Ban Phonsavan Travel Guide

 davidjo Says:  The Lao people enjoy a game of petanque, brought here by the French and it is interesting to watch them play. Large amount of money can change hands as bets can be considerable. Don't be tempted to play with them as you will lose. Late afternoon you will find them playing in... 

 davidjo Says:  There are several organisations dealing with the removal of unexploded ordinance and helping the disabled who have lost limbs due to this. They have displays and offer free documentaries at certain times of the day. One can't failed to be moved by this as there are still... 

 davidjo Says:  The tourist office should be visited, only to see the selection of bombs, grenades that are stock-piled in their yard. There is a foto exhibit, but not much literature on hand, couldn't see any staff the day we visited. It is only a 10 minute walk from the market. 

 davidjo Says:  Near Diethelm Tours there is a Vietnamese coffee shop, which is worth a visit to taste the traditional coffee. The cup will come complete with its own filter (buy a few from the market to take home, it's a wonderful device). A pot of tea is also served with the coffee. Don't... 

 davidjo Says:  The local market is a vibrant and colourful place and comes alive early morning and again in the late afternoon as the locals purchase food for their evening meals. There are many local products made of bamboo or rattan, many snacks available, including bread baguettes, of... 

 davidjo Says:  A few kms west of the centre is a mulberry farm where the staff will show you the whole process, from the silkworms to the weaving. The silkworms are fed on mulberry leaves, and the threads of silk are unwound then spun together. Drinks are available and there is a small... 

 davidjo Says:  Spend a couple of hours visiting the Vietnam and Lao war memorials, both located on adjacent hills 30 minutes from the town centre. It is a short climb to each of them, and both offer good views over the town. The Vietnamese memorial consists of a stupa but the Lao memorial... 

 davidjo Says:  Although The Plain of jars is extremely interesting you may consider renting a motorbike for the day, several establishment will rent bikes for around $5 near the centre. it is very easy to find the sites and once you have seen one, it's probably enough. When you get to the... 

 aisafatima Says:  Don’t forget to visit the office of MAG Mines Advisory Group. Their slogan is: Save lives Build futures. There are some panels with very interesting information about what some people with foreign funds is doing to clear mines from the country. You can learn what bombies has... 

 planxty Says:  When I visited the old capital of Xieng Kouang on riding into the built up area I noticed a chedi sat on a hill overlooking the road. I decided to go and have a look by riding up a small track to the left and going the rest of the way on foot, although I later discovered... 

 planxty Says:  Although I did not stay here myslef, my guesthouse stopped serving breakfast pretty early so this became my usual morning haunt, and a good choice it was. At home I rarely eat breakfast but in Lao with the "early to bed, early to rise" maxim being applied, I found myself... 

 planxty Says:  A scooter is a perfectly viable way of getting about Phonsavanh and it's environs, indeed a bicycle would suffice for the city itself as it is not that big. During my current trip, I have been riding scooters about everywhere and they are great but a little uncomfortable for... 

 DSwede Says:  When coming through the valley looking for the Tad Lang Waterfall, we were searching the nearby mountain sides for steep slopes, cliffs and the sound of water. We found no such thing. Just when we thought the path we were going down was the end of a joke being played on our...