Visiting Nong Khiaw & Muang Ngoy, Laos
Throughout my travels, I’ve found that I have always had some of my most special experiences when I venture out of the super popular tourist towns. The unbelievably scenic and charming towns of Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoy in Laos are hardly unheard of, as there are several, albeit small, boats of tourists making their way there every day. But if you are looking to experience rural village life in Laos, these two spots must be on your list.
Here is a rundown of everything you need to know:
Ban Na Village, a 45 minute walk from the center of Muang Ngoy
Getting from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw
When I decided to do this extended weekend and venture further north in Laos, I found it difficult to find many resources online that detail the route. For this reason, I’ve decided to write this post so that others can experience these magical towns and their surroundings, even if they’re working online!
Total Time: 4.5 hours
Estimated Cost: 180,000kip or $8.30 USD
Details:
The first step is to talk to your hotel or hostel staff, or just walk into one of the tour agencies in the center of Luang Prabang and book your bus ticket to get to Nong Khiaw. I paid 180,000kip or $8.30 USD, which included a tuk-tuk ride to the bus station and the bus ride itself.
The duration of the ride is a solid 4 hours. I found the ride to be rather comfortable, but the roads are quite bumpy with lots of potholes, so do be prepared for some bumps.
You will be dropped off at the bus station in Nong Khiaw, which shouldn’t be more than a 10 - 20 minute walk to your accommodation.
I stayed at Meexok Guesthouse right on the Nam Ou River and couldn’t recommend it enough. The rooms are spacious, they cost around $20 USD per night, and you get 10% off at the cafe/restaurant across the street, SaRa Cafe, which overlooks the river and has the most delicious eats, both plant-based and non-plant-based.
Things To Do in Nong Khiaw
There are so many cool activities to participate in once you arrive in Nong Khiaw. You will see signs for 1, 2, and 3-day jungle treks, local village tours, kayak rentals, and more. While I wasn’t prepared enough on this trip to do a multi-day jungle trek, I did climb up to a few of the viewpoints.
Here is a list of the activities I highly recommend:
1. Exploring the Town Center
Nong Khiaw itself is absolutely stunning, and the Nam Ou River runs right through it. I would definitely spend some time exploring the few streets and restaurants.
2. The Sleeping Lady View Point
Time: 30 minutes to the first view point, another 45 minutes to the second
Cost: 30,000 kip or $1.40 USD for entrance to both viewpoints
3. Som Nang Viewpoint
Time: 20 minutes up
Cost: 40,000 kip or $1.85 USD
I highly recommend both of these hikes, but I will caution that getting to View Point 2 of the Sleeping Lady was very challenging and quite terrifying for me. There are also other viewpoints in the area that are very popular such as the Phadeng Peak Viewpoint!
View over Nong Khiaw from Viewpoint 1 of The Sleeping Lady hike
Sunset at Som Nang Viewpoint
4. A Walk to Ban Had Sao (A nearby village)
Arriving in Nong Khiaw makes you feel like Luang Prabang is a big city. Arriving in Ban Had Sao makes you feel like Nong Khiaw is a big city. This village is about a 45-minute walk from the center of Nong Khiaw and consists of fewer than 20 households, by my estimation. You will be greeted by smiling children saying “Sabaidi!” and wanting high fives. The road to get there is extremely dusty but well worth it, and we were able to hitch a ride back on the back of a pick-up truck with some local women.
Places to Eat in Nong Khiaw
There are several lovely restaurants with delicious plant-based options in Nong Khiaw. Stay tuned for my post on the best plant-based eats in Northern Laos, which I will soon cover in a full article!
View of the Nam Ou River from my seat at SaRa Cafe
Getting to Muang Ngoy from Nong Khiaw
Total Time: 1.5 hours
Estimated Cost: $180,000 kip or $8.30 USD
Details:
If you want to continue your journey up the Nam Ou River to the even smaller town of Muang Ngoy, which I highly recommend, you must take a 1-hour boat ride. Once again, you can book this directly through your guesthouse or hostel, or you can buy your ticket directly at the pier. I paid another $180,000 kip for my tuk-tuk ride to the pier and the boat ride to Muang Ngoy. The boat ride to Muang Ngoy is so gorgeous, you may see some water buffalo, but you will definitely get amazing views of the nearby mountains.
Things to do in Muang Ngoy
Walk to Ban Na Village
1. A Walk to Ban Na Village
This walk was again so beautiful as it takes you on a winding road through farms, rice terraces, and mountainous surroundings. It did admittedly take me longer than I thought - around 3 hours in total to get there and back to Muang Ngoy, but it was well worth it. This village is slightly larger than Ban Had Sao, but smaller than Muang Ngoy. It was so charming and in the most amazing remote location.
2. Hike Up to Phanoi or Pha Boom Viewpoint
I unfortunately did not have the time to do either of these hikes, but they looked very beautiful from the photos.
Getting Back to Luang Prabang
Total Time: 6 hours
Estimated Cost: 200,000 kip or $9,20 USD
Details:
I was skeptical that I’d be able to make it back from Muang Ngoy all the way to Luang Prabang in 1 day, but it is possible! All you have to do is take the 9 am boat to Nong Khiaw, and then jump on the 11:30 am bus back to Luang Prabang. For peace of mind, I booked everything through a lovely man working for an agency right by the pier in Muang Ngoy. He charged me $200,000 kip, which included the boat ride to Nong Khiaw and the bus to Luang Prabang. Once I arrived in Luang Prabang, I paid an additional $50k Kip for the tuk-tuk ride to the city center.
