The far south - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 349

their own peaceful balconies - are pricey at $79 a night. Although it rarely seems busy, the
hotel's restaurant, with a pool table on its first-floor terrace, is a sa fe bet for curries, pizzas,
salads and cocktails (25,000K 6-8pm daily). Daily 7am-10pm. $49
Khamphouy South of the roundabout 020 2227 9922, [e-mail] . None
of the furniture matches, but this very welcoming, old-school guesthouse has good-value
double and twin rooms in two separat e buildi ngs. Free wi-fi and tea, and a little lobby lounge
full of books all help to seal the deal. 40,000K
The River Resort 3.5km north of Champasak, on the Mekong 020 5685 0198, the-
riverresortlaos.com . For luxury in southern Laos this riverside hideaway is without rival. The
twenty Lao-Japanese-style rooms, with outdoor showers and fan-cooled terraces, occupy an
incredibly serene stretch of the Mekong's western edge, and are separated from one another
by lush gardens of banana plants, organic rice paddies and majestic ally tall trees. The resort
has its own spa and a panoramic restaurant overseen by a Thai chef. $119
Vongpaseud Just south of the Inthira 031 920038. Super-low prices make this place the
top choice among budget travellers. Rooms here are dingy but en-suite, with hot water
20,000K extra per n ight. Br eakfast is served on the creaking deck out back, which has splen-
did Mekong views. 30,000K
ENTERTAINMENT
Theatre d'Ombres de Champassak At Salachampa Restaurant, next to the tourist office
020 5508 1109. With French support and puppets rediscovered after forty years hidden in a
local wat, fourteen local musicians, artists and singers have begun performing together. On
Tuesdays and Fridays, the troupe re-enacts part of the Ramayana using shadow puppets, and
on Wednesdays and Saturdays they add music and sound effects to a silent movie filmed in
northern Laos by the team behind the original King King movie . Shows start at 8pm and ad-
mission is 50,000K.
Wat Phou
8km southwest of Champasak ∙ Daily 8am-4.30pm ∙ 35,000K ∙ Tuk-tuks can be hired in Champasak (80,000K
for a return trip), and will wait for you while you visit the ruins. If you're on your own and can't find anyone to
share a ride with, rent a bike from town (15,000K) - it's a flat, pleasant ride.
One of the most evocative Khmer ruins outside Cambodia's borders, WatPhou should be at
the top of your southern Laos must-see list. It's not hard to see why the lush river valley here,
dominated by an imposing 1500m-tall mountain, has been considered prime real estate for
nearly two thousand years by a variety of peoples, in particular the Khmer. The surrounding
forests are rich with wildlife, including the rare Asiatic black bear. The pristine state of the
environment - it is without question one of the most scenic landscapes chosen by the Khmer
for any of their temples - was a major factor in UNESCO's decision to name the area a World
Heritage site.