Muang Ngoi Travel Guide: Where to Go, Stay, and Eat! [2024]
When I was planning my trip to Laos, I fell in love with Nong Khiaw at first sight: its towering karst, winding Nam Ou River, and floating houses where you could stay on the water instantly had my changing my Laos itinerary to favor Northern Laos a lot more heavily.
And then I learned about a breathtaking little village even further up the Nam Ou River, only accessible by a one-hour boat ride… and I was instantly sold.
I mean, look at those river views.
Muang Ngoi (technically Muang Ngoi Neau, but everyone drops the last word) is one of those Goldilocks destinations. It’s off the typical well-beaten path of Vientiane – Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang, but it’s still very well set up for tourism.
It’s a one-street town, but it has all you’d need, from laundry services to tour operators offering everything from half-day trips to multi-day trekking excursions where you stay the night in remote hill tribe villages.
I only spent two nights in Muang Ngoi, but if I had been traveling differently and didn’t have a flight to Bangkok calling me back to Luang Prabang, I definitely would have stayed longer to explore the region even further on one of these trekking tours.
Still, two full days in Muang Ngoi was perfect to get a taste of what this special little Laos village has to offer.
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How to Get to Muang Ngoi
Virtually all journeys to Muang Ngoi start in Nong Khiaw, which you can reach from Luang Prabang via a tightly-packed minibus. Tickets cost about 130,000 kip, or $6 USD at time of writing, and it takes about 3 hours from point-to-point with one bathroom break.
Quality of the minibuses varies wildly. Contrary to what you might think, the privately run minibus was drastically worse — they crammed 20 people into a 15 person van with a door that didn’t shut all the way.
When I went via what seemed like the public bus on the way back, it was much less crowded, though we made a few stops at smaller towns along the way (it didn’t drastically add any time to our itinerary), and the cost was the same.
Once you get to Nong Khiaw, you can opt to stay there for a few days (I highly recommend it!) or you can make your way to Muang Ngoi.
With a lack of transparency around what bus company is running which shuttle bus, it’s a bit of a Russian roulette situation getting between Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw… but luckily, getting between Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi is a lot less painful.
You can go via public or private boat to Muang Noi. As of June 2024, a public boat costs 70,000 kip ($3 USD) if you buy it directly at the counter at the pier, and it departed at 11 AM.
If you buy it at your accommodation or via a travel agent, it’ll cost between 100,000-120,000 kip ($4-5 USD) for their assistance in buying the ticket. It’s a negligible cost, but if you’re on a budget, you may want to just show up right at the pier.
I paid my accommodation 120,000 kip (about $5 USD) but that included a transfer and I was staying a 1-kilometer walk from the pier so I was happy to pay the extra price to avoid that walk.
The boat ride is pretty comfortable on the way to Muang Ngoi. It took us about an hour or an hour and 15 minutes going there, because we were going against the river’s current, which was pretty strong given that it was rainy season.
On the way back, we even got pushed into the river bank and our boat captain had to get us un-stuck from the mud!
A public boat, on the other hand, was quoted to me to be 700,000 kip (about $32 USD). Since I was traveling alone, this seemed like a very unnecessary expenditure.
However, if I was traveling with a group of 3+ people and we wanted a little more spaciousness, or the choice of departing exactly when we wanted to, this would maybe be something I would have considered.
What to Do in Muang Ngoi
Hike to the top of Phanoy Viewpoint
If you have only a day in Muang Ngoi or you just need to pick your number one thing to prioritize, let it be this hike. It’s absolutely stunning and unlike the hikes I did in Vang Vieng, it isn’t incredibly difficult.
There are plenty of signs in town directing you to the Phanoy Viewpoint hike. The ticket booth area is about 100 meters from town, on a small homestead with a peacock and some chickens ruling the roost. You buy a ticket for 20,000 kip (less than $1 USD) and it’s fully worth it as the path is very well-maintained and it’s taken a lot of effort to make the hiking trail safe for travelers. Please don’t be a jerk and complain over paying $1 for a hike.
After you’ve gotten your entry ticket, you can pick one of two routes to get to the top of Phanoy Viewpoint: a 500-meter route or a 700-meter one. I picked the 500-meter one, thinking I’d return via the 700-meter way so I could compare the two. However, once I reached the top, I was a little afraid of getting caught in the rain on my way back so I opted for the known variable, which I knew I could get down safely in case it started raining on my way back.
The hike is definitely on the easy side of moderate. Yes, it is a lot of vertical height gain over those 500 meters, but it’s always pretty reasonable.
Steps, ladders, and boards have been incorporated into the trail as much as possible, and there’s very little need for any rock scrambling or anything particularly difficult. The main thing is the heat and humidity (and mosquitos!) so come prepared with bug spray, sun protection, and water: the Laos holy trinity.
The view at the top of Phanoy Viewpoint is utterly spectacular: you see the full serpentine beauty of the Nam Ou river and the karst formations around it, as well as the charming miniature nature of the settlement of Muang Ngoi at its base. I thought it was one of the best views in Laos, tied with the hike up Nam Xay in Vang Vieng (but that was much harder).
There are also some caves you can explore on this hike but honestly, I totally forgot about them because I was in full-on “get up the mountain” mode, and the caves aren’t well-marked. Keep an eye out as you hike up!
If you want to do another hike, you can also hike to another viewpoint, Pha Boom, but it’s a lot more difficult and I was traveling in the rainy season so I was nervous about the mud conditions after there was a pretty heavy downpour the following day.
You can camp there overnight with an excursion organized by Gecko (a restaurant and tour operator at the far edge of the main road) which sounds like it would be an epic thing to do if you are visiting in the dry season. In the rainy season though, not so much!
Walk to the Tham Kang Cave
This beautiful series of two caves is really worth visiting while you visit Muang Ngoi. Note that there is a rather insistent man at the side of the caves who insists that you pay him 20,000 kip to pass.
Google Maps is full of rants about this guy and people have tanked the rating of the cave as a result. I didn’t feel like arguing with a man over, again, one dollar. It seems like a pretty poor use of my time and effort; if he’s actually scamming, that’s something for the local village to sort out, not me as a random traveler who doesn’t speak Lao or understand the culture.
Anyway, there are two caves you can visit — one is a cave that goes in about 15 meters and isn’t particularly dark or interesting, but it’s still nice to walk inside and enjoy the cave smell and dampness that gives you a soothing break from the blistering Lao heat.
The second cave (pictured above) is more interesting, as it has a small, shallow pool where you can take a dip if there’s enough water.
When I visited, the water levels were pretty low (despite it being rainy season) and I had forgotten my swimsuit. I still planned to hike onwards to Ban Na village, so I didn’t get in as I didn’t want to hike more in wet clothes, but it looked tempting!
Visit Ban Na village
After visiting the Tham Kang cave, you can walk onwards for a bit to reach Ban Na village. I wasn’t particularly clear on how to get here to be honest, so I don’t know if I took the best route.
It seems possible than you can just continue on the main road and reach Ban Na that way. I didn’t do that because I trusted a random sign and followed that instead!
That sign led me through a muddy abyss, across an actual river crossing, and through a bunch of rice fields studded with befuddled water buffalo and a few amused Laotian farmers.
I did eventually cut through the rice fields and make my way to Ban Na village, but it was so muddy that it was hard to walk around, and it seemed somewhat abandoned except for one lonely restaurant.
Ban Na is pretty sparsely populated and there wasn’t much to do there that I found. I didn’t visit the entirety of the village because half of the village was completely impassible due to mud. I kept losing my shoes to the mud and it discouraged me from wanting to explore more at this point, as I was feeling a bit anxious about how to get back to Muang Ngoi.
I started walking back on the main road towards what I hoped was Muang Ngoi, but there was no one around to ask for directions and my Maps app was not giving me a clear answer. It was quite hot and I had already almost polished off my 1.5 L bottle of water, so I instead went back via the rice field and river route, since I at least knew I wouldn’t get lost that way, even if it was a less comfortable walk.
I didn’t particularly love this hike simply because I was alone and so I was a little scared that I would get lost. When I was back in town, I did see that you can take a tractor tour to visit Ban Na village as well as a few other villages up the path.
This is what I would do instead if I return to Muang Ngoi (which I can see myself doing — I did really love it). I didn’t find out the price, but I would be surprised if it cost more than 400,000 kip ($18 USD) for a multi-village trip, based on the price of other activities in town.
Enjoy a herbal steam sauna and a massage.
It’s 50-50 on whether the herbal saunas will be running when you visit Laos, but if they are, it’s a unique cultural experience that you should definitely enjoy!
I found that in the rainy season (June) when tourism was low, the massage shops that offer herbal saunas typically weren’t actually operating them, though perhaps they would with 24 hours notice.
Penny’s on the main road in Muang Ngoi normally offers herbal saunas, but they were not running when I visited. I didn’t actually get to enjoy one as a result, but I’ve heard great things about this and I think it would be a really cool way to get your body ready for a massage.
I did do a Lao massage when I was in Muang Ngoi and it was great! I paid 100,000 kip ($4.50) for a 1-hour Lao massage, which is a firm-pressure, clothed massage that is quite similar to Thai massages as it involves a lot of acupressure, twisting, and stretching.
Note that virtually all Lao massage shops don’t have traditional massage beds that have a hole for your head, but rather just a flat, hard mat. As a result, sometimes you have to twist your neck in a slightly uncomfortable position. If you can find a towel to rest the crown of your head on, that makes it a lot more comfortable!
Go kayaking down the Nam Ou River
Of course, kayaking is one of the best things you can do in Muang Ngoi since the Nam Ou river is right there, beckoning you! You only kayak one way down the river and then a boat will pick you up and bring you back because the current is too strong to kayak upriver.
As a result, kayaking prices are a little higher because it requires coordination with a local boat driver who will help you get upriver. I didn’t have time to go kayaking because one of the days I visited was a total washout (rainy season things!) but I did get a quote from a local tour operator so I can let you know what prices to expect.
He quoted me 100,000 kip for the kayak rental and 100,000 kip for the boat back, so about 200,000 kip total for the excursion (about $9 USD). I also asked if you could add on the waterfall, Tad Mok, and he said yes and it would cost another 200,000 kip for a guide to walk to the falls. I don’t know that a guide is entirely necessarily but that’s what he told me.
If you had time I would absolutely kayak down the river! There is also an option to go tubing where they will first bring you upriver and then let you float down, but again, it was too rainy during my stay to consider this option.
Visit the peaceful Muang Ngoi temple.
I’m not sure why people don’t mention the temple in Muang Ngoi in blogs about the town but it was definitely a rainy day highlight of visiting Muang Ngoi for me!
It’s a very short walk from the town center, only maybe 5 minutes away from the main “intersection”, and it’s free to visit.
It may look closed at first glance, but a sign on the gate quickly lets you know that it’s only shut to keep out cows (#LaosThings) and that you can let yourself in.
Visiting is free and walking around the temple complex area only takes about 15 minutes, but it’s worth a wander. The interior of the temple was shut when I visited but it didn’t make it any less worth visiting.
Visit other local villages on an overnight trekking tour.
One of the reasons I wish I allotted more time for Muang Ngoi is that I would have loved to do an overnight trekking tour to some of the nearby villages, like the weaving village and the hill tribe villages.
This is accessible via a guided tour and there are 2-day 1-night options and 3-day 2-night options. Ask around at a few different spots in the village once you arrive to get the best price. Alternately, if you want a quote before you visit, you can contact one of the operators who runs tours of out Gecko, via WhatsApp (+856 205 888 6295)
Take a Lao cooking class or weaving class.
If you’ve fallen in love with Lao cooking during your stay, you can take a Lao-style cooking class during your time in Muang Ngoi, which I saw offered at Gecko. I didn’t get a price quote for this but I would ask around when you get there — I can’t imagine it would be too expensive.
There are also a few weavers in town who offer beautiful wares and who will also teach you how to weave your own keepsake from your travels!
The weaving class is located on the main road near the end of the road (past Gecko’s) and she charges 300,000 kip (about $13 USD) for a 3-hour weaving experience that will let you bring home a small woven keepsake for yourself. If you don’t want to DIY it, you can also just buy her beautiful goods — they’re at very fair prices given the immense amount of labor involved!
Where to Stay in Muang Ngoi
There are a number of accommodation options in Muang Ngoi, all on the budget to mid-range end of the spectrum. If you simply show up to town and start walking along the main road, I saw hostels on offer for as low as 80,000 kip (about $4 USD a night for a dorm bed).
I opted to stay in the beautiful riverfront accommodations, Ning Ning Guesthouse, which is one of the best-reviewed places in town. I opted for one of the garden bungalows and it was quite comfortable, with surprisingly good internet, a comfortable bed, a mosquito netting, and good ventilation and fan system.
However, they also have some riverfront view rooms that are more like a traditional hotel and these are a little more expensive, but they have riverfront balconies and you get a stunning river view — this is what I would opt for next time!
If you’re on a bit more of a budget or if Ning Ning is all booked up, I’ve read great things about Sunset Bungalows, and I’d suggest that as well as a back-up choice.
You can also just arrive and try your luck at seeing what’s available and what rates you can get, but I personally have too much travel anxiety and am too much of a control freak to show up somewhere without accommodations reserved!
Where to Eat in Muang Ngoi
There’s not a lot of restaurants in Muang Ngoi but I did eat at a few of them during my stay and can report back on the ones I liked best.
My favorite spot, by far, was Chez Lola’s. It’s run by a French-Lao couple and the food is a step above the other food I’ve eaten in Laos by a good margin. The chicken suzy (similar to a curry, with pumpkin, okra, and carrot) I ate there was my favorite meal I ate in all of Laos. Too bad I discovered it on my last day in Muang Ngoi or I would have eaten more meals there!
Prices were quite reasonable, about 60,000 kip for a curry (less than $3 USD) and a little more to add rice on the side. It’s slightly off the main road, but it’s worth the extra few minutes’ walk. There’s also a petanque court and you can play a few rounds if you have some friends with you!
My other favorite place I ate was a place near Gecko and Vita, and I forgot to write down the name of it but I can’t find it on Google Maps or in my photos, sadly.
However, look out for these woven table clothes while you’re walking on the main road, and you can be eating some of the most delicious laap (spicy and herby Lao minced meat salad) with sticky rice for 77,000 kip (about $4 USD). If you visit, please get the name of this restaurant for me so I can update this guide!
If you’re craving dessert, you should go to Delilah’s — they have a surprisingly delicious key lime meringue pie that really hit the spot for 45,000 kip (about $2 USD).
And the son of the woman who owns the café is wildly entertaining and adorable and speaks incredible English, so it’s really a joy to sit here for a while and visit their family.
I didn’t get a chance to eat at Meem since it was always closed for lunch and I had too bad of a migraine on my final night to go out and eat anything.
Instead, I just grabbed some street meat (highly recommended — the sausage and sticky rice balls were especially delicious) on the way home to rest my pounding head.
However, I got a recommendation from a Laotian who frequently visits Muang Ngoi and he said it’s fantastic. It seems like it’d be a nice break if you’ve been eating only Lao food for a while and you want to switch it up a bit, but don’t want to roll the dice on pizza.
For a coffee break or for breakfast, head to Ning Ning where you can enjoy a pretty nice coffee (the best in town that I found) while overlooking the beautiful Nam Ou river!
I had their mango pancake breakfast both nights that I stayed there, and it was very delicious as well.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016, visiting 75+ countries in total. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. As a former educator, she merges her writing and educational experience to encourage ethical, sustainable travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and TBEX. Her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. When she’s not on the road, she lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
