Author: Lonely Planet
Category: Nonfiction
Go to read content：https://onlinereadfreenovel.com/lonely-planet/page,14,460391-lonely_planet_laos.html
Set on pontoons, this peaceful, semi-alfresco Lao restaurant relies on the soothing river view as its wallpaper, and dishes up tasty noodle and rice dishes. There's a decked area from where you can go swimming in the gentle Nam Ou. Enquire about renting owner Thong's boat, which can be taken out on the river to have lunch on (rental including driver 100,000K).
oCoco Home Bar & RestaurantLAOTIAN, INTERNATIONAL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-58491741; Main St; mains 40,000-55,000K; h7.30am-10pm; W)
Run by new owner Sebastien Chok, this recently refurbished impressive riverside oasis has a great menu, with dishes like papaya salad, mango sticky rice, chicken and cashew nuts, mok phaa (steamed fish in banana leaves) and duck in orange sauce. It's arguably the best place in town to delight your tastebuds. Eat in the lush garden or upstairs.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Q BarBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %020-99918831; Rte 1C, Ban Sop Houn; h7am-11.30pm; W)
Chilled Q sits on the main road with an ox-blood, rattan interior, a little roof terrace, good tunes and a friendly owner. In high season there's a nightly barbecue. Cocktails are 35,000K.
Hive BarBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rte 1C; h7.30am-11.30pm)
Recently moved to a new location 1km outside of town (heading towards Pak Mong), Hive Bar is run by a friendly Lao, has a downstairs disco and karaoke for those inclined, plus a chilled terrace to sink a beer and watch the sunset explode in pinks and oranges behind the karsts. Great indy tunes; happy hour is from 7pm to 8pm.
8Information
Internet Access
Wi-fi is now available pretty much everywhere, free of charge.
Money
ABCEL has two 24-hour ATMs: one ( GOOGLE MAP ; h24hr) at the end of the bridge on the Ban Sop Houn side, and another ( GOOGLE MAP ; h24hr) 100m after the bridge on the road heading to Pak Mong.
Post
Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; h8.30am-5pm) The tiny post office exchanges baht and US dollars at slightly unfavourable rates.
Tourist Information
Tourist Information Office ( GOOGLE MAP ) Located above the boat landing, it's rarely open. Much better is reliable Harp at Delilah's Place; a one-stop travel resource for bus and boat tickets, the home of Tiger Trail and also great budget digs.
8Getting There & Away
Boat
Riverboat rides are a highlight of visiting Nong Khiaw; however, since the Nam Ou was dammed, the trip to Luang Prabang is currently no longer possible. Boats to Muang Ngoi Neua ( GOOGLE MAP ) (25,000K, 1¼ hours) leave at 11am and 2pm (in high season extra departures are possible), taking you through some of the most dramatic karst country in Laos. The 11am boat continues all the way to Muang Khua (120,000K, seven hours) for connections to Phongsali or Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam.
There needs to be a minimum of 10 people (on all the above journeys) before the boatman leaves, otherwise you will have to club together to make up the difference.
Bus & Sŏrngtăaou
The journey to Luang Prabang is possible in three hours but in reality usually takes at least four. Minivans or sŏrngtăaou (37,000K) run at 8.30am, 10am and 11am, while air-con minibuses leave from around 1.30pm. Tickets are sold at the bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ) but the 11am service actually starts at the boat office ( GOOGLE MAP ), filling up with folks arriving off the boat(s) from Muang Ngoi. When a boat arrives from Muang Khua there'll usually be additional Luang Prabang minivans departing at around 3pm from the boat office.
For Udomxai a direct minibus (45,000K, three hours) leaves at 9am and 11am. Alternatively, take any westbound transport and change at Pak Mong (40,000K, 50 minutes).
Originating in Luang Prabang, the minibus to Sam Neua ( GOOGLE MAP ) (170,000K, 12 hours) via Vieng Thong (100,000K, five hours) makes a quick lunch stop in Nong Khiaw at around 11.30am, leaving at about noon. Another Sam Neua bus (arriving from Vientiane) passes through at 7pm. Both of these arrive at an unmarked bus stand on the Nong Khiaw side just before the start of the bridge. Try and get on the lunchtime bus as this is usually a larger vehicle compared to the cramped minibus in the evening. Plus there's the view you'll want to catch by daylight; one of the most beautiful mountain rides in Laos.
8Getting Around
Bicycle rental makes sense for exploring local villages or reaching the caves. Town bicycles cost 20,000K per day and mountain bikes cost 30,000K. Alternatively, hire a scooter (50,000/60,000K for a manual/automatic) from Delilah's Place. Sŏrngtăaou to the nearby bus station cost 5000K.
Muang Ngoi Neua (Ban Ngoi Kao) ເມືອງງອຍເຫນືອ
Pop 1000 / %071
Muang Ngoi Neua (ເມືອງງອຍເຫນືອ) is deliciously bucolic, a place to unwind and reset your soul. As the Nam Ou (Ou River) slides sedately beneath the shadow of sawtoothed karsts, cows wander the village's unpaved 500m-long road, while roosters strut past villagers mending fishing nets. Packed with cheap guesthouses and eateries, here there's enough competition to keep prices down. And while hammock-swinging on balconies is still de rigueur, there's plenty more to do if you have the energy: be it short, unaided hikes into timeless neighbouring villages, exploring caves, tubing and kayaking on the now pacified Nam Ou, or fishing and mountain-biking.
History
Muang Ngoi was once a regional centre but it was pulverised during the Second Indochina War, with bombs destroying all three of its once-celebrated historic monasteries. Such was the devastation that a 'new' postwar Muang Ngoi (ie Nong Khiaw) took over as the district headquarters, a potential confusion that still sometimes causes mix-ups. The rebuilt village was 'discovered' by travellers in the late 1990s when its beauty and laissez-faire atmosphere gained it a major pre-Twitter-era buzz despite not featuring in any guidebooks. By 2002, virtually every guesthouse hosted dollar-a-night falang (Westerners), some of whom stayed for months in a chilled-out opiate haze, but Laos' clampdown on drugs changed the atmosphere radically. Most of the very cheapest guesthouses closed or improved their facilities to cater for a (slightly) more demanding new generation of travellers who still enjoy the enchanting boat journeys from Nong Khiaw but are now more interested in hiking, kayaking and simply enjoying the riverscape. If you want a super cheap homestay, that's still possible in nearby Huay Bo.
1Sights & Activities
Ensure you're by the river come sunset to enjoy one of the most photogenic views in Laos, as the sun falls like a mellow peach beyond the jagged black cliffs. A little after dawn it's also interesting to watch locals delivering alms to monks at the rebuilt monastery, Wat Okadsayaram.
Numerous freelance guides such as Funny Guide (%020-97029526; [email protected]; Main St; h6am-8pm) offer a range of walks to Lao, Hmong and Khamu villages and regional waterfalls. Prices are reasonable and some visits, such as to the That Mok falls, involve boat rides. Others are easy hikes that you could do perfectly well unguided. For a rough guide to the area, take a photo with your phone of the map outside Lao Youth Travel (%030-5140046; www.laoyouthtravel.com; h7.30-10.30am & 1.30-6pm), located where the boat-landing path passes by the two-storey Rainbow Guest House.
Kayaking is a great way to appreciate the fabulous riverine scenery that stretches both ways along the Nam Ou. Lao Youth Travel has its own kayaks. The Ou now runs very gently after being dammed, making it safer for younger kids.
4Sleeping
Lattanavongsa GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%020-23863640; [email protected]; r from 100,000K; W)
Lattanavongsa offers a choice of bungalows at two locations: above the boat landing, and on the main drag in a pretty garden. Powder-blue rooms have choice art, mozzie nets, fresh linen and gas-fired showers; all have balconies. Book well ahead. Another boon is taking breakfast or dinner at its idyllically situated cafe (by the boat landing) with unbroken cliff views.
Nicksa's PlaceGUESTHOUSE$
(%020-3665957; r 60,000-100,000K)
Overlooking the river from its pretty garden abuzz with butterflies,
these seven house-proud cabanas are made of wood and stone and have fresh walls, en suites and mozzie nets. Each has a balcony and obligatory hammock to take in the impressive vista. Cold-water showers only. Warm management comes in the form of super-organised Nicksa.
VerandaGUESTHOUSE$
(%020-23862021; r 40,000K; W)
The five bamboo-weave bungalows here form an arc around a panoramic river view. Recently refurbished, the great-value clean rooms have hammocks, good beds and solar-heated showers. There's also a restaurant attached. Lovely manager.
Aloune Mai GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(Main St; r 50,000K)
This hidden gem, down a dirt track off the main drag and over a bridge, sits away from the riverside, with stunning views of the cliffs, 10 fresh rooms in a handsome rattan building and hammocks on the verandah. There's also a little restaurant serving pizza.
It's halfway down the street as you head south towards the pyramid-shaped karst.
Rainbow Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%020-22957880; r 80,000K; W)
Close to the boat ramp, this large house has clean, basic tiled-floor rooms with fresh linen and bathrooms, and a pleasant restaurant out front called the Bamboo Bar (mains 20,000K), with tasty Lao food, crêpes, curries and omelettes.
oNing Ning Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$$
(%030-5140863, 020-23880122; [email protected]; r 200,000K; W)
Nestled around a peaceful garden, Ning Ning offers 10 immaculate wooden bungalows with mosquito nets, verandahs, en suites and lily-white bed linen, with walls draped in ethnic tapestries. There's also a great new sister guesthouse nearby with a decidedly more upscale look (nearing completion as of the time of writing; rooms 250,000K). The stylish riverfront restaurant with sumptuous views is already finished.
The internet access does not extend from the restaurant to the rooms.
PDV Riverview GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$
(%020-22148777; [email protected]; dm/r/f 40,000/100,000/150,000K, bungalows 50,000-100,000K, upstairs r 150,000-200,000K; aW)
Partly under construction at the time of writing, this place halfway down Main St promises to be fine riverside accommodation, with fresh new rooms and a six-berth dorm with stunning karst views. There's also a family room. The current bungalows are nothing extraordinary but have great views and the usual balcony and hammock. The owner is super helpful.
5Eating
oGecko Bar & ShopLAOTIAN$
(%020-58886295; [email protected]; mains 20,000K; h7am-9pm; W)
Handmade woven gifts and tea are for sale at this delightful, memorable little cafe two-thirds of the way down the main drag on your left heading south. There's a nice terrace to sit and read on, the owners are charming and the food, spanning noodles to soups, and pancakes to curries, is among the most raved about in the village.
oRiverside RestaurantLAOTIAN$
(%030-5329920; meals 40,000K; h7am-11pm; W)
Since being damaged by a storm Riverside has come back better than ever. In the evening its Chinese lanterns sway in the breeze on the decked terrace, beneath the sentinel arms of an enormous light-festooned mango tree. Riverside has gorgeous cliff views, and its menu encompasses noodles, fried dishes, láhp and Indian fare. Pure magic.
Phetdavanh Restaurant & Street BuffetLAOTIAN$
(%020-22148777; vegie buffet 30,000K, mains 30,000K; hbuffet 6.30-9pm, restaurant 7am-11pm; Wv)
This basic-looking restaurant runs a nightly 'all you can eat' vegie buffet (high season only), as well as serving tortillas, bamboo and duck, pancakes, soups, sandwiches and shakshuka. Try the Lao Suzy (stew with potato, carrot, eggplant and onion). It also has rapid wi-fi, so you can eat and stream movies. Great Swedish cook.
Find it on a corner on the main drag, at the top of the stairs from the boat landing.
Vita RestaurantLAOTIAN$
(%020-52949488; Main St; mains 25,000K; h8am-9pm; W)
Fairy-lit Vita sits three-quarters of the way down the main drag on the left-hand side as you walk south, and dishes up decent láhp, sandwiches and curries. There are plenty of lounging cushions for chilling and reading under a fan.
Meem RestaurantLAOTIAN$
(Main St; mains 30,000K; h7am-9.30pm; W)
Halfway down Main St, welcoming Meem has wood floors, plenty of lounging cushions, and serves up flavoursome Lao and Indian fare, including delicious chicken masala, tomato curry, spring rolls and barbecued chicken and duck. By night it's more enticing than a bunch of melodic sirens, with claypot candles and paper lanterns.
Pakphon SabaiLAOTIAN$
(Main St; mains 30,000K; h8am-9pm; W)
Serving up waffles, decent coffee, French toast, Muang Ngoi sausage, noodles and fruit shakes, this cafe-cum-bookshop is an unexpected boho treat with second-hand novels, scatter cushions, original art and massage (one hour 60,000K). It's halfway down Main St on your right.
8Information
Dangers & Annoyances
Thefts from Muang Ngoi Neua's cheaper guesthouses tend to occur when over-relaxed guests leave flimsy doors and shutters unsecured or place valuables within easy reach of long-armed pincers – most windows here have no glass.
Internet Access
Muang Ngoi has internet access and wi-fi.
Money
There are no banks or ATMs here so bring plenty of cash from either Muang Khua (upriver) or Nong Khiaw (downriver). In an emergency you could exchange US dollars at a few of the guesthouses but rates are unsurprisingly poor.
8Getting There & Away
Boats to Nong Khiaw (25,000K, one hour) leave around 9am, with tickets on sale from 8am at the boat office beside Ning Ning Guest House. At Nong Khiaw tuk-tuks will wait above the boat landing for your arrival to take you to the bus station.
Boats from Muang Khua pick up in Muang Ngoi Neua for Nong Khiaw around 1.30pm. Going to Muang Khua (100,000K, five hours), a boat leaves at 9.30am provided enough people sign up the day before on the list at the boat office. The first hour of the ride cuts through particularly spectacular karst scenery.
A new road running alongside the Nam Ou connecting Muang Ngoi Neua to Nong Khiaw has been created. However, it is still unsealed and passes through tributaries that have not yet been bridged; pretty useless for travellers unless you can hitch a lift with a boatman who happens to be there.
Around Muang Ngoi Neua
Muang Ngoi Neua is a great place for making short hikes through clouds of white and orange butterflies into beautiful karst-edged countryside. Reaching the three closest villages is easy without a guide or map. Start by heading east away from the river along the continuation of the boat-landing access track. Around 25 minutes' walk further is a small tollbooth that charges foreigners 10,000K to continue. Your toll also allows access to the adjacent Tham Kang, a modest limestone cave set between poinsettia bushes and trumpet lilies. Inside you might spot a few bats and there's the eerie sight of a stream emerging through what at first glance look like giant stone jaws. For refreshments, cross a little bamboo bridge over the crystal-clear Nam Ngoi (Ngoi River) to the simple little Cave View Restaurant (mains 20,000-30,000K; h8am-6pm).
Continuing for 15 minutes, cross a stream (wading is safer than risking the slippery stepping stones) and reach a large area of rice fields. Keep left just as you first enter the rice fields, then at the next junction (three minutes later) bear left for Huay Sen (45 minutes) or right for Ban Na (15 minutes) and Huay Bo (40 minutes). Sticking to the convoluted but well-worn main path is wise as there are little hand-painted signposts at each of the few possible confusion points. All three villages offer very basic, ultra cheap accommodation with shared outdoor squat toilets and associated restaurant shacks that are open if and when anyone happens to be around to cook.
For stilt-house architecture, Huay Sen has the most authentic vibe of the three villages. The sole Huay Sen Guesthouse (r 10,000K) is a sorry set of minuscule bamboo boxes, but the enthusiastic owner speaks some English, can rustle up a decent frie
d rice and stocks an unusually flavoursome bamboo-macerated lòw-lów (Lao whisky). He also offers guided two-hour walks to neighbouring Hmong villages.
The houses of Ban Na look less rustic but you can observe local weavers at work and both village guesthouses overlook a sea of rice fields with a jutting karst horizon. OB Bungalows (%020-33863225; r 10,000K), at the furthest end of the village, has the better view and its new, relatively sizeable bamboo huts are particularly good value. Chantanohm Guesthouse (r 10,000K) has a pretty setting and features a petang (Lao version of pétanque) track and bomb casings.
The walk to Huay Bo is very attractive but requires fording one intermediate river. You'll pass a particularly sharp limestone spike and follow beneath a high ridge. The village comprises mostly stilt and bamboo-weave houses, albeit with a less serene atmosphere than in Huay Sen. Three simple side-by-side guesthouses all charge 10,000K.
Phongsali Province
No longer Laos, not yet China, Phongsali is a visual feast and is home to some of the nation's most traditional hill tribes. Trekkers might feel that they've walked onto the pages of National Geographic. For travellers, the province's most visited settlement is Muang Khua, a useful transit point linked by river to Nong Khiaw and by road to Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam. Further north the province is kept well off the standard tourist trail by arduous journeys on snaking roads that twist and turn endlessly. The only asphalt links Muang Khua to Udomxai, Phongsali and on to Mengla in China. Inconveniently, foreigners can't cross the Chinese border anywhere in the province. The road to Dien Bien Phu is now in great shape on the Lao side, but is not so great on the Vietnamese side.