Daniel White - Frommers Cambodia and Laos

Cambodia & Laos 2010

by Daniel White

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Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

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ISBN 978-0-470-49778-4

Editor: Jamie Ehrlich

Production Editor: Jana M. Stefanciosa

Cartographer: Roberta Stockwell

Photo Editor: Richard Fox

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Front Cover Photo: Young monk dresses below Bousra waterfall in Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri province, Cambodia. Dan Morris / Alamy Images

Back Cover Photo: Patuxai Monument in Vientiane, Laos. SuperStock / AGE Fotostock, Inc.

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5 4 3 2 1

List of Maps

The Best Small Towns, Temples & Markets

Cambodia

The Best of Cambodia

The Best of Laos in 1 Week

The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Where to Stay in Phnom Penh

Where to Dine in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh Attractions, Shopping & Nightlife

Where to Stay in Siem Reap

Siem Reap Dining, Shopping & Nightlife

Angkor Wat

The Temples of Angkor

Battambang

Sihanoukville

Koh Kong

Kampot

Kep

Laos

Where to Stay in Vientiane

Where to Dine in Vientiane

Vientiane Attractions, Shopping & Nightlife

Walking Tour: Vientiane

Vang Vieng

Where to Stay in Luang Prabang

Where to Dine in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang Attractions, Shopping & Nightlife

Walking Tour: Luang Prabang

Savannakhet

Tha Khek

Pakse

Note About Maps

This guide contains dozens of maps of varying sizes and complexity. If you find it hard to read a map on your device, use the zoom function to enlarge. You can also download and/or printout PDFs of all of the maps in this guide. Go to www.frommers.com/go/ebookmaps and click on the title of your guide.

How to contact Us

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful placeshotels, restaurants, shops, and more. Were sure youll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, wed love to know that, too. Please write to:

Frommers Cambodia & Laos, 1st Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

An Additional Note

Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any timeand this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

About the Author

Daniel White is a British writer who has been published in major magazines and newspapers in Europe and Asia. He has written for publications such as the UKs Guardian, Observer, Maxim, and Marie Claire . He has also worked on guidebooks and political commentaries as both a writer and editor, and was editor-in-chief of the now defunct Absolute Phuket magazine in Thailand. He has traveled the corners of Southeast Asia by motorcycle, and is currently working on a website project chronicling his trips on two wheels. Previously based in London and Paris, he has been based in Bangkok since 2002.

Acknowledgments

Concerning Cambodia, thanks to journalist Luke Hunt for his feedback on history and politics, his unwavering disdain for pointless violence, his understanding of elevated artillery positions, and his good humor on the rare occasions when England beat Australia at cricket. Thanks to Derek and Wendy for their wonderful welcomes to the weary and their friendship and peace. Thanks to Hurley Scroggins for his huge commitment to Cambodia over many years and the generous way he shares his knowledge with his peers. Thanks to Dr. Trudy Jacobsen for sharing her hugely useful academic knowledge on colonial history and her skill at pool. Thanks to Hem Sopheap and Cat Sien for the incredible insights they have given me into Cambodian family life.

Concerning Laos, thanks to all those motorcyclists who have spent years traveling those rough, rough roads on two wheels and were so helpful in pointing me in interesting directions: Rhodie, David Unkovich, Jim Barbush, Mrs Quynh, and Richard Gunston.

Back at the mothership, thanks to colleagues and friends Greg Lowe and Chris Mitchell for the feedback. Thanks to Jamie Ehrlich in New York, editor of this guide, for being so concise in her feedback.

Daniel White

Frommers Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for:

Special findsthose places only insiders know about

Fun factsdetails that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family