Morning mist
Over the river.
Basile Morin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tango7174 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Basile Morin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Basile Morin — CC BY-SA 4.0
A small town on the Nam Song river ringed by sharp limestone peaks that rise straight out of the rice fields, one of the most beautiful landscapes in South-East Asia. Since the 14th century it was a staging post between Luang Prabang and Vientiane; today it draws lovers of nature and adventure. The river is loveliest early in the morning, when mist lifts off the water and the mountains mirror in its calm surface, sometimes with a colourful hot-air balloon above. You can kayak downstream or cross the wooden bridges to villages and fields on the far bank. The peaks hold many caves, the best known being Tham Chang, and viewpoints reached by steep trails that look over the mountains, the valley and the winding river. The fast train between Vientiane and Luang Prabang has stopped here since 2021. Choose licensed adventure operators for kayaking and caving, as the river rises and speeds up in the rainy season. Rural Laos still holds unexploded ordnance from the 1960s-70s war, so keep to marked paths and never touch metal objects, per UK travel advice.
Over the river.
Downstream.
Valley views.
On the Nam Song river, about 130 km north of Vientiane
By fast train from Vientiane in about an hour, or by bus in two to three hours; the train also runs from Luang Prabang.