Travel Photo of the Day: Nong Khiaw, Laos

Laos is one of my favorite destinations in the world for a relaxed holiday and Nong Khiaw is a great bet for a relaxed riverside experience in this mountainous land-locked country. In fact, Nong Khiaw, Muong Knoi and Muong Khua on the banks of the Nam Ou river are 3 places that offer a unique and relaxed holiday by the river in Laos. Hikes in the forest, total chilling out, swimming in the river, eating fresh catch from the river and hanging out with interesting people are some of the bonuses. The location in itself is spectacular with stunning mountain backdrops and dense greenery.

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Nong Khiaw: Excellent Riverside Retreat in Laos

Lovely mountains, a nice mountain river, good weather, great river facing guest houses, delicious local food, some internet connectivity, the basic amenities like (grocery stores, ATM, etc.) and a lot of the true relaxing Laos atmosphere…that is how I would describe the riverside retreat of Nong Khiaw.


This place tucked away in north eastern Laos is not known to many and its remoteness also ensures that it is a bit rustic. Hence, even though it is a fantastic place, a lot of tourists cannot be seen here. Those who are here indulge in activities on the river (kayaking, swimming, boat rides), do the famous 100 waterfall trek and/or simply relax here with a book and a great river view.


Since this is one of the larger countryside towns in Laos, it has all modern amenities while allowing the tourist to experience true Laos culture. If you like Laos food, you will really like this place. And the Nam Ou river is just one of the better rivers in Laos. It is such a pleasure to watch how the people of Laos live off the river.


The best part is that this place is just 3 hours away from Luang Prabang, the most popular town in Laos. And in spite of it being so close to Luang Prabang, it is a so different that you feel that you are in a different world. This is definitely one of my more favorite places in Laos. You should give this place a try when you plan your Laos holiday.

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Muang Khua to Nong Khiaw by Boat: Riding over the Rapids

I have rafted over rapids and have also kayaked in white waters, but this was the first time I was in a boat while we went over white water rapids. Even though the rapids were only of Class 1, it was still quite a surreal experience for me and the 12 other people with me in the boat. Water would be copiously sprayed on to us whenever we went over the bigger rapids and since I was sitting on the left front side, I got the most spray. Since it was a warm day, the water spray actually felt refreshing.


All this happened while I was traveling from Muang Khua to Nong Khiaw in North Eastern Laos. The journey was by boat and was on the Nam Ou river. It takes about 5 to 6 hours to complete this journey and it costs about 120,000 kip (~15 USD). Tickets can be booked on the morning of the journey at Muang Khua. Boats leave Muang Khua every morning at 9:30 AM. People, baggage and motorbikes can be accommodated on  these thin and long boats. This is one of the more interesting and more scenic ways of getting to Luang  Prabang from the mountains of Vietnam.


The other option is to take the bus to Udomaxay and then to Luang Prabang, which might be slightly cheaper, but not as scenic as this journey. This boat ride takes you through lush green tropical forests, beautiful mountains that cast stunning reflections in the still river waters especially during noon time and provides scenes of how the people of Laos live off its rivers. This is a journey you should not miss if you are entering Laos from Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam.

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Lin Tong Guest House: Cheap Bamboo Huts in Nong Khiaw, Laos

Most of the accommodation in Nong Khiaw is either river facing or located near the river. If it is river facing, the cost tends to be higher and lower if it is not facing the river. The guest houses are located on either side of the river, though the bulk of the guest houses are on the eastern side. When I was at Nong Khiaw, I opted for a stay away from the river to save on some cost and landed at Lin Tong Guest House where I stayed in their bamboo huts. Below review is based on my recent experience of staying with them.

1) For 40,000 kip or ~5USD, you get a bamboo hut with attached bathroom and private sitout. Keeping that in mind, I feel it offers great value for money. The room comes with 2 beds, a fan and hot shower.

2) The room doesn’t get either too hot during the day or too cold during the night as it is made of bamboo.

3) The hot shower is good, but only if the force of the water is less.

4) There is free wi-fi available, but the speed is a bit slow. But, that is the case with all of Nong Khiaw.

5) The beds come with mosquito nets and hence insects or mosquitos are not a problem even though if you close the hut door, there is hardly any trouble.

6) The main problem with the bamboo hut is that the other huts are situated about less than a foot away and hence you can hear them talk or give you less privacy in your room.

7) The people managing these huts are very good and helpful and ensure that they can make your stay comfortable.

The place is basic, but is ideal for backpackers or budget travelers planning a long stay. For the price, it is good value for money.

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Travel Photo: Riverside Beauty of Nong Khiaw, Laos

A lovely river side location that is surrounded by mountains and has the laidback Laos atmosphere. That is Nong Khiaw for you, tucked in the north east area of Laos. And one can feel and see its beauty when either arriving here by boat or walking on its long bridge.


One side of the river has the guest houses and restaurants facing the river and the other side has the village. One can go swimming here or kayaking in the fast waters, Trekking in the mountains is also a good option. Relaxation is the best bet here. The food here is also fantastic local fare.

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