Introducing Luang Nam Tha
The capital of the province, Luang Nam Tha is a quiet, ordered town where a grid pattern of streets reveals ever-so-quietly humming businesses and residences. It’s a lovely spot to chill out for a couple of days before or after a trek into the Nam Ha NPA. The town is surrounded by a patchwork of rich rice paddies and ethnically diverse villages, and exploring them would be a highlight of a trip to the area. It’s also a transport hub for buses from all directions, including China, and consequently attracts a transient population of traders and travellers, all of whom add to the melting pot.
Advertisement
The original town, which was always prone to flooding, was virtually destroyed during the Second Indochina War, and the administrative centre was consequently moved 7km north in 1976. The newer town centre sits on higher ground, and is close to where the highways come in from Muang Sing, Boten and Udomxai. Most visitors spend their limited time around the main street of this northern district, but the older southern district is mostly residential and, in general, much more interesting. Locals often refer to the southern centre as meuang (city-state) and to the northern centre as khwǎeng (province).
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Tips & articles
-
Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Laos itinerary
4 November 2009
Luang Prabang makes a wonderful introduction to Laos, and with increasing numbers of direct flights from Vientiane,...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
-
Re: [Laos] Gibbon Experience or Luang Nam Tha trekking?
by Michael78 12 September 2011
Hey, sorry for the (very) late reply. I ended up doing the GE and absolutely loved it. On our last morning we were lucky enough to have…
-
RE: getting to laos from Bangkok??
by westwood 09 September 2011
We've only done the usual (travelled with a child then a teenager for all our trips to Laos) but there are places to go that dont see…
-
RE: Laos Itinerary Ideas - November / December
by tungurahua 06 September 2011
I was about to say drop that day in Oudomxay :) if you wanted to do a really good trek in Luang Nam Tha (two or three days) then you…
Hotels & Hostels in Luang Nam Tha
-
Book now
Boat Landing Guest House
Luang Nam Tha -
Book now
Thavyxai Guest House
Luang Nam Tha -
Book now
Villa Guest House
Luang Nam Tha
Advertisement
