Vieng Xai - Adventures in Lesser Travelled Laos
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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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!