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Pha Daeng is located in northern Laos in a small village called Nong Khiaw – a relaxed hidden gem of the country only around 3 hours north of Luang Prabang.
Nong Khiaw is an adventure seeker’s dream and Pha Daeng (also known as Nong Khiaw Viewpoint) is the most popular hike of the town’s six well-known routes. Surrounded by towering limestone mountains and with epic panoramic view of the entire region from 460m up, this is truly one of Laos’ greatest peaks. Most people take on the tough ascent to witness the hazy mist roll out of Nong Khiaw at sunrise, but this is the type of viewpoint that’s impressive at any time of day.
Prepare to sweat profusely, get tangled in spider webs, trip over sneaky roots and clamber over jagged rocks to be rewarded with the incredible view. I promise it’ll be worth it! Be wary about wandering off the path though, as Nong Khiaw was one of the most bombed places during the Vietnam War with 580,000 bombing missions in just 9 years. Many UXO’s (unexploded bombs) are still being found today.
I highly recommend reading my full Nong Khiaw travel guide to learn some useful information about the area, explore what else is there is to do in this awesome little place and get helpful recommendations on where to stay and any expected costs!
- Country: Laos
- Language: Lao/Laotian although people in northern Laos also speak Thai
- Population: Only about 3,500!
- Currency: Laotian Kip (£1/$1 = 18,000/16,500 kip)
- Visa info: For most nations a 30 day visa to Laos costs $40 which you’ll pay at your point of arrival, whether it be at an airport or land border. For land crossings you are required to provide a small self-portrait.
- SIM cards: There are a few different providers for SIM cards in Laos, such as Unitel, LaeTel and TPlus. All have good internet coverage across the country and can be bought from international airports, most shops and some hostels. I used Unitel and paid a relatively large sum of 180,000 Kip (£10) because I bought it at a hostel in a remote town. That gave me 35gb for 30 days, but the price at street vendors will be atleast half that
Where is it
Check it out on the interactive map below.
When to visit
Laos has two main seasons.
- Wet season: April – October
- Dry season: November – March
It’s very popular to hike up very early to catch sunrise from the top and get the coolest weather of the day, however the view from the top is epic no matter the time of day.
Here is a helpful sign at the start of the trek about visiting.
Where to stay in Nong Khiaw
Nong Khiaw is a super small town and most accommodations are very near to each other. They are mostly located on the east side of town, across the river, and many have fantastic mountain and river views from the balcony.
There is yet to be an established hostel in town, so guesthouses are really your only option. I stayed at Lamorn Guesthouse for $9 a night which was extremely basic and about a 5 minute walk from the centre of town. Overall it was fine, but I’ll talk more about it in the “my experience” section later.
From speaking to other people, Delilah’s sounds like a good budget option which is located in the middle of town for around $5 per night. Another great budget option is Nam Ou River Lodge.
Use Booking.com to find the best deals on accommodation in Nong Khiaw in advance, or alternatively just find something when you arrive which is very easily done as many places aren’t on any websites.
How long to allow
The trail is easy to follow but quite intense. I’d say it’s moderate to hard difficulty as it’s very steep throughout.
Allow an hour to get to the top and 45 minutes to get back down, plus a while at the top to take pictures. It depends on your level of fitness and how long you stay up there, but 3 hours total will cover it.
Expected costs
Entrance to the mountain is just 20,000 kip (£1), payable at the small stand just off the road that you can see below.
What to expect
Alrighty, let’s go!
The path starts by passing a few small houses where you can see some local chickens and chilies out drying before you reach the forest. As the incline starts to increase and with glimpses of the summit through the trees, you’ll pass some rice fields and picturesque swings – maybe an opportunity for your first pit-stop before the grueling ascent begins?
From there it’s uphill on earth-cut steps almost the entire way, with the terrain not leveling out until near the top. Overall it’s a well-maintained route, albeit steep.
There are some ropes and bamboo handrails for the steeper sections and a couple of sneak-peak-views through the trees on the way up. If you need to take 5, there are a couple of bamboo benches too. Watch out for large roots and low branches as you drag yourself up!
The dense forest is humid no matter what time of year you attempt Pha Daeng, so prepare for a sweat-inducing hike regardless of the time of day! When you see the sign marking half way you will either be filled with joy or anguish, but at-least you’ve warmed up by now… right?
Near the top the path eventually levels out for 5 minutes before the final push.
At the jagged summit there are panoramic views of the Nong Khiaw region from the sheltered viewpoint which is a terrace made mostly from concrete. If you’re planning a sunrise mission up here, this is when you’ll be met with a mesmerising sea of clouds that will slowly roll their way out of the valley.
There are shaded bamboo seats and various spots to take photos from inside, as well as a large Laos flag that stays nearby permanently – perfect for a good photo!
Be warned that it can get quite cold at the top when you’ve been sweating a lot, regardless of the air temperature, and especially at sunrise!
Once you’re ready to go, going down is much less strenuous than hiking up and should take less time. I was practically running at some points because I suddenly felt full of energy.
Thinking of visiting Southeast Asia soon? Don’t miss these essential guides to help planning your trip:
My experience at Pha Daeng
My timings: Start to summit = 10:55 to 12:05. Summit to bottom = 13:40 to 14:20.
This was the first hike I had attempted since The Floating Pagodas in Lampang about 6 weeks before, let alone the first hike in Nong Khiaw, so I was pretty proud with 1hr 10 minutes… even if I did stop about 300 stops!
During my entire 3.5 hours on the mountain I didn’t see another living soul. It was all mine. I was up at the top for ages because I was just loving it, taking lots of photos on my camera and drone and soaking up the ridiculously beautiful scenery.
Speaking of my drone, this mountain now claims the title of being the first place in 4 years of flying that I crashed. Coming in to land I managed to skim a wall of the terrace and it then smashed into the jagged rocks below. Thinking it was okay, I flew it the next day at Sleeping Lady viewpoint just to watch it fall from the sky when a propeller suddenly came off. RIP Mr Mavic.
Pha Daeng packing essentials
- Water – lots!
- Good footwear
- Bug spray
- Sun cream, hat, sunglasses
- Long sleeve top (sunrise)
It should go without saying that you will need lots of water because there is nowhere to refill once you begin. Take what you think is enough then take some more because you’ll need it to combat the humidity of the dense jungle – it’s a sweat-fest!
Decent footwear, bug spray and sun cream are all essential too so that you stay protected from sharp rocks, mosquitos and the beating sun. A long sleeve top is optional, but when you’ve been sweating a lot you can get very cold very quickly at the top, so best to have something warm just in case.
Best tours in northern Laos
Thank you for reading this travel guide – I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible 
Happy travelling!
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Accommodation: Booking.com, Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, TripAdvisor
Transport: 12Go, Omio, Trip.com, Rome2Rio
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