Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the lowland Lao kingdoms of Luang Prabang, Xieng Khuang and Vientiane and under the
control of the greater powers that in turn controlled them - Siam and Vietnam. Stone pil-
lars (known as Suan Hin), located several kilometres off Route 6 near Houa Muang, suggest
that the area was a hub of some forgotten culture long before Tai-Lao and Vietnamese rulers
squabbled over this region.
Sam Neua
You could be forgiven for thinking that you'd crossed into Vietnam on descending into
SAM
NEUA
, the provincial capital and the only sizeable Lao town east of the Annamite Moun-
tains. Unlike the rest of Laos, which drains west into the Mekong, all of Hua Phan province's
rivers flow southeast to the Gulf of Tonkin - Sam Neua itself sits in the narrow Nam Xam
river valley. If you want to feel like you're in the middle of nowhere, Sam Neua fits the bill,
sitting in a bowl surrounded by low, pleasant hills with the narrow river rushing through its
centre.
Although there's little to occupy the traveller in Sam Neua, save absorbing the rugged fron-
tier atmosphere of this most un-Lao outpost, the place serves as a comfortable base for the
Pathet Lao Caves in Vieng Xai, or a stopover on the push to northern Vietnam. Perhaps the
best reason to visit Sam Neua, however, is to explore the surrounding countryside - the ex-
cellent tourist office can provide up-to-date information about transport options, or to really
explore, you could rent a motorbike. Aside from the tourist office and a small number of
guesthouses, tourist infrastructure in Sam Neua is quite limited, and you're likely to be re-
garded as something of a novelty, even in the centre of town. Be warned that this area can be
a lot colder than the rest of the country, so a sweater and long trousers come in very handy if
you're planning on stopping here, especially during winter.
