Mostly hugging the main road in a longish stretch between Udomxai and Phongsali, Muang La is a very picturesque town. Lush green vegetation and houses made of wood and bamboo are also met by two rushing rivers: the Nam Phak and the smaller Nam La. Aside of its general beauty, and attractive, ancient wat, the main reason for foreigners to visit this town is the hot springs.

It is about half an hour by private vehicle or up to one hour by public transport from Udomxai. One guesthouse and a couple of restaurants serve fish from the Nam Phak, which is locally famed for being delicious. The gorgeous town is perfect for a day trip out of Udomxai, or as an overnight stay if you arrive late into Udomxai and don't want to be caught there overnight.

In the dry season it is possible to detour to Ban Longya where there is a wat with a large stone which is claimed to be imprinted with Buddha's footprint. To get there, turn off 18 kilometres out of Udomxai, 8km along an unpaved track. It is not possible to take this route during the rainy season as the road is flooded. A different road out of Oudomsay can be taken to Ban Longya at this time.