Saylom Restaurant, Muang Ngoi

Taken on: 22nd June, 2010. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See travelfishery's page of Flickr

Read more about Muang Ngoi

A gorgeous, sleepy town, Muang Ngoi gets our vote as one of the friendliest places in all of Laos. There is no road access — only boats — and the lack of motorbikes and other vehicles is refreshing. Similarly, you won't find any banks, internet access, or landline telephones (locals say that their mobile phones sometimes work), so remember to bring cash and tell your friends and family you'll be incommunicado.

The town is home to about 800 people and has a small school and a temple. Limited electricity means that the locals' lifestyle is aligned with daylight hours, and the town shuts down by nine or ten at night and wakes up with the noisy roosters at daybreak.

While the locals are genuinely warm and welcoming, they're also eager to cash in on the tourists flocking to their tiny town. Some locals may persist in offering you their services as trekking guide, but they're just as likely to invite ... Read our complete Muang Ngoi travel guide

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