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town's guesthouses: growing number of guesthouses
picek Says: There are few guesthouses and hotels in town - mostly near market and river; price range from 50 000 KIP per room to 80 000 KIP for a better one in guesthouse and more for a room in hotel. You can easily walk from one to another to compare the quality and price as they're...
aemilys Says: Nice clean room with fan and en suite for 5 USD. The two rooms near the front (numbers 2 and 3) have more light. Clean, friendly and convenient to bus station
Dan Nao Muang Xam restaurant: English menu
aemilys Says: Really nice and just across the street from the Boun Hom guesthouse. The English menu is no problem, they will give it to you right away (once they see your face that is). Had some excellent Laap here. Laap and cold beer, a traditional Lao lunch.
Chidtavanh restaurant: English menu and cold beer
aemilys Says: Just wonderful, the food is good, the portions are more than enough, service is efficient, and the beer is cold...so what more do you want? A lovely place right across from the Xam river and the marketplace. The fried rice is to die for...and with a fried egg on top too,...
to Viengxay and Nam Soy (border village)
picek Says: Few times a day there're songthaews to Viengxay which will leave from Southern bus stations 4 km from town. In 2009 we paid 10 000 KIP per person for a ride which took us about one hour to get there (SN - Viengxay).Songthaew to Vietnamese border (leaving SN at about 6 am)...
picek Says: There are few tuk tuks in front of the provincional bus station which can take you to town if you don't like or want to walk. They charged 5000 KIP per person for a ride to the guesthouse.From centre of town to the southern bus station (for Vietnam, Viengxay direction) we...
aemilys Says: At the time of this writing it is possible to fly from Vientiane to Sam Neua with Lao Airlines and it can save you a lot of time. The plane I went on was really neat. Only 17 seats and they leave the door to the cockpit open. Landing is spectacular on this little airstrip in...
aemilys Says: For the moment the bus station is right in the center of town near the market. You can get from here to Vieng Xay to see the caves (10,000 Kip) - takes about an hour and a half through some really beautiful scenery. Buses also run to Nam Nouan, Phonsavan, and there is a...
aemilys Says: This is complicated but worth it. If you go to the tourist office (open Mon-Fri) they will give you a little map of the town. The weaving houses are located on the main road near the temple but there is no sign or indication anywhere. I went by myself and luckily some women...
aemilys Says: The market by the river is wonderful and you can get all kinds of food and various things. Part of the market is in a small covered building and the rest is just set up outside under umbrellas. I recommend that you try this sort of doughnut like things but unfortunately I...
picek Says: If you come to SN from other Lao provinces you'll be entering Sam Neua through the gate in the shape of heart. Your bus will leave you at the hill overlooking SN and you'll have to take tuk tuk to the town or walk 2 kilometers - ain't far but if it rains you'll get wet in...
aemilys Says: As not a lot of tourists come here you will get some looks. It was strange in the beginning but then I just thought to myself, since I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts...imagine if a foreign person had come to look and observe life in Chicopee MA, well of course as a...
aemilys Says: There are no tourist traps here, you are safe. Relax and enjoy.
aemilys Says: Well, you can actually buy them here (at least the candles) but since this is the kind of place where the electricity may go out you must at least have them by sundown and so as it's always best to be prepared...it's therefore wise to have them on you when you arrive
aemilys Says: From Sam Neua you can easily get a songtheaw to Vieng Xai. This is a marvellous place.The Pathet Lao hid out here and resisted the American efforts to invade SEA for 9 whole years...so yes, a place of resistance, a mystical place...don't feel guilty either because in the end...
Plan a Xam Nua vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Xam Nua locals
Nice clean room with fan and en suite for 5 USD. The two rooms near the front (numbers 2 and 3) have more light. Clean, friendly and convenient to bus station
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Sam Neua or Xam Neua or as VT would have it Xam Nua is fairly off the beaten path. Most tourists (or travellers if you prefer) are just passing through on their way to or from Viet Nam. I liked this...
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On a rainy day we arrived to Sam Neua, the remote Huaphan capital near Vietnamese border. It was april and it was cold, and my leg was burned from falling over the moped a few days before. It took us...
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