Muang Khua

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The northern town of Muang Khua sits on the bank of the Nam Ou River, near the mouth of the Nam Phak. It is a beautiful, peaceful spot halfway up the river between Nong Kiaow and Hat Sa (for Phongsali) in northern Laos.

This half-way house status is the main reason foreigners visit: to experience the beauty and serenity of the spectacular journey from Nong Kiaow and Hat Sa. Muang Khua itself is rarely a destination in its own right but nevertheless quite a few things can be seen and done locally.

While few travellers linger longer than a night or two, the town is becoming a true travellers' destination and over the years we have witnessed an ever growing number of tourists stopping in town.

For those interested in trekking, the region is a great place to explore for a few days. Untouched and rarely visited mountains were heavily bombed during the US war as the US believed there to be significant Pathet Lao activity in the area -- today all that remain are the scattered villages. Expect terrific scenery coupled with a bit of a "rough and ready" trekking experience.

Some find the town to be a little cold and unfriendly, particularly compared with the rest of Laos, and the mounds of rubbish that have been dumped by the river's edge are off-putting.

That said, if you stick around and wander the small side alleys, or trek through the mountains, you may discover a side to Muang Khua not easily visible at first glance. This is a great place to go if you want to step off the road well-travelled, without going too far off the track.

Text and/or map last updated on 10th August, 2009.

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Fresh off our Asia travel forum

Here are some discussions off the Travelfish forum, perhaps related to Muang Khua. You can find the full forum here.

Topic	Replies	Views
Luang Prabang to Hanoi via Muang Khua, Dien Bien Phu and Sa Pa In Laos: by barnsey85, last reply by barnsey85	2	431
Muang Khua to LP In Laos: by lodge, last reply by wanderingcat	5	1321
Boat trip Luang Prabang to Muang Khua In Laos: by shunter, last reply by aarondl	2	1526
Trekking in Northern Laos (Vieng Phouka and Muang Khua) In Laos: by dmlid, last reply by wanderingcat	7	1775

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