What To Do In Savannakhet - A Complete Guide
The city of Savannakhet is a hidden gem in Southern Laos. Full of colourful street art, craft coffee shops and a bustling night market, there is plenty to see and do in the city. Read on to find out why you should add Savannakhet as a stop to your Laos itinerary!
Spiralling away from the banks of the Mekong River, the historic city of Savannakhet is a true, hidden gem of Southern Laos. This bustling city is stuffed full of beautiful temples, colourful street art and stylish coffee shops, all centered around a lively night market. The city’s architecture is a curious combination of French colonial facades mixed with art-deco, brutalist and Laotian style buildings.
Most travellers in Laos skip Savannakhet altogether as they head north or south to complete the popular motorcycle loops at Thakhek and Pakse. But, if you’re willing to give it a chance, Savannakhet will reward you.
With daily buses connecting Vientiane to Savannakhet and a border crossing point between Thailand and Laos, Savannakhet is in the perfect location to start a central or southern adventure through Laos.
We didn’t know what to expect from Savannakhet, but it quickly became one of our favourite cities in the whole of Laos. We loved its laid back charm, great food and funky repurposed buildings. It was a city full of great coffee, friendly locals and a huge night market we could really delve into.
Read on to find out why you should add Savannakhet as a stop to your Laotian itinerary.
In this Savannakhet travel guide:
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Savannakhet - Where Is It and How Do I Get There?
Where is Savannakhet?
Savannakhet is located in Southern Laos and can be found on a map here. Savannakhet city is also the capital of Savannakhet Province.
The city sits 460 KM (an 8 hour drive) south of the Laotian capital of Vientiane and is 400 KM (a 7 hour drive) north of the 4000 Islands and the Nong Nok Khiene Border with Cambodia.
Savannakhet sits on the banks of the Mekong River, overlooking the city of Mukdahan in Thailand. The Second Thai / Laos Friendship Bridge lies around 10 KM north of the city, marking the border crossing between Laos and Thailand. This border is open to foreign internationals looking to exit / enter Laos.
The city is Laos’ second largest city, but as with all of the Laotian cities we’ve visited, it still retains a small, laid back vibe.
How to get to Savannakhet?
Savannakhet is very well connected with daily buses connecting to the capital of Vientiane, other cities within Laos as well as internationally to Thailand and Vietnam.
Catching a bus to Savannakhet
The easiest and cheapest way to reach Savannakhet is by bus. There are Savannakhet bound buses departing Vientiane, Pakse and Thakhek daily.
Whichever city you’re coming from, your bus will arrive at Savannakhet’s Provincial Bus Station which can be found on a map here. Once you arrive, there will be plenty of tuk tuk’s and songthaews waiting to take you into the city. We arranged a taxi ride through our accommodation (more on where we stayed later in the article) which cost us 50,000 kip for the both of us plus our luggage.
For those wanting to visit Savannakhet from Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng, the easiest way to reach the city is to catch a bus or the high-speed Laos / China railway to Vientiane and then transfer onto a southbound bus to Savannakhet.
For those travelling from Champasak, Don Det or any of the 4000 Islands, the easiest way to reach Savannakhet is by taking a bus to Pakse and changing there.
If you’re coming from Thailand and crossing the Thai / Laos Friendship Bridge, buses depart every hour from Mukdahan and will arrive at the same bus station as above.
We travelled to Savannakhet from Thakhek and took a public minibus. Our tickets cost us 150,000 kip per person.
Book your Savannakhet bus tickets in advance by clicking on the links below.
Currently there is no way to book online Thakhek to Savannakhet bus tickets - let us know in the comments if this changes in the future.
Always keep an eye out - the street art in Savannakhet is everywhere!
Flying to Savannakhet
If you’re on a really tight schedule, you can reach Savannakhet by plane. Savannakhet’s airport is located in the southeast of the city and can be found here.
Currently there is only one flight route serving Savannakhet airport - Vientiane to Savannakhet. Flights depart Vientiane daily, with around 1 to 3 flights a day flying to Savannakhet and with tickets costing between 50 to 100 USD each.
What Is There To See And Do In Savannakhet?
Even though Savannakhet is Laos’ second largest city, the best way to explore the town is by foot. The main tourist attractions are all located very close to each other in the old part of the city so it’s very easy to get around. Our best advice would be to put on your comfiest shoes and get lost amongst the city’s historic streets.
Read on to find out what there is to see and do in the town.
Savannakhet’s Night Market
(location)
Located behind the concrete shell of the 1960’s Lao Chaleun Rama Theatre (more on this later) and stretching along the riverside promenade, Savannakhet’s Night Market is an absolute must on any trip!
Open everyday from sundown until 10pm, the night market is where you’ll find hordes of hungry locals munching down on everything from BBQ meat, spicy noodles to sweet, sugar glazed pancakes.
Stalls draped in neon lights line either side of a huge square full of tables and chairs, as well as spilling out along the riverside pavements.
It’s your typical South East Asian night market with everything on sale from small snacks to larger plates, children’s toys to mobile phone accessories, colourful t-shirts to sweet desserts.
We’ll go into more detail on our favourite food stalls in the ‘where to eat’ section of this guide, but if you want to get your fill of Laotian street food favourites in an awesome market setting, all under the incredible ruins of an old cinema - Savannakhet Market is the place to be!
Savannakhet’s Historic Buildings
(location - everywhere!)
The old town of Savannakhet - particularly the area around the Lao Chaleun Rama and the night market, is full of old colonial buildings. Some have been lovingly restored and converted into modern restaurants and boutique hotels whilst others remain in a state of decay, crumbling against the elements.
Throughout the town, the French colonial buildings all follow a similar style, a rectangle shop front with triangular roof, featuring stone balconies on the upper floor, arched windows and doorways and big wooden shutters.
Savannakhet is a city where you have to always look up. The historic buildings can be found everywhere, and even in their state of deterioration, they give a small glimpse into what the city would have been like in the past.
Our favourite historic buildings were definitely:
Lao Chaleun Rama 1960s
(location)
You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the ruins and empty shell of this art deco / brutalist cinema rising above you. Built in the 1960s during the French colonial period, the Lao Chaleun Rama was an old theatre which played movies and films up until the 1990s where eventually it was abandoned and left to ruin. Today the building has been given a new lease of life, with its crumbling rooms being turned into small shops, art galleries and a coffee shop.
Whilst we were there the old theatre part of Lao Chaleun was undergoing extensive restoration, and a new cinema will be opening very soon - let us know in the comments when it reopens!
Savannakhet’s daily night market is held just behind the Lao Chaleun Theatre.
Abandoned Khounsavan Cinema
(location)
A short walk up the road from the Laos Chaleun Rama theatre complex, are the brutalist ruins of the Khounsavan Cinema.
Once a bustling theatre, the cinema is now a shell of its former self. As you peer through the locked metal gates, you can see the old ticket booth whilst all around the walls are decorated with vintage film posters.
After you’ve peered through the gates, make sure you cross over the road to see the cinema in all its brutalist glory. There is also some street art painted on the wall to the right of the locked gates featuring images of traditional Laos shadow puppetry.
It’s a real shame to see this cinema all locked up, but we are hopeful that in the future it’ll be open once more.
Spotting Savannakhet’s Colourful Street Art
(location)
As you wander around the city, it won’t be long until you start spying street art decorating the walls of the old town.
The murals showcase local street scenes and children playing alongside more modern, stylised images and comic-book esq graffiti. We loved how some of the murals have been painted to incorporate the old wooden shutters and window frames of the buildings.
There was even a scene from a restaurant painted on a huge wall, showing men sitting at tables that really reminded us of the street art in Songkhla, Southern Thailand (read more about Songkhla here).
Our favourite mural was the image of two diplodocus dinosaurs painted in bright blue and green on the edge of an abandoned warehouse.
Savannakhet’s street art can be found all over the city, but especially down Khantabouli Street.
The Giant Naga Statue
(location)
The coils of this enormous white and gold serpent twist and turn along the river bank, with the head of this Giant Naga staring out over the mighty Mekong River, across to Thailand and the town of Mukdahan.
The statue is huge! Stretching all along the riverfront walkway, across the riverside park and along the road. As you walk through the park and along the river, the jewelled scales of the statue arch over and above you.
The Giant Naga Statue is a popular spot for locals to pray and give offerings and there are plenty of street stalls selling flower garlands, incense and other offerings.
To the right of the Giant Naga Statue sit a row of smaller naga statues, all painted in different colours, all sitting coiled on small plinths.
This brings us nicely on to…
The Temples and Churches of Savannakhet
Wat Sainyaphum
(location)
Sitting just over the road from the Giant Naga Statue and riverside promenade is one of southern Laos’ most important Buddhist temples - Wat Sainyaphum.
This beautiful temple was built around 500 years ago and houses several different temple buildings as well as a monastery.
The main pagoda sits in the heart of the temple grounds and is a large, triangular roofed temple painted in shimmering gold. On either side of the entrance, green naga statues line the steps.
It’s a tranquil temple, full of saffron coloured monks chanting and golden Buddha statues covered in offerings.
Wat Xaiyamoungkhoun
(location)
Sitting behind ornate temple gates and stone walls, is a treasure trove of beautiful Buddhist temple buildings. The main pagoda is painted white and gold, with intricately carved and painted gable ends.
Inside the temple make sure you look up at the colourfully painted roof and walls which all tell illustrated stories of the Buddha.
We were lucky to stumble upon this temple after visiting Savannakhet’s Museum. We’d recommend heading here after visiting the museum, but only after you’ve stopped for a coffee at Le Corbeau Bar - again more on this later!
Rattanarangsi Temple
(location)
Another of Savannakhet’s ornate Buddhist temples, Wat Rattanarangsi houses a large reclining Buddha statue, colourful stupas and stone chedis all sitting in a palm filled temple garden.
Our favourite building in this temple was the naga lined, white and gold tower that rose up above the temple roofs.
Don’t miss the row of colourful naga statues sitting behind the Giant Naga Statue!
Chua Bao Quang Temple
(location)
Sitting just behind Wat Rattanarangsi, Chua Bao Quang is a Vietnamese style Buddhist temple. Painted yellow, with Chinese style latticed windows and golden dragon statues lining the roof, Chua Bao Quang temple is beautiful.
We were visiting Savannakhet at the end of Lunar New Year and whenever we passed the temple, it was always busy with locals lighting incense or placing offerings.
St. Teresa's Catholic Church
(location)
This European style, creamy white church sits on the edge of a small concrete square.
At the front, 3 arched doorways sit in a row, whilst on top, a white octagonal tower crowns the building.
Inside, the church is sparsely decorated with rows of wooden pews sitting underneath stained glass windows and huge columns facing the altar.
The church isn’t an essential visit in itself, but it sits at the top of a pretty rectanglular square surrounded by colonial style buildings.
During the day / early evening BBQ sellers and noodle stalls set up shop around the square.
If you’re planning to visit any of the temples listed above, please be respectful and remember to cover your shoulders and knees.
Visit the Museums
Savannakhet Museum
(location)
You won’t need very long to explore this small museum but it’s worth a visit to learn a little about the history of the province. Full of ancient pots, weaponry and Buddhist artefacts, the museum showcases some of the archaeological discoveries found in and around Savannakhet. There is information written on the displays in English.
Just note the museum is closed on weekends.
Tickets cost just 10,000 kip per person to enter.
Savannakhet Dinosaur Museum
(location)
Another compact museum, Savannakhet’s Dinosaur Museum showcases fossils and dinosaur bones dug up in the province.
It’s a charming museum with a very enthusiastic manager who is eager to show foreigners the different items on display. Hanging from the walls and stored in old wooden cabinets are lots of dinosaur bones all in sizes, varying from rib cages to tail bones, femurs to spinal columns.
Information about the archaeological finds is written in both English and French.
Again like Savannakhet Museum, the museum is closed on weekends.
Tickets cost just 10,000 kip per person to enter.
Where to Eat and Drink in Savannakhet?
Whatever you’re after in Savannakhet, the town can certainly provide. From Laotian BBQs to Italian pizza, there’s a street food stall or restaurant for every palette and craving!
Local Laotian Cuisine
Laotian Street Food at Savannakhet Night Market
(location)
As soon as the sun has set over the Mekong, Savannakhet’s Night Market errupts into life - charcoal barbecues fire up, woks start spluttering and the sound of deep-fried goodies hitting the oil fills the air. It’s an explosion of smell and sound and is easily the best place to find some great local street food.
The night market sells all your Laotian favourites from grilled BBQ chicken and Laotian sausages to egg-covered sticky rice and spicy laab salads. Alongside ice-cream, sushi and even a ‘pimp your own instant ramen’ stall which we were very tempted by!
Our favourite dish though was a stall selling barbecued aubergine. It doesn’t sound like much, but trust us when we say we never knew an aubergine could taste so good!
Who knew grilled aubergine could be so good!
Sitting on piping hot grills, huge aubergines were cut in half and were grilled on the hot charcoal until their skins were charred black. On top of this, a delightful mix of spicy, chopped chilli, garlic and spring onion lay on a bed of soy sauce. Once the sauce was bubbling, the lady quickly scooped up the aubergine and handed over what was possibly one of the tastiest vegetables we’ve ever consumed.
It was salty and spicy, chewy and charred. Every mouthful was a burst of flavour that kept us wanting more and more - it was completely unlike anything we've ever eaten before. If there was ever a way to get more people eating vegetables, this is it!
If you’re in the market make sure you find this stall - honestly you won’t be disappointed.
We also enjoyed some tasty deep fried gyoza and two bowls of hearty red pork and wonton soup. Everything we ate at the night market was delicious and cheap.
Khao Piak Khao at Savan Rice Porridge Shop
(location)
This very popular (especially at breakfast times) rice porridge shop serves one thing and one thing only, khao piak khao - otherwise known as Laos rice porridge!
We ordered from the friendly stall owner at the front of the shop and very quickly, two huge, steaming orange bowls were presented to us. We spared no time in waiting for it to cool down and dove straight in.
The rice porridge was delicious. We’ve eaten a lot of khao piak khao throughout Laos and this was one of our favourites. It was meaty, rich and super comforting. Unlike the other bowls we’ve consumed, where the stall holders have been more cautious, giving us the ‘safer, more farang friendly’ cuts of meat, our bowls at Savan Rice Porridge came topped with slices of pork liver and heart. These less common cuts gave the whole bowl a deep, savoury undertone.
As with all porridge shops there was a cruet of condiments to adjust your bowl to your liking - our recommendation is to always add a big dollop of chilli oil followed by a squeeze of lime to lift the whole bowl up a zingy, spicy notch.
Each bowl cost us 25,000 kip - super cheap for a hearty breakfast that will set you up for a day of exploring.
Roast Pork Rice at Noi KhaoKhaMou
(location)
Serving one of our favourite meals - meat on rice. Noi KhaoKhaMou serves up every kind of meat on rice you can imagine. From stewed pork leg to braised duck, fried chicken to offal, whatever kind of meat you wanted on top of rice, you could order it at this busy eatery. Despite the many offerings on the menu, we stuck to our favourite and ordered two plates of crispy roast pork on rice.
Quickly after we ordered, out came two huge plates piled high with mounds of rice, thick slices of crispy pork, chunky rounds of sweet Chinese sausage, cucumber and half a boiled egg. Alongside this meaty feast, came two steaming bowls of rich pork bone soup - the perfect counterpoint to the juicy meat.
The star of the show was definitely the crispy pork. Sweet, melt in your mouth meat, sitting underneath delicious layers of succulent fat and crispy pork, it was everything we hoped it would be!
After you’ve ordered your plate, make sure to pick your sauce accompaniments from the counter at the back to pimp your rice and cut through the sweet meat. We opted for a sweet chilli sauce and sliced red chillies in vinegar.
Western Comforts
Long Pizza
(location)
Set in an old colonial-style warehouse building, Long Pizza served up what may be some of the best pizza we’ve eaten on our travels so far.
Long Pizza serves all the usual pizza choices, all made with imported Italian ingredients and cooked in a proper woodfired oven.
We decided we would share and ordered one of their large, spicy pepperoni pizzas alongside one of their parma ham salads - both were everything we hoped they would be!
Sometimes you just need to satisfy the pizza cravings!
The pizza was perfectly cooked. A thin, crusty pizza base was topped with a layer of sweet tomato sauce and meltingly rich mozzarella. On top of this, were long thin slices of delicately spiced pepperoni, which gave a little zing against the melted cheese.
The parma ham salad was the perfect accompaniment. Shards of parma ham sat amongst salad leaves, tomatoes and topped with shards of parmesan and a drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar.
If you’ve got room after, we can highly recommend their chocolate brownie for dessert. It was a perfect square of chocolatey, gooey goodness, served with two scoops of coconut ice-cream - divine!
Long Pizza is obviously a lot more expensive than the street food offerings in the night market, but if you find a good pizzeria on your travels, it’s sacrilege not to indulge a little - good mozzarella, pepperoni and parma ham are hard finds in South East Asia!
In terms of the ‘Pizza Olympics’ of Laos, Long Pizza is second, with Popolo Pizza in Luang Prabang (read more about this amazing pizza joint here) just beating them to the gold. Laos really punches above its weight when it comes to pizza - both Long Pizza and Popolo are amongst the best we have had anywhere in the world.
Coffee in Savannakhet
Coffee is big business in Savannakhet and wherever you are in the city, you’ll never be far from a ‘Cup of Joe’. With everything from roadside stalls to modern air-conditioned coffee shops, there’s plenty of places to caffeine up ready for a day of exploring. Below are some of our favourite spots to grab a brew in the town.
Hukfilm × Le Grand père Coffee
(location)
If you only have time for one coffee during your Savannakhet stay, then make sure it’s a coffee from at Hukfilm × Le Grand père Coffee. Set in a small room at the front of the repurposed Lao Chaleun Rama cinema, the coffee from Hukfilm is an experience in itself!
The coffee served here isn’t just a quick brew, it’s like watching an artist create a masterpiece. As soon as we had ordered our hot lattes, the friendly barista quickly got to work intricately measuring, grinding and filtering our coffee beans of choice.
Our coffees were simply next level - possibly the best we’ve drunk in the whole of Laos so far. Strong, rich and perfectly balanced. We spent a good while sipping on our coffees and enjoying the ambiance of the coffeeshop.
The interior of the coffee shop is worth a visit by itself: Exposed brick, sitting alongside turquoise painted walls with blue wooden shutters all standing in perfect contrast to the original tiled floor below. Shelves of vintage cameras and old film rolls lined the walls, whilst red and yellow Kodak signs gave a pop of colour - it’s a super stylish coffee shop! If we could design our house to look like this, we would! It was the vintage interior style that we absolutely love.
The coffee shop serves all your usual coffee favourites as well as the intriguing ‘barista’s choice’. A similar idea to a craft cocktail bar, you just put your faith in the barista behind the counter and let them serve you whatever they think you’d love!
As we said above, if you are a coffee fanatic and only have a day in Savannakhet make sure you head here for a brew!
Sooksavan Coffee and Bistro
(location)
As soon as you enter the narrow coffee shop of Sooksavan Coffee and Bistro you instantly feel as though you’ve been transported to a different time. Blue leather chairs sit on top of an exposed brick floor, whilst all around the walls are decorated with newspaper cuttings and old black and white photos.
We ordered two iced lattes which were just perfect. The coffee shop also sells fresh juice, teas and sodas alongside a small menu of fried noodles and rice.
Outside, there is a very picturesque, turquoise door which was a popular Insta spot for the Laotian youth to pose against.
Kin Café’s 1988
(location)
Set behind what looks like the walls of an old warehouse, Kin Cafe’s 1988 serves up excellent coffee.
Offering all your favourites, there is seating inside the modern air-conditioned shop as well as outside in the covered courtyard.
John’s favourite part of our visit to this coffee shop was definitely admiring the two vintage SR Yamaha motorbikes parked in the courtyard.
Black Coffee
(location)
Set on a busy crossroads in the heart of the old town, Black Coffee is popular all day with locals and travellers.
Serving all the usual coffee selection as well as iced teas, smoothies, frappes and Italian sodas, Black Coffee is great for a quick, ice-cold pick me up.
We ordered two iced lemon teas and they were citrussy, refreshing and really hit the spot after a very hot afternoon wandering the town.
The coffeeshop also serves a selection of sweet treats including some pretty cheesecakes which we were very tempted by!
Beer and Cocktails - The Best Bars in Savannakhet
Le Corbeau Bar
(location)
Le Corbeau Bar is set in a beautiful, old colonial style mansion house complete with columns, arched doorways and wooden shuttered windows.
Inside, the old-school vintage vibe continues, with a huge, long bar taking pride of place in a high-ceiled room. The art-deco theme continues throughout the bar with black leather seats, soft-glowing lamps and white plastered walls. It’s worth a visit even if it’s just to admire the original tiled floor!
During the day, the bar serves up delicious craft coffee whilst in the evening the bar offers bespoke cocktails - we can highly recommend their ‘Oracle Mule’, a take on a ‘Moscow Mule’ made with spiced rum, ginger ale and citrusy lime.
Le Corbeau is an experience all in itself and is a great excuse to treat yourself to a cocktail either before or after a pizza at Long Pizza (see above).
Bang Bar
(location)
Set within the Lao Chaleun Rama Cinema building just next to the Savannakhet’s Night Market, the Bang Bar is a great spot to have an ice-cold Beer Laos with some munch from the market.
We enjoyed a couple of beers alongside some dumpling starters to prepare for our evening of market munching!
Where to Stay in Savannakhet?
Savannakhet has plenty of accommodation from small, family run guest houses to boutique hotels - whatever your budget there’ll be a bed for you.
Budget Friendly Accommodation - Xaythone Guesthouse
We opted to stay in the cheap and cheerful Xaythone Guesthouse. Run by a charming old lady and her family, the guest house had everything we wanted for our stay in the city. A big room, comfy bed, hot showers and all in a great location - it was everything we needed.
The guesthouse also offers a laundry service as well as a taxi to pick you up / drop you off at the bus station (50,000 kip per journey) or even to take you to the Thai / Laos Friendship Bridge (150,000 kip for the taxi).
To book your stay at Xaythone Guesthouse click here.
Boutique Hotels and All Other Savannakhet Accommodation
If you’re after a more fancy stay than just a guesthouse, then there are plenty of boutique hotels to book.
Use the map below to check out all the accommodation on offer in Savannakhet - just enter your travel dates and take a look!
Where To Go After Savannakhet?
Staying in Laos - Heading North or South From Savannakhet
From Savannakhet’s bus station, you can easily head either north or delve deeper south to explore more of Laos.
If you plan to head north, you can easily catch a bus to take you to the town of Thakhek (read more about the town here) This small riverside town is the gateway to central Laos and is home to the impressive Konglor Caves and the incredible Thakhek Loop - possibly one of the greatest adventures we’ve ever had!
If you don’t mind a longer journey, you could catch an overnight bus (or you could fly) that would take you all the way to Vientiane. From here you could spend a couple of days exploring the city before catching the high speed railway onto the adventure capital of Vang Vieng or the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang.
If you’re heading south towards Cambodia, you could catch a bus to Pakse - start of the Bolaven Loop- another incredible motorbike journey. From Pakse you can see its amazing waterfalls, before catching another bus to head even further south to the ruins at Champasak or the 4000 Islands at Don Det or Don Khone and even the border with Cambodia.
If you’re planning to buy a bus ticket on the day, make sure you get to the bus station early. Despite having scheduled “bus departure times” - a lot of the time the bus will leave as soon as it is full.
This also applies to getting a seat. Laotian buses are well-known for being overstuffed. A 12 seater minivan will easily have double if not triple that amount of passengers with extra ‘beer crate’ seats added to the aisles.
If you have luggage, want a ticket and more importantly a seat, make sure you get to the bus station as early as possible!
We left Savannakhet and caught the 8AM bus to Pakse. We arrived at the bus station at 7AM and the bus was already half-full. Make sure you plan accordingly!
Catching a Bus Internationally
Savannakhet to Vietnam
From Savannakhet Bus Station you can catch a bus all the way to Hanoi, Hue and Danang in Vietnam.
These bus routes do not run everyday, so if you’re planning a trip to Vietnam from Savannakhet, we’d recommend heading to Savannakhet’s Bus Station for up-to-date departure days and times. It is also very difficult to book these tickets online in advance, so to book your seat, head to the bus station.
Savannakhet to Cambodia
There are no direct buses from Savannakhet to Cambodia. To do this route, you’ll need to catch a local minibus to Pakse and transfer to a bus there.
Buses from Pakse can take you to the Nong Nok Khiene Border between Laos and Cambodia, then on to the towns of Stung Treng, Kratie, Banlung or even to Siem Reap.
Savannakhet to Thailand
Buses run every hour from the bus station to the Thai border at Mukdahan. From the city of Mukdahan you can catch a bus all the way to Bangkok (book your bus tickets here) or head into Isan.
We’ll cover all you need to know about crossing the Laos / Thailand border below.
To book bus tickets or any onward travel from Savannakhet, we’d recommend using the 12Go widget below:
Crossing the Border Between Thailand and Laos - The Thai / Laos Friendship Bridge - All You Need To Know
Savannakhet sits on the edge of the Mekong overlooking the Thai city of Mukdahan and is a great place to cross the border into Thailand.
From Savannakhet Bus Station to Mukdahan Bus Station it’s only a 30 minute drive - not counting the time to process everything at Border Control.
Here’s all you need to know about crossing the border:
Leaving Laos and Entering Thailand
Laos border crossing point (location).
If you’ve come to the end of your Laos visa you can catch a bus or arrange a taxi to take you to the Laos Immigration Office on the Laos side of the Mekong. Once stamped out of Laos, you can cross the ‘Friendship Bridge’ and head to the Thai Immigration control to get stamped into Thailand.
To do this by bus: Buses leave Savannakhet Bus Station for Mukdahan every hour from around 7AM to 8PM and a ticket will cost 40,000 kip. The bus will take you across the bridge to Mukdahan bus station.
For those staying in Xaythone Guesthouse the owner offers a taxi service to the border for 150,000 kip.
Leaving Thailand and Entering Laos
If you’re entering Laos from Mukdahan, you will need to catch a bus or taxi to the Thailand border crossing point (location). From here you will get stamped out of Thailand before crossing the Friendship Bridge to reach the Laos Immigration Control.
At the Laos border you can obtain a visa on arrival costing $40 USD (you can also pay in Thai baht) or, if you’ve arranged an e-visa in advance, you can use this here.
Buses depart Mukdahan bus station (location) to Savannakhet town bus station every hour from 7AM to 8PM. A bus ticket will cost you 100 baht.
Visiting Savannakhet - How Long To Spend and Is It Worth The Trip?
As with any trip there’s always the difficult question of whether to stop somewhere or not. Here’s our honest opinion on whether you should add Savannakhet as a stop to your Laos itinerary.
Savannakhet - How Long Should I Stay?
Depending on how long you have in Laos, you can easily spend 2 nights in the city. We had 2 nights in Savannakhet and could easily have spent another day. There isn’t a great deal to do in the city, but that’s where part of its charm lies. There was enough food and plenty of coffee shops to keep us entertained and we would have loved to spend another day relaxing, eating and drinking our way around the city.
If you’re looking for somewhere to recuperate after driving the Thakhek or Bolaven Loops, then Savannakhet wouldn’t be a bad place to spend your time. The accommodation is very reasonable and there’s plenty of places to eat and drink - both Laotian fare and Western comforts.
If you’re really short on time, you could easily spend a night in the city to break up the journey between Pakse and Thakhek. To do this you would need to catch the earliest bus in the morning from either Pakse or Thakhek so that you could arrive in Savannakhet by lunchtime. This would give you the rest of the afternoon to explore the attractions of the ‘old town’, have a coffee in Hukfilm and spend the evening munching your way around the night market.
We spent 2 nights in the city and managed to see everything we wanted to, but could easily have spent a little longer. The city is very relaxed and if you’re after good food and coffee, Savannakhet is a perfect place to chill out in.
Final Thoughts - Is Savannakhet Worth A Visit?
We would 100% say yes, Savannakhet is absolutely worth a stopover.
It’s a city where you can just stop a little, take a step back and really slow down. The city is full of friendly locals, great food and drink, craft coffee shops and a super laid back atmosphere. It’s a small enough city, with all the “attractions” of the town all within a short walk from one another.
The city felt completely different to any of the other towns or cities we’ve visited in Laos and we loved just walking down the streets looking up at the historic buildings. We absolutely loved that the old buildings that were once ruins have now been given a new lease of life in the forms of modern coffee shops and art galleries.
We really didn’t know what to expect from Savannakhet but we really enjoyed our time there. It’s one of those places that’s difficult to put into words just why we liked it so much. During our adventures we’ve visited plenty of places that seem to be putting on a show for tourists, Savannakhet was not that, it was genuine and it was charming.
If you’re after good food, a fun night market and a chilled out vibe away from the usual Laotian backpacker scene, then make sure to add Savannakhet to your Laos itinerary!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Thakhek Town - The Complete Guide
Thakhek town is nestled in the heart of Central Laos. A gateway to the waterfalls, caves and mountains of the region the town itself is often overlooked - an afterthought or staging post on the usual Laotian itinerary. Read this guide to discover that there is more to this town than border runs and bike loops! Thakhek town is full of interesting temples, delicious food and great places to stay - read on to see why Thakhek town deserves a deeper look!
Nestled in the heart of Central Laos, Thakhek town is a full of great food, colonial architecture and history. A jumping off point for the famous “Thakhek Loop” and the amazing caves at Konglor, Thakhek town has become a hub for travellers heading to and from Central and Southern Laos. We have spent quite a bit of time exploring the town of Thakhek, really getting to know its nooks and crannies and we feel that it is well worth a place on your Laotian itinerary.
This is our guide to what to do, where to stay and what food not to miss during your time in Thakhek.
In this guide to Thakhek Town:
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Thakhek town has amazing views across the Mekong at sunset!
What to do in Thakhek
Why come to Thakhek? Why not! There are tons of things to do in and around the town. Thakhek is a fantastic gateway not only to the Konglor Caves but to the beautiful heartlands of Central Laos. The town makes a great base to explore some of Laos' lesser known treasures, both nearby and slightly further afield.
Things to do in and around Thakhek town
If you are looking at keeping it local, Thakhek has plenty going on within walking distance, or a very short drive, from the centre of town:
Thakhek Town's Riverfront - Sunsets on the Mekong
Thakhek town sits on the eastern bank of the Mekong river, facing Thailand. Sitting this way means that Thakhek gets to enjoy some absolutely amazing sunsets! The town has made the most of its West-facing riverbank by paving a promenade along the edge of the Mekong.
During the day this makes for a nice wander along the riverside, with cafes on the bank to nip into for a coffee or cheeky brownie. The promenade runs from the old ferry terminal in the north to the "Sunset Restaurant" in the south.
Come sundown, the riverbank's population swells as people come to watch the sky shift from blue to orange and then fade into the twilight of evening. On the southern end of the promenade you will find a string of cheap and cheerful BBQ joints selling beer and the traditional Laotian "stuff on a stick". It is a great way to end a day!
Explore the streets - French colonial architecture and Vietnamese influence
Thakhek is a town of many histories. Its name derives from its past as a trading port (its name translates roughly to boat-guest). Under French rule, its high street and administration buildings were rebuilt in the colonial style with colonnaded, balconied buildings. Also at the direction of the Colonial French, a large portion of the population was immigrant Vietnamese, "encouraged" to relocate by the French in their attempt to link Laos and Vietnam by railway.
The streets of Thakhek are great to just wander about.
You never know what, or who, you will find!
You can see strands of all of these ‘pasts’ by walking the streets of Thakhek. Beautiful colonial French facades sit alongside traditional Laotian and Vietnamese styled shophouses and homes. The town boasts several French style bakeries and coffee shops as well as some excellent Vietnamese food and the ever present, always tasty, Laotian charcoal grills.
21 March 1946 Memorial Park
(location)
A grim reminder of colonial brutality sits just off of Thakhek's riverfront. A large shrine and memorial sit in memory of the devastating battle of 1946 which marked the French re-colonisation of Indochina. The shrine memorialises a particularly horrible episode of history where the French forces disposed of the bodies of women and children by throwing them in the town well.
Nowadays the park and its beautiful shrine are still respected and revered, but are more often used by the locals to relax and play badminton and ball games in the cool of the evening.
Wat Nabo Si Pattanaram
(location)
Set on road that runs along Thakhek's riverfront this beautiful temple is well worth a visit. On the river's side is an ornate staircase, flanked by colourful Naga statues, their coiled bodies leading down to the water. On one side of the staircase is the "city pillar" of Thakhek, housed in an elaborately decorated shrine. The main temple sits on the other side of the road and is full of statues, gold leaf and the quintessentially Laotian blend of serenity and vibrancy.
Wat Nabo Si Pattanaram’s Naga statues are especially impressive at sun set.
Wat Phathat Si Khottabong
(location)
A short drive outside of town is the huge Wat Phathat Si Khottabong. A focal point for worship in the area, the large temple houses a sacred stupa from the 3rd century believed to hold relics of the Buddha. The temple grounds are large and peaceful to explore with a massive prayer hall, fountains and amazing statues.
The area outside the temple is also used for night markets and festivals. When we visited in February there was a huge market and celebration going on with hundreds of food stalls crowding around the temple.
Exploring Central Laos - Day trips from Thakhek Town
Thakhek is perfectly situated to act as a gateway to the lesser explored regions in Central Laos. Full of waterfalls, amazing cave systems and incredible views, the central regions best attractions are usually only a day trip away from Thakhek town.
Everything we mention below can feature as a stop on the amazing motorbike / scooter adventure - the Thakhek Loop. But do not despair if you cannot ride a scooter (or just don't have the time to spare), you can do lots of the regions highlights as a day trip from Thakhek town.
The Thakhek Loop
The Loop is what the town is most famous for in backpacker and traveller circles. Thakhek town acts as the start and end of the epic multi-day ride. We have written an exhaustive guide to everything you can see and do on the Thakhek Loop as well as riding tips, accommodation recommendations and how to rent a bike. Read all about the Loop and details of all the places mentioned below here:
Cave Tour - Local Sights at Elephant Cave, Xieng Liap, Phaya In and Tham Nang Ene Cave
Only a short drive from downtown Thakhek are four fantastic caves to explore:
Elephant Cave - location
Xieng Liap Cave - location
Phaya In Cave - location
Tham Nang Ene Cave - location
The largest, and furthest away - Thang Nang Ene cave - is only 35 minutes drive from town. If you are going for a day trip we would advise to go all the way out to Thang Nang Ene Cave and work backwards.
Thang Nam Ene Cave - It is like a multicolored Moria
You could pair the cave visits with a lunch and swim at...
Thafalang - Swimming and food amidst mountains
(location)
Sitting in a beautiful mountain ringed valley, this restaurant / resort floats on a crystal clear and fish filled river. Thafalang makes a perfect rest stop to swim and cool off in the river before eating a delicious Laotian feast from their restaurant. It costs 50,000 kip for one of their riverside floating huts and is worth every penny.
We actually stayed at Thafalang for a night, make sure you read the our Thakhek Loop guide (linked above) for all the details.
We enjoyed an amazing swim and a fantastic fishy feast at Thafalang - check out our Thakhek Loop guide for more info.
Konglor Caves
(Location)
The caves at Konglor defy description (very helpful for a travel blog, we know); they are just too big, too impressive. The cave system winds 7km through a mountain, houses cathedrals of hollow stone, stalactites and mites the size of factory chimneys and a dark river winding throughout everything. It is unbelievably impressive!
The Konglor Caves are quite a way outside of Thakhek but there are several tours and day trips available that will take you there and back inside of a day. If you have more time to spare, but do not want to ride the whole Thakhek Loop you can catch a bus from Thakhek to Na Hin and then change for a ride down to Konglor Village. The village has loads of great guesthouses and restaurants and would make for a great overnight stop.
We have gone into much more detail about visiting the Konglor Caves and staying in Konglor Village in our Thakhek Loop article, make sure you check it out here.
The entrance to Konglor Caves gives no clues at what is hidden inside!
There are several tour agencies in town who can arrange a tour to the Konglor Caves, just be aware it will probably be quite an early start and a long day!
You could also combine a visit to Konglor Caves with an adventure at...
The Rock Viewpoint - Ziplines and adventure park
(location)
If you are looking for adventure and adrenaline, The Rock has you covered. Set high up on top of a mountain, The Rock is full of zip wire lines, high-wire spider-net courses and incredible viewpoints. The Rock Viewpoint is in a unique geological area - the Stone Forest. This rocky, improbable landscape is a great backdrop for some adrenaline pumping adventures.
There are also some options for those not seeking the thrills; there is a great boardwalk trail through a portion of the Stone Forest (this is what we did and we loved it!), as well as a restaurant and café, all making the most of the incredible views.
If you were looking to stay there overnight there are also some very unique accommodation choices at the Rock. Pods overlooking or even overhanging the massive sweeping views. Check out some of the rooms here.
The company that operates the Rock Viewpoint offers a variety of packages and tours. You can even use them to get a tour that includes the Konglor Caves. They also run one of the nicer hotels in town - The Inthira Thakhek - but more on that later! Check out their costs and packages here.
Where is Thakhek? - Getting to the town and where to go next
Thakhek can be found here on a map. Nestled down in Central Laos the western side of Thakhek borders Thailand, the two countries separated by the Mekong River. Thakhek is around 335 km southeast of the Laotian capital Vientiane, about a 5.5 hour drive.
Thakhek town is well connected by bus to all the major Laotian towns, cities and traveller hotspots. Whether you are arriving in Thakhek from the Cambodian border to the south, coming in from Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the north or hopping across the river from Thailand, Thakhek is a useful transport hub for exploring Central and Southern Laos.
Thakhek by bus - getting around Laos
By far the most common way to get to or from Thakhek is by bus. The main bus stations can be found a little way outside of the town (we were dropped here). As is unfortunately common in Laos, there is a larger than usual taxi fare to drive from the bus stop into the town itself - expect to pay around 50,000 kip per person for the 4+km ride.
If you book a ticket from Thakhek, most of the guesthouses will offer a pick up service to get you to the bus station, if you book online - look for the tickets including hostel/hotel pickup.
Once in Thakhek town, it is easy to get around. Most of the restaurants, accommodation, coffee shops and bars are on or near the riverfront.
Vientiane to Thakhek
The journey between the Laotian capital and Thakhek takes around 5.5 hours and there are multiple bus companies offering the route.
Either head on down to the bus station, ask at your accommodation or check out 12Go to book in advance.
Vang Vieng to Thakhek
The backpacker and adventure travel town of Vang Vieng is around 7 hours and 460km away from Thakhek. If you are travelling from Vang Vieng to Thakhek there are several daily buses you can book online. Most will require a change in Vientiane (even when this is not explicitly stated!). You can book them from any guesthouse or travel agency in Vang Vieng or online in advance through 12Go below:
Vang Vieng - Thakhek bus tickets
If you are travelling the other direction - Thakhek to Vang Vieng - you will need to transfer in the capital of Vientiane. There wasn't an option to book this direction online - if this changes let us know in the comments!
Thakhek to Savannakhet
If you are looking to explore the fantastic night market, colonial architecture and amazing repurposed art deco buildings of Savannakhet you can take a 2 hour bus the 120km south from Thakhek. There is not much online booking available for this route but you can easily book a minivan / bus from your accommodation in Thakhek. We paid 150,000 kip each for our tickets on a minivan with hostel pickup.
Thakhek to Pakse
If you are looking to go south and explore Pakse, the Bolaven Plateau (and its motorbike loop) or the ruins at Champasak, there are several daily buses heading the 330km south to the town.
Again book in advance with 12Go or from the bus station or your guesthouse.
Thakhek to Don Det - The 4000 Islands
Laos may be landlocked but it still boasts beaches, bars and laid back, old-school backpacker vibes from its 4000 Mekong Islands at Don Det. To get to the 4000 Islands from Thakhek you will need to get the bus to Pakse then, usually the next morning, get a minivan down to Nakasong and finally, a short ferry across to Don Det. After you reach Pakse from Thakhek, there are two daily buses to Nakasong and Don Det. Both buses leave in the morning and fill up fast, so book early! We paid 130,000 kip per person for combined bus and ferry tickets both times we travelled from Pakse to Don Det. You can use the links above for the Thakhek - Pakse journey but will need to arrange the Pakse - Don Det leg with your accommodation.
To travel up from Don Det to Pakse is a simple 10 minute ferry to Nakasong followed by a long (around 8 hour) bus journey all the way (470km) to Thakhek. You can book this route in advance online here:
International travel from Thakhek
Depending where you want to go / where you are coming from you can book a number of international buses from Thakhek. From Cambodia to Thailand and Vietnam there are several bus routes leading from Thakhek out of Laos. Check out the 12Go widget at the bottom of this section.
The High Speed Railway - Getting to Thakhek from northern Laos
If you are looking to go, or are coming from the North of Laos - Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Vang Vieng etc then you can take advantage of Laos’ new high speed railway. The trainline drastically cuts down journey times and links Vientiane to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. It takes the journey from Luang Prabang to Vientiane from over seven hours down to two! This means you can travel to or from Thakhek and the south a lot faster than you used to.
To use the train service to get to Thakhek from the north. Catch the train from Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang to Vientiane and then change onto a bus to Thakhek. It will save you hours on Laos' bumpy roads!
If you are on a tight budget and don't mind the extra journey time you can book yourself on a sleeper bus from the north, just be aware that you will probably have to change buses in Vientiane anyway!
For more information on the high speed railway including how to book - check out our article here.
Crossing the Border Thailand to Laos - Nakhon Phanom to Thakhek
If you are coming to Thakhek from Thailand or plan to leave Laos at Thakhek, it is a short ride across the Mekong and the Thai - Laos Friendship Bridge at Nakhon Phanom.
From the Thai side of the border buses leave Nakhon Phanom 4 times a day to Thakhek town. The bus costs 75 baht per person. The buses from Thailand are scheduled at 9am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 16:30pm. The buses from Thakhek to Thailand are meant to run at 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 16:30pm - but check with the bus station first!
If you are travelling without using the bus you can find the Thai border crossing point here and the Laotian border point here. On both sides of the border there will be taxis, tuk-tuks and songtheaws waiting to take you into town.
If you are entering Laos through this border be aware that it does NOT accept E-visa’s at the moment. You will need to purchase a ‘Visa on Arrival’.
Thakhek as a "border run" town
Thakhek has long been a popular place for people attempting a "border run" to renew/extend their visa in Thailand.
You can stamp out of Thailand, cross the Friendship Bridge, enter Laos (paying for the Laotian Visa). You then turn around and do it all again in reverse to re-enter Thailand on a new visa. You may need to go all the way into and then back out of Thakhek town (using the bus) to do this.
Online reports seem to suggest this route is fairly common. We cannot comment on "visa running" but if you have come all the way to Thakhek and spent the money on the visa - why not stay a while and enjoy Laos?!
You can litterally see Nakhon Phanom from Thakhek!
Booking transport online
If you are travelling from Vietnam, Cambodia or just a different destination in Laos and you want to secure your ticket in advance, check out all the online options from 12Go with their city widget below:
Accommodation - Where to stay in Thakhek
Despite being a popular town to visit, and acting as a gateway to the famous "Thakhek loop" (seriously you should read our mega article about the loop!), Thakhek town does not have an overabundance of places to stay. There are a few hostels and plenty of dorm rooms as well as a couple of higher end offerings. We have stayed multiple times in Thakhek and these are our recommendations:
Backpacker accommodation - KFG Hostel / Guesthouse
Located slap bang in the centre of town KFG was just what we needed to find. We stayed both before and after our epic Thakhek Loop experience and both times it was cheap, comfy and clean with helpful staff. KFG has dorm rooms as well as private rooms. On our first stay (prior to the loop) we had a cheap private room with shared bathroom. When we finished the loop we upgraded to a private bedroom with an en-suite. Both rooms had access to a great balcony / veranda overlooking the town square and both times we stayed were great.
The guesthouse can also sort out your onward travel, book tours, give advice about the Loop and even rent you bikes and scooters. It was the most popular place for backpackers to stay and the rooms can sell out fast so book early!
To have a look at availability or book a room at KFG Guesthouse - Click here
A little luxury - Inthira Thakhek
Sometimes its nice to treat yourself. We have been on the road now for around 3 years and, every so often, it is nice to have a real hotel stay. We love our hostels, homestays and guesthouses but, every so often we will treat ourselves to something a little more bougie. Inthira Thakhek was just such a treat. Set in an amazing colonial-era building we had a gorgeous balcony room with views over the square and down to the river front. Having such a nice balcony meant that we could just chill in in the evenings, drinking a beer and admiring the view. We also had breakfast included in our deal and the congee, or rice porridge was a great way to start a days exploration (they do have western options too).
If you are looking for something a little more fancy, book Inthira Thakhek here.
The Inthira is littlerally in the center of everything in town. You can see the amazing balconies!
Other accommodation in Thakhek
There are a few other places to stay in and around Thakhek. Check out our handy map below for all the online accommodation offerings:
If you do stay elsewhere, let us know in the comments how it was, we are sure to be back in Thakhek someday!
Where to Eat - Food in Thakhek
Thakhek town has lots to offer the hungry traveller. Like most of Laos, it is possible to eat very well for not very much money. Being long term backpackers with large appetites we have eaten our way around the town and would recommend the following:
Thakhek Night Market - Centre Point
(location)
By far the most popular place to be when the sun has set, Thakhek's Night Market is stuffed with places to eat. Set inside a covered building, it feels more like a food court than a "traditional" night market. You can have pretty much any of the SE Asian favourites to eat here, from pad thai to pork leg rice, banana pancakes to Laotian BBQ. At the riverside entrance to the market is a large hot-pot restaurant and bar with live music on the weekends.
We ate in the market twice, both times getting different variations on the theme of noodle soup. Both times were cheap (40,000 kip per bowl), yummy and just what was needed!
Crispy Pork Noodles at R'Zim Pork and Duck Restaurant
(location)
This little shop house restaurant has a reassuringly small menu. We opted for the crispy pork noodles and they were amongst the best we tasted in Laos. Perfectly roasted pork belly, topped with deliciously crunchy crackling - what more can you need?! The bowls were very well priced at 40,000 kip each.
Sunset beer and BBQ stalls
(location) - Available everywhere on this stretch of the river - no formal Google listing.
As the sun sets the fires of Laotian BBQs are stoked into life along the Mekong's banks. Plastic chairs and metal tables are unfolded and shop-cart barbecue restaurants open up. It is a perfect place to have a beer and watch an amazing Mekong sunset. A beer also pairs very well with any of the skewers of barbecued meat or fish sold at these stalls. There are plenty of different stalls to choose from all selling very similar menus, so just find the one with the best view!
You always have a good variety of choice with Laotian BBQ!
Everything goes well with a sunset and a beerlao!
Bánh Mỳ Ngon
(location)
Thakhek has a history of immigration, both forced and voluntary, from Vietnam. The cuisine of the town reflects this mixing of cultures. Bánh Mỳ Ngon is a fantastic example of truly delicious Vietnamese food in Laos. The restaurant does serve the titular Bánh Mỳ but not in the way those visiting from the West might expect. This Bánh Mỳ is not a sandwich: a sizzle plate full of runny egg, meatballs, sauce and chilli is paired with a charcoal toasted baguette. You make your own sandwich, or as we did, tear, smear and scoop all the deliciousness with the bread. If you haven't tried this genre of Vietnamese food you really should. Bánh Mỳ Ngon was an unexpected delight in our visits to Thakhek. It was also very cheap, each plate cost only 30,000kip!
Make sure you get there early - it is a breakfast restaurant and only open from 6am until midday or earlier if it sells out!
Le Bouton D’or
(location)
If your looking for a slightly fancier place to watch the sun set from, Le Bouton D'or makes a fantastic choice. Sharing a name and owner with the boutique hotel on the other side of the road Le Bouton D'or has a beautiful view of the sun set over the Mekong. We enjoyed a few reasonably priced beers here after we finished the Loop and it was a very nice place to celebrate.
Full disclosure: We didn't eat here. Le Bouton D'or was a little pricey and very 'tourist friendly' in it's menu - lots of fries and pizza options. However, it did look the ideal place for people who wanted a break from Laotian noodles and rice. If you do eat here let us know in the comments how the food was!
Coffee in Thakhek - Getting your caffeine fix
It wouldn't be an Adventures of Jellie article without some mention of coffee. We cannot resist a good cup of the brown stuff (wow that sentence sounded better in my head). Thakhek has a couple of really good places to have a cuppa, these are our recommendations:
Yo and Ko Cafe
(location)
Yo and Ko Cafe was our favourite and most visited coffee shop in Thakhek. Sitting right next to the main town temple and the night market this coffee shop served up fantastic iced coffees and sweet treats. Their iced latte were the perfect sweetness to coffee bitterness ratio and fuelled us in the mornings and re-energised our afternoons!
Make sure you treat yourself to one of their delicious "brookies" - the delicious love-child of a brownie and a cookie!
An iced latte costs 35,000 kip - Not expensive at all for craft coffee!
Via Thakhek Hostel and Cafe
One iced americano from Via Thakhek costs 30,000 kip.
Conclusion - Thakhek Town, more than just the loop!
Most travellers, especially backpackers will use Thakhek as a gateway to the Thakhek / Konglor Loop but the town is special in its own right. From richly decorated temples to riverside views, good food and lovely people, Thakhek has lots to offer those who give it a try, it definitely deserves to be more than a border run or finishing line! Stay that extra day and get to know the place, it is well worth your while and will open your eyes to a little more of Laos!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
For all our Laotian adventures check out our blogs and guides here:
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Riding The Thakhek Loop - The Ultimate Guide
The Thakhek Loop of Laos is an unforgettable motorbike journey. Our guide covers everything you need to know from how many days it takes to ride, a complete map of the loop, scooter hire, 2 to 5 day itineraries, every stop and attraction on the Loop as well as where to stay and what not to miss on this incredible adventure!
A motorbike loop set in the heart of Laos, the Thakhek Loop takes riders through incredible landscapes of limestone karsts, past flooded forests, famous caves and stunning waterfalls. The Thakhek Loop of Laos has flown under the radar for many years but is now gaining popularity amongst adventure seeking backpackers eager to leave behind the tour groups and crowds. The pinnacle of the loop is the jaw-dropping caves and caverns at Konglor. Now rising in popularity, the Thakhek Loop is an essential experience for backpackers travelling through Laos.
The Thakhek Loop (also known as the Konglor Loop) is recognised as one of the most fun, accessible and exciting motorbike loops anywhere in Asia. Easier to ride than Vietnam’s famous Ha Giang Loop, the Thakhek Loop attracts all kinds of riders. From those with decades of experience on 2 wheels to those riding for the very first time.
This is our complete and exhaustive guide to the Thakhek Loop. We’ve covered everything from hiring your motorbike, suggested itineraries, routes, a custom map to essential tips, tricks and packing information. If you’re looking for something specific, check out the contents page below, but if you’re interested in the Loop generally and don’t want to miss out on some of its lesser known gems, we’d recommend having a read of the whole guide.
Make sure you save our custom Google Map which has all the attractions, accommodation and routes marked.
In This Guide:
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
What Is The Thakhek Loop And Where Is It?
The Thakhek Loop is a motorbike / scooter route that leaves the town of Thakhek, travels through the Laotian countryside past caves and viewpoints towards the Vietnamese border before curving back into Central Laos. Passing by incredible viewpoints, waterfalls and natural swimming pools, the route winds down to the Konglor Caves before arching back along a main road into Thakhek town. The Loop starts and ends in the town of Thakhek which you can find on a map here.
How Long Is The Thakhek Loop?
The normal loop is a 450 km round trip. We recommend a couple of extra excursions which take the total length up to about 470 km of driving.
You can spend as long or as little time as you like exploring the Loop. It’s possible to drive the whole thing in just 2 days if you really wanted to - although we would not recommend this. We think the ideal time to spend on the Thakhek Loop is between 3 - 5 days. We took our time and enjoyed extra days in a couple of places and spent 5 days (4 nights) on the Loop. You can easily fit in most of the “main attractions” with only 2 nights but it would involve a lot of driving and not much time off of the bikes!
For most people 4 days (3 nights) would be an ideal compromise between seeing the best of the Loop and ensuring you have enough time to see the rest of Laos.
Which Way Round The Loop Should I Drive?
There is no right answer to this. You can do the Loop in either direction. The more popular route is to leave Thakhek and travel anti-clockwise with the last day being spent on the main road back to Thakhek.
You could easily do the route the other way round and get the main road over with at the beginning.
We travelled and would highly recommend the traditional way round. The itineraries we suggest below would work whichever way round the Loop you choose.
The Thakhek Loop - Routes, Itineraries And Map
There’s so much to see and do on the Thakhek Loop that it might be a little overwhelming. We took our time on the Loop and visited practically every attraction and sight along the way and have come up with some itineraries and routes to give you the best experience whatever your schedule.
For all of our recommendations, attraction locations, accommodation stops and Loop information we will be referring to the Google Map we have created, make sure you check it out and save your own copy below!
All the locations we mention, along with their map references will be in our “what to see on the Loop” section of this guide.
Thakhek Loop - Complete Map
To save a link to this map, click here.
Thakhek Loop recommended itinerary - 3 to 5 days (2 to 4 nights)
This is our recommended itinerary. You can see all the sights in 3 days but if you have enough time in your Laotian schedule, we’d recommend adding an extra day or 2 to your Loop to relax in some amazing places.
This itinerary allows you to take your time, see everything, stop at swimming spots and not rush through the gorgeous scenery.
Day 1 - Thakhek to Sabaidee Guesthouse / Thalang Village - 107 km not including detours
Start early in the morning (most motorbike rentals in Thakhek open from 7.30am) and head from Thakhek to Elephant Cave (stopping at B96 Cafe for coffee).
From the Elephant Cave drive the quick and scenic “Mini Elephant Cave Loop” (see map).
Optional stop - Drive towards the cave at Tham Nong Pa Fa there is also a lake and cave here but it was closed when we visited.
Optional stop - Drive the main road to Xieng Liap Cave.
Turn off the main road again and head to Thafalang. This could actually be your first accommodation stop if you are doing 4 or 5 days on the loop, otherwise it is a fun swim and lunch spot.
Drive “The Thafalang Mini Loop” (see map).
Drive back down the main road to Phaya In Cave.
Visit Tham Nang Ene Cave.
Take the long drive to Pha Katai Viewpoint.
Come off the main road and drive down the gravel path alongside the lake to Song Sa Waterfall - another good place for a swim.
Optional stop - visit the abandoned boat restaurant and lakeshore - the town of Nakai has plenty of restaurants.
Drive out of town through the mountain roads to the Orchid Path Trail and Viewpoint.
Stay overnight at Sabaidee Guesthouse in Thalang village (if Sabaidee is full there are other accommodation choices available - see later on).
You can see why you may want to split this itinerary over 2 days. If you want to see all the stops we’ve listed above, you have a lot to fit in!
If you want to follow our example and have the time, we did all the caves and sights up and around Thafalang on day 1 then stayed the night at Thafalang Resort. We then set off the next morning and did everything on this list up to and including the Pha Katai Viewpoint. As we hadn't booked any accommodation for that night we then made a beeline to Sabaidee Guesthouse. We made it to Thalang village a little after 1pm, grabbed a room and doubled back and did the rest of the sights (Song Sa Waterfall, the abandoned boat and the Orchid Path Trail). Our stay at Thafalang meant we could fit all of this into one day and not feel rushed - also the road between the dam, Nakhai and Thalang village is stunning and great fun to drive - doing what we did meant we could ride its curves 3 times! Doing this itinerary also meant we had plenty of time to swim at both Song Sa Waterfalls and Thafalang.
Day 2 - Sabaidee Guesthouse / Thalang Village to Konglor Cave - 150 km not including detours
Leave Sabaidee early and drive through the Flooded Forest (Google Maps viewpoint is randomly placed, just pull over and admire the view wherever - it is all stunning).
Stop and admire the carved Sandstone Buddhas.
Plough on to Lak Sao and grab a coffee from LAKXAO Coffee (and some breakfast noodles from the lady next door).
Drive to Dragon Cave and explore its caverns and amazing viewpoint.
Take a detour to the Cool Pool and chill out / take a dip / grab a snack from the nearby restaurant.
Drive all the way to Na Hin before turning off the main road and taking the long beautiful stretch to Konglor Caves.
Find a guesthouse in Konglor village - we recommend Konglor Eco Lodge.
Optional Day - Konglor Village
We chose to spend 2 nights in Konglor and really, really recommend it. It was one of the best and cheapest rooms we have had in Laos, with a beautiful balcony and hammock overlooking green fields and towering mountains. The town has a few different places to eat so we did not get bored with the food and there are also a couple of places (other than our balcony) to enjoy a cheeky beer. Staying an extra night in Konglor also meant we could have a relaxed day off of the bikes and explore the enormous cave system whenever we wanted to.
If you are not taking this optional day remember the last cave boat leaves late afternoon - Google says 5pm but we have heard it is seasonal and can be quite a bit earlier. The caves open at 8am so you could always just get up and visit Konglor Cave the next morning.
There are also 2 more caves to discover and explore - Tham Nam Non Cave and the ominously named Skull Cave. We did not get to these, let us know what we missed in the comments!
If you don't have the time for an extra day in Konglor you can still easily do the caves, the last day doesn't have as many stops as the previous couple so you don't have to rush around. The only instance where you may have to be a little wary of the time is if you are doing any of the zip-line excursions from The Rock (see later).
Konglor is a lovely village and worth a little of your time. Also it was nice for our behinds to have a day not riding the bikes!
Final Day - Konglor Village to Thakhek - 190 km.
Today is a long drive so get up early. Start at Konglor and visit the caves if you haven’t already - the caves take around 3 hours to visit.
At this point, if you are feeling daring, you could load your bikes onto boats and float them through the caves before riding back along the loop. This would avoid the long ride on the main road - Check out the later section on bringing your bikes through the cave! We didn’t know this was an option so continued on the route below.
Drive up to “The Rock Viewpoint” - this is an adventure activity park and you could easily spend half a day here (see later on for more details).
Drive down the mountain road before rejoining the main road which leads back to Thakhek.
Along the way stop for lunch - we’d recommend the Lea Noodle Shop at Hinboun.
Optional stop - pull over and have a quick peek at the “Giant Wall”.
Cruise back into Thakhek.
450+ km ridden - Loop completed!
Thakhek Loop 2 day itinerary
If you are short on time and happy to do a lot of long rides, you could do the loop in 2 days - spending only 1 night on the loop. You would not get to see everything and would have to have some very early mornings, but it can be done. Just be aware that you have to get all the way to Konglor Cave before 3pm if you want to do the cave tour that day!
If you’re doing the shorter itinerary, it makes sense to do the Loop in a clockwise direction and have Konglor Caves be your first stop after an early start in Thakhek.
If you look at the 3-4 day loop itinerary there are a lot of places you could skip if you are in a real hurry. For a 1 night 2 day loop you will need to either stay at Konglor Village or, for a more balanced but very hectic itinerary, you could split your journey at Sabaidee Guesthouse at Thalang Village. If you choose to do the loop in 2 days you will need to drive over 200 km each day. This may or may not be an issue depending on which bike you rent but it will involve long days either way.
Day 1 - Thakhek to Thalang Village
Thakhek - Konglor - Start the route clockwise - eastwards (the opposite way to most loopers). Set off early and drive the main road all the way to Na Hin and down to Konglor to do a cave tour as early as possible in the morning.
Konglor - Sabaidee Guesthouse / Thalang Village - Drive back up to Na Hin then over the mountains. If you are making good time (and are not done with caves yet!), stop at the Dragon Cave and viewpoint. Continue on past the turning to the Vietnamese border at Lak Sao and down through more mountains, past the Sandstone Buddhas, the Flooded Forest and to Thalang Village and Saibadee Guesthouse.
If you have the time you can go on and explore the Orchid Viewpoint Trail. Make sure you do not leave it too late, you do not want to be finding your way back down in the dark. If you do not have time today you will be driving past it the next day.
Day 2 - Thalang Village to Thakhek
Start as early as possible. Ride south out of the Flooded Forest. If you didn’t do the Orchid Trail the previous afternoon, you can do so now. Continue out of the mountains and take a quick look at Song Sa Waterfalls. Ride over and past the dam and resevoir and pass the turning to the border at Gnommalat.
Take in the view at the Pha Katai Viewpoint and power down towards the string of caves outside of Thakhek. Depending on your speed and what time it is you could visit: Phaya In Cave, Tham Nang Ene Cave, Elephant Cave and/or Xieng Liap Cave. If you are early enough to squeeze in a quick swim and a meal, you could head to Thafalang. Before driving victoriously back into Thakhek
As you can see the 2 day, 1 night itinerary is very hectic and will involve a lot of long drives, but it can be done. If you have a larger motorbike as opposed to a scooter it wouldn’t even be that uncomfortable to do the distances involved. Just get up early and see as much as you can with the time you can spare!
Even on a shorter itinerary, you’ll still be treated to incredible roadside views!
Longer / Alternative Thakhek Loops
You can of-course spend as long as you like riding the Thakhek Loop. There are many more villages to explore, caves to find and even an entire National Park that we could not fit into our itinerary.
The Hin Nam No National Park loop would take you off our route before the Pha Nakai Viewpoint, loop you around the National Park through waterfalls and on a boat through a cave. From there the route would join the Ho Chi Minh Trail and take you past trekking routes and caves to rejoin the main Thakhek loop along the border road to Vietnam. If you do this route please let us know how it was in the comments, we’re gutted we didn’t get to try it!
Taking your bike through Konglor Cave
There is also another way of doing the Thakhek Loop. From Konglor Cave it is possible to load your motorbike or scooter onto a boat, sail it through the caves and disembark at the village of Natane. From here you can ride down through the valley reconnecting you with the main loop road between Nakhai and Thalang Village.
To take your bike through the Konglor Cave, it will cost between 30 & 35 USD per scooter. This would be a fantastic adventure, we are sad we didn’t know it was an option until too late. We were told it wasn’t running anymore and that the road between Natane and the Loop was in terrible shape. We have now met travellers who have confirmed that it is still running but that the road back is definitely a difficult ride.
Several of the rental companies will request that you do not do this route as they feel the way back is too dificult for novice riders. Be aware that if you do come unstuck you will be responsible for any repairs!
We are so annoyed we did not know this was an option when we rode the Loop. We would have loved to do the route through the caves and ride the Loop in reverse. It would make for a phenomenal adventure and would actually skip the long main road drive back to Thakhek.
Stops On The Thakhek Loop - What To See And Do
These are all of the stops and attractions you can drive to on the Thakhek loop. They are all marked on the map but we have also included individual map location links. You do not have to do all of these places, all though if you have the time they are all worth a stop!
We have arranged them in the order you would encounter them in our suggested 3-5 day Itinerary.
Elephant Cave
Depending on whether you’ve stopped for breakfast or coffee beforehand, this is usually the first stop you’ll make on the Loop.
Head through the ornate temple gate and up the stone stairs to find a small shrine in an impressive high ceilinged cave full of colourful flags. At the top of the cave you’ll find a large seated golden Buddha and a secret shrine to the right.
Ticket price: 10,000 kip per person.
Elephant Cave Mini Loop and Kuan Cow Cave
After Elephant Cave turn left as you exit and take a short route through local villages, past limestone karsts and paddy fields. If you have time you can stop at Kuan Cow Cave.
Check out the map for a clear route.
The ride is easy on compacted dirt roads with a slightly dusty gravel section leading back to the main road. See our map for the exact route. We highly recommend this short detour as it was very pretty and we didn’t see any other “loopers” on our ride.
Tham Nong Pa Fa
A short detour off of the main road through stunning scenery brings you to a dusty car park lined with tourist shops.
Just follow the raised pathway to reach the cave!
Exit to the right to find Tham Nong Pa Fa Cave. Inside the cave is a jewel box of Buddha statues, shrines and offerings. Outside, at the base of the cave a beautifully clear lake flows out of the mountain. In different seasons boat trips may be available.
You will need to take off your shoes to enter the cave and there is strictly no photography allowed inside. If you’re a female you’ll be asked to wear a sarong. These can be borrowed for 5000 kip.
Ticket price: 5000 kip per person and 6000 kip parking.
Tham Pa Sueam
Accessed via the same car park as Tham Nong Pa Fa, Tham Pa Sueam was closed for renovations when we were there but it may have reopened by the time you visit. There is a large lake and cave to explore. Let us know in the comments if this has reopened.
Xieng Liap Cave
Down a very short path off the main road are two car parks either side of the river. It doesn’t matter which you park in, just head to the ticket booth and walk the short way down to see the cave.
A river flows out of a huge opening full of jagged rocks. The cave goes deep into the mountainside but the path when we visited (dry season) only wound down into the mouth. You can explore further if you have a torch and don’t mind getting a bit wet.
There are high-wired bridges, climbing nets and other adventure activities on offer here as well as a zip–line and accommodation.
Ticket price: 10,000 kip per person plus 5000 kip scooter parking. If you want to do the zipline activities it is an extra 293,000 kip per person.
Thafalang
A short way off the main road you’ll find a large car park serving Thafalang Restaurant and Resort. This is a great place to stop and cool off. Floating on either side of a turquoise, fish-filled river are bamboo booths where you can just dive off and swim in the refreshing water. Food, drink and accommodation is available (we actually stayed here - see more in the accommodation section). The location is stunning with the resort and river restaurant being sandwiched between mountain peaks. We can also confirm that the sunsets here are phenomenal.
We had a brilliant afternoon relaxing in the sun, swimming in the river and eating a delicious feast of fish.
Ticket price: It’s 50,000 kip to use one of the floating huts or free if you’re staying the night. Food is a little bit more expensive than elsewhere but very, very good.
The fish at Thafalang are very inquisitive!
The Thafalang Mini Loop
After Thafalang, continue on the road away from the main road and take a short 15-20 minute loop along pretty small roads, through villages and down a valley lined with impressive jagged mountains. It is a dirt road but compacted and well maintained. We set off in the morning and hardly saw another person, just beware of rogue cows!
The loop brings you out only 10 minutes down the road from the 2 caves that you will then need to double back to.
Check out the map for a clear route for this mini loop.
Phaya In Cave
Next to the main road is this small, and when we visited, under-construction cave shrine.
Marked by a curtain of colourful flags, the entrance winds down into a beautiful cavern. In the centre sits a lake reflecting the colourful bunting above and the orange and gold wrapped stalactites.
Ticket price: Free when we visited.
Tham Nang Ene Cave
This is the largest cave on the first portion of the loop. Drive a short way off a well signposted turning on the main road and enter the huge car park. The cave itself is stunning, a cathedral of enormous stone spaces with amazing rock formations, stalactites, stalagmites and columns of sparkling stone. The whole cave is sat above and around a river that flows deep into the dark of the mountain. The cave is lit by multi-colored neon lights (for some reason) and you can do a circular walk on stone paths and raised walkways. There are also boat trips available that take you further into the cave.
This one doesn't look like much from the outside, with its neon lights, dutch windmill on the entrance and cheesy looking car park, but it is 100% worth a stop.
There are toilets, fast food and a coffee shop on site. There is also a zipline available but we did not try it out!
Ticket price: 50,000 kip per person 120,000 kip to hire a boat.
Pha Katai Viewpoint (Rabbit Cliff Viewpoint)
Turn off the main road into a bizarre abandoned resort and waterpark, if you see the restaurant with the replica ship you have gone too far! The “car park” for the viewpoint is a flat piece of land directly next to the stairs up to the viewpoint. A lady will magically appear on a scooter to sell you your ticket.
The viewpoint is up a precarious rusty-looking metal staircase somehow attached to the mountainside - we questioned how it ever got built! The stairs are, in places, quite far apart so it is not one for vertigo sufferers. The viewpoint however is worth the climb. At the top, over some shoddily repaired walkways, is a stone forest of sharp grey rocks and an incredible view over the mountains and plains all the way to the border with Vietnam.
The climb was not long but was quite steep. We are no mountain goats but we were up in 15 minutes.
Ticket price: 10,000 kip per person
Just look at that walkway - the views more than make up for any vertigo!
Song Sa Waterfall
Just after the Nam Thuen 2 Dam is a turning onto a wide gravel road. The road doesn't stay wide for long but gets much “gravely-er”. Following the waters edge the road winds around the lake before turning in and upwards to a small car park. The last approach to the car park is very rocky and gravelly and a bit steep, but nothing our small scooters couldn't handle - just take care!
The waterfall is hidden up behind some huge boulders, but unfolds up the mountain in a cascade of falling waterfalls and inviting swimming holes. This is a great place for a swim! There are many layers to the waterfall and you can clamber, wade and swim all the way up to the top. Thick green forest covers either side of the falls and it is a stunning place to relax. It is one of the most popular swim stops on the loop so it is also a good place to regroup or meet fellow loopers. However the car park is small and it wouldn’t be a great place to be stuck in a traffic jam!
There is a small shop / restaurant onsite.
Ticket price: 10,000 kip per person.
Our photos really don’t do justice to Song Sa Waterfall - you have to see it for yourself!
Abandoned Boat Restaurant and Lake Shore
If you take a detour through the town of Nakai towards the National Park office you will come to the shore of a massive lake. Sitting next to the road on a windswept beach is a huge old wooden boat.
It is not some tragic shipwreck but the remains of an old restaurant abandoned and left to rot. The local youth have taken it to be their new hideout, makeout spot and general selfie and tik-tok centre. The view across the lake is spectacular, you do not realise how big the area flooded by the dam is until you either look at a satellite photo or stand on the edge of the lake!
Just park where the road runs out after the National Park office. To get to the boat, just find the hole in the fence near the shoreline.
Ticket price: Free.
Mountain Roads and Amazing Views - Nakai to Thalang Village
The roads between Nakai and Thalang Village are stunning. They wind from the waters edge into the mountains, curve through incredible forests and ravines, up into what could pass for the Highlands of Scotland! This road was one of our favourites from the whole loop and we actually rode it 3 times (see our itineraries)!
The road has some sharp (fun in our mind) twists and turns and it climbs and falls steeply. The road is very well maintained for Laos with minimal pot holes and a smooth surface.
Orchid Path Viewpoint
This is an overlooked stop and easy to miss from the main road, DO NOT MISS THIS! The Orchid Path Viewpoint was probably our favourite stop on this leg of the loop!
From the main road look out for a small dirt turning. Down a short path is a small fenced in place to park your bikes. You will know you are in the right place as there is a small boarded up hut at the end of the car park.
Getting to the trail can be a little confusing but, again, it is worth it! If you are facing the hut in the car park, take the steep scramble up the hill to the right, then follow the overgrown path until you find the gap in the fence on the right. When we were here it was marked with cut logs. Push through the gap in the fence and you should find yourself on the trail.
There are not many signposts on the trail but just head right at any turning that doesn't lead downhill!
The trail climbs its way gently up the hill through bamboo, thick forests and over rocks until finally opening up into a huge rocky hillside and one of the most incredible views of the whole Thakhek Loop!
A sweeping panorama over the flooded forests, lake, islands and blue mountains ringing the horizon. It is absolutely stunning and worth the short hike!
We highly recommend Maps.me for this hike as the map shows the trail pretty accurately.
The trail took us only 15 minutes to reach the viewpoint. We did the hike in the late afternoon and the whole landscape was burning gold, with the shadow of the mountain creeping up the lake. We would not recommend doing this hike for sunset as the trail is not very clear and you could easily lose it in the dark!
Ticket price: Free
The Flooded Forests and Mountain Passes
From the mountain onwards, through Thalang Village and up until the road curves away into the valleys are the Flooded Forests. Vast lakes of water punctured by the skeletal remains of old forests. The leafless trunks stick out of the lake water and it is easy to see why the area is also called “The Ghost Forest”.
The Google location above is kind of arbitrary, there are fantastic views of the Flooded Forest on either side of the road throughout this stretch, just pull over wherever you like.
We left early in the cold morning from Thalang Village and had the whole road to ourselves. As the sun rose we were treated to the vast forests, their dead boughs crowned with white birds. It is an uncanny but magical landscape.
Ticket price: Free
The Sandstone Buddhas
You’ll know when you’ve reached the start of the carved Buddha’s when you start to see small shrines and offerings left on the side of the road. Pay attention to the cliff faces and you’ll quickly realise you’re being stared at and down on by carved images of the Buddha.
Around the corner from these smaller carvings is the famous sandstone Buddha head. A large serene image stares out across the road and down the valley, next to a reclining Buddha and many more rock carved images.
The small statues are easy to miss but can be found just before the turning with the large head. The main sculptures are impossible to miss from the road!
Ticket price: Free
Dragon Cave
Another of the loops crowning jewels, this cave sits just on the main road after the junction with the Vietnamese Border at Lak Sao. The cave is split into 3 parts.
An overhanging temple shrine sits to the right of the cave entrance through a beautiful forested garden.
The main cave is humongous and stretches deep into the mountain side. Inside the cave, take the left path over the bridge, loop round and admire the stalactites and stalagmites before climbing the metal staircase that leads up.
Follow the staircase and rocky path which will take you out of the cave, over boulders through smaller caves and eventually up to a fantastic viewpoint. At the top you’re rewarded with sweeping views across the craggy, grey-toothed mountainscape, farmers paddy fields and the winding road below.
Ticket price: 50,000 kip per person including a free bottle of water. If you’re travelling with a backpack you can store this at the ticket counter.
Cool Pool
A dusty road leads away from the main road and down through spectacular scenery to yet another gorgeous swimming hole. Looking for all the world like a cenote you’d find in Mexico, the Cool Pool is a crystal clear, turquoise lake surrounded by boulders and forests.
It’s a beautiful place to take a dip and there are plenty of rocks to sunbathe on surrounding the pool. There are toilets on-site and a small restaurant close to the entrance.
Ticket price: 40,000 kip per person.
The Bomb Boats Viewpoint
You can make a quick stop on the bridge over the Namkading River and catch a glimpse of some Laotian ingenuity.
Below on the river are some odd-shaped crafts. If you look closely you can see that these boats are made up of repurposed bomb casings and aircraft fuel tanks.
If you have time, nearby there is also the Kai Waterfalls. We didn’t get to check these out this time, so let us know what we missed in the comments. There are also plenty of restaurants in the village if you need a bite to eat!
Phra That Jedi Si Pho Xai
An optional stop on the way to Konglor Village, this pretty gold, red and green painted stupa rises up out of the flat valley floor.
You won’t need long at this colourful temple, but it’s a good place to stretch your legs after a long drive from the ‘Bomb Boats’. From here it’s just over 32 km to reach the village of Konglor (around a 45 minute drive).
Ticket price: Free.
Konglor Caves - The crowning jewel of the Thakhek Loop
This is the big one, the highlight of the whole Thakhek Loop. In fact, the other name for the Thakhek Loop is the Konglor Loop. The village of Konglor hides an incredible, subterranean secret. The river that flows up the whole valley, spills out from what looks like a gaping maw cracking through the foot of the mountain. The water is crystal clear and fast flowing, but even this impressive entrance does not prepare you for the sheer scale of the Konglor Caves.
The only way to explore these mammoth caves is by hiring a boat and driver to navigate you through the dark waterways under the mountain. 7.5 km of river wind and carve their way through the heart of the mountain and out the other side to the village of Natane.
On the way are vast cathedrals of stone. Caverns hundreds of feet high, lit only by your head torch as you float by. A few times you’ll get off the boat and explore incredible caverns, vast and stalactite studded. There is no way for us to properly explain the scale of the Konglor Cave system. It’s like a flooded city under the mountain - serious Mines of Moria vibes.
The person really gives you an idea of scale!
The halfway point of the tour sees you rocket out the darkness on the other side of the mountain at Nantane. Full of tourist shops and craft stalls you’ll have a 30 minute break here to buy drinks, food or souvenirs before getting back on your boat and re-entering the caves.
We’d also like to acknowledge the near supernatural ability of the boat pilots. In near total blackness, lit only by head torches, they weave and slalom around rapids, shallows and bends guiding the boats down and through the flooded labyrinth.
Konglor really lives up to its reputation as the jewel in the crown of the Thakhek Loop. It is an unmissable stop.
Outside the cave is a gorgeous stretch of beach lining a bend in the river that is perfect for swimming. A great way to chill out in the sunshine after your subterranean adventure.
For those looking for an alternative adventure you can actually load your bikes onto boats for a different route on your Thakhek adventure - make sure you’ve read our itineraries above for more information.
Ticket prices
200,000 kip per person this includes boat and driver as well as a headtorch. The tour takes around 2 hours including the stop at Natane. Ticket price also includes the loan of some flip flops if you come wearing trainers.
We’d recommend packing and wearing your own flip flops and expect to get a little wet!
Opening hours
The cave is listed to be open between 8am and 5pm but the tours will stop running earlier than this. To get the most out of the experience, arrive well before 3pm.
The Rock Viewpoint
Sitting at the peak of the mountains between Konglor and the main road back to Thakhek is the “Rock Viewpoint”.
This sprawling adventure park sits stradling the “Stone Forest”. An amazing geological feature of jagged, stone pillars, branches, ravines and peaks. All studded with trees clinging impossibly to the sides of the mountains.
You can do ziplines, trekking, rope walks and spider nets in the area with everything from a short walk to full day experiences available.
We opted for the ‘Stone Forest Walk’ a short 20 minute loop on raised boardwalks that takes you down through the crevices and canyons of the stone forest - we highly recommend this. We were the only ones on the walk and it was beautiful and serene especially compared to the busy ziplines above.
If we weren’t so budget conscious we definitely would have done the 2 hour ziplining session.
Ticket prices
Tickets for the ‘Stone Forest Walk’ cost 50,000 kip per person.
Tickets for the ‘Rock experiences’ are as follows:
2 hours - $30 USD
Half day - $120 USD
Full day - $180 USD
Opening hours
Open everyday from 8AM to 4PM.
The Giant Wall
This is definitely an optional stop and lies just outside Thakhek town on the main road. The entrance is very easy to miss and in a very poor state of repair. Look out for a small sign and a small broken road leading off the main road. A short, very bumpy and very gravelly ride brings you to the Giant Wall.
As its name suggests it is literally one large rockface, however below this giant wall is what looks to be an abandoned open air church or meeting hall. Slightly overgrown pews sit facing an altar and stage, set in the shadow of the wall. It may be the time of day we visited or the oppressive atmosphere and whine of mosquitoes but it had a very unsettling vibe. It felt like we were on the set of some cult horror movie!
That all being said it’s literally 5 minutes off of the main road and we’re not sad we visited.
Ticket price: Free - If you’re planning a stop here it’s full of mosquitoes, so wear protection.
We felt it was the perfect setting for a horror movie!
Where To Stay On The Thakhek Loop - Our Accommodation Recommendations
The Thakhek Loop is becoming increasingly popular. With a limited number of rooms available on the traditional stops, we would highly recommend either getting to your overnight stops early (like we did) or booking them in advance online. You shouldn’t be stranded anywhere, but if you leave it too late you may have to go one town over or one town backwards to find some accommodation. This is especially true of Thalang Village and Sabaidee Guesthouse. When we were there, by 6pm the place was absolutely rammed and the owner was getting out tents for the overflow.
Lots of older blogs tell you just to turn up at the guesthouses and not to book in advance. This sort of worked for us, but only because we had set off so early. For Sabaidee Guesthouse we actually drove straight there, past all the stops and viewpoints, to secure a room before doubling back to see the sights. We did not want a tent! We would say that, if you want peace of mind - book in advance. The Loop is getting busier and busier.
This caution also applies to Thakhek town itself. We definitely recommend booking your bed before and after the loop. Sometimes you may not know exactly when you’re going to return from the Loop but as soon as you do, you should book a room asap. The hostels sell out extremely quickly!
A room with a view on the Thakhek Loop!
Thakhek Town accommodation
KFG Guesthouse
This super budget friendly guesthouse is cheap and cheerful. Offering everything from private en-suite rooms to dorms, KFG is always super popular with backpackers setting off or arriving back from the Loop. The owners will look after your main bags whilst you're on the loop and can provide you with loads of information. They can book buses and onward travel as well as renting motorbikes.
We have stayed there twice at either end of our loop. Once in a budget private with shared bathroom and the second time in a private en-suite room. Both rooms were great with a brilliant balcony to chill out on in the evening.
Book your stay at KFG Guesthouse here.
Inthira Thakhek
We treated ourselves to 2 nights at this historic hotel. Housed inside an old colonial mansion, it’s a good deal more luxurious than we’re used to on our backpacking budget. The star of the show was our large private balcony with views out over the city shrine and down towards the river. It was a great place to hang out and treat yourself to a few beers in the evening.
If you’re looking for something a little more luxurious than a hostel, Inthira is in a great central location, has a fantastic breakfast included and super comfy beds. The hotel has a restaurant serving food and drinks all day.
Book your stay at Inthira Thakhek here.
Storing your luggage whilst riding the Loop
Wherever you choose to stay in Thakhek town, the accommodation will almost definitely be able to store your luggage whilst you do the Loop. Just check in advance if you’re worried.
Thafalang area
Thafalang Resort
Sat alongside and, for some rooms, floating on top of a river, Thafalang is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon and a night.
You can stay in either a floating room or one of the large triangular bungalows with views over the mountains. We decided to end our first day of the Loop at Thafalang and spent an afternoon swimming in the river and eating really good food at their restaurant.
Our room was one of the bungalows on land and was simple but comfy with a good shower and large verandas at both the front and back. In the morning we had a delicious included Laotian breakfast of pork rice soup delivered to our bungalow.
We couldn’t find a way to book this online so we simply rocked up and booked a room. It costs more than the accommodation usually does on the Loop but it is well worth it as a unique one night stay, plus it means you can spend the whole afternoon sipping a beer in paradise!
One night in the triangular bungalow with breakfast included, cost us 450,000 kip. The floating bungalows were much more expensive at 900,000 kip per night.
Green Climbers Home
If you’re looking for some serious adventure on the loop, Thakhek is also home to a large portion of Laos’ climbing trails. Green Climbers Home is exactly what it sounds like. A hub, meeting point and accommodation for climbers and travellers looking to scale the limestone peaks.
Private bungalows cost between $20 to $35 USD per night and dorms are $11 to $12 USD a night.
You can book online with them here.
You can of-course stay here even if you don’t intend to climb any mountains!
Thalang Village area
Sabaidee Guesthouse
Location - Please see our map - google tries to take you on a long detour around the village when you can just turn off the main road!
An institution of the Thakhek Loop, Sabaidee Guesthouse is the most popular place to stay for loopers going to or from Konglor Cave. It makes an ideal first or second day stopping location and is full of fellow bikers and backpackers.
Offering private rooms and dorms, there’s a restaurant on-site as well as its legendary nightly bonfire and BBQ - more about this in the where to eat section.
It’s a really sociable place with everyone sitting around the fire drinking Beer Laos and swapping stories about their ride. If you’re looking to join a group for the rest of your Loop, this would be the easiest place to do so.
To make a booking, either head there early the day like us or contact them via their Facebook page - this is by far the most popular place to stay on the Loop so if you really want to stay there contact them early.
As Sabaidee Guesthouse is such a popular stop we would highly recommend getting up and leaving early in the morning. Otherwise you may find yourself riding in a traffic jam / convoy of scooters. We left about 7AM and although it was freezing cold, it was beautiful and we had the roads all to ourselves.
If Sabaidee is full, there are a couple of other places to stay in Thalang Village. Check them out here.
Konglor Area accommodation
Konglor Eco Lodge Guesthouse and Restaurant
Location - There are two locations either side of the road, we stayed on the left hand side in Konglor Eco Lodge 2.
This was our favourite place that we stayed on the whole Konglor Loop. We literally pulled up, walked into the room and instantly extended our stay.
A spacious wooden bungalow with a massive double bed, a really good hot power shower and, best of all, a beautiful balcony - The back of our room opened up to a hammock and chairs overlooking green farmers fields sitting underneath the towering mountains. It really was a special little place.
We just drove up and paid 200,000 kip per night for the room (one of the best “cheap” accommodations we’ve had), however if you want to secure your place and book in advance, you can book your stay at Konglor Eco Lodge here.
Make sure to request a room overlooking the fields!
There are loads of guesthouses, hostels and hotels to stay in Konglor Village. Check out some of the other options here.
The Rock Lodge
The Rock Lodge sits in the mountains to the north of Konglor Cave. This completely unique lodge boasts incredible “pod” rooms hanging over and looking out across the amazing mountain views and the “Stone Forest”.
It’s a little more pricey than everywhere else on this list, but we spoke with other travellers who said that it was worth the expense - they said the sunset was worth the price alone. After stopping at the Rock View Point and walking the Stone Forest Trail we can certainly agree this would be an incredible place to stay.
Book a unique stay at the Rock Lodge here.
Where To Eat And Drink On The Thakhek Loop
Places to eat between Thakhek and Thalang Village / Saibadee Guesthouse
Thakhek to Sabaidee Guesthouse
B96’ Coffee and Tea
This small coffee shop on the side of the main road is just outside of Thakhek and makes for a perfect first stop if you want a caffeinated pick-me-up before you get to the Elephant Cave. We had fantastic espressos here after an early start from Thakhek.
Thafalang
If you’re after proper Laos style dining, along with a cold Beer Laos and a view, Thafalang is perfect. It also has the massive advantage of floating on a beautiful river that you can literally dive straight into before or after munching.
Serving Laos salads, grilled and fried fish as well as soups, laabs and fried rice and noodles, there’s something for everyone on the menu. The food here was great!
We treated ourselves to a big Laos fish feast for lunch which included a slab of sticky rice, a big deep fried fish with garlic, stir-fried cabbage and pork and a spicy green bean salad. It was a perfect lunch and a great reward for our first day's exploration on the Loop. If you just want to just have a drink and a swim you can do this but you’ll need to pay 50,000 kip to borrow one of the floating dining huts.
Roadside Noodles near Pha Katai Viewpoint
If you’re looking for a no-nonsense lunch after climbing the Pha Katai Viewpoint this locals only noodle shop fits the bill. We just pulled up and ordered 2 bowls of Khao Piak (noodle soup) and were quickly presented with 2 massive steaming bowls of pork and nood-ly goodness.
Super local and super cheap and no frills - just how we like it!
Each bowl cost 35,000 kip, a true backpacking bargain.
Food between Saibadee Guesthouse and Konglor Village
Sabaidee Guesthouse BBQ
Location
Every night Sabaidee Guesthouse fires up its huge bonfire and charcoal BBQ to create a massive all you can eat BBQ feast. Meat skewers, vegetarian kebabs, trays of deep fried goodies, baked pizza and salad are laid out and descended on by the hordes of hungry backpackers. The food is simple and good, but be prepared to queue. At the end they even bring out slices of apple pie for everyone.
The BBQ is not super cheap at 150,000 kip per person but is almost compulsory as part of the Sabaidee Guesthouse experience.
If you’re not into BBQ there is a menu you can order from as well as a few other restaurants in the village.
LAKXAO Coffee and Noodles
If, like us, you had an early start from Sabaidee Guesthouse, you'll definitely be hungry by Lak Sao.
You’ll have spent the morning dodging trucks and driving the windy mountain roads to the crossroads with the Vietnamese border. By the time you reach there, you’ll certainly be in the mood for some coffee and breakfast.
Lak Xao Coffee has the advantage of being one of the only coffee shops to show on Google Maps. This means it's always busy with loopers looking for a ‘Cup of Joe’.
We grabbed 2 americano’s from Lak Xao Coffee and 2 bowls of excellent noodle soup from the lovely ladies next door. The coffee was the rocket fuel we required and the noodle soups were great in the cold morning.
Konglor Village food and drink
We stayed 2 nights in Konglor Village and really enjoyed the food there. There’s plenty more than this list to choose from, but this is where we ate and drank during our stay.
Happy Bar Konglor
Every town with backpackers has one - the bar everyone descends on once the sun has gone down. Happy Bar is Konglor’s backpacker common room. Serving lots of comfort food, cold beer and coffee it was a great place to unwind after a day's ride.
Beef Noodles
Fantastic “boat noodle style” beef noodles. The best food we ate in Konglor.
Cheap and generously portioned, they are open early in the morning and make a very good big breakfast if you have a long ride to do.
We ate here twice and both times it was fantastic. Piled high with melting, tender beef in a rich, aroma-filled broth. Snappy and perfectly chewy noodles, paired with peppery beef balls and John’s favourite - a spoonful of chilli oil - it was perfect!
The Best One Restaurant
Cheap, cheerful and served in a unique dining room set on bamboo walkways above the owner's garden. The restaurant serves all the SE Asian favourites in great portions. Just bear in mind the restaurant is very popular and can be a little bit slow when busy!
Konglor to Thakhek food choices
The Rock Viewpoint Cafe
If you’ve left Konglor Village in the morning and are travelling back to Thakhek you’ll definitely want to stop and admire the view at the Rock Viewpoint. See our guide above for the activities on offer here. If you’re hitting the viewpoint in the morning you’ll probably be in the mood for a cup of coffee.
The cafe has fantastic views and an extensive menu with a full range of hot and cold coffees. We ordered 2 lattes which were okay, just bear in mind you’re paying for the view.
The cafe is a lot more expensive than any of our normal roadside offerings, but again… the view.
The restaurant also serves a full range of meals from breakfast to dinner.
Lea Noodles
This is where we decided to stop on the long straight main road back to Thakhek.
We had no particular reason for stopping here, but we are very glad we did. We ordered 2 crispy pork noodle soups and they were exactly what we needed after a long drive. Both bowls were generously topped with loads of cubes of crispy pork belly, deep fried shallots and general yumminess.
Each bowl cost 40,000 kip.
Eating on the main road to Thakhek
We chose to stop at Lea Noodle Shop in Hinboun but there were dozens of places to eat in every village and town all along the main road. Just stop whenever you’re hungry!
Hiring A Scooter Or Motorbike For The Thakhek Loop
You’ll obviously be starting the Thakhek Loop in the town of … Thakhek! This is the easiest place to rent and return a motorbike or scooter to. There are 4 main places in town to rent bikes from:
Mixay Thakhek Motor Rental - located here
Pokemon Go Motor Rental - located here
Wang Wang - located here
Mad Monkey Motorcycle (not affiliated with the hostel chain!) - located here
We used and would highly recommend Mixay Thakhek Motor Rental. We wanted peace of mind and to know that we were renting quality, new scooters. We paid the extra to rent 2 brand new Honda Clicks. These were more expensive than the normal offerings from other places, but they were perfect. Powerful enough for all the hills, fuel efficient, great brakes - they just never put a foot wrong! Mixay was brilliant. We reserved our bikes a day in advance and picked them up early in the morning with no hassle despite the queues. On the Loop, we were in contact with them via WhatsApp and extended our rental remotely twice with no issues and they even packed us snacks and water when we set off!
You can spend an awful lot less than we did on your bike rental but the bike you get may be very old! Trust us when we say, you don’t want to spend your time on the Thakhek Loop wheeling your bike to a garage or worrying that it may break down.
All the motorbike rentals in town will give you information about the loop, maps etc and can store your bags if necessary.
Police Checks on the Loop
One of the things we had read about and was worrying us before we set off, were police checkpoints in Thakhek. We read there were certain routes out of town you shouldn’t take and that generally there may be an issue with police stopping foreigners and fining them. These worries, for us at least, were completely unfounded. When we asked the lady at Mixay if we needed to be careful about the police she just laughed at us and said “nothing to worry about at all”.
The only explanation we could find about these rumours is that there is a traffic light just outside the police station that foreigners routinely wait for in the wrong road position leading to a fine.Throughout the whole of the Loop there were several police checkpoints and none of them showed the slightest interest in stopping us or any other looper.
This is of-course anecdotal evidence but we were worried about this before we set off so thought we’d reassure you!
Scooter rental prices
Rental prices did not seem to vary much across town and are set according to what bike you want to rent. You could spend as little as a 100,000 kip per day on an ancient 100cc semi-automatic or be like us, and rent brand new shiny 125 automatics at 240,000 kip. You will be responsible for upkeep, petrol and tyres on the loop so any mishaps will come out of your pocket. Again we recommend removing the worry and paying the extra for a bike in good condition.
Some of the rental places will also offer bigger, fully manual motorcycles or even cars and trucks, these will obviously be more expensive!
All rental prices will include a helmet! Be picky about the helmet, it should be comfortable as you will be wearing it for the next few days!
It really is worth renting a good scooter - you don’t want to be wasting time at a garage!
Deposits when renting a scooter
This is a sticky subject and one that is very fiercely debated online. There are plenty of people who will say that under no circumstances should you leave your passport with a rental agency. However, it is the norm to leave your passport on the Thakhek Loop.
Go with a reputable rental agency and there should be no issues at all provided you return the bike in the condition you borrowed it. The only alternative is to leave a huge amount of money as a deposit.
Just remember to video and photograph your scooter thoroughly when you pick it up - a good rental agency will ask you to do this. Note any scratches or damage to the scooter and you’ll be fine.
Mixay was great, before they even handed us the keys they asked us to go round and film our bike. They also did the same. We left a single passport for both bikes and it was handed back with no fuss after an inspection of both bikes at the end of the trip.
The Thakhek Loop is getting popular, especially during the peak, dry season. Make sure you arrange your motorbike hire in advance. When we were collecting our bikes at 7am in the morning there was a large queue and a lot of annoyed people who were finding they could not rent a bike from anywhere in town that day!
Automatic or Semi-Automatic, which motorbike to hire?
You can ride the Thakhek Loop on any kind of motorbike or scooter. Ignore anyone who tells you that you have to ride a semi-auto. Most loopers are on fully automatic bikes and they get up and down the hills just fine!
We would however recommend getting 125cc over the smaller bikes as they are much easier to manoeuvre and far more comfortable to drive on the larger roads. Honda Clicks are perfect, Honda Zoomers are less suited to long drives!
If you have a passenger, are heavier built or really suck at packing light, then make sure you get a bike that can handle the load. We saw a couple of little 50cc bikes on the Loop that were straining under their passengers!
If you like the feel of semi-auto’s, they are generally cheaper to rent, but they also tend to be 100cc rather than the 125cc of the autos.
Honda Clicks really can go anywhere!
Petrol and garages on the Loop
There is no shortage of places to fill up on the loop. As a rule we never let the tanks get below one quarter full. If you follow our lead you won’t run out of gas!
Petrol is cheap in Laos, around 60,000 - 75,000 kip for a full tank in a 125 Honda Click.
In a pinch, look out for local shops selling petrol from plastic bottles. You will be able to see orange colored two litre bottles for sale everywhere!
We would always recommend keeping a mental note whenever you pass by a bike mechanic, there is one or more in every town and you never know when you may get a flat tyre. We were lucky on the Thakhek Loop but when we rode the Bolaven Plateau, Ellie needed a whole new tyre, this only cost 30 minutes and 450,000 kip!
Road Conditions - What To Expect Driving The Thakhek Loop
Laotian roads are, in general, an assault course. Potholes, gravel, unexpected cows and dogs sunbathing, the roads have a hundred hazards to watch out for. Thankfully the main roads of the Thakhek Loop were actually in pretty good condition! That is not to say there were no potholes (or mischievous goats) but they were in much better condition than we had been warned about. The main hazard was other road users, both inexperienced loopers and the large lorries charging to and from the border.
We have split the roads into sections so you can see what the conditions are like for each part of the Loop.
Thakhek to Thalang Village / Sabaidee Guesthouse
The roads out of Thakhek were quiet in the morning, there was a little construction work on the edge of town but nothing bad. Most of the caves, Thafalang and the “mini loops” are down local, gravel or dirt roads, but the surfaces were firm and not difficult to drive on.
The traffic and trucks got more and more frequent as we travelled down Road 12. The trucks got worse and worse until we reached Gnommalat and the junction to the Vietnamese border.
The trucks were basically road trains, huge thundering beasts with massive fully laden trailers attached. They always have the right of way! They also, unfortunately, had a penchant for overtaking each other on blind corners so beware! This was probably the busiest stretch of road we experienced on the whole Loop. The traffic was definitely made worse as we were travelling just after the cassava harvest. Every village and farm was having their produce picked up and shipped in huge open-topped lorries.
After Gnommalat the traffic was light to non-existent all the way to our overnight stay at Sabaidee Guesthouse. The mountain roads on this route were also some of the most stunning and fun to drive of the whole trip - We drove them 3 times as they were so epic!
The Song Sa Waterfall is down a long loose surfaced gravel and dirt path. It was definitely the “worst” road of the day and has a bumpy steep section near the final carpark. Not something to worry about but something to be aware of.
Thalang Village to Konglor Cave
We set off early in the morning (ok 7 o'clock so not that early!) and had the roads through the Flooded Forest and National Park all to ourselves. The roads were good with only a few potholes and random dogs. As the morning wore on the traffic increased with a few more trucks and other people on the roads. As we approached the border crossroads at Lak Sao we were joined, overtaken or passed by more and more trucks but, just like the previous day, as soon as the border was behind us, so was the traffic.
The Dragon Cave sits on the main loop road so was no issue to get to. The next stretch of the road winds its way around beautiful mountains, but was also the section where we saw two accidents. One happened just in front of us where a pod of loopers took a corner and came off on a pothole (everyone was fine) and the other a car on its roof. We have absolutely no idea how it got itself in that situation. Just be careful! The Cool Pool was set a little distance down a gravel road. Not an issue if you are confident, if you are less experienced just take it slow and easy!
The road between the Cool Pool and Na Hin (the turning off point for Konglor Caves) is currently infamous due to a huge road construction project in the mountains. We were dreading this section. We had heard that the road would close for large portions of the day and when it reopened it would be a melee of cars, bikes and trucks travelling through a debris filled construction site! This was all a huge exaggeration. The road surface was loose and unfinished but we cruised through the whole construction area with no issues. We did get lucky and arrived during a break in the work but it was nowhere near as bad as the horror stories had suggested. The construction work is meant to be completed by May 2025. It is also worth pointing out that the views from this section of the road were amazing!
The majority of the roads on the Thakhek Loop are well tarmacked!
At the town of Na Hin the road splits and we left the main road to go down to Konglor. This stretch of road is very long, very straight and very unique. We had come down from the mountain and were now in a vast valley, a huge flat plain sandwiched between massive peaks. It wasn’t “fun” like the twisty mountain roads, but had something of an “American road trip” vibe to it - just with added water buffalo and rice paddies. There were a few more potholes and the road gets dustier and gravelly-er as you approach Konglor.
There are also a few wooden bridges to drive over. They look scary as there is a small set of flat planks to drive over, but once you are on the bridges, they are no problem at all!
The only “issue” with the roads on this stretch is the local livestock - cows, water buffalo, dogs, chickens, goats you name it they’re all free-ranging wherever they fancy! At one point Ellie’s journey was rudely interrupted by 3 goats. The goats had, somehow, managed to get stuck in, then uproot a whole section of fence. Displaying an amazing lack of teamwork the goats proceeded to block the whole road in a spiralling, bleating mess of hooves and fence-wire. Laos’ roads always keep you on your toes, but also entertained!
Konglor to Thakhek - The main road day
Leaving Konglor you have an epic drive back to Na Hin, up a winding mountain road to the Rock Viewpoint and down the other side. The roads are good but there are quite a few potholes on the corners in the mountains.
We were dreading the long slog on the main road back to Thakhek but it turned out to be completely fine. It is a long, straight, wide road so all the traffic has plenty of time and space to pass you by safely. The only issue we had on this stretch was when John was overtaken by a cassava lorry and had to spend 20 minutes being peppered by loose shards of vegetable!
This section may have been a lot more miserable on a lower powered bike. Our swanky new Honda Clicks could comfortably cruise at motorway speeds all day, but if you were on a little Zoomer or lower powered bike it might be uncomfortable.
As you get closer to Thakhek and the Laos / Thai Friendship Bridge the traffic gets heavier and heavier until you’re in full “city traffic”. We had avoided the Thakhek traffic on the way out as we had set out in the early morning but coming in the afternoon it was certainly a busy city.
Safety - How Dangerous Is The Thakhek Loop?
Accidents happen everywhere and, when you put a lot of inexperienced riders on mountain roads, gravel tracks and dirt paths, you can expect there to be more than a few mishaps. The Thakhek Loop is only as dangerous as you make it. The Loop is predominantly on maintained, paved roads and as long as you drive sensibly and don’t exceed your confidence or skill limits you will be absolutely fine.
There have been deaths reported on the Thakhek Loop but these, thankfully, appear to be very uncommon. We saw 2 accidents (neither serious for those involved) on our ride of the Loop: One was a preventable scooter slip on a potholed bend in the road (do not ride in packs if you are in a group!) and another was a local car that had somehow come unstuck. In both cases everyone was fine.
The Loop is not some closed track for tourists to enjoy, neither is it some extreme test of endurance and skills, it is a road, a paved way for getting people around! Treat it like you would any road and you should be fine!
That all being said there are a couple of pointers it is worth thinking about. We are in no way motorbiking or safety experts, but here is our list of common sense tips tempered by our experiences on the road:
Laos drives on the right hand side of the road.
Don't be an idiot! Do not treat the real life roads of Laos as a race track. You will be driving along the main roads linking Laos to Vietnam. The large lorries travel at 80 kmph, and cannot stop on short notice.
Remember that out here “might is right” the big lorries have right of way and may not even notice you on your tiny scooter.
Use your mirrors all the time!
Check your tyres every time you set off.
Test the brakes before you hire the bike. Make sure you’re happy and familiar with how it handles.
If you are asked to padlock your bike by the rental company - do it.
Insist on a proper, well fitted helmet and wear the helmet at all times.
If you are riding in a group do not ride side to side! Single file lets others see and pass you. You don’t want a truck to turn a blind corner and suddenly find your phalanx of scooters taking up the width of the road.
Do not take on more than you are capable or comfortable with - this is Laos, you do not want to be in a serious accident. Some of the attractions on the loop are down gravel or mud track roads. There is no shame in bowing out if you are not comfortable driving somewhere. You can always park up and walk.
Take hills and curves carefully, you never know what's on the other side of a corner.
We've mentioned it above in the road conditions, but Laos is full of potholes, dogs, children and sudden chickens. Keep your wits about you!
The majority of travel insurance will not cover you to ride a scooter if you’re not qualified to do so in your home country.
Animals are a constant hazard on the Loop - watch out for buffalo, chickens, dogs, cats and goats on the road!
Riding The Thakhek Loop As A Group / Riding Solo
Whether you want to ride the loop as a larger group, just as a couple or even go it alone, is all down to personal taste. We just rode as a couple, without anyone else. As a couple we could always look out for each other. John was used to riding slightly faster but we arranged it so that we would always check on the other (visually or with a stop) every so often. On the longer drives we would have designated stop points where we could wait for each other. We loved doing it this way as we could always stop whenever or wherever we wanted and could get back on the road again quickly. There is nothing wrong with riding in a group but they can take forever to get going. On one occasion, we had the whole of our lunch and coffees whilst an 8 strong group tried to get ready to leave!
We wouldn’t necessarily recommend solo riding but at the same time wouldn't write it off. We felt very secure knowing that we had one another if anything went wrong. If you are solo, you would be very alone if there was an accident or your bike broke down. However, it would be a fantastic adventure to drive the Thakhek Loop by yourself! If you stop at Sabaidee Guesthouse you won’t be alone for very long anyway, it is bursting with other travellers on the Loop, all gathered around the bonfire swapping stories.
Groups are definitely the most common way to ride on the Loop, it is an amazing experience to share with friends and a great way for the less confident traveller to push themselves into seeing areas of Laos they may not otherwise have gone to. If you are travelling in a group just remember the following:
Travel as fast as your slowest and least confident member. It would be horrible to be left behind by your friends if you were already nervous.
As mentioned in the safety section, do not travel as a pack or side by side. You should always drive in single file and keep your distance between riders in front and behind. You want to make sure you have enough room to brake when a chicken darts in front of you!
Remember you will get a little split up from time to time; a few of you will be able to overtake the slow farm cart but, the larger your group, the more split up it will become. Set points on your route to wait for each other.
As a group you have more negotiating power than solo or couple travellers and may be able to agree better rates for rooms. On the flip side you may want to bite the bullet and book your rooms in advance if you all want to stay together. It is more expensive but stops you finding out that there aren’t enough beds!
What To Pack For The Thakhek Loop
You’ll want to pack as light as you can, ideally one small backpack per person. Remember that at the stops you’ll probably be taking your bag with you. Make sure you are happy with the bag on your back not just when you’re sitting on a bike but when climbing up a viewpoint.
These are our packing essentials for the Thakhek Loop:
Thakhek Loop Packing List
Pack light!
Bring layers. It is COLD in the mornings up in the mountains and on the reservoir. Not freezing but it feels that way when you are driving at speed on a scooter! We wore light trousers and a hoodie and it was not quite enough. It would have been better to bring a lightweight windbreaker or some kind of long sleeve under-layer.
Pack a wet coat - you don’t want to be soggy on a bike!
Swimwear / towel
Scarf / snood - helpful for the dust as well as the early morning chills. You may want to bring a face mask if you’re sensitive to dust / fumes.
Flip-flops - great at the end of the day to give your shoes a breather. Also you’ll need them for Konglor Cave
Trainers / closed toe shoes - no one wants road rash on their toes!
Sunscreen - do not skimp on this. Your face, hands, arms and legs are going to be out in the scorching Laotian sun from morning to evening. If you ride visor-up with sunglasses like we did, you will feel sandblasted by the wind and dust by the end of the day.
Sunglasses - do not ride a scooter without good sunglasses or a good visor down. John was hit in the glasses by a dragonfly at 70 kmph and thought he had been shot! Also, fun fact, dragonflies are very juicy when they explode.
Water and snacks - you never know when you might get snacky!
Lanyard for your phone - this was useful for photos as well as directions.
Download Maps.me, Google Maps, translation apps and set them all up for offline use.
We packed everything we needed in our two trusty Salkan daypacks!
ATMS - Cash On The Loop
As with the whole of Laos cash is king on the Loop. Where places do accept cards, they will charge at least 3% extra.
We took out cash in Thakhek beforehand and in the town of Nakhai, just before Sabaidee Guesthouse. There are also ATMS in the bigger towns of Lak Sao and Na Hin but none in Konglor or Thalang Village - plan and withdraw accordingly.
When To Ride The Loop - Weather In Southern Laos
The Thakhek Loop is definitely best enjoyed in the dry season. Lots of the side roads and attractions would be very unpleasant to drive to in the mud and rain of the wet season.
Laos’ dry season runs from October to April with the wet season starting in May.
If you do attempt the Loop in the wet season, let us know how it goes. We’ve only driven it once and it was perfect hot, sunny weather every day so it would be interesting to hear how it is in different conditions.
Alternatives To Riding The Loop - What To Do If You Cannot Ride A Scooter
If you’re interested in the Thakhek Loop but don’t want to or can’t ride a bike / scooter there are some options where you can still get to see the incredible sights:
You can join a group as a passenger, lots of people ride the Loop on the back of someone else’s bike. Ask at hostels or post online.
If you want to have a local drive you around on the back of a bike, Mad Monkey Rental offer “Easy Rider” tours and most tourist offices could arrange one.
You can take a bus from Thakhek to Konglor Cave or the cave strewn area around the Green Climbers Home.
Your can do the Thakhek Loop by car! Cars are available for rent from Thakhek Town. Renting a car is obviously more expensive but makes sense if you have a group of friends who don't want to ride bikes. We saw several groups doing the Loop this way. KFG Guesthouse has information on renting cars as did most of the bike rental agencies.
You can do an organised tour of the Thakhek Loop or any of its major attractions. Check at any hotel, hostel or guesthouse and they will be able to work out a tour itinerary for you or join you up with an existing tour.
Thakhek Or Pakse / Bolaven Loop - Which Is Better?
There is no way to really answer this question. The Loops are completely different in character, length and attractions. We would say the Thakhek Loop has more fun driving and generally (although not always) better views from the road. However, the waterfalls and scenery of the Pakse / Bolaven Loop are amazing. The Bolaven Loop is shorter and much flatter so it is easier to drive for those lacking confidence, but the twisting mountain roads of the Thakhek Loop are one of the most amazing parts!
Ultimately we cop-out with our answer - do both! We did and we loved it. Doing the two scooter-borne loops has whetted out appetite and made us start looking for more bike-based adventures!
Also, watch this space as we will be posting our complete guide to the Bolaven Loop soon!
Final Thoughts - Was The Thakhek Loop Worth it?
Without exaggeration, the Thakhek Loop was one of our favourite experiences in our 3+ year backpacking adventure! It had everything. Incredible landscapes, amazing caves, fantastic cheap accommodation and above all, it had the adventure, freedom and thrill of the open road. Hiring a little scooter and just setting off into the mountains of Laos is an experience we’ll never forget.
So much travel and especially modern “backpacking” is a curated, guided and pampered affair. The Thakhek Loop really felt different - it was the excitement and anxiety of actual freedom.
Go make your own adventure!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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24 Hours in Vientiane, Laos - A Quick Guide to the Capital
The quiet capital of Laos is often overlooked by backpackers and travellers but there is so much more to it than meets the eye. Read our guide to get the most out of your time in Vientiane. From the massive mystical sculptures of the Buddha Park to the riverside markets and cute cafes, Vientiane has something to offer any kind of traveller. Our guide covers everything you need to know, from booking tickets on the high speed railway to flights, buses and our favourite hotel and accommodation recommendations.
Clinging to the banks of the Mekong River sits the Laotian capital of Vientiane. This sleepy, laidback city is stuffed full of beautiful temples, amazing riverside views and bustling night markets. A world away from its megacity neighbours of Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane still retains a small town feel, full of Laotian charm, tree-lined streets and a mix of traditional Laos and French Colonial architecture.
For many travellers, the Laos capital is often overlooked, merely a transfer point to switch between buses, hop on the high-speed rail or to catch a flight elsewhere, but if you can, Vientiane deserves a stop, at least for a night or two. The city has plenty to keep you occupied and once you’re done with sightseeing, there’s no shortage of coffee shops, bars, restaurants and street food to try!
This is our guide on what there is to do and how to fill your time even if you only have 24 hours in Vientiane.
In this Vientiane travel guide:
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Where is Vientiane?
Vientiane is located in northern Laos and can be found on a map here.
The city is located around a 2 hour (130 KM) drive south of Vang Vieng, a 7 hour (310 KM) drive south of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang and a 6 hour (330 KM) drive north of Thakhek. These travel times can be cut down massively by using the new high speed rail line - more on this later.
Despite being the capital of Laos, the city of Vientiane feels very small and easily walkable. For attractions a little further away from your accommodation you can easily hail a tuk tuk / songthaew off the streets or request a ride with the LOCA taxi app.
To use the LOCA ride-hailing app you will need a Laotian SIM card. To save yourself the hassle of arranging a SIM card when you touch down in Laos, we’d recommend checking out an e-SIM. We’ve arranged a Laotian SIM card with Airalo in advance on both our two most recent trips and they’ve saved us so much time and hassle. When we crossed the border from Thailand we were immediately able to hail a taxi to transfer us from the border to the high-speed railway using the LOCA app.
Check out all the Laotian e-SIMS available on Airalo here.
How to get to Vientiane?
Vientiane by Bus
The cheapest and most budget friendly way to reach Vientiane will be by bus.
Bus routes across the whole of Laos serve the capital, so wherever you may be, you’ll never struggle to get to Vientiane by bus. The most popular bus routes for travellers heading to Vientiane are:
Vang Vieng to Vientiane
Thakhek to Vientiane
If you’re travelling to Vientiane from the north, buses will drop you off at Vientiane’s Northern Bus Terminal (location) or if you’re travelling to Vientiane from Southern Laos, buses will drop you off at Vientiane’s Southern Bus Terminal (location).
For those who have booked your bus tickets through a tour agency, check whether your ticket includes a drop off to your accommodation. We booked a bus from Vang Vieng and it dropped us straight off at our hotel.
Bus tickets can be booked at bus stations or through tour agencies. Or if you’d prefer to have everything booked in advance, we’d recommend booking tickets with 12Go.
If you are booking bus tickets, as with all bus journeys in Laos, expect any ride to be stuffed to the rafters with people, produce and luggage. Prepare for a bumpy ride!
Vientiane by train
The Laos / China high speed railway line connects Vientiane with Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha and onto the border with China. Train journeys on this new modern line are super speedy, with the journey time from Vang Vieng being only one hour and the previously 8 hour journey to Luang Prabang only taking two hours!
We’ve ridden the rails and can confirm it's a super comfy, super modern and super speedy way to travel in Laos. In what felt like a blink of an eye we were suddenly arriving at our destination.
Tickets for the train can only be booked 3 days in advance, so we’d recommend booking your tickets online via 12Go who can pre-purchase the tickets for you.
If you’re planning to head to Vientiane by train, you will arrive at Vientiane’s Railway Station (location) in the north of the city.
Vientiane by flight
Wattay International Airport (location) sits around 5 KM east from central Vientiane.
If you’re planning to travel by air whilst in Laos, you can catch an internal flight to Vientiane from Luang Prabang, Pakse, Sam Neua or Savannakhet.
For those travelling internationally, there are flights to Vientiane from Bangkok Thailand, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam, Phnom Penh Cambodia and more.
From the airport you can catch the airport bus which takes a circular route to and from the airport with a stop at Vientiane’s Central Bus Station (location) marking the halfway point of the route. Tickets for the airport bus cost 40,000 kip per person. If you’d prefer a taxi transfer, taxi fares from the airport to the centre of the city start at 150,000 kip.
To book a taxi transfer from the airport to the city, click here.
What to do in Vientiane?
Even if you only have 24 hours in Vientiane, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. Here’s just some ideas on how you could fill your time.
Patuxai Victory Monument
(Location)
Built in the style of the famous Arch De Triomph of Paris but with a Laotian twist, the Patuxai Victory Monument (also known as Patuxay) sits towering over a huge square, fountain and green lawns.
This enormous stone monument has four archways on all sides of its base. On top of the arches, four towers sit guarding the corners of the monument, each surrounding a slightly taller tower that crowns the centre. The monument’s arches and towers are decorated with intricate carvings, showing Buddhist figures. Inside, underneath the archway the whole ceiling has been painted in blue and gold with more Buddhist imagery and Hindu deities.
The Patuxai Victory Monument was built in 1968, and serves as a war memorial to commemorate the Laotians who lost their lives during World War 2 and the fight for independence against the colonial French. The word Patuxai in Laotian can be translated as ‘victory gate’.
The monument is sometimes referred to as the ‘Vertical Runway' a nickname donned by locals thanks to the history of the monuments construction. In the late 1950s, America donated Laos money to build a new airport. This all sounds lovely, but unfortunately for the American’s no formal agreement was ever signed and so the Laos authorities decided to use the money to build the Patuxai Victory Monument instead! To learn more, check out this Atlas Obscura article.
You can walk around or underneath the Patuxai monument for free, but we'd say it's worth paying the extra 30,000 kip entrance fee to climb to the top.
The view from the top is not quite the Champs D’Elysee but gives a sweeping panorama over the city's rooftops, glinting temples and tree-lined streets. There is also a small museum inside as you head up.
A new addition to the monument since our first first visit is the daily fountain and light show that takes place at 6PM. We've not had the pleasure of viewing this dancing ourselves, but let us know in the comments if you have!
Entry fee to Patuxai Victory Monument:
Free, but tickets cost 30,000 kip per person to head to the viewpoint on top.
Opening times:
Open everyday from 8.30 AM until 5 PM.
Pha That Luang Stupa and Temple
(location)
Pha That Luang is a big stone square stupa painted in shimmering gold sitting in the centre of a walled courtyard surrounded by temples and shrines. At the base of the stupa sit a collection of mini stupas that completely enclose the main central chedi that rises up over the red and gold rooftops of the surrounding temples.
Inside the temple buildings you’ll see Buddhist paintings, wooden carvings and different statues of the Buddha.
Pha That Luang is an incredibly peaceful place and we spent a good while exploring the temples and watching as locals and devotees leave offerings. Before you leave, don't miss seeing the big, reclined golden Buddha statue.
Pha That Luang is only a 5 minute drive or 30 minute walk away from Patuxai Victory Monument, meaning that both attractions can easily be combined in a morning or afternoon.
Outside the temple grounds there are plenty of stalls selling snacks, soft drinks and temple offerings.
As it’s a hugely important religious site, please dress respectfully. Shoulders and knees need to be covered. Upon entry, you may be asked to borrow a sarong at 5000 kip rental fee - if you are a lady you may be asked to wear the sarong even if you are wearing trousers.
Entry fee to Pha That Luang:
Tickets cost 30,000 kip per person.
Opening times:
Open everyday from 8 AM until 5 PM. During religious festivals the temple will be very busy with locals.
COPE Visitors Centre
(location)
Whenever you research the country of Laos, almost always the first thing you’ll learn is that despite never being at war, Laos is the most bombed country on earth. During the ‘Secret War’ it is estimated that over 9 years, the US dropped the equivalent of over 2 million tonnes of ordnance over Laos. This is equal to a plane load of bombs being dropped over the country every 8 minutes for 24 hours a day, every day over this 9 year period.
Unfortunately the effects of this secret bombing campaign are still being felt today with hundreds and hundred of Laotians being killed, injured or maimed by the explosives hidden deep in the earth.
The COPE Visitor Centre sits adjacent to Centre for Medical Rehabilitation and helps visitors to understand the history, the on-going impact UXO (unexploded ordnance) has on Laos and how COPE and other organisations are helping to rehabilitate and educate those impacted by the bomb.
Inside the COPE Visitor Centre you’ll find sculptures made up of prosthetic legs, curtains of cluster bombs hanging from the ceiling and first hand accounts of the on-going impacts UXO has on Laos all these decades later.
Visiting any museum about the impacts of war and its consequences is never easy, but the COPE Visitor Centre manages to tow the line between informative and educational without being too graphic. It’s a dark period of history for Laos, and one that’s still being felt today, but the achievements in clearing some of the UXO by the organisations of COPE, MAG, UXO and countless other charities across Laos is something to be celebrated.
Outside the COPE Visitor Center there is a small cafe and toilets on-site.
Entry fee to the COPE Visitor Centre:
Entry is free but if you can, please donate whatever you can to this worthy cause. There is also a gift shop on site with profits from any purchases being given to the COPE charity.
Opening times:
Open everyday from 8.30 AM until 5 PM.
Buddha Park - Wat Xieng Khouane Luang
(location)
Sitting alongside the Mekong River a short way outside of Vientiane lies the mysterious Wat Xieng Khouane Luang, or Buddha Park as it’s more commonly known. This riverside park is crammed full with over 200 humongous Buddhist and Hindu stone statues. From a massive reclining Buddha to a 2-headed elephant statue, the park has statues rising up from its green lawns like you have stumbled into a giant’s garden. As you wander around you’ll pass by huge demons staring down at you, animal statues entwined with dancing deities and massive naga heads draped in orange offerings.
This bizarre park was first created in 1958 by the Lao artists Bunleua Sulilat who built both the Buddha Park in Vientiane and the neighbouring Sala Keo Kou Buddha Park located just over the Mekong in Nong Khai, Thailand. We have been lucky to have visited both parks and we just love the creative chaos of the atmosphere in both parks.
Unfortunately the central spherical sculpture (often referred to as the ‘pumpkin’) which you could climb to the top of for an amazing panoramic view over the whole park is currently closed for repairs. We’re hoping this re-opens soon as the view from the top was fantastic and the climb inside the stone sphere fun and interesting! From the top you could really get an idea of the scale of some of these sculptures.
There are toilets available inside the park and a small restaurant and plenty of food stalls outside.
If you’re heading to the park, it’s located about a 40 minutes drive outside of the city to the east along the Mekong. You can easily arrange a tuk tuk or taxi to take you to and from the park or if you’re budget backpackers like us you could hop on the public bus.
Just take the number 14 bus from Vientiane’s Central Bus Station (location) and ask the conductor for a ticket to Buddha Park. A ticket will cost you 18,000 kip per person. Once you’ve finished exploring the park, to head back to Vientiane, just exit the park and cross the road to the bus stop and wait for a bus to take you back to the city.
Entry fee to Buddha Park / Wat Xieng Khouane Luang
Tickets cost 60,000 kip per person to enter.
Opening times:
Open everyday from 8 AM until 5 PM and on Sundays from 10 AM until 3.30 PM.
Vientiane's Daily Night Market
(location)
Open every day, Vientiane's bustling daily night market sprawls out on the banks of the Mekong. Open from sunset until late, the market is your standard SE Asian affair selling all the usual tourist tat. From the ubiquitous elephant pants to Beer Laos singlets, magnets of questionable designs to postcards, whatever you’re collecting for your travel memories, you’ll easily be able to buy it here. The market is always packed full of other travellers and locals, all munching down on street food, sipping bottles of Beer Laos and bartering over goods. Whenever we’re in Vientiane we always head to the market for an evening of souvenir shopping / munching.
For food, there's plenty of stalls selling stuff on sticks, laab and salads as well as roti, ice-cream and other sweet treats. Our go to, and thing we would always recommend in a Laos market is copying the locals by picking up sticks of sliced BBQ belly pork and a steaming pile of sticky rice. It’s super hearty, super moreish and super cheap! For a variety of pork sticks, 2 chicken legs and a huge pile of sticky rice, we usually pay around 60,000 to 85,000 kip. Super budget friendly for those looking for a cheap backpacking feast.
The market is open everyday from 6 to 10 PM.
BBQ meat stalls can be found on the streets all over Vientiane!
Watch the sunset over the Mekong River
We couldn't write a guide to the city without mentioning watching the sunset as something to do. If you've been an avid reader of our blog then you'll know we can never pass up on watching the sun go down. Wherever we are, we love sitting with an ice cold beer and watching as the sky changes; waves of blue shifting to orange, pink to purple. Luckily for us, Vientiane is no exception and provides its own fiery display.
There are plenty of bars and restaurants that offer sunset views, but the best ones in the city are those that line the Mekong. Our favourite bar to enjoy a sunset bevy was the rooftop bar of the Tipsy Elephant Vientiane (location). Offering sunset views over the Mekong River, Thailand and the whole of Vientiane the Tipsy Elephant Bar was perfect for a sundowner. The bar serves beer, cocktails and food.
If you're heading for a sunset drink in Vientiane, particularly in the bars that line the Mekong, expect to pay a little more for beer than elsewhere in Laos - it is after all the country's capital! If you’re after a cheap sundowner beer, look out for ‘Happy Hour’ deals.
Other things to do in Vientiane
As we’ve said at the start of this article, we have been guilty, despite visiting Laos four times now, only spending a day or two in Vientiane. Next time we stay in the city, we would love to stay longer. We feel as though we’ve only just scratched the surface on what there is to do in the city and would love to check out more.
For those interested in history and art, there’s the Lao National Museum (location), the Lao Textile Museum (location) and the Vientiane Fine Arts Museum (location).
There is also the Ho Phrakeo Museum and Temple (location) located just next door to the Presidential Palace as well as Wat Sisaket (location) and Wat Si Muang (location).
We’re also eager to explore more of its street food scene and markets by just wandering around the city and seeing what we can find - always the best way to get to know a city!
Vientiane guided tours
If you’re really short on time and want to cram as many of Vientiane’s attractions into one day without the hassle of arranging transport, then why not book a guided tour of the city.
Get Your Guide offers lots of different tours from cultural and history tours, market and street food tours and even the chance to cook up a Laotian feast!
Book your Vientiane guided tour here.
Where to Stay in Vientiane - Accommodation in the Laotian Capital
Our favourite hotel
Being the capital of Laos, there’s no shortage of hotels, hostels and guesthouses on offer in the city.
During all our stays in the city, we’ve always splashed the cash a little and stayed in the excellent Bloom Boutique Hotel and Cafe. The hotel is centrally located with beautifully decorated rooms with super comfy double beds, clean en-suite and a delicious cafe downstairs. We’ve loved all our stays here and can highly recommend it.
To book your stay at Bloom Boutique Hotel click (here).
How to book accommodation in Vientiane
If you’re after hostels or even fancier hotels, there’s plenty on offer. Just enter your travel dates and search the map below for all accommodation available in Vientiane.
Where to go After Vientiane?
Being the capital of Laos, you pretty much have the whole of Laos at your fingertips and could in theory go anywhere, but the majority of travellers will either head north or south.
North from Vientiane
If you want to head north, you can easily catch a bus or train to the backpacker and adventure capital of Vang Vieng, to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang or to Phonsavan and it's mysterious ‘Plains of Jars’.
South from Vientiane
If you’re continuing south, you can catch daily buses that will connect you with Thakhek and the Thakhek Loop, Pakse and the Bolaven Plateau or to the 4000 Islands of Don Det and Don Khon.
Whichever way you go we'd recommend booking your onward travel with 12Go. Check out some of Vientiane's most popular routes below.
There are even sleeper buses that depart the city daily that can take you all the way to Vietnam, Cambodia or Thailand.
Crossing the Thanaleng Border - Laos to Thailand
If you've come to the end of your Laos visa, then Vientiane makes for an easy exit point to cross the border into Thailand.
The Thanaleng Border Crossing (location) is just a short 40 minute drive away from the centre of the city. To get to the border crossing you can arrange a taxi, or for those cheap backpackers (us!), just head to Vientiane’s Central Bus Station (location) to catch a bus to the border. From the Central Bus Station (also known as Khua Din Bus Station) you can catch buses that take you straight to Nong Khai bus station or a bus that’ll just take you to the border.
We’ve taken this route a few times and have always opted for the bus to the border as it is far more frequent,
The number 14 bus leaves every 30 minutes and a ticket to the border will cost 18,000 kip. The 14 bus is also the same bus that takes you to Buddha Park, so if you’re leaving Laos on the same day, you could easily make a stop at the park before crossing the border.
The bus takes about 30 to 40 minutes (depending on traffic / stops) to reach the Thanaleng Border and will drop you right outside the border crossing.
Once you arrive, the process for leaving Laos is super easy. Just hand over your passport and completed exit form to the Laos border control. Then, get your exit stamp from Laos and head to the waiting area to catch a bus which will take you over the Laos / Thailand Friendship Bridge. Unfortunately there is no other way to cross the bridge so unless you want to get stuck in ‘No-Mans Land’ you’re at the mercy of paying the bus fare, but luckily it costs only 20 baht (around 15,000 kip depending on what currency converter they’re using that day). Once you’ve crossed the bridge you’ll be dropped off right outside the Thai Border Control. Head on through, receive your Thailand entry stamp, walk through customs and exit into the carpark. Here you’ll find the usual rush of people selling you SIM cards, taxis and tuk tuks.
From the border at Nong Khai you can hail a songthaew into town or head to the train or bus stations to take you elsewhere in Isan or Thailand.
You can catch both a train or a bus from Nong Khai which will take you all the way to Bangkok. Book your tickets via 12Go here. We did this exact journey (Vientiane to Nong Khai) on our last stay in Laos and it was a super easy journey. We left Vientiane mid-morning and were sitting eating a delicious pad kra pao in Nong Khai by lunchtime.
Should I go to Vientiane?
Absolutely!
Vientiane deserves a stop on any Laos itinerary. The city has a completely different feeling to anywhere else we’ve been in Laos. The city is stuffed full of culture and history, whilst still being full of the mod-cons. As you wander down the streets, you’ll pass by glinting temples, streetside BBQs and colourful market stalls all sitting opposite high-end hotels and glass fronted offices.
Vientiane is a city where even if you have only a day or two you can still enjoy everything it has to offer. The majority of bus and train routes serving northern and southern Laos will mean you’ll have to change in Vientiane, which means there is always an excuse to stay a night or two in the city.
Whatever your plans are, Vientiane deserves a stop. The Laotian capital is completely different to any other capital you’ll find in Asia.
Don’t skip Vientiane.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
A very young Ellie on her first trip to Vientiane in 2018!
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Floating Above Laos - A Hot Air Balloon Ride in Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is known as one of the cheapest places in the world to take a ride on a hot air balloon, but is it still worth it on a backpackers budget? Read all about our flight above the limestone karsts and blue lagoons of Vang Vieng Laos. Our complete guide has all of the practical information on operators, prices, booking and what to wear as well as answering common questions and worries about ballooning: Sunrise or sunset flights? Is it Scary?
The Laotian backpacker town of Vang Vieng is famous for being one of the cheapest places in the world to take a hot air balloon flight. Wherever you are in town, in the morning or at sunset, you can see the stately balloons drift overhead. The scenery around Vang Vieng is stunning, with craggy jagged mountains, turquoise blue lagoons and chequerboards of paddy fields. It is the perfect place to take a hot air balloon ride.
We had tried to go ballooning in Vang Vieng on our first trip to Laos in 2018 but failed due to the weather. Now on our 3rd time in the country we were determined to float above the countryside of Laos. This is our guide to the hot air balloons of Vang Vieng, our experience of the flight, practical information and how to book your own hot air balloon ride.
In this Article
(click to skip to the section)
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links. We have not received any discount, gift or financial incentive from "Above Laos Ballooning" to write this article. We had such a great time on our flight we decided to share our experiences as they would be a useful guide for others looking at taking a hot air balloon in Vang Vieng.
Hot Air Balloons in Vang Vieng, What to Expect - Our Sunset Flight with Above Laos Ballooning
Our evening in the skies started on the ground at our hostel (the lovely Lily Backpackers) where we were picked up by minivan and driven down Vang Vieng's dusty, bumpy roads to the "Above Laos" HQ. We were dressed to impress as not only were we treating ourselves to a hot air balloon ride but we would be indulging in our favourite Vang Vieng pizzeria - Pizza Luka, after our flight. We were hoping to celebrate finally getting to ride in a hot air balloon!
We had tried to go ballooning in 2018 with no success and, earlier that week, our flight had been called off due to bad weather. We were hoping that today we could finally get off the ground. The champagne stacked behind the counter at the ballooning HQ was an encouraging sign.
The weather was beautiful, the skies were still and clear - the flight was going to go ahead! We were given a reassuring briefing, told how to brace in case of awkward landings and split into our respective ballooning parties. Then it was back in the vans and off to the launch site.
On a dry paddy field three balloons were laid out. We don't think we had quite realised how big a deflated hot air balloon was. Wicker and leather baskets the size of small cars sat next to metres and metres of carefully laid out material. It looked like some giant washed up deep sea creature, a deflated monster. As we watched, the baskets were tipped on their sides and huge fans wheeled in to start pumping air into the balloons.
As the balloons, well ... ballooned, the team of pilots fixed them to the baskets and tethered them in place. Then they fired up the burners. We did not expect the flamethrowing burners to be so loud but they roared like indignant dragons, fire streaming into the open mouths of the sideways balloons. Slowly, as they filled with the hot air from the fires, the balloons began to rise. As the balloons filled up they rose from the ground and dragged the tethered baskets upright. It was time to board our flight.
Small steps had been woven into the sides of the enormous baskets and we clambered into the balloon, each couple had a small "pod" or section within the basket. We were right next to the driver, and right under the burner! John, wearing long trousers for the first time in months, was already sweating under the heat of the flamethrowers.
Around us the other balloons were already rising into the clear blue afternoon sky. Our pilot was expert in their control of the fire, keeping the balloon filled and upright, but still on the ground until it was our turn to launch.
It was such a strange feeling taking off in a hot air balloon. It was like being in a stately elevator, the basket rose with no jolt or wobbles, it was perfectly still but the ground fell smoothly away from us. It almost didn't feel like we were moving at all, the hot air made us lighter and lighter until it just tipped the balance and we were lighter than air.
The smoothness of our take-off had definitely reassured some of the more nervous flyers. The girl next to us had been a ball of anxiety about flying. Her bravery was being highly rewarded though, as beneath us Vang Vieng fell away and the landscape of Laos unrolled around us.
The town of Vang Vieng is not exactly beautiful, it contains beautiful temples and a beautiful river, but the town is a jumble of buildings and concrete, hotels and bars. A mess of development and little planning. The area around Vang Vieng however is stunning. Crystalline blue lagoons, winding rivers and impossibly creased and craggy mountains. If all you know of Vang Vieng is parties and tubing you are really missing out. The landscape and countryside around the town are amazing.
From our vantage point, around 3000 feet above, this beauty was everywhere; paddy fields gold from the recent harvest carpeted the valley floors beneath the spiralling jagged limestone karsts that punctured the region like black and grey teeth.
After our initial ascent our pilot (driver, balloonist?) demonstrated his skill by hovering over a lake, then descending just enough to brush the basket on the waters surface before rising away up and over the surrounding mountains. They clearly knew what they were doing!
The ‘Above Laos’ pilots were very skilled in flying their balloons!
We drifted over mountains and fields, over lakes, lagoons and farmhouses. Our balloon passed over the viewpoints we had climbed up on the rocky karsts. It was a serene and beautiful ride. The calm zen only being broken by the roar of the burners as our driver adjusted our altitude.
Our driver was in constant communication with the other balloons, they knew where he was and he knew where they were floating to. There were apps and instruments showing altitude, wind and our projected direction / destination. Ballooning is an old method of flight, its first success being with the Montgolfier brothers in 1783, and the basics have all stayed the same. In the skies above Laos we were glad of the modern touches but loved the simplicity of the balloon - add heat until you are lighter than air and simply float off.
At one point we were soaring high, the highest we rose to on the whole flight, when we looked over the baskets edge and saw, far below, the other two balloons. Beneath them the whole of the Vang Vieng countryside was spread out like a map. It was a fantastic perspective, one impossible to replicate without a balloon.
Who needs a drone when you can take photos from a hot air balloon!
We had set off in the late afternoon and the setting sun was turning the whole landscape gold, from this high up we could see the curvature of the world and the mountains of Laos looked positively small. It was simply beautiful.
As the sun began to sink below the mountains, we too began to descend. Slow and gently our balloon drifted down. Our landing site was to be a large flat field next to a road. On the ground already, our minivan waited alongside a flatbed truck for the balloon and basket.
Our basket was caught and tethered by waiting members of Above Laos. It was expertly guided until it came to hover over the flat bed of the truck. One by one everyone got out of the balloon as the hot air escaped and the canvas deflated. Soon it was only John left aboard.
They used him as ballast, we cant think why...
After touchdown we were ferried back to the HQ and celebrated our amazing flight with champagne, fruit and a little certificate to take home.
Ballooning had been incredible, lighter than air flight is a thing all its own and has to be experienced to be understood. It was like floating or levitating rather than flying and had been the perfect vantage point to appreciate the incredible landscapes of Vang Vieng.
Hot Air Balloons in Vang Vieng - The Practical Guide
Choosing a company for your hot air balloon ride - Prices, companies and how to book
There are many different operators offering balloon rides throughout Vang Vieng. We would urge you to do your research and not just book based on price. We are two thrifty long term budget backpackers but, if we are going to treat ourselves to something as pricey as a hot air balloon ride, we are going to do it right!
You can book a flight on a hot air balloon through any of the travel agents in town (they are on every corner, you cannot miss them), or directly with the operators online. We chose, for the many reasons below, Above Laos Ballooning you can book them online here.
All of the operators fly different "routes", this is something worth considering and checking. We had spent many sunsets in Vang Vieng at the Pull Mind Cafe watching as the hot air balloons floated over. We noticed that several of the operators seemed to simply take off from one side of Vang Vieng town and land on the other. This seemed like a bit of a waste as of all the beautiful things and scenery Vang Vieng has to offer, the town is not really the most picturesque. However in the distance we could see other balloons floating over the gorgeous countryside - it was going to be one of them for our trip.
We checked around and settled on Above Laos Ballooning for our hot air balloon ride, they are one of the more expensive (only by around $10) operators but they flew the route we wanted and had impressive reviews and records. I'm sure you have seen the Tik Tok's of the hot air balloons accidentally landing in the river - this was not with Above Laos!
Our Vang Vieng hot air balloon flight with Above Laos Ballooning cost $145.00 per person.
If you read our experience on the hot air balloon above we think you will agree that we made the right choice. Obviously we only went ballooning once and cannot compare operators fairly, but Above Laos were exceptional in everything we experienced. From the prep and the flight itself, to the pickup and champagne after landing it was a fantastic trip.
Above Laos Ballooning and we presume the other operators as well, offer private balloons for groups and even a smaller balloon for a romantic private flight. Above Laos even offered a proposal package....
If Above Laos Ballooning are sold out or you fancy combining your ballooning with other activities, check out Get Your Guide for some other options.
Should I Take a sunrise or sunset flight?
This is totally up to you, we went for sunset as we are lazy and didn't want to have to get up early in the morning. Also we love sunsets and Vang Vieng, its horizon of jagged mountains, gives fantastic sunsets. That being said the sunrise flights will be more "reliable", the weather in the mornings (at least when we visited at the end of the dry season in November), is clearer and less prone to rain than the afternoon / evenings. The choice is yours!
Is riding a hot air balloon scary?
We have to preface this with the fact that neither one of us has a fear of heights, if you have vertigo your experience may be very different to ours.
We found the Vang Vieng hot air balloons to be completely non-scary! It was like being in an elevator when it rose and fell. The basket was level, stable and never wobbled. There was no real feeling of rising or falling, hot air balloons really are not like any other type of flight we have tried!
The safety rail was high enough to make us feel completely secure and the pilots were fully and confidently in control of the balloon. We did have perfect weather and a perfect landing - you may have a slightly less stately landing if there are stronger winds. However, if you go with a good company they will not set off in any adverse conditions and will fully brief you so you know what to do if the landing is going to be bumpy!
More fire!
How long is the hot air balloon flight?
Our flight lasted a little over 45 minutes. Flights can be a little shorter or longer depending on the weather, time of day and the season. Our pilot told us anything between 30 mins and 1.5 hours is possible.
How many people are in the hot air balloon?
With Above Laos we shared the balloon with 6 other travellers plus the pilot - 9 people in total. The balloon basket was divided into two person sections and we had enough room to turn around and didn't feel cramped.
As we mentioned, for those with deep pockets (well outside a backpacking budget), you could hire a private balloon for your group. Or (again at quite a bit of an expense) you could hire a couples balloon…with a driver (the ultimate 3rd wheel).
Cancellations - What happens if it rains?
A hot air balloon is very weather dependant. We had our first attempt at ballooning in 2018 scuppered by rain. Then again on this trip, our first flight was cancelled. If there is a chance of bad weather they will call off the balloon flight. If you think about it, this is just as well. Our balloon operator told us: “We would rather you be unhappy on the ground than in the sky”
If weather cancels the flight then they will attempt to reschedule you with another departure date. If you cannot make the new date they will refund you. Obviously if you cancel or don’t show up to a flight this wont apply!
We cannot speak for all companies but this was the policy with the operator from 2018 and with Above Laos Ballooning.
What to wear when ballooning - What to bring with you on your flight
On our flight it got very warm in the balloon, particularly if you are under the burners. So maybe don't be like John and wear your only pair of posh jeans and a long sleeve shirt! According to our pilot it is always warm in the balloon because of the burner so even if you are going for a sunrise flight don't dress for the arctic. If you are very sensitive to heat consider a hat to protect yourself from the flying flamethrower!
Most of the companies will ask you to wear closed toe shoes, this is because you will likely be setting off and landing in farmers fields and they don't want you stumbling around in your flip-flops.
As with anywhere in Laos, make sure you sun-cream up as you don't want sunburn to be your souvenir from the flight.
As for what else to bring - cameras, Go-pros and/or your phone to record your flight! How will hundreds of online strangers know about your YOLO ballooning experience otherwise? Seriously it is incredibly beautiful in the skies above Vang Vieng, you will want a memento. Most operators will be able to loan you a Go-Pro at a cost if asked in advance.
Hot Air Balloons in Vang Vieng - Is it worth it?
The hot air balloon ride in Vang Vieng was one of the most expensive things we have done on our whole backpacking adventure - and we would do it again in a heartbeat! It was fun, beautiful and unlike anything we have done before. Ballooning is a completely different experience than climbing a mountain or looking out from a sky-scraper viewpoint, it is literally flying! The stunning, mountainous countryside of Vang Vieng spilled out below us from a viewpoint so high that no ladder, path or stairway could ever reach us, it made for a unique and amazing afternoon. How else could you stand, no seat-belt or harness, in the fresh air, 3000 feet above the ground- all in perfect safety?
Yes hot air balloons rides are expensive, but ballooning in Vang Vieng is one of the cheapest available anywhere in the world. Sometimes you have to pay for the good things in life and Vang Vieng allowed us a fantastic experience soaring through the skies of Laos in a hot air balloon.
If you are in Vang Vieng and have enough wiggle room in your budget, hot air ballooning truly is a ‘bucket list’ experience!
Thanks for reading,
John and Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Make sure you check out our guide to Vang Vieng town and what else there is to do.
Paramotoring / Paragliding
If this has whetted your appetite for flight, Vang Vieng offers a whole host of other airborne options. You could zoom about on zip lines or even fly in a paramotor. Let us know in the comments if you do either of these, we would love for some recommendations for next time we are in Vang Vieng!
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Vang Vieng - The Best Places to Eat and Drink
Vang Vieng is an essential stop on any Laotian itinerary, but what should you eat after a day out tubing? Where can you find the best coffee? Where is a good spot for a sunset beer? Read our guide for all our recommendations on the best places to eat and drink in the backpacker capital of Laos.
With everything from traditional Laotian barbecues to sushi and sandwiches, Vang Vieng has a plate to offer no matter what food you are craving. From comfort foods for backpackers missing home, to delicious Laotian cuisine, there is something for everyone to eat in Vang Vieng.
Sitting between the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang and the Laotian capital of Vientiane, Vang Vieng is an essential stop on any trip to Laos. Famous for its stunning scenery, tubing and adventure activities you’re sure to work up an appetite in this backpacking town. We have spent over a fortnight eating our way around the town and this is our guide to the best places to eat, drink and grab a coffee in Vang Vieng.
In our guide to the best food and drink of Vang Vieng:
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
If you haven’t read our guide on what to do and where to stay in Vang Vieng, make sure you check it out here:
The Best Places To Eat In Vang Vieng
During our stay in Vang Vieng our tastes varied wildly. One day we would be in the mood for sticky rice and Laotian barbecues the next, we’d be craving a cheesy pizza. Luckily for us, Vang Vieng has something to offer every palate.
Laos cuisine and Asian restaurants
Banking BBQ Restaurant
(location)
Our favourite restaurant in Vang Vieng!
You’ll know you have arrived when you see the street-side BBQ roaring and flaming away and the smell of roasting meat filling the air. We ate at Banking BBQ Restaurant several times and highly recommend their special Vang Vieng Grilled Duck as well as their delicious pork belly. Their side dishes are also great; make sure you check out the stir-fried Chinese cabbage and eggs.
We always went for pork belly or duck with sticky rice, a side plate and a serving of their amazing som tam salad.
The restaurant is very reasonably priced with cheap beers. The service is a little chaotic and very much Asian style - food comes whenever it's ready and not all at the same time!
Street-side Sticky Rice, BBQ Meat and Som Tam Street Food Stalls
(location)
During the day, you can find small street food stalls with charcoal grills serving up sticky rice, meat and som tam salad. Our favourite stall was located just off the edge of the airstrip. The lovely lady here served incredibly cheap, incredibly rich pork and a seriously spicy papaya salad!
A lunch for 2 people - sticky rice and BBQ meat cost us 50,000 kip - a great backpacker bargain!
There are a couple of seats outside her stall or she can box it up for takeaway. If you’re planning a viewpoint hike this would be a great portable lunch choice.
Chaixi Noodles
(location)
This one came as a recommendation from some fellow travellers we met in Muang Ngoi and they were spot on! We love Chinese dumpling noodles and Chaixi Noodles was perfect.
Plump wontons swimming in a garlic studded, comforting and super addictive broth. Everyone knows crispy pork makes everything better and this soup is no exception! Make sure you grab some beansprouts, cabbage, lime and fresh chilli from the table near the kitchen to customise your bowl.
Again this is a very backpacker budget friendly restaurant, with crispy pork, wonton soup coming in at 45,000 kip a bowl.
The restaurant also serves some dim sum and other noodle dishes.
Ban Lao
(location)
Another great choice for those looking for yummy wontons, Ban Lao is located in the heart of Vang Vieng. You can easily spot this restaurant by the towers of steaming dim sum baskets outside. Serving red pork noodles, wontons, crispy pork and dim sum, Ban Lao is quick, hearty and very reasonably priced.
We ordered a selection of dim sum that were steamed to perfection and started at 10,000 kip per basket.
The wonton bowls were also very reasonable at 40,000 to 50,000 kip per bowl.
Street Food Restaurant
(location)
Sometimes you just need a simple plate of fried rice and the Street Food Restaurant (that’s its actual name) cooks up a fantastic one. Full of great wok smoked flavour, stuffed with vegetables and in our case, roast pork, its everything you want from a fried rice. Our dish came with a side serving of a delicate, pork soup - a great accompaniment to the rich fried rice.
Don’t miss out on their excellent chilli oil, John is (or thinks he is) a chilli oil connoisseur and this was his favourite of Vang Vieng’s offerings.
It is always good to have a reliably great fried rice spot and “Street Food” became ours.
Ladi Restaurant
(location)
Possibly Vang Vieng’s most popular restaurant with backpackers, Ladi Restaurant was open from early morning to late at night serving all the backpacker favourites. Pad krapow to pad thai, sandwiches to burgers, whatever you fancied was somewhere in the pages of their menu.
Normally the above would worry us - a ‘jack of all trades’ restaurant usually means a ‘master of none’ but happily this was definitely not the case at Ladi.
We came here multiple times and all the food we ate was great and well priced - very occasionally it does pay to follow the crowd.
ຮ້ານເຂົ້າ ອາເຮຍ - Pork Leg Rice
(location)
Thai comfort food at its finest, we’ve fallen in love with pork leg rice during a food tour in Chiang Mai and always seek it out wherever we go. We weren’t expecting pork leg in Vang Vieng but can confirm it's here and it's delicious.
A huge plate of steamed rice topped with meltingly soft pork leg in the famous sweet and tangy sauce - delicious!
This restaurant also serves all the standard SE Asian favourites including a very good pork and yellow noodle soup.
Vang Vieng Walking Street & Night Market
(location)
As night falls, all along Vang Vieng’s Walking Street stalls pop up selling everything from the ubiquitous elephant pants to local souvenirs and crafts. Wherever you get a market you’ll also find food.
Dotted throughout the night market are small stalls and sit down eateries offering hot pots, grilled meat and sticky rice as well as sweet treats, including the backpacker favourite of banana pancakes / roti.
If you’re up for trying a traditional Lao street food snack we would highly recommend the grilled sticky rice covered in yellow egg yolk. It’s nutty and, if you get the chilli glaze, deliciously spiced.
Home Comforts - Western food in Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng Sandwiches
(location) - found all over town but these were our favourite
We didn’t know which section to put these in but they are an absolute staple of the backpacker scene in Vang Vieng. Available from dozens of stalls on almost every street corner are Vang Vieng’s famous sandwiches. Made famous by social media these are not just a craze but a hearty and cheap way to fill your belly.
You can get a sandwich with pretty much any combination of fillings you may want. Chicken to bacon, egg to beef, vegetables to cheese, whatever you fancy, you can get. We always opted for a meat feast: a baguette would be cut in half, then toasted on a flat grill and stuffed with fried chicken, melted cheese, bacon, onion and an omelette. It was massive, tasty and very filling.
The stalls also serve more traditional burgers as well as pancakes. If you’ve had a late night, these are the perfect hangover cure! In fact most of the sandwich stalls will stay open into the early hours of the morning to soak up any remaining Beer Lao.
Just some of the famous “Vang Vieng” sandwich stalls!
Pizza Luka
(location)
This one is a treat, not in the everyday backpacking budget but definitely within the ‘treat yourself range’.
Full story - Pizza Luka (in its old location) was one of our favourite meals when we visited on the fateful 2018 holiday - the one that cemented our dream and convinced us to start planning our long-term travel (read all about that here). The pizza had lived in our memories ever since and we knew that even on our backpacking budget we had to go back.
Pizza Luka has upgraded itself to a posh new garden restaurant since the last time we visited, however the pizza is still the same - completely excellent! We ordered two thin crust pizzas, topped with premium local mozzarella and the best imported anchovies, olives and goats cheese. It was fantastic!
The two pizzas, extra olives and a couple of beers cost us a little over 600,000 kip - not an everyday expense but worth it as a treat. We celebrated our successful ballooning adventure with a meal at Pizza Luka’s and it was the perfect treat to end a fantastic day out.
Hom Coffee
(location)
This is one we should (but don’t) feel guilty about - sometimes you just need a Full English Breakfast. Hom Coffee serves an absolutely fantastic Full English. Heinz beans, proper bacon, hash browns, black pudding, the works - they even have proper tomato ketchup!
You just can’t beat a Full English Breakfast!
If you’re after some home comforts in Vang Vieng, you really can’t beat Hom Coffee. There are few things in this world quite as rejuvenating as a Full English Breakfast and it's very handy to have a good one in a town like Vang Vieng.
The cafe serves lots of different Western plates as well as very good coffee.
Golden Bamboo
(location)
If you’re in the mood for something “fresher” than a Full English then the falafel and hummus plate at Golden Bamboo is an essential try.
A huge portion of homemade falafel is served with fluffy pita bread, salad and dips, all surrounding a massive dollop of rich, oil-laced hummus. It’s a little more pricey than the street food options on this list, but well worth the expense. Go hungry, the portions are massive.
Golden Bamboo also serves buddha bowls, salads, noodles and a range of vegan options. If you’re feeling fancy it also has a selection of wines on the menu.
Green Restaurant
(location)
If you’re looking for a fantastic sunset spot for dinner, head to Green Restaurant and its huge veranda overlooking the mountains. Serving wood-fired pizza and all the Asian staples, it's a very popular restaurant. Make sure to get there early if you want the best seats!
7-Eleven
(location)
Okay we hate ourselves for this one but we can’t leave this off the list! Sometimes you just need a cheese toastie - we’re just weak okay!
Laos has very few 7-Eleven’s and Vang Vieng is home to one of them. If you’re really missing your sushi triangles, cheese and ham toasties and the chocolate lava cake, you can pick up any of the convenience store staples up here in the heart of Vang Vieng.
Just some of our 7-Eleven favourite snacks - aka “tell me your hungover without telling me your hungover!”
The Best Coffee Shops in Vang Vieng
Finding the perfect caffeine fix in the backpacker capital of Laos
Whatever your coffee needs are Vang Vieng can provide. From high end air-conditioned craft brews to unexpected roadside treats there is a caffeinated cup for every budget.
Pull Mind Cafe
(location)
In the early evening as the sun starts to set, Pull Mind Cafe becomes the unofficial common room for the backpackers of Vang Vieng. With front row seats overlooking the dramatic mountain peaks, and sitting directly underneath the flight path of most of the hot air balloons, Pull Mind Cafe is a fantastic sunset spot.
Serving coffee, smoothies, tea, Italian sodas and beer, the cafe also offers food including fried rice, papaya salad and summer rolls. Pull Mind Cafe became our go to for a couple of beers at sundown. It and the Green Restaurant really are unrivalled for Vang Vieng’s sunsets.
Like Green Restaurant above, if you want to get the best seats for sunset make sure you get to Pull Mind early.
Kiwi Coffee
(location)
On the road between Vang Vieng and the lagoons is this tiny little coffee shop. Don’t let its small size fool you, this place punches well above its weight in coffee and food.
We enjoyed some excellent iced Americano’s after a hot and sweaty climb up the nearby viewpoint (read all about that here).
The sandwiches also looked fantastic, let us know if they are as good as they look in the comments.
Naked Espresso
(location)
Probably the “poshest” coffee shop in Vang Vieng. Naked Espresso has the massive advantage of being gloriously air-conditioned.
If you want a really good, Western style coffee in a comfy, cool, chilled out environment, Naked Espresso has you covered.
A little bit more expensive than other options on this list, Naked Espresso is well worth the extra. Make sure you splash out and try a slice of their lime cake - you won’t be disappointed!
The Mini Cafe
(location)
Sitting on the opposite bank of the river to the main town of Vang Vieng you’ll pass by the Mini Cafe if you’re driving towards the blue lagoons and viewpoints. We stopped in here multiple times for a caffeine fix on our way out of town. Serving great iced coffees at reasonable prices, this stylish cafe appears to be an Instagram hotspot with the local youth. Behind the cafe is a winding wooden path leading out to a selfie spot amongst the rice paddies.
Honestly, we’re not sure why it’s called the Mini Cafe as it’s one of the biggest coffee shops in Vang Vieng!
The Bars of Vang Vieng - the Best Place for a Drink
Vang Vieng is known, for better or worse, for being a party town. This is true and false in equal measures - If you want a party you can 100% find one but if you just want a chilled out drink no one is going to drag you into a shots contest! There are parties but they do not take over the town and you are not “missing out” if you skip them.
We are (very very slightly) past the point of 3am beer pong and kings cup games - we like good music, vibes and a few cold beers in good company - Vang Vieng was great for this!
Bars and Pubs in Vang Vieng - Where to Get a Beer
Gary’s Irish Bar
(location)
Everywhere you go you’ll always find an Irish Bar. Gary’s was fantastic - our go to for a good night out. Beer aplenty, great music, free pool table and fantastic backpacker vibes, Gary’s is an easy recommendation.
We had quite a few late nights in Gary’s Irish Bar, it is always busy and welcoming. We would say it was our favourite bar in Vang Vieng just for its relaxed and fun vibes.
Also, if you’re feeling naughty, they serve really good home comfort food and snacks. A few beers down and we absolutely loved their cheesy chips and gravy!
Jaidee’s Bar
(location)
A Vang Vieng institution that manages to be both famous and infamous. Jaidee’s Bar is a riot of neon, drapes, stuffed animals and hippy chic. Always popular, the bar is open late into the night and is a hub of the Vang Vieng party scene.
Jaidee’s Bar in the evenings tows the line between chilled and party, with great music, free pool and plenty of spots to lounge around. If you’re in the mood for a party, it really kicks off later in the night.
The Big Easy
(location)
If you’re looking for a chilled beer and riverside views, then the cavernous Big Easy has you covered. A laid back bar with a pool table, cold beer and a relaxed atmosphere, the Big Easy is a great spot for an afternoon drink.
We’ve only just scratched the surface on what Vang Vieng has to offer. In our two weeks we ate and drank fantastically in this backpacker haven but we didn’t get to try nearly half of what Vang Vieng had in store. How was the sushi? What about the hot pot? If we have missed anywhere off this list that you would recommend, let us know in the comments!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
You’ll never go hungry in Vang Vieng - wherever you look there’s plenty of food!
All our Vang Vieng travel guides
If you’re planning a trip to Vang Vieng, check out all our guides to the town below:
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The Complete Guide To Vang Vieng, Laos
Vang Vieng is the backpacking capital of Laos. With budget friendly hostels, a lively bar scene and plenty of things to do, Vang Vieng is an essential stop on any Laos itinerary. Read our backpackers guide on what there is to do. From the famous ‘Tipsy Tubing’, swimming in the turquoise waters of the Blue Lagoons to climbing viewpoints or even taking a flight, our travel guide covers everything!
Sitting on the banks of the Nam Song River and surrounded by towering mountain peaks, Vang Vieng is the adventure capital and backpacking heart of Laos. For backpackers, Vang Vieng has everything you could want with lots of cheap hostels, plenty of things to do, cute cafes, street food and a lively bar scene.
Vang Vieng has a reputation for late night parties and the infamous ‘tipsy tubing’. The party scene and the river tubing helped put Vang Vieng on the map - sometime for all the wrong reasons. However, if you’re worried that Vang Vieng is just drunken backpackers, neon bars and late night raves, we’re happy to report it is emphatically not!
As you head into the countryside, leaving the towns dusty streets, mis-matched buildings and ramshackled shops behind, you’ll be greeted with some of the most incredible landscapes Laos has to offer. Paddy fields stretch out as far as the eye can see whilst all around huge, jungle-clad mountain peaks rise up out of the flat valley floor. The countryside is where Vang Vieng’s beauty lies - it is simply stunning! It is here, outside of the town, where you’ll find the jaw-dropping viewpoints, natural swimming pools and deep caves. If you’re a backpacker with a sense of adventure, Vang Vieng is an absolute essential stop on any Laos itinerary.
In this Vang Vieng Travel Guide
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By bus
By train
By air
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The town of Vang Vieng has always been a popular stop on the Southeast Asian ‘Banana Backpacking trail’ with thousands of backpackers braving Laos’ very bumpy roads each year to reach it. Nowadays, the journey to Vang Vieng has become even easier with the recent opening of the Laos / China high speed railway connecting the town with the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang in the north and the capital of Vientiane in the south.
For backpackers, Vang Vieng feels like some kind of vortex. A place where it’s too easy to get sucked into its laid back charm. It’s a town where you’ll plan to stop for just a few days, but when it comes to check out, time will have run away from you and you’ll realise you’ve stayed for nearly a fortnight - we’re speaking from experience here!
During the day, the town is super relaxed with backpackers chilling in the cafes and bars. Then as the sun goes down, the population of the town swells as people flock to riverside bars to watch the sunset over the mountains.
Vang Vieng is the type of town you really hope to find on your backpacking travels. One where you can do whatever you want, be whatever you want to be and there’s no pressure to do anything. If you fancy spending the whole day in a hammock you can, if you want to be energetic and explore the surrounding countryside, you can, or if you’d like to party until the sun comes up, you could do that as well.
For us, Vang Vieng felt a bit like a border town. One of those towns you’d expect to stumble upon in the Wild West where anything goes. There are so many places in this world that used to be on the ‘traditional backpacking trail’ that have now lost their identity. At the moment (we can’t say it will forever), Vang Vieng is still clinging on to its charm.
Just head out of Vang Vieng town and you’ll be greeted by some spectacular views!
If you’re a backpacker and looking for chilled out vibes, late night bars and adventurous activities, then Vang Vieng is a must. With cheap swimming holes, amazing viewpoints to climb and riverside activities, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. We have been lucky enough to visit the town twice now and have stayed for nearly a month in total. This is our guide on everything there is to do in Vang Vieng - Laos’ backpacker haven!
Before we go on with this article, it’s time for a little Adventures of Jellie backstory.
Vang Vieng will always have a special place in our hearts, for it was here, many years ago, that we decided to make our travel dreams a reality. Rolling back the clock to 2018, we were visiting the town during a 3 week holiday we had managed to grab off of work. Constrained to a tight itinerary, we only had a few days in the town and couldn’t do everything we wanted. Frustrated and annoyed, we knew we couldn’t keep travelling this way, we needed more time. Sipping on our ice cold Beer Laos and watching a fiery sunset, we knew we needed to travel the world. It was in a bars garden in Vang Vieng we hatched our long term travel plans.
After a few years of saving, planning and a worldwide pandemic thrown into the mix, the Adventures of Jellie was finally born. To find out all more about our backpacking backstory, click here.
Where is Vang Vieng?
Vang Vieng is located in northern Laos in the province of Vientiane. The main town of Vang Vieng spreads away from the eastern banks of the Nam Song River and is completely surrounded on all sides by towering, limestone peaks.
Vang Vieng sits around a 2 hours drive, or short train ride (130 km) north of the Laotian capital of Vientiane.
North of Vang Vieng is the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang, a 5 hour (183 km) drive (or again a short train ride) away.
The town can also be known as Vang Viang and is often written down as VV for short. Vang Vieng in Laotian is written as ວັງວຽງ.
The town of Vang Vieng has a big mix of everything from cheap hostel dorms to high-end luxury hotels, street food stalls & barbeques to air-conditioned restaurants, late night bars to chilled out cafes. Whatever type of backpacker you are, Vang Vieng can provide.
How to get to Vang Vieng?
The town is extremely well connected by both road and rail and you can easily reach Vang Vieng directly from Luang Prabang, Phonsavan, Vientiane or Thakhek. If you’re coming from Nong Khiaw, Pakse or Don Det then there are a few direct bus routes operating, but it will be easier to change in the larger transport hubs of Vientiane or Luang Prabang, jumping on either another bus or connecting to the high speed railway line.
For those heading to Vang Vieng from Thailand, you can get a direct train from Bangkok to Vientiane and then switch to the high speed rail or a bus - we did this ourselves passing through Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. Read more about this later.
Getting to Vang Vieng by bus
The cheapest and most backpacker friendly way to reach Vang Vieng is by bus. Regular buses and minivans run daily from Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Phonsavan.
For those heading to Vang Vieng from Nong Khiaw, you will need to take a bus to Luang Prabang and then change to a bus or train to Vang Vieng there. To reach Vang Vieng from Pakse or the far south, you’ll need to catch a bus to Vientiane and then change buses / train there. Some hostels may sell “direct tickets” but these will still involve a change in the capital or in Luang Prabang.
You can book tickets from a tour agency, at the bus station or online via 12Go. Just remember that buses can sell out extremely quickly, so plan accordingly and always head to the bus station with plenty of time to get a good seat!
Both times we’ve visited Vang Vieng we have travelled there by bus. The first time we were travelling from Luang Prabang (when the high speed rail was only just being built) and were dropped off at the bus station 6 km north of the town, located here. From here we jumped into a songthaew and were dropped at our accommodation. If you arrive at this bus station, you can hop into a songthaew to take you into town. The songthaew should cost you 25,000 kip per person.
On our most recent visit we were dropped off on the edge of the old airstrip that dominates the eastern side of town (located here). From there it was only a short walk to our hostel that was located on the main strip. If you’re staying further afield there were plenty of songthaews available to take you to your hostel.
Book your bus tickets to Vang Vieng via 12Go here.
The drive to Vang Vieng (especially from Phonsavan or Luang Prabang) is stunning!
A word of warning - Laotian bus rides are not for the faint of heart. Getting anywhere takes a long time as the Laotian road network is very poorly maintained. The roads are littered with potholes and deep crevices and any journey you take will be extremely bumpy!
The buses themselves are usually very old and even if you have bought a ticket, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get an actual seat. It’s not uncommon for the bus to be overstuffed with passengers and additional “beer crate” seats added to the aisles. We have 12 seater minivans with 24 people + babies on board!
If you’re booking a bus journey in Laos, our advice would be to get to the bus station early and prepare yourself for a very rough ride!
To read more about travelling by bus in Laos, check out our article where we went off the normal tourist trail and spent a hair-raising 13 hours travelling overnight from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua. Read more here.
Getting to Vang Vieng by train
The newly opened Laos China Railway (LCR) has helped to put Vang Vieng firmly on the tourist map. Vang Vieng Railway Station sits between Vientiane and Luang Prabang and from both places, you can reach Vang Vieng within an hour!
To put into context just how speedy the railway is: before (or now if you’re cheap backpackers like us) travelling by road between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng would take 8 hours. By high speed train, the journey time is only one hour!
If you’re on a short trip and don’t mind splashing the cash for the luxury of time, travelling by train to reach Vang Vieng is a no-brainer.
Tickets can only be purchased 3 days in advance and sell out extremely fast. To ensure you get a ticket as soon as they’re available to buy, we’d recommend booking your tickets online and in advance.
Vang Vieng’s Railway Station is located 4 km (10 minute drive) north of the town’s main strip (here). Once you arrive at the station there will be plenty of tuk tuk’s and songthaews waiting to take you to your accommodation. To reach town, it’ll cost you 40,000 kip per person.
Book your Laos China Railway tickets via 12Go here.
If you purchase your train tickets via 12Go, train tickets can be “booked” ahead of the 3 day window giving you a good chance to be first in line for tickets.
If you do buy your tickets online you may need to collect the tickets in advance either at the station or from a tour agency nearby. Make sure you read the booking conditions when you purchase your tickets.
For those who are coming to the end of their visa in Thailand then it's very easy to travel from Thailand to Vang Vieng by train. We did this ourselves, travelling from the Thai capital of Bangkok all the way to Vientiane, then taking the high-speed train, via Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. Both train journeys were seamless and super comfy. If you’re looking for a cheap and budget friendly way to get between the two countries, taking the train is a fantastic solution. Read all about our experience on the Laos China Railway here.
Getting to Vang Vieng by air
If Vang Vieng is your first or last stop in your Laos itinerary, the nearest airport to town is Wattay International Airport in Vientiane. The airport has direct flights to Bangkok in Thailand, Hanoi in Vietnam, Phnom Penh in Cambodia plus lots more. The airport also has connections within Laos with flights to Luang Prabang and Sam Nuea in the north and Pakse and Savannakhet in the south. From the airport you’ll either need to arrange a taxi to take you onto Vang Vieng, or head into Vientiane to jump on a bus / train.
To imagine what it must be like to fly over the peaks of Vang Vieng just head to the top of the Pha Honekham Viewpoint!
What to Do in Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is an outdoor enthusiast's wet dream, with everything from ziplining to spelunking on offer. Whether you’re a sky-bourne junkie or more of a waterbaby, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. Read on to find out how to fill your time in Vang Vieng.
Tipsy Tubing
We couldn’t write this article without mentioning the famous ‘tipsy tubing’ of Vang Vieng!
Tipsy tubing has been a popular activity to do in Vang Vieng for years. The concept is easy. Head upstream and jump in the river. Sit in the middle of your huge, inflatable inner tube, open a beer, float down the Nam Song River and drink some more beers. As you approach the riverside bars prepare to get lassoed in, have some more beers, dance a little and have some lao-lao shots, get back in the river and continue.
Repeat this process again and again until you reach the town of Vang Vieng.
The wild days of ‘tipsy tubing’ have long gone. In 2011 after a spate of tubing related deaths, the Laotian authorities swept in and closed down a lot of the riverside bars. Today, ‘tipsy tubing’ continues, but it's a much more subdued affair with only a couple of bars still in operation along the river. Despite this it’s still a very fun way to spend an afternoon.
Most backpackers head out to the Nam Song River in the mid to late afternoon to reach Vang Vieng in time for sunset.
To book an afternoon tubing, just speak to your hostel or arrange a trip with one of the tour agencies in town. Tubing will cost you 60,000 kip for the trip plus a 60,000 kip deposit for the tube. This will include pick up and drop off at the river as well as rental of a floaty inner tube.
Head out and be prepared to get wet - just make sure you don’t get too tipsy!
We’re not advocating drinking or anything, but if you are heading out for an afternoon tubing, make sure you buy something that has a lid or can be held easily. Unless you want to neck your drink in one go, beer and river water is never the greatest tasting combo! For this reason, you’ll see bottles of soju being a very popular choice in town.
Also it goes without saying, especially after recent events in Vang Vieng, to be especially careful with any free shots / drinks at the bars containing any of the local spirit. Our advice would be to stick with a bottle of the trusty Beer Laos in the bars.
The Vang Vieng viewpoints
Outside of Vang Vieng, the countryside is ringed by huge jagged, limestone karsts. Many of these mountain peaks have viewpoints to climb up giving you panoramic views over the amazing landscape below.
Unlike the trails in Nong Khiaw, we found the hikes in Vang Vieng to be a lot shorter and a lot easier. If you were only in Vang Vieng for a few days you could easily combine a few of these hikes in one day.
Pha Nguen Viewpoint
The Pha Nguen Trailhead and Viewpoint is the closest mountain peak to town. If you’re short on time and want to get a slice of Vang Vieng from the air, this would be a perfect choice.
When we climbed the mountain, we actually walked to the viewpoint base from town but in hindsight we’d actually recommend heading here via scooter, bicycle or tuk tuk. The walk from town to the base of the hike is along a very dusty road which is full of traffic and has little shade along the way. We arrived sweaty and were still at ground level!
When you arrive at the start of the hike there’s a small ticket office and parking area for scooters. Tickets for the trailhead cost 20,000 kip per person and 5000 kip to park your bike. Once you’ve bought your tickets, take the road that forks to the right where you’ll find a small shop selling snacks, water and soft drinks. Behind this shop is where the fun begins!
The hike started off very steeply with big stone steps carved out of the rock. We naively thought it would be an easy hike, but after about 10 minutes of panting and sweating under the hot Laotian sun we were questioning our stamina. We’d like to blame it on the heat, but the real culprit was more likely to be the late night and many beers at Gary’s Irish Bar the night before!
Just a small glimpse of the view from the top of Pha Nguen viewpoint!
Rehydrated with lots of water and a small cookie we continued upwards. After about 20 minutes or so, we reached the shaded part of the hike. A dusty path full of tree roots and small boulders which wound its way through the jungle - it felt like we were walking up the spine of the mountain. Around the halfway mark we reached a small wooden viewpoint. The break in the trees gave us a little insight into what lay in store for the view above. A quick stop and we continued on our way winding up through the jungle. The final part of the hike (around 10 minutes) involved some scrambling and pulling ourselves up ropes over huge carved rocks. One final pullup and the summit of Pha Nguen opened up in front of us.
At the top there is a huge 360 degree wooden platform that gives incredible views over the surrounding craggy mountain peaks, paddy fields and turquoise waters of Blue Lagoon 1. You can even see the viewpoints of Silver Cliff and Nam Xay and the landing field of the Above Laos Balloon HQ!
The main highlight of this viewing platform is the huge red, metal ATV parked on top of one of the rocky points - we dread to think how they got this up here!
There is a small shop selling snacks, drinks and pot noodles at the viewing platform as well as plenty of benches to relax and take in the view. We spent a good while relaxing, snapping ATV selfies and soaking up the panoramic view.
If you’re heading back to town after climbing this viewpoint we’d recommend stopping at Kiwi Coffee for a caffeinated pick me up!
Pha Nguen Essential Information
Entry fee - Tickets cost 20,000 kip per person plus 5000 kip to park a scooter.
Opening times - The viewpoint is open everyday from 5 AM until 5 PM.
How long does it take to climb Pha Nguen Trailhead Viewpoint?
The walk up took us just under an hour to reach the top and 45 minutes to get back down.
The hike is very easy unless you’ve been on a bender the night before! At the start, the hike is very steep but quickly levels out to a gentle incline. The final 10 minutes does involve some scrambling over rocks but there are always ropes to haul yourself up with. The hike is clearly marked and there is no need for a guide.
Silver Cliff Viewpoint
The Silver Cliff Viewpoint sits on the next mountain over from Pha Nguen peak - in fact you can see its viewing platforms from Pha Nguen itself.
To reach the parking area for the viewpoint just follow the dusty, sandy road that leads off of the main road. At the fork, follow the yellow sign to the left that brings you past a couple of farmhouses and fields until you reach the base and ticket office of Silver Cliff Viewpoint.
Despite being just one peak over, the base of Silver Cliff was completely different to Pha Nguen. A huge green field was dotted with only a few trees and lots of cows - if you didn’t look up, it felt like we could almost be in an English country meadow.
Once we had bought our tickets (20,000 kip each) it was time to begin our hike up 650 metres! The start of the trail is very pretty and leads up stone steps through a small rocky garden full of herbs, plants and bushes. A wooden stile takes you into the jungle where the whole trail follows a dusty path that gently climbs and winds its way up the mountain.
There are a couple of points where you need to clamber up some stone boulders, but they always had ropes or tree roots to pull yourself up with. The walk through the forest was beautiful. We were climbing during the late afternoon and the sun rays basked everything in a beautiful golden light. We were also extremely lucky as we didn’t see another person on the trail, we had it all to ourselves! As we neared the peak, the trees disappeared and the mountain views started to reveal themselves. As we got closer to the viewpoint, the dusty path was replaced with stepped and spiky limestone rocks.
The view from the Silver Cliff Viewpoint was incredible. In front of us sat a patchwork of golden paddyfields surrounded by jagged, deep blue mountains. At the top of this peak there is a small covered hut and a motorbike, balanced precariously on the rocks - complete with a huge Laotian flag that fluttered in the breeze. We spent a good half hour taking in the view and snapping many photos whilst posing on the motorbike. Compared to the queues of people waiting for photos at Nam Xay Viewpoint (see later on) it was just us, a motorbike and a huge 360 degree view over Vang Vieng!
As we turned to leave we could see a second viewpoint hiding in the jagged mountain peaks. We followed the path back and found a small fork in the rocks that wound up to the left. We followed this and came to the second viewpoint of Silver Cliff, another stunning panorama. A few photos later and it was time to descend. The way up and down to this second viewpoint involves a lot more scrambling up and over sharp rocks. It doesn’t look as though this route is as well maintained as the main Silver Cliff viewpoint.
The second Silver Cliff Viewpoint hides on a separate craggy outcrop.
Silver Cliff Viewpoint Essential Information
Entry price - Tickets cost 20,000 kip per person. Parking our scooter was free when we visited.
Opening times - The viewpoint is open everyday from 8 AM until 6 PM.
How long does it take to climb Silver Cliff Viewpoint?
The walk up took us around 40 minutes to reach the first viewpoint and took us about 30 minutes to go back down, including the second viewpoint.
We found this viewpoint to be very easy. It was more of a gentle climb that switchbacked its way up the mountain than a vertical hike. The route was extremely well shaded.
The ticket office had a couple of snacks / soft drinks to buy but we’d recommend packing your own.
Nam Xay Viewpoint
The Nam Xay Viewpoint was definitely the most popular trail we climbed in the whole of Vang Vieng. We arrived at the base of the viewpoint around lunch time and expected it to be quiet at the peak of the midday sun but we were definitely wrong! The whole car park was rammed with parked scooters, minivans and tuk tuks - it looked as though the whole of Vang Vieng was in this car park. Hoping the trail would be quieter, we naively bought our tickets (20,000 kip each) and started the hike up.
As soon as we began our trek up we were immediately thrown into a throng of people ascending and descending the peak. From the very start, the trail is super steep with huge rocks and boulders to clamber over. Where there was a path, it was just dust and tree roots and basically vertical. There were handholds and ropes to help pull you up, but these were often more hassle as there were always people in front or behind you. We’ve climbed all the viewpoints in Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi and so far in our Laos travels, this was definitely the most heavily used trail. The footholds and steps were worn smooth from all the people climbing up.
As you reach the tree line, there’s one final climb over near vertical rocks before the path opens out to an amazing panorama. The viewpoint is extremely impressive. Perched on the top of two jagged peaks, a huge, covered wooden platform gives 360 views out across the plains. There are two motorbikes one on either side of the mountain, giving different views over the valley. Our favourite motorbike was the one which looked out to the northwest over Pha Honekham mountain. The mountain looked like a giant green dragon snaking away behind the bike! It was busy but it was beautiful.
At the bottom of the mountain there is a small restaurant / shop serving small plates, snacks, smoothies, soft drinks and water. We were very much in need of lunch after sweating our way up two viewpoints that morning so ordered some pork fried rice. Topped with some chilli oil, the fried rice was a perfect energy booster!
The Nam Xay Viewpoint is an extremely popular sunset spot. We’re not going to say it wouldn’t be worth it, but if you are planning to climb around sunset make sure you bring a torch. As soon as the sun sets behind the mountain peaks it gets dark extremely quickly. The route down from the viewpoint is full of giant boulders, deep crevices and extremely smooth rocks that are very slippery. We’re going to be boring and say don’t wear flip flops, wear trainers instead and be careful - you really don’t want to break your ankle in Laos!
Nam Xay Viewpoint Essential Information
Entry price - Tickets cost 20,000 kip per person. Parking our scooter was free when we visited.
Opening times - The viewpoint is open everyday from 5 AM until 5 PM.
How long does it take to climb the Nam Xay Viewpoint?
It took 40 minutes for us to climb up to the top and 30 minutes to get back down. The signs when you buy your tickets recommend allowing 30 minutes to get up and down, but as it was so busy when we visited, there was a lot of waiting around on the trail and queuing for the selfie spots at the top.
If we can be honest, from our perspective, we thought this was our least favourite trail in Vang Vieng. The constant flow of people going up and down the mountain peak meant that we were forever stopping and starting. Although the view from the top was incredible, the queues of people waiting to take a selfie really took a little of the magic away. It may have been our fault leaving it to the middle of the day to climb and maybe it would have been better first thing in the morning. Let us know in the comments if it's quieter when you visit.
Pha Honekham Viewpoint
The Pha Honekham Viewpoint is the hike furthest away from town, but was arguably our favourite trail we did in the whole of Vang Vieng.
After we bought our tickets (20,000 kip each) we followed a rocky, stone path that wound its way up into the jungle. It was a beautiful start to the walk. As we climbed higher, small windows opened up through the jungle to give us views over the farmers fields below. After 10 minutes of climbing we reached a junction in the path. The right hand path would take us to the “Pegasus” and the left hand path would take us up to the “aeroplane” viewpoint.
A lot of the Google reviews suggest just picking one viewpoint and heading there. We’d disagree and say go to them both. The views are completely different from each other and it's not a hard walk between them both.
We decided we’d head to the aeroplane first and followed the left hand route as it climbed higher and higher above the treeline. The jungle path was soon replaced with stone corridors made up of huge boulders. As we picked and squeezed our way through these stone guardians, we could see the wings of the aeroplane overhead. Eventually we pulled ourselves up one final stone which revealed the viewpoint. A small metal propeller plane sat on the jagged peak as if it was waiting to take off into the valley below.
Sitting in the airplane, the view was spectacular! Down below, the road to Vang Vieng slithered away with one side surrounded by dense green jungle / craggy grey rock and the other side a mosaic of golden paddy fields - it was beautiful! From this viewpoint you could also see the bright white pegasus statue, sitting with its wings outstretched in stark contrast to the dark jungle surrounding it.
After taking a few photos of us in the plane we decided to head to the pegasus. We thought we would need to double back to the junction at the bottom of the rockline, but as you descend down the boulders there is another path that follows the spine of the peak and leads you back up to the pegasus. We followed this route, undulating our way through the trees before climbing up a couple of rocks and coming face to face with the pegasus!
We have absolutely no idea who came up with the idea or how they came about constructing this mega beast on the viewpoint but we do admire them. We expected it to be made out of fibreglass but Mr Pegasus was solid concrete!
After some photos with Mr Pegasus (we called him Eugene), we headed to the viewpoint and took in the sights. Despite being on the same mountain as the aeroplane, the views from the pegasus observation deck were completely different. From here we could see further west, out over small farming villages. Wooden houses rose up out of the valley floor, whilst streams of golden fields wove in and out of forest. It was stunning.
The Pha Honekham Viewpoint also has a cave and a shrine to visit. From the outside the cave looks just like a small opening in the limestone cliff but as we delved deeper, the cavern opened up to huge stalactites and rocky boulders, all lit by holes carved into the mountain above. To reach the shrine we needed to crawl under a rocky crevice which led to a seated buddha wrapped in an orange scarf - well worth the extra time!
Phan Honekham Viewpoint Essential Information
Entry price - Tickets cost 20,000 kip per person. This included entry to both viewpoints, the cave and shrine. Parking for our scooter was free when we visited.
Opening times - The viewpoint is open everyday from 5 AM until 5 PM.
How long does it take to climb the Pha Honekham Viewpoint
We decided to visit both viewpoints first and then the cave and shrine on our way back down. To reach the aeroplane viewpoint from the ticket counter, it took us 15 minutes to climb. From there it was a 15 minute walk across the spine of the mountain to reach the pegasus viewpoint. It took us 30 minutes to get back down the mountain but that involved stopping at both the cave and shrine.
As the viewpoint is located only a short drive away from Blue Lagoon 3 we’d recommend combining a climb / swim together.
Which viewpoint to hike in Vang Vieng?
For us, our favourite viewpoint to hike and the one we’d recommend seeking out is the Pha Honekham Viewpoint. The trailhead to the top of this peak had a bit of everything and for the price of entry, there was so much more to see than just the view from the top. The climb was easy and for most of the walk you’re hiking through a shaded forest. The two viewpoints (the aeroplane and the pegasus statue) gave two completely different views over the valley. If you can only climb one viewpoint, we’d have to say this would be the best. After your climb, it’s only a short drive to Blue Lagoon 3 for a swim.
‘Eugene’ the pegasus standing proudly on top of the Pha Honekham viewpoint!
The majority of travellers seem to flock to the Nam Xay Viewpoint. When we visited and whenever we passed the car park, it was absolutely rammed with other travellers. It seems to be the viewpoint that most of the organised day trips bundle in, so if you are doing any organised tour you may well be climbing it anyway!
If you can and you’re lucky enough to have time on your side, we’d recommend spreading out the viewpoints over a few days. All 4 of the hikes we’ve listed above were fantastic and all had an incredible view over the countryside. Our recommendation would be to hike a viewpoint in the morning and then head to one of the Blue Lagoons in the afternoon for a refreshing dip - trust us, you’ll want a cold swim after sweating up these steep mountainsides!
What to wear to climb the viewpoints?
Comfy, breathable athletic wear and trainers / hiking shoes. Each of the viewpoints involves a lot of scrambling up over sharp and jagged rocks, so good shoes are a must. We wouldn’t recommend attempting the hike in flip flops.
Before you climb, make sure to douse yourself in lots of bug spray as there are lots of mosquitoes just waiting to feast on you!
Also bring lots of water with you - it’s extremely hot and humid and dehydration is no joke.
If you’re planning to hike the viewpoints at sunset, bring a torch for your way down. As soon as the sun sets behind the karsts it gets dark extremely quickly and the routes themselves are not lit.
Cool and comfy is the way to go!
Can you climb all the viewpoints in one day?
Yes, absolutely! If you’re short on time, you could easily climb all the viewpoints in one day. It would be an early start to a challenging day, but it would be easily doable. In fact on our last day in town, we decided to challenge ourselves to our very own ’Vang Vieng 3 Peaks Challenge’. We only decided on 3 peaks and not 4 as we had already climbed Phu Nguen Viewpoint earlier in the week.
Our day of hiking started just after breakfast and we drove straight to Pha Honekham Viewpoint. From there we headed to Nam Xay Viewpoint and then finally finished our day of hiking at the Silver Cliff Viewpoint. We were planning to go for a dip in one of the lagoons at the end of the day, but decided a beer and sunset views would be a better way to celebrate our mini hiking challenge!
If you are short on time and like a challenge we would really recommend climbing all the viewpoints in one day. It’s an extremely fun challenge and feels like you’ve really accomplished something by the end. As we’ve said above, none of the hikes are super difficult and, depending on fitness levels, we’re sure some of you could much climb quicker than us. We reached Pha Honekham at 10.30am in the morning and were back down from the top of the Silver Cliff Viewpoint at 15.30pm which means we could have easily climbed Phu Nguen in the same day. We didn’t rush ourselves climbing and spent a good amount of time at the peak of all the viewpoints taking photos. If we had left earlier in the morning and arrived at Pha Honekham at opening time, we could easily have climbed all 4 viewpoints and easily have fitted a dip in one of the lagoons after.
Before heading to Laos we would recommend downloading an offline copy of Maps.me. For hiking, it’s a lot more useful than Google as it marks out the hiking trails, the ticket offices and much more. It also seems to be much more up to date than Google’s offerings on the map front!
Swim in the Blue Lagoons
Dotted around Vang Vieng are gorgeous, huge, natural swimming pools. Sitting under the limestone karsts, the pools are named the ‘Blue Lagoons’ due to their vibrant blue and turquoise waters.
Currently there are 5 lagoons open for swimming, with Blue Lagoon 6 temporarily closed. The most popular sites to visit are Blue Lagoon 1, Blue Lagoon 2 and Blue Lagoon 3.
Blue Lagoon 1 is the most popular and can get extremely busy with tour groups. Most of the day trips and hotel packages out of Vang Vieng will include a visit to this lagoon. We didn’t visit it as everytime we passed by, there was always a traffic jam of minivans and ATVs trying to get into the carpark. During our time in Vang Vieng we visited Blue Lagoon 2 and 3. Next time we’d like to visit them all.
Blue Lagoon 2
Blue Lagoon 2 is stunning. A huge park with two natural pools of blue green water sitting amongst massive limestone karsts. Surrounding both the lagoons are plenty of huts, benches and trees to laze on or under. This lagoon sits in prime position and keeps the sun all day, so it’s a perfect lagoon to head to if you’re planning a day lounging in the sun.
The pool to the right has a jumping off platform and a slide (that wasn’t in use when we visited) and the pool to the left has a zip line running into the centre of the lagoon. Both lagoons are big enough for you to swim in without ever feeling cramped or crowded.
We enjoyed a few afternoons basking in the sun, taking a dip in the water to cool down and swimming across the huge lagoon. We absolutely loved this site as it was so pretty. Both lagoons were surrounded by huge trees and the atmosphere was so laid back with everyone sunbathing, swimming or reading books.
Blue Lagoon 2 always felt a lot quieter than Blue Lagoon 3 and we never struggled to get our own little corner to ourselves. The pools themselves were also a lot quieter with only a small handful of people swimming in each pool at any one time.
Ticket prices: Entry to Blue Lagoon 2 costs 20,000 kip per person.
Opening times: Lagoon 2 is open everyday from 9 AM until 5:30 PM.
Blue Lagoon 3
Blue Lagoon 3 is the furthest lagoon away from the town and seems to be the unofficial hostel common room for most of the backpackers in Vang Vieng.
A huge rectangle natural pool sits underneath a towering, jungle clad cliff face. The lagoon is bright turquoise and there is plenty of space to swim or float on the bamboo rafts in the cool waters. For the adventure seekers, there are jumping off platforms, a balance beam, a swing and a zip-line.
There is also a cave at the lagoon site that carves its way into the limestone peaks. As we didn’t fancy a crawl underground in a dark narrow passage - according to some travellers we spoke to the tunnels get very narrow - we decided against it. If you are into your hidden, underground caverns, you can rent torches from the shop on-site for 10,000 kip. The cave has a circular route that takes you through some caverns, before spitting you out at a viewpoint overlooking the lagoon.
We had an amazing couple of afternoons just relaxing in the water, attempting to zip-line across the pool and enjoying delicious plates of steaming fried noodles all whilst chatting to other travellers. Blue Lagoon 3 is a very sociable place.
The drive to Lagoon 3 was a highlight just in itself. As we travelled further and further away from Vang Vieng town, the road became quieter and the landscape even more stunning. We passed through small villages, past herds of cattle and crossed over crystal clear rivers. As we reached Lagoon 3, we turned off the main road and headed down a dirt track surrounded on both sides by farmers tending to their rice paddy fields and buffalo wallowing, all under the shadow of the terrifyingly tall limestone karsts - Laos never ceases to amaze us with its beauty.
Ticket prices: Entry to Blue Lagoon 3 costs 20,000 kip per person.
Opening times: Lagoon 3 is open everyday from 8 AM until 6:30 PM.
As the lagoon sits directly underneath the limestone cliffs, Blue Lagoon 3 gets very little sunlight. By mid-morning, it’s completely in shadow. We didn’t feel the cold too much as when we visited the temperature was well over 30 degrees celsius but if you’re planning to sun-bathe we’d recommend Blue Lagoon 2 over Blue Lagoon 3.
Which Blue Lagoon should I visit?
This is a tricky one as we loved our time at both Blue Lagoon 2 and 3 equally, but if we had to choose our favourite one, it would have to go to Blue Lagoon 3. Despite being the most popular lagoon we visited, it still had a great chilled out vibe. We loved soaking up the laid back atmosphere with the other backpackers, swimming in the lagoon itself and watching everyone swing and zipline over the water. If you were a solo traveller, this would be the best place to meet other travellers as it was full of backpackers.
If you are looking for some downtime in the sun, swimming and a book, Blue Lagoon 2 would be the obvious choice. You could easily spend a full day relaxing on the lawns, taking a dip and just enjoyed a day in the sun.
If you can, our best advice would be to visit them both as they’re only a short drive away from each other. If you’re already at Blue Lagoon 3 then to get back to town means you’ll literally be passing by the entrance to Blue Lagoon 2.
Take a sunset or sunrise flight
The best way to see Vang Vieng is from above, and we don’t just mean viewpoints! From the town you can choose to take a hot air balloon or a paramotoring flight and get a birds eye view over the dramatic landscape.
Hot air balloons of Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng boasts being one of the cheapest places in the world to take a hot air balloon ride.
There are plenty of balloon operators in town offering sunrise and sunset flights but we would recommend checking out Above Laos Ballooning who we chose to take us on an amazing ride at sunset. We've written a whole guide to hot air ballooning which covers everything including which company to choose, what to expect and our experience riding in a hot air balloon over Vang Vieng. Read more below:
If Above Laos Ballooning is sold out for your dates, check out this hot air balloon flight package on Get Your Guide here.
Paramotoring
If you'd rather fly with a motor than with flame, then why not give paramotoring a go. Paramotoring flights take off all day from sunrise to sunset and a flight is around 30 minutes.
There are plenty of operators in town offering a ride, or you can book this trip in advance with Get Your Guide here.
Both hot air balloon and paramotoring flights sell out extremely quickly, so if you're planning to ride above the clouds, book your slot well in advance.
Also note that both activities can be cancelled at short notice if there's bad weather. We had to reschedule our flight once due to this during our recent stay and on our first trip to Vang Vieng our hot air balloon ride was cancelled all together.
Watch the sunset
If you’ve been avid readers of our blog or have followed us on Instagram then you’ll know that we love watching a good sunset. Vang Vieng was no exception. The town sits facing west and the sun sets directly over the Nam Song River and mountains creating an incredible fiery display.
Our favourite spot to watch the sunset was from the Pull Mind Cafe (location) where we could get front row seats to watch the hot air balloons take their sunset flights.
If you’re on a budget, you could easily head to one of the fields outside of town and watch the sunset from there.
Other Things to Do in Vang Vieng
For those who want a taste of Vang Vieng’s infamous ‘tipsy tubing’ but don’t necessarily want to spend the whole afternoon floating slowly downstream; why not rent a canoe or kayak and paddle your way down the Nam Song River. You’ll still get to see the same river views, but you’ll just get back to town that much quicker.
If the underworld is more your thing, then there are plenty of other caves to explore than just the one at Blue Lagoon 3, why not check out the Tham Nam (water cave) or the Angel Cave. If you’re planning your own spelunking adventure, just remember to pack a torch - in all of the Laotian caves we’ve visited we’ve found our mobile torches to be pretty useless in the pitch black!
For those who want a taste of flying but who cannot justify the cost of a hot air balloon or paramotoring experience then there are a few places to zipline outside Vang Vieng. The most popular spot is at Blue Lagoon 1 but there is also another zipline at the Angel Cave in Namsong or further north still, a zipline course with TCK zipline co.
If you’ve had your fill of adrenaline and want to swim in a more lux-ey environment, then you could spend the day swimming in an actual pool. The Silver Naga Hotel in town offers non-residents the chance to use their pool for 100,000 kip per day. We stayed at the hotel on our first visit and can vouch that their pool is awesome with a beautiful view out over the river and mountains. We were very tempted on our stay this time to splash the cash and spend a lazy afternoon splashing in their pool.
For those who really want to chill out, why not relax with a Laotian massage! Dotted all over the town are massage parlours offering everything from neck, leg to full body massages. Just shop around to see which place takes your fancy. We really regretted not getting a massage ourselves. We had a minor backpacking fail and planned our 3 peak hiking challenge on the last day of our stay in the town. A massage the next day would have been the perfect cure for our aching muscles!
If you’re planning a day relaxing in town, Wat Si Sou Mang, Wat Kang and Wat That are worth a visit. The temples are all very different, showcasing intricate red and gold carvings, golden Buddhist statues and colourfully tiled naga statues. If you’re planning to visit any of these temples, just remember to dress respectfully!
Day Trips and Tours in Vang Vieng
If you are on a shorter backpacking trip and have only a few days in Vang Vieng, you could easily combine a lot of the attractions into just one full day of sightseeing. You could do this independently by hiring a scooter, or if you’d prefer to have someone else sort everything out for you, then there are plenty of day tours available to book in town.
Our advice would be to speak to your hostel or head to any of the tour agencies in town to see what’s on offer. We saw plenty of day trips advertised that combined a hike up a viewpoint, a swim in one of the Blue Lagoons as well as a cave visit, kayaking and much, much more. Each tour agency seemed to offer a whole menu of different activities which could be combined in full or half day tours. Depending on how long you have in the town, what you want to do and how many activities you want to pack in, there are a whole host of different tour combinations for you to choose from. We’d recommend shopping around to see what suits you best and to get an idea of prices.
Most of the out-of-town attractions in Vang Vieng are a good distance away and are not really walkable. If you are not confident riding a scooter then a tour will save you money on taxi fares!
If you’re really short on time and would prefer to have everything booked in advance, then why not check out Get Your Guide who offer a whole host of different tours. Click here to book a trip.
Getting Around Vang Vieng
All of Vang Vieng’s attractions are located a short drive away from the main town so you will need your own wheels.
If you’ve booked a tour through an agency in town or on Get Your Guide, it will almost 100% of the time include a pick up and drop off at your hostel / guesthouse.
Renting a bicycle in Vang Vieng
If you can’t drive a scooter and want to save money on hiring a driver, then hiring a bicycle would be a good way to get about the countryside of Vang Vieng.
In town we passed by several different bicycle rental shops hiring out everything from high-end mountain bikes full of gears to the bog standard bikes found the world-over. From our window shopping in town, it looked as though prices varied from one shop to the next, with full day rentals priced at between 60,000 kip to 90,000 kip per day.
If you’re planning to rent a bicycle, we’d recommend shopping around to find the best bike / price for your needs.
The roads around Vang Vieng are very flat, but are definitely not the smoothest roads you’ll ever encounter. They are littered with potholes, deep crevices, sand and mud and are full with minivans, ATVs, scooters and songthaews blowing up dust. If you’re hiring a bike make sure to wear sunglasses as it can be a very dusty ride.
Renting a scooter / motorbike
Hiring a scooter is by far the easiest and cheapest way to see the best of Vang Vieng. There are plenty of scooter rental shops in town and the majority of hostels will rent you a bike.
Whenever we needed a scooter, we rented one from our accommodation, Lily Backpacker’s Hostel, for 150,000 kip for the day.
If you are planning to rent a scooter, make sure you check the bike beforehand, request helmets for all passengers and ride sensibly. The roads in Laos are not for the weak - they can get extremely busy, there’s often animals and children to contend with and they’re littered with potholes.
We wouldn’t recommend renting this scooter!
The quickest way to get across the Nam Song River is via the ‘Old Bridge’ located here. If you’re on a scooter we really cannot recommend this route. The bridge can only be described in two words - ‘super sketchy’! Even just walking across the bridge has you questioning whether you’re going to make it to the otherside.
The bridge “repairs” look like someone's school project that’s been thrown together at the last minute, There are large holes in the bridge, planks and logs just thrown down to cover gaps and where they have attempted to nail the wood down, there’s huge, centimetre long nails just sticking out. It’s sketchy enough to walk over the bridge on foot, let alone on two wheels.
We saw plenty of scooters struggling to get across and plenty of backpackers questioning their choice of route. We’d say if you are planning to take this route, make sure you’re super confident on the bike and if you have a passenger, maybe ask them to get off and walk over whilst you try and navigate the moving logs!
If you don’t take this route, there’s an easy 5km detour that takes you out of town, past Vang Vieng’s local market and over the Nam Xong Bridge located here.
It doesnt look so bad at the start…..
Hiring an ATV
As soon as you’ve crossed the Nam Song River you’ll see plenty of bright red ATVs zooming along the dusty roads. These open-roofed ATVs looked great fun to get around. You can choose to hire an ATV for 2 or 4 people, so it would be a great choice if there was a group of you.
We were very tempted to hire an ATV but as we’re on a strict backpacking budget we decided to stick with our trusty 2 wheels.
To rent an ATV, prices start at 300,000 kip per hour. Not a deal breaker if you’re on a holiday, but expensive if you’re backpacking.
There are also multiple tours and activities that include an ATV ride / drive.
Maybe don’t try to do the viewpoints in the ATV!
Gettting around by tuk-tuk / Songthaew
Parked outside the hostels and found throughout town are plenty of tuk tuk and songthaew drivers waiting to take you to wherever you want to go.
These drivers can take you to wherever you need to go and you can even hire them for a whole day to wait for you whilst you swim / hike.
If you’re planning to hire a driver, just remember to negotiate the price. If you can get a group together from your hostel, the cost to hire a driver will obviously be a lot lower than if you are on your own.
Where to Stay in Vang Vieng - Hostels, Guesthouses and all Other Accommodation
Whatever your backpacking style, Vang Vieng has no shortage of accommodation choices with plenty of cheap, budget friendly hostels and guesthouses to choose from.
We had a fantastic stay at Lily Backpackers Hostel where we stayed in a private en-suite room with a balcony. Our room was small, but was perfect for our needs, with a comfy bed and just enough space to store our backpacks. We loved the view from the balcony which overlooked the town and the mountains beyond. Our cheap stay even included breakfast every morning.
The hostel has plenty of dorm rooms to book, a pool table and big common room to relax in. The staff were also super helpful for booking onward transport or day trips. They arranged our bus tickets for the best price we found in town (pickup included!).
Book your stay at Lily’s hostel here.
Our balcony view from Lily Backpackers hostel!
If you’re after a more sociable hostel, we’ve heard great things from other backpackers about the Mad Monkey Hostel and the Vang Vieng Rock Backpackers Rooftop Hostel.
There are plenty of hostels on offer around town, some with swimming pools and some with their own cafe / bar - check out all the hostels available to book in Vang Vieng here.
On our first stay in Vang Vieng, when we weren’t on a tight budget, we had a fantastic stay at the Silver Naga Hotel located right on the banks of the Nam Song. We had a super comfy double room with views over the swimming pool, river and mountains beyond. The price of the room was obviously a lot more than what we paid at Lily’s but if you’re after a little bit of luxury, it’s a solid choice.
To book your stay in Vang Vieng and to see all the accommodation available. Check out the map below.
Where to Eat and Drink in Vang Vieng
There’s one thing we’ll guarantee and that is that you’ll never go hungry in Vang Vieng! Despite being a small town, Vang Vieng is packed to the rafters with places to eat. From sushi to pasta, banh mi to croissants and fried rice to barbecued meats, whatever you fancy and whatever your budget, there’ll be something to suit your cravings. There’s even a 7-11 store for those backpackers missing their cheese and ham toasties!
Check out our Vang Vieng food and drink guide where we share some of our favourite places to eat in the town, including where you can get a delicious wonton noodle soup and possibly the best Full English breakfast we’ve eaten outside of the UK.
Is Vang Vieng Still a Backpacker Destination?
Vang Vieng is definitely still a popular backpacker destination, in fact during the whole of our three years of travels, we’d say Vang Vieng was the place we saw the most backpackers - Pai (Northern Thailand) being a close second. The town is still very much orientated to backpackers, with plenty of hostels, budget accommodation, cheap street food and bars a plenty.
We can’t say things aren’t changing though. Compared to our first visit in 2018, things have changed a lot. Loads of new large hotels have been built, new cafes and restaurants have opened up and it looks as though there is a growing trend in Vang Vieng towards catering to other kinds of tourism apart from just the backpacker scene. It seems the opening up of the railway has opened Vang Vieng to the older tourist. During our stay there seemed to be lots of tour groups focussed on older travellers.
To answer the original question though, we would say yes, Vang Vieng is still a backpacker destination. If you’re looking for a cheap stay, full of budget friendly activities and a place where you can meet other travellers like you, Vang Vieng ticks all the boxes. Every hostel we passed was packed to the rafters with other backpackers and wherever you looked, there was always a new stream of heavily laden travellers arriving.
Even with all the development that has taken place in Vang Vieng over the years, there are still cheap, budget friendly stays to be found!
Is Vang Vieng Just a Party Town?
We couldn’t write this article without acknowledging this question.
Vang Vieng has always had a reputation of being a party town and if you do a quick search of the town on Google, it’ll bring up plenty of newspaper articles referring to the town as a notorious party town full of cheap, unregulated alcohol, drugs, and late night raves. For years now, the town has had this image of being ‘the dangerous party town’. Whilst there are parties and all the other late night debauchery associated with young backpackers, there is so much more to the town than this.
For those of you who are party animals, there’s definitely still a party scene in the town, but if you’re not a raver, fear not, the town has plenty of quiet and relaxing places to stay and hang out. From our perspective we’re definitely not late night ravers, but we still had some great nights out in the bars of Vang Vieng.
If you’re not into parties, loud music and dance floors, make sure you do your research on where to stay in the town. From our accommodation (Lily’s Backpackers Hostel) in the south of the town, we were a good 10 minute walk away from the late night bars so didn’t have any trouble with noise. There are dedicated “party hostels” so do your research and book what suits your style!
Is Vang Vieng Safe?
We hate to answer this one, but following the recent headlines it’s probably the most Googled question. Is Vang Vieng safe?
Yes - Vang Vieng is safe!
Obviously, like anywhere in this world, things can happen but this isn’t a specific “Vang Vieng problem”. The stories circling the media following the methanol poisonings in 2024 seemed to suggest that if you’re a backpacker heading to Vang Vieng then you had no choice but to down shots and take drugs. This is far from the case.
According to the media Vang Vieng is some kind of debauchery filled drug den. Some lawless town, full of shady bars and dangerous criminals. This is not the case. Vang Vieng is a backpacker town through and through. You can clutch your pearls at the “happy menu” in some of the bars but the media view of Vang Vieng is not reflective of reality. Yes there are free shots, yes there are some questionable offers in some of the bars but honestly it is no different to what you’ll find the world-over. If you put young people near bars there will always be a bit of drunkenness and the occasional tragedy, but Vang Vieng is no more dangerous than a Thai island, Sydney or a night out in London.
Nobody is going to force you to drink or do drugs, it’ll always be your choice and as with anywhere in this world, just exercise common sense and your usual caution.
The tragedy with the methanol poisonings is that it can and does happen to anyone, anywhere in the world, it is not a uniquely Vang Vieng issue.
It’s our second time in Vang Vieng and it’s still big smiles all round!
Where to go After Vang Vieng?
From Vang Vieng you basically have three choices - head north, head south or cross the border into Thailand.
Heading directly north will take you onto the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang - full of temples, a busy night market and the beautiful Kuang Si Falls. From there, you can head even further north to the mountains of Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi or take the world famous slow boats up the Mekong river to Huay Xai on the Thailand border. For those into their history, you can take the lesser traveller route and head north east to see the mysterious ‘Plain of Jars’ at Phonsavan.
For those wanting to head down to Southern Laos, the next obvious stop on any backpacking itinerary is the sleepy Laotian capital of Vientiane. Beyond this, lies the famous motorbike loops of Thakhek and the Bolaven Plateau at Pakse. Further south still, lie the 4000 Islands at Don Det and the Cambodian border.
If you’ve reached the end of your visa, you can easily head into Thailand crossing the Laos / Thailand border at Thanaleng just outside of Vientiane. From there you could head into Isan or catch a bus / train all the way south to the Thai capital of Bangkok.
For those who don’t mind a long journey you can even catch sleeper buses to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh in Cambodia or to Hanoi, Vinh, Danang and Hue in Vietnam.
Wherever you decide to go after Vang Vieng, to book your bus or railway tickets just speak to your hostel, a tour agency or book online in advance via 12Go.
Is Vang Vieng Worth a Stop?
Absolutely 100% - if we didn't think so we wouldn't have written this travel guide!
We were a little sceptical about visiting this time round - we had great memories from our first trip here and were worried things would have changed too much. But, honestly, we loved our time here. There was so much to do, the viewpoints were amazing and the Blue Lagoons were a perfect spot to unwind in.
No-one can ever say that the town of Vang Vieng is a looker, but the town itself isn’t why you’re there - it’s the countryside around it. As you leave the droves of tourists, 4x4s and minivans behind and head a little deeper down the valley, you’ll find empty roads, beautiful paddy fields, small villages and towering limestone cliffs. The views over the countryside from the top of the viewpoints are amazing and worth a trip to Vang Vieng just by themselves.
We have absolutely loved both our visits to Vang Vieng and can easily see us being drawn back to its laid back charm again. It’s an obvious stop on any Laotian backpacking itinerary, and it’ll always have a special place in our hearts.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars
The Plain of Jars is Laos' most enigmatic ancient site. No one is sure of why it was made, what it was used for or even how large the site is. Read our complete guide to visiting the Plain of Jars as well as our travel tips for the neighbouring city of Phonsavan. Including how to get there by bus, the best hostels, hotels and accommodation and what to do, eat and drink in the town.
The Plain of Jars is Laos' most enigmatic ancient wonder. The small central Laotian city of Phonsavan is surrounded by giant stone-hewn jars. From small clusters huddled on a hillside to vast, hundreds strong stone forests, the vessels of the Plain of Jars are Laos' Stonehenge: mysterious, magical and steeped in little known history.
The Plain of Jars brings in tourists, scientists, archaeologists and conspiracy theorists from all over the world. The city of Phonsavan (sometimes spelled Phonesavan) is the base for exploring the various sites of the Plain of Jars, but it too is worth a deeper look.
This is our guide to the Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars; what history we know, what to do in Phonsavan town and whether it is worth the long ride to visit.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links. We have not received any financial incentive from Kong Keo Guesthouse or Mr Kong’s tour to write this article.
What is the Plain of Jars? A Quick History
Strap in folks, its time for another Jellie attempt at history! Here is our very (very) brief guide to the known history of the Plain of Jars:
The Plain of Jars is one of Asia's most intriguing megalithic mysteries. The huge Xiang Khouang Plateau surrounding Phonsavan city is studded with vast fields of massive stone 'jars'. Towering up to three and bit meters (ten feet!) tall, these 'jars' can weigh nearly ten tonnes! No one is completely sure why, when or even how these jars came to be there but they can be found by the hundreds, spread over at least 90 sites throughout the region.
The Plain of Jars spans a huge swathe of history with jars being found from multiple ancient time periods. The oldest of the sites in the Plain of Jars has been dated to the the very earliest period of the Iron Age (1200BC). The massive scale of the jars, sheer number of them and the humungous effort it would have taken an Iron Age society to construct them shows just how important the Plain of Jars must have been to the people of the time.
They dont call them jars for nothing! This is the “Kings Jar” of Site 1 - the largest yet found.
The jars vary in shape, size and position throughout the site. They all are hollow with an opening at the top and were carved out of the rock in quarries in the surrounding hills. Some of the jars had to have been moved over 8km from the quarry to their final position - no mean feat for stones weighing up to 10 tonnes!
The exact use and purpose of the Plain of Jars is hotly debated. Archaeologists agree that the sites are all burial places, the stones marking huge ancient graveyards. This is where most of the agreement ends however. There is evidence of both cremation and 'natural burial' at multiple sites. Site One (see later about visiting the sites), even appears to have a 'crematorium', however even this is fiercely debated. No one seems to be able to agree on anything at the Plain of Jars. There have been human remains found inside and outside the jars, cremated, buried or even stored whole. The sites are a confusing mix of centuries of burial customs, making it hard to say what their 'true' use was.
Our wonderful guide to the Plain of Jars (more on him later) was full of theories, local legends and speculation. One old theory was that each jar was a family grave, where the dead were stored until they decomposed and then buried nearby. The size of the jar presumably indicating the wealth and importance of the family. Our guide pointed out the impracticality of this theory: "What if you have just buried grampa in the jar when suddenly dad dies? Do you squash down grampa to make room?!"
“Is there room in there for Uncle?”
Most of the jars in the various sites have 'lips' on the openings, meaning that, at one point, they had lids. Only a few stone 'lids' have been found in the Plain of Jars so it is thought that the lids must have been made of wood or something else that naturally decomposed. On the ground around the jars are circular stone tablets, not lids but grave markings. Human remains have been found under these stones, hinting that they buried people both in the jars and in the ground around them. Whether it was many different cultures all using the same sites across the centuries or a multi-stage burial process is another of the mysteries of the Plain of Jars.
One of the many cicrular stone grave markers you can find on the ground in the Plain of Jars - this one is from Site 3
The Local Legends of the Plain of Jars
One of the Laotian Legends about the Plain of Jars is that is was a prehistoric party site! No, we are serious!
Legend has it that the Giant King (Khun Cheung) wanted to celebrate a massive military victory. The King called a get-together for all the giants and stated the Xiang Khouang plateau as the party venue. Giants came from all around carrying their rice whiskey (Lau-Lau) in enormous jars. The largest site of the Plain of Jars is where the main party happened, with the giants leaving their empty whiskey jars all over the ground. The smaller sites dotted around the plain are explained away as being where giants from further away got bored / impatient and cracked open their whiskey early, drinking the booze and leaving the jars before they even arrived at the main party!
The Plain of Jars has been repeatedly fought over. From marauding bandits from ancient Southern China, to the much more recent mass bombings from the USA in the "Secret War" (check out our guide to the Victory Caves of Vieng Xai for more information) the lootings, battles and bombings meant that it is hard to say exactly what the sites originally looked like or what they were used for. For much of the recent past, the Plain of Jars was dangerous to explore due to the massive amount of unexploded bombs in the area. Even today you can see the remains of trenches, anti-aircraft encampments and even a couple of rusting USAF planes.
Nowadays a few of the sites have been meticulously renovated and opened to the public. This was no mean feat as the bombings meant that the sites had to be cleared by the brave people of MAG UXO Laos (more on them later). The main sites have now been made safe and the whole area has been given coveted UNESCO World Heritage Status due to its huge historical significance.
Where is the Plain of Jars?
The Plain of Jars is located in Central Laos. The 'Plain of Jars' is actually made up of many sites (over 90) but the most popular ones to visit are clustered around the city of Phonsavan.
Phonsavan sits around 165 miles east of Luang Prabang or 150 miles northeast of Vang Vieng.
You can find Phonsavan on a map here. The most popular sites in the Plain of Jars are sites One, Two and Three and you can find them here, here and here.
Just next to Site One is the Plain of Jars Visitors Centre which we would highly recommend visiting for a better explanation of the history!
How to get to Plain of Jars and Phonsavan City
The best way for most people to get to the Plain of Jars will be via a bus to the capital of the Xieng Khouang province Phonsavan. Once in Phonsavan you can get a tour to the different Plain of Jars sites or rent a bike and drive there yourselves - more on this later but we would actually recommend a tour - very out of character for us!
Luang Prabang to Phonsavan by bus
Luang Prabang to Phonsavan by bus
If you are starting your journey in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang (and why wouldn't you it is amazing check out our guide here), then you can take a minivan all the way to Phonsavan.
You can book a bus throughout the town at an agent or if you want it sorted in advance: book online with 12go here
Online shows three minivans per day and a 7-8 hour ride. However, this being Laos take the timings and duration with a pinch of salt! Always arrive early to the bus station to get a good seat.
Vang Vieng to Phonsavan by bus
This route is not shown online but is definitely possible - we actually did it in reverse, travelling from Phonsavan down to Vang Vieng. The trip takes around 8 hours and can be booked at travel agents throughout the town or in person at the Northern Bus Terminal in Vang Vieng. We paid 270,000 kip per ticket for the Phonsavan to Vang Vieng journey - we booked through our hostel and this price included a pick up to the bus station so was more expensive.
Vientiane to Phonsavan by bus or plane
The Laotian capital is over 300km by road away from Phonsavan. Buses take between 10-13 hours depending on the road conditions. You can book three daily buses online with 12Go here to guarantee a seat in advance. Two of the buses are overnight sleeper style, the morning departure is a minivan. Alternatively you could book this in person by heading to the Southern Bus Terminal - there are at least 2 more daily minivans that go to Phonsavan than are listed online and, if they aren't there, you can book the overnight sleeper bus nearby.
If time is of the essence and you don't mind the significant extra expense you can fly from Vientiane to Phonsavan (Xieng Khouang) airport. There is one flight daily and it cuts the journey from 10-13 hours to 30 minutes! Check out the flight prices here.
Phonsavan Airport is currently being renovated it is closed until at least the end of May 2025.
Vieng Xai / Sam Neua to Phonsavan by bus
The minivan from Sam Nuea (gateway to Vieng Xai) to Phonsavan runs in the morning at 8:30am. In busy times there may be a second minivan in the afternoons (around 3:30pm). The minivans take around 8 hours between Sam Nuea (sometimes called Xam Neua or Xamnuea). We paid 260,000 kip per person for our tickets. We bought the tickets directly from Sam Neua Western Bus Station, we couldn't find any way to book them online.
You can also get the daily coach bus from Xam Nuea to Vientiane as it stops at Phonsavan. The coach was listed as departing at 1PM but make sure you check with the bus station!
Xam Nuea, Vieng Xai and Nong Khiaw - A different route through Northern Laos
If you read the above and wondered what and where Sam Nuea and Vieng Xai are make sure you check out our article on the amazing caves and town of Vieng Xai.
For the adventurous Vieng Xai provides another possible route for exploring Northern Laos, one which connects Nong Khiaw to Phonsavan without having to double back through Luang Prabang. Read all about it here:
Which Sites should you visit in the Plain of Jars?
The Plain of Jars is split into over 90 sites scattered far and wide over the Xieng Khouang region. You cannot access all of them (not all have been cleared of unexploded bombs yet) and they vary wildly in how many "jars" they contain.
We spent most of a day visiting the Plain of Jars and got to three separate sites. We visited the three "main sites" (inventively called Site One, Site Two and Site Three). Site One is the largest of all of the Plain of Jars sites and contains the "Kings Jar" or "Victory Cup" (the jar the mythical giant king drank from), the biggest "Jar" discovered so far. Site 2 is a beautiful forested site split over two hills with jars in amongst the trees and, on the other hill, commanding amazing panoramic views over the countryside. Site 3 is stunning, a large collection of "Jars" on the side of a hill accessed via a short but beautiful walk through paddy fields. If you, like us, were limited on time then these three sites are perfect for a day of exploration in the Plain of Jars.
This is Site 3 - it really is a unique and beautiful place.
All three of the sites are within a short drive from Phonsavan town - find them on Google Maps here:
If you have a little longer and do not mind travelling a bit further then there are dozens more sites, quarries and ancient ruins to find and explore. Check out the brilliant Plain of Jars Archaeological Research Projects website for the most complete list. If you are looking for inspiration make sure you head to the Xieng Khouang Tourist Office where there is loads of information on the more accessible sites. We do not usually recommend tourist offices but this one was actually more of a museum - read more about it later in this article.
Visiting the Plain of Jars independently
You can absolutely make your own way to the various sites in the Plain of Jars. Just head into Phonsavan (or check with your accommodation) and rent a scooter or hire a driver for the day. The sites are too spread out to be walkable but with some motorised transport you can easily get between them.
Kong Keo Geusthouse will rent you more than just a scooter!
We would not recommend using a pushbike to get between the main sites as it would involve quite a while on large, traffic laden roads. If you are really dedicated and confident, Site One is only 10km from Phonsavan town and is the closest Plain of Jars...
If you are visiting without a guide then we would highly recommend stopping by the Xieng Khouang Tourist Office as well as the official Plain of Jars Visitors Centre. The Visitors Centre is next to the ticket office for Site One so is hardly out of your way! Both the tourist office and the visitors centre give a helpful overview of the known history of the Plain of Jars as well as the story of their recent war ridden past and current archaeological discoveries.
We never really bother with tourist offices but the Phonsavan one was much more of a museum!
We recommend the visitors centre and the tourist office to independent travellers as the sites themselves do not come with very much explanation! Site One (the largest) barely has any information at all and Sites Two and Three have none whatsoever. On one hand this is great as there are no placards or garish information boards to distract you from the amazing sights, however, it does mean that you don't really know what you are looking at.
Finding Sites 2 and 3 in the Plain of Jars
We had a guide so had no issues locating the “Sites” in the Plain of Jars, but one look at the Google reviews convinced us to add this little section:
Finding Site 2
(location)
Site two is actually 2 different sites on neighbouring hills. As you exit the carpark you follow a path between these two hills. On the left hand hill is the forest jars and the right hand is the panoramic view and hilltop jars.
Finding Site 3
(location)
This is the site most independant travellers found hardest to find. From the carpark (in the temple grounds), take the narrow bridge behind the ticket counter and you will find youself in a beautiful set of paddy fields with water buffalo grazing around. Head roughly straight forward (as straight as you can get following the paths in a paddy field). You should come to a small stream with a path and vegatable gardens on the left (this may be seasonal). Follow the path up the hill until you get to the gate to Site 3.
The Plain of Jar sites are incredible even if you have no idea what they are or the history, but to really get the most out of a trip to Phonsavan we would recommend a tour - more on that in a moment, we usually are very independant travellers but Phonsavan made for a worthy exception to our normal solo explorations!
Ticket Prices for the Plain of Jars
Each site in the Plain of Jars has a separate entrance fee. Luckily these are not very expensive! Some of the smaller “Sites” have no entrance fee at all (the ones we walked to after Site 3 for example - again see later), but most of the larger Plain of Jars will have a small hut or ticket office to buy your entrance ticket from.
Plain of Jars Site 1 entrance fee:
Entrance to the largest Site in the Plain of Jars is 35,000 kip for tourists. The entrance fee includes a ride to the Jar site (only about 500 metres) and access to the visitors centre.
Parking costs 5000 kip.
Plain of Jars Site 2 entrance fee:
Site 2 at the Plain of Jars costs 30,000 kip and parking is free. There are two “Sites” here on either side of the entrance path - do not miss either!
Plain of Jars Site 3 entrance fee:
Entrance to Site 3 costs 30,000 kip with no extra cost to park.
Booking a Tour for the Plain of Jars
Phonsavan is famous for the Plain of Jars, it is immediately obvious as soon as you get off the bus there. Every guesthouse, hotel, restaurant and tour office has multiple adverts for touring the Plain of Jars, it is basically the city’s entire tourist economy. Therefore, is not hard at all to get yourself a guided tour of the Plain of Jars. Just stop in anywhere and ask!
Before we got to Phonsavan we had done some research and booked a guesthouse (we will go into more details about accommodation in Phonsavan later) where all the reviews were glowing and singing the praises of the tour offered by the owner. Kong Keo Guesthouse would not only give us a place to stay but also sort our tour of the Plain of Jars.
Our Plain of Jars tour cost 1,800,000 kip per person. The price included the tour, all transport, entrance tickets to all the Sites, water and lunch out at a restaurant with drinks. The price seemed consistent with other operators in town but it looks like it is a little cheaper online (see below). Our price was only this high as we were the only ones in the guesthouse going on the tour that day, the price drops considerably the more of you there are on a tour. We effectively had a private tour so, when you look at it that way, it was a bargain!
Spoiler alert! We loved our tour with Mr Kong. You can book the tour even if you do not stay at Kong Keo Guesthouse, but he will always give priority to those staying with him so you might not get a space! Luckily (spoilers again), for backpackers like us, Kong Keo Guesthouse was the perfect accommodation choice in Phonsavan. To book with Mr Kong contact him via your booking app, WhatsApp via Google or head to Kong Keo Guesthouse when you're in Phonsavan.
If you want to book online and in advance for a tour of the Plain of Jars then we would recommend using GetYourGuide, as you can see reviews from other travellers and check the tour does exactly what you want it to. You can see some tour options here.
The Plain of Jars Tour
This is our account of what we saw and what we got up to on Mr Kong’s tour of the Plain of Jars, if you want to skip this and go straight to the practical information about what to do in Phonsavan town and booking your accommodation - click here.
We got up early for breakfast at the nearby local market. After stuffing ourselves with barbecued pork and sticky rice we were ready for a day exploring the Plain of Jars. Our transport was a very posh minivan, reclining seats, arctic air conditioning, the whole nine yards. Our guide for the day was the guesthouses owner Mr Kong who spoke perfect English and was a fantastic fount of knowledge.
We were whisked away and, after a short drive, we were found ourselves at the Xieng Khouang Tourist Office. As we have mentioned, we do not usually do tours and definitely do not usually do Tourist Offices, mostly out of some kind of misplaced pride that we can do everything ourselves. The Plain of Jars was to be an exception and one that proved to us that we do not, in fact, know everything! The tourist office was full of history and information about the region, we quickly realised that there was so much more to the Plain of Jars and Xieng Khouang Plateau than we knew.
We had not allowed enough days to properly explore Phonsavan or the region around it, there is so much to see and do, even beyond the Plain of Jars! There are Khmer ruins, ancient temples, old colonial outposts and even the old regional capital to see.
The tourist office houses a worryingly large assortment of ordrinance from the many wars Laos has been through.
Around the back of the tourist office is a large collection of war remnants leftover from the French and American wars in the region. From huge gun turrets and bomber fuel tanks to hundreds of sharp tipped bombs, the museum / tourist office houses a depressingly large arsenal. Mr Kong walked us through a brief but surprisingly nuanced history of Laos and the Secret War with America. He was quick to point out where the history books had glossed over the facts and common misconceptions on both sides of the conflict. For such a messy and complicated conflict Mr Kong gave a clear, interesting and (despite the subject matter), often hilarious account.
After the tourist office we were driven to the Plain of Jars Information Centre and the entrance to the Plain of Jars most famous area - Site One. The visitors centre was again very useful with lots of information on the possible histories of the Plain of Jars as well as the story of the archaeological efforts around the sites. We wandered around and read all the information before making our way down a small winding road to the Plain of Jars itself.
Plain of Jars Site 1
Site one is the largest of the Plains of Jars, with the most Jars, the largest individual Jar and the biggest area to explore. If you have seen pictures of the Plain of Jars, it was probably from Site One. It does not disappoint, rolling hillsides sprout clusters of huge stone jars, it is bizarre but beautiful. You can see why the Plain of Jars is such a mystery, the jars are everywhere sitting in clusters without any obvious pattern or reason. The spaces between them are uneven, there is no uniformity in height or shape and no apparent design to their placement. Yet these are multi tonne megaliths, each carved elsewhere and hauled into place miles later. Looking at them we couldn't believe that so much effort would have been put into carving and moving these stone jars for them only to be placed at random.
You can clearly see the old bomb craters at Site 1.
Mr Kong also told us that no jar fragments - no evidence of broken jars - has ever been found on the routes between the quarries and Site One. Somehow all these heavy stone jars were moved, perfectly without incident, 8 kilometres! It really is a mysterious place.
Our guide also showed us some of the more modern history on display at Site One. You can see an old CIA airbase from the crest of one of Site One's hills. Old rotting planes sit outside the crumbling buildings and you can see the remanent of a runway. Inside the Plain of Jars itself Mr Kong showed us old anti-aircraft emplacements and trenches. Site One was a battlefield at various points in its history and you can see smashed jars and bullet holes all over the site. Mr Kong told us that various fighters would hide in the stone jars or use them as cover. He jokingly would point to a hole and ask us "bullet hole? No! This is just the emergency toilet!".
Imagine the force needed to crack this jar into pieces!
We came down a jar forested hill and made our way to the famous cave at Site One. The use of the cave is (like so much of the Plain of Jars), hotly debated. It may have been a store room for the giants liquor, a crematorium (some bones have been found) or a ceremonial space. There is no clear consensus, although most people don't think the giants explanation too likely. The cave now is full of small cairns, made by its many visitors, it is a very peaceful place with light coming in from the two large holes in the ceiling. Whilst we were there a beautiful girl in full traditional dress came by and started having a photoshoot with her friends.
We then followed a path that, unless we had a guide, we would have definitely missed. It wound up another hill through thickets of golden waving plants to a small cluster of mainly ruined jars. Here Mr Kong pointed out the deep military trenches you can still see today. The view from the top was beautiful, we could see back all the way across Site One. Across the hills from us the newly constructed golden Buddha sat serenely.
Next up was our lunch stop. We didn't hold out too much hope as tour lunches tend to be a little bland - they have to cater for fussy farangs after all. Again though, our cynicism was proved wrong. We pulled up to a small open air restaurant and had a fantastic beef stir fry. We asked for spicy and they definitely delivered! We had some soft drinks alongside it but if you were in the mood for it you could have got some beer - all included in the tour price.
Plain of Jars Site 3
After our lunch stop we moved on to Site 3. We were doing the Sites out of order as our guide said that the rains had made the usual road between Site 2 and Site 3 muddy and very bumpy.
We pulled up in the car pack for the Plain of Jars Site 3 and disembarked from our minivan. The small carpark didn't look much like an entrance to a UNESCO Heritage site, it seemed more like it served the small temple next door however, a faded sign and a ticket desk confirmed we were at the right place.
There is a short but gorgeous walk from the ticket desk to the Plain of Jars site. We crossed a rickety old wooden bridge and crossed streams and paddy fields. Our guide bringing over a friendly(ish) buffalo to explain the legend of why cows and buffalo don't have teeth on the upper side of their mouths and why horses smile whereas buffalo always look depressed. We won't go into too much detail here but it involves the Buddha stealing their genitals and a literal banana skin trip hazard!
The paddies are beautiful in October
And the water buffalo are sweet!
Site 3 sits on the slope of a hill underneath an almost orchard like forest. Moss grows on and in the Jars and the air was calm and peaceful. It is a beautiful area with loads of different styles of stone jar all sat in an amazing setting.
Site 3 of the Plain of Jars is really beautiful!
Our guide then took us off-piste, we wandered out the back of Site 3 and further up the hillside. On the crest of the hill was a swallow trap. A huge net that can be raised and lowered from hidden controls in order to catch flocks of birds. We had seen the buckets of pickled swallows in the market that morning (it certainly wakes you up seeing/smelling the tiny pickled birds) and had wondered how they catch so many. Now, with a demonstration from Mr Kong, we knew.
From a hidden hide, the nets can be suddenly raised to catch flocks of birds, also - Look at that view!
Just over the crest and down the other side of the hill we found ourselves in two other Plain of Jars Sites (Plain's of Jar's? We cannot work out the plural!).
One was almost lost in a small thicket of trees and the other sat in a dell with a small wooden fence all around. Neither looked like they got many visitors which really added to the mystery of the Jars. We cannot find which "Sites" they were as they do not appear on Google Maps. We wouldn't recommend going off-trail in Laos without a guide as you do not know which areas have been made safe from the unexploded bombs. Your best bet for finding these sites is to have a guide or, as the clever tourist behind us did, follow another group! The two unmarked sites we found were overgrown and clearly less visited but still stunningly beautiful, set in amongst the rolling hills and farmlands of the Xieng Khouang plateau.
After circling back to Site 3 and then back down to our minivan it was time for the last Plain of Jars site for the day, Site 2.
Plain of Jars Site 2
Through design or serendipity leaving Site 2 for last was a great finale for our days tour. Site 2 is split into two areas on neighbouring hilltops. The first is set in a shaded and moss-covered forest. We say it is set in a forest but you could more accurately say the forest is set in it. Trees grow up and through the ancient jars, sprouting out and prising apart the old stone vessels. It was the perfect visual clue for the vast age of the jars; a mature forest had grown up around and inside them.
There is something very aesthetically pleasing about moss on stone…
Our last stop of the day was the peak of the hill. A small stand of trees was surrounded by more ancient stone jars. The jars were, as ever, impressive but it was the location that truly sets Site 2 apart. Nearly 360 degree panoramic views spill out over the surrounding countryside that frame the historic site. Whilst we were up there flocks of bright white birds wheeled and dived around us. It was almost magical, you could see how myths get started.
The view from Site 2 of the Plain of Jars is simply amazing.
Site 2 is home to the most famous of the Plain of Jars "lids": a carved cover with a small frog-like figure engraved into the top. It is not the only carved lid in the Plain of Jars but does set it apart from the others at Site 3 and 1. Again, no one knows why this "lid" is decorated, or why the others are not. The choice cannot be random but remains a mystery.
Some of the views almost reminded us of Stonehenge in the U.K
The famous spread-eagled man…without a head…
After admiring the amazing view in the late afternoon sun, it was time to head back to Phonsavan. We has set out to see as much as possible of the Plain of Jars in one day and we had 100% achieved this. Mr Kong was fantastic and had crammed our heads full of facts, without ever making them feel like they would explode.
We had been proved to be wrong - sometimes it is well worth the money and time to take a tour!
Mr Kong also takes lots of fun photos for you! He is great at showing you the best places for selfies and photographs throught the Plain of Jars.
Where to Stay when visiting The Plain of Jars - Accommodation in Phonsavan
Phonsavan is a large town with plenty of places to stay whatever style of travel or size budget you are. We (as you may have noticed from this site), are long-term budget backpackers. We do not need much luxury but do like good basics. We go for private rooms in guesthouses over dorms in party hostels, not just because we are in our mid-thirties but because they are actually usually cheaper and better value for couples! We do however, occasionally treat ourselves to more luxurious rooms and, on the other end of the scale, will happily stay in a dorm if it is the best option. That all being said, these are our recommendations for accommodation in Phonsavan.
Kong Keo Guesthouse and Hostel
This was our choice. It fitted all our criteria - budget friendly private rooms within an easy walk of the towns restaurants, markets and museums. Our private room was a cute, good sized little bungalow, with its own front door, table and chairs and a comfy bed. The shower was hot and there was plenty of space to unpack and relax in the evenings. The hostel has a great common area with a campfire burning in an old bomb every night and cheap cold beers in the fridge. Mr Kong runs the fantastic tour we took to the Plain of Jars and rents bikes, scooters and even some more exotic transportation options!
Our cute little chalet at Kong Keo Guesthouse! A perfect hideaway after a day exploring the Plain of Jars.
We loved our stay at Kong Keo and would highly recommend it both for budget backpackers and independent travellers who just want a great place, great location and no frills for a good price. For even cheaper stays there are dorm beds available.
You can have a look at the guesthouse / hostel and check prices here
Favanhmai Hotel
For those who want a hotel over a guesthouse (what is the technical difference anyway?) The Favanhmai Hotel is located in central Phonsavan and is an easy walk from the markets or museum. We did not stay here but met a couple at the noodle restaurant (see later) who said it was very nice and perfect for their needs.
To check it out and see prices at the Favanhmai Hotel, click here
Other accommodation choices in Phonsavan
There are loads of other choices for accommodation in Phonsavan. Have a look at our hotel helper map below for all the options:
Phonsavan Town - What else is there to do?
Phonsavan is often seen as just the gateway to the Plain of Jars, simply a place to stay in order to explore the ancient site. We however, had a surprisingly great time exploring the town and finding what else it had to offer. There is definitely more to see in Phonsavan than just the Plain of jars.
We didnt know what to expect of Phonsavan but were happily suprised by the town. It is full of interesting corners and unique places.
Xieng Khouang Museum
This museum came as a complete surprise to us! We initially ducked in here to escape the sun and cool off but were really impressed by the museum. Full of interesting local history and artifacts. There was a wide range of exhibits ranging from prehisotric finds, through the Plain of Jars and the American Secret War to displays of all the different local tribes traditional dresses. The Xieng Khouang Museum was definitely worth a visit.
Museum opening hours: 9am - 4pm Everyday except Monday (closed) Ticket Price: 30,000 kip per person
MAG UXO Visitors Centre
You cannot visit Laos without being confronted with the ongoing cost of the "Secret War". America dropped the equivalent of two tonnes of bombs per person over Laos. Lots of this ordinance failed to detonate and now sits buried in the fields, forests and streams of the country. Since the end of the conflict more than 22,000 people have been injured and killed by these bombs. MAG UXO clears areas and makes them safe for people and animals to return to. The MAG UXO Centre is a small museum displaying the work the organisation does to clear the land. It is informative but sombre. When we were visiting the Plain of Jars the work of MAG was everywhere - we could see their old paths which marked where it was "safe" to walk. They have done an amazing job at the three Plain of Jars sites we visited and they are now all bomb free and safe to explore. To learn more about the work MAG does check out their website here.
You can still see these old path markers on the side of some of the routes around the Plain of Jars - These markers used to ( and in some places still do) indicate what had been made safe to walk over.
MAG-UXO opening hours: Everyday between 10am - 8pm (this will vary on holidays and staff presence - we visited over a holiday weekend and the centre was often closed).
Ticket price: Free but donations are welcome - you can also support MAG by buying a t-shirt or other merch.
Phonsavan Markets
Phonsavan is the capital city of the Xieng Khouang province, it is not just a tourist town for visitors to the Plain of Jars. As such the city is full of interesting local markets. We love having a nose around markets so explored all the ones we could walk to.
Just to be confusing, all the markets are named Phonsavan Market on Google, so we have named them based on where they are relative to each other.
Phonsavan Market (east)
This local market runs all day but is at its best in the mornings, where it spills out onto the surrounding streets. The market is packed full of colourful fruit, fresh vegetables and local specialities. It is a true Laotian market, full of people going about their day and buying what they need for dinner.
Phonsavan east market was always a rainbow of colour!
We went to Phonsavan Market most mornings for breakfast. Around the outside of the market are sit down diners serving fantastic noodle soups and, best of all, barbecue stalls where we would buy our favourite Laotian breakfast: Grilled pork belly and sticky rice! Everything was freshly made and very cheap!
Don't miss picking up some doughnuts from the deep-fried sweets lady inside - they were delicious especially the pandan filled ones!
The markets of Phonsavan always have some tasty deep-fried goodness for sale!
Phonsavan Market (central)
Set just off of the "main" road, we found this market on our first days wander about town. Whereas the east market was full of fresh produce and food this market specialised in clothes and goods. We wandered down crowded aisles full of gold shops, clothes stalls and tailors weaving traditional Hmong dresses. It was really interesting and fun, just what we like about market exploration. This again is not a tourist market, there was no souvenirs on sale, it was a local market where as a visitor we got a small glimpse into Phonsavanian local life.
The central market had many tailors and clothes stalls specialising in the local traditional dresses and headpieces.
Phonsavan Market (west)
Further down the main road from the "central" market this market was another fresh produce and food market. We arrived a little late in the day to see it at its best but it was still a lively place full of Laotian specialities - pickled sparrow anyone? There were plenty of good looking places to grab a bowl of noodles or pick up some fresh spring rolls to take away.
The markets of Phonsavan are just what we like - Real, down to earth and full of delicious suprises!
Phonsavan Morning Market (south)
Ok, full disclosure - we didn't get to this one! We were only in Phonsavan for a few days and didn't manage to go to this morning market. It was the furthest away from our guesthouse and we just didn't have the time. It looks fantastic though, please let us know in the comments if we missed out!
From what our guesthouse owner said, it is very much a morning market and is better the earlier you go.
Eating and Drinking in Phonsavan
Phonsavan town is set up for travellers heading to the Plain of Jars and there is no shortage of places to grab a meal. We ate out every meal during our stay in Phonsavan and would recommend the following:
See You Again - Chinese style noodles
We love noodle soups, possibly to an unhealthy degree. We also love dumplings, so a shophouse restaurant that served Chinese style noodle soup and steamed dumplings was an instant win for us.
See You Again has a small menu, predominantly it serves massive bowls of steaming spiced noodle soups alongside piles of juicy pork dumplings as well as having fantastic chilli oils and Chinese dipping vinegar - we absolutely loved this place.
You know it looks good!
A bowl of noodles costs 50,000 kip and a plate of the dumplings costs the same. You could easily have had just a plate of dumplings as a meal but we are greedy so had them on the side of our noodle soups!
The Morning Market
We loved heading down to the market for our breakfasts. There are loads of stalls all set up around the outside of the building serving delicious delicacies from morning to afternoon. We especially recommend heading to one of the barbecue stalls, selecting a meat or fish of your choice and grabbing some sticky rice (all sold from the same stall). It is such a simple meal but utterly delicious. We always go either for pork belly or chicken and they were grilled to perfection, with a sweet marinade. It was a massive breakfast but kept us full for a days exploring.
1kg of sticky rice and a two skewers of bbq pork costs 50,000 kip - an absolute bargain.
You just pick your protien and it goes back on the barbecue to crisp and heat up. Just look at those pork belly skewers!
If you are more in the mood for noods, then the market still has you covered.
We had two amazing bowls of chicken pho from a busy restaurant for the incredibly cheap price of 25,000 Kip (0.85p) each!
The noodles were a cross between Vietnamese Pho and a Thai clear soup, taking some of the best of both but ending up with something purely Laotian!
Fried Rice and backpacker favourites
All along Phonsavan's main road are dozens of restaurants all serving a similar menu. The traditional tourist mix of fried rice, pad krapow, Western options and noodles. We are not so up ourselves as to pretend we don't love a good fried rice and these places all were cheap cheerful and no nonsense. We can definitely recommend the chicken fried rice at Phonxay Restaurant, it was smoky from the wok and full of chickeny goodness!
A plate of chicken fried rice from Phonxay Restaurant costs 40,000 kip
There are a few other “backpacker institutions” in Phonsavan that we didn’t have the time to get to. Let us know in the comments if Bombies Restuarnt or Craters live up to their fame!
Coffee and comfort food - Cranky-T Café and Bar
We are caffeine fiends, if Ellie doesn't get her cup of coffee she is at real risk of hulking out and going on a rampage. So for the safety of all we always find a good coffee shop wherever we go. Luckily Cranky-T Café was only a short walk from our Guesthouse. Serving great coffee along with cakes, cookies and separate breakfast and dinner menus. We didn't eat a meal here but can confirm the brownies were great! The food that we saw being served looked lovely and very nicely presented. The shop has lots of imported ingredients and serves a range of wines and beers in the evenings.
A hot coffee from Cranky-T costs 30,000 kip. Iced coffees are around 45,000 kip.
Cute coffee - JL22 Cafe
We found this by chance on our morning market wanderings. A small cutesy coffee shop right on Phonsavan's main roundabout. The coffee was cheap, sweet and lovely, just what we needed. An Iced espresso from JL22 cost 31,000 kip.
Conclusion - Is Phonsavan worth the trip?
The obvious answer is YES the Plain of Jars is amazing and the town has enough going on to justify staying a few days to investigate what is has to offer. We loved our time in Phonsavan, we ate at local markets, drank good coffee and explored amazing mysterious megalithic sites. We would go back again, stay at the same guesthouse and explore more of the further flung sites if time permitted.
"If time permitted" however, may be the deal-breaker for some travellers. Phonsavan is out of the way; a good long journey from any of the main backpacker / traveller hubs in Laos. If you have a limited time to spend in the country Phonsavan will use up two days just travelling to and from it. We think that this is 100% worth it, but we are travelling long term with time only constrained by our Laotian visa. If you only have a week, or have a tight itinerary travelling through Laos on your way elsewhere, it may be hard to fit in.
If you can spare the days to get to Phonsavan, do! It being harder to get to means there are less crowds and you really do feel more (sigh) "off the beaten path". The Plain of Jars is incredible, a fascinating, sprawling sea of mystery. It really is hard to explain. Before we had visited we were jokingly keeping our expectations down, reminding ourselves that: it is after all a plain, with some jars in it! Luckily for us the Plain of Jars was amazing, much more than we expected, much bigger, much more impressive and a whole lot more intriguing.
From the ancient jars to the modern war remnants, from the markets of Phonsavan to the hilltop sparrow catchers, we had loved our time in this corner of Laos.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Vieng Xai - Adventures in Lesser Travelled Laos
Vieng Xai is not on the normal tourist trail of Laos. Read our guide for why you should visit this cave riddled, history rich and overall beautiful area of Laos! From hikes to enormous waterfalls, the famous “Victory Caves” to unexpectedly delicious Indian food, there is so much to see and do. Vieng Xai is a place few travellers have heard of but is 100% worth your time!
Sometimes it pays to go off the beaten path, sometimes the road less travelled can lead you to amazing places. Vieng Xai is a little known, unexpected, diamond of a destination. With beautiful natural scenery, a fascinating history as well as great food and cheap accommodation, Vieng Xai is something different in Northern Laos. Very few Western visitors brave the long journey to Vieng Xai and this lends the town a truly authentic, relaxed Laotian feel. The daily market, sweeping viewpoints, waterfalls and incredible history caves mean that there is plenty to do for those intrepid enough to step off of the tourist trail.
The town and surrounding countryside are also gorgeous! Set on a flat plain surrounded and punctuated by craggy mountainous peaks, Vieng Xai is seriously pretty. The valley floor is a patchwork of forest, lakes and paddy fields, it is a wonderful place for a wander. If you don't mind a longer walk you can even trek to some incredibly impressive, absolutely massive waterfalls!
This is our guide to Vieng Xai, how to get there and how to get the most out of a stay in this lesser travelled, beautiful Laotian town.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
In this guide to Vieng Xai:
Where is Vieng Xai and how to get there
Sam Neua to Vieng Xai
Buses from Phonsavan / Vientiane to Sam Neua
Buses from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua
Taxis from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai
Scooter Rental from Sam Neua
Exploring the town
Vieng Xai Market
Vieng Xai Viewpiont
The Nam Neua Waterfall Walk
How to Get to Vieng Xai - Where is it?
Vieng Xai is located in the North East of Laos, near to the border with Vietnam and sandwiched between the Nam Et Phou Louey National Park and the Nam Xam National Biodiversity Conservation Area.
Vieng Xai is a little harder to reach than the more popular tourist destinations in Laos. The best way to get to this small town is via the nearby provincial capital of Sam Neua (sometimes spelled Xam Neua or Samneua).
Vieng Xai is around a 45 minute drive by bus from Sam Neua.
You can find Vieng Xai on a map here.
Buses to Vieng Xai / Sam Neua
There are buses (or flights for the well-heeled or short on time) from the capital Vientiane to Sam Neua. You can also get to Sam Neua by bus from Phonsavan (a useful detail we used later to visit the Plain of Jars).
The journey from Phonsavan is around 7-9 hours. If you are travelling from Vientiane it can take well over 15 hours by bus.
If you’re travelling from Vang Vieng to Vieng Xai it will be a long travel day - you will need to take 3 buses. One to either Phonsavan or Vientiane and then another bus to Sam Neua before finally hoping on the short ride to Vieng Xai.
Once you make it to Sam Neua you will have to change to the local bus stop, which is, annoyingly, on the other side of town. We used a taxi to do this. There are taxis waiting at either bus stop or you can (like us) get their number from the wall of a noodle shop in town.
Most intercity buses will arrive at the Southern Bus Terminal, located here. To go to Vieng Xai you need to get to the Na Thong Bus Station (located here) and jump on a local bus. The bus will drop you on the side of the road (around here), next to the junction with Vieng Xai town. From the drop-off point, it is a short 10-15 minute walk into town.
It is a little difficult to book tickets online for buses to or from Sam Neua (and impossible for buses from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai).
This was the diplay timetable at Sam Nuea when we visited.
If you are travelling from Phonsavan or Vientiane you will need to either use a tour agency or go to the bus station and book them directly yourself. If you are in Vieng Xai the Cave Tour Centre has a very helpful timetable with all the local services. Not much English is spoken at the Sam Neua bus station but we had no problems getting our tickets to Phonsavan, we just said where we wanted to go and they told us the price using a calculator. In Sam Neua city there is a Tourist Office that will be happy to help those who do not want to handle the booking themselves.
Taking the bus from Nong Khiaw to Vieng Xai
For us long term backpackers, we wanted to do things a little differently: Vieng Xai provided a route through Northern Laos that meant we did not have to shuttle backwards and forwards through Luang Prabang - on this trip we had already spent a fortnight in the beautiful UNESCO cultural hub.
We wanted to travel from the backpacker haven of Nong Khiaw (read all about this slice of heaven here) down to Phonsavan and the famous "Plain of Jars". The most common route for tourists would be to double back to Luang Prabang and get on a long bus all the way to Phonsavan. We are slow travellers and are always interested in the road less trodden. We wanted to get off the traditional tourist trail and travel from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua and Vieng Xai allowed us to do just that. It also stitched together a route to the "Plain of Jars" as we could, after Vieng Xai, catch a bus from Sam Nuea to Phonsavan. However, as we found out, the way was not for the faint of heart!
It was a 12-16 hour minivan adventure, overnight on some of Laos' worst roads. We rocketed from the riverside of Nong Khiaw, careened through bone bouncing roads, tiny villages and epic mountain passes all the way to Sam Neua. It was not restful or comfortable but, if you are looking for adventure on your travels we cannot recommend it enough! It was an amazing journey full of unforgettable moments and sights. Read all about the route here:
Our adventurous route allowed us to not only avoid going back and forth to Luang Prabang but brought us nearby to Vieng Xai, allowing us to add this little known gem to our Laos itinerary.
To book onto this route you need to speak to a tour agency in Nong Khiaw, check out our full article for more details. If you are doing this in reverse and want to travel from Sam Neua to Nong Khiaw, you will need to speak to the bus station in Sam Neua. The bus is the one that goes all the way to Luang Prabang, but it will stop in Nong Khiaw to pick up or drop off passengers.
Taxis Between Sam Neua and Vieng Xai
The quickest but most expensive way to get to Vieng Xai from Sam Neua is by private taxi. The price from all three companies we contacted was the same at 500000 kip. Sometimes, even if you are on a backpacking budget, you need to spend money to get places. We took the local bus from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai but, when it was time to leave, we had to spend the cash and book a very early morning taxi.
We needed to be at the Sam Neua bus station early enough to get our Phonsavan bus tickets and get our luggage on board, so we had to get a taxi from our guesthouse in Vieng Xai. Anyone who has travelled by minivan in Laos knows what happens if you are the last one on board.... beer crate seats are not ideal for 8 hour plus journeys!
Renting a scooter for Vieng Xai
There are no scooter rentals in Vieng Xai. If you want to rent a scooter you will need to do so in Sam Neua. Just be aware that the roads are mountain roads, full of potholes and lorries travelling from Vietnam. Also as there seems to only be one shop in Sam Neua that rents to foreigners, the price is quite high. We did not rent a scooter on our trip but you can do it from here.
Vieng Xai - A Very Brief History
Vieng Xai is a small but incredibly important town in the history of Laos.
After the defeat of the colonial French and the chaos of the Second World War, Laos found itself in a "War of the Brothers". The Laotian Royal Family had fractured over the future of the country. One royal brother wanted the monarchy to remain in charge, another wanted to remain neutral whereas the third brother wanted power to be given over to the Pathet Laos Revolutionary Party.
The conflict was dragged into the wider "Cold War" with the Royalists being supported by the USA and the Pathet Laos siding with, supporting and being supported by Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and the Communist Parties of China and Russia.
This set the stage for the USA's "Secret War". The "Secret War" is the reason why, despite never officially being at war, Laos is the most bombed country on the planet. The USA did not want the Pathet Laos in power and wanted to stop Laos’ support of Northern Vietnam so it attempted to bomb them into submission. Vieng Xai is where the Laotian leadership sheltered from the onslaught.
Originally just a tiny village surrounded by tall mountains, Vieng Xai was selected as the safest place to relocate the Pathet Laos government to. This tiny, pretty slice of Laos became the seat of power for the Laos People's Revolutionary Party. It sheltered and protected the leaders of the party as they orchestrated their war effort and tried to unify the country under communist ideology.
Hidden in the craggy cliff sides and limestone mountains ringing Vieng Xai are the "Pathet Laos Victory Caves" - The homes, offices, schools, hospitals and theatres built into the rock to protect the people from the falling bombs.
It was in these caves that the Pathet Laos leadership sheltered, planned and administered their war effort. After the ceasefire and the end of the bombing the leadership emerged from the caves and continued to govern from the small town. Although the capital Vientiane is now the seat of the government, Vieng Xai is seen as the spiritual home of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The caves that kept the government sheltered are now preserved and open to visitors.
Visiting the Victory Caves at Vieng Xai
To visit the Victory Caves you need to have an official tour guide. We are normally not tour people, we much rather explore by ourselves. For these caves though we made an exception and we are so glad we did, they are seriously impressive and have really interesting histories.
To get on a tour you need to go to the Vieng Xai Caves Visitors Centre (located here). There are two tours a day, one at 9am and one at 12 midday. The tours are very reasonably priced at 70000 kip for foreigners or 40000 for visitors from Southeast Asian countries. If you need a tour at a different time (or want to gaurentee a private tour), you could pay an additional 50000 kip. When you book a tour they advise you on which caves you should visit. If you have transport you can get to and see more of the caves. There is the offer to rent pushbikes from the visitors centre (20000 kip) but we were happy to walk so we passed on a cycle in the midday sun.
There is no real way to see all the caves in a single day - there are just too many of them. We were on foot and decided to see the "main three” caves. This would take from midday to early evening so we thought that would be plenty.
The tour comes with a guide who will let you into all the caves (they are all locked) and explain more of the history. We say more of the history as the tour also includes an audio guide. Now we normally hate audio guides, we just aren't a fan of not going our own way at our own pace, however, this audio guide was actually great. It was well read and really interesting in the way it was written. We suppose there has to be an exception to every rule!
When we visited we had a guide just for us, from the Google reviews this is not uncommon so it is really good value!
The Prince's Cave
(location)
Our first stop was the cave residence of the man the west called "The Red Prince" - Prince Souphanouvong - the royal brother who went against the monarchy, his own family, to support Pathet Laos.
The cave was surrounded by a beautiful garden full of fruit trees, purple bushes and soft green mosses. Inside a cave garage the Prince's old cars sit mouldering. Our guide knocked some fresh pomelo fruit from the branches overhead and we gorged ourselves on the juicy fruit. The whole place smelled of flowers, citrus and growing, green plant life.
Inside, the cave was split into rooms for the Prince, his family, doctors and other staff. Some of the Prince's possessions were still there and the audio guide explained through story and first hand account what had happened there.
We cannot describe how lovely the cave’s garden smelled! For those who don’t know what a pomelo is; it's a huge green skinned orange fleshed citrus fruit that tastes very similar to grapefruit. You can see some smaller pomelos in the trees in the right hand image.
The Leader - Kaysone Phomvihane's Cave
(location)
The cave that the leader of the LPRP lived and worked from was humble but functional. It housed bedrooms, a meeting room for the cabinet, inside and outside kitchens (depending on the bombing situation) as well as blast walls and a gas proof bunker. Outside the caves were the buildings constructed after the ceasefire where the government could meet and house foreign diplomats.
Even the caves couldn’t completely protect the people from the falling bombs. You can see the extra blast wall here, outside one of the “secretary caves” in the presidents cave complex.
Xanglord Cave - The big one
(location)
Xanglord Cave is also known as the Elephant Cave. The nickname comes from a local legend that states the cave was so large that an historic King rode his elephant through it. The cave definitely lives up to its name - it is enormous. A warren of tunnels, some only big enough for one person, some wide enough for a tank, criss-cross inside the mountain.
The paths twist and burrow through the mountain, we were glad to have a guide!
Xanglord Cave is so big that it houses a full stage and theatre area. The space was used for government functions as well as weddings, movie nights and dances. It really drove home that people didn't just hide in the caves from the bombs, they lived in them for nearly 10 years!
All the caves were well maintained and the guide and audio tour were fantastic. The audio guide was interesting, engaging and didn't distract from the experience. Our human guide, Bounpanh, was also brilliant, filling in the gaps in the history and adding local anecdotes and stories.
You cannot visit the Vieng Xai Caves independently, they are all locked up after every tour goes through. When we visited our guide literally unlocked the history and led us through the labyrinth of caves. There are many, many caves scattered around Vieng Xai, all the different branches of government had their own offices and shelters - there is no way you could see all of them. We felt our tour of three of them was the perfect amount, it lasted the whole afternoon and was interesting without being overwhelming. As we said we are not normally ones for tours, but the Victory Caves at Vieng Xai are definitely worth it!
What Else is There To Do in Vieng Xai - Beyond the Caves
Vieng Xai Town
Vieng Xai is small, charming and very pretty! It is great just for wandering around and seeing what you find. We loved ambling around next to the pretty lakes and down the back streets, occasionally being honked at by inquisitive geese or sniffed at by curious canines. Throughout Vieng Xai we were constantly being helloed at by the village children all of which wanted to practice their English with us. The town is not very large and you can easily walk around most of it in an hour or two.
On the outskirts of the town are several "attractions" that are still under construction. There is the Japan Friendship Sakura Park (here on a map) - The trees have been planted but have not yet matured into a garden. There is a café attached to the park but we couldn't work out when it was open. Despite its posted hours, it was not open when we trudged back from our long waterfall walk, (see more about this later) much to our disappointment!
Past the park, if you are walking into town, is a formal garden with a large memorial statue in the centre. The memorial was for the first president - Mr Kaisone/Kaysone. Unfortunately this too was shut whenever we passed it by.
Just because the gates are closed doesnt mean we cannot take a photo through the fence! The Kaysone memorial park did look pretty and well cared for.
If you stay anywhere in Vieng Xai you cannot miss the huge, ornate red and white building that sits on the edge of town. It is massive, easily 5x the size of the next biggest building in town. It is/was meant to be a museum dedicated to the history of the province but it currently stands empty and abandoned. Let us know if you visit and it has opened, those we spoke to in town were not holding out hope it would ever be completed. Even so, it is a very impressive building!
You can see the abandoned museum in the top right of the photo - it is truly massive, especially compared to the rest of the buildings in town! We do hope it opens someday.
Three lakes split the town in half. Most of the commerce, shops and guesthouses are on the eastern side of the lakes with the west being more residential (but still with a few restaurants and shops).
The lakes themselves are very picturesque, framing and reflecting the dramatic, cave riddled mountains. The southernmost lake has hotels and restaurants on its banks and you can even rent pedal-boats if you are in the mood. Unlike in Da Lat (read more about our time there here) we resisted the swan boat’s siren call on this visit.
In the main part of town there are shops selling everything from phones to farming equipment. There are plenty of good places to eat (see later in this article for our recommendations) and even a couple of places to grab a coffee. Remember that you are out in rural Laos so do not expect any single-origin, barista crafted specialist roasteries. We had some lovely cheap rocket fuel at a small shop near the market (around here).
Speaking of markets…
Vieng Xai Market
(location)
Vieng Xai has a great market. Open all day, every day, the stalls changed depending on when we visited. There was always plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, as well as meats and prepared meals. It is a proper working market, interesting and eye opening to wander through. It was also a super friendly market! Sometimes markets can be a little intimidating or standoffish for tourists - after all we are camera wielding interlopers inconveniencing people who are just going about their day. The market at Vieng Xai was full of cheerful people who wanted to show us all their produce, even if we weren't buying anything!
We found the market was at its best early in the morning, when it was busiest with people getting their ingredients for the day. It is also a good place to pick up snacks, fruit or a bit of breakfast.
Vieng Xai Viewpoint
(location)
We love viewpoints, just look at our time in Nong Khiaw. So we were not going to miss out on a little hike for a view! The Vieng Xai Viewpoint is in the middle of town, rising up on a huge spiked and jagged rock. If you are visiting, the entrance to the stairs is on the eastern side.
John looking as happy as every to be climbing up another viewpoint! The stairs start out as wide stone steps but quickly become….
Much narrower metal stairs! The top is not too high but still not recommended for those with vertigo!
The entrance fee is 20000 kip. The climb is easy, far shorter than any of the viewpoints in Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi or Vang Vieng. It took under 10 minutes for us to climb the metal staircase to the top of the rock. Despite its smaller size the view from the top was fantastic. From the top we could see right out over the countryside. Around the town the landscape is flat with lakes, paddy fields and farms punctured by craggy limestone peaks. It is a unique landscape.
There are two viewing platforms at the top which give you great panoramic views all over the area. It is a stunning place, even without its famous history Vieng Xai would be worth a visit.
Ellie taking a breather after a short, sharp climb up the viewpoint.
Nam Neua Waterfall
(location)
The Nam Neua Waterfall is incredible, to get to it however, turned out to be more of an adventure than we anticipated.
Waterfall hunting is a great excuse to get out and explore the countryside. It had served us well in Nong Khiaw with our expedition to Tad Mok Falls and our day out doing the 100 Waterfall Trek so when we saw some impressive looking falls on a map we decided to investigate.
The usually reliable app Maps.me led us here its notes and comments confidently stating that this was the easiest and quickest route to the falls. On the road the place was obvious with a bridge crossing a river, next to an older, much more dilapaded bridge. Our first red flag was that the river appeared to be flowing the wrong way! If this was the correct way to the falls then we would be approaching the top of the falls, however all the pictures we had seen were from the foot of the falls... Still we trusted in our phones and forged ahead.
Maps.me states this is where you turn off the road - do not believe everything your phone tells you!
We found a tiny very overgrown path hugging the side of the fast flowing river. We followed the path as it grew narrower and narrower, it was clear no one had come this way in a long time. We eventually admitted defeat when our way was blocked by an enormous spider sitting in the middle of a path-spanning web. We did not want to disturb Mr 8-leg and he didn't look like he wanted to be disturbed by us. We turned around.
Checking our phones we couldn't immediately see where we had gone wrong. We checked the satellite view on Google Maps (always a good tactic where maps are unreliable) and saw what looked like another route on the other side of the falls. It was another good 4-and-a-bit kilometres away but we are not quitters, so we set off again.
The scenery around Vieng Xai is stunning, totally worth the extra walk!
The road was quiet with only a few cars, vans and bikes passing us on our lonely wander. It was baking hot and approaching midday but there were plenty of small villages and roadside shops where we could duck into some shade and grab a drink.
After a crossroads around a petrol station the road began to climb and wind into the mountains. The scenery was fantastic, towering cliffs and green forests with the view occasionally opening up to sweeping mountain top vistas.
Eventually we came to a turning off of the tarmac onto a dirt road. The way was marked with a sign in Laotian and nothing else. This was where the satellite said we should go so, slaves to technology that we are, we turned off the main road.
The dirt road was clearly still being constructed; it was cratered and dug out by the caterpillar tread of heavy machinery. The path wound down into a hidden valley and to a wide, fast flowing river.
The bridge looked sooo safe….
Spanning the river was one of the dodgiest bridges we have ever seen. A skinny plank and pole walkway was held above the raging water by cables and what looked like chicken wire.
This place was definitely under construction.
We could see a fording point a little way downstream, but as we were not driving a JCB it would have meant a swim for us, so across the bridge we went. After balance-beaming our way across the water we climbed earthen steps up the near vertical riverbank. Our ears slowly filled with the sound of thundering water. We picked our way through a construction site, climbed one more steep path and then, promptly, lost our breath.
We just cannot explain how much bigger the Nam Nuea falls are in person v.s on camera!
The Nam Neua waterfall is immense, incredible, impressive and many other words beginning with "I". A huge falling river of white water, cascading over the cliffs in three tiered layers. It was one of the tallest falls we have ever seen and we were also the only ones there! Around us were obvious signs of development, a new viewing area was being gouged out of the hillside below us and behind us was a building site for some kind of large structure. But then and there it was just us, a rusting selfie swing and one of the most amazing waterfalls we have ever seen!
The falls were brilliant, some of the best we have visited. However, as a day out it had been the adventure we have loved the most. No guides, just a spot on a map, getting mildly lost but sticking at it, persevering until we had really earned our waterfall views. We didn't even mind the 11 kilometre walk back to our guesthouse!
If you too like an adventure and don't mind a long walk, this pin marks the start of the dirt road down to the falls. Please let us know if you visit, and if they finish the development there.
Also, you could just take a scooter if you have rented one in Sam Neua, but where is the challenge in that?!
Where to eat in Vieng Xai
Stir fry, fried rice and the backpacker essentials - Ketnapha Restaurant
(location)
We did not have a quick journey to Vieng Xai. By the time we arrived in the town we had been on the road for around 20 hours. On our first night we did not feel like venturing too far from our comfy accommodation (more on that later). Luckily for us our guesthouse has its own restaurant, set just across the road from the rooms.
The restaurant was being renovated when we visited but, despite half the floor being freshly poured concrete, the place was busy with locals tucking into dinner. The menu had English translations (a rare thing in Vieng Xai) and was full of hearty backpacker favourites: fried rice, noodle soups as well as whole fried fish or chicken. Everything was reasonably priced and the smells wafting from the small kitchen promised a tasty meal.
We, through exhaustion and a lack of imagination, ordered two portions of pork fried rice. Our meals came out quickly and steaming hot from the wok. The food was great, each grain of rice coated in delicious flavour and smoky wok caramelization. We were also given a heavily herbed bowl of bone soup that was the perfect accompaniment to the hearty fried rice. It was just what we needed after a long travel day.
Beef noodles at Mrs Sengalouns
(location)
We rose late on our first full day in Vieng Xai, too late for breakfast but too early for lunch. We emerged from a well earned lie-in hungry and eager to explore. We were in the mood for noods - we nearly always are! We walked down the road towards the Caves Visitors Centre and found Mrs Sengaloun's restaurant on the side of the path.
Lured in by the smell of boiling broth we grabbed a table. We were dining at an odd time so we had the whole space to ourselves. The lovely lady who ran the shop (we guess this is Mrs Sengaloun?) spoke very little English but enough to understand "noodles please!".
The lady served us up two huge bowls of meltingly soft beef noodles. They were hearty and delicious, very similar to a Vietnamese pho but with a stronger, more garlicky broth. It was the perfect start to our first day in town and very reasonably priced at 40000 kip a bowl.
Market grazing
(location)
Markets are always a good budget friendly option for backpacker dining. The market at Vieng Xai is stuffed full of fresh fruit and small portable snacks for dining on the move. We would recommend some grilled Laotian sausage alongside sticky rice for a cheap, yummy and filling meal.
Saibadee Odisha: One of the best Indian restaurants outside of India - No seriously!
(location)
Sometimes you find the best things in the most unexpected of places. We certainly did not expect to find one of the best Indian restaurants we have ever eaten at in a small Laotian town!
Sabaidee Odisha is utterly fantastic. The food is authentic, delicious and tastes like it is straight out of India. The restaurant hides its greatness; from the outside it doesn't look too different from the other Laotian noodle shops in town but don't let this fool you! Most of our favourite restaurants don't have pressed white table cloths and a sommelier on hand. Especially during our Indian adventures we learned that it doesn't matter what the restaurant looks like, what matters is what it serves. As the old phrase goes, do not judge a book by its cover or a restaurant by its dining room!
Sabaidee Odisha was so good that we ate three meals there; two dinners and a breakfast. We stumbled on the restaurant on our second night in town and had a fantastic dal with a potato curry and vegetable biriyani, all scooped up in divinely flaky paratha. As we were leaving we saw a whole chicken, slathered in a fragrant spice paste, being roasted over a wood fire - we knew we would be back. The next day saw us munching on butter chicken, aloo gobi, jeera rice and yet more paratha (we cannot not order paratha that good!). We enjoyed our final breakfast there as well; some of the best puri we have ever eaten. We have no idea how you deep fry a puri without it becoming greasy, some form of wizardry we presume.
You really never know when you will find greatness - we are not exaggerating this was our favourite restaurant in Vieng Xai and one of the best Indian meals we have had since leaving India!
Apart from serving delicious food, the man running Sabaidee Odisha was brilliant, full of knowledge about the local area and brimming with enthusiasm about both Laos and his hometown in India. He runs a YouTube Channel about Vieng Xai and was super helpful to us during our visit.
Where to Stay in Vieng Xai - Accommodation in the Town
Vieng Xai town has loads of guesthouses and hotels dotted around. It is a popular holiday spot for Laotians and Vietnamese crossing the nearby border. It also seems like there are a lot of government retreats and trips to the town so there is plenty of accommodation set up for visitors.
That all being said, there is not a giant amount of accommodation that you can book online, at least not if you cannot speak Laotian! We found that one of the best ways of booking accommodation in places without Booking.com was through WhatsApp and Google Maps. We would find a place that looks ok on Google then add them on WhatsApp and use Google Translate to talk with the accommodation directly.
With our backpacking budget we chose the Ketnapha Guesthouse. You can have a look at them here. We spotted them on Google Maps, added them to WhatsApp and agreed 200000 kip a night for our stay. The images in Google do not do this cosy little place justice. We were very pleasantly surprised by our cute chalet. Our little place was the perfect size for our needs with loads of light, a good shower, air conditioning and even a small patio / seating area.
Our comfy little pied-à-terre in Vieng Xai - the accommodation had everything we needed at the right price.
If you want to sort out accommodation further in advance, or do not feel like relying on a translation app for your room, you can find some accommodation on Western booking sites. We found that Agoda has the most options, you can see what they are offering here.
Conclusion - Is Vieng Xai Worth the Trip?
We hate this question, of course we would say it was worth it! We loved it and wrote a whole article about it! That all being said, a trip to Vieng Xai won't fit into everyone's Laotian itinerary, if you do not have the luxury of time it may not be possible to fit Vieng Xai into your adventures. It takes time and effort to get to Vieng Xai, it is really only accessible from Phonsavan or (with a bumpy journey) Nong Khiaw. But despite this inaccessibility, or maybe because of it, we would recommend Vieng Xai to anyone looking to go a bit beyond the normal in Laos. Vieng Xai is fantastic, full of stunning scenery, history and friendly people.
We also have to mention that Vieng Xai boasts phenomenal sunsets!
If you have the time and a sense of adventure, Vieng Xai is 100% worth the effort. We would highly recommend our lesser travelled route through Northern Laos. Going from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua, Vieng Xai and then down to Phonsavan gets you out of the well trodden tourist itineraries and gives you a glimpse into a Laos most visitors do not get to see. The road is long and (very) uncomfortable, but the rewards are there for those who take it. For those like us who are long-term backpacking, Vieng Xai is very, very affordable with good food and accommodation.
Vieng Xai was an unexpected treat. We came there due to our stubbornness and refusal to backtrack through Luang Prabang but it turned into a fantastic, off the beaten track adventure. From the rich modern history of the caves and town, to the amazing natural beauty of the craggy mountains and surrounding countryside, the incredible Nam Neua Waterfall and the hospitality of the locals, Vieng Xai had been a beautiful surprise.
Vieng Xai is not on the "traditional" Laos tourist trail, so visiting it allows you a little traveller smugness: You made the extra effort, went a little further and were rewarded by getting to see a truly special corner of Laos, far beyond what most tourists get to experience.
Vieng Xai was stunning, interesting and well worth our time… Also the Indian restaurant was worth the journey all by itself!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua - A Road Less Travelled
If you are looking for a less travelled route through Northern Laos, you have come to the right place. Read our guide and story of the journey between the mountain backpacker town of Nong Khiaw and Sam Neua and finally the caves of Vieng Xai. The journey is not for the faint of heart!
The mountainous, river-laced region of northern Laos can sometimes be a bit of a headache for tourists to navigate. Transport between places frequently seems to require shuttling to and from the city of Luang Prabang. If you want to go to most places, the advice will be to travel through or via Luang Prabang. On our third trip to the beautiful country of Laos, we wanted to avoid doing the "Luang Prabang shuffle".
We were staying in Nong Khiaw, one of our favourite places on Planet Earth (read all about it here). We knew we wanted see more of the north before, eventually, heading down to Phonsavan and its mysterious Plain of Jars. The only issue was that there was no obvious route between Nong Khiaw and Phonsavan, we thought that we would need to go back to Luang Prabang and then catch an onwards bus.
As we have mentioned, we did not want to do the Luang Prabang Shuffle. We had just spent nearly a fortnight in the amazing Laotian cultural capital (read more about that here) and did not want to go straight back. So we broke open the maps (ok the Google map at least) and had a look at our options.
After checking with Google, the Nong Khiaw bus station and the minibus operators in town we quickly found that the only routes away from Nong Khiaw that did not involve Luang Prabang were:
North, taking a boat trip up to Muang Ngoi, Muang Khua and the border with Vietnam
West to Luang Namtha (or on further still to Huay Xay)
East towards Sam Neua and Vieng Xai. From Sam Neua we could see that there were buses down South to Phonsavan.
The choice for us was easy, we had already been to Luang Namtha and had spent three months in Vietnam (check out what we got up to!). We had found our route to Phonsavan, we could go from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neau, From Sam Neua stay in and visit the caves at Vieng Xai and then catch a bus to Phonsavan. We would take the road less travelled, we would head East.
If you want to know more about the beautiful town of Vieng Xai or the Mysterious Plain of Jars at Phonsavan, make sure you read our two articles on these towns:
Sam Neua is the hub town for the less visited north-eastern corner of Laos. The town itself has a large market and a few guest houses but it mainly acts as a gateway for visitors to access mountains, national parks and the beautiful, cave-riddled town of Vieng Xai.
Sam Neua also has bus links to Phonsavan and onwards further south, it sounded like the perfect cure for the Luang Prabang Shuffle. We decided that we would take the slow road, travel from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua and then take the short hop on to Vieng Xai.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
It is hard to leave Nong Khiaw, but eventually you will have to!
Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua - Getting to Vieng Xai
Decision made we had to buy our bus tickets. The first issue is that the Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua bus does not stop at the Nong Khiaw bus station. The bus departs from Luang Prabang and, if it is not completely full, will stop just after the bridge in Nong Khiaw to pick up more passengers. We had heard that this can be a little bit of a gamble, if the bus was busy there would be no space for us let alone our large, backpacking rucksacks! We (inventively or shamefully depending on your outlook) solved this issue with money. We, through an agent in Nong Khiaw (see the end of the article for all the practical tips and information) bought tickets from Luang Prabang to Sam Neua, with the driver being informed that we would actually get on the bus at Nong Khiaw. This would mean we were guaranteed actual seats on the bus and that there would be space for our bags. It really helped having local assistance with this, our agent phoned the driver and made sure what time he would arrive and that we would have proper seats. The seats were just as well due to issue number two...
We were warned that the road between Sam Neua and Nong Khiaw is atrocious, like completely awful. Imagine a mud crusted, crater-pocked landslide of a road, then constantly run massive haulage lorries across it and you get the idea. From Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua it is only around 320km but we had been warned that the journey could take around 16 hours. Oh and that it would be happening overnight so we would have the fun of a bone breaking, heart shaking ride in the dark!
We do love an adventure and were very determined not to retrace our steps to Luang Prabang so we paid up and booked on the bus to Sam Neua.
Crammed in the minibus and ready to go! - How little we knew….
The Journey - Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua
Our overnight journey started off well enough. The minivan pulled up exactly when our travel agent in Nong Khiaw said it would. We were not relegated to the beer crate seats but had normal car seats. The leg room was Laos-typical, as in there was some but not much, especially not if you have brought enough snacks and supplies for a 16 hour road trip! We folded ourselves into our seats and settled in for the long ride.
The scenery around Nong Khiaw is breath-taking, deep forest-shadowed valleys and soaring cliff edge roads. The initial ride was fantastic, with beautiful views and stunning scenes only occasionally interrupted by spine wrenching collisions with potholes.
Just as the shadows were lengthening and the light was turning gold we pulled into a small village. We hopped off the bus and stretched out. There was a small restaurant and a couple of stalls selling crisps and drinks. We had eaten just before leaving Nong Khiaw and were fully stocked with snacks and supplies. The shops out there in rural Laos were very different, there was the occasional recognisable brand but mostly it was brands we had never heard of, imported from China or Vietnam.
The minivan driver; a tiny man apparently made entirely of steel (he had lifted Ellie's bag in one hand whilst balancing on the minivan roof), had another motive for the village stop. Whilst we perused the shops he was with the local mechanic, checking and refilling the spare tyre, it was almost as if he knew what was ahead....
As the night drew in the road got worse and worse. Initially we had been on badly maintained roads but the tarmac had now all but disappeared. We were now on mud and gravel roads which were very much unsuitable to the heavy haulage running alongside us. Deep wheel troughs were gouged out of the muddy road surface and potholes the size of bomb craters littered the way. We bounced and crashed through these obstacles, being frequently flung out of chairs and crushed back by the seat belts. It was worse being sat near the back, you could never see what it was that caused the crash; you would just be dozing off and smash! We would be jolted into full panic wakefulness.
We did not get much sleep.
We had nearly no stops at all, after our short spare-tyre-check at the start of the ride we had only stopped once and that was for a five minute toilet break. We had been travelling for 9 hours but had nearly no breaks from the bone bouncing ride. Luckily our hard working drivers stamina finally gave out just before dawn and we pulled over for a nap. It was only an hour and a half of respite but it was like water in the desert, very very needed!
As the first light of dawn started to turn the black sky grey we were treated to a fantastic sight. Sam Neua is at a much higher altitude than Nong Khiaw (1200 metres v.s 400). We had climbed though the night and now had incredible views across the cloud filled valleys below. We were on a mountainous island in a sea of clouds. Other little hill tops punctured the ocean of clouds around us. It may have been the sleep deprivation but it seemed magical!
We pulled into the cold and misty bus stop at Sam Neua at around 5 in the morning, 12 hours after setting off from Nong Khiaw. Around us the breakfast barbecues of food stalls were just lighting their charcoal. We had been bounced, shaken and rattled but we had got there. We were feeling all adventurous and smug when we were brought swiftly down to earth; the lady who had just spent 12 hours wedged between the door and another passenger, whilst sat on a beer crate, cheerfully hopped on a waiting motorbike and sped off into the dawn. For us it was an adventure, for her it was Thursday.
It may not look like much, but this little warrior got us through the rough roads to Sam Neua!
Sam Neua to Vieng Xai - One last stretch
Of course we werent done yet! We had made it to the hub town of Sam Neua but not our final destination - the limestone cliffs and caves of Vieng Xai. From Sam Neua it was another 30-40 minutes to the east by bus before we would get dropped off near Vieng Xai.
To complicate matters further, the bus to Vieng Xai did not leave from the bus station we had arrived at in Sam Neua. Our bus station was a good hours walk from where we had been dropped off. We therefore did what we always do when unsure of our next move - Went to find food.
We had hung around the bus station for a little while and the fires of the stalls were now wafting the small of roasting meat at us. We resisted the urge to just stay put and gorge on grilled meats, hoisted our backpacks on and set off for the short walk into town.
After our Vieng Xai adventures we found ourselves back at the original Sam Neua bus stop for our connection to Phonsavan. On this second occasion we did get some sticky rice and grilled pork - It was delicious, filling and the perfect pre-bus meal!
15 minutes walk down the road and we found ourselves in the slowly waking town of Sam Neua. We headed first for some noodles at a busy early morning street side eatery. The noodles were just what we needed, warming and comforting after our long journey. On the wall of the noodle shop were a selection of phone numbers for local taxi firms, we jotted down some numbers for later, finished our bowls and headed back out into the morning light
Sam Neua, as we have said, is a lot higher up than Nong Khiaw and was positively chilly in the early morning. This unexpected cold was the perfect excuse to treat ourselves to some upmarket coffee! We had spotted the Yuni Coffee Co Cafe on Google maps during our research and our noodle stop had given it time to open (7am). The coffee, which was made from locally grown beans, was delicious and desperately needed.
The coffee at Yuni’s was desperately needed!
Not fancying a long walk with our backpacks we started casting about for a taxi. Dialling the numbers we had got from the noodle shop, we quickly heard back from one firm and booked our ride to the Nathong Bus Station.
From the bus station multiple buses go to (or rather past - see later), Vieng Xai. We bought two tickets (30,000 kip each), boarded a bus and waited for it to fill up with locals.
The bus set off in the glow of the morning and wound up and around incredible mountains, passes and gorges. After only about half an hour we came up to the turning for Vieng Xai, the bus rumbled to the side of the road and decanted two weary backpackers.
The bus dropped us on the main road where a smaller road forks off for Vieng Xai (around here), it was not a long walk (luckily!) into town from there. We trudged the final 10 minutes to our guest house and collapsed. After 12 hours on the worst roads we have experienced, 3 and a bit hours in Sam Neua and a final bus ride we had made it!
We had avoided the Luang Prabang Shuffle and now found ourselves somewhere completely new, unknown to us and exciting. This is what our kind of travel is all about!
The Practical Stuff
Why Go to Sam Neua?
Sam Neua Town is the gateway to Northeastern Laos. It is not on the normal "tourist trail" but is an amazing jumping off point for several hard-to-reach locations. From Sam Neua you can:
Explore the incredible Nam Et - Phou Louey National Park. This is now on our list of missed opportunities. We would love to explore the waterfalls, pools, jungles and amazing biodiversity of this National Park. It is best explored with a guide. Have a look at the tours (and unique accommodation) on their official site. It just didn't fit our plans or budget on this trip but looking back we are regretting not trying harder to accommodate it.
Technically part of the above; the Night Safari at Nam Nem is meant to be absolutely stunning. Travellers we met on the road told us it was one of the best things they did in Laos. Again a missed opportunity for us :(.
Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars. This is what made us look into the area around Sam Neua, if you are coming from Northern Laos - Nong Khiaw or Luang Namtha, then the only way to get to Phonsavan is to shuttle back to Luang Prabang and catch a long bus from there. Sam Neua provides another possible route, allowing you to skip going back to Luang Prabang. Of course this route only really makes sense to do if you then make the most of the area around Sam Neua, speaking of which...
Vieng Xai - This was what brought us to Sam Neua on that long and bumpy bus journey. Vieng Xai is a gorgeous little town surrounded by towering, dramatically shaped limestone mountains. You can find Vieng Xai on a map here. The area is the birthplace of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary party and the caves and mountains became homes, classrooms and cabinet offices for the party as it fought for independence from the French, then against the Americans in the "Secret War". The area is stunning, with amazing waterfalls, viewpoints, caves and history.
Sam Neua offers a route out of Northern Laos that not only saves you from traveling back and forth to Luang Prabang but also takes you to some 'off-the-beaten-path' destinations you might not have considered. It brings you out of the well-trodden places and let you see a little more of the country than the average traveller.
How to get to Sam Neua From Nong Khiaw
You need to ask at one of the tour offices in town. The bus stop does not sell the tickets as the bus does not technically stop in Nong Khiaw. We would recommend finding a tour office that does this regularly and knows the driver / company. After a couple of visits to different offices that did not fill us with confidence, we found this place. We are pretty sure that the google listing is for the wrong name but it is in the right place and you cannot miss it on the side of the road - just look for the sandwich boards offering tours and you will be in the right spot. The helpful man on the counter booked us seats right from Luang Prabang so we were guaranteed an actual seat (as opposed to a mid-aisle beer crate) on the long journey. He also had the drivers phone number and let us know exactly when the minivan would be arriving.
How much do tickets from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua Cost?
Our tickets cost 225,000kip each. This was for guaranteed seats and space for our two sizable backpacks. This was worth paying for the peace of mind, we did not want to find ourselves balanced on beer crates for 16 hours whilst rocketing through potholes!
Can you catch the minivan without using a tour agent?
If you are feeling lucky and want to chance doing it by yourself, just wait at the bridge around 5-7pm (bus timings are seldom exact in Laos) and flag down the minivan as it passes. It would be worth making a sign with the Laotian for Sam Neua (sometimes called Xam Neua or Samneua) written on it. It will be cheaper than buying tickets through an agency but you run the risk of a beer crate seat!
How long is the bus ride from Nong Khiaw to Sam Neua?
Our journey took 12 hours including a couple of shorts stops and a mini-nap for the driver. We were warned the journey can, if the roads are especially bad or busy, take up to 17 hours.
Ellie and our bags - safely deposited at the Southern Bus Station in Sam Neua
Can I stay in Sam Neua - Is there accommodation
There are plenty of guesthouses and hotels in Sam Neua. Staying in Sam Neua would be a great idea if you need somewhere to recuperate from the long journey before moving on to the national parks or elsewhere. You can find your accommodation choices here.
Sam Neua has markets, temples and even a viewpoint to explore. It is a much more industrial feeling town than Nong Khiaw - much less picturesque. However, it is a true Laotian town full of great food, coffee and people. You could easily spend a night there
How to get from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai
If you are coming from Nong Khiaw You will arrive in Sam Neua at the Southern Bus Station (located here). This is not the station that the Vieng Xai bus leaves from! You need to get to the Nathong / Na Thong Bus Station - located here. From the Nathong bus station several buses a day leave that will take you past the turning to Vieng Xai. Bus tickets from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai cost 30,000 kip per person. We caught the 10:30am bus, but beware - the schedule changes frequently and the times are just a suggestion! We would advise to check with a local when you arrive.
Our bus to Vieng Xai, waiting in Nathong Bus Station.
You can take a taxi from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai. Taxi’s cost around 500,000 kip so the it is a much more expensive option. However, a taxi may be necessary for your return to Sam Neua as there was no information on flagging down a bus to get back to the larger town! We caught the bus from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai but took an early morning taxi from Vieng Xai to Sam Neua for our bus connection to Phonsavan.
Another option is to rent a scooter in Sam Neua and ride it to Vieng Xai. There was no where we could find to rent scooters in Vieng Xai so this might not be a bad idea. Just make sure you can carry your luggage safely on the bike and be careful on the mountain roads! Also be warned - the scooter prices are a lot higher in Sam Neua (250,000 - 350,000 kip per day) than elsewhere in Northern Laos.
Tips for Long Journeys in Laos
Eat beforehand, the bus does not stop often and, on our journey at least, did not stop for a meal.
Bring snacks and plenty of water / drinks. It is a long journey, have some snacks available. You have much more choices of bus snacks in Nong Khiaw than you will get at the few roadside stops the minivan makes.
Bring a charger, the ride is long and can be delayed significantly by road conditions - make sure you don't run out of battery.
Bring a jacket or a hoodie - you will be travelling high up in the mountains overnight and it will get chilly.
Headphones are a must. You won’t want to be reading from a screen as it will be liable to be catapulted out of your hand when the minivan hits another pothole! Stock up on downloaded music and podcasts for the journey.
If you suffer from motion sickness then bring and take your meds! The roads are forever winding up or down the mountains of Laos.
Go with a sense of adventure - you will need it! All joking aside this is not a restful or "pleasant" bus ride it is a real adventure!
The road may be rough but the destinations are worth it. Happy trails!
Thanks for reading.
John & Ellie xxx
#adventuresofJellie
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Muang Ngoi - A Hidden Riverside Treasure In Northern Laos
Sitting on the banks of the Nam Ou River, Muang Ngoi is a perfect riverside escape in Northern Laos! Read our ultimate travel guide for everything you need to know about visiting from how to get there, what guesthouse to stay at and what to do.
Hidden on the banks of the Nam Ou River and bordered by towering limestone peaks, rice paddies and traditional villages, is the beautiful town of Muang Ngoi, a secluded riverside escape.
One of the hidden gems of Northern Laos, Muang Ngoi lets travellers experience the beauty and serenity of riverside life without sacrificing too many home comforts. Surrounded by stunning nature and full of things to do, Muang Ngoi is a fantastic addition to any Laos backpacking itinerary.
Many travellers will visit Muang Ngoi as part of a day trip or have a single overnight stay in this laid-back riverside town. We recommend staying longer and exploring further. There is so much to see and the serene, relaxed vibes will draw you in and make it hard to leave. We wound up staying 4 nights here, chilling on the banks of the river, exploring the local villages, hiking the viewpoints and generally just enjoying this sublime slice of traditional Laos.
Just as a side note - Muang Ngoi is also known as Muang Ngoi Neua and sometimes spelt Muang Ngoy. We will stick with Muang Ngoi in this article.
In this Muang Ngoi travel guide:
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Where is Muang Ngoi?
Muang Ngoi sits on the banks of the Nam Ou River deep in the mountains of Northern Laos. The town is tiny and resides within the Luang Prabang Province.
The nearest larger towns are Nong Khiaw in the south and Muang Khua to the north.
You can find Muang Ngoi on a map here.
How to get to Muang Ngoi?
The town of Muang Ngoi is only really accessible by catching a boat either up or downstream on the Nam Ou River. This extra effort protects the town from being overrun by visitors and helps keep its laid-back, secluded vibes.
Muang Ngoi from Luang Prabang / Nong Khiaw
Most travellers heading to Muang Ngoi will either be starting their journey in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang or the mountainous backpacker haven of Nong Khiaw.
If you are starting from Luang Prabang, your first step will be to get to Nong Khiaw. Buses depart multiple times a day and the journey will take between 2 and 3 hours between Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw. Click here to see your bus ticket options.
From Nong Khiaw you will need to take a boat upstream. There are two public boats departing from Nong Khiaw’s small pier everyday - you can find the pier here.
Boat tickets from Nong Khiaw to Muang Ngoi are sold on the day of departure and cost 70,000 kip per person. The first boat to Muang Ngoi leaves at 11.30AM and the second leaves at 2:30PM.
The journey to Muang Ngoi will take around 1.5 to 2 hours. The boat will stop at a few villages along the way.
When you’re looking to leave Muang Ngoi the same boat will set off from Muang Ngoi pier at 9AM.
If you miss the public boats, you can always charter a private boat upriver. This should cost you around 500,000 to 700,000 kip.
The boats from Nong Khiaw fill up quickly so our advice is to buy your tickets as soon as the ticket counter opens around 9AM. If you’re travelling with large luggage you can store your bags at the front of the boat. You can of-course book tickets through any of the tour agencies in town but they will add their own commission to the cost.
The boat trip from Nong Khiaw up to Muang Ngoi is very picturesque!
Muang Ngoi from Muang Khua / Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam
If you’re entering Laos from the Dien Bien Phu Border Crossing in Vietnam you can transfer by bus (around 6 hours) to the northern riverside town of Muang Khua in Laos.
From Muang Khua you can take a boat all the way down to Muang Ngoi. Public boats depart Muang Khua daily around 10AM and will cost 300,000 kip. The journey from Muang Khua downstream to Muang Ngoi will take around 4 to 6 hours.
What is there to do in Muang Ngoi?
Soak up the chilled village vibes
Muang Ngoi is simply gorgeous. A small town focussed along one main high street with traditional wooden houses and shops on either side of the road. As soon as you step off the boat you can feel the pace of life slow down and relax. The town is a great place just to wander and chill. Muang Ngoi is packed full of cafes, restaurants and guesthouses and you can spend a great afternoon just sitting down and watching the world go by.
It’s hard to explain but Muang Ngoi feels real and genuine. Despite the restaurants and guesthouses it doesn’t feel like a show for tourists. Chicken and ducks roam free about the high street whilst children chase each other and play cards on the floor. There are very few cars in Muang Ngoi, the 4 wheeled transport usually takes the form of a tractor so it's a very relaxed place!
There are several craft stores and weaving huts in the village and you can always catch one of the little old ladies hard at work on one of their intricate looms out in front of the houses. Several of the villagers will offer weaving lessons or sell you traditional handicrafts.
Come nightfall the charm really ratchets up. All of the houses lining the main road bring their dining tables out, stoke their barbecues and enjoy al-fresco village dining. The main road is full of people eating, delicious charcoal smoke and children running amok under the glow of the street lights.
Muang Ngoi really is a special place.
Even in Muang Ngoi, teenagers are still the same!
Watch the sunset from the banks of the Nam Ou river
Muang Ngoi sits in the privileged position on the eastern bank of the Nam Ou River. The sun sets behind the dramatic peaks that line the opposite, western bank. This means that you get some truly spectacular sunsets!
The river and its banks are always a hub of activity with fishermen, boats, buffalo and children playing. It’s always a great view watching the river at Muang Ngoi but sunset makes it extra special.
You can watch the sun go down from many of the cafes and restaurants that line the river or for a more backpacking, budget friendly alternative you can just sit on the banks of the river and watch the fiery display.
We’d recommend grabbing a pew on the steps down to the pier or on the pier itself for a prime sunset spot.
Click to watch the sun set over the beautiful Nam Ou River!
Hiking up the viewpoints - Muang Ngoi from above
If you have read any of our Nong Khiaw guides you will know we love trekking up for a good view! Luckily Muang Ngoi has several great viewpoints to hike up to.
There are two viewpoints right outside of the town that, unfortunately, have the same name - Phanoi / Phanoy / Pha Noi, Laotian sometimes can be a bit laissez-faire with spelling. Just to add to the confusion, they are both on the same road and very near to each other. Just for one more layer of complication - there is another Pha Noi viewpoint in Nong Khiaw! The way to tell the two viewpoints in Muang Ngoi apart is: one is called “Phanoi Viewpoint” and the other is “Phanoi Viewpoint and Caves”
Before heading to Muang Ngoi we would highly recommend getting Maps.me and downloading an offline copy of the Muang Ngoi area. Google Maps is not detailed enough and didn't have half of what Maps.me showed. These viewpoints are clearly separated and marked on Maps.me but are hard to tell apart on Google.
Phanoi Viewpoint
(GPS location - 20.712325, 102.677318) We have included GPS coordinates as the Google Map location isn't particularly helpful. Again you will have an easier time if you get Maps.Me!
This viewpoint is a very short walk to the right of the northern village temple, near the Bamboo Garden Restaurant. To get to the ticket counter you will need to clamber over a small stile and walk through a rubber plantation.
Tickets for the viewpoint cost 30,000 kip per person.
Once we had bought our tickets, we headed off through the small farmstead, dodging around chickens, puppies and even a peacock! There are two routes to climb up the viewpoint:
A short sharp 500m scramble up rocks
or
A longer 700m, more gentle climb
Being at the peak of physical perfection (sorry had to stop writing as we fell over laughing), we chose the easier, longer option.
We have since heard that the 500m option is in a state of disrepair, not impassable but certainly more of a challenge. It is not recommended to attempt this for sunset as the way becomes dangerous with lower light levels.
The 700m route started off rocky and steep with tall steps winding their way up through the jungle. As we climbed through the foliage, the route got easier and less vertical. The steep rocky terrain, giving way to a smoother staircase carved into the forest floor. As we neared the top of the viewpoint there was another brief scramble and a couple of precarious wooden ladders to climb.
The whole climb only took about 20-25 minutes but the view from the top was spectacular. The river frames the town and the valley perfectly!
Tickets: 30,000 kip per person
Climbing time: 20-25 minutes up and less back down (easily doable in an hour)
Difficulty: Easy
Phanoi Viewpoint and Cave
(GPS location - 20.715217, 102.675011)
To reach the Phanoi Viewpoint and Cave take the same route as the previous viewpoint but continue on down the road. There will be a small turning to your right (at the back of the temple) - the way is clearly marked. Take this road and head down the dirt track
Tickets for the viewpoint and cave are bought from a riverside cafe selling snacks and drinks. Tickets for the viewpoint cost 30,000 kip per person.
Once we had bought our tickets we set off up the steps that wind up the limestone cliff. We found this viewpoint much easier and very quickly we reached the entrance to the cave.
The entrance to the Phanoi Cave is full of lightwells but as you go deeper, it gets a lot darker!
The cave didn’t look like much from the outside, just a small opening in the rock, however after walking for 5 minutes inside we realised the scale and length of the cavern. It just kept going deeper and deeper into the mountainside. We lit our way with phone torches which illuminated amazing rock formations as well as old fire pits and remnants from the ‘Secret War’. It was a linear path and once we had reached the cave's deepest point - marked with a small Buddhist shrine - we headed back towards the light.
The viewpoint itself is up a few sets of wooden ladders all in various states of repair and decay. It never felt unsafe but at the same time, you should definitely watch your footing!
At the top there are two platforms with incredible 360 degree views over the town, river, surrounding countryside and mountains.
The viewpoint is not as high as the other Phanoi trek but the view is still fantastic. This hike, cave and viewpoint also features on many day-trip itineraries so it can get a lot busier. If you can, aim to hike early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid sharing the mountain with too many day-trippers.
Tickets: 30,000 kip per person
Climbing time: 45 minutes to an hour including a lengthy cave visit and photos at the top
Difficulty: Easy
Pha Boom Viewpoint
Honesty time, we did not climb this viewpoint. We visited Muang Ngoi right at the end of the rainy season and the way to the viewpoint has been completely cut off by the river. Normally, you would come out the south end of town, following the signs, cross a small bridge before making your way to the ticket counter.
When we visited, the bridge was long gone and the water far too high to wade. It also looks like there has been a significant landslide on the mountain which may have affected the way up. If the viewpoint is open it is meant to be a considerably more challenging climb than the other 2 viewpoints in town. This being said, the photos from the top look amazing!
Let us know in the comments if the way reopens and you climb to the top of Pha Boom viewpoint.
You can see the landslide wasn’t exactly small!
Explore the countryside - Walk to Ban Na Village and Houay Bo
This was our favourite “activity” we did during our stay in Muang Ngoi. The countryside surrounding the riverside town is simply beautiful with rice paddy fields creating a patchwork of green and gold between the towering peaks.
From Muang Ngoi you can walk around the area, visit the local villages and generally just enjoy the beauty of rural Laos. The village of Ban Na (location) is not far away and, if you're willing to go a little further you can wander all the way to Houay Bo village (location).
Did we mention that the Laotian countryside is stunning!
The road away from Muang Ngoi mainly follows the river and there are several paths you can take. We are going to share with you the route we took from Muang Ngoi to Ban Na and then on to Houay Bo. Our route involved a little bit of getting lost and fording a couple of streams.
We started our day by picking up some grilled sticky rice pancakes in town (see the food section later for more about these tasty morsels), before heading out along a dusty, rutted country road (here on a map). The road wound away from the riverside village and out into the countryside. We passed the gorgeous cave and pools at Tham Kang, avoided the man asking for money (see later) and made our way out into the Laotian countryside.
We really cannot overstate how pretty rural Laos is, especially if you are visiting at the end of the wet season. The rice was just ripening and the paddy fields were emerald green, shading to gold.
Google Maps does not do a good job of showing this route. The road on Google goes straight through the paddy field whereas the road in real life runs a little higher than the fields. Again, we very much recommend Maps.me for navigating rural Laos, Google Maps was frustrating at best and completely wrong a lot of the time.
If you are stuck with Google Maps our advice is to switch it to satellite mode. You can clearly see the correct paths on the satellite images and it helps you avoid the “roads” which Google thinks are there but do not in fact, exist.
Ban Na Village
Our dirt road wound around and down towards the small village of Ban Na.
At one point in the valley approaching the village we had to take off our shoes and ford a fast flowing (but thankfully shallow) brook.
It was a scorching day so the clean cold water was a welcome respite and, socks over our shoulders, we dried nearly instantly under the Laotian sun.
Ban Na is a quiet village full of wooden buildings, sleeping puppies and wandering ducks. There are a couple of guesthouses for those looking for an even more secluded escape. A few places sell drinks, snacks and food. There are also a couple of restaurants in town.
The town is surrounded by mountains and rice paddies, it is truly idyllic. A slice of Laos that, other than a few tv aerials, scooters and mobile phones, would look the same as it did 100 years ago.
We walked up to the Thong Restaurant (location), which had incredible views out over the paddy fields. We had meant to explore the nearby Peung History Caves but a fellow traveller advised us that they had been unable to find them and they didn't think they had reopened from the wet season.
Houay Bo Village
From Ban Na village we followed signs for Konsavan Restaurant and Guest House (location) in Houay Bo village. For some reason (possibly something to do with John's amazing sense of geography), we thought that Houay Bo was closer to Muang Ngoi and would be a perfect circular route…. Spoiler alert, it wasn't. Houay Bo is a good deal further south than Ban Na.
The road to Houay Bo was, again, beautiful. We started out by having to ford another, this time much wider, stream just outside of Ban Na. After drying off on the grassy banks we wandered through narrow country paths, over small hills and alongside farms and fields.
This far down the valley, the rice had already ripened and as we walked the narrow lanes towards Houay Bo we could see the locals harvesting, drying and threshing the golden crop. As we neared the village, our way was blocked by a small family of friendly buffalo.
We arrived at Houay Bo in time for a late lunch in the small wooden restaurant we had seen advertised. The menu was simple and all the meals were cooked over a charcoal fire behind the dining room. It was proper village cooking, simple but yummy.
You can actually stay in Houay Bo. The restaurant also has a guesthouse attached. The lovely owner came and talked with us when we were ordering. You can stay out with him and his family in the tiny village and learn about local life and crafts. He would pick you up at Muang Ngoi pier and drive you out in his tractor.
Speaking of tractors, you can actually get a lift with the lovely owner back to Muang Ngoi if you do not feel like the long wander home. You can also hire a scooter driver from Ban Na to ferry you back as well if you didn't get all the way to Houay Bo. We would definitely not recommend renting your own scooter and driving unless you are an expert at off road motorcycling. The road is only suitable for local experts and tractors.
The way back to Muang Ngoi
Not wanting to retrace the route we had already walked, we decided to take the backlanes back to Muang Ngoi. Maps.me and Google showed another easy route home that would take us up through the paddy fields and then rejoin the road near the Tham Kang Cave.
This was a lovely route, with only one more river fording (which resulted in a very soaked sock for one of us).
A cute addition to Team Jellie - meet out four pawed navigator!
Paddy fields, it turns out, are deceptively hard to navigate. We wove and wiggled through the small paddy-side paths without ever getting nearer our destination. We accidentally joined a harvest crew and wandered into another farmers lunch spot. We backtracked, got lost again and nearly just gave up. Then we finally spotted the way out. Socks squelching, we finally left the rice labyrinth. We probably made this a lot harder on ourselves, we tried to go straight back to the road when we should have stuck to the bottom of the fields and exited around here. It was a very pretty place to be lost though…
After leaving the fields behind us we found ourselves back on the “main” road to Muang Ngoi and a short walk from Tham Kang Cave.
The whole walk had taken us most of the day, including stopping to admire the scenery, our village lunch, chilling in the streams and getting lost in the paddy fields. It was a stunning walk and just what we hoped to find off the beaten path in rural Laos.
We keep saying “off the beaten path” and rural Laos but Muang Ngoi is far from being “undiscovered”. It seems to feature on quite a few tours so you will see plenty of other groups of travellers exploring the area. We like to keep it real on this blog and don’t want you thinking you’re going to be some kind of intrepid explorer hacking your way through the Laotian jungle!
That all being said, Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi and the areas of Northern Laos are much less travelled than the cultural capital of Luang Prabang or the backpacker haven of Vang Vieng.
We’d recommend packing swimwear as a dip in the Tham Kang Cave or one of the many nearby streams would make a fantastic end to a day's exploration. Speaking of which…
Tham Kang Cave
(location)
Set around 2.5km outside of Muang Ngoi, the Tham Kang Cave is an easy walk from town. We paired a visit to Tham Kang Cave with our exploration of Ban Na and Houay Bo villages (see above).
Tham Kang Cave has mixed Google reviews but this is just due to the overly enthusiastic ticket counter man who attempts to persuade gullible tourists to pay him for the privilege of just walking past the caves. If you’re just passing the caves on your way to Ban Na, don’t mind him, just agree not to take photos of the caves unless you want to pay the fee.
To explore the caves, the entrance fee is only 20,000 kip per person and is well worth this small expenditure.
The cave comes at a dip in the valley, with pure, bright blue waters flowing out from inside the mountain. The caves were used as shelter during the “Secret War” and there are signs outside showing rocks that were blown from the top of the mountain as well as what is meant to be the only surviving tree from the time.
There are two parts to the cave, one up a small set of stairs that leads into a really deep cave system that seems to completely disappear into the heart of the mountain. Watch your footing and bring a torch as it is pitch black with large drops deeper in the cave. We only had our phone torches with us which were completely useless in the deep dark of the cave so we didn’t venture too far in.
Outside above the turquoise water there is a smaller cave with a hidden swimming cove. The water is diamond clear and very inviting, so make sure you pack your swimwear as you can swim in this pool, the secret pool just inside the cave or in the river on the other side of the road!
If you’re hungry / thirsty there is a small restaurant called Sabaibeer (brilliant name) a short walk back towards town.
Swimming in the Nam Ou River
In the afternoon, when most of the boats had gone and the day-trippers had left, the pier at Muang Ngoi became the unofficial diving board for children, locals, backpackers and anyone else who fancied a dip.
It’s a great place to swim, with shallow banks on either side of the pier. Just make sure you get out of the way of any boats!
It is the same pier you will get off the boat when you arrive at Muang Ngoy, you can find it here on a map.
Muang Ngoi Pier is not exactly high-tech!
Kayaking on the Nam Ou River
You can rent kayaks from near to the pier, either as part of a kayaking trip or just for a few hours of fun splashing around on the water. We wished we’d done this for a sunset view as we had a brilliant time doing just that in Nong Khiaw!
Tad Mok Waterfalls
(location)
A short boat trip downstream will bring you to the village of Sop Keng and the short trek to the incredible Tad Mok Waterfalls.
Make sure you check out our guide to these unmissable falls below:
Take a boat to the weaving village of Sop Chem
(location)
If you’re into your arts and crafts, we heard great things about the nearby weaving village of Sop Chem.
In town you can arrange a day trip there or even stay overnight in the small village. If you want to visit Sop Chem independently just head to the pier and negotiate for a ride upstream. The boats leaving for Muang Khua may well stop here if you request it.
If you can’t make it to Sop Chem there are plenty of places in Muang Ngoi to try your hand at some traditional Laotian weaving!
Head downstream to Nong Khiaw
The backpacking haven of Nong Khiaw is ringed with incredible viewpoints, historic caves and amazing activities. Most travellers would head from Nong Khiaw to Muang Ngoi for a short trip but you could do this the other way round if you’re strapped for time and want to focus your stay in Muang Ngoi.
If you’re planning a trip to Nong Khiaw, check out our massive, ultimate guide to the town. It’s one of our favourite places on the planet and we’ve spent nearly a month there. Read more below:
Where to eat in Muang Ngoi
The sticky rice pancake lady
(location) - approximate, she moves around!
Setting up shop on the roadside a little way up the street from the Gecko’s restaurant we encountered one of favourite breakfast stalls we’ve found on our travels so far.
The pancake lady of Muang Ngoi has a very simple setup. A little steel pan was balanced on top of hot coals, whilst next to her sat, a pile of sticky rice patties and a bowl of coconut milk. In some kind of Laotian wizardry, the discs of sticky rice were quickly dunked in the coconut milk before being fried in the oil for just a couple of minutes on each side. For just two ingredients, what the lady produced was phenomenal!
It may not look much but it was soooo tasty!
Nutty, chewy and yet crispy, these steaming pillows of rice soaked up the sweet coconut milk and became a hearty, filling, super cheap and utterly delicious portable breakfast. If you’re in Muang Ngoi, make sure you head down the highstreet to find her, trust us you won’t be disappointed.
If you’re greedy like us, we’d recommend splashing the cash and ordering 2 pancakes each which will keep you full for hours.
Each pancake cost us 10,000 kip - a complete backpacking bargain!
Barbecued meats, stuff on a stick and deep fried goodies
Up and down Muang Ngoi’s main ‘high street’, shops and stalls will sell a variety of snacks to go. In the morning the shops will deep fry various crispy treats both sweet and savoury and when the sun goes down the barbecues fire up and small stalls selling skewers of vegetables, tofu and meat spring up on the roadside.
We highly recommend buying some grilled Laotian sausages, deep fried, sweet sesame balls and maybe even some of the barbequed mushrooms. It’s super cheap with sticks coming in at around 10,000 kip each.
The sticks also make a perfect accompaniment for sunset beers on the river!
Gecko Restaurant
(location)
Gecko’s was probably our favourite place to treat ourselves during our stay in Muang Ngoi. Set in a stylish, renovated shophouse complete with a reclaimed 7-11 sign, Gecko’s serves excellent coffee, delicious homemade cookies and lots of fantastic food.
Sometimes even us long-term travellers crave a bit of home comfort and Gecko’s could happily supply. We enjoyed a delicious ham and cheese sandwich served on freshly baked, proper baguette bread and one evening we treated ourselves to a fantastic pizza. Again, the bread base nearly stole the show. We don’t know what’s in the water in Muang Ngoi, but they bake fantastic bread up there!
All the food was made with imported or home grown ingredients and you could really taste the quality. It is more expensive than eating street food or the traditional Laotian food on offer in town, but sometimes you do need to treat yourself!
Penny’s Place
(location)
Probably the most popular restaurant in town, Penny’s sits at the main crossroads between the town and pier. Penny’s is run by a lovely friendly lady (Penny we presume) and serves a full menu of backpacker favourites, Laotian classics as well as pizza and sandwiches - all baked fresh in-house!
We enjoyed a delicious “suzy”, a Muang Ngoi specialty curry made with coconut milk, root vegetables and spices. It was sweet yet savoury, creamy yet light and very moreish. If you’re in Muang Ngoi, seek out some suzy, it’s available everywhere or be like us and head to Penny’s Place for a great one.
Veranda
(location)
As budget backpackers you can’t go wrong with some fried rice and the Veranda restaurant serves up a brilliant plate! Slightly charred from the wok and stuffed full of pork, egg and green vegetables, it was exactly what we needed to fill us up after a day of hiking. We’d always recommend adding some of the chilli for extra punch, if it's not on the table just ask for it.
Veranda is located almost in the middle of the main high street and was always busy when we passed by.
Vita Restaurant
(location)
Located opposite Gecko Restaurant with seating on an open wooden veranda, Vita Restaurant serves up excellent Laotian food. We ordered a plate of chicken larb (or laab), a pumpkin curry and some sticky rice all of which were brilliant.
Unlike the larbs we’ve eaten before, the chicken larb came out piping hot and laced with fresh herbs and zingy citrusy goodness. The pumpkin curry was pure comfort in a bowl. Sweet, luxurious and delicately spiced, it was the perfect counterpoint to the fresh larb.
If you haven’t tried pumpkin curry in Laos make sure you seek it out, it’s super moreish!
Where to stay, accommodation in Muang Ngoi
Muang Ngoi has plenty of guesthouses both on the riverside and set further back in town. Most of the accommodation is geared towards 1 night visitors so if you’re staying a little longer you can usually negotiate a better price.
In the high season Muang Ngoi can get busy so you may want to book in advance. You can have a look at the online booking options here or check out our handy booking map below:
We were travelling in the quiet period at the end of the rainy season and rolled the dice at finding our accommodation when we arrived. This worked out really well for us as we got a prime air-conditioned room overlooking the river with a private balcony and en-suite for under £10 per night (275,000 kip) at the Say Lom Guesthouse. We found that there were a lot more places to stay in Muang Ngoi than showed up online.
Our balcony riverside view from our room at the Say Lom Guesthouse!
If you haven’t booked accommodation there will be people from the guesthouses waiting on the pier ready to offer you a room.
As we mentioned you can also stay in Ban Na and Houay Bo villages. You can either book to stay with these as part of a tour or directly with the guesthouses themselves.
What to pack for Muang Ngoi?
Pack comfy clothes you can hike in, swimwear and lots of sunscreen and mosquito repellent!
If you have been staying in Nong Khiaw and are going to return there after your Muang Ngoi trip you can try asking your Nong Khiaw guesthouse to look after your larger luggage and pack a lighter bag for Muang Ngoi. This will make it much easier getting on and off the public boat. We were staying (as we always do in Nong Khiaw) at the Meexai Guesthouse. We left our large 50ltr backpacks with them and just packed our day bags with everything we would need. this worked out fine, even when we extended our stay in Muang Ngoi!
Where to go after Muang Ngoi
From Muang Ngoi you realistically have 2 choices.
North to Muang Khua where you can reach the Vietnamese border or head deeper into the true north of Laos.
Or you can go downstream south to Nong Khiaw which has links to Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha or, for the more adventurous, Sam Neua and Vieng Xai.
The boat ticket office in Muang Ngoi opens at 7.30 AM. Boats leave for Nong Khiaw from Muang Ngoi pier everyday at 9 AM. Tickets cost 70,000 kip per person. If you’re planning on heading north to Muang Khua, the boat departs from the pier at 1 PM and tickets cost 300,000 kip per person.
You can book onward bus tickets to Luang Prabang or Luang Namtha at the bus station in Nong Khiaw, via a travel agent in town or online via 12Go.
Is Muang Ngoi worth the trip?
Um… obviously yes! Muang Ngoi is wonderful. A laid back, tranquil, slice of rural Laos. There are no cars, no resorts (yet) and the whole town has a rustic realism to it. There are creature comforts here but for the most part it's just you, the river and the beautiful scenery.
The town has plenty to do to keep you occupied when you’re not relaxing on the riverside. As backpackers it was a fantastic destination as we could go anywhere and see everything either for free or for a super cheap price. If you have planned a trip or are enjoying Nong Khiaw it is 100% worth your time to add a stay upstream to Muang Ngoi to your itinerary. Whether you’re travelling solo, a backpacker couple looking to unwind, or you're travelling with a group of friends and want to really explore Laos, Muang Ngoi is a great addition to any Laotian backpacking itinerary.
We planned to stay just 2 nights in Muang Ngoi, but within 2 hours of arriving we doubled this and stayed for 4. It is a really special place, where you can just unwind and appreciate the beauty of Laos.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Tad Mok Falls - Waterfall Hunting in Northern Laos
The Tad Mok Waterfalls are a perfect day trip from Nong Khiaw or Muang Ngoy. Accessible via a short boat journey and a hike across beautiful paddy fields, the Tad Mok Waterfalls make for an adventure filled expedition! Read our guide for all the information you need for visiting these incredible falls, from how to get there, ticket prices and what to wear.
Located upstream from the backpacking haven of Nong Khiaw, lies the beautiful Tad Mok Waterfall. These cascading falls tumble down through dense jungle, over limestone rocks and across shelves of stone to form small pools and rapids. Accessible via a short boat trip on the Nam Ou River followed by a hike through a stilted village and across picturesque paddy fields; the Tad Mok Waterfalls are a true natural hidden gem of Northern Laos.
Read on to hear about our day visiting the falls and find out all the information you’ll need to have your own day Tad Mok Waterfall hunting!
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Our Day Exploring Tad Mok Waterfall
The morning started, as most of our mornings do in Nong Khiaw, with a lazy brew in Home Coffee. After a fantastic day climbing up the 100 Waterfalls Trek (read more about our day trip here), we were eager to escape town and find our own waterfall adventure.
The Tad Mok Waterfall is advertised all over the tour agencies in Nong Khiaw as part of a longer, multi stage trip. We fancied making our own adventure. Unlike the 100 Waterfalls Trek, the Tad Mok falls looked easily accessible from the river's edge. All we needed to do was get a boat there!
Caffeinated, picnic acquired and swimwear packed, it was time to head to Nong Khiaw’s main boat pier to find transport upriver.
At the pier, we were offered a large private boat for 600,000 kip which then, after some moderately unsuccessful negotiation, went down to 500,000 kip for a smaller boat. Being the budget backpackers that we are, we knew we could get the price down lower. So we decided to hang around the banks of the pier in the hopes that a cheaper boat driver would come to our aid.
Sure enough, within a couple of minutes, a man appeared. After some quick negotiation on prices and a few phone calls from our new local friend, the sound of an engine quickly appeared and we had our boat for 400,000 kip!
Our colourful boat all ready to depart!
We hopped in and the small boat roared to life and drove out under Nong Khiaw’s main bridge. The journey to the falls was beautiful. As soon as we had left the houses of Nong Khiaw behind, it was just us, the river and rural Laos.
We passed by stilted villages, riverside vegetable gardens and herds of buffalo. On the banks of the river, the sounds of laughter and splashing rang out as children played in the water.
After around 45 minutes, the boat pulled alongside a steep, muddy riverbank. The only indicator that this was our stop was a small floating log that marked the pier and entrance to Sop Kong village. We hopped out, precariously balancing on the small (now moving) log and headed up the mud steps to the village.
Just like this pig - Sop Kong is a very sleepy Laotian village!
We followed the main road through the stilted wooden houses, past chickens pecking, dogs sleeping and women washing at the communal village tap. It was a world away from the backpackers, bars and restaurants of Nong Khiaw downstream.
We wandered through the sleepy village and turned left towards the Tad Mok ticket booth. Tickets purchased (20,000 kip each), we followed the dusty path out of the village towards the vibrant green rice paddy fields.
The short hike to the Tad Mok Waterfall can only be described as beautiful, in fact it’s probably the most picturesque hike we’ve had to find a waterfall. Following a small raised path, the trail to the waterfall wound its way through paddy fields, across small streams and past cows, chickens and buffalo. We were visiting at the end of the wet season and the rice was ready for harvesting. On all sides, a thick blanket of green and gold spread out in front of us.
A minor blockage on the path to Tad Mok Waterfall!
We continued through the fields until we saw a line of locals all bent over the golden grains. The rice harvest had begun! We stopped in the shade of the tree and watched as the locals worked in unison to cut, harvest and thrash the rice.
After 40 minutes we reached the paths to the falls. We took the left hand path (read on to find out which route you should take) and climbed a small hill. At the top we could hear the thundering roar of water. We followed a right hand fork in the path that took us to a steep set of steps down, the trail disappearing into the thick jungle. We clambered down and were greeted by a huge sheet of white. We had arrived at the Tad Mok Waterfall.
The beautiful Tad Mok Waterfall!
The curtain of white, churned down over smooth and jagged rock into a turquoise pool surrounded by mossy green boulders with the dense jungle on either side. It looked like the perfect spot for a swim!
The water was amazing. Shockingly cold at first (one of those places where it’s worse to go in slowly) but once you’re fully in, super energising. It felt so nice to wash the sweat off of us and cool down under the ferocious water. We had arrived just as a tour group was leaving, so it was just us and the waterfall. It was perfect. We spent the next hour floating around in the cool water, sitting on rocks and photographing the mighty falls.
After our refreshing dip, it was time to change, head back up the hill and across the rice paddies. As it was mid afternoon, the once hive of activity in the fields had now come to a halt and the paddies were empty. Instead, the smell of meat cooking on charcoal wafted through the air and the sounds of beer bottles and singing could be heard from the small houses lining the fields. From the sound of it, we guessed it had been a successful day's harvest!
We wound our way back across the raised paths, jumped over the streams and arrived at the colourful gates of the Yensabai Organic Farm (location), it was time for some quick refreshment!
Following the bamboo path we entered the garden of the farm. On all sides were trees laden with colourful fruits and vegetable patches covered in a thick carpet of green leaves.
We ordered two mango smoothies that hit the spot perfectly. The mangoes for our two smoothies were harvested straight from the trees behind us.
The Yensabai Organic Farm is open Monday to Friday from 8AM until 6PM and has a small menu of fresh fruit smoothies, tea and coffee, sweet treats as well as fried rice and noodles. The farm also offers basic lodgings as well as volunteering opportunities on the farm.
Refreshed, it was time to leave the peaceful farm and head back to the village to find our boat driver.
Back on the boat, our driver let the boat float back to Nong Khiaw with the current. Above us, the mid-afternoon sun was at its fullest, beaming rays down across the jagged limestone mountains. The light rays interlaced with the shadows of the rock, creating a tableau of shadow and highlight where the mountains rose and fell.
We continued floating downstream, whilst rural Laotian life passed us by. Herds of buffalo were sunbathing in the shallow waters, whilst local fishermen wrangled with huge silver nets. We bobbed along with the current, passing golden spires of hidden temples, children swimming in the river and women folding up colourful pieces of laundry. It was one of those journeys where we sat in silence and appreciated the world as it flowed past us.
The silence was eventually broken as we rounded the corner and started to see signs of modern life - we were approaching Nong Khiaw. The dense bushes on the riverside gave way to wooden guesthouses and other travellers could be seen paddling their way upstream in kayaks.
As we pulled back up to the pier, the fiery sun created a golden glow, bathing everything in the warm light. Disembarking, we both looked at each other and smiled. It had been a successful day waterfall hunting!
Tad Mok Waterfall, Laos - Essential Information for Visiting
Where is the Tad Mok Waterfall?
The Tad Mok Waterfall can be found on a map here.
You will be dropped off at the banks to Sop Kong Village (also known as Sop Keng). From the village head to the ticket counter and then it is short hike through the Laotian countryside to reach the falls.
We’d recommend downloading Maps.me beforehand so you can have an offline copy of the walking trail.
How to get to the Tad Mok Waterfall
To reach the Tad Mok Waterfall you’ll need to catch a boat upstream from Nong Khiaw or downstream from Muang Ngoy (also known as Muang Ngoi). From either place, just ask for a boat to Sop Kong.
From Nong Khiaw the boat ride will take around 45 minutes to reach Sop Kong. From Muang Ngoi it will be a lot quicker!
Once you’ve disembarked from the boat, head through the village until you reach the temple. At the temple take the path to the left to reach the ticket booth. Once you’ve bought your tickets, it’s a 2 km walk (around 45 minutes) through paddy fields to reach the waterfalls. You can’t get lost, the path is linear and there are signs showing you the way.
Tad Mok Waterfall - Which Path to Take?
Near to the base of the waterfall, there are two paths. Both paths will take you to the Tad Mok Waterfall.
The first route (the path to the right) will take you through up through the river and will involve some clambering. This route follows the river upstream and you will need to haul yourself up and over the rocks to reach the waterfall. This route is the wet option!
To avoid getting wet, at least until you swim in the waterfall, take the left hand path which winds up the hill. As you reach the top, you’ll hear the water tumbling and see a right hand fork in the path. The right hand fork is not at the top of the hill but on your way up, just keep an eye out! Take this route and head down where you will find a small hut. To the right of this hut there is a steep staircase that leads down through the jungle to the waterfall and swimming pool.
We were warned by a local guide that the right hand route should only be used to reach the waterfalls. This route gets extremely slippery and can be dangerous to walk down. His advice was to take the staircase (left hand path from the bottom) when leaving the falls.
Our advice would be to do a circular route - take the right hand path and climb up over the waterfalls and then, when you’re ready to leave, take the steep staircase up which links you to the left hand pathway.
If you’re heading to the falls during the wet season or during rainy weather, consider taking the left hand route to get to and from the waterfalls.
The two different paths that lead to Tad Mok Waterfall!
Entrance Fee - Tad Mok Waterfall
Tickets to the Tad Mok Waterfall cost 20,000 kip per person.
On top of this cost you will need to arrange a boat ride. We paid 200,000 kip per person to take us to Sop Kong. The price included our boat driver waiting for us and driving us back to Nong Khiaw. The 400,000 kip price was for a small boat that could have easily fit 2 more people. This would bring the cost down. The larger boats we were offered could fit more people still so might actually be cheaper if you have a larger group.
If you’re extremely energetic, you could kayak to Tad Mok but just beware that it is not the most obvious landing site and you may be risking your canoe. Also if you’re coming from Nong Khiaw you’ll be heading a couple of hours upstream by kayak so it will definitely be a workout!
Opening Times
There are no official opening times. Unless you’re volunteering at Yensabai Organic Farm you’ll need to arrange a boat from wherever you are staying to get to the village of Sop Kong, therefore you won’t be arriving until mid-morning.
We’d recommend planning a full day out to the waterfall - have a lazy brunch and head upstream around midday / early afternoon, so that you can be back in time in Nong Khiaw for sunset.
What to Pack / Wear
Swimwear is a must, but other than that it’s completely up to you. We’d recommend something comfy / breathable and shoes to hike in.
Make sure to put lots of suncream on and douse yourself in mosquito repellent. At the falls there are lots of ants, mosquitoes and a number of other flying critters that’ll be eager to make you their lunch!
We wore quick drying athletic-wear and trainers that were perfect for the short hike to the waterfalls. At the waterfall we changed into our swimwear and dove in.
There are a couple of streams and water channels to cross on the trek but these all had some form of stepping stones. If you’re planning to climb up the waterfalls (see routes above) the rocks will be slippery and your feet will get wet so make sure you plan accordingly!
How Long to Spend at the Falls
It should take you around 45 minutes to reach the waterfalls from Sop Kong village. The trail is just over 2 km in length.
Once there, it all depends on how much of an aquaphilic you are. We spent around 45 minutes there having a swim, taking photos and drying off after our dip.
If you’re visiting the Tad Mok Waterfall independently, confirm with your boat driver what time they will be picking you up from Sop Kong pier. Our driver requested we were back at the pier by 3.30pm to 4pm to get back to Nong Khiaw before sunset.
Facilities at the Falls
As you can imagine, the Tad Mok Falls aren’t Niagara and are located in the middle of the Laotian jungle so facilities are at a minimum!
There is a small wooden hut for changing in and a couple of benches to sit / store your things on near the waterfall pool.
If you need the toilet, your best bet is to make a stop at the Yensabai Organic Farm either before or after your waterfall visit.
There are a few shops in Sop Kong Village selling soft drinks, water, and snacks.
Where to Stay in Nong Khiaw or Muang Ngoy
We visited the falls from Nong Khiaw which is full to the brim with small guesthouses. We can highly recommend staying at Meexai Guesthouse - perfect for budget backpackers. Comfy, en-suite rooms with a small outdoor seating, it had everything we needed.
To book a stay at Meexai Guesthouse or to take a look at all the other accommodation available in Nong Khiaw, click here.
If you’re heading to the falls from Muang Ngoy, there’s plenty of riverside accommodation. To book your accommodation in Muang Ngoy check out what's on offer here.
Other Things to do in Nong Khiaw
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, Nong Khiaw is the perfect place to base yourself for some outdoor adventuring. With plenty of viewpoints to hike to as well as kayaking and plenty of water based activities there’s lots to keep you occupied. We’ve spent nearly a month in the town and absolutely love it there.
Click below to read our ultimate guide to Nong Khiaw!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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The 100 Waterfalls Trek - A Day Out Hiking From Nong Khiaw
The 100 Waterfalls Trek is an easy one day hike from the Northern Laotian town of Nong Khiaw. Follow our day as we trek up the waterfalls (was there 100 of them?) and find out all the essential information for trekking to the falls. From the costs to whether you should go alone, our blog covers everything.
The 100 Waterfalls trek takes you from the northern Laotian town of Nong Khiaw, down the Nam Ou river, through villages and farms untouched by time and into a hidden jungle wonderland of falling water. The walk takes you deep into the Laotian forests and follows a winding jungle river as it cascades down from the surrounding limestone mountains. The One Hundred Waterfalls is one of the best one day options for trekking in Nong Khiaw. Read on to find out why!
All over the northern Laotian town of Nong Khiaw are signs and sandwich boards offering treks, camping and expeditions. Written across many of these chalked billboards was the intriguing “100 Waterfalls Trek”. The trek had grabbed our attention on our first visit to Nong Khiaw in January but, as it was the heart of the dry season we had been advised the waterfalls would not be at their best. This time we were visiting in October, at the tail end of the rainy season.
It was time for us to see some waterfalls, maybe even 100 of them.
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The rivers of Laos are endlessly pretty!
The 100 Waterfall Tour - Our Experience
The tour started in the way many do in Laos: a tour agency, followed by a scooter ride followed by another tour agency. Most of the agencies in Nong Khiaw offer the same “menu” of treks and tours. When you book onto a trek, you will be ferried around town to the people that actually provide the tour.
Our group was small for the 100 Waterfall trek, just us and one other British couple. After introductions and a brief description of the day ahead we walked down to the Nong Khiaw dock.
Dock is a grandiose word, Nong Khiaw doesn't have a dock, it barely has a pier. Nong Khiaw has a small 2x4 metre floating blue plastic pier that doesn't quite line up to the steps down from the riverbank. After a precarious boarding, we pushed off from the riverbank, revved up the engine and set off. Our transport downriver was a compact, flat-roofed boat with wooden planks as seats. Like lots of things in Laos, it was simple, practical and did the job!
There is something magical about river transport in Laos. Even with a modern engine growling and sputtering in the background, the journey feels timeless. On the river’s banks herds of buffalo wallowed in the mud and shallows with birds and insects flitting overhead. Farms with bamboo and wooden houses appeared, seemingly at random, from the dense jungle clad banks. Other river users cruised past our boat, their craft laden with supplies from the markets in Nong Khiaw. We love travelling by river in Laos, it is such a great way to get out and really see the country. If you haven't already, make sure you check out our article on the slow boat journey between Luang Prabang and the Thailand border at Houayxay.
After around 45 minutes down the Nam Ou river, our boat pulled up to a set of stairs leading down from a temple. We (gracelessly in John's case) disembarked, climbed the stairs and entered the small village of Don Khoun.
The village had no cell reception and, our guide explained, most of the power came from a few solar panels that were fitted on a some of the houses. If the town needed something it didn't grow or farm itself, it had to go upriver to the market at Nong Khiaw. The houses were a mix of breezeblock, woven bamboo and corrugated iron and the roads were packed earth. Chickens clucked whilst their chicks panicked and ran about everywhere, in the shade next to the houses dogs lazed and lounged. It was the middle of the day so there were not many people around. Our guide told us that everyone would be out working the fields. It was nearing harvest time for the rice, a busy time for any Laotian farming community.
The village was, for better or for worse depending on your perspective, what we had imagined a Laotian forest village to look like, humble but proud at the same time, a traditional village on the slow but inexorable transition into modernity. Our mobile phones had no signal but the reed walled houses were slowly sprouting satellite dishes.
We walked through the town and quickly came out onto the rice paddy farms surrounding Don Khoun - beautiful would be an understatement. Rice paddies, like the tea gardens of India or Sri Lanka, are just a ridiculously good looking form of farming. Now, at the end of the wet season, the rice was bright emerald green with some of the grains just starting to turn amber gold.
Some of the fields were just ripening.
Some of the rice had already turned gold!
We walked along narrow paths around and between the rice terraces, the sheaths of rice tickling us as we passed. We had a water break under the stilts of a farmers house. Under the raised floor was a small anvil and forge as well as a fishing pond, vegetable garden and chicken coop. Our guide explained that the farmers were mostly self-sufficient, not requiring much from town throughout the year. We sipped our water next to a swelling patch of squash.
We continued on and soon left the farmland behind and entered the forest. It was a gloriously hot and sunny day and the shift from baking, blazing sun to the dappled light of the forest was very welcome. We could soon hear the sound of running water. This is where the 100 Waterfalls began in earnest; we had reached the jungle river.
At first we hopped across stepping stones and jumped from bank to bank but soon it became clear that there was no escaping getting our shoes wet. The 100 Waterfall Trek is a hike up river - literally up a river! We were to walk, climb and wade through the 100 waterfalls winding up through the gorgeous Laotian Jungle.
We clambered through the rushing clear water of the stream, up old wooden ladders and across moss covered rocks. It was beautiful. The forest all around was filled with the mysterious chirps, whines and buzzes of insects. We spotted massive millipedes on the path and our guide pointed out (and sometimes removed) colourful spiders.
The trail on the 100 Waterfall trek is not so much a path as a river!
As silly as it sounds, on a tour from a tourist friendly town like Nong Khiaw, the trek made us feel like explorers. At least it made us feel like what we wanted explorers to feel like when we were kids. We were deep in a beautiful jungle, wading through rushing clear water, out on an adventure!
An adventure cannot be an adventure without a little peril or discomfort. On the 100 Waterfalls Trek the “peril” (not really a peril at all) was provided by the leeches. These tiny wiggling bloodsuckers could be found slinkying their way across our shoes and attempting to gain access to our ankles. Our guide was great and somehow managed to spot most of the ‘orrible little critters, even when they were on John’s black shoes!
Leeches are ugly and unpleasant but, realistically, much better than mosquitoes. They may turn your stomach but their bites are painless, they don't carry the diseases mosquitoes do and, when they are done feeding, the bites itch half as much!
We reached the pinnacle of the trek about an hour or so after leaving the farmland behind. At the top of a set of wooden ladders, their predecessors still visible, mouldering away underneath, lay the final waterfall of the trek.
It was hard to take close up photo’s, the waterfall kept soaking the Go-pro!
Falling from above in a ribbon of frothing white, the fall cascaded down into a plunge pool before coiling around fallen rocks and dropping again downwards on to the trail that we had just climbed. It was a stunning spot. The forest around opened up and gave a phenomenal view over the jungle we had been walking through. We stripped off and soaked in the waterfall spray.
The waterfall and viewpoint was also our lunch stop. A bench table had been fashioned out of bamboo and wood. Our guide cut some long green leaves for a tablecloth and we unwrapped our meals. It was simple and delicious; rice noodles in a sesame / lime sauce with eggs and vegetables, followed by a sweet banana. Just what was needed after a hot jungle walk! The table was set up in the perfect aspect - looking out at the view and across the green carpet of trees that made up the forest.
Lunch with a view!
It was one of those meals where you have to, every so often, put down your chopsticks and look at where you are dining!
After lunch we looped back down a different and slightly quicker path to the farmland and back to Don Khoun. We re-boarded our boat and chugged a short way back upstream to another small hamlet. We walked through this village dodging flocks of ducks and the occasional excited puppy. All the while our guide was pointing out important village practices and interesting facts.
It was the day before schools began again and there was a ruckus coming from the local schoolhouse. It honestly sounded like a loudspeaker was playing the sounds of an orchestra tuning up very very badly. What it was, in fact, was the sound of a large group of 8-10 year old boys attempting to rearrange and clean a classroom. If you ever need a lot of noise made (and not much cleaning achieved), 8-10 years old is the demographic to ask!
From this final village we jumped back on our boat and put-putted our way back upstream to the pier at Nong Khiaw.
It had been a brilliant day. We usually avoid doing organised tours but, on this occasion, it had been well worth the money and time. We don't know if there were 100 waterfalls that we climbed that day but it was one of the most beautiful jungle hikes we have ever done. The scenery; from the villages to the rice terraces, the jungle streams and the waterfalls was like something out of a children's book. We are always worried that we romanticise what we see but, honestly, it was like the exploration of our imaginations. We had waded through amazing jungle rivers, up crumbling ladders and had lunch at an overgrown, waterfall flanked viewpoint - it had been fantastic.
The 100 Waterfall Trek - Tips, Tricks and Practical Information
How long is the 100 Waterfall trek?
The walk itself is around 3.5 to 4 hours. The tour takes most of the day - We met up at 9:00 and got back to Nong Khiaw around 15:00. This includes the boat rides there and back, the village visits and having lunch.
How difficult is the 100 waterfalls trek?
The trail is not difficult at all. It is slightly uphill for a large portion of the walk. You will need to balance on rocks and pick your way through running water but the guides are great and will help out at any slippery points. There are a few wooden ladders to climb but they are not very high and there are only a couple of them. The heat is the only real challenge with this trek, and this can be countered by drinking lots of water and wearing light clothing. We are not any sort of athletes and found this to be an easy but rewarding trek.
What should you wear on the trek, what should you bring?
Dress for a day of outdoor activity! Light, breathable, quick drying clothes are great. Ellie wore active leggings and a running top and John was in running shorts and an athletics top.
As to footwear, it is a little more difficult. You need good grip so do not attempt the trek in flip flops! Do be aware though that whatever is on your feet is going to get soaked in river water - there is no avoiding it. Sections of the trail are in knee-deep running water so no matter how “waterproof” your shoes are, your feet are getting wet.
Drying your shoes in Nong Khiaw
We both have waterproof hiking shoes, but all this means is they take much longer to dry when you do inevitably go beyond ankle-deep! Make sure you factor in drying out wet shoes to your travel plans after doing the waterfall. In Nong Khiaw there are several guesthouses and laundry services that will clean and dry shoes for you so check one of them out if you are short on time.
If you have hiking sandals they would get you around the “soaked shoe” problem but expose you to another issue: leeches. Our shoes delayed or stopped either of us getting leeched but, if you have your toes wiggling and free you will not be so lucky! If you are worried about the leeches use insect repellent that has DEET in it.
On the subject of DEET: Do make sure you have mosquito repellent on as well as sunscreen. Take sunscreen with you so you can reapply after wading in the waterfalls
If you are on a tour they will supply you with drinking water but you will need to carry it yourself so bring a rucksack.
For food, you will have lunch provided on the tour (bring your own if you are doing a DIY adventure), but you may want some snacks in case you get peckish! We recommend the deep fried banana chips you can find at any stall in Nong Khiaw.
You can bring a camera but we would keep it in a dry bag whilst walking. A GoPro is great idea as you can have it out on the trek itself.
Dressed to impress!
Can I do the Trek without a tour or a guide?
This is a controversial question and we honestly do not know who is in the right.
You can definitely get a private boat to Don Khoun village and pay a local to take you to the falls. It would be much cheaper than the cost of a tour from town. Our tour guide said that they actively discourage people from doing this as the money that goes back into the town is less and it is not regulated as to where the money goes. We met a couple of other travellers who were doing the trek independently and had paid two young village kids to take them up the trail. Our guide told us that the treks arranged by the Nong Khiaw agencies were regulated and the trail/tour had been made to bring money into the local communities. Going around the tours, he said, was taking the benefits of the community's work but depriving them of the full money.
Conversely however, the Google reviews for the 100 Waterfall Trek, tell the opposite story. The reviewers on Google state that the agencies in Nong Khiaw are taking all of the money and are exploiting the local villages. We are not experts but we really did not feel that this is what was happening; the villagers all seemed to like our guide, he knew everyone by name and was from a neighbouring village. We stopped at village shops and were encouraged to buy snacks or beers from them. Our guide spoke perfect English and was extremely knowledgeable about the local customs, plants and animals. We do not regret spending the extra money and taking the tour.
We do not know enough to say who is right in this debate and our knowledge is biased (we took the tour) and anecdotal. We had a brilliantly organised day out with a local guide, who spoke English and was from the area. The travellers we ran into paid a man in the village for a guide and were given two ten-year olds to show them to the top…
Doing the trail alone - No guide or tour.
We would not recommend trying the trail without a guide. The way is not always clear and the trail is not marked or mapped. Also, this is Laos and you should not go off piste in the forest. There is always the risk of unexploded ordinance from the ‘Secret War’. Locals and guides will be confident in the area and know where to avoid.
The countryside of Laos is beautiful but not one to explore without a local!
How much does the 100 Waterfalls Tour cost?
The 100 Waterfalls Trek costs $30.00 (around 660,000 kip) per person from any of the agencies in Nong Khiaw. If you have a large group you will be able to negotiate a lower per person price. The cost includes all transport, drinking water, lunch and an English speaking guide.
If you do want to do the tour independently then expect to pay 300,000 - 500,000 kip for the boat to and from Don Khoun and another 100,000 - 200,000 kip per person for a guide (who may be a child and will almost certainly not speak much English) for the trail.
What season should you do the 100 Waterfalls Trek?
The dry season in Laos runs from November to April. In the peak of the dry season the 100 Waterfalls will be nearly nonexistent. We visited once in January and were advised the tour was not running as the falls were dry. If you come at the start or end of the dry season you may be able to do the tour, just check with the tour agencies, google reviews and other travellers before booking.
In the wet season (May - October) the falls will be in full swell and the trek will be at its most impressive. We visited at the start of October, at the tail end of the wet season, and the trek was fantastic with full falls and clear skies. Just keep an eye on the forecast, it would not have been so much fun in the rain!
Is the 100 Waterfalls Trek worth it?
Absolutely, 100%, no doubt whatsoever! The trek is great fun and takes you through some unbelievable scenery. From the villages to the rice terraces, shady forests and fast flowing streams, to clambering up waterfalls and dining on the viewpoint, the trek is a series of unforgettable moments. Nong Khiaw is an amazing place full of opportunities for adventure and the 100 Waterfall trek is one of the highlights of the area for us.
Other things to do in Nong Khiaw
If you are staying in Nong Khiaw make sure you have read our complete guide to the town. We have been to Nong Khiaw multiple times now and it is one of our favourite places on planet earth. Our guide covers everything about the town, from what to do and where to stay to where to find the best food and a good night out.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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The Secret Shrine of Luang Prabang - A Jungle Walk
Come with us as we explore a lesser known side to Luang Prabang. On the other side of the Mekong River we find a string of beautiful temples leading along the river to a secret, overgrown hilltop shrine. Escape the busy streets of Luang Prabang and discover this off the beaten path adventure!
Luang Prabang is the cultural capital of Laos and is stuffed full of some of the world's most beautiful temples and shrines. From the peak of Phousi Hill, the city spreads out studded with gorgeous Buddhist temples. However, there is another, lesser known, lesser travelled temple near Luang Prabang. Come with us as we explore off the well trodden paths and alleyways of the colonial Old Quarter and find a side to Luang Prabang we did not know existed.
On the other side of the Mekong River, away from the popular museums, bars and shops of Luang Prabang, is a small village and a trail that winds past beautiful temples. The end of the trail holds a secret hilltop shrine, overtaken by the trees and plants of the Laotian jungle.
This little day trip only takes a few hours and was one of our favourite things we did on this stay in Luang Prabang. If you are looking for something different to do when in Luang Prabang, then this is a great trip to take.
The idea came to us in a bar. For those who know us this should come as no surprise as most of our best (and worst) ideas tend to happen this way. The whole idea for our multi-year travel adventure had started in a bar in Vang Vieng so we have learned to trust our instincts when it comes to bar birthed plans. Sitting with a Beer Lao, watching a sunset over the river, Ellie spotted a white temple standing out against the green of a hill on the opposite bank. “We should go there!”
So we did.
“We should go there!” - So many of our adventures start the same way.
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Crossing the Mekong - Getting Out of Luang Prabang
Our trail started in a small village on the far shore of the Mekong. To get to the village on the opposite bank we, obviously, needed to cross the river, this meant catching the local ferry. The ferry sets off from here next to where most of the tour boats and day cruises depart. This detail is important as, if you look like a tourist (as we definitely do), you will have to run the gauntlet of people offering boat trips and tours. Passing up many offers of trips and water taxis to the other side (with some frankly quite amazing price tags) we settled into a short queue of motorbikes and people waiting for the local ferry.
Anything and anyone can be transported across the Mekong River on Luang Prabang’s public ferry!
The ferry is not a sophisticated affair, it has a job and it does that job efficiently and easily with no mod cons or extra comforts. The ferry is a large flat, blue barge with chain operated loading ramps on either side. On board there is lots of space for vehicles and standing pedestrians as well as a couple of wooden benches.
The ferry floated up to the concrete landing pier and the ramps crashed down. Cars, minivans, tuk-tuks, chickens and people all flowed off and we hopped on. We paid 5000 kip each (much less than the several hundred thousand being asked by the private water taxis) to the attendant, found a wooden bench right in front of the driver and took a pew.
Ferry Crossing Ticket Price
The tickets cost 5000 kip per person for pedestrians.
If you’re driving a motorbike or scooter onto the ferry, then it’s 10,000 kip.
Have the correct money on hand! Most of the negative Google Reviews of the ferry state that the attendant will just take whatever note you give them and not give any change!
The ferry only leaves when it is full so we had to wait a little while. Soon enough though, the flat barge was stuffed with people and vehicles, the chains were raised and we floated across the wide river. The whole journey only took about 5 minutes, the Mekong is quite wide at Luang Prabang but, even in the wet season, it is only a short boat ride from one bank to the other.
The ferry operates from early morning to well past sundown. At quieter times you will have to wait longer for it to fill up.
Getting to Wat Chomphet - Crossing the Mekong River from Luang Prabang
Dodging the disembarking cars and bikes we left the ferry and walked up the steep slope of the river bank. The difference between the river sides is instantly obvious. Next to the “pier” on the Luang Prabang side is a high end cafe and several restaurants; on this side, nothing of the sort. Around us flowed locals returning from shopping in the city, their bikes laden with green vegetables and the occasional squawking sack. Ahead the dusty road led up to bamboo lean-to buildings, it was a world away from the UNESCO preserved colonial beauty on the other side of the river.
We wandered up from the pier to a small set of market stalls and grabbed some water. Our destination temple was on top of a hill so we knew we would have at least a little climb ahead of us. Whilst fishing around in pockets and bags for the correct change (Laos bank machines only ever give us 100,000 notes!), Ellie found an intriguing marker on Google Maps - “Jungle Shrine”.
We had learnt that the temple Ellie had spotted from the bar was named Wat Chomphet. To get to the newly found “Jungle Shrine”; there was a path past that wove past several temples, including Wat Chomphet - it looked like we had a plan!
We are not going to pretend we are some kind of intrepid explorers, we did not “discover” this area or anything, it is clear from the English language signs and directions that this is all part of the Luang Prabang Heritage area. That all being said, for the whole of this walk we only saw two other tourists! It is definitely a good way to escape the crowds in Luang Prabang.
Between the market and the pier the road forks and there is a signpost signalling the way to the various temples on this bank of the river. We took the fork that ran parallel to the river, this one path should lead us all the way through and past the temples and up to the “Jungle Shrine”.
For those uninterested in the local legends - skip past the story here!
Th legends of the Phou Thao and Phou Nang Mountains
The mountains on this bank of the Mekong have a rather . . . interesting myth associated with them. The legend goes that a poor father could no longer afford to feed his 12 daughters. In a display of frank practicality, he decided to leave his 12 lovely daughters in a clearing for the local Giant to eat (‘Father of the Year’ right there).
The Giant didn't want any skinny morsels for dinner so decided to fatten up the abandoned girls before making them into supper. The girls were fed, regained their health and blossomed into beauties.
The luckless 12 managed to escape from the Giant and found their way to the local King - King Palusen. The King promptly fell in love with their beauty and married all 12 of the lasses … because of course he did!
The Giant found out that the King was in bed with their 12-course dinner and became beside itself with jealousy and rage.
So the Giant (deep breath here): shape-changed into a gorgeous woman, seduced the King, became his favourite lover, faked a deathly illness then pretended to be a doctor and advised the King that the only cure for his (now favourite) fake-ill-giant-wife was to … wait for it … Pluck out the eyes of all of the other 12 wives and send them away to live in a cave…
Did we mention the ladies didn't have much luck?
Displaying the insight and wisdom only a King can, he obeyed the orge-wife. He blinded and sent the 12 wives away to live in a cave. However, one of the 12 ladies was pregnant and gave birth to a boy.
Now the story gets wild..
The son grew up in the cave whilst, in the palace, the Giant and the King had a daughter (we guess the Giant forgot about the 12 course girl meal?). The daughter of the Giant and son of the blinded wife met, fell in love and married. Do not think of the shared genetics (half-siblings?)
All was well until, one day, the son found a secret room in the King's palace. In the room were the 24 eyes of the luckless ladies and the heart of the Giant. The son stole the eyes and the heart and legged it.
His giantess daughter-wife pursued him with an army. She confronted her husband but he would not return with her. When her husband had left she promptly died of heartbreak and cursed him to do the same.
The son returned to his mother and 11 other ladies in the cave and gave them back their eyes - restoring their sight (optometrists hate this one trick!).
The son returned to the palace and the King's giant-wife was so enraged her disguise failed, showing everyone her true giant form. We can only speculate what the king thought of this... The Giant tried to kill the son but he stabs her in the heart (the one he stole along with the eyes), killing her.
The ladies returned to the clueless King (who had been happy to blind them…) and lived happily ever after. The son however, cursed by his wife, could not find happiness again. So he set off to look for his abandoned love. Finding her dead where he had left her, the son dies of heartbreak himself - fulfilling his dead wife’s curse.
The Gods looked down on at the son, dead at the feet of his wife, and transformed both of them into the local mountains…known as Phou Thao and Phou Nang.
Now you know!
Our walk started with us going through the local village. The houses were a mix of wood, concrete and stone and were a very long way from the ordered colonial architecture of Luang Prabang. Chickens pecked at the ground and geese honked their protest at our presence. Outside many of the houses, sheets were covered with corn, river weed or chillies all drying in the intense Laotian sun.
The residents of the village were friendly and welcoming. Children alternately waved and laughed at us or ran away and hid.
We passed a lively, noisy school and came to the middle of the village and the first of our temples.
Wat Xieng Mene
(location)
Our first temple was Wat Xieng Mene; a gorgeous traditional white, red and gold structure in the middle of the village. The temple buildings were separated from the village by a low white wall, guarded by sharp toothed, stone dogs. Inside, the temple grounds were serene and peaceful. Golden statues, of the “7 days of the week” Buddha’s, stood, sat or reclined outside of the main temple building.
Wat Xieng Mene is an old temple, with history dating back to the 1500’s if not further. The temple gained special prominence when it was used to house the golden “Prabang” Buddha statue on its pilgrimage back to Luang Prabang (the city is named after this golden Buddha). In 1867 the Prabang statue rested at the temple for 7 days on its procession back to Luang Prabang after being held in Thailand for 40 years.
Despite its history the temple comes across as calm and humble. It feels much like a country village church does in England: it is part of the local village, not some grand thing dominating over it.
We continued up the village road until the houses started to thin out, the trees began to crowd in and the road forked off in two. The main road headed north east whilst a smaller walking path wound into the forest. Following the helpful signs we headed into the forest.
After only a minute or so we could see the staircase leading to Wat Chompet, the temple that had inspired this whole expedition. The route we were walking was linear - all the way to the “Jungle Shrine” and back again on the same path. We decided that we would walk past the steps for now and visit the hill top temple on the way back.
Temple entrance fees
As a foreigner, you need to pay an entrance fee to keep walking along this path. The fee covers you to walk the path and enter any of the temples on the way. Tickets cost only 20,000 kip per person.
Wat Long Koon
(location)
Just outside of the town was the much larger Wat Long Koon. We approached the temple down a moss covered stairway straight out of a Ghibli film. The architecture was, again, beautiful with white walls, red lintels, gold filigree and intricate carvings. Wat Long Koon is spread over several buildings with prayer halls, monastic rooms and accommodation for the monks.
Well tended lawns had cockerels pecking and colourful butterflies flitting around. The whole place is surrounded by the forest, which made the orange of the monk's robes really stand out against the deep greens of the foliage.
Some of the temple buildings have faded paintings framing their doors. Armour clad, moustachioed warriors stood guard over the gold and lacquer entrances. These figures, with their long handled spear swords, seemed more like the ones you would expect to see in a Chinese temple. It was just another thing that made this place unique to us.
Towards the river we found a large Buddha statue sitting cross legged under the many heads of a protective Naga. In the dry season this statue looks over the sandy shores of the river, which would be full of small farms and allotments growing in the fertile banks. We were visiting right at the end of the wet season and the Buddha was looking over nothing but the fast flowing waters of the Mekong.
This area seems to be where a few boat tours unload their passengers. There was another ticket booth and a small pier at the end of a staircase. When we visited we did not see any boat-borne visitors but it would make a serene and beautiful stop on any boat ride.
After Wat Long Koon the road wound on, houses became rarer and rarer and the jungle all around the air was filled with a chorus of cicadas.
Wat Tham Sakkalin
(location)
A short walk later and we came across the painted sides of Wat Tham Sakkalin. On one side of the road is a temple building, the outside of which is entirely covered in paintings depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha. When we visited the serene atmosphere was slightly disturbed by a chainsaw wielding monk who was pruning some of the nearby trees.
We, although we didn't realise it at this point, had made a mistake. Wat Tham Sakkalin has a famous cave that forms the core of the temple. The limestone cave houses some fragments of the Buddha and is kept locked. If you want to visit the 100m cave you need to ask for the keys from the ticket booth near Wat Chompet! We had not done this so contented ourselves to just peer through the latticework cave gate.
We wandered on, passing local families eating and listening to music on massive, old school radios. This felt like a side to Luang Prabang that we hadn't seen. Rawer and less polished, this seemed like what life in rural Laos would actually look like without the flourishes and decorations added for tourists.
Wat Had Siaw
(location)
As our goal of the “Jungle Shrine” grew closer we entered our final official Wat - Wat Had Siaw. This large temple is currently under construction but there is nothing to stop you going through and admiring the buildings. The large new prayer hall looked especially impressive. The workers were building up the ornate entrance columns when we visited but inside we could see the huge and imposing Buddha in pride of place. It had not yet received its golden paint but its huge white eyes stared back at us from the semi-constructed darkness.
The temple is also home to a large pack of very cute dogs. We had been wary approaching the temple as we could hear lots of barking (John bravely picked up a stick but it just fell apart in his hand). The dogs were fine, they were clearly fed and cared for by the temple. We walked through the pack as it sauntered towards an orange robed monk and, except for some interesting snuffling, the dogs barely registered our presence.
Out the back of Wat Had Siaw the paved path stops and the road becomes an reddy-orange mud road. We didn't have to follow this far to find our final fork in the road. On one side was a path to another temple, its gate closed and hung with a Laotion sign we couldn't translate, on the other side, a tiny track leading up a hill….
The Secret Jungle Shrine
(location)
The only indication that we were in the right place was the trail of stone white lotus’ dotted in the forest leading up the hill. The path was nearly non-existent but the little white buds showed us that we were on the right trail. The climb up the hill was short and not steep at all and, before long, we started to see the golden shapes of figures in the trees.
The Jungle Shrine is not massive or fancy. It is a collection of statues, sculptures and holy artefacts scattered across the hilltop. We cannot find any reliable information as to whether this is an abandoned temple, a store for holy objects or an overgrown shrine. What we can say for sure however, is that it is beautiful. It is just the kind of overgrown relic we love to find. We love ruins, abandoned buildings and forgotten structures and this shrine ticked all of the above. Leaf strewn Buddhas meditated next to four headed sculptures that were vanishing into the plants and mosses of the jungle. It was so different from the clean white walls of Wat Had Siaw being built below.
You can access the Jungle Shrine via another path, inside Wat Had Siaw you’ll find two statues flanking a trail into the jungle. If you follow this path, you should find the jungle shrine.
The Jungle Shrine is not a large shrine, you can walk all around it in under five minutes, it did however make a fitting return point for our jungle walk. We had walked only around 3km to get here but it was the perfect place to turn around and head back. We still had a hill to climb and a temple to see..
Wat Chompet
(location)
We followed the road back the way we had come until we were, once again, stood in front of the Wat Chompet ticket shack. Behind the shack rose a steep, white stone lined staircase. We had saved the best until last, it was time to climb.
The climb was short but sharp and, in the late afternoon sun, very very hot! We pulled our sweat soaked selves up the last of the 123 steps and were greeted by an amazing view.
The whole of Luang Prabang was laid out in front of us. Its gold topped temples sparkling and glowing in the sun. We love the many views you can get from the top of the famous Phousi Hill (read all about that here) but this view may well be our favourite in Luang Prabang. The river just frames the city perfectly.
The temple at Wat Chompet itself is semi abandoned, its doors locked shut and its elegant facade crumbling. Ancient stupa’s line one side whilst cracked stones and old statues speckle the front. We learned that these contain the bones from two wives of a former king. We couldn't find out much about the history of the temple online but it was apparently built in 1888 by Thailand, if you know more please let us know in the comments. We have said it before but we love ruins and this temple, whilst not technically a ruin, had all the romance we adore.
This temple had been the goal of our little expedition, we had saved the best until last and had found a fantastic view of Luang Prabang. We walked back down the 123 steps, rejoined the path and headed back to the ferry.
Final thoughts - lesser know temples and the secret shrine of Luang Prabang
We had set out just to find this temple but it had turned into a great mini-adventure. We can completely recommend getting out of Luang Prabang and having a walk on the other side of the Mekong: it is a different world!
We started out just having one temple to find but ended up exploring 4 temples and a hidden shrine, all tied together with a gorgeous, fun and easy 6km walk through villages and forests.
We had been right, we should make more decisions in bars!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Sundown in Luang Prabang - The Best Sunset Spots
Everyone loves a sunset and the Laotian city of Luang Prabang, on the banks of the Mekong, has some amazing fiery displays. Read our blog to find out our favourite sunset spots in the city. Including riverside bars, secret temple spots and sunset cruises!
Whether you are visiting on holiday or are passing through as a backpacker, the Laotian city of Luang Prabang is an amazing place to watch the sun go down. The UNESCO World Heritage City is full of beautiful temples, hilltop shrines and riverside bars, all of which make for fantastic places to catch a sunset. The golden orange glow of the setting sun bathes the city in a warm light that sparkles off of its temples, palace roofs and the Mekong River below.
Sunset is also a natural gathering time for tourists and travellers; the bars, restaurants and viewpoints all fill up with people and it is probably the best time to meet other travellers if you are in the city solo.
We have spent a long time in Luang Prabang over the last few years and have come up with a list of our favourite places to watch the sun go down.
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The Best Sunset Bars in Luang Prabang
It should come as no surprise to those who know us or follow this blog that one of our favourite ways to enjoy a sunset is in the company of a frosty beverage. Luang Prabang has bars and restaurants dotted all along its river banks that make for a great way to end a day.
The Old Town of Luang Prabang sits on a peninsula of land with the Mekong and Nam Khan River flowing either side of it. The sunset is in the west so, for the best view, you need to find a spot on the western side of the old town along the banks of the Mekong River.
Luang Prabang is ever changing and the bars are frequently taken over and revamped. We used to love a locals only bar right in the south of the city and, on our first visit ,there was the legendary Utopia Backpacker Bar. Both these bars are sadly now gone but there are still plenty of gorgeous sunset spots to choose from. Let us know if any of the bars below change hands or names in the future!
360 Sunset Bar
(location)
We found this little riverside bar on our first trip to Luang Prabang and have been in love with it ever since. It is (loosely) skater themed with a small concrete ramp and some tables made out of recycled skateboards. A small DJ booth plays chilled out tunes and the service is very relaxed.
360 Sunset Bar serves good cheap beer, cocktails, small plates of food and snacks. Most importantly, the 360 bar serves up fantastic riverside views. The sun sets behind the Laotian mountains practically opposite the 360 bar making it an ideal place for a late afternoon beer or cocktail.
The 360 bar is also home to a collection of cute kitties who love to sit with you, especially if you’ve got a plate of chicken wings!
The bar is popular with backpackers and the local youth, so if you want the best seats next to the river, come early. 360 bar was fantastic, we have whiled away far too many evenings enjoying a Beer Lao as the night creeps in.
Mekong Savan Restaurant and Bar
(location)
This was a random find on our latest Luang Prabang adventure. Set nearby to the local ferry pier, this small bar is tucked away on the riverside down a small flight of steps. Wooden decking gives way to a parasol shaded balcony. The bar has a great view of the Mekong and the busy traffic of boats and ferries on its water. This is a fantastic place for a sunset drink, the full menu of beers, fruit juices, cocktails, spirits and wines makes sure there is a drink for every palate and inclination.
The bar sometimes serves food, but on the times we visited, the kitchen was never open (although the nice waiter did run and get us peanuts!). For such an upmarket looking bar, the cost of beer was as cheap as anywhere else on this list!
Tham keo for our Laotian followers or cheers for everyone else!
Mekong Savan is set a little way up the river from 360, so the sunset happens further downstream (to the left) from the bar. Despite this we would say this was the best sunset bar in Luang Prabang as the Mekong River was just so full of life and traffic. From Mekong Savan you can watch the local car ferries run back and forth, see the boatbuilders below plane wood and fix their barges and see all sorts of boats and craft float on by. Also, as the sunset is further downstream, the light reflects beautifully off of the river!
Viewpoints for Sunset in Luang Prabang
Phousi Hill
(location)
If you are in Luang Prabang you cannot miss Phousi Hill - Both literally and figuratively! The hill rises up along the main street of Luang Prabang and no visit to the city would be complete without climbing it at least once.
Mount Phousi costs 30,000 kip per person to climb. You buy a ticket from the counter right at the start of your climb from the side facing the main street and National Museum.
To read more about the museums and temples of Luang Prabang check out our complete travel guide here.
The hill is a short hike up 355 steps though some beautiful moss covered foliage and temple grounds. The summit gives panoramic views all over the city and is probably the most popular place to watch the sunset from. It is a fantastic view and, as the highest point in town, gives a sweeping vista over the city, river and surrounding mountains. From the top of the hill the sunset lights the town up in gold, the dying light glinting off the temples, rooftops and rivers.
The sunset from the top of Phousi Hill is beautiful!
But you do need to share it with a lot of people!
This all being said, it is very popular. At sunset you will be in a crowd of people and if you want to get a good view, you better have gone up early. As the day winds down, streams of people will start the climb to the top of Phousi Hill in preparation for the sunset. If you choose the top of Phousi Hill as your sunset spot go early and be prepared to share it with a lot of people!
However, there is another spot only for those in the know…
The Secret Sunset Spot on Phousi Hill
This spot is nowhere near as high as the peak of Phousi Hill but we loved it, its was a special, more private place to enjoy a Luang Prabang sunset.
If you are climbing Mount Phou Si from the side facing the National Museum you will quickly come to a plateau with a stunning tree surrounded by a two tiered stone ring. The steps to the top will continue in front and the tree would be on your right hand side. If you leave the path here and head right, past the tree, you will come to the corner of the plateau. You should find a bench overlooking the market below and the town itself. This is our secret sunset spot!
Honestly we preferred this as a place to watch the sunset to the top of Phousi Hill; it was romantic (no PDA though, you are in temple grounds!), peaceful and got a lovely view of the sunset. We would recommend climbing Phousi before the rush at sunset, admiring the view and then coming back down to this secret spot to actually watch the sun go down!
Sunset on the Mekong - River Cruises
We have talked about views over the river and riverside bars so obviously we must talk about the sunset from the water itself! If you walk anywhere in Luang Prabang you will be offered sunset boat tours, there are dozens of operators running everything from private longboats to massive karaoke boats and banquet barges. You can arrange a boat trip through your accommodation, at any of the tour offices, operator booths or from touts on the pier.
We had a great experience (well two great experiences as we have been with them twice now), with Sa Sa Sunset Cruises. They have a few different boats that sail up and down the Mekong for a perfect sunset cruise.
295,000 kip per person got us comfy reclining seats and a free drink (Lao Lao cocktail, beer of a soft drink) as well as a small snack served half way through. There was a bar on board as well so you could top up on your drinks as you floated on down. The cruise starts at 5pm and will bring you back around 7pm. These times may change as the sun sets later or earlier depending when in the year you visit.
We cannot recommend a sunset river cruise enough. Drifting down the Mekong, lying back in the orange gold light whilst sipping on a beer and listening to quietly playing music (First Aid Kit both times we visited), is a fantastic way to see out a day.
Sa Sa Cruises does, or maybe did, have another little “treat” for those who take the sunset cruise. We are not going to spoil it here and it may not even still happen (it didn’t on our last trip). If you are on the big boat and something bizarre involving fish and “O Fortuna” happens …. let us know in the comments. At this point, we are unsure if it was a fever dream, a hallucination or if it actually happened!
We had great experiences with Sa Sa Cruises, the boats were fun, comfy and well set up for a relaxing sunset cruise. We did see that other cruises were sometimes cheaper but we cannot say which is best as we stuck with Sa Sa.
You can book cruises, as we have said, everywhere in town. Sa Sa have a little booking desk on the bank where the boat docks; you can buy your tickets there. The dock and booking office are located here on a map.
A word of caution when booking a sunset cruise in Luang Prabang: check it is not a karaoke cruise before booking! There are a lot of karaoke barges noisily plying their way up and down the Mekong nowadays and this would be a very different sunset experience! Check before you book - unless you're into that, no judgement here!
Sunset in Luang Prabang - Conclusion
So there you have it, our favourite places to see sunset in Luang Prabang. To be fair, in the city there are innumerable other spots to watch the sun go down from, but we especially loved those on this list. Let us know in the comments if we have missed your favourite!
There is something special about the sunset when travelling. Maybe it is because it marks another day away from home, another day of new experiences and different places, but the setting sun is always something to be celebrated and appreciated when you are out walking the world.
Also sunset is a great excuse for a beer!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Kuang Si Falls - A Natural Wonder in Northern Laos
If you are visiting Luang Prabang in Northern Laos then the Kuang Si Waterfall is an essential trip. Known as some of the most beautiful in the World, the breathtaking waterfalls are amazing in both the wet and dry seasons. Read our complete guide for all the information you will need for visiting Kuang Si Falls.
The Kuang Si Waterfall is one of the most beautiful natural sights in northern Laos. A spectacular, many tiered waterfall cascading through the Laotian jungle, Kuang Si Falls attracts visitors from all over the globe. Explorable all year round, Kuang Si Falls can be ephemeral, beautiful and delicate or a thundering spectacle of overwhelming power. The falls’ waters swell or calm from season to season.
The Kuang Si Falls lie a little way outside of the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang in Northern Laos. We have visited Kuang Si Waterfall three times now, both in the wet and the dry seasons; each time has been unique and amazing.
This is our guide to the Kuang Si Waterfalls - our thoughts on how to get to, what to look out for and how to make the most out of these incredible Laotian waterfalls.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
How to get to Kuang Si Waterfall - Where are the waterfalls?
Kuang Si Falls are 18 miles (29 km) south-west of the city of Luang Prabang in Northern Laos. It is around an hour's drive thanks to the poor condition of the roads.
You can find Kuang Si Falls on a map here.
You have a few main choices of ways to get to Kuang Si Falls:
Getting to Kuang Si Falls by Tuk Tuk / Songthaew
The most popular way to get to Kuang Si Falls is definitely via one the large songthaews found throughout Luang Prabang. For those who don't know; a songthaew is a sort of flatbed truck with bench seating, open sides and a roof, all welded to a large motorbike. They look like a modern day horse and cart! Songthaews are often very colourfully decorated and you will find them everywhere in South East Asia. You can easily seat 6-10 people in one, depending on how friendly and cosy you want to be with your travelling companions!
You can find tuk tuk drivers parked up all over Luang Prabang!
These songthaews or tuk tuks can be picked up on nearly every street corner in Luang Prabang. The exact cost of the songthaew will vary but it should cost around 400,000 kip for a taxi to take you to the falls. This price will include the journey to the falls, parking fees and for the driver to wait for you and drive you home. You may have to do a little haggling to get the right price but there are so many tuk tuk drivers you won't get stuck! The price is for the whole songthaew so the more people you can party up with, the cheaper the trip will be. Our first trip to Kuang Si Falls was by a tuk tuk. We just wandered up to one parked on the street, negotiated a price and hopped in.
The road to Kuang Si is not fantastic (more of this later) so do not expect a comfy ride. There will be a lot of bouncing over potholes and splashing through puddles, especially in the rainy season. Also, as the tuk tuks are open sided,you may get a bit soggy if it rains!
A younger Ellie on her first trip to the Kuang Si Falls!
Kuang Si Falls by Private Tour or Taxi
Every tour agency in Luang Prabang, as well as all of the hotels, hostels and guesthouses, will be able to book you onto a tour taking you to Kuang Si Falls. These will usually be done in white minivans. The minivans are much comfier than a tuk tuk and will have air conditioning. The cost of this will vary wildly depending on the level of luxury the tour provides and how many people would be joining you on it. You can see some examples of tours here on Get Your Guide.
On our second visit to Luang Prabang we had an incredibly luxurious experience being shuttled to Kuang Si Falls for a sumptuous breakfast beneath the waterfall, this was much more expensive than the other options here but would make sense if you are on a holiday and looking for a spot of pampering. For a guide on living the high life in Luang Prabang check out our article here.
Driving yourself - Taking a Scooter or Bike to Kuang Si Falls
By far the cheapest option to get to Kuang Si Waterfall is, unsurprisingly, to drive yourself. You can rent a scooter or a bicycle from pretty much anywhere in Luang Prabang. The prices for scooters seems to be set around 150,000 kip per day and bicycles vary in price depending on the kind of bike you want.
When renting a scooter always check the bike first and record a video of the condition you rent it in.
Make sure to get helmets for all riders and do not rent a bike if you are not confident riding! Your travel insurance will almost certainly not cover any bike accident!
The route to Kuang Si Falls is not on great roads. There are massive, road spanning potholes, large lorries and endless streams of minivans and songthaews all along the route to the falls. If it has been raining the potholes are especially treacherous - you cannot tell how deep they are until you are in them! Oncoming cars and vans will frequently drive on the wrong side of the road in order to avoid the rough patches so you do have to be on your toes. We would not recommend driving yourself unless you are properly confident on scooters.
However, if you are confident riding, it is a fun and exciting journey through some lovely countryside. On our most recent visit, at the tail end of the wet season, we drove ourselves to Kuang Si Falls. It was not a relaxing experience but it was good fun! There is always something magical about scootering along rice terrace lined roads in South East Asia.
Petrol is cheap in Laos - we got a full tank for around 70,000 kip on our little 125cc scooter.
For those who do not mind a bit of a challenge you can rent a bicycle in town and cycle yourself to Kuang Si Falls. This will (obviously) take quite a bit longer but would be a lovely way of getting out and about and having a bit of exercise. The initial ride out of Luang Prabang would be a little unpleasant as it is a large road through a built up area, but the roads thin out quickly and become much prettier. Just make sure you pack a lot of water. It gets very hot in Laos and cycling up a hill in 35 degree heat is no joke!
If you are scootering to the falls the journey should take between 50 minutes to an hour. If you are cycling… well you tell us in the comments, you are definitely more dedicated than us!
You can see a map of the route below:
There are several places you can stop off at on the way to Kuang Si falls. The route is dotted with pretty cafe’s and restaurants for a snack or a meal. There is also Luang Prabang’s famous Buffalo Dairy (located here), where you can treat yourselves to a luxurious cheese plate or a buffalo ice cream!
Opening times for Kuang Si Falls Park
Kuang Si Waterfalls are open between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM every day of the week.
There are some tours that may give you early private access to the park.
Ticket Prices to Kuang Si Falls - How to Enter the Waterfall Park
The ticket price for entrance to Kuang Si Falls is 60,000 kip per person. The entrance fee covers: a shuttle bus to the falls, entrance to the Kuang Si Waterfall Park and a visit to the Free the Bears Rescue Centre.
The ticket price does not cover entrance to the Butterfly Park or entrance to “The View” - more on this later.
However you travelled to the falls, you will arrive at a large car park and ticket office (here on a map). If you have driven yourself to the falls, there is a 5000 kip parking fee for scooters. If you came by songthaew or with a tour, this parking fee should have been included in the cost. If you have a tour or a tuk tuk make sure you note down their licence number and agree where to meet back up with them after you have finished in the falls - there are a lot of minivans in the car park!
You buy your tickets from the counter and then jump on one of the oversized golf carts / electric buses from the stand on the left. You will then be ferried a short way up the hill to the entrance of the park.
If you need drinks, food or souvenirs, there are lots of stalls both at the lower car park and around the park entrance. The prices are, understandably, a bit higher than buying from a shop in town but not extortionately so. We needed water and paid 10,000 kip for a 500ml bottle.
There are a few restaurants around the park entrance and on the route between the falls and the car park but, as we didn't try them, we cannot comment if they are any good.
On the road between the ticket office and the entrance to Kuang Si Falls there is the Kuang Si Butterfly Park (located here). This calm garden and cafe offers tours for 100,000 kip per person and, at least according to the reviews, is beautiful and full of interesting butterflies.
We did not make it to the Butterfly Park on our trips to Kuang Si - if you do go let us know how it was in the comments!
After you get off of the electric shuttle buggy, you just walk up to the gateway, present your ticket and enter the park.
Kuang Si Waterfalls and Park - What is There and What is it Like?
As soon as we entered the park the hubbub of the people and electric buses in the landing area died away and we were surrounded by green plants and towering trees. The park is beautiful with many varieties of trees and species of animals calling it home. There are plaques everywhere explaining the delicate ecosystem and giving information on the various flora and fauna.
A winding mud path leads away from the park entrance and brought us quickly to:
Free the Bears - Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre
Free the Bears is a fantastic rescue charity that takes in orphaned and rescued bears and gives them a safe place to live as well as, where possible, rehabilitating them for release in the wild. The sanctuary at Kuang Si Falls forms the organisation's “Bear Discovery Trail” which educates visitors on the bears as well as showing the terrible situations that they need to be rescued from (do not search bile farms - they are horrific).
The bears at the Kuang Si Bear Sanctuary are all rescued moon bears. The bears live in large enclosures with viewing platforms and windows for visitors. The moon bears are unique and (to our eyes) extremely cute creatures, with soft fur and expressive faces. Every time we have visited the bears have been lolling around, snoozing on hammocks or lounging on wooden platforms.
The centre has a small shop and donations are always welcome. Free the Bears also runs a much larger wildlife sanctuary outside of Luang Prabang. The charity operates in Cambodia, Vietnam and India as well as Laos. Free the Bears is the largest bear rescue charity in the world, you can read more about their amazing work here.
The sanctuary is very tastefully done and blends in wonderfully to the surrounding forest. On our first visit to Kuang Si we were completely unaware of the bear sanctuary so it was a fantastic surprise!
The Kuang Si Waterfall
After admiring the bears we continued down the path and soon came to the first “layer” of the waterfalls. This was the main event, the reason we had shaken our bones, bounced through potholes and driven an hour out of town, we were finally at the Kuang Si Falls.
The water bubbles and spills down shallow falls into huge, wide pools. Layers of rock-pools, shelves and deep plunge pools all crowd together and spill into each other.
In the dry season the water is electric blue, clear and inviting. The lower falls are gentle and the area perfect for swimming. In the wet season however, the water is a churning torrent, a thundering mass of water, stained brown by the sediment and mud gouged out by its raging power. Both seasons are equally impressive but in totally opposite ways!
Kuang Si Falls is a three tierd waterfall. The second tier is a wide many layered shelf stretching out across the jungle. The waters flowing over the smooth worn lips of the many edged fall. Trees stand in and around the falls, some fully underwater, some clinging precariously to the rock’s edge. This area is again perfect for a swim in the dry season. The wet season means no swimming (usually) but it does make the falls extra impressive as tonnes more water pours over and through them.
The main falls defy description, although we will try. Kuang Si Falls main waterfall is a cascade 60 metres high (200 feet). The water drops in ribbons and curtains down the rocky face of the falls, its descent splitting and rejoining, broken by the uneven boulders in its path. The falls are a wedding cake of falling water, layers bulge out or drop in and the water cascades over everything. In the dry season the falls can look delicate with white ribbons of water elegantly cascading down like braids of hair. In the wet season the waterfalls are mighty and thunder down with a raging, boiling power.
In the wet season the water cascades down the Kuang Si Falls ferociously!
Bridges and viewing platforms are dotted about giving multiple angles to see the falls from. Even when Kuang Si Falls get busy there was always somewhere you could find to take a great photo or selfie. The falls have done a great job at preserving their beautiful forest setting. There are no gaudy plastic signs or mascots intruding on the view and even the picnic area blends into the forest setting.
The waterfalls are incredible, they are one of the most beautiful in the world and, whenever you visit Laos, Kuang Si is an essential visit.
The Legend of Kuang Si Falls
The legend of the falls is that a wise old sage dug down in the earth at Kuang Si and found the Nam Si river. Enticed by the new water a golden deer made its home under a special rock in the falls. Kuang translates to Deer and Si to dig - Deer Dig Falls! The sound of water on the deers rocky home was meant to be so beautiful it summoned people from all around. Sadly the rock is no more as it was destroyed in an earthquake in 2001
The Secret Pools of Kuang Si
Right, full disclaimer - You probably cannot get to these pools any more. You certainly cannot get to them by any official means and they may be totally inaccessible in the wet season. That all being said, we wanted an excuse to show off some photos of a magical place, even if it is now gone.
Once upon a time, in the long, long ago of 2023, you could take an overgrown hiking trail on the left hand side of the main waterfall, the trail wound up the side of Kuang Si Falls and led you to a hidden worlds at the top. We did this hike after enjoying a very bougie breakfast next to the falls, but the hike was anything but glamorous. It was a dilapidated route where the stairs were fading into the hillside and the handrails were rotted and crumbling. In places you could see an even older path, its stairways now new channels for the waterfalls, the steps covered by rushing water. It is no wonder it no longer exists.
At the top of the short but steep trail was a misty wonderland. The pools at the top of the falls were magical, still and calm. The water reflecting the trees and plants all around them. We came up in the early morning and the mist hung low, coating everything in an extra layer of beauty and mystery.
There were wooden walkways to lookout points, swings over the pools and even what looked like the remains of a wooden cafe, all gently mouldering away in the woods, it was an amazing magical place.
We are not sure if the fairy pools at the top are completely inaccessible now. The old trail is definitely gone, as the new metal stairs up to “The View” have been built on top of the old path. There is another hiking trail you can do in the dry season from the far side of the waterfall's lower layers but we cannot say if that goes to the same place. You can still see the old trail from the stairs to “The View”; on the left and right of the staircase, you can sometimes glimpse the remains of the mud path and steps - We do not recommend going off trail to explore by yourself!
Back then in 2023, we came back down from the pools and noticed a sign near the start of the trail. A new cafe and adventure centre called “The View” was going to be built, the trail would soon be inaccessible.
“The View Cafe” and Zip Line
Enough with what was! 2024 saw the opening of “The View” a cafe and zipline course at the top of Kuang Si Waterfalls. You can find the entrance to the left of the falls, where a metal staircase leads up 570 steps to a treehouse cafe and zipline.
On our latest visit to Kuang Si, as we were unable to get to the secret pools anymore, we thought we would check out the new attraction - “The View”. The climb was definitely steep and hot and by the time we had got to the top (past all the encouraging signs telling us how many calories we had burned) we were sweaty and very much in need of a cold drink.
The treehouse cafe has a 30,000 kip entrance fee but this includes a soft drink so really isn't bad value. There are quite a few negative reviews of “The View” but honestly we found it well worth the cost.
Most of the negative reviews were from people who had not seen the sign about the cafe entrance cost. The negative reviewers were, understandably, annoyed at climbing 500+ stairs only to find out they couldn't go any further or enjoy any view without paying! We had known about the cafe, and its entrance fee, and by the time we reached the top, were very much looking forward to an ice cold drink!
The view from the cafe is fantastic, we could see right out across the hills and deep forests carpeting the area all around.
What you cannot see from “The View” is Kuang Si Falls! This may also have helped create some of the negative comments in their reviews but, again, as long as you know this going in, you won't be disappointed. The view is spectacular even if it doesn't include the famous falls.
“The View” at Kuang Si really does live up to its name!
Kuang Si Zipline
The zipline is a five part course that brings you the whole way back down, around the falls to the park entrance. It cost $25 dollars per person and we kind of wish we had splurged the cash and done it…. Sometimes you do have to sacrifice when on a backpackers budget. If you do the zipline let us know in the comments how it was, we can imagine it is a great treat if you have brought your kids to Laos!
When to Visit Kuang Si Waterfalls - What Season and What Time of Day?
Kuang Si Falls in the Dry Season
The dry season in Laos runs from November to April.
The most popular time to visit Laos as a whole is the dry season. Visiting in the dry is a solid choice for Kuang Si Waterfalls: You increase your chance of sunshine and make it much more likely you will be able to swim in the pools. The water will be clear and a vibrant blue colour and the main falls will be a delicate, beautiful sight.
Most people visit Luang Prabang in the dry season so it will be much busier during this time.
During the dry season the water at Kuang Si is vibrant blue!
Kuang Si Falls in the Wet Season
The wet season in Laos runs between May and October.
If you find yourself in Luang Prabang in the wet season, the falls still make an incredible day out. The delicate serene falls and pools are transformed into raging, pounding torrents. The main falls just explode with water. Kuang Si in the wet season is a completely different beast from the falls in the dry season.
There are drawbacks to visiting in the wet season; you probably won't be able to swim as the water is too fast and too powerful to be safe. You are also increasing your chance of being rained on and having a more uncomfortable journey to and from the falls. Further, if it is grey and misty you won't get the panoramic views from the top of “The View”.
That all being said, we visited at the tail end of the wet season and had a beautiful sunny day admiring the water as it crashed and poured down the falls. The falls in full force are an incredible sight, if you are in Laos in the wet season there is no reason not to visit Kuang Si Falls, just try and plan around the weather!
In the wet season the water turns into a cloudy, raging torrent!
Visiting the Falls - What Time of Day is Best?
The falls are obviously gorgeous all day long but they are also one of the most popular things to do in Luang Prabang so it can get crowded. Depending when you go you may find yourself in a massive throng of people or waiting in a queue of minivans as they navigate the pothole infested roads to the waterfall.
Remember that lots of people visiting Luang Prabang are doing so on guided tours and many of them will be following the same itinerary - Alms giving at dawn, then breakfast, then on to Kuang Si Falls. Or Alms giving, the National Museum, a tour of the main temples, lunch and then off to the falls. This means you can avoid the crowds by either going very early in the morning when the falls first open or hanging back a little to arrive after the 1st wave has left and before the 2nd wave arrives.
We have done both of these, the early morning option was wonderful, with the park nearly entirely to ourselves. We were having a very luxurious stay in Luang Prabang courtesy of John’s parents (read all about it here) and had arrived for breakfast at the falls as soon as it had opened. There was barely anyone else there and we got to explore the falls pretty much by ourselves. The tour package we were on may have had some kind of early access permission, so check with your hotel / hostel / guest house or tour agency if you are looking at doing this.
On our latest trip to Luang Prabang we were firmly in ‘budget backpacking mode’ and drove ourselves to the falls late morning arriving around 11:30. Our route to the falls had quiet roads with nearly no traffic going the same way as us. However, there were quite a few minivans leaving the falls and driving back towards Luang Prabang. The falls were busy but not stuffed and we could easily get good photos and didn't have to queue for anything. On our way back to Luang Prabang there was a near constant chain of white minivans trundling their way towards the falls, it looked like it would be a very busy place in the afternoon!
Facilities at Kuang Si Falls
Toilets
There are toilets scattered throughout the waterfall park. They are Western style but can get a bit muddy and wet as people use them as changing rooms for swimming in the falls. If you are looking for more comfortable toilets, check out the restaurant or “The View” cafe (although you will have to hike up 570 steps for that one).
Food and Drink
There are food stalls selling barbecued meats and fish as well as stir fries and Laotian dishes outside the park entrance as well as down the road the electric bus travels. Inside the park there is a large restaurant serving Western and Lao food. “The View” cafe has a small menu of food, drinks and alcohol. The food and drink in and around the park are more expensive than in town. Other than a can of Sprite at the top of “The View” we haven't tried the cafes and restaurants - please let us know in the comments if you have!
Kuang Si Falls - Is it worth it?
Obviously the answer is yes! Whatever the season, Kuang Si Falls are incredible. They are one of the most beautiful waterfalls on earth and deserve all the hype and praise they get. Photographs really do not show the true scale of the waterfalls at Kuang Si, you have to see them in person. We have visited Luang Prabang 3 times in the last 10 years and every time we do, we go to see the incredible waterfalls at Kuang Si, they are simply that good!
So many times a region's “number one attraction” can be a disappointment. Overcrowded or overhyped, Instagram perfection failing in reality or just commercialised beyond belief, an area’s “main draw” can fail in so many ways. Kuang Si Falls does not fail, it does not disappoint. Reality beats Instagram every time here in Northern Laos.
No online image can beat seeing the Kuang Si Falls in real life!
Kuang Si Falls are a highlight, not just of Luang Prabang but of Laos as a whole. Despite its popularity and the crowds it draws, Kuang Si Falls is an absolutely essential visit on any trip to Luang Prabang. It was a fantastic trip for us. Three times and counting so far!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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A Guide To The Best Coffee In Luang Prabang
Sometimes you just need a great coffee. The Laotian city of Luang Prabang is full of craft coffee shops, roasters and artisan cafes. Join us on a cafe hopping guide to the very best coffee in Luang Prabang.
The Laotian city of Luang Prabang is a place to slow down on your travels. A city that oozes charm and a sense of relaxed elegance. The best way to sit back and soak up the ambiance is with a cup of Laotian coffee. Luckily the city is full to the brim with craft coffee roasters, small coffee shops and talented baristas.
This is our guide to where to get the best coffees in Luang Prabang.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Saffron Coffee Luang Prabang
(location)
Saffron Coffee, is probably the city’s most famous coffee shop. Saffron Coffee has its own roastery and Saffron coffee beans can be found in high-end cafes, hotels and shops all across Laos. The Luang Prabang Saffron Coffee sits in pride of place on the banks of the Mekong River and is the perfect spot to sit back and watch life flow by. The coffee shop itself sits on the far side of the road, with open air seating on verandas over the river's edge.
Saffron Coffee specialises in Laotian coffee, with its beans proudly sourced from within the country's borders. The whole idea for the coffee shop and roastery came about as a way of providing out of work opium farmers a new crop to replace their newly outlawed farms.
The coffee at Saffron is delicious. Serving everything from cappuccinos to lattes, iced or hot, the coffee is rich, nutty and full of flavour, it is definitely a treat!
Saffron Coffee also serves some fantastic sweet treats including a delicious, spiced carrot cake topped with a thick layer of sweet, silky smooth icing.
For those looking for air-conditioning or digital nomads looking for a comfy spot for their laptops there is also an upstairs dining room above the main shop.
DaDa Cafe
(location)
Another Mekong riverside roastery is DaDa Cafe. DaDa offers multiple coffee beans in a range of intensities to suit even the most discerning of caffeinated palates. The coffee shop has comfy seating inside as well as a shaded riverside terrace.
We can especially recommend the iced latte. Frothy, creamy yet still full of flavour, the latte was excellent. Sometimes lattes can feel more like an ice cream or milkshake, but this had that perfect underlying rich bitterness that only really good coffee manages.
DaDa Cafe serves delicious cheesecakes, brownies and pastries. There is also a full food menu available if you want something bigger or are looking to treat yourself to breakfast.
Lum Lum / Moka Pot Street Coffee
(location)
Despite feeling as though we had stumbled into the local Laotian youth club, Lum Lum / Moka Pot Street Coffee made one of the best iced americanos we drank in Luang Prabang.
A small black shed serves as the central hub of this tiny shop and roastery. The eponymous ‘Moka Pot' sits on a portable stove on top of the riverside wall. The whole place has a sort of “upmarket campsite” feel with foldable chairs, pallet tables and umbrellas for shade. It is very popular with the local youth, who all sit around playing mobile phone games. The locals are super lovely and polite, as soon as they realised there was no chairs for us they leapt up and offered theirs!
The staff were super friendly and despite their (very) young age really knew how to brew properly good coffee. The iced americano from Lum Lum was pure rocket fuel in the tastiest way possible. To say we were buzzing after would be an understatement!
Formula B
(location)
We nearly walked straight past this hidden gem on Luang Prabang’s main street. Set in the heart of the Old Quarter in a colonial style building, you have to climb a set of stairs at the back of a craft shop to reach the Formula B Cafe.
Perhaps the best looking coffee shop on this list, Formula B would look right at home in the heart of New York, London or Paris. With painted brick walls, exposed wooden floorboards and an eclectic mix of furniture, Formula B is a treasure trove of caffeinated delights.
We ordered two iced lattes alongside a decadent Lotus Biscoff cookie. The lattes were perfect, the exact right mix of creamy milk and nutty dark coffee. The cookie was pure indulgence. If it wasn’t enough to be a Lotus Biscoff studded delight, the cookie also came with a gooey melted marshmallow core. Healthy, no… delicious, yes!
The best seats in the house are the bar stools next to the large sash windows overlooking the historic streets below.
Formula B sells cookies, cakes and cheesecakes alongside all your coffee favourites, cold brews and specialty coffee cocktails. They also have oat and other plant-based milk alternatives.
How good does that Biscoff cookie look!
Wabi Sabi Cafe
(location)
If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful caffeinated pick me up, Wabi Sabi Cafe will have you covered. This no frills cafe drew us in with its coffee grinder and espresso pot display on the street-side.
Inside there’s simple seats and decorations supplied by many travellers who have passed through Luang Prabang - currencies from around the world and messages in all languages crowd the walls.
Wabi Sabi has a simple coffee menu offering americanos, lattes and all standard variations on the theme of coffee. It also serves a small menu of food for a reasonable price.
Wabi Sabi was always popular with other travellers either sitting in or grabbing a cup to go. The coffee shop sits on the other side of Phousi Hill next to the backpacker favourite “Redbull Bar”.
Coffee Express
(location)
Coffee Express seemed to be the informal common room for backpackers in Luang Prabang. Busy from morning to night, Coffee Express quickly became our favourite coffee shop in the whole of the city.
Coffee Express sits in a wooden building which is open on all sides and is set just on the edge of a beautiful lily pond.
The cafe has an extremely relaxed atmosphere with chilled out beats playing and plenty of seating both inside and out.
The coffee shop sells all the normal coffee’s as well as smoothies, soft drinks, beer, and cocktails. Coffee Express also serves excellent baguette sandwiches. We treated ourselves to a ham and cheese baguette alongside our standard iced lattes. Both the coffee and the crunchy baguette were brilliant.
Sometimes you just need a sarnie!
If you’re after a sweet treat, Coffee Express serves a delicious white chocolate cheesecake, which is now quite famous amongst the backpackers of Laos. They also have French pastries and brownies.
As the sun goes down in the evening, the coffee shop becomes a sort of informal bar with backpackers chatting and enjoying a bottle of Beer Laos. Coffee Express sits opposite a Taco Shop and is just up the road from another popular bar, The Fat Cat, making it a popular stopping off point on nights out in Luang Prabang.
The coffee shops listed above are just some of our favourites we tried in Luang Prabang. If we have missed your favourite coffee shop let us know in the comments below!
Thank you for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
There’s no better way to spend an afternoon in Luang Prabang than with a Mekong view, an iced latte and a slice of cake!
For more recommendations on what to eat in Luang Prabang check out our article below:
There is plenty to do other than drinking coffee in and around Luang Prabang. For all our travel guides to Luang Prabang take a look below:
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Food in Luang Prabang - A Guide to the Best Places to Eat
Luang Prabang is full of amazing food. From the delicious street food of the night market to the amazing breakfasts and local restaurants, we have tried it all. Check out our guide to the best food in Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang, the cultural capital of Laos, is stuffed full of amazing food. From street stalls serving traditional Laotian dishes to fine dining, pizzas and everything in between, whatever your mood, this beautiful city has a dish for you. We have now spent nearly a month exploring all that Luang Prabang has to offer to the culinarily curious; we have eaten everything, from the humblest street food to dining in the most luxurious restaurants. This guide to Luang Prabang will show you the very best food the city has to offer.
As we are long term backpackers we generally seek out a more local, budget friendly, street food style of dining. When travelling the best food is very seldom to be found in air-conditioned, hotel restaurants. Come as we go down the backstreets and go off the beaten path for some hidden culinary gems in Luang Prabang… As well as some more luxurious options… we are human after all!
All over Luang Prabang you’ll see baskets of red chillies drying in the sun!
In this Luang Prabang food article you can find:
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Where to Eat Breakfast in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is overflowing with fantastic places to grab a morning bite. These are just a few of our favourite places for breakfast:
Luang Prabang Morning Market
(location)
As dawn breaks, the streets surrounding the morning market become thick with the smell of burning charcoal, bubbling soups and grilling fish. Luang Prabang’s Morning Market sells everything from cooked dishes to the very freshest of meats - some still so fresh they’re trying to escape! It’s a whirlwind of activity, smell and colours with busy locals shopping for all they’ll need for the day ahead.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and Luang Prabang’s Morning Market is a great place to start the day. There are noodle soup vendors selling delicious bowls of steaming goodness as well as grilled sticky rice on sticks, deep fried bananas and any amount of fresh fruit. We would particularly recommend picking up some of the freshly grilled meats and a ball of sticky rice for a delicious traditional Laotian breakfast that will keep you full for hours.
We would recommend getting to the market early, perhaps right after you’ve seen the Morning Alms Giving Ceremony - you can read more about Luang Prabang’s Morning Alm’s Giving Ceremony here.
After 7 to 8 AM most of the truly local vendors will have sold their wares, packed up their stalls and moved on. There will still be stalls to see and places to eat, but the market will not be at its vibrant best, so get there early!
Street Side Porridge
(location)
One of our favourite breakfasts in the whole of Southeast Asia is rice soup or rice porridge. Vietnamese chao, Thai congee and Cambodian borbor are some of our favourite ways to start the day on this side of the world. We’re happy to report that Laos has its own excellent offering in this genre of breakfast!
Google Maps lists our favourite street side vendor as “No Name Rice Soup”, always a good indicator that this porridge stall will be a truly local affair. A few chairs under a plastic tarpaulin, alongside some charcoal fired cauldrons is all there is to this simple but delicious eatery. Selling soups and rice porridge, there’s a very limited menu but you can’t go wrong. Extremely cheap and completely delicious, we ate our breakfast here several times.
We always ordered the pork rice porridge and can highly recommend the extra marinated egg or for a creamy treat adding a poached egg. When your bowl comes to the table, pimp it as you like with soy, chilli or pepper.
Pasaniyom Traditional Cafe
(location)
Just down the road from Luang Prabang’s Morning Market you’ll find a crowd of people mobbing the entrance to Pansaniyom Traditional Cafe, an institution of the area. The cafe is famous for its excellent rice soups, as well as its delicious traditional Laos coffees, Thai teas and fried Chinese dough sticks.
Our go-to breakfast was again, rice porridge but this time paired with dough sticks and rocket fuelled Laotian coffee. It was a great meal, well worth the short queue and it completely set us up for a day exploring.
Everything we tried from the menu was delicious and reasonably priced, just be warned it is busy and the next door shop (which looks extremely similar) will always try to poach you. That being said, the next door shop is very tasty as well so it’s not the end of the world if you do get poached!
Despite looking similar, no bowl of rice porridge is ever the same!
French Bakery at Le Banneton Cafe
(location)
Sometimes you need a little dose of Western comfort. Sometimes you just don’t feel like starting your day with rice. On days like that we would turn to the patisserie and French bakery at Le Banneton Cafe.
The cafe is open all day serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu covers everything from sweet French pastries to baguettes, sandwiches, salads and burgers. We would particularly recommend treating yourself to one of the breakfast set menus that will come with a tea or coffee, freshly squeezed fruit juices, baguette, eggs, ham or bacon as well as butter and jams.
All of the baked goods we tried were excellent. One of the few good legacies of the French Colonial era is that the Laotians have hung on to their baking expertise. Le Banneton is more expensive than the Laotian breakfast options we’ve listed so far, but it’s still very reasonably priced, especially the set menus.
The cafe also has a small shop selling French wine, cheese, deli meats and tinned goods. As an added bonus the dining room is also fully air-conditioned!
Lunch in Luang Prabang
The local restaurants, stalls and shophouses of Luang Prabang serve up phenomenal lunches for very reasonable prices. You cannot visit the city without trying some of its most famous local eateries and lunch is the perfect time to dip your toes (or tongue really) into the deliciousness that is Laotian cuisine.
Julie’s Village Noodles
(location)
A local legend, this small noodle shop sits in the front garden of a house next door to the Wat Xieng Thong temple. We have been here multiple times on all of our 3 stays in Luang Prabang, it’s just that good!
Julie’s Village Noodles has a limited menu of a few different noodle soups each available in combination with a small selection of meats. Our favourite was always the khao soi. If you’ve just come from Northern Thailand, be aware Laotian khao soi is nothing like the Thai dish of the same name. Khao soi literally just means “Northern Noodle” so it can vary wildly from place to place.
At Julie’s Village Noodles the khao soi is a rich, sweet, peppery, tomato based broth topped with ground pork and layers of silky smooth rice noodles. Alongside these near perfect bowls, comes a punnet of fresh herbs and crunchy green vegetables with a peanut sauce perfect for dipping green beans and leaves of lettuce into!
There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of Laotian khao soi!
The whole meal is perfectly balanced, filling and a fantastic introduction to the nuance and subtlety of Laotian food. It is also very cheap! The restaurant gets extremely busy and will close as soon as everything has sold out. Don’t count on it being open for a late lunch. Get there early, it’s worth it!
Julie’s Village Noodles sits surrounded by some of Luang Prabang’s most beautiful temples; it would make a great stop during a temple tour of the city. Check out our guide to Luang Prabang’s temples here.
You can pimp your bowl with everything from herbs, lettuce, lime, chilli oil and deep fried garlic!
Roadside Noodle Soup
(location)
If Julie’s Village Noodles has awakened your craving for Laotian noodles, then another humble, yet mighty Laotian noodle joint can be found roadside next to a busy junction to the south of Luang Prabang’s Old Quarter. This nondescript restaurant serves fantastic crispy pork noodles as well as the standard backpacker favourites of fried rice and fried noodles.
We always ordered the crispy pork noodle soup and chose to have it with the delicious, chewy, yellow egg noodles. The broth was peppery and potent with garlic, with the crispy pork providing richness and a delicious crunchy texture from its crackling skin. This restaurant, like so many on this list, is super cheap and consistently great!
The restaurant is just a short walk away from Luang Prabang’s UXO Visitor Centre (read more about visiting UXO Lao here), so if you’re visiting this, or staying at the excellent Casa Nostra Hostel (check it out and book it here) it would be a great lunch spot.
Lao Omelette at Mr Lair’s
(location)
Sometimes you just stumble upon something great without even meaning too. One day we had left lunch a little late and were wandering around Luang Prabang’s Mekong riverside looking for a cheap delicious meal. It was here we stumbled across Mr Lair and his omelette stand. From the road it looks like just a tarpaulin topped stall, but behind the makeshift kitchen Mr Lair has a secret dining room overlooking the Mekong River.
Lao omelette doesn’t sound like the most exciting of dishes, but honestly it was one of our favourite things we ate in the whole of Luang Prabang.
Mr Lair’s omelette was fried until crispy on all sides, folded over and then stuffed like a sandwich, and we mean really stuffed! Beansprouts, sliced pork, spring onions and cabbage were all jammed inside and fried into the omelette. This crispy, cacophony of textures was completed by a small bowl of fiery chillies, crushed peanuts and sweet fish sauce which was served alongside. We would smash up a piece of the omelette, dip into the sauce and devour!
Seriously, these omelettes were sooo good, don’t miss them on your trip to Luang Prabang.
Tim Papaya Salad
(location)
Grilled meat and papaya salad is a delicious staple of Laotian cuisine. A particularly great example of this can be found at Tim’s Papaya Salad Restaurant on a picturesque side street in the heart of the historic Old Quarter.
The restaurant has a small menu of meats, sausages and salads. We can highly recommend their spicy papaya salad served alongside grilled chicken and sticky rice. The salad is unique and very spicy, with hunks of bamboo, thick ribbons of papaya and a rich, spicy, fermented dressing. It was the perfect accompaniment to the juicy grilled chicken, cutting through and providing a citrussy kick! Don’t worry if you can’t handle your spice, you can ask for it without chilli.
There is seating inside the restaurant but for the best table, head across the road and sit under a parasol on the concrete tables outside Wat Nong Sikhounmuang temple.
Banh Mi Stalls in the Old Quarter
Dotted all along the main market road of Luang Prabang’s Old Quarter are small street-side stalls and stands serving the backpacker favourite of Banh Mi. A leftover from the French colonial era, the Laotian’s have taken the humble baguette and have made it all their own. What’s not to love about the “best sandwich in the world”?
You can get endless varieties of this cheap and simple baguette, but we are always drawn to the crispy pork banh mi. You can get meat, egg, vegetarian or even vegan combinations.
You can get these anywhere along the high street for very little cash and they make an excellent meal on the go for those exploring Luang Prabang.
Rice and Curry from 89 Check-In
(location)
If you’re on a backpacking budget and looking for a super cheap, filling and delicious lunch look no further than rice and curry. Available all throughout Asia, rice and curry is a perennial favourite for backpackers in the know. Available in endless varieties and combinations these buffet style curry restaurants truly are one of our favourite ways to eat whilst travelling. You get to try loads of different dishes and get a true taste of the local food without the filter chefs will apply when cooking for foreigners.
Luang Prabang has an excellent rice and curry joint - 89 Check-In. A heaping plate of rice completed with any number of delicious curries on top was a meal we discovered far too late in our latest Luang Prabang adventure. Everything was fantastic but our favourites were the red pork curry completed with bamboo shoots and a creamy, sweet pumpkin curry.
There’s always so much choice at a rice and curry buffet!
This rice and curry stall was extremely cheap and well worth a visit even for those not on a strict backpacking budget.
For a quick digestif after your rice and curry feast, head a few doors down the road to the excellent Coffee Express.
For more information on where to find the best coffee in Luang Prabang, check out our coffee guide here.
The Best Places for Dinner in Luang Prabang
After a day out visiting temples, shopping in the night market and generally just soaking up the beautiful town you will need to hunt down some delicious dinner. Luckily Luang Prabang is a fantastic place for an evenings dinning, with options ranging from cheap and yummy local foods up to high class international fare. We have eaten extensively (what a complicated way to say we are greedy) in Luang Prabang and these are our top choices:
Market Street Food Feasts - Luang Prabang’s Daily Night Market
(location)
Come the evening, Luang Prabang’s Night Market absolutely dominates the historic heart of the city. Down the whole of the Old Quarter’s central road, hundreds of stalls unfurl and set up shop.
The stalls along the central street sell souvenirs, clothes and traditional Laotian handicrafts. If you’re after a street food feast, you will need to go to the southern end of the night market where a large food court sprawls out into the square and down the surrounding alleyways.
After the sun sets, this street food court is where you’ll find the majority of travellers in Luang Prabang. The stalls around the night market square sell everything from Laotian stir-fries to wontons, crepes and Korean fried chicken. It is a meeting of all the best street food that Laos and SE Asia can offer! If you’re backpacking, grab a group from the hostel and assemble yourself a sharing street food feast!
The food court in the square is ringed with vendors and bars with a large seating area in the centre. A stage provides live music and entertainment on weekends. There is a toilet off to the left hand side of the square (2000 kip charge).
Our top recommendation for night market munchings isn’t actually in the main square. Down a nearby alleyway, (find it on a map here), lies a treasure trove of local Laotian street food. Near the top of the alley you’ll find our favourite dessert in Laos, crispy, chewy, ufo shaped coconut pancakes. Super cheap and served in a banana leaf cup, these make for a perfect dessert after you’ve had your fill at the market.
The best tasty treasures lie deeper down the alleyway. The stall we loved the most didn’t have a name but was opposite the hotpot restaurant. A long trestle table is covered in banana leaves and on top of this, is a bouquet of skewers of grilled meats, fish and sausages. It’s a protein paradise! You just select the skewers you want and they toss them back onto the hot coals of a barbeque to caramelise, crisp and warm back up. Nextdoor you can order a spicy fresh papaya salad and sticky rice to go with your meaty (or fishy) feast.
There’s so many meats on offer in the Night Market!
This was one of our favourite meals in the whole of Southeast Asia. We would greedily order a set of grilled chicken wings, a skewer full of juicy pork belly alongside steaming sticky rice and zingy, spicy som tam salad. It was and is the perfect blend of flavours and textures. Grilled, juicy meat, crunchy papaya and nutty sticky rice all came together in our mouths as a symphony of texture and flavour, it was damn near the perfect bite!
If you order this meal, it’s purely a hands on dish, no cutlery, just your fingers and sticky rice to scoop the salad and tear apart the meat. Our pro tip: Bring wet wipes!
Further down the same alley you can find some great curry stalls as well as fruit shakes and salad stands. Every stall will sell water, soft drinks and Beer Laos.
Stir Fries at Ajam Mora
(location)
If you’re looking for a slightly more formal meal but still want to be in the heart of Luang Prabang’s Night Market, head down our favourite alley (see above) and go to Ajam Mora Restaurant.
Ajam Mora serves every kind of stir-fry, spring rolls, noodle soups as well as whole baked fish, curries and vegetables. We can especially recommend their fried rice with pork topped with an extra crispy fried egg. Slightly smokey from the wok with a gooey egg coating every grain of rice, it was exactly as satisfying as a proper fried rice should be.
Ajam Mora is alway busy with a lively crowd of backpackers, locals and other travellers, but the service is quick and efficient so you shouldn’t have to wait long for a seat.
As backpackers you really can’t go wrong with a plate of fried rice!
Fried Rice and Noodles at Atsalin
(location)
Speaking of stir-fries… you can find what may have been our favourite stir-fry restaurant a short walk from Luang Prabang’s Night Market. You will know you’re in the right place when you can see two enormous jet engine sized fans pumping out delicious wok smoke onto the street.
Atsalin Restaurant is a no frills, frenetic hub of stir-fried greatness. All the usual favourites are on the menu and you can’t go wrong no matter what you order. Our standard sharing set was fried rice (deliciously wok smoked) alongside spicy yellow fried noodles and a steaming plate of garlicky, oyster sauce laden morning glory. Cheap, tasty and extremely addictive we have frequently found ourselves back at Atsalin restaurant.
Local Wonton Noodles
(location) - No proper listing but it is around here!
Opposite the wok smoke of Atsalin, we found an amazing wonton and char-siu pork noodle soup joint. Sometimes you just need that comforting bowl of wonton-y goodness. Red pork noodle soups have supported us and comforted us throughout the whole of SE Asia. From the busy streets of Kuala Lumpur to small villages of rural Thailand, Chinese style wonton noodle soup is available everywhere and is a heart-warming, favourite for us long-term backpackers.
Luang Prabang’s offering in the wonton arena has no name on Google Maps, but don’t let that put you off. This fantastic, humble restaurant was always full of locals slurping down on bowls of noodles. Their wonton and char-siu bowl were incredibly generous. Piled high with juicy dumplings and delicious slices of marinated sweet red pork, it felt like a never-ending bowl of goodness. The firm noodles, rich broth and delicious toppings made for an excellent dinner or lunch, just make sure you go hungry!
Elegant Curries at Cafe Toui
(location)
If you’re looking for an authentic, delicious, sit down Laotian meal we cannot recommend Cafe Toui enough. The restaurant has a small, paired back menu of Laotian favourites. A little bit more expensive than some of the other options on this list, Cafe Toui has the advantage of being set in a beautiful building with a small intimate dining room.
The restaurant is perfect for a quieter, cosy (or even romantic) dinner. It is set just off and round the corner from the northern tail end of the busy Night Market.
The food was fantastic. We ordered the creamy pumpkin curry and a ginger spiced stir-fried fish. It was cooked freshly for us and tasted divine. The lightly spiced coconut and pumpkin curry was a brilliant counterpoint to the fresh, ginger-laden fish. The restaurant also offers beers, spirits and a selection of French wines.
The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner. We had an excellent final lunch here on one of our earlier trips.
Classy Laotian Cuisine at Tamarind
(location)
Tamarind Restaurant is an absolute must for those who really want to explore a variety of Laotian dishes. Tamarind offers a large selection of set menus that let you sample lots of different traditional dishes, all from the comfort of a pretty and elegant dining room overlooking the Nam Khan River.
We really enjoyed our meal there, especially the spicy buffalo sausage and deep fried aubergines. The food was fantastic and presented in a way which would appeal to even the most sceptical of culinary explorers. Tamarind is more expensive than street food from the market but that is to be expected given the menu, dining room and service. It is still very reasonably priced considering the quality and variety of the menu.
Tamarind also offers what might be Luang Prabang’s most popular cooking class. So if you want to really deep dive into Laotian food and learn how to bring some of it home, a meal and a class in Tamarind would be a great way to start.
Wood-Fired Pizza at Popolo - One of the best pizzas in Asia
(location)
Okay, this one may be the upper bounds of a budget friendly backpacking meal, but if you’re looking for one meal to treat yourself to whilst in Luang Prabang, it has to be Popolo.
You can’t miss Popolo’s colourful exterior!
Set in a gorgeous colourful building on a quiet side street, Popolo serves what may be the best pizza we have eaten outside of Italy! The restaurant had come highly recommended to us, its praises being sung from Vang Vieng to Nong Khiaw by fellow travellers. They were not wrong!
Popolo pizzas are simply amazing! Thin, crispy, bases are topped with the most luxurious ingredients both imported and local. Our stand out pizza was the ‘French Kiss’. This may be our favourite pizza ever, we’re not exaggerating! Creamy Camembert is spiked with pickled apples and sweet caramelised onions all coming together into something so delicious it should probably be illegal!
The ‘French Kiss’ and the ‘Popolare’ pizza are both delicious!
Another standout dish is the burrata starter. A generous ball of local buffalo milk burrata is topped with sliced spring onions, cherry tomatoes and an aniseed laced holy-basil pesto. As you cut into the burrata it literally liquefied into a luxurious cream.
Popolo has a full menu of pizza’s, pastas and gorgeous looking salads. We always admired other peoples plates of pasta and bowls of salad but couldn’t resist ordering pizza’s for ourselves! If you indulge in their pasta let us know in the comments how it is!
As we have said, Popolo is definitely a ‘treat yourself’ meal for those on a long term travel or backpacking budget. However, it really isn’t an overly expensive meal and whilst you can always eat cheaply in Laos, it really is worth treating yourself sometimes. Pizzas range from 145,000 to 250,000 kip so far cheaper than you would find back home! Don’t deny yourself the pleasure just to save yourself a pound.
Other Restaurants - Fine Dining in Luang Prabang
If you are aware of the food scene in Luang Prabang you’ll notice that this list is missing some very famous options. Manda De Laos, Gaspard and L’Elephant are all amazing places to eat, but this list is more about the places you might not have heard of.
For those not on a backpacking budget or if you want to really push the boat out with a special meal, make sure you read our guide to “Luxurious Living in Luang Prabang”:
Whatever cuisine you’re looking for, Luang Prabang can provide. There are so many more places to eat than we could ever mention. This list doesn’t include the fantastic Indian or Sri Lankan restaurants or even the iconic French fare available in the city. Our only advice for eating in Luang Prabang is to go hungry and eat as much as you can in as many places as possible!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Rice cakes are a popular Laotian snack!
You’ll never know what you’ll find on the streets of Luang Prabang!
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The Complete Luang Prabang Travel Guide
Our ultimate travel guide to Luang Prabang. After spending over a month in the beautiful Northern Laos city of Luang Prabang we share the best things to do and see. From where to stay (backpacker or luxury budgets), to guides to the most unmissable sights, our guide covers everything.
Sitting amongst the green mountains of northern Laos, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang is full of history, colour and culture. Surrounded by the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers, the colourful streets of the Old Quarter are a charming blend of traditional Laotian architecture mixed with colonial French. The historic streets are studded with ornate temples, traditional wooden shophouses, restaurants and cafes. Sitting in the centre, the tree covered Phousi Hill rises up, crowned with golden spires reflecting the Laotian sun.
Luang Prabang is beautiful. We wish we could think of a better, less cliche way to describe the city, but there really is no other word. Just saying the name of the city brings a smile to your face, the ‘ang’s’ of ‘Lu’ and ‘Prab’ just roll off your tongue! It’s a small city that oozes calmness and tranquillity.
Most travellers spend only a night or two in the town as part of a larger Laos / Northern Thailand trip, but we feel it deserves so much more than that! We’ve spent nearly a month exploring Luang Prabang, and this is our complete travel guide on what to do, where to stay and what to expect on any trip here.
The best view of Luang Prabang is from the top of Mount Phousi!
In this Luang Prabang Travel Guide
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A Short History of Luang Prabang
Modern day Luang Prabang is a cocktail of traditional Lao buildings and colonial French influences. The history of the city has shaped it into what it is today.
The city of Luang Prabang can trace its history back over 1500 years to the 6th century when it was called Muang Swa and was the capital of the Mon city state of the same name. The history of human habitation on the site goes back much further still with archaeological evidence showing settlements much, much earlier.
The city changed its name to Luang Prabang in the 1530’s. Cambodia gifted the golden Phra Bang Buddha image (statue) to the King of Laos. The statue was a legendary Buddhist artefact, allegedly originally coming from Sri Lanka and helping spread Buddhism to the Khmer royals of Cambodia. In honour of the statue and recognition of the city state's flourishing wealth, the King renamed the city to Luang (Royal or Great) Prabang (image of the Buddha). The city was filled with royal temples, architecture and beautiful buildings.
Luang Prabang’s Royal Palace can still be visited today. Read on to find out all about it!
Luang Prabang has had a convoluted and tumultuous history. It has been sacked by bandits, invaded by the French, the Thai and the Japanese. The city used to be the capital of Laos and was the seat of the country’s kings. The Royal Palace is still standing today (more on this later). For a large portion of its history Laos was a vassal state of Siam (now Thailand), the Prabang Buddha was stolen and returned twice from the city during this time. The Buddha became seen as a symbol of the right to rule Luang Prabang, its two returns to Laos were celebrated and memorialised, with temples hosting the statue on its way home.
The capital was eventually moved to Vientiane in the centre of the country. The King's role was slowly diminished and power syphoned away to the colonial French. The French also added their flair to new buildings, adding another layer to the city’s architectural style.
The Old French Bridge - spot the monks crossing the bridge!
World War Two saw the city invaded by the Thai, the Japanese and then finally reoccupied by the French. The French were eventually driven out following the fall of French Indochina in 1953 and over the next few decades, fighting through the “Secret War”, the modern rulers, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP for short), came to power.
Luang Prabang is a layer cake of all these histories and peoples. Despite its history of invasion, looting and subjugation the city’s architecture is spectacularly well preserved, earning it UNESCO World Heritage Status.
Where is Luang Prabang?
The UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang is located in Northern Laos in the province of the same name. The town lies northeast of Laos’ capital Vientiane around a 6 hour drive (approx 310 km / 192 miles) away.
Luang Prabang can also be spelt Louang Phrabang.
The centre of Luang Prabang sits on a rounded peninsula, surrounded on both sides by the Nam Khan River to the east and the mighty Mekong River on its western edge. The northern point of the peninsula is where the confluence of the two rivers meet, with the Nam Khan River flowing into the larger Mekong. In the centre of the island peninsula, the hill of Mount Phou Si rises up.
The peaceful Nam Khan River
And the busy Mekong!
The town sits in a valley, ringed on all sides by tall limestone mountains. Opposite the town, on the other side of the Mekong River, is the district of Chomphet and two of Luang Prabang’s most mythical mountains, the small peaks of Phou Thao and Phou Nang. There is a fascinating legend behind the origins of these two peaks which involves a Giant, a King and a feast of 12 luckless ladies. If you’d like to read this crazy story, check out our guide to Chomphet and our quest to find a hidden jungle shrine.
Despite being the ancient capital, Luang Prabang still retains a small town feel, with traditional shop fronts, quiet streets and bustling markets.
The majority of accommodation in Luang Prabang can be found in the Old Quarter surrounding the base of Mount Phou Si and running alongside the Mekong and Nam Khan riverfronts. Read on to find out where we’d recommend staying!
When is the Best Time to Visit Luang Prabang?
Luang Prabang has a tropical climate and sees temperatures in the high 20s / early 30s (celcius) throughout the whole year. The hottest months are April and May and the coolest months are December and January.
The ‘dry season’ runs from November to April where you can expect hot sunny days and minimal rainfall. These months are the peak times for tourism in the town, so expect to pay a little more for accommodation and book early as it can get very busy!
During the ‘dry season’ bamboo bridges are built across the Nam Khan River!
The ‘wet season’ runs from May to early October. During these months, expect very hot and humid weather along with the occasional torrential downpour. The wet season is considered to be Luang Prabang’s ‘low season’ with fewer tourists and cheaper accommodation.
We have visited Luang Prabang three times now. Twice during the dry season and once at the very end of the wet season. During all our visits we’ve been extremely lucky with the weather with hot, sunny days and the only occasional downpour.
If you do visit during the wet season, the rivers will be a lot higher and the current stronger. During this time you will be able to take boat trips along the Mekong, but some water based activities such as kayaking / floating riverside accommodation will not operate. The waterfalls of Kuang Si and Tat Sae will be in full impressive force during this time!
What to pack for a trip to Luang Prabang
Whenever you plan to visit, make sure you pack:
Good shoes for walking
Appropriate temple wear - something to cover your shoulders and knees
Suncream
Mosquito repellent
A wet coat
Festivals in Luang Prabang
April - Laos New Year - Songkhran
Celebrated in mid-April, Laotian New Year (Pi Mai Lao) also known as Songkhran, sees Luang Prabang turn into one large water fight as locals and tourists splash each other with water to wash away the past.
September - Boat Racing Festival - Boun Suang Heua
The date for Luang Prabang’s annual boat racing festival varies depending on the year, but the festival is usually held sometime in September. During the festival, locals race against each other in enormous wooden longtail boats up and down the Nam Khan river.
If you’re visiting outside of the boat festival and get lucky, you may still get to see the locals practice their racing. We were having a sunset beer and were treated to a racing display from a small boat of locals chanting and rowing in unison!
October - Festival of Light
Held at the end of Buddhist Lent, the Festival of Light is a spectacular celebration of fire and light, with the temples and monasteries all adorned in star shaped lanterns and candles.
During the festival, huge dragon boats are lit by candles and are sent floating down the Mekong to pay homage to the Naga and water spirits.
If you’re in Luang Prabang before the start of the festival, just pass by any temple and you’ll usually see locals and monks making up paper and bamboo lanterns as well as huge dragon shaped boats.
If you’re planning to visit during a festival, make sure you book your accommodation well in advance as it’s likely to sell out very quickly!
How to Get to Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is extremely well connected. There are train, bus and flight links to other Laotian towns and cities as well internationally to Thailand, Vietnam and China.
Getting a flight to Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang’s International Airport lies 5km north of the city.
Flights depart and arrive in Luang Prabang from Vientiane in Laos, Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Hanoi in Vietnam as well as several cities in China.
The airport is very small with a few duty-free shops and food stalls. When you arrive you can obtain a visa on arrival (you can pay in USD or Thai baht).
Once through border control there are ATMs to withdraw cash and many different SIM card stalls - see our introduction to Laos page for visa, ATM and SIM information.
Outside the terminal there will be plenty of tuk tuks and minivans waiting to take you to the city. Tuk tuk drivers will charge 40,000 kip per person and minivans will charge 80,000 kip per person.
Getting to Luang Prabang by high-speed train - Laos / China Railway
Arrowing north from the Laotian capital of Vientiane to northern Laos and the border of China, the newly opened Laos / China rail is a super modern, super speedy and much smoother transport alternative to Laos’ bumpy roads.
High speed trains depart Vientiane daily, passing through Vang Vieng and arriving in Luang Prabang in only 2 hours! If you were to drive between the two cities, it would be a 6.5 hour bumpy ride.
You can only purchase tickets up to 3 days in advance, therefore we’d recommend booking tickets via 12Go. You can book further in advance this way and 12Go will book your tickets as soon as they are released - book tickets here.
When you arrive at Luang Prabang train station, head out the station and down the steps to find minivans waiting to take you into the city. A ticket to the city (including luggage) will cost you 80,000 kip. Just buy a ticket and let the driver know where you’re staying.
Bangkok to Luang Prabang on a budget.
If you’re on a backpacking budget and want to keep costs low, then you can actually travel all the way from Bangkok to Luang Prabang by train!
We did exactly this via the 133 express train that left Bangkok’s Bang Sue Railway Station in the evening, travelled overnight across the border and arrived in Vientiane the next morning. From Vientiane we took a taxi to the high speed train railway station north of the city, boarded an early afternoon train and arrived in Luang Prabang in time for a sunset beer on the Mekong! It was super easy and much cheaper than flying. Plus the views from the high speed train were spectacular!
To read more about travelling between Thailand and Laos by train, check out our guide here which gives you all the information about the overnight train, what to expect at the border and how to book tickets for both the Thai and Laotian trains.
Travelling by Slow Boat on the Mekong River - Huay Xai to Luang Prabang
The slow boats of Laos are a bucket list item for many travellers. Plying their way up and down the Mekong River, slow boats connect Luang Prabang with Huay Xai on the Thailand / Laos border.
The journey is incredible, you just sit back and watch the world go by as you pass by buffaloes, fishermen and small children playing in the river. It’s one of those journeys where it really does feel like you’ve travelled back in time and are getting a glimpse of the ‘real’ Laos.
The colourful slowboats of Laos!
There are two ways to travel. The more luxurious, sitting on a private boat with a small group of travellers with an on board bar / food provided, or the cheaper, more fun way with the locals. The local boat is very much a local experience, with travellers, backpackers, locals and market produce all crammed onto the boat.
Whichever type of slow boat you decide on, the trip from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang will take you 2 days to complete, with an overnight stopover at the small riverside town of Pakbeng. Boats run in both directions everyday. If you’re coming from Thailand, the nearest city to Huay Xai is Chiang Rai. You can book your slow boat tickets here.
To help decide which boat to take (we are lucky enough to have experienced both) read our guide to the slowboats of Laos as well as what there is to do in the small town of Pakbeng below.
Arriving in Luang Prabang by bus
As the main traveller hub in the north of Laos, Luang Prabang is extremely well connected by bus.
For the north of the country, there are buses that can connect you to Nong Khiaw, Luang Namtha and Phonsavan. To the south, there are bus routes connecting Luang Prabang with Vang Vieng and Vientiane.
If you are travelling from Vietnam on a very strict budget you can even get a bus all the way from Hanoi!
Tickets can sell out extremely quickly, so make sure you book in advance.
The roads in Laos are littered with deep potholes. If you’re travelling by bus, expect a very bumpy ride! We would also issue another warning; even if you have booked a ticket, it doesn’t always guarantee a comfy seat. Laotian bus drivers will stuff the bus with as many passengers as they can fit on, regardless of how comfy that will be for said passengers. It is not uncommon for extra seats to be added in the aisles and for a 2 seater bench to be for 3 or more people. The extra ‘seats’ they bring out are definitely not the comfy sort and will almost certainly be a bright yellow beer Laos crate covered with a cushion!
We’ve had many bus journeys being jolted and bumped around, where we've tessellated ourselves into a very cramped minivan, with more people sitting in each row than seats.
Also, all luggage (apart from very small rucksacks / handbags) are stored on top of the minivan and covered with a tarpaulin. If you’re travelling in wet weather, there’s a very strong chance your main bag will get wet - so make sure you put the rain cover on!
If you’re a passenger princess who wants a smooth ride, a comfy seat and shudders at travelling like the locals do, then don’t travel by bus. Instead hop on the more expensive high speed rail or fly!
You have been warned.
There are too many bus routes to mention them all one by one, check out 12Go for all of your options:
Where to Stay in Luang Prabang?
Luang Prabang is a relatively small city and wherever you end up staying it won’t be more than a 30 minute walk to get to the Old Quarter. Whatever your budget or style of accommodation there’s plenty to choose from. Over our different visits to the city, we’ve stayed in everything from budget friendly to mid-range and super luxury. Here’s our recommendation on where to stay.
Budget Accommodation - Guesthouses and Hostels
If you’re looking for cheap, budget friendly, comfy accommodation we cannot recommend a stay at Casa Nostra or Casa de Jardin enough.
Casa de Jardin in all its glory!
Both hostels are run by the same family and both are fantastic! In Casa Nostra we splashed out and stayed in their very comfy ‘private king room’ that came with an en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning and even a sofa. In Casa de Jardin, we stayed in a very comfy private room with a shared bathroom. The family who run both the hostels are some of the friendliest we’ve encountered on our travels. They also offer guests free breakfast in the morning and family dinners 3 times a week.
There are also dorms for those on a strict backpacking budget.
In both hostels we were able to hire scooters, do our laundry, arrange excursions and book onward bus tickets.
Book your stay in Casa Nostra here or Casa De Jardin here.
Where to Stay - Mid-range Hotel
For a mid-range stay, we loved our stay in Villa Oasis. The hotel offers comfy rooms with en-suite bathrooms, a swimming pool and a restaurant overlooking a lily pond. It was a beautiful stay, right in the heart of the city.
Book your stay in Villa Oasis here.
Super Luxury, High End Accommodation in Luang Prabang
If you’re after a luxurious stay in Luang Prabang, then Satri House Hotel would be a perfect match! We obviously didn’t use our backpacking budget to stay here, but were lucky enough to be treated to a wonderful break here by John’s parents. The hotel offers 2 pools, a great breakfast and beautiful rooms that feel as though you’ve stepped into a Laotian version of Downton Abbey.
Book your stay in Satri House Hotel here.
The hotel is also opposite the famous Manda De Laos restaurant for those looking to indulge further. To read more about our stay in Satri House, check out our guide to luxury living in Luang Prabang here.
All Luang Prabang Accommodation
To book your stay in Luang Prabang, use the map below to search around for all the accommodation on offer. Just insert your travel dates and see all your choices.
What to do in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is full of amazing palaces, hidden alleyways, beautiful temples and fantastic waterfalls to explore. Below are just a few of the amazing things you can get up to during your stay in Luang Prabang:
Explore the Old Quarter
The star of the show when it comes to Luang Prabang is its historic Old Quarter. Awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status the streets are a wonderful cocktail of traditional Laotian, French, Burmese and Chinese architecture.
Traditional slope roofed shophouses rub shoulders with colonnaded colonial architectural gems. It’s an incredible blend of very different styles but somehow they all work together as a harmonious whole.
One of the great treats of Luang Prabang is simply to walk and explore the stunning streets and amazing alleyways of the city.
The Old Quarter is full of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and craft boutiques. You can easily spend hours just wandering around the pretty lanes.
The historic district is also home to the majority of Luang Prabang’s most popular attractions.
Where is the Old Quarter?
The Old Quarter of Luang Prabang stretches out between the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers. On a map you can roughly say it starts from around Wat Mahathat all the way to where the Nam Khan curves around the headland and joins the Mekong.
The streets of Luang Prabang’s Old Quarter are a beautiful mix of traditional Laotian and French colonial architecture!
Temples of Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is the cultural and religious centre for Laos. Its very name is derived from the holy ‘Phra Bang’ Buddha statue. The city is steeped in holy history and religious buildings. Despite its tumultuous record Luang Prabang has preserved a plethora of incredible temples from across its storied past.
If you’re only in Luang Prabang for a short amount of time, we’d recommend making sure you visit the following temples:
Wat Xiengthong
(location)
Perhaps the most famous and certainly one of the most stunning of Luang Prabang’s temples, Wat Xiengthong is more than just a building of worship. The temple houses the Royal Carriage House, beautiful grounds and utterly incredible monastic buildings.
The Royal Carriage House is especially impressive, its vast gold and red front gleams under the Laotian sun. Inside the carriage is simply enormous. A huge wooden behemoth used in state funerals.
The temple buildings are richly decorated both on the inside and the out, make sure you don’t miss walking around the back of the main temples to see the shining embossed trees and story mosaics that have been set into the walls of the buildings.
Wat Xiengthong is open everyday from 8 AM until 6 PM. Tickets cost 30,000 kip to enter.
Wat May Souvannapoumaram
(location)
Just next door to the National Museum, Wat May Souvannapoumaram is the largest single temple in Luang Prabang. It’s vast 4 tiered red roof stretches up to the sky. Inside its enormous prayer hall a gigantic golden Buddha sits amongst a crowd of smaller Buddha statues.
Outside the golden wall of the temple really is something special. The shining surface is completely filled with stories and histories carved into the golden surface.
Wat May Souvannapoumaram is open everyday from 8 AM until 5 PM. Tickets cost 10,000 kip to enter.
Wat Wisunarat
(location)
Wat Wisunarat (also known as Wat Visoun) is the oldest of Luang Prabang’s many, many temples. The plain exterior of the main temple building belies the exquisite interior. Carvings, golden statues and a collection of religious artefacts crowd together in a kaleidoscope of Buddhist beauty. Above all of this, the red, black and gold painted roof covers everything with every beam and tile inscribed and decorated.
Outside in the peaceful temple grounds is the austere white and stone stupa of That Makmo otherwise known as the ‘Watermelon Stupa’. When you visit you’ll see why!
Wat Wisunarat is open everyday from 8 AM until 5 PM. Tickets cost 20,000 kip to enter.
The ‘Watermelon’ stupa of Wat Wisunarat
Other Luang Prabang Temples to Visit
The temples listed above are just the ones we feel you cannot miss on a short trip to Luang Prabang. However, there are plenty more to see in the city. In fact, wherever you are, we’d say you’ll never be more than 5 minutes walk to another beautiful temple.
You could easily spend a full day just exploring the temples and still not see half of them. If you have the time, we’d recommend donning your best temple wear and following our map below to look at some of Luang Prabang’s highlights as well as some lesser known temples.
Temple Wear
If you’re planning to visit these temples, please be respectful and follow their strict dress codes. You can only enter if your shoulders and knees are covered. Crop tops and leggings are strictly forbidden.
You will need to remove your shoes before entering the temples.
The temples of Luang Prabang are all unique and are all stunning. Here’s a gallery showcasing some of our favourite shots.
The Morning Alms Giving Ceremony of Luang Prabang
Every morning as dawn breaks, hundreds of saffron robed monks emerge from the temples and monasteries of Luang Prabang to partake in the daily alms giving ceremony (named Sai Bat in Laos). This ancient ritual is a core part of Luang Prabang daily life.
The monks and novices come out from their temples and wind round the city. Locals, businesses (and now tourists) donate rice, food and other necessities into the monks' alms bowls.
The monasteries of Luang Prabang depend on this daily donation to feed, house and educate the many monks in their care. In Laos one of the most accessible forms of education is to send your child to be a monk in a monastery.
Nowadays it is very popular for tours to include alms giving as part of their itineraries. We have taken part in the ceremony as part of a guided tour and we’re going to be totally honest: As non-religious foreigners we felt slightly strange sitting on traditional Laotian stools, scarves wrapped around our shoulders handing out rice to the monks. We felt a little awkward and like we were in some way contributing to the cheapening of an ancient religious custom. This is probably us being awkward Brits and overthinking everything, but it just was not for us. We’re not judging anyone doing this, we just felt very out of place.
If you wish to participate it is very popular to do so. There are signs on most of the streets that the monks will walk down. The signs detail the price you should pay for the offerings and etiquette towards the monks. Please dress respectfully and whatever you do, don’t just treat it as a model-walk photo shoot!
The alms giving ceremony is beautiful. The sight of the orange robed monks walking past white walled temples, with locals donating sticky rice to the alms bowls is iconic. It is one of the defining images of Luang Prabang and Laos as a whole. We are in no way saying that you shouldn’t go and watch it or take part, but if you’re anything like us we felt a little bit awkward, like we were playing at somebody else's faith.
You do not have to “take part” in the ceremony, you can, of-course, just watch. If you do watch, please do not crowd the monks or impede their progress around the city. Be respectful, keep your distance and remember when taking photographs that these are, a lot of the time, just somebody's children off to get an education. We’re sure, wherever you’re from, you wouldn’t feel right if every time the school bus emptied out, there was a horde of shutterbugs snapping away at the kids.
Saffron robed monks are an everyday sight on the streets of Luang Prabang - just remember to be respectful.
Climb Mount Phou Si
Wherever you are in Luang Prabang, you can’t miss Phousi Hill. Sitting in the centre of the peninsula, this tree covered hill rises up above the rooftops and market stalls of the Old Quarter. At the top of the rocky, limestone outcrop sits the white and gold stupa of Wat That Chomsi. From the top of the hill you get an incredible, 360, panoramic view over the whole of Luang Prabang, the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers and all the way out to the blue and green jaggedly tall limestone mountains surrounding the city.
The golden spires of Wat That Chomsi.
Mount Phousi is often referred to as ‘sacred hill’. There are a number of different myths and legends around the creation of Phousi Hill, with the most popular folk story being that the hill was transported from Sri Lanka by King Hanuman. Today Mount Phou Si is an extremely important religious site for Laotians and Buddhist devotees.
There are two temples that sit on Mount Phousi, Wat That Chomsi and Wat Tham Phousi. Wat That Comsi at the top of the hill was first built in 1804 by King Anourat. Inside the small stupa, there is a shrine and lots of golden Buddha statues. The temple is extremely sacred, with devotees laying flowers and offerings inside the stupa. The other temple, Wat Tham Phousi can be found halfway up the eastern side of the hill. This small cave temple is home to seated and standing Buddha statues and a shrine. Close to Wat Tham Phousi, there is also a “Buddha’s Footprint”.
To reach the top of Mount Phousi, you’ll first need to climb just over 300 steps. The hike up is very easy and shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes to reach the summit.
The stone path leading to the top of Mount Phousi!
You can access the top from both sides of the hill, but the easier and more popular route is from the night market entrance on Sisavangvong Road. The quieter and slightly more challenging route is from an entrance on the Nam Khan river side of the mountain. This path takes you past the ‘Buddha’s footprint’, past Wat Tham Phousi as well as other several shrines and outlooks. If you have the time, we’d recommend heading up the Nam Khan river side first and coming back down via the Mekong side.
The best time to climb Mount Phou Si is just before sunset so you can watch the sun go down over the Mekong and the whole of Luang Prabang. The walk up at this time is beautiful, especially on a sunny day when the golden rays cast a warm glow over the moss covered steps and deep green fauna.
To find out where there are some other great sunset spots in Luang Prabang including a secret sunset spot on Phousi Hill, check out our article below.
Opening times
Phousi Hill is open everyday from 6 AM until 7 PM.
Entry fee
Tickets to climb Phousi Hill cost 30,000 kip per person.
Phousi Hill is a sacred Buddhist site, so if you’re planning to climb the hill, please dress appropriately! As tempting as a sunset beer may be, do not bring alcohol up Phousi Hill!
From the top you can get a 360 degree view over the whole of Luang Prabang!
The National Museum
The National Museum is a fascinating collection of Royal artefacts and historical pieces all housed in the former Royal Palace of Luang Pabang. Built in 1904 to house King Sisavang Vong and his family, the Royal Palace was converted into a museum following the end of the monarchy in 1975.
Inside the museum are paintings, faithful reconstructions of the Royal rooms and the ornate, incredible throne room. The throne rooms walls are a sparkling tapestry of figures and scenes all picked out in inlaid glass.
Our favourite room of the palace was the ‘presents’ room, which was full of glass cabinets showing all the different presents that countries and diplomats had given to the Royal Family. There was the ‘Key to Tokyo’ from Japan and even a model of the Apollo Lunar Module gifted by the USA.
To the rear of the palace is a garage full of classic cars including some American Lincoln Continentals and a classic French Citroen. Outside your can still see the mouldering remains of the royal petrol pumps!
There is a strict no photography policy inside the museum building. You cannot even bring your camera in. There are lockers available nearby to store any valuables whilst you visit.
The Royal Ballet Theatre
In the evenings, the Royal Ballet performs nightly shows in a building in the museum grounds. For details of show times and ticket prices check out their website here. Contrary to its name, it is not a ballet in the Western sense but traditional Laotian dancing.
Haw Phra Bang Temple
Sitting in the palace grounds, Haw Phra Bang Temple is not only gorgeous but also very significant to the city of Luang Prabang. The temple is home to the ‘Phra Bang’ statue that gives the city its name. Make sure you’ve read our mini history to Luang Prabang for more information about this.
The temple itself is simply sublime. A magnificent, ornately carved, golden and white building with gracefully tiered curving roofs rising in three Naga topped layers. The tip of the roof is crowned in ornamental golden spires. You cannot enter the temple, but can go up to the open doors and see the Phra Bang statue and the dizzyingly intricate artwork inside.
Opening Times
The National Museum is open everyday from 8 AM to 11.30 AM and from 1.30 PM until 4 PM.
Entry Fee
Entrance tickets for the National Museum cost 60,000 kip per person.
There is a strict dress code to enter the National Museum, shoulders and knees need to be covered. No shorts, crop tops, leggings etc. Just be respectful and use common sense.
Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre
(location)
The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) is a small museum set on a hill just behind Luang Prabang’s Night Market food court. We’ve been lucky to visit the museum twice now and have thoroughly enjoyed it on both occasions.
The museum focuses on the different ethnic groups that make up the country of Laos and showcases their different traditions and cultures. There are colourful displays showcasing the traditional clothing, musical instruments and household tools. It’s a fascinating look into the different cultures that make up this beautiful country. There are also rotating exhibits so you never know what you might find - We stumbled into a fascinating exhibit on high end fashion brands stealing traditional designs!
The museum is compact and you’ll probably spend less than an hour there, but it’s well worth a visit.
The museum also offers craft workshops and there’s a great gift shop at the back of the museum stuffed full of local handicrafts.
Opening Times
The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre is open everyday from 8 AM until 5 PM.
The museum is closed on Mondays.
From November 2024 the museum will be open 7 days a week.
Entry Fee
Tickets to TAEC cost 35,000 kip per person.
UXO Lao Visitor Centre
(location)
The one bit of advice you’ll see in all the guidebooks for travellers heading to Laos is: ‘don’t stray from the path’. This seems a bit extreme, but when you learn that despite never formally being at war, the country of Laos is the most heavily bombed country on earth and that 10% of the dropped bombs did not detonate - you’ll suddenly realise why you want to keep to the well marked footpaths.
During the Vietnam War between 1964 and 1973, the US dropped over 2.5 million tonnes of ordnance over Laos, which equals to a plane load of bombs being dropped every 8 minutes over a period of 9 years.
Unfortunately a lot of the bombs dropped didn’t explode on impact and remain embedded in the earth. Today, the unexploded ordnance continues to cause injuries and death to the people of Laos.
UXO Lao is a small organisation that has been tasked with clearing the land of the unexploded ordnance, a humongous task given the sheer number of UXO’s still in Laos.
The UXO Lao Visitor Centre allows travellers a chance to learn about the dangers of UXO in Laos, as well as the education efforts on the ongoing dangers and how UXO Lao are clearing this dangerous legacy.
The visitor centre is very small and it won’t take you long to see all the exhibits (in fact, depending on where you’re staying, it’ll probably take you longer to get there), but it gives you a small glimpse into the absolute mammoth task UXO Lao are undertaking.
The UXO Visitor Centre toes the line perfectly of being super informative, educational and shocking without being overly graphic.
Just some of the bombs UXO Lao have cleared.
Opening Times
The UXO Lao Visitor Centre is open everyday from 8 AM to 12 PM and from 1 PM to 4 PM.
Entry Fee
The UXO visitor centre is free to enter but they do ask for a small donation.
Heuan Chan Heritage House
(location)
Located just off the main strip and hidden down a small alleyway is the Heuan Chan Heritage House. This small museum is set in a 19th century, wooden stilt house and showcases what traditional Laotian life would have looked like.
Heuan in Laotian means ‘house’ and Chan was the name of the family who owned the stilt house.
Underneath the wooden stilts is a small exhibit showing how bamboo is weaved to make fishing nets, baskets and sticky rice holders. Inside, the rooms are stuffed full of traditional wooden furniture, Laotian dresses from 100 years ago, a kitchen full of clay pots and even a small shrine. There is a cafe on site if you get peckish, clothes for hire to dress up in and lots of different craft workshops to try your hand at.
The heritage house was another one of Luang Prabang’s little surprises and if you have the time, we’d definitely recommend a visit.
Opening times
The Heuan Chan Heritage House is open everyday from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Entry fees
Tickets for the heritage house cost 30,000 kip.
Markets of Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is rightly famous for its markets. The sprawling night market is a traveller favourite for delicious, cheap street food, but there are so many more markets to discover! These are some of our favourite street markets to shop, eat and generally just nose around!
Luang Prabang’s Morning Market
(location)
Luang Prabang’s Morning Market is a crowded and bustling affair. Raised tables are joined with produce spilling out on floor mats. Live animals are tethered next to greenery and bubbling vats of soup waft their scent down the crowded alleyways.
Whatever you’re desired protein, you’ll definitely be able to find it for sale at the Morning Market!
It’s a true South East Asian market with all the good and all the shocking-ness that entails. When we visited we certainly didn’t expect to see 12 live frogs all tied together in a ribbeting bouquet!
The market opens in the early hours of the morning and runs until just after breakfast time. The majority of the local stalls will pack up earlier than those serving the tourists. Our advice is to get there at the crack of dawn to have the full experience.
Luang Prabang’s Night Market
(location)
As the sun starts to set, all along the main strip of Luang Prabang’s Old Quarter, red and blue gazebos spring up as market vendors set up for Luang Prabang’s daily Night Market.
Luang Prabang’s Night Market stretches all along the main street!
Stretching the length of Sisavangvong Road, this bustling market is a great way to spend an evening shopping. With over 250 stallholders setting up shop, there’s plenty on offer. With stalls selling everything from silk scarfs to paper umbrellas, elephant pants to bracelets.
At the southern end of the Night Market there is a huge food court selling everything from noodle soups to curry, roti to sushi. On weekends they have live music on the food court’s stage. Our favourite spot to grab food though was down the narrow street opposite the food court. This little alleyway is packed with market stalls selling grilled meats, curries and salads.
You can read more about the best places to eat in Luang Prabang here.
The Night Market is open from 5 PM and closes at 11 PM.
The Night Market is a great place to shop for souvernirs!
Phosy Market
(location)
If you want to get away from the Old Quarter and shop with the locals, then we’d recommend heading to Phosy Market. This sprawling market is where Luang Prabang locals stock up on everything from meat to fish, sports wear to handbags. It’s a fascinating warren of market stalls, packed to the rafters with dried meat, buffalo skin, fresh fruit and even live animals.
For those who’ve followed our travels here and on our Instagram then you’ll know that we’re a sucker for a market. One of our favourite things to do is to dive straight in and get lost in the cramped alleyways.
Markets are a great place to pick up some local munch and Phosy Market was no different. We picked up an excellent picnic of deep-fried sliced bananas, some grilled Laotian sausages and the Lao take on a Cornish Pasty (savoury pastries like empanadas for all our non-UK readers) which were stuffed with vegetables in a sweet spiced mix.
Phosy Market was a world away from the clean walls and sanitised streets of the Old Quarter. It was a proper working market where local people would go to stock up on essentials.
Kuang Si Waterfalls
(location)
Perhaps Luang Prabang’s most famous tourist attraction, the towering, turquoise Kuang Si Waterfalls are a ‘must’ on any trip to Luang Prabang. We’ve been lucky enough to have visited the falls 3 times and they are still as breathtaking now as when we first saw them.
A multi layer set of waterfalls and small pools stretch up into the dense jungle before the trees part and, in front of you, sits a huge curtain of raging water - the Kuang Si Falls.
In the dry season the water is bright turquoise, whilst in the wet season the water cascades down in a roaring torrent of white and brown.
You can find out everything you need to know about visiting these beautiful waterfalls in our complete guide to Kuang Si Waterfalls.
At the entrance to the falls, there’s a small bear sanctuary home to a collection of rescued Moon Bears. These very cute black bears seem to spend most of their time lazing around in the sun.
Entry to the ‘Save the Bear’ sanctuary’ is included in the ticket price to Kuang Si, but extra donations are welcome. There is also a small shop selling t-shirts and other souvenirs to help support the charity.
To learn more about the bear sanctuary, check out our Kuang Si Falls blog we have linked above.
The Pak Ou Caves
(location)
North of Luang Prabang, around 25 km upstream via the Mekong River, sit the Pak Ou Caves. Known as the ‘Thousand Buddha Cave’ the Pak Ou Caves are two cave temples carved into the vertical limestone cliffs which are full to the brim with thousands of statues of the Buddha. It is rumoured that there are over 4000 statues hidden within the caves.
It is believed the caves were first founded in the 8th century and served as a shrine for locals to pay homage to the River Gods. When Laos converted to Buddhism, under the rule of King Souringna Vongsa at the beginning of the 16th century, the Pak Ou Caves became an important pilgrimage site. Devotees, including the royal family, would head to the cave on Laos New Years Day in order to leave their own statues in the caves.
As you reach the first cave you’ll be greeted by thousands of Buddha statues, staring down in row upon row. The statues are in a variety of different poses; sitting, standing or meditating. To the right of the entrance there is a shrine, full with more statues draped in saffron and golden robes.
The upper cave is reached by a steep staircase carved into the jungle. As you climb up, you’ll get incredible views through the dense foliage out onto the Mekong River, the town of Pak Ou and the steep, near vertical, limestone mountains.
The upper cave is a lot bigger and a lot darker. Inside, you’ll need to turn on a torch to view the thousands of hidden statues. The statues are made from a variety of materials and are all in a state of decay; their once glinting gold, now fading to the darkness of the cave.
There’s something mysterious and magical about the Pak Ou Caves. A deep dark cavern that's full of spirituality. As you look deeper into the cave (especially in the second cave), you’ll start to see glints of red and gold shining back at you from every crevice. Wherever you look, there’s a pair of enlightened eyes looking back at you.
Pak Ou Caves - How to Get There?
You can reach the Pak Ou Caves via boat, tuk tuk, scooter or by guided tour from Luang Prabang.
The prettiest and most relaxing way to reach the caves is to take a boat upstream. There is a boat that departs the main boat pier in Luang Prabang everyday at 8.30 AM. To buy tickets just head to the ticket office located just opposite Saffron Coffee here. Once on board, the boat will float slowly up stream past riverside farmers, fishermen and wallowing buffalo. The boat will make a quick stop at Ban Xang Hai, a small village specialising in the distilling of Lao-Lao rice whiskey before heading north to the caves themselves. The boat trip to and from Luang Prabang (including the stops at the caves and whiskey village) will take around 4 hours. Tickets cost 150,000 kip per person for the boat to and from the caves. You will need to pay 20,000 kip on top of this for entry to the caves.
If you’re after a morning pick-me-up before setting off on the boat, Saffron Coffee serves up some excellent caffeinated beverages. You can read more about some of our other favourite coffee shops in our guide to the best coffee of Luang Prabang.
For those who’d prefer a private boat tour, just head down the river and chat to the local boat drivers to negotiate a price.
If you’re planning to drive yourself by scooter, drive north up to the small town of Pak Ou. Once you arrive you’ll need to pay 50,000 kip to get a boat across the river. This price will include both the journey to the cave and back again. Be warned though, the road to Pak Ou is very rough, full of potholes and busy with lorries, so only plan to drive there if you’re confident on a bike.
Opening Times
The Pak Ou Caves are open everyday from 8am until 5pm.
During the Laos New Year in April, Laotian families come to the caves to pay their respects and wash their own Buddha statues.
Entry Fees
Tickets to enter the Pak Ou Caves cost 20,000 kip per person.
As the Pak Ou Caves are a Buddhist shrine and temple, please be respectful and wear temple appropriate clothes.
If you’re short on time and would like to combine a trip to Kuang Si Falls with Pak Ou Caves, why not check out a guided tour with Get Your Guide. Take a look at the tours on offer here.
Tat Sae Waterfalls
(location)
A lesser known set of falls, the Tat Sae Waterfalls are located about a 30 minute drive away from the centre of Luang Prabang. The Tat Sae Waterfalls are a set of multi-layered falls that tumble over limestone to create waterfalls and pools that flow directly into the Nam Khan River.
To reach the waterfalls, you’ll need to catch a boat from a small village on the opposite bank of the river to the Tat Sae Waterfalls (location) and travel upstream for about 10 minutes.
The Tat Sae Waterfalls are shallower in height than the Kuang Si Falls, but despite this, they still had an unyielding power, as the torrent of super fast water flowed down. The falls may not be as high as Kuang Si but they are much, much wider. When we visited in the wet season they stretched out as far as the eye could see in pools, shelves, mini falls and rivulets.
It looked as though in the past (possibly when the water levels were lower) that you could climb over the falls and reach different pools to swim in. When we visited the whole site was in a state of disrepair.
In the past you could climb a lot higher at the Tat Sae Waterfalls!
There were only two bridges we could cross, and the pathway that seemed to follow the waterfalls up to the top was closed due to the steps being broken.
The whole area seemed to be in a state of decay, with what looked like old restaurants sitting completely destroyed, picnic benches half broken and stairs leading to no-where. It looks as though they were possibly in the middle of renovating the falls, and possibly due to the pandemic, things ground to a halt. We hope that this will change in the future.
Despite the lack of infrastructure and only a few pools to look at, the power of the water was incredible. It was still a fantastic sight and we’re glad we visited.
Before you head off to the Tat Sae Waterfalls make sure you check Google Reviews. During the dry season, the waterfalls tend to completely dry out and, as a result, there isn’t much to see! If you visit when there’s no water, the locals are known to still charge you the privilege of a mini boat trip to see the non-existent waterfalls. Our advice would be to read the reviews or check with your accommodation before heading there.
We visited during October at the very end of the wet season and the falls were very much in full flow!
Tat Sae Waterfalls - How to Get There?
The easiest and cheapest way to reach the Tat Sae Waterfalls is by hiring a scooter. If you’re driving a motorbike, the road to theTat Sae Waterfall is in slightly better condition than the road to the Kuang Si Waterfalls. The only bit where it becomes a bit bumpy is the last 1.5km from where you turn off the main road and head down into the village. Parking for the falls is in the local temple grounds (location) costing 5000 kip.
On your way back we’d recommend stopping at Phaphone Coffee (location) for a quick caffeine fix. The iced americanos we had from here were delicious and the perfect pick me up for the bumpy trip back to the city!
If you’re not a confident scooter rider, then you can easily arrange a tuk tuk to take you to the falls. Just ask your accommodation if they know someone who could take you or find a driver in town.
Opening Times
The Tat Sae Waterfalls are open everyday from 8am to 5.30pm.
As we’ve mentioned above, check the latest Google Reviews if you’re planning to visit during the dry season.
Ticket Prices
When we visited there was no ticket entry to see the waterfalls themselves, all we needed to do was to pay the boat driver to take us there and back. This may change in the future when they have renovated the site. Let us know in the comments if they do.
The price for the boat to take us to the waterfalls, wait for us and then take us back again was 25,000 kip per person.
Boat Cruises on the Mekong River
From sunrise to sunset, tourist boats flow up and down the Mekong River, offering everything from sunset to dinner or even theatre cruises. From the Luang Prabang, you can take a boat trip north to reach the Pak Ou Caves or Ban Xang Hai the whiskey village, or you can head south and float all the way down to Kuang Si Falls.
Our favourite time of day to float on the Mekong was at sunset. Sitting in the middle of the river, bobbing gently downstream whilst watching a fiery display is the perfect way to round off a day of exploring in Luang Prabang.
We have enjoyed a sunset boat cruise with Sa Sa cruises twice now and can highly recommend them.
To read more about our sunset Mekong experience, check out our guide here.
To arrange a boat cruise on the Mekong, just head to the Luang Prabang boat pier or head to one of the boat tour offices lining the river. No matter what you want, whether it's a dinner, sunset or even sunrise tour, there will be a boat for you. Just make sure you compare prices and negotiate appropriately.
Exploring Chomphet - ‘Off the Beaten Path’ Luang Prabang
Just over the Mekong, on the opposite riverbank, is the district of Chomphet. Full of beautiful temples, small villages and even a hidden jungle shrine, this small district feels a world away from the colonial streets of Luang Prabang.
To read all about our afternoon exploring Chomphet and how to find the hidden jungle shrine, read our guide here:
Guided Tours of Luang Prabang
We understand not everyone has enough time on their hands to explore the city leisurely by themselves. If you only have a small amount of time in Laos, it’s understandable that you’ll want to cram in as much as possible.
If you’d like to combine a couple of the attractions and sites we’ve mentioned here, why not book a guided tour with Get Your Guide. We’ve taken tours with them in the past and it’s been a great way to maximise what you can do in a small amount of time. Check out all their Luang Prabang tours here.
Other Things to do in Luang Prabang
There’s so much to do in Luang Prabang it would be impossible to list everything in this guide.
If you’re interested in local handicrafts why not combine a visit to the Phosy Market with a stop at the Ock Pop Tok Living Craft Centre (location) where you can watch or participate in weaving and embroidery workshops. They also have a shop selling local crafts as well as a beautiful riverside cafe serving Laotian / Western fusion dishes. There is also an outlet of Ock Pop Tok in Luang Prabang city centre.
If the Ock Pop Tok Centre has ignited your crafting passion, head to the other side of the Nam Khan River to find some other workshops for you to try your hand at. Just head over the Old French Bridge or take the Bamboo Bridge in the dry season.
The Old French Bridge is a popular crossing point over the Nam Khan River for scooter drivers and pedestrians!
If you want to make your own jewellery head to the Garden of Eden (location) to take part in a jewellery making class. Or if wood carving is more your thing, why not take a wood carving class at Lon Wood Workshop (location) located next door.
Just up the road, further along the Mekong River, you’ll reach the handicraft village of Ban Xang Khong. Here you can see handmade paper being stretched and dried in the sun and wooden looms rattling as colourful threads are embroidered into traditional Laotian fabrics. This handicraft village may have started as a traditional crafting hub but, nowadays it is very obviously laid on for the tourists. The outlets here do provide income to locals and preserve traditional handicrafts, but understand you are visiting a tourist “handicraft village” - gift shops and all!
Just some of the traditional Laotian handicrafts you can see at Ban Xang Khong Village located just outside of Luang Prabang.
For those looking to stretch there legs, just outside the city is the Nahm Dong Park (location). This huge park is full of hiking trails, zip lines and waterfalls. When we visited Luang Prabang our accommodation recommended not heading there by scooter as the road is very treacherous especially during or just after the wet season.
Where to Eat in Luang Prabang?
Luang Prabang has no shortage of street side stalls, fine-dining restaurants, boutique bakeries and craft coffee shops. Whether you’re craving Laotian or French, Indian or Italian, there’s plenty of places to dine.
To read about some of our favourite Luang Prabang eats, check out our article below:
Nightlife in Luang Prabang - The Best Places to Drink
With beautiful riverside bars and a plethora of places for a drink, Luang Prabang is a great place to enjoy a cheeky beer or cocktail as the sun goes down. Whether you are into the super cheap local Beer Laos or are looking for a more refined tipple Luang Prabang will have a bar for you. Here are some of our favourites from our many visits to the city:
Riverside Bars and Restaurants
Our favourite place for a cheeky sunset beverage was sitting in any of the bars or restaurants that line the Mekong River. Looking out over the busy Mekong River and the setting sun, they provided the perfect front row seats to watch the evening boat traffic flow beneath the golden rays of the setting sun.
Check out our guide here for our bar recommendations for where to see the best sunset on the river!
Ice cold beer and an incredible view - name a better place for a sunset beer!
Just over the road from the river is another great bar, the RnB Bar (location). Despite its name it didn’t actually play any RnB when we visited, in fact it seemed to be mostly an Oasis based soundtrack. This bar is super comfy, with good beer and friendly staff. We didn’t eat a full meal here but really enjoyed their deep fried sliced aubergines. The crispy battered slices were a perfect accompaniment to an ice-cold Beer Laos. The RnB Bar has seating indoors, so if it’s a rainy evening on the river, we would definitely recommend heading here.
Bars in the Old Quarter
At the northern end of the Night Market, on the main strip, is a small street packed full of restaurants and bars. They all serve similar food and drink menus and all have some form of happy hour deal. Some of our favourite bars to sit in were Tangor (location) and the Maolin Tavern (location). Both the bars are a little more expensive than others in town but, given the location, (right on the main strip and just off the Night Market) and compared to what we are used to back in the UK, you really can’t go wrong! If it’s raining, both bars listed have indoor seating.
The other side of Phousi Hill is another favourite bar of ours, the Redbull Sports Bar (location). A popular hangout for backpackers and locals, this bar was popular until closing. With good music, food and drink deals and a pool table, it seemed to be the new hangout for travellers now that the backpacker haunt of the Utopia Bar is sadly closed.
Luang Prabang’s Famous Bowling Alley
Once the bars close in Luang Prabang (around midnight), there’s only one place to head to and that is Luang Prabang’s famous bowling alley. A firm favourite amongst backpackers and hostel crowds, grab a group together and head there for cheap beer, bowling and archery (a daring choice of entertainment for intoxicated backpackers but hey, who are we to judge!)
Getting Around Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is an easily walkable city. The streets are very quiet and there’s very little traffic to contend with. A lot of the streets of the Old Quarter are ‘one-way’ so unlike other parts of SE Asia (we’re looking at you Hanoi) it’s very easy to cross the road.
If you do need motorised transport there are plenty of tuk tuk taxis to take you to wherever you need to go. If you’re planning to take a tuk tuk somewhere, just flag one down, let them know where you want to go and negotiate a price! We paid anywhere between 30,000 to 50,000 kip per journey, but we’re sure we could have negotiated lower if we tried.
The colourful tuk tuks of Luang Prabang can be hailed all over the city!
If you’re planning to rent a motorbike, scooter or even an electric moped, the rental prices seem to be standard across the city at 150,000 kip per day.
For those who are keen cyclists, the majority of guesthouses and hotels will have bicycles either for free or for you to rent for the day.
Where to go After Luang Prabang?
Depending on how long you have and what you want to get up to, you can go in lots of different directions from Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang serves as the northern hub for travel and tourism in Laos and from the city you can get pretty much anywhere else in this landlocked country.
If you’re into hiking and want to find an area of Laos that’s still relatively untouched by mass tourism then we can’t recommend a trip to Nong Khiaw (read our guide here) enough. Multiple buses run everyday from Luang Prabang and the journey takes between 3 and 4 hours.
Luang Prabang - Nong Khiaw Buses
If you’re looking for jungle hikes and the stunning Nam Ha National BioDiversity Conservation Area head north to Luang Namtha.
Luang Prabang - Luang Namtha Buses
For those into their history or who just love a bit of an ancient mystery (we really didn’t mean to rhyme there) you can move east to the Phonsavan and the enigmatic ‘Plain of Jars’.
Luang Prabang - Phonsavan Buses
For the next major stop on the “banana pancake trail” head south to the backpacker hub of Vang Vieng. Full of viewpoints, bars and lots of fellow travellers, this small city is the adventure capital of Laos.
As we’ve mentioned earlier Luang Prabang is on the Laos-China high speed railway line so you can zoom to Vang Vieng or all the way to the capital, Vientiane in just a matter of hours.
If you don’t mind a very long journey you can even catch buses further south to the city of Pakse.
For those with the money and who are in a hurry, you can catch internal flights south.
Internationally you can catch the slow boat to Chiang Rai in Thailand or use the rail network to get to all the way down to Bangkok (read about our experience here). There are also buses to Hanoi in Vietnam.
If you are travelling to Vietnam, make sure you check out our guides!
Final Thoughts
Luang Prabang is just one of those cities that instantly becomes a full blown love affair. Its quiet picturesque streets, laid-back vibes, bustling night market and intricate temples will just pull you in deeper and deeper and the longer you spend in the city, the more you’ll want to stay.
It’s a city that’s perfect for travellers. One where there's everything you could want from fantastic restaurants, cute coffee shops and lively bars, but also one where you can just wander around with no real purpose and still have a great time exploring.
As you explore the small alleyways and streets around the Old Quarter, you’ll stumble upon a Luang Prabang that almost feels unchanged by time. You’ll pass by monks sweeping temple courtyards, locals harvesting fruit and gaggles of chickens pecking at the dusty ground. Luang Prabang has all the mod-cons of a modern city, but has somehow blended tradition and modernity in its beautiful architecture, temples and markets.
Luang Prabang really is an incredible mix of tradition and modernity!
Luang Prabang is not like any other South East Asia city. Its closest cousin would probably be the temple city of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand but even this is a poor comparison. There are no shopping malls in Luang Prabang, no 7-11’s, Luang Prabang is stripped back, raw but somehow cosy and comforting. Luang Prabang is a tiny city compared to it’s Thai neighbours and this makes it feel welcoming, walkable, friendly and safe.
Luang Prabang will always feature on any trip to Laos, but most travellers will head there for only a few days. Our recommendation is to double the time you have planned in the city, if not triple. It’s a city that deserves to be slow-travelled, a city to sit back, relax and soak in the easy-going laid back vibes.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Laotian BBQ - Eating Like A Local In Laos
Come with us as we take you out on a delicious evening dining on a Laotian barbecue feast. We grill, boil, simmer and saute our way through a tasty traditional barbecue in the Northern Laotian town of Nong Khiaw. If you’re curious or epi-curious don’t miss out on this brilliant barbecue!
Barbecues, every country has their version. From the slow smoked briskets of the American South to the delicate, precise yakitori of Japan, everyone on earth loves some grilled meats.
Laos is no different. A Laotian Barbecue is an absolute essential dining experience when visiting this beautiful country. Available everywhere from the fanciest high-end restaurants to the humblest street side vendor, Laotian Barbecue is a fantastic, communal meal that’s perfect for sharing.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
What is a Laotian Barbecue?
Laotian Barbecue or Seen Dat (also sometimes known as Daht Seen) typically takes the form of a domed, perforated metal pan sitting over glowing hot charcoal. Resting on a clay pot, the metal griddle has a “moat” around the outside that catches all of the juices as the meat grills on the domed shaped top. This delicious jus combines in the moat with stock and vegetables to become the soup and base of the meal.
The metal grill pan is common throughout South East Asia. You can find similar (but never the same) barbecue toppers in Thailand and Cambodia. What sets these different countries' barbecues apart is always what is added to the pan. Different sauces, different cuts of meat and different soup stocks combine to make for very different barbecue experiences.
A traditional Laos BBQ grill - you can see how all the flavours just drip down the side and into the soup!
In Laos, the basic set up is simple; the pot of charcoal is rested on, or sometimes inside of, the centre of the table, then the griddle is placed on top. The moat is filled with stock and the fun begins!
You add meat, vegetables, seafood or pretty much anything edible to the grill or the soup, then cook and enjoy at your own leisure. The soup boils and the dome top fries and grills. There are no rules as to what goes where, you can boil the meat and grill the veg if you like, there’s no barbeque police to arrest you!
Each person will have their own bowl. In this they can combine their cooked meat, veg and noodles with the broth and a sweet, sharp, tangy and yet somehow savoury tamarind dipping sauce.
If you’re a vegetarian you can almost always request a vegetarian barbecue. The stock will be vegetarian and they will bring you extra vegetables, tofu and greens to saute, grill and boil. Just check with the restaurant when ordering.
What is a Laotian Barbecue like?
We have enjoyed many a fantastic barbecue in Laos, but will guide you through an especially great night we had in one of our favourite places on earth, Nong Khiaw - you can read all about this magical place here.
We had spotted a restaurant just off the town’s main street (you can find the restaurant here) offering a Laotian Barbecue for just 100,000 kip per person. This would come with meat, seafood, vegetables, noodles and a tamarind dipping sauce. Feeling this was an absolute steal, we couldn’t resist and dove in.
What followed was one of the most memorable meals we’ve eaten in Nong Khiaw (and we’ve eaten a lot)!
We were ushered to a table with a circular hole in the centre and our barbeque was assembled in front of our eyes. Glowing red charcoal filled the clay pots and our metal barbecue topper crowned the hot coals. Extra ventilation was cleverly supplied by a ring of old Beer Laos bottle tops separating the clay pot and the metal grill.
Then out came our delicious feast. The tiny table was filled with plastic baskets full of vegetables and plates of thinly sliced meat, chicken, beef, pork and what we think was buffalo was joined by ribbons of squid and whole prawns. The stock was presented in a plastic juice jug and we were ready to dine!
Our full Laotian BBQ spread - looks good doesn't it!
The first thing you learn with a Laotian barbecue is patience. You have to wait for the grill to heat up and you have to wait to cook your meats. Oil is supplied on the barbecue by a lump of pork fat, placed on the very top of the metal grill. The fat is scored to let all of its juices flow and you oil the grill by grabbing the pork fat with your tongs and spreading it all around like you’re applying piggy suncream to the metallic grill. Once lubed up, it’s time to barbeque.
We added slices of pork, beef, buffalo and chicken to the domed grill. Their juices running, mixing and mingling into the stock below, making it richer and richer with every piece added. To the stock itself we added sliced onions, carrots and courgettes. We would also quickly blanch morning glory shoots, coriander and spring onions before ladling the now rich broth into our bowls.
Small strands of glass noodles added body to the soup and when the meat was ready, we dipped it into the sharp, tamarind heavy sauce before devouring the whole lot.
Between meaty feasts we would switch it up and have seafood courses. Our prawns changing colour right in front of our eyes as they cooked on the hot metal. The squid (we never knew if we were cooking it correctly) would curl up away from the heat before quickly being pulled off of the grill, dunked into the tamarind sauce and eaten with the sweet, juicy prawns. All the while, the soup stock was getting richer, deeper and more complex.
Our sliced meat ready for the BBQ!
There’s very little on earth that is as tasty as barbecued meat. It’s got it all. The anticipation; the smells wafting through the air as it cooks, the amazing, caramelised, slightly smoky, char of the meat and the unmistakable, un-reproducable juicy deliciousness of the cooked meat.
We ate the meal piece by piece, taking our time grilling, charring, flipping and boiling each piece of our meal. It’s a lovely way to eat, it really makes an evening out of a meal. You cannot rush, you cannot overcrowd the barbecue grill and every so often, you’ll need to top up the stock or refresh the charcoal. It’s also just tremendous fun. Deciding to see if you can charcoal grill lettuce, whilst your partner attempts to stop their prawn falling off the top of the dome like it’s some kind of ‘King of the Hill’ game is just plain fun. There aren’t many meals where you should play with your food, but Laos Barbecue is one of them.
Laotian Barbecue really lends itself to conversation, you eat at your own leisure, you cook your own meal and can take it as fast or as slow as you want. If you get lost in a meandering conversation and forget about your piece of buffalo on the barbecue, it just gets a little more of that great char! It’s a meal to savour, one where the longer you take, the longer that stock bubbles and intensifies, the better the meal.
We ate our Laotian Barbecue as a couple, but this style of barbecue makes for a fantastic feast with friends. We cannot recommend seeking out a Laotian Barbecue on your Laos travels, trust us you won’t regret it!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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