The destination, Nong Khiaw, is a great alternative for people who like Vang Vieng and its scenic limestone mountains but do not like the party din there. The land situated at the banks of the Nam Ou (river) on the road connection between Muang Xay and Xam Neua. The little nest's surroundings can clearly compete with those of Vang Vieng.
This little settlement is blessed with probably the some of the most attractive natural settings in Northern Laos with breathtaking vertical limestone mountain and overflowing river.
A visit to Nong Khiaw can be as active or relaxing as one pleases, with plenty of gorgeous riverside guesthouses offering rustic bungalows from where one could spend day on end simply relaxing and enjoying the views of the ragged mountains on either side of the town. For those willing to get out and about, the town offers quite a few options.
Patok Cave: About 3kms west of Nong Khiaw, just off on the right hand side of the main road, is where you’ll find Patok Cave, a cavern extensively used by locals during the heaviest period of the carpet bombing.
Mountaintop viewpoint: Although the location of Patok Cave boasts some gorgeous views of rice paddies and nearby mountains, you’ll need to go up a little higher to really enjoy the most spectacular views of all. A steep hike up to the western tip of the mountains is hard work (especially at any time past 10 a.m. as the heat gets incredibly intense) but the views are bound to blow your mind.
100 Waterfalls Trek
You know you’re visiting a very relaxed country when a cluster of just over a dozen waterfalls and swimming holes is rebranded as the ‘100 waterfall trek’. It is just gorgeous, relaxing and lovely.
Muang Ngoi Boat Trip
If there’s one activity you should definitely not miss when in Nong Khiaw, it would have to be planning a visit to Muang Ngoi, yet another incredibly picturesque village about two hours up river from Nong Khiaw. The boat trip there is an incredible way to enjoy the stupendous scenery up-close and this is, without any shadow of a doubt, one of the most fantastic river boat trips you could hope to do anywhere in Laos.
How To Get Here
Nong Khiaw is about 30km off Road 13, which is the main north to south artery in Laos, about 140kms north of Luang Prabang. Although scheduled boat trips are no longer offered between the two towns, thanks to the recently built dam, it is possible to organize boat transport during high water-level months, usually between September and December. The first boat will wake take you up to the dam in four hours, where you’ll need to alight and organize a second boat for the last two-hour journey to Nong Khiaw. To be brutally honest, most consider this far too much hassle and, considering the nicest part of the river is actually north to Muang Ngoi, it does seem like this option is far more effort and cost than it is worthwhile.
The easiest way to reach Nong Khiaw from Luang Prabang is by minivan. Vans leave twice a day from both directions, take 4 hours in total and cost approximately ₭75,000 ($9.00) per person.
