This guide features detailed coverage of the sights of Laos from the Buddhist temples of Louang Phabang to the French colonial architecture of Vientiane and the mysterious Khmer ruins at Wat Phou. There are detailed listings of the best places to eat and stay, as well as incisive articles on the history of Laos, its religion, arts, peoples and environment. The authors also provide advice on a wealth of activities, including trekking in Louang Namtha, cycling in Muang Sing, kayaking on the Nam Ha River and exploring the caves at Vang Viang.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
NO SELF-RESPECTING TRAVELLER CAN BE WITHOUT A COPY OF THE ROUGH GUIDE
The Guardian, London
About the Author
Jeff Cramer has spent most of the last decade travelling and working in Southeast Asia, as a university teacher in Chang Mai and later as a journalist based in Bangkok. Steven Martin now works in Bangkok and has written news and feature stories that have been published worldwide.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fair guide,
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to Laos 2nd edition (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)
I'm not quite sure how the previous reviewer can rate this book as being simultaneously 'Pro American'and written by 'socialists and communists'. The book is graded as much inferior to the LP guide, but then the Rough Guide is accused of just being a copy of the former! Not quite joined up thinking there. Interestingly, there is no comment on the historical/cultural stuff that I, speaking only for myself, value highly in guide books, and for me, the RG is excellent in that area, without the superficial and often patronising tone i have detected in a number of LP guides. The RG is not uniformly accurate, but the Laos tourist set up is changing very quickly and I think you won't go far wrong with the RG. However, MY top recommendation for Laos would be the footprint guide: excellent in all respects.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Another Khao san road kill guide,
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to Laos 2nd edition (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)
While the geographic areas are for the most part well detailed. The lists for eating and accom are primarily geared for the Khao San road genre. If your desire in Laos is more than the nation's cheapest noodle carts and dollar a day accom, avoid this publication. In addition, what was rather shocking to me was the authors' evident precept that: east is east and west is west and niether the tween shall meet attitude. This xenophobic theme was articulated by the authors recommending that foreign tourists should not travel mixed race. IE, whites and Asians, as the "Lao people do not like to see prostitutes brought into their country." This in my opinion says that only white/white tourists are acceptable there. Here the jingoistic Khao san road attitude exemplifies these two backbacker authors and their narrow minded view of the "sinister Orient" I can assure all travellers that this was indeed not the attitude of the "real Lao people" (read: those who not earn an exclusive living only touting to backpackers cravings, as it seems is the extent of authors' knowledge of Lao citizenry). When travelling with a Thai or other, SE Asian, you will be shown a respect, openness, and a gregariousness that is invisible to the shallow mentality of the backpack crowd looking upon the locals only as their personal serfs and lackeys (yes, this western superiority complex is embarrassing to true Asiaphiles). In fact if one of your party is a Thai (non-BKK person that is) you may have a difficult time breaking away from your Lao aquaintences as they look upon their long lost brothers and sisters (Laos was stolen from Thai in 1893 and bled to dire poverty for over a century) as a valuable sourse of juicy gossip, folklore and interesting superstition exchange(yes, I sat for hours listening to perfect strangers go on like immediate family) So disregard the racist Khao san innuendos in the guide and bring your SE Asian partner as you will both have an incredibly much better time, better varieties/quality of food, and more amicable hotel/tour service in Laos, than the soap-and-water-adverse, empty pocket KSR crowd that can spend a month there and really know nothing of the people outside of the generic noodle carts, ganja yaa-baa and hammocks. Well off my soapbox for now). Enjoy Laos but try another guide book that is less shallow and cliche than the material in this guide. If you are reading this in the dingy little farangville of KSR, buy it by all means. This is YOUR book folks !!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rough Guide: Laos.,
This review is from: The Rough Guide to Laos 2nd edition (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)
This book gives ou a nice overview of the region, and incredible specific tips for visiting Laos.
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