Laos - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 659

tourist office. Otherwise you can pay 50,000K per person and let an agency organise a
shared vehicle.

TOP OF CHAPTER

Luang Prabang Province

Nong Khiaw

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Nestled along the riverbank of the Nam Ou and towered over by forest-clad karsts, beauti-
ful Nong Khiaw is a travellers' haven of cafes, soporific guesthouses and plenty of things
to keep you busy. Finally, it's exploiting its handsome outdoor potential with a range of
activities thanks to a couple of great tour providers. Relax with a herbal massage, eat at a
couple of tasty restaurants, and stand on the old French bridge at dusk when fabulous star
shows turn the deep indigo sky into a pointillist canvas.
Note - the opposite side of the river where most guesthouses are based is called Ban
Sop Houn.

Activities
You can walk by yourself to Tham Pha Tok , an enormous, many-levelled cave where villa-
gers hid during the Second Indochina War; just be careful heading down the rickety lad-
der. To get there, head 2.5km east of the bridge then look for a clearly visible cave mouth
in the limestone cliff on the right (it's about 100m from the road). Entry costs 5000K, and
it's open from 7.30am to 6.30pm.

Tiger Trail
( 071-252655; www.laos-adventures.com ; Delilah's Place) This ecoconscious outfit has fair
treks around the local area, including one-day trips to the '100 waterfalls' (350,000K per
person, group of four). A two-day trek through Hmong villages, incorporating a homestay
and clay school visit, costs 500,000K per person, based on at least four travellers.

HIKING, CYCLING

Green Discovery

HIKING, CYCLING