This stunning laid-back town is one of the friendliest places in the whole of Laos. Much of its appeal lies in the fact that there is no road access into or out of the city and therefore no bikes or cars polluting and clogging up the streets.
A visit to this quaint town, however, will throw up some challenges as there is limited electricity, with none after approximately 21:00. It is early to bed and early to rise, with the town waking up noisily at the crack of dawn every morning.
There are a scattering of guest houses in the town which offer a range of outdoor activities such as trekking, hiking, boating or caving. The town was on the direct path of the Ho Chi Minh Trail during the Vietnam War and as a result, it was heavily bombed. Locals made their homes in the nearby caves to avoid the onslaught of the bombs and these caves have been preserved and can now be visited.
Getting There & Away
Muang Ngoi can only be reached by boat. There are public boats from the town to Nong Kiaow at 09:00 and 11:00, with a short journey time of 45 minutes. It is also possible to get a public boat to Muang Khua every day at 08:00, taking 4 hours; to Phongsali daily at 08:00, taking 5 hours and to Luang Prabang every day at 10:00, taking up to 7 hours.
Things to Do
Muang Ngoi Neua Attractions
- The caves
-
On the outskirts of the town are the caves where the locals were forced to move to during the vietnam war to prevent getting killed by bombing raids along the ho chi minh trail. the caves have been preserved and are open to visitors.