Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
same idea as the main shop in Luang Prabang. Here you can buy colourful, lightweight chil-
dren's books in Lao and English (prices start at 10,000K) and then give them away to Lao
children when you visit remote villages, where access to educational materials is extremely
limited.
Mon-Sat 8am-4pm.
devoted to learning Lao, plus plenty of English-language novels set in Laos. The proceeds
from some of the topics sold go to victims of UXO.
Daily 8am-8pm.
Monument Books
Nokeo Koummane Road 021 243708,
monument-books.com
;
map
.
Sells Vientiane's largest selection of English-language books. It also offers a subscription ser-
vice for glossy magazines, and a wide range of detailed maps covering Laos and other parts
of Southeast Asia.
Mon-Fri 9am-8pm; Sat & Sun 9am-6pm.
RATTAN, WICKER AND BAMBOO
Check the antique stores in and around the Talat Sao Malls and the downtown area for old or
rare baskets made by the tribal peoples of Laos, which can sell for as much as $200. Cheap
sticky-rice baskets and mats costing $1-3 can be found on market stalls near Talat Sao bus
station.
TEXTILES
Once a tremendous bargain, antique Lao weavings are now more expensive in Vientiane than
in Thailand. If you're determined to buy old textiles in Vientiane, the Morning Market (Talat
Sao Malls) is your best bet. New textiles, however, are another matter. Lao silk and cotton
textiles can be purchased in bolts of plain coloured cloth or as ready-made clothing for $2-5
per item. If you're looking to make a smart purchase without shelling out too much cash, Lao
shoulder bags, or
nyam
, are a cheap and functional choice. Hand-woven
pha biang
, a long,
scarf-like textile, can be found in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and chequered
pha
khao ma
, the knee-length men's sarong, are also good buys. The Morning Market (Talat Sao
Malls) has the best selection; the merchants here are used to foreign tourists and enjoy a spir-
ited haggle.
Aside from the markets, Vientiane boasts an increasing number of upmarket
shops
and
boutiques
carrying, and sometimes specializing in, Lao textiles. They often have the best
range and most attractively displayed products, and, unsurprisingly, the highest prices. Most
of these new boutiques and galleries are located
southofSamsenthaiRoad
between Khoun
Boulom and Manthatoulat roads and can be taken in during a single, short walking tour.
Carol Cassidy Lao Textiles
Nokeo Koummane Rd 021 212123,
laotextiles.com
;
map
.
Housed in a French-era mansion, this is the most impressive of Vientiene's textile boutiques,
producing hand-woven wall hangings tinted with natural dyes under the supervision of an
American designer. Step out the back to see local weavers at work.
Mon-Fri 8am-noon &
1-5pm, Sat 8am-noon.
