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PHONGSALY
I
LUANG
NAMTHA
I
CHAMPASACK
I
SAYABOULY
I
SAVANNAKHET |
|
OUDOMXAY
I BOLIKHAMXAY
I
HOUAPHANH
I
XIENG
KHOUANG
I
SALAVANH |
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VIENTIANE
I VIENTIANE
CAPITAL
I SEKONG I KHAMMOUANE
I
BOKEO |
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 Vang
Vieng
today
is
mainly
a
backpacker
town.
The
main
street
is
littered
with
guest
houses,
bars,
restaurants,
internet
cafes
and
tour
agencies.
One
of
the
main
attractions
of
the
town
is
inner
tubing
on
the
river.
Whilst
floating
downriver
there
are
several
places
to
stop,
mostly
small
family-owned
bars
or
just
simply
an
enterprising
local
with
a
bucket
filled
with
ice
cold
bottles
of
Beerlao,
and
also
several
good
spots
for
jumping
into
the
river
from
the
bank
or a
specially-constructed
bridge.
Careful
on
the
10
meter
high
swing
-
it's
common
to
perforate
your
eardrum
and
do
permanent
damage
to
your
hearing
if
you
land
the
wrong
way.
During
the
wet
season,
the
river
can
be a
series
of
raging
rapids,
but
during
the
dry
season,
some
of
it
is
little
more
than
a
trickle. |
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The
market
is
located
five
kilometers
north
of
the
town
selling
Lao
textiles,
household
items
and
several
stalls
selling
dubious
foodstuffs.
It
is
possible
for
stalls
to
sell
bats,
squirrels,
monkeys,
rats,
mice
and
other
animals
as
food.
In
the
town
there
is a
wat
that
is
notable
in
looking
rundown
and
keeping
its
valuables
chained
behind
a
door.
The
town
is
situated
on
the
main
north-south
highway,
Route
13
from
Luang
Prabang
to
the
capital,
Vientiane. |
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But
the
real
attractions
of
the
area
are
the
scenery,
the
limestone
hills
and
the
numerous
caves
and
caverns.
Perhaps
the
most
interesting
is
the
Tham
Phu
Kham
cave,
half
an
hour's
spine-compacting
ride
away
from
Vang
Vieng
by
tuk-tuk
or
rented
motorbike. |
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