capsule Hotel Off Chao
Fa Ngum Rd T 071 260680, W mylaohome.com. The
doubles at this modern guesthouse are disappointingly
basic and cramped; come here instead for the “capsule ”
dorms, which have surprisingly large beds. Dorm 40,000K ,
double 100,000K

LOCAL SPECIALITIES
You shouldn't miss out on having a
traditional Lao meal in Luang Prabang. At
the top of the list should be or lam , a
bittersweet soup, heavy on aubergines and
mushrooms. Other local specialities include
jaew bong , a condiment of red chillies,
shallots, garlic and dried buffalo skin, and
phak nâm , a type of watercress particular
to the area and widely used in salads.

sarcastically call “Thang Falang” (“white man's way”), and
they tend to be fairly pricey by Lao standards. Much
cheaper meals can be found at the delightful riverside
restaurants along Souliyavongsa Road.

STREET FOOD
Hmong Market Sisavangvong Rd/Kitsalat Rd. Baguettes
and fresh fruit shakes are sold throughout the day at the
Hmong Market, and during the evenings you'll also find
someone selling delicious kanom krok (little coconut and
rice pancakes) here. Daily 9am-9pm.
Night market Off Sisavangvong Rd. The best way to dine
for next to nothing is to head to the buffet stalls set up
down the narrow side street next to Ancient Luang Prabang
and join the communal tables, sampling local treats in a
casual, buzzing atmosphere. Just 10,000K will buy you as
much rice and veg as you can cram onto a plate, then order
tasty meat grills and beer separately. Daily 5-10pm.

SOUTHEAST OF PHOUSI
Chitlatda Ban Aphai T 071 212227. Behind a bank of
internet terminals, the cheapest rooms at this friendly,
popular guesthouse are windowless and cell-like but clean
and en-suite. The wood-floored rooms upstai rs are big ger
(with TVs) but almost twice the price. Double 60,000K
Jaliya Manomai Rd T 071 252154. Facing onto a lovely
private garden and tucked well away from the road, the
rooms at this old-fashioned, peaceful place are all very
clean and comfortable, with TVs. Good value. Double
120,000K
Merry 2 Ban Visoun T 071 254445. Popular guesthouse
at the start of a little lane leading down the Nam Khan. The
cheapest rooms are slightly dingy but clean enough -
much better to head upstairs where an extra 20,000K will
get you a bathr oom, glea ming wood floors and a shared
balcony. Double 60,000K
Muong Lao Ban Visoun T 071 252741, E thavone9
@gmail.com. The rooms at this good-value, friendly guest-
house opposite Wat Visoun are simple but very pleasant,
and the old-fashioned, all-wood rooms upstairs have a
nice shared balcony overlooking the te mple. Ther e's also
an attractive outside restaurant. Double 140,000K
Villayvanh Ban Aphai T 071 252757. Nestling among
coconut palms down the warren of lanes leading to Utopia ,
this welcoming little guesthouse is a real find. Rooms
(with TV) are immaculately maintained; the wood-floored
ones at the ba ck feel slig htly newer. Free tea and coffee
all day. Double 120,000K

CAFÉS
Delilah's Place Chao Fa Ngum Rd. A chilled-out place
with ethnic cushion-strewn benches and a couple of
candlelit roadside tables out front. Come for a pancake
(20,000K) and cup of strong Lao coffee at breakfast time,
and choose from the Lao menu later on. Daily 7am-10pm.
Joma Branches on Chao Fa Ngum and Soukkaseum roads.
Perennially popular, though really you could be anywhere
in the world. A good choice if you're craving a Western
breakfast or lunch, with bagels (18,000K), sandwiches and
cakes on offer, plus a range of coffees and fruit juices.
Daily 7am-9pm.
★

Le Banneton Sakkaline Rd. Situated a little up from
Wat Saen, this superb café-boulangerie feels decidedly
French, with an excellent choice of patisseries, including the
best croissants in town, plus delicious baguettes and good
coffee. Breakfast sets from 40,000K. Daily 6.30am-6pm.
Le Café Ban Vat Sene Sakkaline Rd. A fan-spun café-
restaurant that's full of colonial charm and a good choice
throughout the day. Though there's an extensive menu, with
a range of Lao and European options (baguettes around
40,000K), it's the cakes that are the standout here - including
a heavenly banana tatin (24,000K). Daily 6.30-10pm.

EATING
Luang Prabang prides itself on its food, and the city boasts
more restaurants than anywhere in the country outside of
Vientiane. Many of the city's tourist restaurants are located
along a 500m strip of Sisavangvong Road that expats