NORTHERN d t L y 141 t P

s n o i t a c i Xai l Vieng b u P t e n a l P y l Plain e of Jars n o L Gibbon Experience

Phongsali Muang

Luang Prabang © Ngoi Neua Nong Khiaw Vang Vieng NPA Nam Ha

Huay Xai Luang (p 143 ) (p 218 ) Plain Plain Nam Ha NPA along scenic along scenic

(p 204 ) Muang Ngoi Neua Muang (p 207 ) and

Amble through Xieng Khuang’sAmble through Xieng of Jars (p 193 ) See for yourself what it meant to spend nine it meant to spend nine See for yourself what years hiding from aerial bombardment at caves Xai the haunting Vieng (p 200 ) Take a boat ride or kayak down the Nam Take Ou between Nong Khiaw in homestays anthropologist Play amateur with some of Laos’ last traditionally out of costumed tribal families on treks (p 231 ) Go wat-hopping and market-shopping in regal in regal and market-shopping Go wat-hopping valleys and into rustic tree-houses on the forested Zip-line high above (p 174 ) near Huay Xai 174 (p 13 Rte (p 171 ) Drive to Vang Vieng to Vang Drive of into the forests Trek         HIGHLIGHTS This chapter starts with Luang Prabang, loops anticlockwise from Huay Xai around to around to loops anticlockwise from Huay Xai Prabang, starts chapter This with Luang Northern Laos , then finishes with relatively isolated Phongsali Province. Province. Phongsali isolated Muang Sing, then finishes with relatively way to discover the bucolic scenery as well as a practical alternative to tortuous scenery as well as a practical the bucolic bus rides. alternative way to discover ing melting pot of cultures, best explored while trekking. River trips also offer a wonderful trips also offer River while trekking. best explored ing melting pot of cultures, any village a timeless, photogenic quality. The relatively sparse population forms an intrigu- relatively quality. The any village a timeless, photogenic appeals here is the rural life. Thatch, bamboo and timber houses abound, giving virtually houses abound, giving bamboo and timber Thatch, is the rural life. appeals here are so few historic buildings to be found. But that’s not why you come to northern historic buildings to be found. What so few Laos. are rather than restoring the few old temples that did survive, and you’ll understand why there that did survive, old temples and you’ll understand why there the few rather than restoring lovely Vieng Xai and majestic Nong Khiaw. Add to this the Lao predilection for rebuilding and majestic Nong Khiaw. for rebuilding Xai the Lao predilection Add to this Vieng lovely wars. During that terrible period, much of the population hid for years in caves around around much of the population hid for years in caves period, During that terrible china wars. towns are functional places, rebuilt after wholesale bombing during the 20th-century Indo- wholesale bombing after functional places, rebuilt towns are by far Laos’ most magical city and the region’s tourist magnet. By contrast, other northern city and the region’s by far Laos’ most magical mountain ridges. Hidden amid these lush folds, the former royal capital of Luang Prabang is Hidden of Luang these lush folds, the former royal capital amid mountain ridges. tours would resemble northern Laos. At every turn, convoluted rivers curl through layers of rivers turn, convoluted every northern At Laos. tours would resemble If a careless god grabbed a giant sheet of green paper and crumpled it into a ball, the con- it into a ball, the paper and crumpled of green sheet grabbed a giant god If a careless NORTHERN LAOS Xieng Khuang andHuaPhanXieng Khuang provinces). (particularly LuangNamtha,Phongsali, temperatures areas mountainous inhigher cent jacket todealwithcoldernight-time morning mists,butyou’lloften ade- need thechillyhot oncethesunburnsthrough clear. Daystypicallyrange fromwarmto there’s little rainandskiesare reasonably Novemberroughly tomid-February when is tovisitnorthernLaos The idealseason 142 Climate         Mkn Speedboats Slowboats Mekong Longboats Mekong totouristinterest.sible thanksinsignificantpart itself. Ineachcasethejourneyisanattraction villagers inroadlesshamletsstilltravel byriver, whileseveral longerdistanceroutes remain pos- Until the1990s,riverboats were anessentialformofinter-city inLaos. Today passenger transport WHICH RIVERTRIP? Nam Tha Boats         OTEN LAOS NORTHERN on boardandusuallyastallsellingbiscuitsoverpriced beer. crowded. The seatsare usuallyvery hard,butyoucangetupandwalkaround.There’s atoilet rides. Boats areant one-day designedfor70passengersbutare sometimesseriouslyover- but it's virtually theonlywaytoseethisattractive stretchbut it'svirtually oftheMekong. for anythinglonger. to organise thisonecangetpricey ortime-consuming. tion aroundBanPhaeng. Whentheriver levels are lowthere’s lots of rapids-shooting. Trying in theboatman’svillage. sec- Sceneryisattractive butonlygetsatalldramatic foraone-hour the touristtrailonanopenboatwitha maximumcapacityofaroundsix.Onenightisspent upstream, 70minutes downstream). andMuangNgoiNeua (90minutes boatbetweenNongKhiaw can seefromthetwice-daily river inLaosare Muchofthatyou anhourortwo’srideineitherdirection fromNongKhiaw. tions. Bringyourownsnacks. Arguably ofanynavigable themostscenicallydramaticsections daily oneachsector.part Boatstypicallyholdup to20peopleinsometimescrampedcondi- p Khua (one dayeach;Muang HatSat–Muang Khua,Muang Khua–Nong Khiaw,NongKhiaw–Luang Prabangriverboats –Huay Xai longboat XiengKok–Muang Mom HuayXai–Luang Prabang Pak Lai– HuayXai–Luang Prabang HuayXai–Pak Beng Luang Prabang–Pak Ou uncomfortable ifyou’re notbothsmallandsupple.uncomfortable Pak Beng. are priceybutincludemeals,sightseeingstopsand excellentovernight accommodationin a boatthatissimilarsize totheMekongslowboatsbutcarriesonly40passengers. Packages (oneday;p or Pak Beng–Luang Prabang 229 ( (three hours;p four hoursreturn; p (oneday;p (twodays;p , Nong Khiaw p ,NongKhiaw 187 ) Completely untouristy,butonlyrunsonceortwiceaweek. 177 or 177 178 NaLae–HuayXai longboat ) Scarilyfast,potentially dangerousandexcruciatingly 206 ) ) Take the There's similarspeedboatdangersandproblems 169 ) Atraveller favourite; covered boatsusuallyde- ) The typicaltouristtaster forthosewithnotime a week ofa week good-humoured water throwing ing heatof theMekong Valley istempered by slash-and-burn agriculture. InAprilthesear- reduced thankstothewidespread fires of choked withsmoke andvisibilityisseverely to visitthewholeregion astheairbecomes too lowfornavigation. March isabadtime tions of theMekong be andNamThamight river dropandbyFebruary levels somesec- before 10am. As continues, thedryseason Wrap yourselfupwarmlyifmotorcycling Luang Say (oneday;p 176 , andtravel inrelative luxuryon ) Both sectors are Bothsectors very pleas-

(two days;p 222 lonelyplanet.com ) Escape