Phim Hay 360s

Photo: Lush vegetation and cascading waterfalls await visitors to Naxam village, Hinheup district, Vientiane province. -- Photo Sisouphan

An enterprising local resident has opened up a waterfall to the public in Vientiane province, hoping to provide city dwellers with a natural oasis as they travel north of the capital.

Mr Chanthavong Chanthala was granted a concession to open Vangsanon Waterfall as an official tourist attraction to bring more local and foreign visitors to the area.

The waterfall is located in Naxam village, Hinheup district, and can be reached from Phonhong district in the north after passing through the villages of Phonkeo, Phonkham, Phonthong, Phonngam, and Khonkaen along a 25km dirt road.

The road may be long and winding but the intrepid explorer will be rewarded with a virtual Garden of Eden upon arrival.

Along the way you will catch glimpses of the local lifestyle, crops, and animals as well as jungle views on both sides of the road.

The people who live in this area are mostly Khmu. One of their traditions is to make rice wine in pottery jars, which they drink on special occasions, festivals, and just to be sociable with their friends and relatives.

The waterfall is surrounded by dense bamboo. Mr Chanthavong has added to the natural attractions by planting flowering shrubs, building huts and arranging boulders for visitors to picnic on. This pleasant scene makes for some great photo opportunities.

Mr Chanthavong encou-rages visitors to bring along a picnic and relax in one of the rustic huts.

On each of the monthly Buddhist days, local people stop work for the day and like to spend their time here. The period of Buddhist Lent in particular is a time that brings visitors to the area.

Managing Director of the local Saoban Handicraft Group, Mr Tarliboun Rattanavong, sees the increasing number of visitors as an opportunity for his group of producers to boost their sales.

They have developed new ideas to promote the group's products, such as making rice wine in portable jars that people can take home with them.

This year, he chose a house in Khonkeo village to display and sell the rice wine, along with buffalo skin snacks. He also plans to set up a strawberry farm and grow organic vegetables.

Mr Tarliboun said it would be a good opportunity for people to see the artisans at work as they made various bamboo handicrafts, and suggested it might even encourage others to join the group. Visitors could also sample fresh strawberries.

The Deputy Heads of Khonkeo and Naway villages, Mr Phonxay Panmavong and Mr Bounkong Manokoun respectively, said they appreciated the efforts of the Saoban group in encouraging people to adopt new livelihoods.

The two villages have a total of 394 households of 2,518 people, who are mostly subsistence farmers, with some raising livestock on a temporary basis.


By Sisouphan Amphonephong

What used to be just a few streets and a bus stop has morphed into one crazy party town complete with late island booze and dancing, whacked out natural drugs and enormous rope swings into a raging river.

Oh . . .do I have your attention?

A huge attractionin this town is grabbing your mates and big plastic tubes and go floating down the river with amazing scenery and, perhaps more importantly, six bars chock full of hotties lining the river banks. Bar staff literally pull you in as you hold on to a stick of bamboo. I borrowed the impromptu “Pump Stick” and fished out a few females for my friends . . .and two for myself! “Ladies, grab the stick and pull . . . NO LADIES! THE STICK THE STICK!”

There is no shortage of free Laos whiskey floating around that river – Sheesh! Beerlao, the only beer available in the country, is a decent drop and a couple of huge bottles are essential when you get back in the tube for another float to the next drinking station – You heard of “Road Beers” -now we have RIVER BEERS!.

Rope swings and beach volleyball ensure all the kiddies are having half-naked fun, in the sun and when the sun goes down so do the girls . ..er I mean – the party just gets even heavier (like my dates when I drink).



An island of bars with lights, DJ’s and bonfires start up every night and draw the young crowd out from every hotel. If you want to sit back and chill try asking for the ‘happy menu’ at any of the local restaurants. Suffice to stay there is something very funny about the happy menu cocktails and snacks, and I assure you that you won’t find a better price for a “Mushroom Shake” or “Opium Tea” on the planet (well maybe Afghanistan but those burkas as so itchy during making out.

Be warned, with the fun you get at these prices, a lot of people fall in love with the party town and never want to leave.


Source: http://coedmagazine.com/2010/02/25/worlds-best-party-spots-vang-vieng-laos/

Let’s speak Lao

Greeting
Hello! Hi!- Chang dai (sa bai dee)
Good morning -Sa bai dee
Good afternoon -Sa bai dee
Good evening -Sa bai dee
Good night - La Tee Sa Wat
How are you? -Chao sa bai dee baw?
How do you do? -Chao sa bai dee baw?
I’m fine, thanks -Khoy sa bai dee, Khob chai
And you -Lae chao de:I’m fine, too -Khoy sa bai dee, keu kan
I’m pleased to meet you -Khoy dee chai lai thee dai phob chao
Good by-La kon
See you -Laew phob kan mai
Thank you - Khop Chai
Excuse me - Khor Thod
No problem - Bor Pen Yang

Name
What’s your name? -Chao seu gnang?
My name is…. -Khoy seu….
What’s his/her name? -Lao/nang seu gnang?
How old are you? -Chao a: gnu chak pee?
I’m twenty years old -Khoy a: gnu sao pee
Are you married? -Cha sang khob khua laew baw
Yes/no -Sang laew/ gnang baw sang

Taxi
Where is the taxi station -sathanee lod taxi yu sai
How far from here to…?-Kai pan dai chak nee pai ha…?
How much to…? -Thao dai/chak kip pai ha…?
Too expensive -Pheng lai/ pheng thae

Bus
Where is the bus station? -Sa tha nee lod me: yu sai?
What time will the bus leave?-Lod me: cha awk chak mong?
How much is the fare? -Pee lod thao dai?
Does this bus go to? -Lod nee cha pai thang dai?

Boat
Where can we get on the boat? -Phuak hao cha pai kheun heua yu sai?
What time does it leave? -Chak mong heua cha awk?

Air
Where can I buy a plane ticket? -khoy sa mad pai seu pee heua bin yu sai?

Hotels/guesthouse
Is there any hotels/guest house near by? -Yu nee mee hong haem/ban phak baw?
Can I/we stay here? -Khoy /phuak hao phak yu nee dai baw?
Do you have a room? -Chao mee hong phak baw?
How much per night? -Kheun neung thao dai?
Do you have any other room? -Chao mee hong eun eek baw?

Shopping
How much is it? - La Ka Thao Dai
Too expensive - Phaeng Tae
Any discount? - Lot La Ka Hai Dae Dai Bor?

Wanderlust Travel Awards 2010 Top City
By Wanderlust team
Discover which city scooped top prize in this year's awards

Top city: Luang Prabang, Laos

Ranking %

1 Luang Prabang, Laos 94.74

2 Siena, Italy 94.67

3 Berlin, Germany 94.15

4 Seville, Spain 94.00

5 Kyoto, Japan 93.33

6 Melbourne, Australia 92.22

7 Boston, USA 91.85

8 Krakow, Poland 90.91

9 San Francisco, USA 90.53

10 Tallinn, Estonia 90.40


Right at home:

“Luang Prabang is one of those rare traveller towns where as soon as you arrive you feel right at home,” wrote reader Lucy Palmer of your perennial favourite city.


“Maybe it’s the languid pace of life instilled by the monks, maybe it’s just being in the shadow of those majestic temples; maybe it’s the presence of the mighty Mekong – but the whole place makes you slow down, forget any stress and just appreciate the environment around you. Yes, there are things to see and do, but that’s not the point. Luang Prabang is simply a great place to be.”



Despite its growing popularity, you told us the town retains those things that make it special: its colourful markets, French cuisine, outbreaks of drumming by the resident monks. And you recalled great local excursions – learning to be a mahout at an elephant centre (www.laos-adventures.com), gold-panning at a jungle ecolodge (www.kamulodge.com) and taking a boat trip to the Kuang Si waterfalls.


Even the frequent power cuts and lack of ATMs, concluded reader Charlotte West, “just seem to add to the charm of this one-of-a-kind place.”


Get there fast – then slow right down.


>>See the rest of Wanderlust Travel Awards 2010 winners here

If you’ve got never traveled to a developing country, Laos would certainly provide you a unique expertise and most likely additional than simply one. With its previous colonial charm and vast rural areas, if you like the outside or just need to relax Laos has masses to offer. When visiting Laos you’ll have to purchase Laos currency that is known as Kip and here are some benefits and disadvantages of using Kip.

Volume: Laos Tour widely accepts US bucks but on arrival in the country you may probably exchange your Greenbacks to the native currency called Kip, attempt not to change all your money to Kip as you may be in for a surprise and in all probability additional cash than you’ll carry. A definite annoyance is that the sheer volume of money; you’ll notice this as a tourist changing $100 US at a time however when buying a bike or different large items, locals typically would like a carrier bag or even a suitcase filled with it. This brings in another drawback counting your money takes a while.

Millionaires: I assume this might be seen as a bonus as when you change your money in Laos you have got become a rapid millionaire. You’ve got reached celebrity standing in some countries but not in Laos as most people are millionaires here. When exchanging money the most effective approach to try to to this can be amendment a little at a time, this will give you sufficient native currency to acquire little items like food, drinks, entrance fees and tipping at hotels. It’s not advisable to vary massive sums as you may have to hold it around with you all day and it will probably not all work in your wallet.

Paper Currency: This is a fairly cool advantage they are no coins, which is nice, no coins to lose or hear jingling in your pocket as you run for the bus. On the opposite hand there’s plenty of paper with the most important note being equivalent to merely 5 US Bucks

Tiny amendment: Have you ever ever had the matter that you wish to buy something tiny however do not seem to have any change. This downside does not ever seem to happen in Tour of Laos with the most important note hardly price that a lot of, it’s made buying tiny things from markets extraordinarily easy.

Colors Co-Ordination: Individual notes are all totally different colours and straightforward to tell apart, which could be a definite advantage over the US currency and conjointly a lot of original with the US bills all being the identical color and size.

Closed Country: Laos Tours is officially a closed country which means any left over Kip you have got at the end of your trip ought to not very be taken out of the country all nobody will build a fuss, if you did take money out of Laos there would be no use for it as no one would accept a comprehensible difficulty. When changing cash in Laos; keep the exchange receipt that you just obtained from the bank, this makes it easy to change back your unused local currency to $US Bucks while not the receipt the bank will not comply with the exchange. If this fails attempt a native restaurant or search to see if they will exchange it for you, albeit at a reduced exchange rate.

The last option is to stay it for different uses like whereas camping you perhaps cold, it might come in handy when beginning a fire or if times are desperate it makes smart rest room paper.

Source: http://articlicious.com

A tourist hangs off a zip-line for a bird's eye view of the jungle. --Photo Laophoto

It may not be quite like Tarzan but swinging between the trees on a zip-line is now a new adventure for visitors to the Nam Lik Jungle Fly.

This activity has been set up in Senxoum village, Phonhong district, Vientiane province, and is about 70km north of Vientiane .

Open for the last few weeks before its official launch, the new adventure site has given visitors the thrilling experience of swinging through the treetops while securely attached to a long guide wire.

Owner of Nam Lik Jungle Fly and Chief Executive Officer of Green Discovery, Mr Inthy Deuansavanh, said yesterday “Our zip-line adventure stretches over a total length of 2km, with the zip-line section itself about 860 metres long and some enjoyable walks through lush green forest in between. We have 23 platforms on the trees at different levels, up to 37 metres high, and the lines are up to 180 metres long with stunning views over the forest.”

The zip-line is situated in 13 hectares of magnificent jungle and river scenery. At this stage most of the adventurers are brought in by companies and tour groups who also arrange kayaking, trekking and camping activities.

“We don't just run the business for profit - we also want to preserve the area's forest and biodiversity because this part of Senxoum village used to be exposed to illegal logging,” Mr Inthy said.

The adventure site currently has four main activities - kayaking, trekking, zip-line and camping – with elephant rides expected to be added in the near future. Resort accommodation is also planned and should be ready by the end of this year.

The zip-line took seven months to install, and is an important part of the project's ecotourism objectives.

Managing Director of Green Discovery, Mr Vianney Catteau, said 10 local guides have already been trained by an international specialist in outdoor sports. Local people are also being trained in hospitality skills such as cooking and other services for visitors. The project is helping to protect biodiversity in the area, where educators can also come to do research. The zip-line is not only fun but minimises the impact of visitors on the forest floor, prevents damage to vegetation, and provides access to the forest canopy which would otherwise be difficult for researchers to study.

“We are sure it will be a really exciting venture. And it's all close to Vientiane , on the way to Vangvieng district, just 15 km before Hinheup, so it's easy to reach. Everything has been designed to be environmentally friendly, taking care to minimise harm to the trees and other vegetation,” Mr Vianney said.

Visitors from Vangvieng district can travel south to the site by river, using kayaks that can be hired in Hinheup.

“We want to encourage both Lao and overseas visitors, and will offer reductions to domestic visitors to encourage them to get in touch with nature and help protect our forests,” he said.

T he site can be reached by driving from Vientiane for about 70km to Senxoum district on Road No. 13 north, followed by a right turn and a drive of about 7km to Nam Lik. Vehicles have to be left here before a 20-minute boat ride and a 30-minute trek to reach the camp site and zip-line. Along the zip-line, adventurers can enjoy views of the forest and the Nam Lik riverbank. The cost of a zip-line excursion is just under US$50, and is negotiable. Interested persons or companies who need more information can telephone 85620 6622001 or 85620 6622002.

The zip-line is the third to be constructed in Laos . The first is in Bokeo province and second is at the Tad Sae waterfall in Luang Prabang province.


By Panyasith Thammavongsa
Vientianetimes