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Nong Khiaw is a sleepy, mountainous town just 3 hours north of Luang Prabang in rustic northern Laos that offers adventure seekers an array of hiking possibilities in a destination that remains somewhat off the beaten path.
As well as the famous Pha Daeng Peak (also known as Nong Khiaw Viewpoint), there are 5 other great trails in the area that you should definitely consider.
Pha Noi and Nang Nong (Sleeping Lady) viewpoints are two of the town’s shortest and easiest, but don’t let that fool you – they still remain relatively strenuous, especially in the typically high humidity of this part of the world.
Although short, these hikes are both extremely rewarding and absolutely ideal for an early evening push at sunset. I’ve kept this guide quick and concise (much like the walks themselves) and included all essential information you should know before you start the rocky ascents.
- 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 Nong Khiaw
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, but 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 because many places aren’t on any websites here.
Expected costs for the hikes
Entrance to the Pha Noi hike costs 20,000 kip (£1). There isn’t an official ticket booth, but there is a small sign stating the price before the river. Hang out there for a few minutes and the man will appear before taking you over the river.
Nang Nong Viewpoint is just 15,000 kip.
What to expect at Pha Noi Viewpoint
First up, the shortest and easiest of Nong Khiaw’s six hikes: Pha Noi.
Getting there
The Pha Noi hike
At the top there are two lookouts over the Nam Ou river and Nong Khiaw and some deck chairs to catch your breath on. Watch the sun fall behind the mountains to your left before beginning your descent.
Depending on your timing for sunset and what the light is like, a maximum time of 15 minutes at the top would be plenty to satisfy.
This is a great little evening walk/hike, but don’t expect too much. You get the type of view you’d expect for such a short trip!
On the way home watch out for low branches and hidden roots because the light will quickly disappear. Inquisitive bats will fly past to say hello and the forest will come alive with nighttime noises.
My experience hiking Pha Noi
I timed my hike here extremely poorly because I was relaxing after climbing Pha Daeng earlier in the day and spontaneously decided to go up Pha Noi in the evening, so I didn’t start the trail until 17:50.
Similar to my late morning hike up Pha Daeng, I was the only person on the entire mountain which was pretty cool. I was at the top by 18:15 and the sunset was a corker, so that made the amount of sweat worth it!
On the way back down I drifted off the forest path a few times because I only my phone as a light, but I got back down to the river in just 10 minutes. The man was already waiting for me there with a boat, even though I was about 20 minutes ahead of schedule, so I crossed and went for dinner!
What to expect at Nang Nong (Sleeping Lady) Viewpoint
Nang Nong Viewpoint is also called the Sleeping Lady viewpoint because of the shape of the mountain. It starts near to the centre of town and consists of two separate viewpoints at varying heights.
Getting there
The Nang Nong hike
The steep trail starts up through the forest from the ticket office and doesn’t level out at any point until the top – get ready to sweat!
There are some rubber handrails to help you over the thick roots at extra steep parts and a sign post at the fork in the path to direct you to the viewpoint of your choice.
I didn’t make to up to the higher viewpoint because of two reasons; I crashed my drone and I had to return the motorbike soon, but you can see it in the first photo below.
The second photo (taken moments before my drone chose to fall from the sky) is of the remains of where Viewpoint 1 used to be, which was destroyed by weather. It used to take 30 minutes to hike to (instead of the new, 15 minute viewpoint) because it was much higher… but who’s complaining?! The current Viewpoint 1 offers a great view over Nong Khiaw after a short hike from an angle you won’t get from any other mountain in the region.
My experience hiking Nang Nong
I visited Nang Nong viewpoint while on the way back from a motorbike journey around the countryside and Pha Kuang Cave. I started my hike at 3:30, so a bit too early for sunset, but the light was still really good and I really liked this little hike.
I made it up to Viewpoint 1 in about 20 minutes and spent some time catching my breath and taking photos before I planned to go all the way up, but that didn’t end up happening after my second drone crash in 2 days.
Following on from the previous day’s crash at Pha Daeng, I did a short test flight before ‘sending it’, at which point it spiraled down into the forest about 500m away from me. Stupidly, I went to look for it. I searched purely on instinct, looking for a needle in a haystack, and somehow eventually found it, totally forgetting about the UXOs!
PLEASE don’t be like me! You never know what’s under-foot here and you don’t want to be that guy who steps on an unexploded bomb! I live to fight another day so I’ll take that as a win… but sadly my drone doesn’t.
Packing essentials for these hikes
- Water – lots!
- Good footwear
- Bug spray
- Sun cream, hat, sunglasses
- Head torch
It should go without saying that you will need lots of water. 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. I’d recommend taking a head torch for Pha Noi too, because it gets really dark really quick and it’s easy to lose your bearings in the f0rest.
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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