Nong Khiaw is a lesser-known backpacker destination in Laos, located in the north of the country. It is well worth visiting as it has the most stunning views in Laos (in my opinion!). It’s also the perfect destination to get away from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities in Laos. Nong Khiaw has a range of different adventure activities like ziplining, trekking and rock climbing. It also has stunning viewpoints, untouched caves, beginner hikes and just quaint small-town vibes. Nong Khiaw is also surprisingly cold, particularly at night, which is a nice change from the heat and humidity in the rest of Laos.
How many days to spend in Nong Khiaw
A lot of people backpacking skip Nong Khiaw, some because they’ve never heard of it and others because they are short on time. Nong Khiaw actually ended up being one of my favourite places in Laos, and I never even intended to go there! You would need at least two full days (not including travel days) to make travelling to Nong Khiaw worth it. Ideally, though, spending 3-4 full days backpacking in Nong Khiaw will allow you to explore it at a relaxed pace. If you are going to Nong Khiaw for adventure activities or are interested in doing multiple hikes, you definitely need around 3-4 full days.
How to get to Nong Khiaw
The only place you can get a direct transfer to Nong Khiaw is Luang Prabang. This means you will have to backtrack back to Luang Prabang after you visit Nong Khiaw. However, it is a morning van transfer, so you can catch an early evening bus or train to your next destination as opposed to having to stay an extra night in Luang Prabang. There is another option for getting to Nong Khiaw, but I would strongly advise against it, even if you’re on a tight backpacking budget. There is a night bus option running to and from Nong Khiaw to Vientiane and another bus to and from Huay Xai. It is still one of the worst sleeper transport experiences I have ever had. To read my full experience, check out my Laos transport guide here.
How to get to Nong Khiaw from Luang Prabang
There are morning transfers from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw via a minivan. Transfers leave at 8 am and 9 am in the morning, but there are sometimes more vans, depending on availability. Vans leave from Naluang Bus Terminal in Luang Prabang, which is around a 10-minute drive out of the centre. Alternatively, if you book transfers through a hostel, often they will include free pickup at the hostel.
Van transfers can take anywhere between 3-7 hours to get to Nong Khiaw. However, more often than not, they take longer. I’m yet to meet anyone who spent less than 5 hours on a van to get to Nong Khiaw. The vans are pretty basic as well, with basic A/C and pretty cramped seating. The vans stop regularly to pick up locals along the route, so often, there will be people sitting in the aisle, making it even hotter on the bus! Expect to pay between 183-235k LAK Lao Kip ($9-$12 USD).
How to get around Nong Khiaw
Nong Khiaw very much feels like a small village, so everything is well within walking distance. All the restaurants, cafes and bars will be within 20 minute’s walk, even if you stay at the furthest away accommodation in town. You can also visit sights such as the Nong Khiaw Viewpoint (Phadeng Peak), Phathok Caves and Sleeping Woman Viewpoint on foot. For other day trips and activities, they will either pick you up from your accommodation or you meet at a travel agency in the middle of town, which is also within walking distance. Vans to and from Luang Prabang will also pick you up and drop you off at your accommodation, so there is no need to walk anywhere with your luggage. Walking around Nong Khiaw feels extremely safe, even at night, as a solo female. It really is a sleepy little village, and everyone is super friendly!
Where to stay in Nong Khiaw
There is only one decent hostel in Nong Khiaw, and it is more of a guesthouse with a dormitory than an actual backpackers hostel. The majority of backpackers will stay here or treat themselves to a reasonably priced villa, guesthouse, hotel or resort. As everything in Nong Khiaw is walkable, it doesn’t matter too much where you stay in terms of location. Accommodations right in the centre of town are more convenient but tend not to have as nice views. Accommodations further out from the centre mean you spend a little more time walking into town, but you’re rewarded with nicer views. You can book all accommodation here.
Eco Farm Stay and Hostel
Eco Farm Stay and Hostel is a basic guesthouse/hostel but ideal for solo travellers who want to make friends. They have bunk bed dorms, provide detailed information on the area, help travellers book activities and have a common area in the garden. It is a little bit of a walk out of town, but it is very much surrounded by nature, so you get the full Nong Khiaw experience. The only downside is there isn’t A/C in the dorms, but that only matters during the day, as it gets quite cool in the evening, so you don’t need it.
Nam Ou View Villa
Nam Ou View Villa is where you stay if you want to treat yourself to a reasonably priced private room. The location is a short walk out of town, but the views are stunning. They have tables and chairs set up right on the river so you can enjoy the views. The beds are super comfortable, and there’s breakfast included in the rate. We met other travellers staying here, but it isn’t the most social place to stay if you’re a solo traveller. It’s also popular with families and couples on holiday who may not be interested in mingling.
What to do in Nong Khiaw
There are so many activities you can do in Nong Khiaw, but it is also just a nice place to chill out and relax after being in bigger cities. If you’re into hiking, there is no shortage of hikes you can go on in Nong Khiaw. The most popular among hikers is a three-day trek going to Sop Cham and Muang Ngoi Villages. There are also other multi-day and day hikes and a heap of activities such as rock climbing, kayaking, zip-lining and bamboo rafting. Due to how quiet Nong Khiaw is, you don’t need to book these activities or multi-day treks in advance; just visit a tour agency when you arrive to book. If adventure activities aren’t your thing, there are still many smaller hikes, caves and boat trips to enjoy in Nong Khiaw.
Nong Khiaw Viewpoint
If you only do one thing while backpacking in Nong Khiaw, it should be this hike! Nong Khiaw Viewpoint (also called Phadeng Peak is a hike to a viewpoint that will give you panoramic views of the limestone mountains, Nam Ou River and the township. Most backpackers will do this hike for sunrise or sunset as it is the perfect spot to watch the colours of the sky change. There’s also a Lao flag on a stick up there, which you can use to get the iconic Laos picture below. The start of the hike is very clearly signed; it starts around a 10-minute walk out of town. You’ll need to pay an entrance fee of 250k LAK Lao Kip ($1.20 USD).
Be warned, if you’re not much of a hiker, it can be tough, but it is so worth it. The hike takes some people 2-3 hours, but I would allow 3-4 hours if you’re not really a hiker. You will want to make sure you start the hike around 2 hours before sunrise or sunset time to make sure you don’t miss it. This means for sunrise, you’ll be hiking up in the dark, and after sunset, you’ll be descending in darkness. I just used my phone light and took it slow, and it was fine. If you don’t want to hike in the darkness, you can do it in the daytime, but I would avoid the hottest part of the day as it’s very exposed up there.
Phathok Caves
Another top backpacking activity to do in Nong Khiaw is to visit the Phathok Caves. You can easily do this without a guide, and it is walkable from town. Depending on where you’re staying, it could be anywhere from a 20-minute to a 50-minute walk. However, the walk is along the side of the road and fairly flat, so it’s not strenuous. When you arrive at the signage for the cave, you’ll have to walk around 5 minutes to the official entry. There’s a fork in the path, and you’ll want to take the left.
You’ll cross a bamboo bridge or two before arriving at the entry office. Here, you’ll need to pay 15k LAK Lao Kip entry fee ($0.75 USD). After this, you’ll cross some more bamboo bridges before getting to the stairs to the cave entrance. It’s really picturesque here outside the cave with all the bamboo bridges. After this, you climb a staircase of about 100 steps into the cave. The steps are pretty narrow, so make sure you take them slowly, particularly on the descent. Inside the cave, there are a few informational signs explaining the history behind the caves. You only need around 30 minutes here.
Beware: scam
We nearly got scammed here. There was a local guy near the cave entrance (who wasn’t the guy who we paid entrance to) who started up a conversation. He asked where we were from, and seemed like he was just being friendly. However, he started to follow us towards the stairs to the cave and gave us information about the cave and its history. We politely told him he didn’t need a tour guide and that it was nice to meet him. He kept trying to give us an informal tour (and would have asked for a hefty payment at the end, no doubt). We just ignored the guy until he left, but it was a pretty uncomfortable experience, as he was so persistent!
Day trip to a local village- Muang Ngoi
If you’re looking to do a day trip but aren’t super into trekking or hiking, then this is the perfect option! You can book this through any of the travel agencies in town or through your accommodation. The day includes transport down the river on a small boat, a short hike to a viewpoint, kayaking down the river, exploring the Muang Ngoi local village, and a short hike to a waterfall where you can swim and have lunch.
The hikes are short and suitable for a general fitness level (I’m no avid hiker!). It is a really nice day experiencing rural Laos (a side of Laos that not every tourist sees) with a local guide who tells you about life in Nong Khiaw. Expect to pay around 360k LAK Lao Kip ($18 USD). The tour is a full-day tour departing in the morning and arriving back to Nong Khiaw just before dinner time.
Sleeping Woman Viewpoint (Nang None)
The entrance to the viewpoint is around a 20-minute walk out of town, on the northern part of Nong Khiaw. Once you begin the hike, allow 2-3 hours to return. Expect a pretty tough hike as it is quite steep uphill and requires some scrambling up rocks. The Sleeping Woman Viewpoint gives the opposite view from the Nong Khiaw Viewpoint, where you’ll see the town, river and the southern mountains. The entrance fee is 15k LAK Lao Kip ($0.90 USD).
Where to eat in Nong Khiaw
There aren’t too many restaurants and cafes to choose from in Nong Khiaw, given how small it is. The majority of the restaurants are based in the centre of town, on either side of the bridge which crosses the river. One thing to be warned of is the pace of life in Nong Khiaw is very slow, given it used to be a small village. That means that every time you order food or eat out, it can take a while to get your meal. Make sure you order food long before you have to depart on a bus or a day tour.
Coco Home Bar & Restaurant
This is the best restaurant in Nong Khiaw! It has an outdoor seated area overlooking the river, decked out with cute little lights. They serve both Lao and Western food- both of which are delicious!
Chennai Restaurant
Located on the southern side of the river, just across the bridge, is another great restaurant in Nong Khiaw called Chennai. They serve all kinds of Indian food and have pretty generous servings.
Q Bar and Restaurant
Also located on the southern side of the river is Q Bar and Restaurant. They have some Western options but mainly specialise in Lao dishes.
Delilahs
Delilahs is the place to go for brunch and all-day breakfast in Nong Khiaw! They’re located right in the centre of town and offer all kinds of breakfast, lunch and dessert options. Delilah’s has pretty limited seating, so you may need to join a large shared table, but it is well worth it.
Nong Khiaw Nightlife
Nong Khiaw is not known for its backpacker nightlife at all! The majority of travellers will head to bed early to get a good night’s sleep before a big day of activities. The extent of the nightlife is having a few drinks with dinner at one of the restaurants or having a few beers back at your accommodation. There is one bar in the village if you want to have a few drinks; it is called Hive Bar, but don’t expect it to be super busy. It’s a little bit of a walk out of town, but they do affordable beer, cocktails and happy shakes. They also have local Lao foods if you fancy having dinner there.
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