Laos Luang Namtha: nature and traditions in northern Laos Luang Namtha. , Travel to Laos 4.5 (4)For the 4th time, I found myself once again setting foot on the soil of Laos. And this time, I decided to make a little excursion in the north, crossing the border from Chiang Khong (Houay Xai on the Laos side).Not having much time Luang Namtha was a practical choice. From the border, a 4-hour bus ride takes you to the small Laotian town, which is not too long considering that in Laos, distances are generally tedious to cover. Summary hide Luang Namtha, a quiet little town Ethnic villages and nature Luang Namtha, during the rice harvest Temples to see Luang Namtha in brief How to get to Luang Namtha from Thailand Where to sleep in Luang Namtha? Luang Namtha, a quiet little townI arrived late the night before at my hotel, I was content to go for a walk to the night market with a traveler I met when taking the tuk tuk between the bus station and the "centre".Luang Namtha Night Market.The atmosphere was really nothing like having a market in Thailand, I don't know if it was because of the time it was (nearly 21pm), but there really wasn't much left and so we fell back on dinner in a "simple" restaurant nearby.We can't say that Luang Namtha is known for its hectic activity, like Laos in general, that's not why we usually go there but quite the opposite! Finding a relaxed rhythm, far from the hustle and bustle of the cities. As I'm losing the habit of it, it's always funny to find yourself in such a calm place.Ethnic villages and natureThe next day, I rented a motorbike, having spotted a shop not far from the restaurant where I had dined the day before. They gave me a nice little map and off I went!The main attraction of Luang Namtha, due to its rather isolated side, is the possibility of coming across villages and their inhabitants composed of different ethnic groups in the surroundings. I came across some of them on my way to my first place to visit, a small waterfall 5 km east of the center.As is often the case in Laos, there is an entrance fee: 10 Kip plus 000 for the motorbike...We can't really say that this little waterfall is unmissable, but the walk to get there is not unpleasant either, so why deprive yourself...Luang Namtha, during the rice harvestAfter that, I headed in a completely different direction, crossing the large rice fields that line the valley around Luang Namtha. The advantage of going there in November is that it falls during the harvest period, the rice fields were then a golden color that contrasted with the blue and white of the sky as well as the green of the nature surrounding the valley, beautiful palette!Besides the visual beauty, it is also an opportunity to observe the farmers at work, and the least we can say is that they are not lazy, when we see the surfaces they have to cover, under the heat (of the "winter" that is beginning), I remain admiring. But it must also be said that there is a workforce, men, women, everyone is busy to finish the harvests.Leaving the main road, I took a dirt road along the Nam Tha River. But the scenery didn't really excite me and I didn't see much life, so I turned back after a few kilometers to return to Luang Namtha.Temples to seeI was crossing another village before going up to see a first temple. In fact, the temple is mainly a chedi, a recent one and an old one that has fallen to the ground, in ruins. The view is not bad, but knowing that once again, it is paid (5 Kip) we can't say that it is worth it all that much... (some will say that it helps the local economy...)Further on, I went to another temple, in addition to being free, this one also had a very nice view and I therefore highly recommend it. A part below was under construction, while the golden chedi, from where you can see the view is finished, something original, it is hollow and you can therefore see some statues of Buddhas inside.After this visit, I had (roughly) seen most of what there is to see... It was only 13pm and after hesitating, I decided to continue the walk in the surrounding area by going to Muang Sing, a small town close to the border with China, even further north, a distance of 60 km that I will not fail to tell you about in a future article 😉Luang Namtha in briefIt's quiet, it's the countryside, it's Laos. You shouldn't expect to be particularly amazed but it has its charm, and that's generally what people like about Laos, no need to be in the bidding of the most amazing point of view, giant waterfalls, no, just Laotians with their smiles, rice fields, mountains, fresh and pure air.On a map, here is the route taken with the different stops mentioned in the article:How to get to Luang Namtha from ThailandFor my part, I was going there from Chiang Khong in Thailand. If you are already in Laos, you will probably arrive from Luang Prabang, which connects to the border at Huay Xai and passes through Luang Namtha.From Chiang Khong, it used to be possible to cross the border by boat. This is no longer possible for foreigners since the new Friendship Bridge was opened to cross the Mekong some 10 km south of the city. Note that there are 2 bus stations, the old one, towards the city center of Chiang Khong and the new one, near the junction leading to the bridge. It is through the new station that I passed, knowing that I was arriving by car, I thought it normal to be able to park there while staying in Laos…New Chiang Khong bus station.This was actually not possible at the base and I was fortunately able to arrange it by paying 100 baht to do it… But this does not normally concern you… It's a new bus station, but it only serves a few specific destinations (like Bangkok and Bokeo, the other name for Huay Xai). So, it's completely deserted, when I was there, I was absolutely alone, and when it came to buying my ticket, they seemed to tell me that it would be better for me to go to the old station... From what I understood, this station does not serve Luang Namtha directly.In the end, I got my ticket, but I had to wait for the bus, which apparently came from the old station and was passing by. In the meantime, the staff had "taken me under their wing" by offering me instant noodles while sitting me next to them, on the other side of the ticket counter...With the station staff!The fare is 280 baht for the journey between Chiang Khong and Luang Namtha.Where to sleep in Luang Namtha?For my part I had chosen the Amandra Villa, a small hotel with the appearance of a mountain chalet (at least, on the outside), frankly very good for everything, location, staff, breakfast, and all for barely 10€ per night!Did you like the article? share on Pinterest!Do you know the north of Laos (apart from Luang Prabang of course), your opinions, favorites, I'm interested! Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 4.5 / 5. Number of votes: 4 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Off the beaten track Mountain Nature and landscapes Local meetings Rice field Village 0 5 Roman 17/05/2016
