Nong Khiaw

The Jewel on the Nam Ou

Nong Khiaw (ໜອງຂຽວ) is the place experienced Laos travelers call their favorite spot. The small village is located on the Nam Ou (a tributary of the Mekong), framed by dramatic limestone mountains that rise like teeth from the jungle. The scenery is so spectacular that you could sit on the terrace of your guesthouse all day and just watch.

What you do here

• Pha Tok Cave: During the Secret War, this cave served as a hideout for villagers from US bombings. A short climb (15 min) that tells a harrowing story. 10,000 LAK.
• Viewpoint 1 (Pha Daeng Viewpoint): The classic climb — 1–1.5h through the jungle to the limestone peak above the village. The view over the Nam Ou valley and the karst mountains is one of the best in all of Southeast Asia. Bring sturdy shoes and water. 20,000 LAK.
• Viewpoint 2 (Sleeping Woman): Slightly easier than Viewpoint 1, with a view of the "sleeping woman" — a mountain silhouette that looks like a reclining woman. 20,000 LAK.
• Kayaking on the Nam Ou: Half-day or full-day kayaking tours through the karst landscape. From 150,000 LAK per person.
• 100 Waterfalls Trek: One of the most adventurous hikes in Laos — a full-day trek through the jungle, where you climb over and through literally hundreds of small waterfalls. Only with a guide, 250,000–350,000 LAK. You will get wet. Very.
• Boat trip to Muang Ngoi: By boat up the Nam Ou to the even more remote Muang Ngoi Neua (1h, 25,000 LAK). The river winds through a world of limestone and silence.