The far north - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 272

PAK NAM NOI
Sinsai By the Namnoy Bridge 030 996 9344. Simple, friendly guesthouse in a pink block
near the bus stop - handy for the morning market, just across the brid ge. Sma ll rooms have
cold showers but some have wonderful views over the Namnoy River. 50,000K
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Oudomxai and around
Any prolonged travel in the north will eventually involve a stop at the large, bustling town
of OUDOMXAI , an important transport hub at the junction of routes 2 and 13. Fast devel-
oping as the economic centre for the north, with Chinese making up twenty percent of the
population, the town has an energy about it that you don't often find in Laos - the giant TV
screens and interminable traffic in the centre come as quite a change of scene after the sleepy
settlements further north. Most travellers treat Oudomxai as a stopover, but there's enough in
and around the town to warrant hanging around for a day or two.
There are two hills in the centre of town, either side of the main road. The museum atop
Phu Sai, to the east, isn't worth the entry fee, but there are good views out across town at the
top of the steps. WatPhuThat , west of the main road, is crowned by a golden stupa, behind
which a giant Buddha statue casts a serene eye across the surrounding hills.