The far north - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 277

Bytuk-tuk Tuk-tuks leave on demand from the tuk-tuk stand, near the indoor market (if you
arrive about 9-10am you should find one to share).
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist office The tourist office is in the bus station (Mon-Fri 8-11.30am & 1.30-4.30pm;
030 928 3726, oudomxay.info ).
Tours Oudomxai's tourist office runs full- and half-day tours to Muang La, visiting the
temple and springs (half-day from 125,000K/person, including transport and lunch).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
HotelLhakam 1km from the bus station 020 5884 1561, [e-mail] .
The budget alternative to the Muang La Resort is superb value, boasting spacious, high-
ceilinged rooms with balconies above the rushing waters of the Nam Phak. As well as a river-
side terrace restaurant, the hotel has its own hot baths, which are open to g uests and non-
guests alike (daily 4-9pm; 25,000K; reserve in advance). Breakfast included. 125,000K
MuangLaResort 500m from the bus station 021 243446, muangla.com . Set in lush
tropical gardens in a peerless position by the river, this blissful retreat is one of the most lux-
urious places to stay in northern Laos. The huge, naga-themed suites, in half-timbered villas,
are exquisitely furnished and feature acres of polished wood. Guests can soak up the river
views from private hot tubs, drawn from the local springs and raised off the ground. Most vis-
itors stay as part of a t wo- o r three-night package, which includes a choice of well-thought-
out activities and trips. $331
< Back to The far north
Luang Namtha and around
Surrounded by forested hills that remain lush even when the rest of the countryside is a dusty
brown in the hot season, LUANGNAMTHA is the north's most touristy town, though it still
has a quiet local charm. The town is a popular base from which to access beautiful Nam Ha
NBCA , with a whole range of activities available, from rafting and kayaking on the Nam Tha
River to trekking to hill-tribe villages.
Pancake flat, Luang Namtha stretches for over 10km along Highway 3. Most of the tourist
services are situated at the top end of town, 7km north of the old town - exploring the latter
gives an idea of what Luang Namtha was like before the advent of tourism. It's a great place
in which to rent a bicycle or motorbike - just a few kilometres' ride will take you into small
traditional dusty-street villages, surrounded by rice paddies and grazing buffalo.
Luang Namtha was heavily contested during Laos's civil war and was razed to the ground.
Once the fighting stopped, the surrounding hills were stripped of their trees and the mammoth
logs were trucked away to China. Today, the once devastated and depopulated valley is thriv-