© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 237 Central Laos The area at the waist of the country has traditionally been skipped over by most travellers. But improved roads and several sustainable tourism initiatives, which give you a full-flavoured taste of the ‘real Laos’, mean central Laos is more open to exploration than ever. You might not be the first person to trek into the medieval limestone karsts of the Phu Hin Bun National Protected Area (NPA), but it will probably feel like you are and there won’t be a banana pancake or happy shake for miles. Instead, you’ll find a diverse mix of ecology, environment and ethnicity that is very differ- ent to the north – and as much tough and memorable travel as you like. The Mekong River towns of Tha Khaek and Savannakhet, with their Lowland Lao communities, slowly crumbling French histories and lethargic lifestyles, will be your bases. This part of the country claims the most forest cover and the highest concentrations of wildlife, including some species CENTRAL LAOS that have disappeared elsewhere in Southeast Asia. To find them, you could do ‘The Loop’ through Khammuan and Bolikhamsai Provinces by motorbike, detouring via the incredible 7km-long cave Tham Kong Lo in the process. Or trek into far-off Dong Phu Vieng NPA in Savannakhet Province to sleep with the spirits in a Katang village. Branches of the Ho Chi Minh Trail await the most intrepid, or just go forth and create your own trail… HIGHLIGHTS Trek amid the gothic limestone karsts, subterranean caves and meandering rivers of the Phu Hin Bun NPA (p 242 ) Do The Loop (boxed text, p 252 ) and Phu Hin experience upcountry Laos; good roads, Bun NPA Tham bad roads, stunning scenery, a big dam and Kong Lo unexpected challenges Tha Khaek Soak up the colonial atmosphere of the historical districts of Tha Khaek (p 244 ) and Savannakhet (p 254 ) Savannakhet Stay in the remote villages of Dong Phu Dong Phu Vieng NPA (p 262 ) and experience life in the Vieng NPA spirit forests Go off the beaten track to Tham Kong Lo (p 242 ) for a boat trip through this astonish- ing 7km-long limestone cave 238 CENTRAL LAOS lonelyplanet.com Climate (p 242 ) is accessible either on your own or The Mekong River valley is always pretty on a community-based or commercial trek. warm and from March to May Savannakhet Similar treks lead to the sacred forests and is positively steaming. It gets cooler as you animist villages of Dong Phu Vieng (p 262 ) head east towards the Annamite Chain and in Savannakhet Province. Lak Sao, and the villages along Rte 8B can be Treks into the Nam Kading NPA in close to freezing during winter nights. The Bolikhamsai Province can be arranged at the southwestern monsoon brings bucket-loads Nam Kading Research and Training Centre of rain from June to October. Far-eastern (see p 240 ). areas around the Nakai-Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA) also Getting There & Around receive rain from the South China Sea that Gone are the days when travelling anywhere lasts longer, thus supplying enough water to south of Vientiane involved inordinately maintain the thicker vegetation. large amounts of time and incredible forti- tude. These days Rte 13 is sealed and, some- National Protected Areas what surprisingly after nearly two decades, Central Laos is the most protected part of the still pretty smooth; congratulations to the country with eight National Protected Areas road maintenance teams. Other roads have (NPAs) accounting for vast swathes of the graduated from ‘bone-jarring nightmare’ region. Access to Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA, status to ‘smooth as silk’, including Rte 9 and Hin Namno and Se Ban Nuan NPAs, is from Savannakhet to the Vietnamese bor- limited to those with decent Lao language der at Lao Bao, Rte 8 between Rte 13 and skills and plenty of time and money, but oth- the Vietnamese border at Nam Phao, Rte ers are easy to get to. 12 between Tha Khaek and the Vietnamese In Khammuan the labyrinth of limestone border, and most recently, the road to Tham karsts, caves and rivers in Phu Hin Bun NPA Kong Lo. 0 100 km CENTRAL LAOS 0 60 miles Nam CENTRAL LAOS 6 Seek Advice Before BOLIKHAMSAI Using This Road Kaew Nuea Vinh Mu Vieng Bolikham Nam uang Pass Thong Border Tat an Kading NPA Ny Wang Crossing Hotsprings and Cau Treo Paksan ὈὈὈὈὈFong Tat NamsanamLimestone Caves Border Crossing Pak Kading Nam Nam Phao A n n a m i t e R a n g e Gulf of Tonkin Beung Kan Kham 8 Ban Nape Ban Phon Kham Tha Bak Keut Ban Khoun Kham Nam Lak Sao (Ban Na Hin) Kading (Xao) Vieng Kham Sala Ban Na Phuak (Thang Beng) Viewpoint Nam Phon Nam Hin Nyaeng Theun Bun Ban Tiou Dam Nam Yo 13 Phu Hin Ban Kong Lo Nakai-Nam Bun NPA Ban Tha Lang Theun NPA Mekong Tham ὈὈὈὈὈHin Bun Kong Lo 8B Cha Lo Gnommalath Nam Khoun Theun Border Crossing Ban Na Kheu Kong Leng River Nyommalat Na Phao Tham Lang Khang Pa Fa Se Bang Hin Nakhon Tha Tha Falang Mahaxai 12 Fai Namno Phanom Khaek Mai NPA Dong Hoi See The Tham Border KHAMMUAN Loop Map Nang Aen Ban Nong Ping (p252) Crossing Tham Lot Pha That Si Bualapha Khotabong Se Bang Fai 23B Sai Bua Thong ὈὈὈὈSe Bang Fai VIETNAM Nong Bok Se Noi 13 23 Phu Dong Ha Saibuli Xang Hae NPA Sepon Seno (Xepon) Atsaphangthong Ban Border (Xeno) Dong Crossing That Ing Hang Dong Natad Phalan 9 Khe Sanh Savannakhet Dansavanh Lao Bao Ban 9 Mukdahan phon ὈὈὈMuangὈὈ Phin Dong Phu Lak 35 Border Crossing Samouy Keng Kok Jam Sonbuli Vieng NPA See Spin Through That Phon Se SAVANNAKHET THAILAND Savannakhet Map (p261) Songkhon Prince Souphanouvong's Paksong Se Pon Bridge (Destroyed & Heuan Impassable) Hin 23 Se Xap NPA ὈὈBan Muang ὈὈTahoy lonelyplanet.com BOLIKHAMSAI & KHAMMUAN PROVINCES •• Paksan 239 TREKKING IN CENTRAL LAOS Underrated central Laos is a great place to combine a cultural and environmental experience. Most treks in central Laos are run by either the state-run Eco-Guide Units in Tha Khaek and Savannakhet or the private company Green Discovery, and range in cost from approximately US$40 to US$500 per person (prices drop significantly the greater the number of people in the group). Following are some particularly recommended trekking destinations in the region: Phu Hin Bun NPA (p 242 ) From Tha Khaek. For beauty, it’s hard to beat these trekking and boating trips through the monolithic limestone karsts. Two- and three-day options are available at Tha Khaek’s Tourism Information Centre (p 246 ), or four days with Green Discovery (p 246 ). Tham Lot Se Bang Fai/Hin Namno NPA (p 251 ) From Tha Khaek. Although trekking here is still in its infancy and mostly revolves around the eponymous Nam Lot cave, it is also possible to combine a homestay with walks in the spectacular Hin Namno NPA. Enquire at Tha Khaek’s Tourism Information Centre or with Green Discovery. Dong Natad Provincial Protected Area (PPA) (p 261 ) From Savannakhet. One- and two-day trips to the provincial protected area near Savannakhet are cheap and popular for their homestays and explanations of how villagers use the sacred forest. Contact Savannakhet’s Eco-Guide Unit (p 254 ) for details. Dong Phu Vieng NPA (p 262 ) From Savannakhet. This three-day trek (with a fair bit of road time at either end) takes you to two Katang villages where animist beliefs come with a host of taboos. It’s a real head-bending cultural experience, but the transport makes prices a bit steep. Organised by Savannakhet’s Eco-Guide Unit (p 254 ). Apart from on the Nam Kading and Nam been declared National Protected Areas Hin Bun rivers, arranging boat transport is (p 238 ). These areas have become a major more difficult and you’ll need a fat wad of battleground between those wishing to ex- CENTRAL LAOS persuasion if you want a boatman to take you ploit Laos’s largely untapped hydroelectricity more than an hour or two in any direction. capacity and those wishing to preserve some of the most pristine wilderness areas in Asia. BOLIKHAMSAI & For now, the developers are winning. PAKSAN KHAMMUAN ¯¾¡§ ×$ %054 / pop 43,700 PROVINCES Located at the confluence of the Nam San (San River) and the Mekong River, Paksan Bolikhamsai and Khammuan straddle (Pakxan or Pakxanh) is the capital of the narrow, central ‘waist’ of the country. Bolikhamsai Province. Its position on Rte 13 Physically the land climbs steadily from the between Vientiane and the nearest border Mekong River valley towards the north and with Vietnam makes it an increasingly busy east, eventually reaching the Annamite Chain highway town, and the traffic is expected bordering Vietnam, via an area of moderately to increase in the next five years when Rte high but often spectacular mountains. Laid- 10 linking Phonsavan and Paksan is finally back and well-connected Tha Khaek (p 244 ) paved. But as it stands now there’s really not is the logical base. a whole lot to do or see in Paksan. It’s possible Lowland Lao, who speak a dialect peculiar to cross into Thailand, though hardly anyone to these two provinces, dominate the popula- ever does. tion and, with smaller groups of tribal Thais, There’s a Lao Development Bank just east are the people you’ll mostly meet. In remoter of the market, which is also where buses stop. areas the Mon-Khmer-speaking Makong peo- It’s a short walk from here east to the bridge ple (commonly known as Bru) make up more over the Nam San and the hotels listed here.