Laos forum

Long Chen is what used to be a town in an area Saysombun, (Xaisomboun sometimes) that has supposedly been absorbed into the neighbouring provinces. None the less everyone still calls the area by it’s old name. Everyone I’ve read about lately has been turned back from the old airbase and town Long Chen. Excepting a group of returning vets, and a small group from the mine.

I’m not sure where exactly the old boundaries of the Xaisomboune special zone were, but there is a large area that is still no go, other parts are very traveled. There is a large gold mine off the approach road named after the highest mountain in Laos, Phou Bia, which rises just above Long Chen.

I suggest you ask at the tourism authority just beyond the morning market in Vientiane. There are many beautiful large posters around the office in beautiful colours. One of them says “Xaisomoune” and tells of all the activities you can do there. I suggest you ask the officials, if for nothing else just to watch them squirm trying to explain to you why the area still isn’t open to tourism. Perhaps suggest you would like to hike up Phou Bia.