Dao Fa Hotel

They charged me 10,000 kip for each US dollar. Check my account: I paid in kip, but they charged me in USD. The guy at the counter was really rude and said it wasn't enough, because 9 USD is 90,000 kip. There was no refund possible, so I asked for cash back, but they gave me 90,000 instead of 150,000k. It's not about the money, it was really unfair. I asked for the manager and was told no one was there.

A local Lao disco hangout that's interesting to check out, though there's not much dancing. People mostly wiggle by their tables while drinking. The music is EXTREMELY loud, expect full-body vibrations and bring earplugs. Beer Lao is 25,000 kip. Keep your parking chit handy, they check it when you leave.

After spending a bit too much time in the tourist section, I felt lucky that a friend from Luang Prabang brought me to this club, where only local people go, far from the guest houses and villas aimed at vacationers. More people arrived after 10 p.m., and it got crowded after the singers finished their warm-up songs. I'd never seen so many young people together in one place, dressed in modern outfits and enjoying Laos or western songs. The lighting was great too. Truly local and authentic, a fun night out, and a must-go if you want to step outside your tourist comfort zone.

There were only five tourists in the whole club when we went. It’s huge, with really loud EDM. Go if you’re after a local experience.