Orientation information

Luang Prabang  » Orientation  » Accommodation  » Food & Drink  » Sights & attractions  » Getting there & away Maps   Luang Prabang: Overview   Luang Prabang: Central

Sisavangvong bisects the thumb-shaped stretch of land between the Mekong and the Nam Khan and lies at the heart of the city -- it is here that you'll find the main tourist necessities and hotspots. Note that this road changes name not twice, but three times within the main tourist track. Toward the tip of the thumb it is Sakkarin and southwest of the centre it becomes Chao Fa Ngum. Many streets in Luang Prabang are guilty of the same navigational trickery. Thankfully, the town is small enough that getting around shouldn't be a problem once you've got your bearings. A tuk tuk in from either bus station to the centre of town -- whichever street -- should run about 10,000kip per person and from the airport, about 40,000 kip total.

Another thing to consider as you're finding your way around is that each village is named for the nearby wat, and most addresses include a Ban Something-or-other to indicate it. So, even if there's no exact street address -- as there often isn't -- if you can find the wat (most of which are clearly labelled on maps) the place shouldn't be too far from it.

Two banks -- BCEL and Lao Development -- line the avenue and offer ATMs, exchange and cash advance services. Countless cafes and tour companies also offer cash advances with Visa or Mastercard, charging about 3% commission. A second BCEL branch lies in the outskirts of town.

Internet cafes are about as easy to find as tuk tuks and charge a reasonable 100 kip per minute with a 10-minute minimum. Two favourites are the cafe at Thana Boun Guest House for its new computers and air-con, and the hotspot at the Ancient Luangprabang Hotel, if you're travelling with a laptop. It offers yummy baked goods and WiFi that's as cheap as a regular connection, with no minimum cafe purchase.

There are plenty of places in town to buy or exchange books. For new titles, head to Monument Books on a sidestreet off the Mekong. In addition to a smattering of fiction, they specialise in regional books covering everything from cooking to geography. The biggest selection of used books belongs to L'etranger just behind Phousi and next to Hive. Here you can buy, sell, rent and trade books alongside delectable munchies and drinks. The book exchange at Joy's is free to patrons. If you haven't eaten at the restaurant, taken a cooking class or bought art from the gallery (Joy's husband is a photographer), swapping out a book will cost 10,000 kip. Another spot with a small selection of used titles is Yensabai. Though the choice isn't extensive, the shop is a pleasant place to poke around.

Due to the prevalence of accidents and the lack of adequate health care, there is no motorbike rental in the city of Luang Prabang, though that is not the case throughout the province. Bicycles, on the other hand, are readily available -- often through guesthouses and hotels -- and cheap. Treasure Travel Laos Tour, in addition to being a good spot for sorting out travel itineraries, lets them out for as little as 40,000 kip/day. Their website contains a wealth of travel information. Green Discovery rents more hardcore mountain bikes for 100,000 kip/day.

Travel agencies are a dime a dozen but Lao Sky Trip, just by the BCEL ATM, is a good choice for their friendliness and range of services. They can assist in booking everything from plane tickets to hotel rooms and also handle Lao visa extensions -- and visas for neighbouring countries -- in a timely fashion.

As far as tour companies go -- and again, there are many -- both Green Discovery and Tiger Trail are commendable for their commitment to the community and environment, while Lao Discovery Tours is for its affordability.

For medical needs, Chinese Hospital is reputedly the best in town, but for anything more serious than a fracture, you'll want to get into neighbouring Thailand as soon as possible. If you need medical attention, first alert your guesthouse or hotel as they often can get in touch with doctors in the area. The knowledgeable English-speaking staff at Boua Phanh Pharmacie can offer almost as much by way of services as any of Luang Prabang's hospitals, and stocks imported meds.

The post office -- La Poste -- in the centre of town provides the usual services in addition to Western Union money transfers, though you'll pay dearly for them. An outside company -- EMS -- handles international shipping from an outpost within the office. Their rates for overland international shipping are reasonable but packages will take a long time -- about three months -- to reach their final destinations. Air rates are much higher but come with a speedier delivery.

Though the Tourist Information Centre doesn't offer much by way of information, it is centrally located in a pretty building. Often schedules for major events and holidays (such as Pimai) will be posted here.

Ancient Luangprabang Hotel Cafe Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Pakham, Luang Prabang. Open daily, 06:30-22:00.
BCEL Branches on Sisavangvong Rd, and Phamahapatsaman Rd, Luang Prabang Open Mon-Sat 08:30-15:30.
Boua Phanh Pharmacie Sakkarine Rd, Ban Wat Sene, Luang Prabang. Tel: (071) 252 252
Chinese Hospital Setthathirat Rd, Ban Phu Mok, Luang Prabang. Tel: (071) 254 026
Green Discovery 44/3 Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Xieng Mouane, Luang Prabang. Tel: (071) 212 093. www.greendiscoverylaos.com Open daily 08:00-21:00.
Joy's Kitsarat Rd, Luang Prabang. Tel: (202) 955 243. Open daily, 07:00-22:00.
La Poste Chao Fa Ngum Rd (at Kitsarat Rd), Ban Wat That, Luang Prabang. Open daily 08:30-15:30.
Lao Development Bank 65 Sisavangvong Rd. Luang Prabang. Open Mon-Sat 08:30-15:30.
Lao Discovery Tours 49 Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Xieng Mouane, Luang Prabang. Tel: (071) 253 745. Open daily, 08:00-22:00.
Lao Sky Trip 47/3 Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Xieng Mouane, Luang Prabang. Open daily, 08:00-18:00.
L'etranger Books and Tea Phousi Rd, Ban Aphai, Luang Prabang. Open daily, 07:00-22:00.
Monument Books 2 Thou Gnai Thao Rd, Ban Wat Nong, Luang Prabang. Tel: (071) 254 954. Open daily, 09:00-21:00.
Thana Boun Guest House Cafe 48/3 Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Xieng Mouane, Luang Prabang. Open daily, 08:00-22:00 but closed for lunch (12:00-13:00) and dinner (17:00-18:00).
Tiger Trail Two locations: Sisavangvong Rd and Chao Fa Ngum Rd. Tel: (071) 212 311. www.tigertrail-laos.com Open daily 08:00-21:00.
Tourist Information Centre Sisavangvong Rd (at Kitsarat Rd) Tel: (071) 212 487 Open daily, 08:00-11:30 and 13:30-16:00.
Treasure Travel Laos Tour 68/5 Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Xieng Mouane, Luang Prabang. Tel: (071) 254 403. www.treasuretravellaos.com. Open daily, 07:00-23:00.
Yen Sabai Thou Gnai Thao Rd, Ban Wat Nong, Luang Prabang. Tel: (020) 577 0250. Open daily, 08:00-18:00.

 

 

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