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.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
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! 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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Nong Khiaw - The Complete Guide
Nong Khiaw in northern Laos is a backpacker haven full of beautiful hiking trails, amazing viewpoints and great kayaking on the Nam Ou river. Read our complete guide to this incredible town. Find out: What to do, where to eat and where to have some fun drinks!
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Nong Khiaw is special, in our adventures we have been lucky enough to go to so many wonderful places, from off the beaten path to tourist hubs, we’ve had some fantastic experiences, however Nong Khiaw was easily one of the best. Nestled within tall limestone mountains, with the Nam Ou river snaking through the centre of town, Nong Khiaw is a beautiful backpacker haven in the north of Laos. This small town boasts great restaurants, bars, accommodation choices and jaw dropping scenery and activities. In this blog we’re going to run you through our recommendations for what to do, what to eat and where to drink in this incredible Laotian mountain town.
Contents:
Nong Khiaw town viewed from the Pha Noi viewpoint, it’s a lovely little town!
How to get to and from Nong Khiaw?
Being a backpacker hub, Nong Khiaw is pretty well connected. With buses running regularly to towns and cities all around. The cities of Luang Prabang and Oudomxay (also known as Muang Xai or Oudomxai) are only about three hours away by bus.
For better or worse (we think for the better) Nong Khiaw is not on the new high speed railway line, so if you are travelling by train from Vientiane or Vang Vieng, you will need to travel to either Luang Prabang or Oudomxay and book onward travel by bus or taxi.
We travelled to Nong Khiaw from Luang Namtha in the north. We hope your journey is easier than ours, as ours was a bumpy seven hour ride punctuated by having to change the two front tyres on the minibus.
It could have been worse though, the people in front of us were all sitting on beer crates rather than seats… it's the gamble you take when travelling in Laos!
Tip: Get to the bus station early with a ticket already purchased to make sure you get an actual seat on the bus!
Tickets for the minibuses can usually be booked in advance through your accommodation or online. For online booking, we’d recommend using 12Go.
We booked our tickets both to and from Nong Khiaw via our accommodation. One ticket from Luang Namtha to Nong Khiaw cost 230,000 kip each (£11.39 or $13.70) this included a tuk tuk taxi from our accommodation in the centre of Luang Namtha to the bus station. One ticket from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang cost 100,000 kip each (£4.95 or $5.95) this also included a tuk tuk taxi from our accommodation in Nong Khiaw to the bus station.
Tip: In lots of the places in Laos, you will find the bus station isn’t anywhere near the centre of town. In Nong Khiaw this isn’t too bad as the distance is still walkable. When we arrived, it took us about 15 minutes to walk into town with our backpacks. In both Luang Namtha and Luang Prabang, the bus stations are well outside the main towns and accommodation areas, therefore you will need to factor in the price of a tuk tuk to your total ticket price. This is often quite high as the tuk tuk drivers know that you don’t really have a choice. Our tip would be to unite with your fellow bus travellers and increase your negotiation power as a group.
When Should You Visit Nong Khiaw?
We visited Nong Khiaw in late January and it was perfect. Hot, clear, sunny days but with much cooler nights. When we visited there was an unusual cold snap at night and temperatures did drop to around 6 degrees celsius, but by this point we would usually be huddled cosily in a bar, so we didn’t mind.
The best time to visit would be between October to early March as the weather is warm and dry, which is perfect for hiking.
Check before you go about the “smokey season”. Smokey season generally runs from March to April, where farmers burn their fields and the air is full of smoke. We have heard it's quite unpleasant and visibility drops considerably which is not what you want when exploring mountainous hiking trails. The views just wouldn’t be the same.
April to June sees a climb in temperature and humidity, in the run up to the monsoon season from July onwards.
How Long Should I Stay in Nong Khiaw?
How long is a piece of string? How long you stay in Nong Khiaw depends on how many activities you want to do whilst there. Being only 4 hours away from Luang Prabang, you can get to and from Nong Khiaw easily, so you could come just for a couple of days and do a viewpoint and a kayaking trip.
If you have some more time to spare, you can spend a lot longer here. We spent around a fortnight in Nong Khiaw and there were others around us that stayed even longer. This may be a little long for some, but if you wanted to do all the viewpoints, the caves and a few multi day trips as well as boating to other villages, then you would need over a week.
If you just want to do day activities and your not worried about tiring yourself out you could probably fit a good whack into three or four days (not including coming or going).
Honestly, this was one of our favourite places, and if your lucky with the weather and find a good group of friends, then its worth slowing down and savouring the place!
Accommodation - Where to Stay in Nong Khiaw?
Nong Khiaw has a plethora of accommodation to choose from, stretching along both banks of the Nam Ou river, there are lots of guesthouses, homestay’s, hostels and hotels. Before we came to Nong Khiaw we were slightly concerned about finding accommodation as both booking.com and Agoda were not showing that many choices. This worry was completely unfounded. As soon as we entered the town, there were so many options to choose from. Whatever your budget, there will be something for you.
We spent a long time in Nong Khiaw and there were definitely busy days, and so much so that our guesthouse did turn away some walk-in travellers, but there was never a time where the whole town was booked out.
The garden of Meexai guesthouse
We stayed at the Meexai guesthouse (book your stay here) on the southern side of the river. This no frills guesthouse with a private bathroom and a little terrace outside our room was perfect for us. One night's stay at this guest house cost us 200,000 kip (£9.91 or $11.91).
Breakfast was available to buy from the guesthouse, as well as a selection of soft drinks and beer. The guesthouse can also help to arrange activities in and around Nong Khiaw and also onward travel.
Activities and Attractions - Things to Do in Nong Khiaw
Nong Khiaw is an outdoor lover’s dream. Surrounded by tall, limestone mountains and with the Nam Ou river flowing through the middle, this small town in northern Laos is perfect for anyone who is eager to stretch their legs and enjoy the incredible Laotian landscapes. With hiking, kayaking, cycling and caving all available, Nong Khiaw is an amazing place to get out and about in the fresh air.
The Viewpoints
You’ve probably seen the pictures on Instagram, we certainly posted enough of them, so let’s face it, the viewpoints are probably the reason why you came to Nong Khiaw. The town is encircled by towering peaks, with each one giving a fantastic view over the surrounding countryside. There are four main viewpoints that can be climbed from the town of Nong Khiaw. Each varies in length, height and difficulty. Here is our guide to the viewpoints of Nong Khiaw.
Som Nang Viewpoint - Map Link
This viewpoint is the shortest and easiest of the viewpoints on offer in Nong Khiaw. This is also the most easily accessible viewpoint from the town, with its entrance located near the southern end of the bridge. After purchasing tickets, one ticket costs 20,000 kip (£0.96 or $1.18), the walk starts with a steep hike up a natural staircase cut into the earth. As you walk up you’ll be treated to a sneak peak of what's to come with a small viewpoint and benches looking out over the Nong Khiaw bridge.
As you continue upwards, the halfway point is marked by swings, hammocks and picnic benches. After this, the route winds up the mountainside until it reaches the main viewing platforms. These are easily the best maintained and most developed of Nong Khiaw’s viewpoints (presumably as they are the easiest to get to) and consequently the most popular. A large area is cut into the side of the mountain with multiple platforms and benches. There is a small shop and toilets available.
This viewpoint gives brilliant views over the town of Nong Khiaw and down the river valley. As the trek only takes about half an hour to get to the top, this is a brilliant spot to watch the sun set.
For those feeling brave, there is another path behind the shop that leads to another slightly higher viewing platform. This one is much less maintained and sways a little when you walk on it! But if the platforms below are busy, this one is usually quieter. There are also rocks you can climb onto to the right if you’re feeling like a daring selfie! But please be careful.
Entry cost: 20,000 kip per ticket (£0.96 or $1.18)
Difficulty: An easy uphill walk. Walking sticks are provided at the bottom but not really necessary. The steps are steep in places but as the overall walk is so short this shouldn’t be an issue.
How long does the walk take: 20 to 40 minutes each way depending on your speed and if you go all the way up to the hut.
Tips: Set off about an hour before the sun starts to set as it will get busier and busier. It really is the perfect place to watch the sun set, but this isn’t exactly a secret so it gets quite busy.
Remember to pack a sunset beer, if you’re lucky you can buy one from the shop but the range was more limited/more expensive than the town below!
If you are heading up for sunset, make sure you bring a torch or have your phone charged for light on the way down. It’s an easy hike in the twilight but you will still want to watch your footing.
Nang None Viewpoint Trail, also known as the Sleeping Lady Viewpoint - Map Link
Set a short fifteen minute walk outside of the main town on the northern side of the river, the entrance to the Sleeping Lady viewpoint is located just past the Hive Bar (read more about this bar below).
There is a small ticket booth and a register to sign to access the trail. Tickets were 15,000 kip each (£0.72 or $0.89).
Believe it or not, this is the path!
After the entrance, there is a small stone staircase, before you’re immediately thrown into bouldering mode as you navigate yourself up, over and around large rocks and tree roots. There are ropes to help you up some of these segments, but beware you’re often sharing these ropes with large angry ants.
On the subject of being careful, always check before grabbing a tree on this route as some of the trees are covered in extremely large spikes. There are also other hazards but we will come to those in due course. About a quarter of the way up the trail, the path splits in two, with the right hand fork leading you to viewpoint number one and the left continuing upwards to viewpoint two. We’d recommend heading off right at this point and going to viewpoint one before continuing on to the final, much higher, viewpoint two.
Viewpoint one is fantastic with three wooden platforms set across the rocks and a great view over the town of Nong Khiaw. This is a great place to have a drink of water and catch your breath. However, if you look up, a long way up, you will realise you still have quite a way to go!
Leaving viewpoint one behind you, you’ll come back to the fork in the road and continue on up. The trail climbs very steeply over a long time (around an hour for us) until the trail flattens out, and the trees are replaced by thick stands of bamboo. The way then winds around the mountain, via a small stone path, between rocks, clinging to the cliff edge. Before long, all sides drop away and you’re rewarded with the peak.
There are two platforms to the viewpoint, one is under renovation but still a great place to sit down and catch your breath after a hard climb (this is the one with the roof). The second viewpoint is up a rickety wooden staircase, leading to a small platform and a Laotian flag crowning the summit. The views from this viewpoint make the walk worthwhile! You can see across both sides of the town, over the bend in the river, and the massive peaks that lie beyond. It's a hard climb, but thoroughly worth it!
On a personal note, and remember this is anecdotal so we can’t guarantee that this happens to everyone… Remember to check your walking sticks! We had both picked up fallen bamboo to use as hiking poles. But, unbeknownst to Ellie, her hiking pole was also resident to a certain hairy tarantula. We don’t know at what point our eight legged friend joined us on the trail, or if he had been living there all along but a short way down from the viewpoint he decided to come and say hello. Some flailing and yelling later, and Mr Spider was persuaded to leave Ellie’s person and we learnt a valuable lesson of checking our equipment.
The above was John’s version of events. What really happened was this… as I walked down the steep hill, something big, black and hairy caught my eye. Emerging out of the top of my bamboo pole was not one, but eight thick legs. About the size of my hand in width, this big spider slid down my pole and landed on my left forearm. Unfortunately for him, I am not keen on spiders, especially not big tarantulas and so Mr Spider ended up flying through the air and landed on the step in front of me. After yelling at my wonderful fiancé (who was 15 metres down the steps in front of me and totally oblivious to my struggles), I eventually hopped over Mr Hairy Feet and proceeded to run, Spirited Away style down the steps and away from my new tarantula friend. I may or may not have been screaming at the time!
Tarantulas aside, this is a phenomenal trail. It is a hard climb full of varied terrain but with great pay offs at both viewpoints.
Entry cost: One ticket cost 15,000 kip (£0.72 or $.0.89).
Difficulty: Medium, some small amount of rock scrambling at the start and a lengthy hour and half of steep climbing to the top viewpoint. Totally doable, even if the most exercise you’ve done for the past few months is picking up a bottle of beer!
How long does the walk take: Around an hour and a half to get to the top viewpoint including stopping at the first viewpoint and plenty of breaks for water, photos and snacks! We did the whole trek up and down in just under three hours. This included a lot of time chilling out at the top and a little time recovering from tarantula triggered terror.
After trails and tarantulas we made it down!
Tips: Bring lots of water with you, both viewpoints are worth a visit. If you’re climbing the mountain after it's been very dry, the path is covered in fine dust and grit which can be quite slidey underfoot. Wear proper shoes and pick up a bamboo pole from around the path, just make sure there aren’t any unwanted passengers!
This path would not have been pleasant if it was wet under foot or after rain. Where there are steps it's just cut into the soil of the mountain, and most of the footpath is on rocks or dirt so it would be very treacherous when wet.
Keep an eye on the time as parts of this path would have been a nightmare to come down in the dark.
Nong Khiaw Viewpoint and Trail - Pha Daeng Peak - Map Link
Always stick to the path in Laos!
From the Nong Khiaw Bridge, if you look up to the Som Nang Viewpoint, you may notice far, far above this, is a fluttering Laotian flag. This flag marks the summit of Pha Daeng Peak and the top of the Nong Khiaw Viewpoint and Trail. The entrance to the trail is just past Home Coffee on the south side of the river. Tickets for this trail cost 20,000 kip each (£0.96 or $1.18). The ticket booth is marked with bright blue signage reminding you to stick to the path with the ever present large cluster bomb serving as the ticket counter.
The trail starts up from the town between local houses, before steeply ascending into the hillside jungle. The landscape changes as you ascend, starting out in farmers fields in the beating sunshine, before getting more forested and shady before eventually thinning out into bamboo as you near the summit. There are parts of this climb where you will need to scramble across or through boulders, but there are always ropes and clear markings where to go.
When you reach the summit you are treated to an incredible view over the valley. If you look down (a long way down) you can see the Som Nang viewpoint below. This harder and longer climb is definitely rewarded by the loftier vantage point you get. On a clear day, the views go on for absolute miles, stretching away in both directions of the mountain lined Nam Ou river.
Following the Nam Ou river upstream, the mountains fall away and the river banks are covered in paddy fields.
When we visited, the pavilion at the top was under construction, but there were plenty of places to sit down, take a load off and take in the magnificent surroundings. Also for the more daring, there were an abundance of great selfie spots to clamber on to.
Entry cost: One ticket cost 20,000 kip (£0.96 or $1.18)
Difficulty: Medium. The walk is steep in places, but not overly long or extreme in any way. Along the trail there are benches, swings and places to rest, and in the areas where there is a need to scramble, there are always ropes to help you.
How long does the walk take: The walk took us about an hour and half to climb to the top. This included a lot of stops for photos. The way down was much shorter, taking only about 45 minutes.
Tips: Similar to the other viewpoints, beware of the weather. You wouldn’t want to do this viewpoint after heavy rain.
When at the top, be very careful as the viewpoint platform is still under construction and, as with much of Laos, there are very few safety features e.g. rails etc.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, bring lots of water!
Pha Noi and Pha Kao Trail and Viewpoint - Map Link
(approximate location of entrance to ticket office as no Google listing)
Okay this is it, this is the big one. The Pha Noi and Pha Kao Trail and Viewpoint was the hardest and longest hike we did in Nong Khiaw. Don’t believe the Google reviews saying they go up there in an hour. As far as we could tell, this would only be possible with rocket powered shoes or by sprinting up a mountain!
The entrance to the trail is off of the right hand side of the main road, on the southern side of the bridge. A large sign shepherds you in, as you head down between the houses. Tickets are brought from an old lady in a small wooden hut, these again cost 20,000 kip per ticket (£0.96 or $1.18).
Once tickets are brought, you head off across a bamboo bridge, through a small farm and into a beautiful forest. The trail starts off deceptively flat, as you follow the path through the woodland. This did not last.
The path quickly becomes steeper with steps cut into the mud or precarious staircases made out of branches and sticks. Not long into the forest you will come to a fork in the road with a sign.
The sign says 200m to Pha Noi Viewpoint to your left, and to the right 2km to the Pha Kao Viewpoint. We can only assume these figures refer to the elevation you needed to gain, as we certainly felt that they were nothing to do with the distance you needed to walk.
We decided to take the shorter route before tackling the longer climb, so we set off to the left. The trail was definitely longer than 200m and wound sharply up through the wooded mountain side. The path snaked up and over ladders, through crevices and around cliff edges before eventually opening out into a spectacular view. From the viewpoint you could see right over Nong Khiaw town, the bend of the Nam Ou river and the surrounding mountains.
There are two platforms at this viewpoint, one has a series of sun loungers (lets spare a thought for those who had to haul these up here) and the other is a rickety, bamboo floored hut that juts out over the cliff edge. The view from here was worth the ticket price alone, but looking backwards and up the mountain, we could see our final destination was a long way off. Photos snapped, it was time to retrace our steps back to the fork in the path and then, the long right hand road to Pha Kao and the top of the mountain.
The right hand path continues through the forest, climbing in a seemingly never ending staircase. The foliage changes as you climb up and up, going from vibrant greens and broad leafed plants in the sun, to darker browns and mushroom clad trees.
The trail continues to climb upwards, underneath the shadow of the massive stone cliffs, with the path switch backing up the mountain. The path was a mixture of loose stone, leaf matter and fine dust. In some places it got extremely slidey, at one point Ellie said we might be able to ski back down!
After many, many false peaks, the trees thinned out and we finally reached the top of the mountain. This last ten minutes was definitely the prettiest so far, with the path carved directly into the very edge of the mountain as it spiralled its way to the peak. The views were amazing. On one side of you, the jagged rocks leading up to the summit, and on the other a sheer drop flowing away into a vista of distant mountains, valleys and the snaking Nam Ou river. We weren’t sure that the peak could get better than this, but boy were we wrong!
After what had seemed like a never ending climb and with shaking legs, we came to the simple bamboo and corrugated iron hut that marked the peak and the end of the Pha Kao Trail.
Directly in front of us was Nong Khiaw town and Nang None mountain, but the scale was unbelievable. The town was tiny from up here. Houses smaller than ants, the bridge like a little twig across the river, and around it spread out in all directions, the mountainous countryside of Laos. It was jaw dropping! This had been the longest hike we had done, but by far had the greatest pay off.
Entry cost: One ticket cost 20,000 kip (£0.96 or $1.18)
Difficulty: Medium to Hard. The trail is long and permanently climbs upwards to over 1000 metres. The path does vary in quality, the route to viewpoint one is very well maintained, whereas the trail to viewpoint two is much more “au natural”.
How long does the walk take: Around half an hour to get to viewpoint one, Pha Noi and then another two hours to get to the top of Pha Kao (viewpoint two). Slightly faster on the way down, but not as quick as you may think as the path is extremely slippery in places and you need to watch your feet.
Tips: Set off early to avoid the worst of the sun, but bear in mind it is between a four to five and half hour round trip and you really don’t want to come down after dark.
Picking up a walking stick is a very good idea. John’s pride stopped him using one at the start, but he quickly realised how much energy they save on long climbs. As we’ve said before a lot of the path is loose grit and gravel and so can be very slippery under foot. There are lots of good fallen branches or old bamboo along the path that can be used as a walking stick.
Pack lots of water and food, we forgot the second part and only had a small bag of fried banana chips to sustain us on our trip.
As with all these treks, beware of the weather and always stick to the footpath.
Which viewpoint is the best to do?
If you’re short on time:
A lot of people will only have a few days in Nong Khiaw, and as such need to cram a lot into a short amount of time.
If you only get the chance to do one viewpoint, we would recommend the Som Nang viewpoint. This is the lowest, shortest and easiest of the viewpoints so could easily be done just before sunset after a full day exploring elsewhere. Seriously, if you're only in Nong Khiaw for one evening, you could easily do this viewpoint.
If time is on your side:
If you’re up for more of a challenge and do have a full day to spare, then definitely do hike the Pha Noi and Pha Kao trail and viewpoint. This climb really did test us, and did take us most of the day to complete, but the view from the top was incredible and as cheesy as it is to say, really did feel as though we were standing on top of the world!
In our view you can’t really go wrong with any of these hikes, all of them were challenging in their own way, and incredibly rewarding. We don’t regret any single one of them, so if you have time, do them all!
Final Tip: As we mentioned above please, please do not go off the marked trails in Laos. Due to the Secret War in the 1970s, there are still millions and millions of unexploded bombs littering the countryside.
Be very careful after heavy rains and always stick to marked paths!
For more information about the repercussions of the bombing campaigns, we would recommend visiting the following Centres in Laos:
COPE Visitor Centre in Vientiene - http://copelaos.org/
The UXO Lao Visitor Centre in Luang Prabang - https://www.uxolao.org/
The Caves
Nong Khiaw is surrounded by limestone mountains, and these provide the perfect environment for the slow formation of caves. Nong Khiaw has three major accessible cave complexes, within walking distance of the town. We checked out all three, and here’s what we found.
Phathok Caves - Map Link
If you leave Nong Khiaw along the southern road and travel for 2.5km you will come across the Phathok Caves. We wandered down on a sunny morning to have a look at the three cave system. The approach is worth the walk here alone. A large bamboo bridge winds out over a stream. You buy your tickets from a stilted house then set out across the bamboo walkway above the paddy fields. The tickets cost 20,000 kip each (£0.96 or $1.18) and you will almost certainly have a group of youths offering to give you a guided tour for a little more (we declined).
Across the rice paddy a roped off area shows the outline of a huge bomb creator, another reminder of the Secret War. The crater is so large that a healthy sized tree is now growing within its bounds. Around this crater, is a steep set of concrete stairs that climb into the rock face. The first cave lies at the top of these stairs. This cave has received some funding for preservation as a relic of the Secret War. Signs show you where the command centres, communication equipment and meeting halls were, or used to be, underneath the cave's high ceiling.
Towards the back of the cave was the shelter which was used during bombing raids, this was frankly terrifying as it was nothing more than a pit so deep you could barely see the bottom. The only access seemingly being by a rope hanging down into the darkness. You can't (thankfully) access this part so we headed back to the cave entrance.
Throughout this article there will be a lot of references to the Secret War. The war ran from around 1959 to 1975, and can alternatively be called the Laotian Civil War. It is referred to as the ‘Secret War’ as during the course of the war, the USA lent its support to the Royalists and conducted the largest bombing campaign in history (by volume). However, due to the ongoing Vietnam War, none of this was made public in the West. This is a very simplified (and possibly ignorant) summary but Google can provide a more in depth look at this fascinating but distressing conflict, the remnants of which still plague Laos today.
The last of the light as you enter the cave!
The second cave is a short walk around the base of the rock formation below the first. This tiny cave is a claustrophobic’s nightmare. There is no lighting so you have to bring a torch and squeeze between the gaps in boulders, seriously do not attempt this cave without good portable lighting. Your phone will be ok…ish, but we would definitely recommend torches. If you did opt for a guide they should provide you with a head torch. This cave was a communication centre and post office during the Secret War, it is much less renovated compared to the first cave and is essentially a tiny set of tunnels, wide enough for one person to squeeze through that wind deep into the mountainside.
The third cave is a little harder to find, you have to continue along the small path on the forested side of the paddy fields. The path twists in and around the bottom of the rock formation with stiles and barbed wire fences to navigate over. The barbed wire does have ‘passing points’ where a bit of bamboo covers the wire but the way can be off putting if you are not sure you're going in the right direction! The third cave is set a good distance further along the path, the caves opening is large and contains a Buddhist shrine in its cavernous opening. Behind the shrine is another set of tunnels opening into larger caves within.
The Phathok Caves were well worth the short walk from town but we have to say we actually preferred the outside scenery to the caves themselves. The green of flooded rice paddies set against the grey of the surrounding mountains, with the farmers planting a fresh crop, was beautiful and provided a strange contrast to the dark caves and their sad history.
Phar Noi History Caves - Map Link
The Phar Noi History Caves are almost inside town itself. Follow the signs from the main road (southern side of the bridge) and go through the construction site or new hostel depending on when you read this! At the far end of the field, there is a small bamboo bridge and hut. This is the ticket booth. Tickets were 20,000 kip each (£0.96 or $1.18), if you’ve got this far in the article, you must have noticed that this seems to be the standard entrance fee for everything. Once over the bridge, you follow the path up the hillside and through a small jungly wood before you reach the first cave.
The first cave features a tall ceiling, draped in stalactites and a circular opening to the sky. At certain times of the day, the sun will line up and cast a perfect beam of light down into the cave. Unfortunately, we had no idea when this would be, so we just enjoyed the cave as it was.
The second cave was a short walk from the first and could easily be missed. Look for a large rock between two trees, and you will see a small opening at the bottom. Crouch down and head through. Just inside is a bamboo ladder leading down into a large cave. Similar to the Phathok Caves you will need a torch in here, do not try an explore here without one!
“My preciousss….”
At the bottom of the ladder and on the left are remnants of war time cookery supplies. On the right, is a massive hole in the cave floor.
If you look directly above the hole, you can see war time graffiti. Including pictures of the American bombers that the cave dwellers were seeking shelter from.
We really enjoyed the history caves. They are set basically within the town, that they’re definitely worth checking out and giving an hour of your time to.
Pha Kuang Cave - Map Link
If you follow the road north out of town, either by foot (30 to 40 minutes) or by scooter (10 minutes) is the Pha Kuang Cave. We can’t give an entirely fair review of this cave as we didn’t explore the cave fully, but more on that later. As you reach the cave, you buy your tickets from the house opposite. This is also where you park your bike if you’re coming by scooter, or where you moor your kayak if you came by river. Tickets cost 10,000 kip each (£0.48 or $0.59).
A short but sharp walk from the road, up into the hillside lies the cave mouth. This cave is enormous, with a cathedral-like roof overhead and light spilling in from an enormous arched opening in the rock. There is a Buddhist shrine immediately as you enter and a collection of war remnants including cookware, bombs and shrapnel down near the arched window. The cave is really impressive and we spent a good twenty minutes inside taking photos, posing and otherwise making fools of ourselves.
Right at the back of this large cave, is a tiny opening in the wall. This marks the start of the cave system that reaches back into the mountain. This is where we have to admit we didn’t explore the cave properly. Here’s our slightly pathetic excuses as to why.
As you walk round Nong Khiaw, especially on the northern road, you may encounter the wandering mud people. These brave souls are marked from head to foot in the mud and fine dust of Pha Kuang Cave.
The cave has squeeze and crawl spaces where the only way forward is by hands and knees or belly, or while attempting to clutch a torch in your mouth. We didn’t fancy this, and chickened out with just our lovely pictures from the cave entrance. For those more hardy than us, there is a map outside the cave displaying the route and squeeze spaces, with the smallest part of the tunnel being only 0.3m heigh!
Kayaking on the Nam Ou River
The Nam Ou river flows through the heart of Nong Khiaw. The town is bifurcated and joined by the river and the bridge across it. Flowing from east to west, the river links the town to many local attractions as well as towns and cities further afield. From Nong Khiaw you can rent a kayak and enjoy the river, paddling to the Pha Kuang Cave, or north upstream to the villages along the river side.
We had a great evening in the kayaks, where we and some new friends enjoyed watching the sun go down, from the centre of the Nam Ou River. Looking west from the Nong Khiaw Bridge, the sun sets directly over the river, so watching the sun down from the kayaks, with a bottle of beer aboard was a memorable way to start an evening!
We rented a kayak, oars and lifejackets (for two people) for 60,000 kip (£2.82 or $3.84) but had to leave a 100,000 kip deposit.
Exploring the Local Villages Surrounding Nong Khiaw
On the southern side of the bridge and striking out north, is a dusty road. This road follows the river upstream and goes through the small villages of Ban Had Sao, Sop Vanh and beyond. To give our legs a break from the mountain hiking, we decided we would explore this route by foot.
As soon as we left the town of Nong Khiaw, you realised what a bubble it was. Nong Khiaw is beautiful and fun, but not the average Laotian town. Walking along this northern road, gave a brief window into the rural mountain lives of the locals. Rice paddies stretched in stepped plateaus on one side, whilst water buffalo wallowed in the mud.
As we reached the first village of Ban Had Sao, children escaped from their lessons and came to say hello. This swiftly became a demand for sweets and money, at which point their teacher dragged them back inside. If you strike inland from Ban Had Sao there is a waterfall that's apparently worth seeing, however as we were visiting in the dry season, we were told the waterfall was pretty much non-existent and so we continued north.
Passing isolated farms, more cheeky children and an elderly gentleman carrying what appeared to be an entire haystack on his back, the road continued on to Sop Vanh. The village of Sop Vanh was very quiet, with a couple of shops and an ornate Buddhist temple. As with all roads in Nong Khiaw region, there’s not really a circular route to do, so we chose the temple as our end point and turned around to head back to Nong Khiaw.
To Sop Vanh and back was around a 12km walk, and it took us 2 ½ to 3 hours to walk. It was a great day out, and it was nice to explore the more human geography of Laos after a few days of viewpoints.
Renting a Scooter
Renting a scooter is easy and cheap in Nong Khiaw. There are many shops on both sides of the river that will lend you a scooter. You will need to leave your passport and agree to a very punitive rental agreement (do not break the bike!). Rentals can be for the whole day, or if you ask nicely for half a day.
We rented from the Three Sisters shop (Map Link - approximate location as no Google Map listing ) for 70,000 kip for half a day rental including two helmets (£3.36 or $4.13). We did have to top up petrol once, but only by 50,000 kip (£2.40 or $2.95).
From Nong Khiaw, if you want to stick on the tarmac roads, you can effectively go one of two directions. We enjoyed exploring both ways. The west takes you up the valley and through increasingly populous towns with the road taking you past some beautiful rice paddies. The eastern route winds through the hills, passing two of the caves (see above), through small villages and to a small waterfall (Map Link) that you can paddle/swim in.
Hiring a scooter was a great way to see a little further afield, and a more rural, non-touristy Laos. As we passed through the villages, children waved (amongst other gestures), whilst dogs, chickens and other livestock provided a constant obstacle course on the road. With the wind in our helmets, and the countryside rolling by, we couldn’t help but think that this was a great way to spend the day!
Tips: Bear in mind there is no real circular route so you will always end up coming back the way you came!
The roads in Laos are not the smooth perfect tarmac of the Swiss Alps, they are full of potholes, charging children and clueless chickens. Be very careful and don’t pretend you’re at the MotoGP.
If you have to get petrol just remember you don’t serve yourself, just pull up, open up your petrol tank and tell the attendant how much money you want to spend on your refill. Alternatively many shops sell bottles of petrol usually in old coke or liquor bottles, again pay what you need and the shop owner will help you fill up.
Secret Sunset Spot - Map Link
If you’re staying at the Meexai Guesthouse this spot is easy to find, simply exit the garden and turn right. If you’re not staying at Meexai, find the road that leads to the Ban Lao Bungalows and follow it all the way down to the river. Here you’ll find a small fire pit and a log bench situated perfectly for sunset. We watched the sun go down from here a couple of times and it's a magical little spot.
Other Things To Do In Nong Khiaw
We spent a lot longer in Nong Khiaw than most other travellers do, but even so, there were still lots of things that we didn’t get to do.
Here’s a brief list of other things you can do in the area:
100 Waterfalls Trip
This is one of the more famous things to do in Nong Khiaw, and there are signs in front of every tour agency advertising this. It looks amazing, but when we were there it was in a dry spell, in the dry season and waterfalls were in short supply!
There are many tour operators up and down the main road of Nong Khiaw
Camping/Overnight Treks
There are lots of opportunities to do multi day treks in the surrounding countryside. These will often include camping, home stays in local villages and more in depth trekking. As part of some of these treks, you can find yourself camping at the top of the viewpoints e.g. Pha Kao. Next time we visit Nong Khiaw, we are definitely going to do this as we can’t think of a more magical place to wake up and see the sunrise!
Muang Ngoy
Another on our list for “definitely” next time is the small town of Muang Ngoy. Set north upstream from Nong Khiaw (there is daily boat service there), this laidback little town boasts phenomenal views and trekking opportunities. There are a few guesthouses and restaurants here as well, and next time we come to Laos, we’ll definitely stay for a day or so as it looks amazing.
Kayaking to Luang Prabang
We were so tempted by this, from Nong Khiaw you can book a three day, two night kayaking adventure that takes you all the way back to Luang Prabang via the Nam Ou River. Staying in home stays or camping depending on the season, you paddle your way downstream taking in the Nam Ou and then the Mekong’s river life. You leave your bags with the tour operator and they will get driven to Luang Prabang for you, the only reason we didn’t do this was that we ran out of time and so had to take the four hour bus rather than the three day kayak!
Food & Drink - Where and What to Eat in Nong Khiaw
For a small town, there are plenty of dining and drinking options available in Nong Khiaw. Here are some of our favourites:
Fish noodles - Map Link
(approximate location as no Google Map listing)
Sometimes great decisions are made out of pure laziness, this was the case with one of our favourite lunch choices. About two minutes to the right of our guesthouse entrance, along the main road on the southern bank of town, is a convenience store with a couple of plastic tables out front and two metal cauldrons of bubbling goodness. We sat, nodded and smiled our way through food ordering. We didn't know what was on offer or what we agreed to get, but as we've found in the past, trusting in the people who live in a place to give you good food is usually a good idea.
We ate at this tiny establishment many times during our stay and each time were given a different bowl of steaming noodles.
The first time we ate here was early in our Nong Khiaw trip and after a fun filled previous night in the bar. Shuffling out of our accommodation, we decided to go to the closest possible noodle shop, to try and get our brains back online. As the bowls came out, and almost in unison, we thought “oh shit… it’s fish”. Now we know that in some countries, fish is regarded as the perfect hangover cure, but for us, this is very rarely the case. We were craving big, possibly beefy bowls of comfort, fish was definitely not what we were craving. Oh but how wrong we were. As soon as we dipped our metal spoons into the broth, we knew we were in for a treat!
Flaked river fish, sat in the most comforting chicken based broth imaginable, swimming alongside lettuce, cabbage and bun noodles. We felt parts of our brain reawaken with every mouthful. As is quite common throughout Laos, our noodles were accompanied by a tray of fresh mint, water spinach, green beans and other crunchy vegetables and fresh herbs, as well as whole chillies for the daring and lime wedges for acidity. Mixing these accompaniments along with a potent chilli oil, led to one of the best hangover cures and possibly best brunch choices we made in the country!
Over the next week or so we dined here repeatedly, each day the choices would be slightly different including delicious khao soi (very different from the Thai dish of the same name), a delicious tomato based broth, topped with minced pork and vegetables. The broth was light and satisfying, with sweet and sour overtones. We affectionately started to call this dish; Laos bolognaise as with the minced meat, tomatoes and noodles, it struck a strangely familiar cord… Have we been away too long?
Another of our favourite bowls from here was the khao piak. This hearty noodle bowl was rich in chickeney flavour and topped with plenty of tasty leg meat, as well as one of the best blood cakes we ate in Laos. If you haven’t tried blood cake, really just give it a go. If you already eat sausages you already eat something far stranger than blood cake, and a good blood cake is meaty, smooth and rich in iron. A great accompaniment for a bowl of noodles.
The shop behind the noodle stall sells drinks as well as sweets and other sundries. On our last time here we witnessed the moves of a pro noodle eater… The lady next to us turned from her seat and grabbed a bag of rice cakes that were hanging from the ceiling of the shop above. These were swiftly snapped into crunchy bits and scattered about her bowl. Looking up we could see a variety of deep fried and crispy things hanging in the shop, any of which would have been a great addition. Next time Nong Khiaw, next time!
Honestly this was our favourite place to eat in Nong Khiaw, and one we would definitely recommend any traveller to check out. As you’ll see in the list below, we ate at lots of lovely places in Nong Khiaw, but there was a homely quality to sitting on these plastic chairs, outside a village shop whilst nannies laughed at us and small children buzzed around. Eating a bowl of noodles here felt like we were in the family living room. On the first day they looked surprised when we sat down, but by the end we felt like part of the family, even if we were the butt of most of the old ladies' jokes!
One bowl of noodles cost 15,000 kip (£0.74 or $0.90).
A soft drink from the shop behind cost 10,000 kip (£0.49 or $0.60).
Namlin Lao Restaurant - Map Link
Namlin restaurant is located a short walk outside of the main town, down the main road on the southern bank of the river. We stopped in here on our way to the Phathok Caves and it was so good we came back twice!
The menus were delivered by the adorable toddler daughter of the owner, who was very proud of her position, smiling and chatting at us in Laotian as she passed us the laminated menus. The restaurant setting was very relaxed, a central covered area of tables was surrounded by private dining pavilions for Laotian families. Each time we visited the tourists present were always outnumbered by the locals.
Namlin offers a small menu of Laotian and south east Asian dishes at a backpacker-friendly price. Fried rice, noodle soups, laab and pad thai are all available. We can definitely recommend their chicken fried rice which came out beautifully smokey, peanutty and filled to the brim with veg from their garden. Also the pad thai was delicious and very different from its Thai origins. Peppery, and floral with Laotian herbs it was much less rich than the Thai version. This pad thai was worth making the short trip to Namlin for alone!
Individual dishes at Namlin were around 25000 Kip (£1.20 or $1.47).
Chennai Restaurant and Halal Food - Map Link
(approximate location as no Google Map listing)
As the sun went down and the temperature dropped, we frequently were drawn into this cosy little restaurant in the evening to warm up with a curry. Chennai restaurant of Nong Khiaw served up all the usual curry favourites from dal makhani to chicken tikka masala, alongside rice, oven baked naan bread, samosas and other Indian restaurant favourites.
We tried a variety of their curries and were always pleased with what we got. Mildly spiced, yet hearty, these cheap, no frill curries really hit the spot, reminding us of England and our local curry houses. Just bear in mind, if it's busy the food may take a while, as all the food is prepared, cooked and served by just one family.
Two curries, two naan breads, one rice, soft drinks and water cost us 140,000 kip (£6.86 or $8.26).
Philasouk Pharmacy Noodles - Map Link
Just across the bridge on the north bank of the river is a little pharmacy, the Philasouk Pharmacy. Spread in front of the pharmacy are a few tables. These tables signal their purpose with a cruet of condiments, it was noodle soup time again. We ordered two bowls of chicken noodle soup and were quickly presented with plastic baskets full of mint, lettuce, green beans and lime, followed by two massive bowls of steaming chicken noodle soup. The noodles were wide, flat rice noodles, submerged in a delicate peppery broth. This next bit is going to sound mean, but honestly it's a compliment - the star of the show was the condiments, specifically the chilli and garlic oil. A half teaspoon of this ruby red oil laden with chilli and deep fried garlic totally changed the bowl of noodles. Fiery spice, smokey and a little sweet it lifted the bowl to a whole new level.
One bowl of noodle soup cost 30,000 kip (£1.47 or $1.77)
Coco Home Bar and Restaurant - Map Link
If you’re in the mood for a more upmarket dining experience (maybe you’re bored of plastic chairs?) then head in town to the northern bank of the river to Coco Home Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant is set with views over the Nam Ou river which makes for a lovely background to any meal. We visited in the evening and enjoyed a creamy red curry with chicken and vegetables, as well as a fresh and zingy laab salad. Laab (also spelt larb) is a traditional Laotian salad (also found in Thailand) made up of minced meat, lemongrass, mint, lime, chilli and other fresh herbs and eaten with sticky rice. The beef laab salad we had in Coco’s was fresh, sharp and delicious and was a perfect contrast to the rich curry.
The food at this restaurant was served in the sharing style, so even if an individual item looks a little more expensive, it will be because the portion size is easily enough for two people.
Our meal of chicken curry, beef laab, sticky rice and two soft drinks cost 149,000 kip (£7.30 or $8.79).
Couleur Cafe - Map Link
We are, after all said and done, Londoners. We’ve been gallivanting off around the world for a big long while at this point, and were sorely missing a nice brunch. Don’t get us wrong, noodles are our favourite, and we’re now fully in the swing of having rice and noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but sometimes you do just crave eggs for breakfast.
Couleur Cafe, located in town on the northern side of the river, was always popular whatever time of day. We ducked in for a late breakfast/early brunch and ordered two shakshukas from the menu.
Shortly afterwards we were presented with enormous hot metal pans, filled with tomato, baked egg, paprika, oregano and chilli. This eggy feast was swiftly joined by crispy baguettes ready to be dipped and loaded in the delicious bright red mix.
Shakshuka is reliably good, but this was excellent. Crunchy baguette, loaded with just set egg and plenty of deliciously spiced tomatoey sauce, this was just what we needed.
Couleur’s menu is extensive and covers a wide range of Western and Laotian dishes. The small dining room is always popular so you may need to wait a little, but judging by our dish, it is definitely worth your time!
A portion of shakshuka and bread costs 45,000 kip (£2.21 or $2.66) and a fruit smoothie cost 20,000 (£0.98 or $1.18)
Pizza and Pasta - Map Link
You can find “Pizza and Pasta” on the southern edge of town, opposite Home Coffee. This French run pizza place prides itself on sourcing authentic cheeses and wines, and other French ingredients. We came here to start a final night out with our friends before we left Nong Khiaw. As it was a special occasion we treated ourselves to something we had truly been craving… a cheese board!
Slithers of sharp hard cheeses, soft melting cheeses, and strong blues were presented on a wooden board, alongside carafes of wine. It was a world away from the delicious Laotian food we had been having, but was a worthy start to a celebratory night!
The restaurant also serves pizza, pasta dishes, burgers and fresh baked goods. If you’re enjoying a morning coffee at Home Coffee, you’ll frequently be able to see the owner making today’s batch of dough.
Our cheese plate cost 160,000 kip (£7.78 or $9.48) this seems like a lot for Nong Khiaw, but given that the cheeses had come from Europe, it’s a pretty good deal!
Home Coffee - Map Link
Lured in by their wooden signs dotted along the high street, we made our way to what claimed to be the best coffee in Nong Khiaw. Run by a charming family (their tiny daughter made for an adorable waitress even if she wasn’t allowed to carry any actual cups), this street side cafe sells the usual array of coffees either hot, cold or frappes style. We enjoyed two excellent hot lattes at 19,000 kip each (£0.94 or $1.11).
There is a limited food menu, with just a couple of breakfast options and some sandwiches. One of the days we ate a chicken sandwich. This was a toasted baguette filled with crispy breaded chicken, coleslaw and cheese and was a lovely little break from the traditional Laotian fare.
Word of warning, the breakfasts here are quite pricey. We ordered two of the set breakfasts and had a toasted baguette with butter and jam and fruit salad and it wound up costing more than our previous dinner. One set breakfast was 50,000 (£2.40 or $2.95). Still not expensive in the grand scheme of things but just worth bearing in mind.
An iced latte costs 25,000 kip and a frappe latte costs 29,000 kip. The breakfast sets start at 50,000.
Where to Have a Drink - Nightlife in Nong Khiaw
Hive Bar - Map Link
Set a short walk (15 minutes) outside of town, just before the entrance to the Sleeping Lady viewpoint is the Happy Bar. You will see signs for it all over town, in the reggae bar colours of yellow, green and red.
The bar itself is decked out in the usual South East Asian reggae decor, of bamboo, makeshift furniture, and trinkets hanging from every wall. To the right of the bar, there is a small terrace, with seats facing out across to the limestone mountains surrounding Nong Khiaw. These seats are great for a sundowner beer.
The Hive bar has great vibes, with a very laid back atmosphere, chilled out music, comfy seats and a very friendly owner. There are no set opening or closing times for the bar, in fact as you come into the bar, you’ll see written on a wall in colourful letters a phone number to call if the owner is not there to serve you a drink!
The bar also does fantastic food. We ate here a couple of times and the portions were generous and the food freshly cooked by the owner's wife. The spring rolls look comparatively expensive on the menu, but are well worth it. A towering plate full of perfectly crisp, deep fried rice paper spring rolls paired excellently with a bottle of cold beer Laos. Also worth mentioning was their fried chicken and ginger which was delicious.
As we mentioned the bar is a short walk from town, but definitely worth a visit.
Jellie beer price index: one large bottle of Beer Laos cost 25,000 (£1.22 or $1.47).
Q Bar and Restaurant - Map Link
Whilst in Nong Khiaw, the Q Bar was our hub, our unofficial home, our meeting place and sometimes our dinner venue. Spread over 3 floors and open to the elements on all sides, this wooden bar on the south side of the river serves cold beer, cocktails and food in a relaxed setting. The third floor is a great vantage point to watch the sun go down, whilst the ground floor has a home made snooker table and communal tables and sofas. We are biassed towards this bar as we made a load of good friends here. We enjoyed many a night of Beer Lao fuelled hilarity in this bar. On busy nights after the bar has closed, bar patrons may even decamp from the bar to a nearby field for a bonfire and bbq!
The Q Bar is everything you could hope for in a backpacker bar, offering a happy hour between 6pm and 8pm: buy one cocktail and get another one for free, a fridge full of cold Beer Laos, a chilled out atmosphere and lots of friendly travellers.
The food at the bar was a mix of Lao and Western in a backpacker friendly budget range. We would highly recommend the Laotian vegetarian hot pot. A charcoal fire is brought to your table with a steaming bowl of broth on top. You can then add mushrooms, vegetables, herbs and noodles and allow them to cook into the broth. When we were there the owner showed us how to poke a small hole into both ends of an egg, blow through and create an egg-drop soup effect! You then take a peanutty sauce, add it to your personal bowl and dole out ladles of steaming veggie goodness. Mix all this together then add chillies/fresh herbs and voila! An amazing bowl of food! We are not vegetarians but we can report that this was really delicious! The vegetarian bbq hotpot for two people cost us 60,000 kip (£2.94 or $3.54).
The bar also served great fried rice, noodles and warm soups to warm you up as the temperatures dropped in the evening.
Jellie beer price index: one large bottle of Beer Laos cost 25,000 (£1.22 or $1.47).
Final Thoughts
At the time of writing this article we have been travelling for over nine months, and Nong Khiaw is without a doubt one of our favourite places we’ve visited so far. The town itself is just small enough to be charming, whilst large enough to have a good variety of food and drink on offer. The surrounding landscape is nothing short of spectacular, and there is so much to do you can’t get bored whilst here. Nong Khiaw also has the advantage of being less well known and slightly out of the way of the normal Southeast Asian backpacking trail. The people that come to Nong Khiaw have chosen to be there, they haven’t blindly followed the ‘Banana Pancake’ trail. The nights in the bar were awesome, with a group of like minded travellers sitting communally chatting over beers and cocktails, playing pool and generally just enjoying life. It wasn't Vang Vieng with its party scene, but it was something else entirely. It was something we feared might not even exist anymore.
Au revoir Nong Khiaw, as this is definitely not good bye forever!
Just Some of Our Snapshots of Nong Khiaw
Thank you for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
*Prices correct at time of visiting - February 2023
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