Muang Ngoi

Muang Ngoi Neua is a single dirt street running parallel to the Nam Ou, hemmed in by limestone walls, with guesthouses along the bank and rice fields in the valleys behind. For years it had no road at all and the only way in was the boat, which is what gave it its reputation; a road now reaches it, but the boat is still how most people arrive. Walks from the village lead through caves used as shelters during the war and out to Ban Na and other villages an hour or two away across the fields.

What to look for

• The river frontage - guesthouse terraces along the bank under limestone cliffs.
• The single street - a dirt lane with the village's shops, kitchens and temple along it.
• The caves - openings in the cliffs behind the village, used as shelters in the war years.
• The valley walks - paths out to Ban Na, Huay Bo and Huay Sen through rice country.

When to go

November to March is dry, cool and the best for walking. October leaves the rice green and the light clear. The wet season turns the valley paths to mud and the river runs high and fast.

What to expect

Electricity and connectivity have improved but are still limited, and that is part of what people come for. The village has become well known and in high season the guesthouses fill. Unexploded ordnance is a live concern in this region: stay on established paths, which is what local guides insist on.

Nearby

Nong Khiaw is an hour downstream, and Muang Khua is upriver towards Phongsali.