Jeow Bong is a smoky chilli and garlic paste traditionally made with buffalo hide. But Tamarind cafe - brilliant place - make a non-meat version which you can bring back to the UK without lawbreaking.

I just wish that I'd carried more jars of it home.

Pork candyfloss sounds vile, but is good. It's actually quite like a fluffy biltong. You can't ship it home so eat up while you're in Laos.

Tamarind will also organise morning trips to the market to look at the amazing variety of fruit and vegetables and also be grossed out by pig skin masks at the butchers.

Carolyn (who jointly runs Tamarind with her boyfriend Joy) is a fount of food knowledge.

Ban Wat Nong, Luang Prabang

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This market appears towards the end of the day, along the main street outside the royal palace. It gets really magical at dusk or after dark, as the stall holders have lanterns. It keeps going until about midnight. You can buy handmade textiles and jewellery, amongst other things.

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