Laos

The only scheduled boat to Nong Khiaw leaves at 9:30 am and costs 20,000Kip per person.  Buy tickets from the office at the boat landing.  During busy periods more boats will leave when there are enough people, but during quiet periods there might not be anymore boats.  You can almost always charter your own boat for 150,000Kip.

You can only get to Muang Ngoi  via a boat from Nong Khiaw, and vice versa.  Boats leave when there are a enough people, cost 20,000Kip per person and take about 1 hour.  Go to the boat landing in Nong Khiaw and ask around the boatmen or at the sometimes open ticket office.  The river trip is a beautiful one, passing and sometimes stopping at other villages, passing water buffalo and riding up rapids.

Mini-buses leave Luang Prabang every morning at 9am and cost 60,000Kip per person.  The journey takes 3 hours.  If you're lucky you'll get a comfortable new mini-bus, but you might get one of the older vehicles, which are still fine.

Bus is the cheapest way to travel between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang.  Minibuses are just a little more expensive, but are generally worth it beacuse they are quicker and more conformtable.  Mini-buses frop you into town, saving a tuk tuk ride from the bus station (10,000 Kip per person).   Route 13 between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang is now sealed, but still a little lumpy in places, and still very, very twisty.  It's a memorable journey, with stunning scenary of rolling landscapes, hills and roadside village life.  You'll see great scenary seated on either side of the vehicle, but sitting on the right hand side of the vehicle, traveling from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, probably gives the best views.

At Laos festival time check and book your transport and accommodation in advance, as things get booked up, and crammed.

Bus

Private VIP buses cost 100,000Kip and leave from the bus dirt yard just outside of town at 10am.  The trip takes 7 hours.  Tickets are available from guesthouses and travel agents.  Transfer by tuk tuk to the bus yard should be included in the ticket price.  Buses arrive in Luang Prabang at the southern bus terminal.  Tuk tuks will be waiting to take you in to town for 10,000Kip per person.  Most VIP buses are actually basic.  Some buses have aircon, but it's a gamble how well they work.   Some buses store the luggage underneath, others on the roof.  The bus stops for a break near the middle of the journey, where you can buy baguettes, Laos food and drinks.  At Laos New Year (mid April) buses will be packed, with extra seats being added to the aisle.  

Mini-bus

Mini-buses cost 105,000Kip, typically leaving at 9am, and take 6 hours to get to Luang Prabang.  Tickets are available from guesthouses and travel agents.  The journey can be more comfortable than a big bus, as the smaller vehicle rides over the steep terrain better than a larger vehicle.  I have seen some without working air conditioning, which would not be nice, but most seem to be working OK.  Mini-buses should pick you up from your guesthouse in Vang Vieng, and drop you at one in Luang Prabang, saving the need for a tuk tuk ride into town.

Bus

Private buses cost 30,000Kip, but none have aircon.  Private minibuses cost 40,000Kip, but although quicker than buses, are generally less comfortable.
The route is scenic, especially nearer to Vang Vieng where the terrain is much hillier.  

Activities

• Temples - some of the worlds brightest and pretiest temples are to be found in Vientine.  You're likely to see buddhist monks going about their daily chores around their religious homes.
• Swimming - if it gets too much on hot days take a swim, Vientiane has several options
• The Vientiane Swimmers pool opposite the National Stadium, close to the center of town.  A clean and tidy pool with changing rooms and refreshments.  10,000Kip per person.  Open 8am to 8pm.
• Sokpaluang Swimming Pool is further south, outside of the main town.  It's a 25m pool for serious swimmers.  6,000Kip per person.
• Settha Palace Hotel has a very luxurious pool and shaded lounging area.  It costs US$7.50 per person though.

Accommodation

Joe's Guest House
Friendly and helpful staff run this clean guesthouse.   Everything is very clean, but the rules are a bit strict, and the beds are pretty hard.  Towels are provided.  They offer just about every travler service including laudry, bus tickets and visas to Vietnam, China and Cambodia.  Bicycles are available for rent downstairs.  Double room with shared bathroom is 80,000Kip, with private bathroom is 110,000Kip.  They also have single rooms.  Book ahead as it gets busy.

Accommodation

Thavisouk Guesthouse
www.laophanthavongtour.com
tel:  023 511340
Peaceful solid wooden cabins in lovely settings, overlooking the river.  The restaurant serves good food with excellent views of kids playing and trucks driving up the river.  Laundry, Internet and onward tickets are available.  Some buses from Vientiane terminate here.  It's a 5 minute walk to town.  Cabins from 30,000 with shared bathroom and 80,000Kip with private bathroom.

Nong Khiaw is a picturesce village overlooking the river.  Many people stop here before catching the boat further north to Muang Ngoi Neua.  The village is split by the valley with the massive bridge that spans it.  There isn't much to do in town, but there are several nice walks to local villages and down the valley.  Bicycles can be rented.

Accommodation

Sunset Guesthouse
On the far side of the bridge.  Many guidebooks rave about this place, but we found it ordinary.  The service is a bit random, but the food is good.  The accommodation is overpriced. The huts are of good construction, have bathrooms, fans and power, and amazing views for 100,000Kip.  Rooms with shared bathrooms are available for 80,000Kip.

Mui Ne is a costal village spread along a 10km stretch of southern Vietnam.  Lots of good, cheap hotels look out over beautiful beach, and this is definantely a good place to stop when travelling in southern Vietnam.

Accommodation

There is accomoodation for every budget in Mui Ne.  If you are arriving by open tour bus you'll probably be dropped at a mid-priced resort (about $40 per room).  For something cheaper take a little walk in either direction along the coast.  Some touts push low quality rooms.

Hai Yen
tel: 062 847243
www.muinebeach.net/haiyen
haiyenguesthouse@yahoo.com
132 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street
Excellent quality rooms, good facilities and friendly staff who wont try and you sell a thing!  This is probably the best option in the region, and very close (100m east) of the Sinh Cafe office and drop off point for their open tour buses.  The rooms are new, clean, have nice furniture, hot water showers, fans, nice beds, mosquito nets, towels and AC.  The restuarant serves good food that is very cheap.  Motorbikes and bicycles can be rented.  Local tours and bus tickets can be booked, but the staff will never hassle you.  Definitely a good place to stay.  Rooms are US$10 for a double,  US$13 for a triple.  They also have some cheaper options for solo travellers.  AC is US$3 more per night.

Bao Tran
tel: 062 847 062
Rooms are cheap but a little run down.  Try Hai Yen 200m to the east for much nicer rooms for only US$2 more.  Rooms are basic and in need of a lick of paint.  The restruant serves good food, and the staff are friendly.  Right by the sea.  100m west of the Sinh Cafe bus ticket and drop off point.  Rooms are from US$8.

Muang Ngoi Neua is a small isolated village in Laos, overlooking the Nam Ou river.  Many people come here for the good trekking, to relax doing very little, or to go tubing.  The town is a new comer to tourism.  Accommodation is almost all basic, electricity is via generators typically from 6pm until 10:30pm, there are no telephones or Internet connections, although some people are able to make satellite phone calls should you need to.

This village is a traditional Laos settlement, with chickens, cats and dogs running around.  There are also a lot of bugs and insects in Muang Ngoi Neua, which are difficult to avoid.  The views of the river and hillsides are good, although not as good as Nong Khiaw.

Strangely there is a lot of  inaccuracy in guide book listings for Muang Ngoi Neua.  Rooms and restuaratns and innacuratly described in Lonely Planet and Rough Guide editions.  It may be that the people of Muang Ngoi Neua are selling their business names to other people.  Check anywhere you eat or stay with a curious eye.

There are various places to eat, either at guest house resturants or at the few eateries than line the lane through the village.  The guesthouse restaurants near the boat landing are a good bet.  Western food is often hit-and-miss, and sticking to local dishes is generally a good idea.

There are lots of supply shops selling just about anything you might need at resonable prices, including cigarettes, washing power, drinks, snacks and more.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Muang Ngoi Neua consists of basic thatch huts.  The first wave of huts built have shared bathrooms, and some private bathrooms with squat toilets, and cost 20,000Kip per night.  The more modern huts are more sturdy and have western style bathrooms, costing 30,000Kip per night.  There are a lot of places to chose from, so take your time and look around.  A lot of places have views over the river.  Almost all places provide lighting via generators at night, but very few offer electrical power sockets, so charge anything important before getting on the boat.

Nicksa's Accommodation and Resturant
Some of the newest huts in the village, run by a lovely family with fairly good English.  They have 5 modern huts, with western bathrooms (cold showers), over looking the river.  Each hut has 2 hammocks, chairs outside, a table inside, and towels are provided.  There are lightbulbs in the bathroom, bedroom and outside, which come on from about 6pm to 10:30pm, no power sockets though.  A candle is also provided.  The resturant overlooks the river, but donesnt seem to be the same place that might be listed in your guidebook.  At the top of the lane from the boat landing, turn right and about 100m later your see signs on the right hand side. Huts cost 50,000Kip per night.

Phetdavanh Guest House
Accommodation in a traditional building, rather than a hut.  But you're still likely to get some bugs in your rooms, despite what your guidebook might say.  Away from the river, so no views.  All of the 10 rooms have shared bathrooms.  The owner told me they have 24 hour power, but it wasn't the case when I passed by in the dark.  This is where the cool people tend to collect.  At the top of the lane from the boat landing. Rooms are 30,000Kip per night.

Ning Nong Guesthouse
Conveniently located just left of the boat landing, with several rooms inside a larger builder, rather than huts.  The ensuite bathrooms are of solid concrete construction, and are clean.  The rooms have quite a few visitors in the night, including rodents and some big spiders.  50,000Kip per night.