Life, life and customs in Laos, and in particular Luang Prabander, are very significantly different from European and Russian realities, so before going to this exotic city, no less exotic country, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with a number of features and nuances that will help Avoid trouble and make a trip more enjoyable and easy.
1. Foreign languages in Luang Prabander Local residents know quite badly, the exception is only employees of hotels that can be sophisticated in English, with a terrible pronunciation, and even then in this case, vocabulary is only a few dozen words. So more will have to communicate with the local, in fact "on the fingers." True, a big plus is the fact that most of the pointers is duplicated either in English or in French, and the menu in restaurants and cafes are equipped with illustrations of dishes, or duplicated on terrestrial English.
2. Dear hotels and hotels of a good level include the cost of tips in the amount of the account, and as a rule, 5-10% of the total cost of services are thrown. In this case (tips are highlighted by a separate line) leave them there is no need. Much more difficult with small cafes and restaurants. Often, there are no accounts at all, or even at all determine the size of the tips at their discretion, automatically thumping them into the amount of the account. So in these cases it is necessary to watch in circumstances. I liked the food and service, leave, no - do not leave.
Before you go on a taxi or Tuk Tuk, be sure to negotiate the cost of the trip. Ideally, it is generally written on a piece of paper and show the driver and wait for his consent.
3. While staying in Luang Prabanga should forget about an inexpensive mobile communications. Calls from SIM cards of Russian operators will cost at least 3-4 dollars per minute. Even buying a local SIM card will not help, because in this case, calls will not be cheaper. However, a completely different Internet situation. Most of the hotels and guest houses offer free Wi-Fi, you can also find an internet cafe with time-based payment.
4. Local residents relate to tourists are good enough, but the attitude is almost always consumer attitude. Be prepared for what you have to pay almost many things as an example for being photographed with them and so on. Let him completely be a bit, but still.
5. Special attention should be paid to security. Not from the point of view of theft, although it is there, but from the point of view of behavior on excursions and visits to sights. From the second Vietnamese war Laosa to the inheritance got a very large number of unexploded shells and bombs, there are still mine fields that still may not be cleared. This is especially true of the areas that are east of the city. That is why moving on reserves must be made only with a conductor, while strictly follow its instructions and not to walk on non-trotted paths and paths. By the way, in many reserves that is why the entrance to tourists without conductor is strictly pressed.
As we see, the requirements and nuances are not so much, and their observance is not so difficult.