Vientiane and the northwest - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 135

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: ANG NAM NGUM
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
FromVientiane Getting to Ang Nam Ngum by public transport is easy enough. From Vien-
tiane, four government buses depart hourly from the Talat Sao bus station for Thalat. From
Thalat, you can get a shared tuk-tuk to the reservoir (30min; 15,000K) or the regular tuk-tuk
shuttle service to Na Nam, near the dam on the western shore of the reservoir. If you charter
a vehicle for the day in Vientiane or decide to ride a motorbike, you might consider making a
scenic detour en route along the quieter Route 10 via Ban Keun.
FromVangVieng Southbound sawngthaews from Vang Vieng pass right by the town of Tha
Hua at the northern end of the reservoir, or you can switch vehicles at the Phonhong junction
and cut in to Thalat and Na Nam.
ON A TOUR
FromVientiane Green Discovery ( 021 264528, greendiscoverylaos.com ) runs one-day
tours to the reservoir, stopping en route at Dong Makai Market, with prices from $69 per per-
son. Solo travellers will need to join up with others to keep costs reasonable.
From Vang Vieng Tour operators offer one- to three-day package tours to the reservoir out
of Vang Vieng, which combine hiking, boating and camping.
BOAT TRIPS ON THE ANG NAM NGUM RESERVOIR
Taking a boat trip is the best way to get a sense of just how big the reservoir is, but a short-
age of small boats means tours tend to be aimed at larger groups. Freelance boatmen down
at Na Nam's waterfront restaurants generally ask for 150,000K per hour but are willing to
negotiate day rates in the vicinity of 400,000K. Na Nam guesthouses can also arrange boat
tours . Obviously, the more people you have, the more affordable it becomes.
Beyond simply touring the reservoir, possibilities for boat trips include the secluded beach
at Don Keng Phou Vieng - the hour-long trip to which passes the scenic Pha Tao or “star
cliff” island; or down to the DanSaVanh Nam Ngum Resort . Some of the islands are quite
large; Don 516, for instance, supports a community of around five hundred families. To
convince a boatman to make the three-hour round-trip to the island you'll need to stump up
around 800,000K.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
NA NAM
LongNgumViewResort Near the port in Na Nam 021 214872. Popular with Lao spend-
ing a night away from the capital, this si mp le place just uphill from the port has bungalows
and rooms with good views of the water. $20