Most guidebooks helpfully classify types of accommodation into three categories: top-end, mid-range, and budget. This is most certainly an oversimplification: it fails to take into consideration that the budget category alone is home to a universe of different types of abode, ranging from the flea-ridden pit of hell, to the bog of eternal stench.

After eleven months of sleeping, almost exclusively, in some of the cheapest digs in Asia, I have begun to consider myself a somewhat of an expert in the subject, and yet I still come across hostels that have the capacity to surprise me.

Read the rest of this entry »

They start young in Laos (she was not actually drinking it, just pouring it)

The King of Beer, drinking BeerLao was a spiritual event for my taste buds. BeerLao is literally everywhere in the country – you cannot move without finding BeerLao bunting, posters, neon signs, or glasses. If you go to someone’s house, regardless of the time of day, you will be offered this amber nectar, and you’re likely to find someone passed out from one too many before breakfast. Even in the remote Kong Lor, in the middle of a pitch black, 7km cave, there was a small electricity box sponsored by – you guessed it, BeerLao.

The price of a 660ml bottle varied from 8,000kip in cheap, less central restaurants and shops, to a whopping 15,000 for a 330ml bottle in the fanciest bar in the country. On average, expect to pay between 10,000 and 12,000 for a big bottle ($1.25 or just under a pound). It has a respectable alcohol content of 5% – do not expect to go out in Laos and drink this beer without getting drunk; locals will ply you with it until you can no longer stand.

BeerLao is brewed with the help of Carlsberg, but don’t hold that against it. The hops and malt are imported from Germany, and the brewers use locally grown jasmine rice, which gives it a unique flavour. On a hot day in Southern Laos, nothing beats this drink for refreshment and relaxation; on a chilly day up north, this brew will warm you up. The BeerLao T-Shirts are a mandatory uniform for anyone who has visited the country.

A typical scene

We give BeerLao 10/10, not just for the smooth taste and low price, but for the awesomeness of Laos’ drinking culture.

The Lonely Planet apparently loves this place. In the miniscule section on this tiny mountain side village they manage to recommend it twice. Free Laundry, they proclaim. Free Internet, they boast. Cable TV and Air Con they promise. Swimming pool coming in 2008! And for only $4-9: only slightly above our usual price range of $3-6. Read the rest of this entry »

Fancy a bit of good British food during your stay in Vientiane, maybe a steak pie or some bangers and mash? Try Blue Bananas! Even though the dishes in BB were out of our ridiculously small price range (you’re looking at 50,000-60,000K for a main meal), we couldn’t resist the allure of hearty British nosh.

The English owner of this place knows how gravy is meant to be made, and we were never disappointed. 8/10

Anita is at the end of a row of nice-looking baguette restaurants has little to differentiate it at first glance. Look closer and you’ll see something a little special: cheese. Anita uses ‘real’ cheddar cheese in her baguettes, and we were mightily impressed with the results. From cheese and bacon to toasted cheese and tomato, we tried them all and left with our lactose levels restored. We also loved Anita’s fruit shakes which had low to no condensed milk content and her coffee shake which always perked us up.

To top it all off, a good selection of up-to-date magazines and newspapers is available for perusal over a relaxing lunch (The Economist, Newsweek, The Bangkok Post to name a few) and Anita and her staff speak excellent English, making ordering a breeze. 9/10

Indian restaurants in Vientiane vary so much between visits that we found it difficult to decide upon our favourite, however Fathima always delivered a solid curry for a good price. We were particularly fond of their Bhaigan Bhara (Aubergine curry) and Chicken Tikka Massala, both of which were consistently delicious. Veggie dishes are around 10,000-15,000K while their meaty counterparts are around 10,000K more expensive. Steamed rice is 5000K and naans range from 3000K (plain) to 10,000+K (stuffed).

We reckon Fathima is a family run joint, and all the staff are lovely. It seems popular amongst the local Indian community too, which tends to be an indicator of high quality! 7/10

What would happen if the foods from Africa and Asia were to collide? Would tender lamb curries become infused with fragrant lemon grass and five-spice flavourings? Could wanton dumplings become filled with succulent big-game meats? We have no idea, because Bobby African Asia Restaurant was about as African as Reykjavik. We ordered BBQ chicken and yellow curry, and were disappointed to see the cook disappear on a motor bike and come back in a few minutes with a grilled chicken breast bought from a street vendor down the road, then bring it out along with a very underwhelming Thai yellow curry with a few spongy vegetables.

Our sources tell us this place is more of a karaoke bar than a restaurant, but even so we would expect something a little more interesting on the food front. 2/10

Listed in the Lonely Planet as the only rooftop bar in Vientiane, Bor Pen Nyang certainly has a lovely view and is a great place to have a few sun-downers. Food here is generally quite expensive for what you get, but we were impressed with the succulent beef kebabs (made with good cuts of steak – a rarity in these parts!) for around 35,000K. Beer comes in at 15,000K which is relatively expensive, but expected from such a westerner-oriented bar.

Free WiFi and a few cheap pool tables are an added bonus, and major sports games are shown on the big TVs, but watch out for the prostitutes that hang around here at the weekend! 7/10

Pinkys is a fine example of the Lao take on hot pot, a popular meal in this region. For those unfamiliar with hot-pot, think of meat fondue using water instead of oil. Not only is the water used to cook meat, veg and noodles, but it also makes a delicious soup when combined with a few additional ingredients: garlic, chilli and peanut sauce.

We usually went for a plate of beef each (thinly sliced) which comes with a plate of veg and noodles, but soon discovered that another plate of veg was necessary. A plate of mixed meat may sound tempting, but be warned that it is not mix of beef, pork and chicken, but rather a mix of beef, liver and intestines!

Meals usually came to around 50,000K including a couple of beers. 7/10

Slightly out of the city centre, Lao Garden overlooks the Mekong on a stylish modern terrace, serving some of the best Lao and Thai dishes in Vientiane. Meals aren’t dirt cheap, but most local dishes and a basket of sticky rice cost less than 40,000K while 12,000K buys a 660ml bottle of BeerLao. The portions are huge and can easily feed two people – we would highly recommend the Tom Yam soup and the fish Laap, or try the pork and cheddar cheese Chinese wantons for an interesting east-west fusion meal. Read the rest of this entry »