Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Woland]

Here's a link to a NYT article on Vientiane as a travel destination that I saw today:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/travel/14next.html?8dpc

Laos does sound like a great place and is definitely in my future plans.

[SarcasmKills]

I am not a fan of Vietienne at all... but I absolutely adored Luang Prabang, and Vang Vieng was brilliant as well..

Haven't done the southern area yet however, and there is still a part of me that wants to see those damn jars!

[dulouz]

I like Vang Vieng because...

The food is Western and wonderfully bland. Its deliciously bland and there's lots of it. You can eat eat and eat and never be near red pepper.

I like to go to the "swing over the river" park and swing over the river.

The river current is a swimmer's dream. You can swim upstream in one place for an hour. the kayaking can be good during the summer rains and if you lose the guides.

Housing is diverse. The riverside bungalows are crude so I've taken to western beds and tile floors. One guesthouse is in the middle of town and offers access to everything. The other is in a private park, next to the cliffs and river and the park is desolate after closing. Its real quiet so one can watch the stars if one wants.

[hogwonguy1979]

I'm in Luang Prabang right now and a couple of things have changed since my trip here in June:

1) the visa on arrival fee is now $35 for americans $40 for canadians, that has gone up, on the upside you now get 30 days instead of 15

2) Luang is very crowded right now, most of the cheap guest houses are full. prices have also doubled since june. a cheap room is going to run you $15/nite min, we are staying in really nice place and are paying $40. a far cry from the $12 I was paying for an aircon room with hot water and tv

3) the travel agents are now doing 3 day trips from here to the Plain of Jars and you can decide which city you want to go back to, here, Van Vieng, Vietiane, or Vietnam, not sure of the price

4) weather is very cool the past few days long pants and jackets are needed even in the daytime, rained on and off most of yesterday

city though is still charming and we are having a nice time despite the wife getting food poisoning yesterday (there is a good pharm here with cipro, I do advise though getting some there before you leave)

[jajdude]