Luang Prabang - Wikitravel. Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang (. Golden- roofed wats, decorated with mosaics and murals of the life of Buddha, sit under the gaze of wrap- around teak balconies and 1. All of this is set against a backdrop of verdant greenery and rugged mountains. With UNESCO so closely involved and a largely responsible group of local business owners, the pressures of mass tourism development have been held at bay, but for how much longer remains to be seen. They looked pretty good together, too (except in Shagird where Saira's screeching really put me off). As to where to buy these movies, I.
Hmong TV Network, Clovis, CA. 5,778 likes · 1,166 talking about this · 228 were here. Hmong TV Network aims to reach, educate, and inspire everyone about. Handcrafted beads imported from around the world. Check back daily for additional offers. Restaurants along the main street tend to be expensive and aimed at luxury tourists, whilst lower cost venues are along the banks of the Mekong. The city owes its present name to the Pha Bang, a revered Buddha image (now in the Royal Palace Museum) which was brought to the city by King Visoun during the golden age of Lan Xang in the early 1. Ultimately the 1. Chinese Haw led the Luang Prabang monarchy to accept the protection of the French, whose influence led to the construction of the many fine colonial villas that sit harmoniously alongside the traditional Lao architecture. The relative poverty of newly- independent Laos perhaps helped save Luang Prabang from the ravages of 2. In 1. 99. 5 the city was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Vietnam Airlines' pricing scheme is somewhat questionable, with tourists paying higher prices on last- minute tickets. The price is variable based upon your nationality, with USD3. USD as . You need a passport picture to obtain a visa. If you don't have one, they'll scan your picture from your passport and charge you an additional USD 1 for no reason . Ensure you have USD otherwise you will need to use the ATM outside the front entrance or exchange money at the exchange counter. Exchange rates at the airport are reasonably competitive with the prevailing outside rates, unlike a lot of other international airports. The price is USD 2/day plus a USD 2 form fee. The process is very easy; turn up in the morning with your passport and one photo; fill in a form (in Luang Prabang they do this for you) and come back in the afternoon for your extension. There is a taxi counter just outside the arrival hall. There are tuk- tuks driving down the main road which charge about 2. If there are a couple of you then you can get a better price. Most guesthouses can organise pickups for about 1. Just ask any travel agency or hotel receptionist, not many offer this service, but you can find it if you try hard enough. It is easy to find Hanoi to Vientiane (2. VND or Dien Bien Phu > Luang Prabang (2. VND (April 2. 01. Highway 1. 3 connects Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the south and via Highway 1 to the north. Highway 1. 3 is asphalt and in relatively good shape during dry season all the way to Vientiane. Simply put, it is long, bumpy, and winding road trip. The road resembles of a lunar landscape and there are endless potholes due to poor quality surface, the top layer eroded to reveal the gravel underlayer, which causes a bumpy ride. Though there have been incidents of violence along this stretch of road in the past, presently it is safe. Royal Palace. Many tourists alight here, but if your hotel is not nearby you can request that the driver take you to your hotel at no extra charge, as long as it's within the historic part of the city. Tuk- tuk drivers know which bus station to go to for which destination. Ask around for bus schedules. Pick those agencies which absorb the shuttle ride from the fare quote as others do not. Compare first before biting the quote. Book tickets in advance, particularly for . If you have a preference for aisle or window seat, ask for a seat before the toilet (i. VIP bus) where the seat numbers are predictable. The seat numbering jumps a couple seats after the toilet (which is located in the middle left of the bus), and what should have been an aisle seat number becomes a window seat number and vice versa. The trip takes 2 days (both days about 9 hours) by slow boat, or 6 bone- rattling hours by speedboat. There are also operators now offering 2- day . If you leave Huay Xai in the afternoon you can get a speedboat to Pakbeng (~3hrs) and join the slowboat from there, this might save you a night in Huay Xai. The trip from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai costs at least 2. As opposed to the numerous travel agencies in town the official tourist information and the actual boat pier ticket counter will provide you with the current official price for the boat ticket and departure times. The trip to Luang Prabang from Huay Xai costs around THB1. Pakbeng (2. 01. 5). If you take your bicycle on the boat it will be transported on the roof of the boat and will cost 2. Kip from Luang Prabang to Pakbeng and the same from Pakbeng to Huay Xai (2. If you don't buy the ticket via a travel agency (which will likely cost you up to 1. Kip more) but directly at the ticket counter you can only buy the ticket to Pakbeng. The next day you will buy your ticket from Pakbeng to Huay Xai directly on the boat. If you have booked your boat trip via a travel agency, be sure to retain your ticket stub as they check again when you board again at Pakbeng. Many guest houses at Pakbeng sell small, but somewhat pricey, packed lunches for the onward journey. It is common to have to switch to a different boat in Pakbeng, so you may end up in a boat of higher or lower quality for the second half of the journey. The two day boats have nice comfortable car seats, and so it is no longer necessary to purchase any cushions. When you board the Luang Prabang boat after the night in Pakbeng, a registered ticket seller will come around checking 'through' tickets and selling tickets for that day's travel to LP. If you insist before leaving, plastic chairs may be added for the benefit of the unlucky late- comers. Arriving early will mean a longer day, but most likely a better seat, towards the front and away from the incredibly loud engine (maybe take ear- plugs just in case). The best seats are located near the captain as they allow access to large open 'doors', however, this area can get cramped with locals and their belongings or alternatively with shouting, Samsong- drinking party- backpackers while the few locals are shoved in the back. Please consider to give up or at least share your seats for the elderly. Most of the passengers are foreign tourists. Occasional locals take the boat only for short hops between the river side villages, but prefer to take the bus for the full distance from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang. So you won't be able to observe many local boat travelers, the boat ride offers just the usual sight of tourists drinking Beerlao but is a great way to meet other tourists and discuss route plans and travel info or get very sick of them. But now the official slowboat pier is ~7 km out of the city and everyone is then forced to take a tuk tuk. If you do not wish to participate in this you can gather a group of people and start walking to the city on your own (turn right from the boat landing). The tuk tuk drivers will follow you and within 5. Walking a little further will probably drop the price even more since in about 2. Luang Prabang) where it should be easy to get transport. If you do not find transport on the road itself then there is a petrol station about 5. A tourist fell backwards with the weight of her backpack and broke her leg in May 2. You might be approached by a tout offering to take you into the city for a very inflated price. What he's doing is very dishonest as he will carry your backpack to the road and then demand payment, and then you still have to buy your 2. Tickets which are sold by local agencies and hotels in Chiang May include minibus transfer to Chiang Khong (Thai bank), border/Mekong crossing to Huay Xai and the slow boat ride as described above. Tickets are collected by the driver when you enter the minibus in Chiang Mai and you will be left with no proof of payment and services included. The minibus will drop you at a very dirty . Consider walking around the city to find a better place. If you book the . Phone numbers and email address displayed on the company's stand at Huay Xai immigration counter and on their buses are defunct. So you cannot contact them. Regardless, it is not recommended you travel in a speedboat without this safety equipment. It is also recommended that you make your bags as waterproof/water- resistant as possible and wear a rain jacket. The boat can generate quite a bit of spray, plus any showers you might encounter along the way will sting like needles against any exposed skin. On sunny days, sunscreen is invaluable as there is no roof/shade on these speed machines. The journey to Huay Xai can be reduced to as few as 4 hours in the wet season, with a lunch stop at Pakbeng. However, some consider this means of transportation less safe, especially in the dry season when boats travelling at 8. Earplugs are strongly recommended. Those concerned about their environmental impact may want avoid speedboats, as they are heavier polluters than the slower options. Speedboats run on LPG with boats stopping regularly to get supplies (8 bottles required per trip) and it is not overly comforting to the weak- hearted to have two full bottles at the front of your boat as you negotiate 3 m diameter whirlpools to avoid m rocky outcrops almost close enough to touch. Travel agents in Luang Prabang will sell the tickets for 3. Unless you're an adrenalin junky, look for other transport options. The major operators are Luang Say and Nagi of Mekong. Both operate two- day cruises to Hauy Xai that stop in Pakbeng for the night. A third player, Shompoo Cruise, has now entered the market. Although the journey takes as long as taking the slow boat, these operators offer vastly superior facilities and equipment than public slow boats, and you should be prepared to pay a premium for it. Tickets for all three operators can be bought at most travel agents in the city. Luang Say, 1,2. 00,0. Nagi of Mekon and (both including a night in a hotel) and 6. Bee Vang - IMDb. Find industry contacts & talent representation. Manage your photos, credits, & more. Showcase yourself on IMDb & Amazon.
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