Laos - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 380

Internet There are a number of computers available at
Litthavixay (see below) for 8000K/hr. For a dose of free
wi-fi, your best bet is the coffee shop at Charming Lao
Hotel , the town's poshest, about 200m north of the
tourist o ce.
Tourist information There is a very helpful provincial
tourism o ce (Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 1.30-5pm; T 081
212483, W oudomxay.info) just beyond the bridge 1km
north of the bus station, with information about treks in
the area and more.

most touristy town after Luang Prabang,
though it still has a quiet local charm,
away from the travellers' cafés and tour
operators. he town is a popular base
from which to access the beautiful
Nam Ha NBCA , with a whole range of
activities available, from rafting and
kayaking on the Nam ha to exploring
the surrounding area by bike and
trekking to hill-tribe villages.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By air The tiny airport is located 7km south of the main
town, with flights to Vientiane (5 weekly; 1hr); a shared
tuk-tuk will cost around 10,000K/person.
By bus The main bus station is 11km southeast of town;
a shared tuk-tuk should cost 10,000K/person. Buses from
within the province (including Boten) arrive at the local
bus station, just south of the centre, from where it's a short
walk to most guesthouses.
Destinations Boten, for Chinese border (6 daily; 2hr); Dien
Bien Phu, Vietnam (daily; 11hr); Houayxai (2 daily; 4hr);
Jinghong, China (daily; 8hr); Luang Prabang (daily; 9hr);
Oudomxai (3 daily; 5hr); Vientiane (2 daily; 19hr).

5

ACCOMMODATION
Litthavixay Main road, 500m north of the bus station
T 081 212175, E [e-mail]. Arguably the
best deal in town, with bright, very clean rooms, all with
TV and en suite. Inter net acces s is available in the large
reception area. Double 80,000K
Vivanh Just south of the bridge, 900m north of the bus
station T 081 212219. A really sweet little guesthouse
offering big, sparkling rooms with TV and brightly coloured
bedspreads; th e female staff are very welcoming and
friendly. Double 60,000K
Xaysana Left off the main road, 400m north of the bus
station T 020 251 5737. An attractive, scrupulously
well-maintained hotel tucked up a quiet street. The
big, bright rooms, up a rather grand wooden staircase,
have hi gh ceilin gs and pretty curtains. Excellent value.
Double 80,000K

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information The tourist o ce ( T 086 211534,
W luangnamtha-tourism-laos.org; Mon-Fri 8am-11.30am
& 1.30-4pm) is situated one street east of the main road,
behind the night market.
Bike and motorbike rental Bicycles (from 10,000K/
day), mountain bikes (from 15,000K/day) and motorbikes
(from 40,000K/day) can be rented from Vehicle Rental
Service, just north of Manychan on the main street.
Internet There are various internet cafés on the main
road, including Green Mountain and Smile Internet, which
has Skype facilities (12,000K/hr). All the guesthouses have
free wi-fi.

EATING
For breakfast, the bus station is the best option, with
women selling baguettes, kao larm (bamboo filled with
sticky rice and coconut) and bags of fruit for 2000K each.
Mrs Kanya's Right off the main road, 800m north of the
bus station. Locals swear this big, bustling restaurant is
Oudomxai's top choice for authentic Lao food. Grab a seat
at one of the shared tables and choose one of the
wonderfully sour soups (30,000K) and larp , though bear
in mind that anything with beef is likely to come with
big slabs of tripe. Huge portions. Daily 6am-10pm.
Souphailins Just off the main road, 400m north of the
tourist o ce. Half concealed behind thick vegetation,
this gorgeous little thatched restaurant feels a world
away from the busy Oudomxai tra c. The falang -friendly
northern Lao menu encompasses a good selection of
vegetarian dishes, though food can be bland unless you
ask for spice. Mains around 30,000K. Daily 6am-9pm.

INTO CHINA: BOTEN
The easiest way for travellers with a valid
visa to cross into China is to take the 8am
direct bus all the way to Jinghong (daily;
8hr), via Mengla (5hr), from Luang
Namtha's main bus station. Services also
run throughout the morning (every 90min
from 8.30am; 2hr) from the local bus
station to the border crossing at Boten
(open daily 7am-4pm), but you'll need to
change buses both here and at Mengla to
reach Jinghong this way. Those coming
down from China can get a thirty-day
Lao visa on arrival.

LUANG NAMTHA
Surrounded by forested hills that
remain lush even when the rest of the
countryside is a dusty brown in the hot
season, LUANG NAMTHA is the north's