Booked the 5h ride with minivan to Vang Vieng our vans battery died so it took us 9instead of 5h to get there, when finally arrived the driver blank out refused to get us to a hostel or hotel he just dropped us of in the outskirts of town in the middle of the night and we had to pay a taxi to get to a hostel.
Liers - only want your money, DONT CARE for your real request/interest
I booked a 2-day elephant experience @All Lao office, LuangPrabang (bathing and trekking, no riding). It was important to me that the camp does not use hooks and elephants are loved and respected. I asked the staff in the office if hooks and chains are used. They confirmed this wasnt the case, but when I got there it was a traditional camp actually using hooks and chains. So the STAFF LIED TO ME just to make money. I met some Portuguese tourists who also - before booking the tour - asked if it was an ethical camp without using hooks, but they were lied to as well!! I complained at the office and was all the sudden treated UNFRIENDLY because they COULD NOT DEAL WITH NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. Instead, the staff justified why they need to use the hooks, so he bascially confirmed that he was aware of the use of the hooks prior to my booking and that he was delivering false information to me.
If you want an ethical elephant experience, book with MANDALAO or go to the Conservation Center in Salisboury province (83km away from LP).
Haben das All Lao Elephant Camp besucht, welches zum All Lao travel Service gehört. Das Camp kann man unabhängig von dem Reisebüro erreichen. Am Besten ein Moped ausborgen und selber hin fahren (Straße hin ist nicht so toll).
Eintritt nur für füttern is 5$. Reiten und Baden kommt ca. auf 25$.
Die Elefanten dort werden nicht gut behandelt. Die meisten sind an ca. 2 Meter langen Schnüren festgebunden und haben ganz offensichtlich versucht sich davon zu befreien. Zudem ist das Camp sehr klein und ringsherum fahren ständig Lkw's.
Wir hatten füttern, Baden und Reiten gebucht und dafür 2 "pflegeleichte" Elefanten bekommen. Füttern war in Ordnung. Zum Reiten war der Elefant einfach nicht aufgelegt, denn er wollte ständig umdrehen. Wäre ja kein Problem für uns gewesen. Dann habe ich erst gemerkt, dass die Haut vom Elefanten an mehreren Stellen offen war und der Mahut (relativ jung) hat jedesmal wenn ich hinter geschaut habe sein Eisenhacke hinterm Rücken versteckt. Der Elefant wollte auch nicht zum Fluss gehen um zu Baden. Als sie ihn dann am Ohr runter ziehen wollten und mit Hacke wieder nachgeholfen wurde, ist es uns wirklich vergangen wir haben dann abgebrochen.
War zum ersten Mal in so einem Camp und wirklich erschrocken. Hier geht es nur ums Geld und das Wohl der Elefanten wird wenig berücksichtigt. Glaube schon, dass es in Camp besser ist als in der Holzindustrie aber der Einsatz dort ist mittlerweile verboten und ich finde man sollte den Elefanten mehr Freiheiten ermöglichen.
This place is more than an travel agency it has one of the few ATMs in the area, food, lodging, and a good cafe :) I would give more than four but I never used the lodging or travel service.
루앙에서 치앙마이행 버스표 구입! 슬리핑버스에 미니밴을 갈아타는 여정. 국경도 잘 넘었는데 치앙마이 올드타운에 쌩뚱 맞은곳에 하차 ㅡㅡㅁ 뭐지뭐지?!?!
싸고 친절함! 투어 말고 버스만 예약했는데 다른 알아봤던 곳에 비해 오천에서 만낍정도 저렴했고 토요타 밴도 완전 좋았어요 ~ 여자직원 완전 친절해요!!
Specifically booked the first early bus and waited two hours before we got on the road and had to chase them up to pick us up. A tuktuk man drove us around the houses including to the airport before finally setting off in a separate people carrier where it was apparent the new driver had no clue on directions and drove erratically through the sharp windy bends through the mountains. We had to tell him to slow down numerous times as we felt sick from going too fast and feared for our lives! Would not book through these again, despite Lonely Planet recommending.
This office helps you with EVERYTHING!! They operated All Lao Elephant Camp Conservation Area and Mahout Lodge and Training. It's all about loving Laos, the elephants and nature!!
Sometimes it is difficult to understand the customs in a foreign country. I found everyone to be fair but difficult to understand and there rises some confusion. Repeat yourself often so you understand each other. Everyone is just trying to make a living. Doing the best they can.
A éviter! vous facture 20$ en plus du billet d'avion pour vous rendre à l'aéroport en Tuk-Tuk, situé à 4 km du centre ville et ne respecte pas les horaires prévus.
Wrong location for this place it's actually at the main intersection of town by the night market. Typical scam artists. Book you a ''VIP bus'' take the extra and buy you the regular bus ticket, no toilet for 7 hrs, bad seats, nasty bus. More attention needs to be brought to these all too common scam artist ticket bookers in southeast Asia.