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Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony (German: Niedersachsen) is a federal state in northwestern Germany. It is the second largest state by area (47,618 km²) (after Bavaria) and fourth largest by population (8 million in 2021) among the country's sixteen states. It was created after World War II by the British; most of its territory had been the Kingdom, later Province, of Hanover. There are notable differences between the various parts of the state: it took decades for anything akin to a pan-Low Saxon identity to emerge, and even that is often second to attachments to various older and smaller territorial entities

Cities

 * — state capital
 * — the Lion City and centre of scientific research
 * – well-preserved old town on the edge of the Luneburg Heath
 * — a popular seaside resort
 * — ancient university town
 * — wonderfully reconstructed old town around the market square and two impressive romanesque churches.
 * — charming historic town and gateway to the Lüneburg Heath
 * — cultural hub of the Oldenburg region with a beautiful castle park
 * — a modern city, built from 1938 on to house workers from the newly built VW factory. While it has a reputation for being bland, the town's museums and immigrant (mostly Italian) heritage make for some interesting things to see, do and eat.

Other destinations

 * - among Germany's most popular summer holiday spots, many of these islands are car free and offer spectacular untouched wadden sea landscapes

Understand
While Lower Saxony is home to eight million people, its population is concentrated around a few major cities; Bremen and Hamburg (which are city-states not legally part of Lower Saxony), Hannover, and Brunswick. The state contains most of Germany's coastline to the North Sea, as well as livestock grazing lands, and vast natural scenery, such as Lüneburg Heath and Elm Lappwald. Like most German states, it only came to be following World War II and for quite some time, people felt more kinship to former lands like the Electorate of Hanover, Frisia or various other petty states. Even today, contrasts within Lower Saxony are evident.

Public holidays
Each state in Germany can set its own public holidays. For Lower Saxony they are:

Tourist information

 * Lower Saxony tourism website

Talk
The predominant spoken form of German taught and spoken in Lower Saxony is High German or Hochdeutsch. Although there are different accents in several regions and some grammatical variations are regionally widespread, the language closely follows written German and is thus easy to understand.

It is often said and commonly believed in Germany that the dialect spoken in Hannover is the "best" dialect in terms of "correctness" as it is closest to the written form.

In East Frisia, Low German or Plattdeutsch (Plattdüütsch or Platt in Low German) is widespread and even spoken alongside Hochdeutsch (Hoochdüütsch). Since it was historically spoken in nearly all of Lower Saxony, other dialects of Plattdeutsch can be found throughout the country, albeit very locally and mainly spoken by the elderly in the rural parts today. To distinguish the Low German in Frisia from other dialects, it is sometimes called Frisian, even though that is somewhat misleading

The only surviving Frisian language in Lower Saxony is Saterland Frisian, spoken by only a few thousand people in the Saterland. While both Frisian and Low German are more closely related to English than to High German, their co-development on the continent has led to them being closer in many regards to other languages on the continent like High German today. Often scholars place Frisian more closely to English than Low German. However, they generally agree that Low German and Frisian are separate languages.

Whilst English is a compulsory foreign language for schoolchildren, many adults have only a basic knowledge of the language or are not confident enough to speak it. In tourist areas, many of the signs are in two or more languages. The German national railway, Deutsche Bahn, uses two languages on all their signs and, in long-distance trains, even the announcements are also made in English as well as German.

With the very notable exception of Hanover and some towns near Bremen, Lower Saxony has a lower than average proportion of immigrants compared to Germany. It is therefore not common to hear foreign languages. Hanover is fairly diverse, with large Middle Eastern and Eastern European populations; therefore it is possible to hear for example Arabic, Polish, or Bulgarian there.

By plane
The most important airports are Hanover, Hamburg (other Bundesland, Niedersachsen-Ticket not valid), Bremen  (other Bundesland, Niedersachsen-Ticket valid) and Münster/Osnabrück  in the neighbouring state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

There are also some small airports with mostly domestic and seasonal services on most of the inhabited Est-Frisian islands. Unless one of the islands is your final destination or you arrive in your own plane, you are unlikely to use any of those.

By rail
The largest station in Lower Saxony is Hanover Central (Hauptbahnhof Hannover), which has hourly connexions to Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich as well as other long-distance destinations. It is on the high speed lines from Hanover to Würzburg and Hanover to Berlin; travel times to Hamburg are also attractive.

Other large regional hubs are Brunswick (regional services to East Germany and the Harz) and Göttingen (regional services to the South Harz).

The two largest transport associations are GVH (Großraumverkehr Hannover) in Hanover and VRB (Verbundtarif Region Braunschweig) in Brunswick. Tickets for journeys within those transport association zones must be purchased before travelling as they are not available on the trains.

Bus
Along with state run regional buses covering distances of usually 50 km and less, there are private domestic and international long distance lines that serve the region and connect it to the rest of Central Europe

By road
The largest motorways (Autobahnen) are the A2 running from east to west and the A7 running from north to south. The A1 in the north is also an important link. The A2 has three lanes throughout, the A1 and A7 on those sections where traffic levels are highest. In spite of that all three motorways, especially the A2, are very busy, prone to accidents and thus traffic jams.

Large cities like Hanover and Brunswick have their own networks of city motorways.

Important federal roads (Bundesstraßen) are the B1, B3, B4 (Harz) and B6 (Buxtehude - Celle - Hanover). Several have also been upgraded to near-motorway standard, in that they have dual carriageways each with two lanes.

The density of fixed safety cameras varies from region to region, but they are especially common in the Harz even on steep sections of road. In wooded areas the risk of accidents involving wildlife is very high; wild boar in particular can cause a lot of damage to vehicles and danger to life if struck. In rural areas, straight roads with avenues of trees are also dangerous and frequently claim lives as a result of speeding or reckless overtaking.

By boat
The largest port is Hamburg which, although not part of Lower Saxony, has good road and rail connections (for regional travel, the Niedersachsen Ticket does not apply in Hamburg)

There are also limited connections (mostly cruises) along the Mittellandkanal and some services from Dutch ports (you can get to the German island of Borkum from Eemshaven (NL) for example) to German islands.

Get around
There is a special ticket called the "Niedersachsen Ticket" which offers unlimited travel by regional trains inside Lower Saxony area, up to Bremen and Hamburg in one day. This ticket is not valid in high speed trains (D, EC, IC, ICE) unless otherwise noted so make sure you board the right trains (RE, RB, S-Bahn, Metronom) when using this ticket. It is valid from 09:00 to 03:00 the following day during weekdays and the whole day on weekends. The price of the ticket depends on the size of your party with €23 for a single person and €4 on top of that for every additional person up to five. If you are more than five people, other discounts might apply, or you can simply buy more than one group ticket. These tickets are also valid inside public transport network in some of the cities (Hanover, Hamburg, Bremen, Brunswick).

See

 * The Wadden Sea is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of Germany's few pieces of relatively untouched nature, although it has been used and changed by human activity for most of the last 2000 years. Most tourists to this area are drawn by the unique landscape, the breezy climate (with summer highs rarely exceeding 30°C) and the wide white sandy beaches.
 * The old towns of Brunswick and Lüneburg
 * The zoo in Hannover
 * Belsen concentration camp memorial
 * Lüneburg Heath
 * Medieval old town of Hildesheim with early-Romanesque St Michael's Church (one of the most important churches of early Christianity in Germany) and Romanesque Cathedral
 * Rammelsberg visitor mine (that was continually operative for 1000 years), old town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Regale
 * Fagus Factory in Alfeld (Leine), designed by Walter Gropius in 1911, one of the earliest works of modern architecture

Outdoor life
Lower Saxony has many opportunities for outdoor life, especially bathing in the North Sea.
 * Go Wattwandern (i.e. hiking through the mudflats during low tide, that are covered by water during high tide) only do this with a licensed guide as the flood arrives almost unnoticed and the channels that bring the water back in can rise to several meters and cut off your way back to safety
 * Take a tour on a boat a watch aquatic mammals, or the fishing of Krabben (a type of crayfish typical for the area)

Eat
Lower Saxony has a number of traditions when it comes to cuisine that are often widespread, but with local regional variations. Many of the recipes are based on local food and tend to be basic, hearty and flavoursome, rather than haute cuisine. An exception, perhaps, is Welf Pudding, a layered pudding made from milk, eggs, wine and vanilla, that was created by one of the chefs to the royal household in Hanover.

Unsurprisingly fish dishes using, for example plaice, flounder and mackerel, feature strongly in the coastal region. Herring is served in various guises, popular ones being Matjeshering (soused), Brathering (fried) or Rollmops (pickled). Inland, trout (Forelle) and eels (Aale) are popular.

As elsewhere in Germany, pork is the most consumed type of red meat, with beef a poor second and lamb rarely seen. There are the inevitable regional types of pre-cooked sausage (Kochwurst) which are very popular in the Lüneburg Heath, the Bremen area and Schaumburg Land; local varieties include Bregenwurst, Kohlwurst, and Pinkelwurst. Other meat dishes from that area are Knipp a kind of smoked sausage, venison, wild boar and hare. Another heath speciality are Heidschnucken dishes created using mutton from the local moorland sheep. Two specialities from the Hanover region are Schlachteplatte, a dish of assorted meat, and the Calenberger Pfannenschlag (also known as Rinderwurst, a beef sausage). The internationally known Braunschweiger sausage presumably originates from Brunswick. Around Gifhorn and Wolfsburg a form of black pudding called Pottwurst, served with Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage), is popular in the autumn.

The most common accompaniment is the humble potato, boiled potatoes (Salzkartoffeln, that is potatoes boild in salted water without their skin) being by far the most common. Another popular vegetable, very typical of the area, is Grünkohl (kale), sometimes known as Braunkohl especially in Bremen and Brunswick Land.

Asparagus (Spargel) is eaten as a great delicacy in Lower Saxony. It is grown mainly around the towns of Burgdorf, Nienburg, Brunswick and in the Oldenburg Münsterland as well as the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath and on the Stade Geest. Asparagus season begins around April and lasts until June 24th. As the best Spargel is grown locally and eaten only during the season, asparagus devotion can seem quasi-religious at times.

Soup is a common form of starter. Particularly popular is Hochzeitssuppe ("wedding soup"), a meat broth. On the North Sea coast a plant called arrowgrass, known locally as Stranddreizack or Röhrkohl, grows in salt meadows immediately by the coast and is prepared, like Grünkohl, as a thick stew. Other country dishes in the coastal region are Steckrübeneintopf and Birnen, Bohnen und Speck, both types of stew.

The Germans are great cake eaters, popular regional varieties being butter cakes (Butterkuchen) and, around the Lüneburg Heath, Buchweizentorte (buckwheat cake) which is like a gateau and very tasty.

Drink

Lower Saxony is home to many breweries, for example in Jever, Einbeck, Celle, Lüneburg, Brunswick, Allersheim (part of Holzminden), Hanover, Wittingen, Peine and Göttingen.

Two of the oldest beers, brewed since the Middle Ages, are Braunschweiger Mumme and Goslarer Gose.

In general the Lower Saxons prefer coffee to tea, except in the regions of East Frisia and Friesland where tea is popular and often drunk with Kluntjes (rock candy) and cream.

A specialty found mainly in East Frisia (i.e. the North of Niedersachsen) are "Pharisäer" (Coffee with rum and a whipped cream topping) that also exist in the caffeine free version (replacing cacao for coffee) of "tote Tanten" (literally dead aunts).

Stay safe
While this area is very safe in terms of crime and even the big city issues of Hanover and Braunschweig are not all that bad, there are some natural hazards:

Swimming in the North Sea is usually only allowed during certain hours of the day. As the tides can be very strong, it is best to follow the advice and don't bathe when it isn't allowed.

Mudflat hiking with a guide is a safe and fun activity. Without one it can be deadly, due to people being lost and trapped by the rising tide. Fog is more common than you might think.

Go next

 * Bremen is an enclave within Lower Saxony
 * Hamburg, seaport metropolis
 * Saxony-Anhalt with Magdeburg and several World Heritage sites
 * North Hesse with Kassel, romantic small towns and fairytale landscapes
 * The Netherlands are right across the border
 * Schleswig-Holstein (in practice you will often travel via Hamburg to get there)

title: Lower Saxony


text:
Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Lower Silesian Voivodeship (pl: województwo dolnośląskie [vɔjɛˈvut͡stfɔ dɔlnɔˈɕlɔ̃skʲɛ]) is a voivodeship (administrative province) in southwestern-Poland, encompassing much the historic region of Lower Silesia, from whose Polish name (Dolny Śląsk) its name is derived.

Cities

 * (German: Breslau) — a perfect mixture of Gothic and baroque architecture, it was also destroyed and successfully rebuilt
 * — gothic and baroque town
 * (German: Glogau)
 * (German: Jauer)
 * (German: Hirschberg) — a big baroque city at the foot of the Karkonosze
 * (German: Glatz) — baroque town in Lower Silesia in the Polish spa area.
 * (German: Liegnitz)
 * (German: Lüben)
 * — gothic and baroque town in Lower Silesia
 * — known for its extensive granite quarries
 * — gothic and baroque town in Lower Silesia
 * (German: Waldenburg) - large city in the region of the industrial and cultural traditions
 * — known for its extensive granite quarries
 * — gothic and baroque town in Lower Silesia
 * (German: Waldenburg) - large city in the region of the industrial and cultural traditions

Karkonosze and Jizera Mountains

 * — spa town in the Karkonosze, near Jelenia Góra
 * (German: Krumhübel)
 * — spa in the Sudetes
 * — spa town at the foot of the Karkonosze and Jizera Mountains
 * — spa town at the foot of the Karkonosze and Jizera Mountains

Kotlina Kłodzka

 * — spa in the Sudetes
 * — spa in the Sudetes
 * (German: Bad Kudowa) — spa in the Sudetes
 * — spa in the Sudetes
 * — spa in the Sudetes

Others

 * — spa in the Sudetes

Other destinations

 * — national park in the Sudetes around the Śnieżka Mountain with beautiful waterfalls
 * — national park in the Sudetes around the Szczeliniec Mountain with bizarre rocks
 * — national park in the Sudetes around the Szczeliniec Mountain with bizarre rocks

Understand
In the early second millennium Lower Silesia started out as a part of Poland. In the 12th and 13th century Silesia fell apart into several duchies of with Wrocław, Głogów, Wschowa and Świdnica in Lower Silesia. In the 14th century Wschowa became again a part of Poland, while the others came under Czech or Bohemian rule. During this time the region was largely settled and or became German-speaking. Bohemia was also ruled at this time by the German Luxembourg, later the Polish Jagiellonians and finally by the Austrian Habsburgs. In 1741 Lower Silesia became a part of Prussia after Austria lost a decisive war over Silesia. After World War II Lower Silesia was annexed by Poland and almost all of its population (entirely German) was expelled and the area was resettled by Poles.

Geography
Some of the geographic regions include:

 * Giant Mountains (Polish - Karkonosze, Czech - Krkonoše, German - Riesengebirge), divided between Poland and the Czech Republic. Note that originally Germans lived on both sides of this border, still visible on old cemeteries on the Czech side - the Poles cleared all German tombstones when they annexed this part of Germany after WWII.
 * Snow Mountain (Polish - Śnieżka, Czech - Sněžka, German - Schneekoppe), the highest mountain in the Giant Mountains, 1602 m. high.
 * Jeleniogórska Valley (Polish - Kotlina Jeleniogórska) - a valley north to the Giant Mountains with Jelenia Góra (German Hirschberg) agglomeration.

 * Kłodzko County (Polish - Kotlina Kłodzka, German - Grafschaft Glatz), a valley surrounded by several mountain ranges, main city Kłodzko (German: Glatz), contains several health resorts - Polanica-Zdrój (German: Bad Alteheide), Duszniki-Zdrój (German: Bad Reinerz), Kudowa-Zdrój (German:Bad Kudowa).
 * Trzebnica Hills
 * Barten River Valley (Polish: Dolina Baryczy) includes:
 * Milicz Ponds, a perfect place for bird watching

Talk
Like everywhere else in Poland, all residents of Lower Silesia speak Polish. However, frequently you will find information boards also in German and English. Most young people know some English. Older people quite often understand basic German or Russian. As everywhere, knowledge of a few words in Polish will be warmly welcomed.

By plane
The only airport in Dolnośląskie offering scheduled passenger services is Wrocław's Copernicus Airport. LOT Polish Airlines and fellow Star Alliance members Lufthansa and SAS offer direct connections from there to their hubs in Warsaw, Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf and Copenhagen, which can be used as a leg of flight to almost anywhere in Europe or the world. Eurolot, LOT's short-haul subsidiary also offers a connection to Gdańsk in northern Poland and Zadar in Croatia. Low-fare airlines WizzAir and Ryanair fly to Wrocław from a number of destinations in Europe.

Outside of the region, Katowice and Kraków airports can also be used as convenient access points thanks to their location close to the A4 motorway. Farther away, Poznań Airport in Greater Poland, Prague Airport Ruzyne in the Czech Republic and Dresden Airport in Germany are all within an hour's drive from most locations in Dolnośląskie.

By train
Most, if not all, inter-regional and international trains to Dolnośląskie would be heading for Wrocław, sometimes stopping in some other localities along the way. Wrocław is among the large cities in Poland with less than favorable railway connections, as no high-speed line connects to it and the mountainous terrain in the region does not aid fast railway traffic. Trains from Warsaw have to go through Poznań, adding up to a journey over 5 hours (and in many cases more). Travellers from Germany can take advantage of a regional train connection to Dresden, taking about 4 hours.

By car
Arriving from the East (Opolskie, Śląskie and Małopolskie) or West (Germany, in particular Saxony) can take advantage of the A4 motorway. Those arriving from the North (Wielkopolskie, Łódzkie or Lubuskie) or the South (the Czech Republic) have to access Dolnośląskie the older road network, which often consists of narrow, congested stretches of bi-directional two-lane roads.

Get around
The A4 autostrada is a very modern, well maintained divided highway running through the center of Lower Silesian Voivodeship from Opole Voivodeship in the east to Germany in the west. Most of the other highways are two lane paved roads, very narrow by American standards, carrying fairly heavy traffic. Local roads may be paved, or graded gravel. They tend to be even more narrow than the highways, and meeting an oncoming tractor/trailer can be interesting. Learning drivers in cars marked with a large blue "L" placard are very meticulous about obeying speed limits. Very few other drivers are. Auto travel seems the mode of choice for those who can afford it. You can get most anywhere you need to go by bus, train, and trolley, but the system is not as good as it was when fewer people had cars. Taxis are available in major cities, but are hard to find once you get off the beaten path.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

 * Jawor Peace Church (German: Friedenskirche Jauer) and Świdnica Peace Church (German: Friedenskirche Schweidnitz) built only of wood, with very simple exterior but overwhelming Baroque interior.
 * Centennial Hall (original name Jahrhunderthalle, now Hala Stulecia) in Wrocław - huge hall from the beginning of the 20th century.
 * Wałbrzych Industrial city with a rich industrial buildings and the medieval city buildings. The most interesting is Stara Kopalnia - Centrum Nauki i Sztuki (Old Mine - Center for Science and the Arts) and Zamek Książ (Castel Książ). Mine - Center for Science and the Arts

Go next
Lower Silesian Voivodeship borders three other Polish provinces:

 * Lubuskie,
 * Wielkopolskie,
 * and Opolskie,

as well as the Czech Republic and Germany.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Lower Silesian Voivodeship


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Lower Zambezi National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park is in Zambia.

Location
Lower Zambezi National Park lies across from Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe and 400 km downstream of the Victoria Falls. The park covers an area of 4092 km², and it contains a wide variety of wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, zebra, lion, and leopard, together with a great variety of birds. Game drives and walks will often reveal big cats and on occasion, the African wild dog.

Get in
Visitors can drive into the park on their own but it is not recommended because it is very underdeveloped and not really structured for vehicle visitors. The existing lodges and canoeing operators provide the best access to the park. They all offer pick-ups from either Lusaka or Chirundu in Zambia or Kariba in Zimbabwe.

Fees and permits
As of 2016, the basic park fee is US$25 per day for non-Zambians. The fee allows for up to 24 hours of access to the park.

See
The best months to see game is July through September.

Do
Fishing is good along the river. Various private lodges offer day-long canoeing and fishing trips. Lodges offer safari tours, which are typically arranged at the crack of dawn (wake-up call before 6AM), in the late afternoon (past 4PM), and at night after sunset when high-powered spotlights are used to locate nocturnal animals.

Sleep
There are various lodges along the river.

title: Lower Zambezi National Park


text:
Lowestoft

Lowestoft is a coastal town in Suffolk, UK.

Understand
Once a bustling fishing port, Lowestoft is now a small quiet town on the east coast of Britain. It houses not much but is a big tourist destination due to its huge beach which runs all the way down to Pakefield. Lowestoft also had a famous composer, Benjamin Britten, who died in the Red House in Aldeburgh in 1976.

By road
If coming from the south, the A12 London-Great Yarmouth road passes right through the town. Past Ipswich much of the road is single-carriageway and can become congested during summer holidays and weekends so allow 3–4 hours driving time from London. A- and B-roads link Lowestoft to most other locations in Suffolk and Norfolk.

By bus
All buses terminate at the town centre bus station. There's no direct service from Ipswich and the most useful bus is the hourly express coach from Peterborough via Norwich and Great Yarmouth. Getting to Great Yarmouth by train is very indirect and requires a change at Norwich so it's much quicker to take the bus.

By bicycle

 * Regional Cycle Route 30 runs from the town to the W to Beccles, Bungay, Harleston and on to Thetford and beyond.
 * Regional Cycle Route 30 runs from the town to the W to Beccles, Bungay, Harleston and on to Thetford and beyond.

Get around
Lowestoft is a compact and pleasant town to walk around, boasting award winning Blue Flag beaches. Biking can be a fast way to get around Lowestoft, or you could walk and soak up those memories of a new town. There are also a lot of taxi companies in Lowestoft, and can be used for a short trip to town from your hotel. Just call the number on the taxi HQ and you get a taxi within minutes.

Do
Lowestoft has one of the finest sandy beaches in the East of England and is a regular winner of the 'Blue Flag' award, the beach being easily accessible along the coast of the town.

As well as being a gateway to the Norfolk Broads (via Nicholas Everitt's park in Oulton Broad) Lowestoft also has several well-kept areas of park land catering for all needs, Sparrows Nest for relaxing, Everitt's park for boating (including powerboat racing) and walking, Normanston Park is very good for football and tennis and Kensington Gardens has tennis courts, a boating lake and a bowls green.

 * First Light Festival is held on the beach for 24 hours midsummer.
 * First Light Festival is held on the beach for 24 hours midsummer.
 * First Light Festival is held on the beach for 24 hours midsummer.
 * First Light Festival is held on the beach for 24 hours midsummer.

Buy
Lowestoft town centre has been renovated with some shops closing, but at the same time new ones have opened to take their place. You will find the usual shops such as Marks & Spencer, Argos, Boots, WH Smith, Game, New Look, Wilkinsons, Peacocks, Greenwoods etc., as well as its fair share of mobile phone shops. There are also two department stores and a quality electrical retailer. There are a number of small shops in a small shopping precinct, which is adjacent to the bus station, and is situated on the west side of London Road North alongside the WH Smith shop. This also houses a small market which is open 5 days a week (Tuesday to Saturday), and an Iceland food store. The main Post Office is at the southern end of the pedestrianised London Road North — the main shopping thoroughfare on the north side of the river which splits the town in half — and about 75 m north of the railway station. At the north end of London Road North is the High Street which has many small independent shops.

South of the river, over the Bascule Bridge, is London Road South which comprises mostly smaller independent 'local' shops which serve the Kirkley area of the town. This part of town was also renovated within the past ten years to make it more pedestrian-friendly although it is not a pedestrianised area. Also south of the river and alongside the quay, about 400 metres from the Bascule Bridge, is an ASDA supermarket.

Eat
Lowestoft lacks notable restaurants. The town centre provides the expected fast food chains including McDonald's, KFC and Subway, but no Burger King. There are also numerous Kebab and Asian cuisine outlets, which range in quality.

Pub food is also readily available but again varies in quality.

Drink
The Lowestoft town centre is fairly run down and that includes the pubs and bars. Your best bet is to head down to Oulton Broad which is a five-minute taxi ride away or catch the train there. Oulton Broad has really become the main place for bars and pubs in Lowestoft with many modern bars such as Winelodge, Broadview and Bridges open, the place is usually heaving during the weekend and can be busy in the week. There is also a new nightclub called Escape by Winelodge.

If you do choose to stay in Lowestoft your best bet is the pubs by the bridge with The Harbour, Notley, Iconic and Winelodge all close to each other although these tend to be very quiet during the week and only tend to get busy on Fridays and Saturdays and even then they can be quiet.

Sleep
The seafront areas of Lowestoft are packed with BnB's and contains two large hotels. Booking is recommended during the school holidays especially during the air festival and the prices tend to range from £25-£90 per night. The surrounding area contains plenty of campsites with varying levels of facilities.

Connect
Lowestoft and its approach highways have 4G from all UK carriers. As of May 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Great Yarmouth within a simple bus journey from the town.
 * Norwich
 * Ipswich
 * Beccles and Bungay
 * Southwold the quintessential town with its award winning pier

title: Lowestoft


text:
Loyalty Islands

The Loyalty Islands are in New Caledonia.

Islands

 * Ouvéa
 * Lifou — the most populous of the islands.
 * Maré
 * Tiga
 * Mouli
 * Faiava

Get in
There are regular flights to the Loyalty Islands from Nouméa.

See
The islands' beautiful water is prime for snorkeling and swimming. Jinek Bay, a natural marine reserve, along with Jokin Bay on the northern shore of Lifou are stunning in their coral and marine life including sea turtles.

title: Loyalty Islands


text:
Lozère

Lozère is a department in Occitanie, France.

Other destinations

 * The Cevennes National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site with beautiful landscapes and scenery.
 * The commune of Sainte-Enimie in the Gorges du Tarn, called one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France".
 * , the highest mountain in the region at 1,699m.

Understand
Lozère is mainly used for farming, with tourism as another economic activity in the area. The region has one of the lowest rates of unemployment in France, which may be attributed to the enforced long-standing tradition whereby young people emigrate to cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier when they reach working age.

The geography of Lozère is complicated, covering four mountain ranges. In the north-west, the basalt plateau of Aubrac rises between 1,000 and 1,450 m (3,280 and 4,760 ft), with a cold humid climate influenced by the Atlantic. The north and north-east of the department contains the Margeride mountains, which are formed of granite, and have peaks between 1,000 and 1,550 m (3,280 and 5,090 ft). The climate here is also cold, but drier than in Aubrac, with less snow.

Talk
As this region is in France, French is spoken; so learning a few words at least would be useful.

By plane
There aren't any airports in Lozère itself. But some nearby airports are:
 * Montpellier Airport - serves London Gatwick, London Luton, Copenhagen, Rome–Fiumicino, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly.
 * Rodez Airport - serves London Stansted and Paris Orly.
 * Le Puy Airport - serves Paris Orly.

By train
The nearest TGV train stations are at Lyon or Montpellier. Trains from Paris to Mende change once; from Paris-Gare de Lyon, you change at Nimes and the journey takes roughly 7 and a quarter hours. From Paris Bercy, you change at Clermond Ferrand and it takes about 6 hours and 40 minutes.

By car

 * From Paris, take the A71, then the A75 which roughly takes 5 hours.
 * From Toulouse, head north east along the N88 (Route Nationale) towards Lyon, taking roughly 3 hours.
 * From Marseille, head north west towards Nimes, then take the N106 northbound, this takes about 3 hours.
 * From Turin, head west towards the French border, then take the E70 towards Lyon then the N88 south west towards Mende.

By foot
Using the GR footpath system (Grande Randonée in French, a set of long distance footpaths in Europe):
 * The GR65 (Chemin de Saint-Jacques) from Geneva in Switzerland to Roncevalles in Spain, it passes through Nasbinals in Lozère.
 * The GR44 (Des gorges de l’Ardèche à la Margeride) from Champerboux in Sainte-Enimie to Les Vans.
 * The GR700 (Chemin de Régordane) from Le Puy en Velay to St Gilles du Gard.

See

 * Cévennes National Park

Do

 * Caving
 * Skiing
 * Kayaking
 * Trout fishing

Eat

 * The area is praised for its cheese (eat when fresh)

Go next

 * Head south east to the French Riviera for the glitz and glamour in the summer months.
 * Go south and visit the rest of Languedoc-Roussillon, including Montpellier and Carcassonne.
 * Head north towards the centre of France and visit Clermont-Ferrand or Vichy.

title: Lozère


text:
Luanco

The fishing village of Luanco is a coastal town, with a beach, in Asturias province in northern Spain. It has an interesting historic centre, and beautiful beaches washed by the Bay of Biscay. It is well worth having a stroll around this village, whose origins go back to medieval times. It has many palace buildings, mostly from the 18th century, as well as some Modernist constructions.

Understand
Luanco thrives in the summertime, as many of the people who own real estate are from Madrid and come to Luanco to live in the summer. This is when the town really comes alive.

You should also visit the fishing harbour and the promenade, an ideal spot for a drink at one of the local bars. Luanco is the tuna capital of Asturias. Gastronomic events focusing on this fish have been held here since 1984.

Get in
Luanco is serviced by ALSA's bus system. Buses run daily from the three biggest cities: Oviedo, Gijon, and Aviles.

Get around
Luanco is a very small town, so walking should not be a problem.

Do

 * Beach Tennis Championship

Drink
Asturias is very well known for its cider (sidra). Be sure to stop in and have a bottle at a local sidreria. You should plan on having the bartender serve it to you, as it is elaborately poured out of the bottle from above the head and into the cup below.

There are numerous cafes along the small harbour. If you are familiar with pouring the sidra, feel free to take your bottle and glass outside after you have purchased it (just remember to bring it back when you are finished).

Go next

 * Bañugues is only a few kilometres around the coast.

title: Luanco


text:
Luanda

Luanda, the capital of Angola, is on the Atlantic coast. Its current renaissance is an inspiring success story. Decades of conflict, which only ended in 2002, had long held Angola back. Since the start of the 21st century there has been a massive boom in construction in Luanda, where peace and stability have attracted numerous foreign companies to invest in offices in the city. The government of Angola, getting rich off revenue from oil, diamond and other natural resources, is also investing heavily in and around Luanda, including large social housing high-rise blocks of flats to replace slums and existing dilapidated (and often bullet-ridden) tower blocks; extensive repaving; the construction of several six-lane highways leading out of the city; the reconstruction of railway lines leading out of the city; and a large new airport on the south side is under construction, and following various delays is scheduled to open in 2023.

History
Luanda was founded in 1575 under the name São Paulo de Loanda by a hundred families of settlers and four hundred soldiers. Two forts were constructed in the early 17th century and the city became Portuguese Angola's administrative centre in 1627. From the late 16th century until 1836, Luanda was the port where nearly all slaves bound for Brazil left. Aside from a brief period of Dutch rule (1640–48), this period was relatively uneventful, with Luanda growing much like many other colonial cities, albeit with a strong Brazilian influence as a result of the extensive shipping trade between these Portuguese colonies. The independence of Brazil in 1822 and the end of slavery in 1836 left Luanda's future looking bleak, but the opening of the city's port to foreign ships in 1844 led to a great economic boom. By 1850, the city was arguably the most developed and one of the greatest cities in the Portuguese empire outside Portugal itself and fuelled by trade in palm and peanut oil, wax, copra, timber, ivory, cotton, coffee, and cocoa. After slavery officially ended (resisted by the Portuguese but enforced by the British) forced labour began. Numerous imported crops grew well in the surrounding area to support residents, such as maize, tobacco, and cassava. In 1889, an aqueduct opened, supplying fresh water and removing the only inhibitor to growth in the city. The city blossomed even during the Portuguese Colonial War (1961–74), which did not affect the city, and this modern city was even labelled the "Paris of Africa" in 1972.

After so much success, the city took a turn for the worse in the mid-1970s. While largely untouched during the Carnation Revolution (Angolan independence), the start of the Angolan Civil War in 1975 scared almost all Angola's population of Portuguese descent out of the country as refugees (including the majority of Luanda's population). This led to an immediate crisis as Angola's African population knew little about how to run or maintain the city. They were helped a little by skilled Cuban soldiers who were able to help the MPLA government maintain some of the city's basic services, but hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled fighting in the countryside created slums stretching for miles on all sides of the city. The city saw some sporadic fighting during the Civil War which left bullet holes in many high-rises and government buildings. When peace was achieved in 2002, the government began planning to rebuild using oil revenues. Today Luanda's skyline is dotted with cranes, erecting numerous social housing apartments to replace slums and existing, but grossly dilapidated, 40-plus-year-old high-rises as well as offices for numerous foreign companies operating in Angola. Just south of Luanda in an area aptly called Luanda Sul, Western-standard housing, many compound-style, is being built for the growing expat community. Major improvements are being made to roads, highways, and the rail system in and around the city but there is yet an overwhelming amount of work to be done. And while certainly still home to a large impoverished population (59%), free housing and the creation of thousands of new jobs each year means that Luanda may have a bright future ahead.

Climate
The climate is largely influence by the offshore Benguela current. The current gives the city a surprisingly low humidity despite its low latitude, which makes the warmer months considerably more bearable than similar cities in Western/Central Africa. The city receives an average of 405mm (15.9 in) of rain a year, mostly in heavy amounts in March and April and in lighter amounts from November through February. However, this is quite variable depending on the strength of the current and the coefficient of variation is 40% (there can be a sixfold difference between rain received in the driest of years and wettest of years). The temperatures are fairly stable year-round, with the mildest months being between May (29° max/23° min) and October and the warmest months being November (31° max/25° min) and April.

Orientation
Luanda is divided into ten municipalities: Ingombota, Maianga, Sambizanga (centre), Samba, Rangel, Cazenga, (middle ring), Cacuaco, Viana, Kilamba Kiaxi, and the newly created municipality of Belas (periphery).

In the centre (Ingombotas and Maianga) the oldest colonial town is divided in Baixa de Luanda (lower Luanda, from the port to the fortress), Cidade Alta (upper city, where the presidential palace is), and Ilha do Cabo (a peninsula surrounding the bay, with beaches and expensive night-clubs, bars and restaurants). Behind and above the historic centre, central bairros include Maianga and Alvalade (residential) and Miramar (embassies), as well as Kinaxixe and Maculusso, which are characterised by Portuguese apartment blocks. Further outside the centre, the neighbourhoods become more informal (self-construction), dotted with 1970s Cuban apartment blocks and new developments. In the South, luxury gated communities (condominiums) predominate.

By plane

Despite the city's very low tourist numbers, it has a surprisingly large number of international connections, which largely service Angolans living abroad (such as in Brazil) and the growing number of firms servicing the oil and diamond industries as well as reconstruction (done largely by Chinese workers and Brazilian firms). A couple of carriers still operate routes based on Cold War alliances (to Havana and Moscow).

The city is the hub of national carrier TAAG Angola Airlines, one of just three profitable airlines in Sub-Saharan Africa, which offers flights to 15 Angolan cities. They offer flights to many cities in West-Central/Southern Africa including daily flights to Johannesburg as well as Douala, Cameroon; Sal, Cape Verde; Bangui, CAR; Kinshasa, DRC; Brazzaville & Pointe Noire in the Congo; Windhoek, Namibia; Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe; Lusaka, Zambia; Harare, Zimbabwe. Their long-haul offerings include: Dubai, Beijing (via Dubai), Lisbon, Paris, and trans-Atlantic flights to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Salvador de Bahia in Brazil.

International service includes flights to/from: Dubai (Emirates), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), London-Heathrow (BA), Paris-de Gaulle (Air France), Brussels (Brussels Airlines), Havana (Cubana, seasonal), Moscow (Aeroflot), Beijing (Hainan, via Dubai), Addis Ababa (Ethiopian), Lisbon (TAP Portugal).

When leaving the country do not take any kwanza to the airport as it is illegal to try to take kwanza out of the country; you may be stopped by the fiscal police and receive a heavy fine (all your kwanza taken and most of your other money) or imprisoned.

By train
Rail services in Angola have seen a dramatic improvement over the last few years. Reconstruction and modernization are carried out by Chinese firms, rehabilitating what was once one of the most extensive rail network in Africa during under colonial rule. However, trains are of limited use for the tourist as they mainly serve commuters. An exception is the long distance services from Malanje. Notice that rail services still have a reputation of not being fully safe.

By car
The main road for tourists will be the coastal highway leading north to the DR Congo and south to Namibia. It is very scenic and in reasonably good repair. Roads are one of the top priorities in reconstruction efforts, including a handful of six-lane highways leading out of the city. Expect a mix of okay pavement on old highways and a smooth ride on new roads.

By bus
The National Bus Service has just re-opened but routes are not organized yet. There are some local services in Luanda and in between cities.

By boat
In 2018 a new ferry started on the Luanda to Cabinda, which is useful to avoid a transit through the DR Congo. It is operated by TMA Express.

By taxi
A popular means for locals to get around the city is by mini bus taxis (Candongueiros), easily identifiable by their pale blue and white. Although they are considered dangerous by most expats, locals use them on a daily basis. During the daytime, until around 20:00, they are a safe, convenient, and usually fast means of transport in the inner-city. Fares are 200 Kz per trip, except in rain or heavy traffic, when fares are doubled.

Consider to use the Macon Taxi a private taxi company (20-30 USD per trip).

Eco Tur also do 4x4 and minibus hire and airport transfers with bilingual drivers (paul@eco-tur.com) +244 912 501 387

B Home will provide airport pick ups and are available for hire (drivers) +244 222 264 423 B Home has offices in Luanda, and in the US. +1-281-444-5988 (Houston Office).

Afri-taxi had 150 vehicles in Luanda and a rank at the airport.

By car
The roads in Luanda are generally of okay standard, as is the case on the main routes between cities, but elsewhere road quality greatly decreases. Don't be surprised if you encounter unexpected problems during the rainy season. In Luanda main streets are paved, but streets in the slums are in disrepair, and most roads have no lines or signals. As mentioned before, there are improvements being made throughout the city. Congestion is a major problem with lack of public transport and the plethora of minibus taxis.

By train
A commuter rail service is expected to open during the first half of 2021. While useful for reaching the suburbs, it will not be too useful for the average tourist.

Work
Jobs are mainly available in the oil sector, but also in the increasing number of international Angola based companies which are investing in Angola now that peace and stability are offering great development prospects for the country.

Buy

Eat
The majority of restaurants are on The Marginal or on Ilha de Luanda, where Luanda's elite go to dine and have fun. Be careful: when eating out, do not drink the tap water.

The Belas Shopping mall has a food court with a variety of options from local foods to pizza and burgers.

Drink
Luanda is highly influenced by Portuguese culture. Portuguese beer is widely consumed, although Heineken and Carlsberg make an appearance. Super Bock, Sagres and Cristal (most popular) are popular beers from Portugal. Local beers such as Nocal, Cuca (the most popular, especially the excellent draught version, or "fino" in Portuguese) and Eka. Try Portugalia (Portuguese Beer House) at the beginning of the Ilha, or either of the two boat clubs just on the Ilha for a nice sundowner (Clube Nautico and Clube Naval).

Also, there are some excellent Portuguese wines widely available.

Stay safe
Safety in Luanda is average for safety among African cities. Don't venture into the slums. Don't go out at night alone. Keep your car doors locked at all times. Violent crime has been on the rise, but it is mostly in the slums. The colonial part of the city is safe from violent crime; but like most African cities, pickpocketing or muggings are a fact of life. You will greatly reduce your chances of such if you stay low key: no fancy clothes or car, use a money belt, etc. The city is an expensive place to live and Angolans have realized that most expats in the city are high-salaried employees from large corporations, so you should especially avoid business attire.

Do not give beggars money; if you do, you will soon have a lot of them surrounding you.

This is Central Africa: many police in Luanda are very corrupt. Check for their identity number (should be located on an arm band near the shoulder) and you may present charges against any abuse. As a visitor, it's important to carry an authorised photocopy of your passport at all times. Otherwise, you will get an on the spot fine or worse, courtesy of the police. Do not carry your original; the police may ask for it and keep it until you pay a "fine".

Embassies and consulates

 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇸 Serbia
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇮🇱 Israel

Go next
Go a bit south of Luanda and you will find the outstanding Parque Nacional Da Kissama (also spelled Quiçama in Portuguese), home to elephants, antelope, exotic birdlife, ostriches, zebras, wildebeest, and giraffes, which are still thriving in great numbers but because tourism is just beginning to start in Angola, it still has a bit of a wild side to it. It is also very beautiful with spectacular views.

title: Luanda


text:
Luang Namtha

Luang Namtha (ຫຼວງນໍ້າທາ, ຫລວງນໍ້າທາ Louangnamtha, Luang Nam Tha) is the largest city in Luang Nam Tha Province, Northern Laos. It lies on the banks of the Nam Tha River, and the meaning of the name is "The area (luang) around the Tha River (nam Tha)".

Understand
Best known as a stopover point on the backpacker trail from China to Laos, and as an alternative to the long and cramped boat journey between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha has become increasingly popular as a starting point for hill tribe treks, especially those into the Luang Namtha National Protected Area (NPA).

While short on jaw-dropping sights, it's a compact and fairly pleasant little town, albeit one divided in two parts: the "old" or original town near the airport (bombed out by the US in the 1970s), and the "new" or replacement town to the north where the trekking companies, banks, government offices and most guesthouses can be found. The two are about 6 km apart. The "old" town, now considered as a village within the district, sits astride Hwy 3, the modern route from China to Thailand. The "new" and de facto town is on Hwy 17A, which serves to connect Muang Sing, 7 km away from the Hwy 3 and the bus station.

By plane
Shared tuk-tuks wait outside for arriving flights and will take you to anywhere in town for 10,000 (more often, 20,000) kip.

By train
A high speed standard gauge train runs each morning from Vientiane via Phonhong, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and Muang Xay, taking 3 hours to Luang Namtha and continuing to Boten on the border with China, returning south shortly after midday. Because of Covid, as of Dec 2021 no trains cross the border: the nearby road crossing remains open but there are onerous restrictions on travellers, especially non-citizens. The high speed line continues north to Kunming but the Chinese timetable has not been published. A later train plies between Vientiane and Luang Prabang but doesn't go further north.

By bus
The bus station for destinations inside the province is on the main road west of the main guesthouse strip. The old bus station across from the market has now been demolished to make way for a luxury hotel, and the main bus station for destinations further afield is now an inconvenient 10 km out of town. A tuk-tuk should cost about 10,000 kip per person or 20,000 kip if you're alone.

Buses for Huay Xai, on the Mekong River at the Thai border, leave at 09:00 and 12:30 and cost 55,000 kip. Tickets can be bought from 07:30, and the journey takes only four hours due to improved road conditions, and you can therefore make it into Thailand on the same day. If you want to be assured of a seat, tickets can be bought in town the day before at the travel agent across from Green Discovery Treks for 75,000 kip including tuk-tuk to the bus station. Like all bus travel in Laos, tickets bought at the bus station always have priority as for seating. The tuk-tuk leaves the travel agent at 08:00. Alternatively, you can hire a minibus and ride comfortably Luang Namtha in 3–4 hours for 120,000 kip/person.

Trips to Luang Prabang take 8–12 hours, depending on road conditions, and costs 100,000 kip (leaves at 09:00) (in town, sold for 130,000 kip), 130,000 kip for minivan (11 seater) (leaves at around 08:30 or when everyone gets on board) and 110,000 kip for the (supposedly faster) VIP bus (22 seat version) (if running, at both 09:00 and 14:30) (in town, sold for 140,000 kip). While the 10,000 kip fare from the new bus station to the main town centre appears non-negotiable, the fare from the town centre to the new bus station can be negotiated for multiple passengers. The bus station booking office (at the new bus station) sells tickets in the afternoon for the following day. In Laos, it is wise to pre-purchase tickets to be more sure of a seat.

The roads from Luang Namtha to Luang Prabang are in poor to fair shape with numerous potholes along the way. The bus stops at the Oudomxay bus station for lunch. Most bus drivers stop every couple of hours to check brakes, etc. At these times passengers can find a bush for bladder relief. The journey is not for the faint-hearted during the rainy season with the bus squeezing and weaving across roads collapsed due to the landslides. In parts, the scenery is fantastic. Like all buses in Laos, the earlier you arrive, the better choice of seat (try for at least 1 hour before). The alternative is sitting on a plastic stool in the aisle for hours on end, or not being let on. While the Lao accept a bag on a seat as taken, the Chinese do not!

Sometimes they board Luang Prabang passengers on the bus leaving for Vientiane which leaves at 08:30, so its better to go early to the bus station to see which one will it be.

Buses for Vientiane cost 180,000 kip and leave daily at 08:30.

Buses for Bokeo cost 60,000 kip and leave at 09:00 and 12:30.

Buses from Muang Xay (Oudomxay) cost 40,000 kip, take about four hours, and leave daily at 08:30, 12:00, and 14:30.

Buses from Muang Sing leave at 08:00, 09:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:30, cost 80.000 Kip and take 1–2 hr.

From China

From Jing Hong there is one maxi-bus (comfortable though not a coach) daily (10:40) from the north bus station, stopping en route at the south bus station at 11:00 (choose which is closer to your hotel and buy a ticket a day before, as it usually sells out),¥77. Stops for lunch in Mengla, where one can change yuan to kip (rates are negotiable and are fairly competitive, though check notes as they often pass 1,000 kip for 10,000 kip as they have similar colour). Border crossing requires carrying your baggage into Chinese Customs Hall for scanning. The same bus awaits on the other side of the hall. After ~100 m further driving there is the Lao Visa on Arrival window. After Laos passport control, there are money changers (good rates for selling yuan). Arrival around 17:40 in downtown Luang Namtha. There are 2 BCEL ATMS and 1 LDB ATM in Luang Namtha.

Mengla (China) via Boten it will cost you about ¥46 for a bus to Luang Namtha. The first bus leaves Mengla north bus station at 09:00 and there is another one at 14:30 (Jun 2011). The trip takes 4–5 hours, depending mostly on the length of the border crossing.

Laos visas are available on arrival at the border (US$32 or 320,000 kip or ¥300 for EU/Australian; US$37 for UK citizens; US$44 for Canadians; US$33 for Germans; US$37 for Greeks; free for 15 days for Japanese). Note the poor rate for payment in kip or yuan. Paying in US$ is cheaper.

If going to China, you must arrange your visa in advance (nearest embassy/consulate is in Vientiane or Chiang Mai; as of 2015, there is also a Chinese consulate in Luang Namtha). Agents in Luang Namtha can securely send your passport to the embassy in Vientiane with a turnaround of 3 days for around US$60, perfect if you're going trekking in the meantime. The daily bus leaves around 08:00, costs 60,000 kip to Mengla and 90,000 kip to Jing Hong, you'll want to exchange or use up all your kip before you head off, as exchange rates at the border are variable, and the kip is useless outside Laos.

(In Chinese, especially at the bus station, Luang Namtha may be called "Nan Ta".)

By boat
It was possible to take a boat along the river, all the way from Huay Xai, but there is no scheduled service any more. From Luang Namtha, Boat Landing Guest House/Green Discovery can try to arrange charter boats, at an estimated (but highly variable) price of US$170–400 for a boat that can handle 4-10 passengers. The trip takes two days and requires overnighting in a village along the day (included, but take some backup food if the village dinner is not to your standard).

In the dry season after Nov, the northern parts of the river (towards Luang Namtha) may not be navigable and dams (2015) are being built on the way to Nalae, making this option unavailable in the future.

Get around
Luang Namtha town refers since 2015 to the new town and can be easily covered on foot, but you'll want to hop on a tuk-tuk (10,000 kip) for going to the airport, the bus station, or the pier at the Boat Landing guest house.

You can get a good map of the city at KNT Internet for 3,000 kip and some guesthouses will have a copy of it for free for guests.

You can rent really good mountain bikes at a shop along the main road for 15,000 kip per day or 3,000 kip per hour.

Small semi-auto motorbikes (e.g., Honda Dream copies) are now readily available (especially across from the night market or at Zuela Guesthouse) and should cost about 30,000-50,000 kip per day including helmets and a free map. With a motorbike, you can travel around to visit the many villages around and in Luang Namtha and also see the scenic countryside (e.g., closer to Muang Nalae, Vieng Phouka, or Muang Sing).

Trekking
There are several companies offering trekking to the hill tribes in the area as well as nearby Nam Ha Protected Area. At least half a dozen trek agencies are along the main road within a block of the night market. They all offer roughly the same treks: varying numbers of days, visits to different villages, waterfalls, jungle, kayaking, biking, etc. The more people on any given trek, the lower the price. They'll each post out front if they have people signed up for a specific trek, to encourage others to join and lower the price.

Shop around on price though, in addition to the number of people on a trek, the different agencies have different prices for comparable treks. Check where the money goes, whether it is being distributed equitably to local guides, villages, etc. The other differentiating factor seems to be equipment. Some have newer equipment in better shape. For example, some offer sleeping pads in addition to sleeping bags, whereas others just have old sleeping bags that have seen better days.

Haggling is common in Laos so always politely negotiate the price. Some advertised prices are inflated twice. Insist on paying in kip (and not in dollars) as that will give you a better understanding on how the price compares with the costs of the local products and services.

The mountainous jungle scenery in the area is a major attraction. If you are seeking to trek through this type of vegetation, make plain your preference as many treks take hikers generally through the rural landscapes of farmland and rice paddy.

Other
You can also take a tuk-tuk or bicycle and just go independently to some of the villages which are next to the roads and not in the jungle. A mountain-bike rental from a good shop will provide you with a not-to-scale map over villages and a nice waterfall. The surroundings are really pretty to cycle about in.

The quality of bicycling on the road from Luang Namtha to the Chinese border is excellent. The road is completely sealed with little or no traffic along the way. The route from Luang Namtha to Boten round trip is approximately 120 km long and passes through Laotian hill country and rice fields. The grades range from flat to moderate with one 2-km, 10%-grade stretch. Welcomes along the way are great.

With a motorbike, you can travel around to see the beautiful countryside and visit the villages in and around Luang Namtha (e.g., closer to Muang Nalae, Vieng Phouka or Muang Sing). The road to Muang Sing takes about 2 hours and makes for a beautiful journey.

Then there a number of waterfalls to be seen. Close by Namtha town is the Nam Dee waterfall and near Muang Sing is the Gneung Phou Ku Lom waterfall.

There are several herbal saunas in Luang Namtha, the most popular being the one next to the Panda Restaurant, down the lane from the Lao Airlines office. It's a very simple rickety shack, but easy to spot (look for the stove) and equipped with separate male/female saunas, a changing room and lockers. The tourist price is 50,000 kip, with optional massages for 100,000 kip (price December 2023). The newest massage and sauna is down the driveway of Minority Restaurant, the standard is slightly higher than some others.

Last but not least, if you liked what you saw, leave a compliment at the People's Complaint Box in front of city hall!

Buy
Money: There are two banks and one post office offering change for cash and travellers' cheques, all in the main street the bank next to the tourism office change travellers for 3% commission (minimum of US$3). Banque pour le Commerce Exterieur Laos (BCEL) has an ATM, but all-too-often, patrons complain of non-delivery of the cash. BCEL ATMs have a 20,000 kip ATM service charge (which is one of the lowest in the country) and low transaction limit (1,500,000 kip).

The biggest supermarket of Luang Namtha offering everything from food over laundry detergent to digital SLR cameras is hidden in the second street parallel to the main street west of the nightmarket.

There are three sisters of the Akha tribe who travel from Muang Sing every day to sell their crafts and agricultural products (opium and ganja) to falang. They are difficult to get rid of, and may follow you around town. Enjoy a bilingual conversation with them, it's great fun.

Eat

Eating options in Luang Namtha are decent, but pretty much all restaurants serve the same menu of Lao, Thai, and ersatz Western dishes at the same prices.

The night market is a good choice if you want to try something new after being on pad Thai and sticky rice for a while. Lao market traders are learning that Westerners readily buy their prepared meals, and so there is an option to supplement household income (when the rice paddy isn't otherwise consuming their time). The range on offer runs from soups, laab, BBQ chicken, beer, good Lao coffee, and various fruits. During daytime, the good Lao food is always on offer at the normal daytime market (opposite songthaew bus station). Fried banana with coconut, 1,000 kip; corn on the cob, 500 kip; fruit shake, 5,000 kip; noodle soup, 5,000 kip; ready-made dishes, 5,000 kip

Drink
Luang Nam Tha is not a party town. Places must close by 23:00, but it's easy to find a cold Beerlao.

Connect
There are a few Internet cafes along the main guesthouse strip charging 200 kip per minute. Internet speeds vary. Many guesthouses and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi.

Go next
There is a bus station about 10 km south of the city centre It is readily accessible by tuk-tuk and should cost about 100,000 kip/person. Bus tickets can be bought at the bus station. If you buy tickets at a travel agency, they will charge about 10,000 kip commission/person and 20,000 kip/person for the tuk-tuk. The tuk-tuk driver will buy the bus tickets for you when you reach the bus station. It is far cheaper to buy the tickets at the bus station yourself, and barely any harder. There is a small guest house and travel snacks at the bus station.

 * Boten border with China, buses 08:00, 09:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30, 25,000 kip, 1 hour.
 * Dien Bien Phu (Vietnam): 07:30 130,000 kip.
 * Huay Xai, for the Thai border and Mekong cruises down to Luang Prabang. 75,000 kip including tuk-tuk to the bus station. 3 buses a day: 08:30, 12:00, 14:30, 130,000 kip. Marked as "Bokeo" at the bus station. With the morning bus, you'll end up at Huay Xai bus station around 13:00, with plenty of time for onward travel in (and, likely, a few fellow travelers going to) Thailand. if that's your purpose - it even may be possible to reach Chiang Mai (465 km total distance) on the same day using public transportation, although a stopover at Huay Xai, Chiang Khong across the border, and/or Chiang Rai is highly recommended. Using public transport/tuk tuk is easy and will be ~155,000 kip compared to 250,000 kip via Luang Namtha travel agents.
 * Jinghong, (Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China): There is a daily bus Jinghong (through Mengla) leaving at 08:00 from the 10 km south bus station, 90,000 kip.
 * Luang Prabang, One bus daily leaving Luang Namtha at 09:00 (72,000 kip).
 * Mengla, first Chinese city after crossing into China's province of Yunnan. 08:00, 50,000 kip.
 * Muang Sing, from the bus station in the town proper.
 * Muang Xay (Udomxai). 08:30, 12:00, 14:30, 40,000 kip.
 * Nong Khiaw, there is a 09:00 bus to Nong Khiaw; the price on the board is stated as 100,000 kip, as well as the price paid in the opposite direction (7-8 people). In case this service isn't available, catch the 09:00 bus to Luang Prabang and get off at Pak Mong bus station. From there (32 km to Nong Khiaw), you'll need to take a tuk-tuk. They charge a minimum of 120,000, so the price varies by the number of people. There seems to be a scheduled songthaew/tuk-tuk few times a day as well, they charge flat 25,000 kip/person, but you may have to wait for a few hours if you're unlucky.

title: Luang Namtha


text:
Luang Prabang

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Luang Prabang (Lao: ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ, pronounced Loo-ang pah-bang and also spelled Louangphrabang, is the former capital of Laos and a UNESCO World Heritage city.

Understand
Set at the confluence of two rivers that almost surround the town, and beneath a temple-topped hill, Luang Prabang is a wonderful patchwork of traditional Lao wooden houses and hints of European architecture, reminders of when Laos was part of the French colony of Indochina. Golden-roofed wats (temples), decorated with mosaics and murals of the life of Buddha, sit under the gaze of wrap-around teak balconies and 19th-century shuttered windows. All of this is set against a backdrop of verdant greenery and rugged mountains.

Luang Prabang is a relatively small city with an atmospheric and charming personality. With UNESCO so closely involved and a largely responsible group of local business owners, the pressures of mass tourism have been held at bay, but for how much longer remains to be seen. Restaurants in the main street cater for luxury tourists. More typical Lao venues can still be found along the Mekong.

History
Luang Prabang rose to prominence as the capital of the first Lao kingdom (Lan Xang, land of the million elephants) from 1353. 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 1500s.

The fragmentation of the Lao kingdom at the end of the 16th century left Luang Prabang a militarily weak independent city state paying tribute to surrounding kingdoms. The 1887 sacking of the city by the 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 traditional Lao architecture.

The city fell into decline in the latter half of the 20th century following the reluctant withdrawal of the French, and the 1975 revolution which brought an end to the Luang Prabang monarchy. The relative poverty of newly independent Laos perhaps helped save Luang Prabang from the ravages of 20th-century city planning.

The reopening of Laos to tourism in 1989 resulted in a remarkable turnaround in the city's fortunes, as crumbling timber houses and colonial mansions were sensitively restored and transformed into immaculate guesthouses and boutique hotels. In 1995 the city was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

By plane

Visa-on-Arrival is available at the airport, costing US$40 (as of 2022) for most eligible countries, and $20 for citizens of China or Vietnam, plus an extra $1 service fee. You need a passport photo to obtain a visa. If you don't have one, they'll scan your picture from your passport and charge you an additional US dollar.

ASEAN nationals do not need a visa to enter Laos for stays not exceeding 30 days.

Visa extensions are possible at the immigration office opposite the Rama Hotel. The cost is US$2/day plus a US$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.

A tuk-tuk costs 80-100,000 kip (Mar 2020). There is a taxi counter at the exit of the arrival hall. Taxis are a flat rate of 80,000 kip for 1–2 people (as of Dec 2022). If you're traveling light, a walk from the airport to the town center takes about 1 hour.

There are four ATMs just outside the arrival hall.

By train

Five high-speed, standard-gauge trains run daily from Vientiane via Phonhong and Vang Vieng, taking two hours to Luang Prabang. Three or four continue north to Muang Xay, Luang Namtha and Boten on the border with China. Another train crosses, allowing four hours for border formalities at Boten / Mo Han, then onward to Kunming South Station for high-speed connections across China. The southbound train leaves Kunming at 08:00 to reach Luang Prabang by 15:50 and Vientiane for 17:40.

Train is by far the fastest, most comfortable way to reach Luang Prabang, the problem has been short booking horizons and sold-out trains. See Laos for the latest and consider booking through a travel agent.

is 12 km east of the old city. A seat on a shared minibus costs a fixed 40,00 kip ($2, January 2024). You find the minibuses once you leave the train station and go down the stairs. There's a tent where you can buy the tickets for the minibus. To get to the station from the city center, have your guesthouse or hostel call the minivan for you (do not follow the timetable from the van stop). The railway station is huge and clean. As of January 2024, there are toilets, Cafe Amazon and a small shop to buy drinks and snacks, as well as two ATMs outside the station entrance (to your left.)

By bus
There are two bus stations: Naluang International Bus Station on the main road 2.6 km south west of the town; Northern Bus Station near the airport 3.3 km from the town. Tuk tuk should cost no more than 50,000 kip from town to either.

Tickets booked at travel agent or hotels may cost as much as 100,000 kip above the bus terminal/stations ticket counter price, with little added real added value. Essentially the agent arranges a tuk tuk to take you from your hotel to the bus terminal, at which point they buy a minibus ticket for you. For this 'convenience' the tuk tuk usually collects you one hour prior to the scheduled minibus departure, which can then delayed. Tuk tuk should cost no more than 50,000 kip from anywhere in the town to any bus station.

Book tickets in advance, particularly for VIP buses as they have reserved seats. You don't want to end up sitting next to the toilet.

 * Chiang Mai - this bus direct to Chiang Mai costs 1,500 baht one-way. Total journey time is 18 hours. The bus will use the new Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge from Huay Xai to Chiang Kong.
 * Vang Vieng - the air conditioned VIP bus costs approximately 150,000 kip, the same price as the Vientiane bus. Minibuses leave from Vang Vieng at 09:00 and cost 100,000 kip. The minibus station is just north of the city. The trip takes 6–7 hours (not the 5 that travel agents advertise). Rte 13, along which the bus travels, passes through the mountains and twists and turns uncomfortably for most of the journey. This is not a trip to make on a full stomach or if you are feeling queasy.
 * Vientiane - air-con VIP with reclining seats costs 150,000 kip while an air-con VIP sleeper bus costs 165,000 kip if booked through an agent. Express buses (no air-con) bought at the station are 110,000 kip. Tickets purchased in Vientiane to Luang Prabang are more expensive than those purchased in Luang Prabang. A 12-hr trip, not 9 hr as they claim, a total of 13 hours including the 1-hr meal time.

 * The bus follows Rte 13 south, which has been upgraded and is now pretty comfortable. Comparing pluses and minuses for VIP sleeper/VIP seats to Express for night trips, not much difference. If taking the trip at night, there is no need for air-con. Those prone to motion sickness should know that this trip travels a winding, mountainous road.

 * For seats-only buses, there is no toilet and you should relieve yourself before departing because the stopover at the restaurant is 4 hours away, and the last is at the destination station. Check though, because not all tour companies offer free pick-up from a passenger's residence in the quoted price.

 * Muang Xay - takes about 5 hours. Costs 40,000 kip and points onward, such as Luang Namtha, are travelled by public minibus only. Big backpacks are carried on the roof. Reservations are usually not necessary. Go early in order to secure a good seat.
 * Luang Namtha - takes 8–9 hours and costs 90,000 kip. Parts of the road leading from Oudomxay (intermediate stop between Luang Prabang and Luang Namtha) are still under construction and are quite bumpy. Direct local bus via Muang Xay at 09:00. Otherwise take a bus to Muang Xay and switch there.
 * Nong Khiaw - 3 hours away by public bus from the Northern Bus Station or 8-10 hr by boat for about 110,000 kip. From there boats connect to scenic Muang Ngoi Neua.
 * Huay Xai - up to 15 hours away. Public buses leave at 09:00 (arriving at 24:00) or 17:00 (arriving at 08:00. A normal sleeping bus, not a sleeper). Costs 135,000 kip. VIP buses leave on alternating days, tickets purchased at the Northern Bus Station will cost 35,000 kip, less than if purchased at an agent in town.
 * Phonsavan - Minivan departs from Naluang bus terminal at 0830hr and takes 11 hours (!) for the 260km trip (Road 13 then Road 7) due to extremely poor road conditions. ticket 255,000 kip from bus terminal (Jul 2024). Or arrange via your hotel or travel agency to be picked up and taken to the minibus station. You can stay on the minibus until it unloads the local people in the centre of Luang Prabang though tuk-tuk drivers may try to make you get off earlier at the bus station. Minivan terminates at Xiengkhouang Bus Station in Phonsavan which is more than 2km from Phonsavan town.
 * Hanoi by long-distance bus (make sure you have the Vietnamese visa beforehand), 360,000 kip, 24 hours direct bus. If you require a Vietnamese visa, there is a Vietnamese Consulate in town that can issue visas (next day US$70). If heading to Hanoi, you can buy a ticket from a tour agent, or walk to the Southern Bus Station (30-min walk) and buy it yourself cheaper. You shouldn't buy the ticket at the station itself, but opposite the station you'll see some buses waiting and there will be an office of the Naluang Travel Company. They are the ones who operate the buses, so if you buy anywhere else the ticket will be more expensive. They claim to sell a ticket to Hanoi at the Northern Bus Station and for only 150,000 kip, but this will take you only to the border and then you'll be left at the mercy of the local drivers who can charge you any amount, since you're in the middle of nowhere. Don't mistake the Northern bus station with the Southern.
 * Loei - This connection goes once a day to the province capital Loei in Thailand. Buses leave Loei at 08:00 and the return journey from Luang Prabang leaves at 07:00. The fare is 700 baht one way and journey time is approximately 10 hours. From Loei there are 4 overnight buses and one day bus to Bangkok. For those going directly from Luang Prabang to Bangkok this allows to bypass Vientiane.

BanNaluang Bus Station (South Bus Station)

A shared tuk-tuk from the South station to your hotel in town will cost 20,000 kip per person (Mar 2020).

By car
Hwy 13 connects Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the south and via Hwy 1 to the north. Hwy 13 is sealed and in relatively good shape during dry season all the way to Vientiane. Simply put, it is a long, bumpy and winding road trip. The road smacks of a lunar landscape and there are countless potholes due to poor quality surface, the top layer eroded to reveal the gravelly underlayer, which means a really bumpy ride. Although there have been incidents of violence along this stretch of road, it is now safe.

By boat
Boats ply the Mekong to and from Huay Xai at the Thai border, stopping in Pakbeng where you can catch overland connections towards the northeast and the border with China. The trip takes 2 days (each day about 9 hours) by slow boat, or 6 bone-rattling hours by speedboat. There are also operators offering 2-day "luxury" cruises.

Expect to spend the night in Pakbeng if you're taking a slow boat (the safest option), or to arrive in Luang Prabang deaf, shaken and either exhausted or exhilarated from six hours in a speedboat. There is also a twice-weekly "one day comfortable boat" between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai, but the cost is significantly higher.

Slow boats
Slow boats leave every day, the last one at 11:00. The trip from Luang Prabang to Huay Xai costs at least 220,000 kip (Mar 2014), the trip to Luang Prabang from Huay Xai costs 900 baht (Sep 2011). The slow boat leaves Luang Prabang at about 08:30, from a pier that is 10 km away from the town centre (a tuk-tuk costs 50-60 baht per person) and arrives around 18:00 at Pakbeng. 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. Two day boats have comfortable (car) seats and it is no longer necessary to purchase any cushions. Arriving in Huay Xai, it's best to take a quick tuk-tuk from the border crossing to the city centre for 50 baht.

The slow boat is generally packed, so much so that there may not enough seats to go round. Arriving early will mean a longer day, but most likely a better seat, towards the front and away from the engine.

The slow boat trip proceeds in a pleasant 20–30 km/hr and offers nice views of nature and village life on the banks of the Mekong. Most of the passengers are foreign tourists. Occasional locals take the boat only for short hops between the riverside 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 any local boat travellers, as the boat ride offers just the usual sight of tourists drinking Beerlao for 20,000 kip.

As of January 2022, Huay Xay-Pakbeng-Luang Prabang tickets purchased directly at the slow boat pier are 220,000 kip, which is a bargain for one of the most scenic trips in the world. There is no need to book ahead a 2-day ticket all the way to Luang Prabang in Huay Xay. You can also just buy a ticket to Pakbeng (125 kkip) and the onward journey to Luang Prabang upon boarding in Pakbeng (115 kkip). See the Pakbeng page for more information on the slowboats.

There is no public boat service to Vientiane, but it may be possible to do the trip by private tourist boat when the water levels are high enough. Read more about fast and slow boats in the Laos country guide.

Speedboats
If you choose to travel on the speedboat (a light canoe with a very powerful engine), a crash helmet and life-jacket should be provided. It is not recommended you travel in a speedboat without this essential safety equipment. It is also recommended that you make your bags as waterproof or 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 or 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 Pak Beng. However, some consider this means of transportation less safe, especially in the dry season. Earplugs are strongly recommended. Those who are concerned about creating as little environmental impact as possible may want avoid speedboats, as they are heavier polluters than the slower options. Travel agents in LP will sell the tickets for 320,000-370,000 kip. You will need a minivan to take you the 10 km north to the fast boat pier.

There seems to be a reluctance to take foreigners on the speedboat. You sit there watching as speedboat after speedboat leaves without you on them. The phrases "come back tomorrow" and "just wait, wait", are repeated a lot. If you are in a hurry, an extra payment may encourage an earlier departure. This is definitely not a means of transport to be relied on. It is a good idea to work out with your fellow boat passengers to remove the seat dividers in the fast boat which allow you more space to move around as long as you don't mind a bit of contact. It will be better than being jammed in one place for the whole trip. The speed boats have been pulling a scam where you are dropped off 10 km outside of Luang Prabang at a small bamboo dock. Refuse to get off here and force them to take you two minutes further down river to the Luang Prabang boat dock. If you are forced to get off before Luang Prabang, the tuk-tuk driver may demand up to US$15 per person. The cost should not be more than US$5 for everyone in your party, but the tuk-tuk is your only option into town.

Luxury cruise
The third option is to take a luxury cruise. The major operators are Luang Say, Nagi of Mekong, and Shompoo, all of which operate two-day cruises from/to Huay Xai that stop in Pakbeng for the night. 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 operators can be bought at most travel agents in town. Prices per person, including twin-share accommodation in Pak Beng, vary from US$160 (Nagi) to US$425 (Luang Say), but prices fluctuate widely depending on season and demand.

All cruises follow roughly the same itinerary. Departure from Huay Xai pier is around 9 AM, with a stop to observe rural life along the Mekong and observe minorities. The journey to Pakbeng takes 7 to 8 hours, arriving in Pakbeng before sunset. On the second day the boat leaves at 08:00. A short stop is made to visit a hilltribe village where you can watch the traditional process of Lao whisky production. After lunch the boat stops at Pak Ou village at the mouth of the Nam Ou River, where you visit the Tam Thing Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. The boat arrives at Luang Prabang between 16:00 and 17:00.

Get around
Luang Prabang's Old Town is only about 1.5 km long and 500 meters wide, which makes it small enough to comfortably cover on foot, and this is in fact the only way to climb Phousi Hill. The city is also quite flat, which makes cycling an attractive option, although the ever-increasing traffic makes this dangerous at times.

For longer trips, your options are basically negotiating with open-air tuk-tuks, or arranging a tour package with your hotel or a travel agent, which will likely see you crammed into one of the ubiquitous silver Toyota minivans. (Large buses and trucks are both banned in the old town.) Prices for both are always per person unless you explicitly negotiate a charter. Loca ridehailing is also available.

Local landmarks and culture

Outside the city

The stunning Kuang Si Falls are Luang Prabang's top natural attraction. Cascading through multi-level limestone terraces, the color of the water usually varies between milky blue and a deep turquoise, although after heavy rains they can temporarily turn brown. Tuk-tuks and tours deposit you at the parking area, from where free electric golf carts next to the ticket booths shuttle around 1 km up the hill at the park entrance. From here, take the signposted "Discovery Trail" to the right, which takes you through the Bear Rescue Centre (below) to the base of the waterfalls.

There are three tiered pools that are safe for swimming, although you'll want to wear sandals or reef shoes since the rubble can be sharp. There are some basic toilets can be used as changing rooms, as well as the pleasant Green Jungle restaurant that serves up fried rice and the like ($2 and up). If you keep going up, you'll get to the main waterfall that cascades down from a height of nearly 60 meters, a gorgeous sight especially after rain when it fans out. The paved road to the left of the park entrance leads directly here, so it's also where all the tour groups are shunted, and there are plenty of picnic tables if you've packed a lunch.

A small trail to the left leads to the top of the waterfalls, where you'll find a few more pools and a guy with a boat offering a short punt up to the river. Beware that the signposted route way down the other side of the falls is much steeper than the way up and can be extremely muddy and slippery, so do not attempt this after rain or without proper shoes.

A seat on a shared tuk-tuk to the falls and back including 3–4 hours waiting time costs around US$6, while a private charter for 4-5 runs around US$22–25. The same in an air-conditioned minivan runs around US$12/50 shared/chartered. It's worth getting here as early as you can to beat the crowds and the heat, although the forest is nice and shady. The road is twisty but fully paved and takes around 45 minutes one way, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops both at the ticketing point and the park entrance. Every travel agent and hotel in Luang Prabang also runs Kuang Si tours, which typically tack on a mediocre lunch and a visit to one of the elephant centers.

Cooking classes
This is an enjoyable way to gain insights into Lao culinary methods and traditions. There are four substantial cooking class providers in the city, using Lao chefs and instructors. They differ somewhat in style and content, but all include transport, information about Lao cuisine, and eating the dishes afterwards.

Some of the hotels and guesthouses in town also offer small or private cooking classes for their guests.

Buy
Thai baht and USD are widely accepted but the exchange rates vary. There are some ATMs that accept Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and Eurocards. These ATMs are mostly on Sisavangvong Rd near the end of the Night Market. The ATMs dispense currency in Lao kip, and generally allow a maximum withdrawal of 1,000,000 kip with a charge of 20,000 kip. Banque Franco-Lao allows a maximum withdrawal of 2,000,000 kip with a charge of 40,000 kip. Multiple withdrawals are allowed to a daily maximum of 5,000,000 kip. If you arrive by plane, there is an ATM and a money changer at the airport which is only open for a few hours of the day. Also, their rates are significantly worse than the banks in town.

Money changers/exchange For Malaysians, it is best to change ringgit to baht, then change the baht to kip in Laos. This is because they give not so good rates in Laos for Malaysian ringgit.

There are a number of money changers who generally do not offer good rates, and are either on Sisavangvong Rd or in the permanent markets further east. One is next to the ATM near the Night Markets, another is about 50 m further north along the street, in front of one of the first restaurants (looks like a little tollbooth/shack). The rates offered may vary, so shop around before you change. Better maybe to use official money changing services at a bank which are easily found. There are reports of scam by using money changers to take cash advance. They will charge you more in US dollars with a different exchange rate than posted. Even after complaining it's not possible to cancel the transaction.

The Night Market (on Sisavangvong Road) caters to tourists with every kind of souvenir you could want and closes at about 22:00. Particularly good are the duvet covers, cushion covers, and pillow sets. They can even make one up to your dimensions by the next day. It is well worth a look and the hawkers are very pleasant to deal with and amazingly non-pushy by the standard elsewhere in Asia. Traders range from young children to the elderly who usually make crafts, art, and goods by themselves. Good-natured bargaining is advisable, but don't obsess over this and ruin your experience as well as giving the trader a bad day. The quality and design of goods is lower in the market than in the legions of increasingly chic stores in the city. There may be some souvenirs available made from endangered animals. Avoid buying rare pets, leather, ivory, talons, dried sea creatures (starfish, etc.), fur, feathers, teeth and other animal products. This is the best place to buy lower end souvenirs and hone your bargaining skills.

Laotian aesthetic sense is quite evolved. For instance check out some of the higher end stores:

Books
Several book stores that sell photocopies to unsuspecting travellers operate in the area. It's worth checking copies as pages can be unreadable or even missing.

During lunch break or siesta time, which starts 12:00 to 13:30, the dry summer sun can be scorching. To spend time comfortably while waiting for the sun to mellow at around 15:30, hang around at the public library across from the National Museum about 4 or 5 buildings down from the US-sponsored reading room. There are old English language newspapers still in circulation. Or better still, surf the net for free from the six Internet stations.

Eat

There are no multi-national fast food outlets in Luang Prabang. Restaurants line Sisavangvong Rd and the roads along the Mekong and Nam Khan. Food runs the gamut from standard SE Asian backpacker fare to more traditional Lao dishes, including buffalo sausage right up to very high quality French cuisine. There are also numerous market stalls for cheaper food, including baguettes, crepes, and pancakes.

Typical prices for Beerlao is 25,000 kip for a large bottle and 20,000 kip for a small, which generally are standard throughout the country. Most riverside places offer the same prices for beer and similar food, although prices for food can vary wildly. Shop around and don't be shy about asking prices if anything is unclear.

Probably the most recommended food is the Lao version of fried spring roll, vegetable at 3,000 kip or pork at 5,000 kip per piece.

A speciality of Luang Prabang worth trying is khai phaen (ໄຄແຜ່ນ), made by collecting green algae from the Mekong, drying it as sheets and jazzing it up with sesame seeds, chillies, oil, etc. The end product resembles Japanese nori seaweed, and it's widely sold from street stalls, but is not meant to be eaten raw! Instead, find any bar and try it flash-fried, which transforms chewy plastic into a delicious, crispy, salty snack that goes well with beer.

Other local specialities include:

 * Or lam (ເອາະຫຼາມ), a mild, herbal pork stew flavored with sakhaan (chili wood), which has an unusual peppery-numbing taste
 * French baguettes and other bakery items. Generally very good.
 * Local watercress which is very peppery.
 * Buffalo steaks and sausages.
 * Luang Prabang Khao Soi: spicy clear mince and noodle soup which is very different from the Chiang Mai version

Budget

Stalls along an alleyway between the night market end of Sisavangvong Rd and the Mekong offers superb Lao street food at bargain prices. Grilled salted catfish is available for 15,000 kip per fish, other types of fish for 20,000. For a somewhat spicy salad for about 10,000 kip, look for vendors with containers filled with cucumber, lime, tomato and sliced green papaya, where they will mix it on the spot with mortar and pestle. If you order BBQ meat from one of the vendors opposite the tables, they will heat it up for you over the charcoal, and you can grab a seat at one of the tables to eat. The tables are quite crowded; it is easier to get a seat later in the evening, after 20:30 or so. The entry to the alley is by the vegan restaurant near the food stall end of the night market, near the traffic circle where the tuk-tuk touts hang out.

Drink
There are a number of places to drink around Luang Prabang, though the late-night club scene is pretty much nonexistent. The liveliest and busiest bars are in a small cluster between Mt Phousi and the Nam Khong.

Luang Prabang's status means that curfews are strictly enforced here. Bars start winding down at 23:00 and close at 23:30 sharp. The only late-night options permitted are outside the main part of town, a discothèque patronised mostly by locals and bizarrely, a ten pin bowling alley.

If you do plan on staying out after hours, check the arrangements with your guesthouse first to avoid being locked out.

If you're simply looking to relax and enjoy the river views, most riverside restaurants have tables outside where you can sit back with a beer or two.

Sleep
Luang Prabang has the best selection of accommodation in Laos, with something to suit every budget. There is everything from tent sites under a roof for 20,000 kip per night up to super luxury at US$1,500 per night.

Don't expect though that the whole kit and caboodle that you can find in Vietnam or Cambodia, air-con, cable TV, Internet, can be found in LP for US$12.

While the big chains have yet to make an appearance, there's plenty of "boutique" accommodation, although this heavily overused word runs the gamut from quirky to luxury. Most of the lanes and alleys all through Luang Prabang have places to stay, with a large selection also found in the lanes south of the Post Office. Free Wi-Fi is quite common in budget guesthouses.

Budget

 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.
 * October 2023 - Cheapest private room was 100,000 kip, shared bath. Some places seem to have closed or consolidated. Several choices around 150,000 kip.

Splurge

Cope
If you buy bottled water, don't throw out the bottle when it is empty. You will find water dispensers in many places, including in your hotel lobby, tour agents' offices, restaurants etc. If you can't find one along the backpackers' area, go to the lobby of the Phra Lang Phra Lao, a separate building besides the National Museum, beyond the huge King Sisavangvong statue, and fill it up. The water dispenser is on the right at the far end. There is also a free toilet.

Go next

 * Huay Xai — for those departing by boat to Thailand this is the necessary stopover
 * Vang Vieng — the next stop on the backpacker circuit for many younger travellers.
 * Phonsavan - starting point for Plain of Jars UNESCO world heritage sites
 * For a more serene experience:
 * Nong Khiaw — to the north
 * Muang Ngoi Neua
 * Vientiane
 * Hanoi
 * Nong Khiaw

title: Luang Prabang