A Guide to Nongkhiaw, Laos
This amazingly picturesque location should be at the top of the bucket list for all travelers coming to Laos. The town sits along the edges of the Nam Ou River and is surrounded by jungle-covered karst peaks.
At around 800 meters in height, the peaks are mountains and not hills. Accordingly, the primary attraction of Nongkhiaw is the hikes to the top of the peaks surrounding the town and the one- and two-day treks starting from the nearby village of Muang Noi.
Getting there:
In years past, it was possible to travel from Luang Prabang to Nongkhiaw by boat. However, with the recent damming of the Nam Ou River, this is no longer an option.
As of November 2022, the only way of getting to Nongkhiaw is to take a bus from Luang Prabang, or a minivan from Muang Xay. The bus from Luang Prabang departs from the Northern Bus Terminal on a daily basis. The minivan service from Muang Xay departs from the Southern Bus Terminal daily as well.
Note: For travel from either location, you should arrive at least one hour before departure time and buy your ticket.
Bus Departure Times:
The bus departure times from Luang Prabang are 09:00, 11:00, and 14:00.
Click here for the location of the Northern Bus Terminal in Luang Prabang
Minivan Departure Time:
The minivan departure time from Muang Xay is 08:30.
Note: The minivan from Muang Xay does not go directly to Nongkhiaw. You are required to change minivans in Pak Mong and pay an additional charge to get to Nongkhiaw.
Click here for the location of the Southern Bus Terminal in Muang Xay
Arrival:
The 140 kilometers of winding mountainous road from Luang Prabang can be a real patience test. But once you arrive and see the magnificent scenery, the four-hour ride feels like a small price to pay.
The drop-off point for all arrivals is the intersection just before the bridge.
Accomodation in Nongkhiaw
From the drop-off point, it’s an easy walk to the guesthouses nearby. The main strip, with all the shops and cafés, has plenty of inexpensive guesthouses to choose from.
Note: There are also quite a few guesthouses on the far side of the bridge. If you don’t have anything booked and don’t want to walk too far, try the Sengdao Chittavong Guesthouse & Restaurant – located opposite the drop-off point and next to the bridge.
The Sengdao offers comfortable fan bungalows for 80,000 Kip per night and air-conditioned bungalows for 150,000 Kip per night. The restaurant has a great view over the river, and their food is very good.
Click here for the location of the Sengdao
Getting Around:
Most of the local hikes to the peaks surrounding the town are close enough to walk to. If you want to go further, a good option is to hire a bicycle.
Daily hire rates are between 50,000 and 60,000 Kip, and bikes can be rented from the adventure tour companies near the bridge.
Where to Eat:
There are plenty of local Lao food restaurants around town, but if you want excellent Western food and great coffee, the best two places to go are Couleur Café Restaurant and Delilah’s.
Delilah’s also offers inexpensive accommodation and is well regarded for its delicious cakes. Couleur Café tends to be a bit busier but is known for serving the best breakfasts in town.
Click here for the location of Couleur Café
Hiking at the Som Nang Viewpoint
During the dry (cool) season, the mist enshrouds the surrounding peaks until around 10:00 am each day. The mornings during November, December, and January are quite brisk, with temperatures dropping to 12 degrees Celsius.
Local Hikes:
The peaks surrounding the town have lookouts (viewpoints) which can be reached independently, without hiring a guide. The trails are well developed, with steps and handrails in place on the steeper sections. The start points for all the hikes are well signposted, and each has a ticket booth where an entry fee of 20,000 Kip must be paid.
Som Nang Viewpoint:
This is probably the easiest local hike. There is a large viewing platform near the top of the peak, which can be seen from ground level. The trailhead is just past the eastern end of the bridge (on the left), and as with the other local hikes, there is an entry fee of 20,000 Kip.
Compared with the other local hikes, this one is much shorter and usually takes around 30 minutes to reach the lookout. The trail is well developed with stairs and handrails for a safe ascent. The lookout area at the top is also well developed, with a large boarded platform and seats for comfortable sightseeing.
Note: This location is generally considered a sunset viewpoint rather than a sunrise one. Unless you camp overnight at the lookout, early morning access (before 8:00 am) isn’t possible, as there is a locked gate at the start of the trail.
Click here for the location of Som Nang Viewpoint
Pha Daeng Viewpoint Hiking Trails
The pick of the local hikes is Pha Daeng Viewpoint. The summit sits just over 800 meters above sea level, with a vertical elevation gain of 640 meters from the ticket booth to the lookout. 
The start point is approximately 450 meters from the eastern end of the bridge, near the BCEL ATM.
The Hike:
This climb is a bit of a slog, especially if you’re carrying camera gear. It normally takes around an hour and twenty minutes to reach the top.
The trail is properly developed, with steps and handrails on the steeper sections. Along the way, there are several rest stops with seats where you can take a breather if needed. About 200 meters from the summit, the trail levels out, making for an easier final approach to the peak.
Once at the top, the views to the north and south are truly spectacular.
Note: If you plan to go up for the sunset, be sure to take a headlamp for the trip back down.
War History of the Phatok Cave
The area has a couple of cave sites that were used as shelters by the Pathet Lao during their fight with the US-backed national forces in the 1960s and 1970s.
The most significant is the Pathok Cave site, located about 2 km south of Nongkhiaw Township on Route 1C. This site is easy enough to walk to, but if you’re carrying a camera or a rucksack, it’s probably worth hiring a bicycle for a half-day.
On-Site:
The cave itself is small and unremarkable compared to the larger caves in Khammouane Province, but it remains an important historical site with remnants of habitation during the era of conflict.
Access to the site is via an elevated bamboo walkway across the rice fields. During the war, the site was bombed extensively. Evidence of this can still be seen in the bomb craters near the cliff where the cave is located, as well as a defused bomb standing upright at the ticket office.
The entry fee is 20,000 Kip, and the cave tour takes around 30 minutes to complete
One Day Trek at Muang Ngoy
The local adventure tour companies offer some excellent one-day and two-day treks further afield. The longest established operator is Nongkhiaw Adventure Travel, located on the corner of the main road into town (before crossing the bridge).
The price of the one-day trek is 19 USD, which includes lunch and an English-speaking local guide. Departure time from the office is approximately 08:30 am.
Click here for the location of the Nongkhiaw Adventure Travel office
Nam Ou River:
The tour begins with a one hour boat ride along the Nam Ou River, to the picturesque village of Muang Ngoy. The morning boat ride, with mist shrouded peaks on either side, is worth the price of the tour alone.
Muang Ngoy:
This is a picturesque village, surrounded by jungle clad peaks, along the edge of the Nam Ou River. The one-day trek starts at Muang Ngoy. The trail goes through the village and then follows the river upstream for approximately 500 meters, before ascending to the Phanoy Viewpoint.
The Phanai Cave Trail
On the way up to the viewpoint, sightseers are given a few minutes to take a look at Phanai Cave. The cave, although an interesting diversion from the hike to the viewpoint, is hardly remarkable when compared to larger caves in Central Laos. However, it does have some historical significance as it was used as a shelter by the Pathet Lao Forces during the war years of the 1960’s and 70’s. The total penetration distance is just 200 meters. There are some nice formations at the mid-point of the cave.
Phanoy Viewpoint:
This is approximately 100 meters above Phanai Cave. The final section of the hike, from the cave, is quite steep. Handrails and ropes have been put in place to aid with ascent and descent. There’s a viewing platform at the top which provides a nice vista back across Muang Ngoy Village, and down the Nam Ou River.
From the viewpoint the tour goes back down to the Muang Ngoy village. Sightseers are given approximately 45 minutes to look around, or enjoy a cold drink at a café, before boarding the boat and heading back along the river for the waterfall hike.
The Tad Mook Waterfall Trail
From Muang Ngoy, the tour boat heads back towards Nongkhiaw. The tour boat stops at another small village (just a few km downstream from Muang Ngoy) where lunch is taken. Lunch is a basic rice or noodles dish, wrapped in a banana leaf, followed up with some bananas.
After lunch there’s an easy one-hour trek across rice fields, and through small villages, to the Tad Mook Waterfall site.
The Waterfall:
The final section of the hike is up the stream bed, where the jungle canopy is a welcome relief from the afternoon heat. The waterfall is in a nice shady spot, and there is seating where everyone can sit down and relax for a while.
By Lao standards, the waterfall isn’t big but the natural pool is large enough for everyone to enjoy a refreshing swim. The group will normally stay at the waterfall for an hour, before heading back to the river. On the way back to Nongkhiaw, sightseers have the option of kayaking the last five km in the late afternoon sun.
Onwar travel through Nongkhiaw
If you’re heading north to Oudomxay, see the following section. If your next stop is Luang Prabang, the best travel option is the daily bus – 11.00 am departure – from the Nongkhiaw Bus Station.
Note: This bus is a large bus, and not a minivan.
Booking:
You can book a ticket through Nongkhiaw Adventure Travel, or go directly to the bus station on the day of departure and buy your ticket.
Note: If you choose to buy your ticket at the bus station, you must be there at least one hour before departure time to ensure you get a ticket.
In the peak season (December – February) the better option is to buy your ticket at a local travel agent the day before, to ensure you get a seat.
Click here for the location of the Nongkhiaw Bus Station
Travel Time to Luang Prabang:
This is approximately four hours, and there are no scheduled breaks along the way. If you need a toilet stop, just ask the driver to pull over on the roadside.
Arrival in Luang Prabang:
The bus from Nongkhiaw disembarks the passengers at the Naluang Bus Terminal. From here you can get an onward bus to Vang Vieng or Hanoi.
If you are staying in Luang Prabang, you will need to pay for a tuk-tuk to take you to your guesthouse/hotel. If you don’t have an accommodation booking, the tuk-tuk will drop you at the City Center.
Click the following link for the location of the Naluang Bus Terminal
Advenutre through Oudomxay
This is an area north of Luang Prabang which is off the beaten track. It’s more of a local government administration center than a noted tourist spot. There are few travelers to be seen in the provincial capital of Muang Xay, and the only tourist attraction of note is Chom Ong Cave, located 45 km further north. As a traveler/tourist, the only reason for going here is to see the cave.
Getting there:
From Vientiane the best way of getting to Oudomxay is to take the new rail link. Some of the trains (K class) stop at Oudomxay.
Note: To buy a train ticket in Vientiane, go to the travel agent behind the August Cafe, on Rue Manthathourath – opposite Lucky Backpackers Hostel. The train ride from Vientiane to Oudomxay is approximately four hours.
Click here for the location of Lucky Backpackers Hostel
Nongkhiaw:
There’s a daily minivan service up to Oudomxay. You can book your ticket through Nongkhiaw Adventure Travel, the day before.
Note: There’s a change of minivan at Pak Mong. The ride from Pak Mong to Oudomxay is approximately two hours.
Oudomxay Accommodation:
A good budget accommodation choice is the Villa Keoseumsack, on Hwy 13. The rooms are comfortable and clean and priced at 100,000 Kip per night.
Note: Don’t prepay with Agoda, as they don’t accept Agoda bookings.
Click here for the location of Villa Keoseumsack
Chom Ong Cave Tour
There are two options for this. The first is to go there independently, on a rented motorbike. The second is to pay for a tour with a local tour operator and go with a guide. Going independently is the much less expensive option and with the access road now being paved all the way to the cave site, it’s not so difficult to get there. Motorbikes can be rented on a daily basis at the Villa Keoseumsack Guesthouse.
Directions:
Google Maps GPS tracker won’t show the route from Muang Xay Township to the cave. To get there, follow these instructions:
- Head north on Hwy 13 for approximately 25 km. You will see a sign which says Chom Ong Cave 18 KM.
- Turn left from Hwy 13 onto the road to the cave. There are signs on the way so you don’t get lost.
- The road to the cave is now paved so it’s not a difficult ride on a motorbike. When you get to the cave entrance area, there’s a parking area for motorbikes.
Going on a Guided Tour:
If you choose this option, be warned that it’s quite expensive – 100 USD. However, this is only worth doing if you plan to go deeper into the cave, beyond the developed section for mainstream tourism.
Doing this type of activity is adventure caving, as you’ll be going into the dark zone and will need to have your own portable lights (torches). Additionally, the terrain beyond the developed section is full of rock falls and involves a lot of climbing up and down. In other words, you need to have a good level of general fitness and flexibility.
To inquire about a guided tour, click here
At Chom Ong Cave:
The entry fee is 20,000 Kip. The cave, although nicely developed for tourism, is hardly remarkable when compared to other large caves in Laos.
There’s a paved walkway and internal lighting for the first 800 meters, which allows sightseers easy and safe access. This first section of the cave is actually the largest and most impressive area.
