North

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.

Off-Grid on the Nam Ou

Muang Ngoi Neua is what happens when you think Nong Khiaw is already remote — and then go another hour further by boat up the Nam Ou. This tiny village is only accessible by boat (no road!), has no ATM, sporadic electricity, and shaky internet. And that's exactly the point.

What you do here (or better: don't do)

• Nothing. Seriously. Hammock, book, Mekong view. Muang Ngoi is the place where you forget the clock.
• Trekking to the villages: Half-day hikes to ethnic villages (Khmu, Hmong) in the surrounding mountains. The villagers largely live off subsistence farming — a different world. Guides bookable through guesthouses (80,000–150,000 LAK).
• Tham Kang Cave: Large limestone cave, 20 min walk from the village. Used as a shelter during the war.
• Swimming in the Nam Ou: In the dry season, the river is calm enough for swimming. The backdrop: karst mountains, jungle, silence.

Practicalities: Bring enough cash! No ATM, no card payment. The guesthouses are simple but clean (40,000–80,000 LAK). Restaurants offer Lao basics — Laap, fried rice, noodle soup. The Beer Lao is always cold.

The Mystery of the Stone Jars

The Plain of Jars (ທົ່ງໄຫຫິນ, "Thong Hai Hin", English Plain of Jars) is one of the greatest archaeological mysteries of Southeast Asia — and since 2019 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Scattered over a vast plateau near the town of Phonsavan are hundreds of massive stone jars — some up to 3 m high, 6 tons heavy, and estimated to be 2,000 years old.

What are the jars?

No one knows for sure. The most common theories:

• Funerary urns: The most likely explanation — the jars served as sarcophagi or for cremation. Bones and grave goods have been found in some.
• Rice wine fermentation: A legend says the king of the region had the jars made for a huge rice wine festival.
• Rainwater storage: A practical explanation for a region with a pronounced dry season.

The Jar Sites

There are over 90 sites with jars, but only a few are accessible to tourists (UXO clearance required!):

• Site 1 (Thong Hai Hin): The largest and most accessible site, 8 km from Phonsavan. Over 300 jars on a hill. The largest jar is 2.5 m high and weighs 6 tons. 15,000 LAK entry.
• Site 2 (Hai Hin Lat Khai): Smaller, more atmospheric site with jars under trees. Less visited. 25 km from Phonsavan. 10,000 LAK.
• Site 3 (Hai Hin Lat Pakou): Picturesquely located on a hill, overlooking the rice fields. There are also jars with carved reliefs here (rare!). 10,000 LAK.

Secret War & UXO

The province of Xieng Khouang was one of the most heavily bombed regions in the world. The USA dropped millions of bombs here during the Secret War — the plateau was a transit area of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The MAG (Mines Advisory Group) Information Centre in Phonsavan documents the clearance work and the ongoing danger from unexploded ordnance (UXO). Free entry.

From Party Spot to Outdoor Paradise

Vang Vieng (ວັງວຽງ) has undergone one of the most remarkable transformations in the history of Southeast Asian tourism. In the 2000s, it was notorious as a backpacker party spot with alcohol tubing, Friends reruns in the bars, and tragic fatalities. Since 2012, the government has cracked down: the bars along the river were closed, safety rules introduced.

Today, Vang Vieng is an outdoor paradise — and the landscape has always been breathtaking: The Nam Song (river) winds through a valley of limestone mountains that rise like the backdrop of a fantasy film. Jungle, caves, Blue Lagoons, and rice fields complete the picture.

Activities

• Tubing: Yes, there's still tubing — but now leisurely and with a life jacket. 55,000 LAK for tube rental. You float down the Nam Song, past limestone mountains. Relaxing instead of risky.
• Kayaking: The better alternative to tubing — kayaking down the Nam Song, through rapids and calm sections. Half-day tour from 100,000 LAK.
• Blue Lagoons: Several natural limestone pools with turquoise water. Blue Lagoon 1 is the most famous (often crowded), Blue Lagoon 3 the quietest and most beautiful. Rope swings and diving boards. 10,000 LAK entry.
• Caves: The karst mountains are riddled like Swiss cheese:
  • Tham Chang: Illuminated cave with stalactites and a view of the valley. 15,000 LAK.
  • Tham Phu Kham (Blue Lagoon 1): Climb to the cave above the lagoon — inside a reclining Buddha.
  • Tham Nam (Water Cave): Pull yourself through the flooded cave on a rope — in the dry season. Headlamp required!
• Hot air balloon ride: The dream — floating over the karst landscape at sunset. From 350,000 LAK (dry season, weather dependent).
• Climbing (Rock Climbing): The limestone cliffs offer excellent climbing routes for beginners and advanced climbers. Half-day climbing course from 200,000 LAK.

The Legendary Mekong Journey

The slow boat journey from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is one of the last great river journeys in the world — and for many travelers the highlight of their Laos trip. Two days on the mighty Mekong, in a long wooden boat, past endless jungle mountains, limestone gorges, buffalo herds on the shore, and tiny fishing villages accessible only by boat.

The Route

Practicalities

• Tickets: At the pier in Huay Xai, the day before or in the morning. Approx. 250,000 LAK (10 EUR). In high season (Nov–Feb) book in advance through guesthouses.
• Boat: Long wooden boats with 60–80 seats (bus seats, but tight legroom). Toilet on board (basic). No food — but drinks for sale.
• Pak Beng: The overnight village halfway. Simple guesthouses (50,000–100,000 LAK), riverside restaurants. Everything geared towards slow boat travelers.
• What to bring: Snacks and water for the day, pillow/blanket (or scarf), sunscreen (window seats!), charging cable (some boats have sockets), book or music.

How to get to Huay Xai?

Huay Xai (ห้วยทราย) is located on the Thai border, opposite Chiang Khong (Thailand):

• From Thailand: Bus from Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong, then border crossing via the Friendship Bridge (Visa on Arrival at the Lao border post).
• From Luang Namtha: Bus/minivan to Huay Xai (4–5h).
• Gibbon Experience: The famous treehouse zipline adventure in the Bokeo Nature Reserve starts from Huay Xai (3 days, approx. 150 EUR).