Sam Neau/Vieng Xai Hotel Recommendations Needed
Replies: 32 - Last Post: Dec 5, 2012 7:49 AM Last Post By: Herbie47
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Sam Neau/Vieng Xai Hotel Recommendations Needed
There just isn't much out there regarding the Sam Neau/Vieng Xai hotel scene. I've got a Rough Guide, but those recommendations were written several years back. Nothing at all on TripAdvisor. My needs are simple: A clean place with decent in-room internet. No a/c required. Any recommendations would be most appreciated, the more current the better. Also request same for Phonsavan, since the write-ups on Tripadvisor and Rough Guide look pretty grim.1
Sam Neua is very easy, most of the GHs are close together near bridge by river, there are about 5 or 6, all seem pretty similar, good room for about 60,000, I forget the name of the one I stayed at, it was fairly near the main road but on the side road running along side the river, began with K. NO AC needed. I don't know about Internet, found internet vey slow in Laos. Vieng Xai I stayed at place opposite the cave office, very good bungalow again about 60,000kip, quiet down there as well. Phonsavan try White Orchid, did not stay there as was full but was my 1st choice, there is a new one off the main road that looked good as well.2
Sam Neua has a ton of guesthouses, there's a block in the city center with about a dozen of them, but I don't know what your chances of finding internet in your room is. Go around and ask a few would be my advice. Your chances of finding internet in your room in Vieng Xai are pretty small: the place is barely a village. Give up on your quest for internet (there are internet cafes in Sam Neua, including at least one with Wifi), and you'll have no problem finding a clean room in either town.5
where are you arriving from? Vietnam or Nam Mnuang/Oudamsi if so the new bus station si up the mtn about 1km from town start walkong down the hill and when you hit the rounadabout turn tight and first hotel on left very clean hot water ensuite around 50,000kip also plenty places to eat and stay in that block between roundabout and river etc6
#4 Sam Neua.In Vieng Xai I stayed at Naxay II, good place I would recommend it. I also stayed at a place on main opposite the market but that was noisy with cockrels crowing early morning so more out after one night, but apart from noise it was fine and closer to restaurants, which are limited. Don't think there is any internet there either. Only bikes to rent were from the cave office.
Edited by: Herbie47
Edited by: Herbie47
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Thanks all. Wifi is more a wish than a concern. Thanks to the good advice here, I'm carrying a smart phone with ETL and that more or less serves the purpose. I'll be arriving on the day bus that goes through Nong Kiaw around noon, so I won't arrive in Sam Neau until after 9PM. BTW, it used to be that you'd catch this minivan at the bridge, but now you go to the bus station and wait since it starts from LP. I saw it rumbling through town at about 11:55AM yesterday. Got a feeling I'm going to be stuck on a jump seat for the long ride, though.8
The old bus station used to be by the bridge, before we went to furtehr up the road great place stayed there ate caught bus 11pm my I slept upright on 1 gal oil cans in aisle many were on the roof and Israeli girl I travelled with slept across the dashboard in front of driver Ha! Ha! This time minivan replaced the bus as dreiver was sick. arrived 10pm and fortunately got driver to drop Gh on the right, on way down hill didn't realise how far we were from Town this time (about 1km)Old bus station
sdhame really beacuse back then you just took pick up to vang xie direct from Old bus station now you have to take pick up to the new bus station 5kms on rd to Vang xie
good GH Sam Neueu near first roundabout
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NK to S Neua is about 10 hours on a good run, we left at 7.30am from SN and got to NK about 6pm, with only one long stop to pick up luggage. Beware some of buses in Laos leave early, I got to bus station at NK at 7am, bus is scheduled to leave at 8am, so at 7.25 I got off to walk around, next thing I know bus is pulling out of bus station. Yes all the bus stations in Laos are out of town even small places like NK which is about 1 mile south.Also in SN there are 2 bus stations, one for long distance and one towards airport for more local buses like Vaing Xai, that 1 is about 2 kms out and canbe a pig to get a lift to. I had to flag down a truck and hitch a lift in the end to get my bus, as no tuktuk going that way..
Edited by: Herbie47
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If you get this in time, here's a bit tip: DONT catch the Nong Khiaw-Sam Neua bus from the bus station. The guy who runs the bus station charges unreasonably high prices for this trip. If you just wait for the bus by the bridge, you can still flag it down, and negotiate the cost with the bus driver. I'd count on 120,000 Kip to Sam Neua; you're likely to save yourself a few kip by not dealing with the bus station. As long as you're in place when the bus goes past the bridge, it will absolutely stop for you.11
Not sure about price, think I paid 140,000 from SN to NK, but that was displayed price at SN. Think prices are all displayed at NK, but I agree the guys there are not very helpful. As for getting on the bus and paying there was quite a bit of arguement about prices from the locals who boarded and they seemed to be paying more than I did. The bus comes from Luang Prabang so canbe pretty full, I would avoid the plastic seats in the aisle but as a foreigner they will probably give you a proper seat. One warning, many of the local woman are sick on this route, I found a few mints to suck helped.
