Regions in Brief

Luang Namtha & the Far North

North of Luang Prabang, things get a little rough. It's where Laos travel separates the "travelers" from the "tourists." Roads here are, on the whole, just dirt tracks, and most towns are outposts, like the dusty main streets in the American Old West. This part of the country is best visited with a tour company (try Diethelm Travel out of Luang Prabang) or with a private car and driver.

Luang Namtha itself is not much to see, really -- just a row of low concrete-and-wood storefronts on a dusty avenue and a few miles of bucolic road that take you to the picturesque little Old Town (6km/3 3/4 miles down the main road); nonetheless, it's connected by air with Vientiane and is a great base to explore the surrounding countryside. Trekking, kayaking, and visiting remote villages in the phenomenal Nam Ha Biodiversity Conservation Area, named an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2005, bring many up to this outpost. Come with the knowledge that travel here is off the beaten track, you are far from all but the most basic medical assistance, and electricity flows only a few hours each day.

Getting There

By Plane -- From Vientiane, there are a few flights each week, depending on the season, and they cost US$84 (£46). The airport is 6km (3 3/4 miles) from town; a songthaew (covered pickup) will run about US$4 (£2.20) with some friendly bargaining.

By Bus -- Luang Namtha is a major hub in the north, connected by bus with Jinhong, China, via the Laos towns of Boten (you'll need to have a prearranged visa), Muang Sing, and Huay Xai (at the Thai border -- this route is currently plagued by construction, with traffic delays expected to last well into 2007). From Luang Prabang, you'll be bounced and jounced for 5 hours (25,000 kip/US$2.50/£1.40) until the dusty bus stop in Oudomxay. If your teeth are still in your head and buses are leaving (most buses have morning departures), you can connect with Luang Namtha for 20,000 kip (US$2/£1.10); sometimes there is no same-day connection, and travelers hole up for a US$2 (£1.10) night in Oudomxay before the early-morning connection with Luang Namtha. You can also hop on the through bus from Vientiane. Arriving sometime between 4 and 6pm in the afternoon, it's 10 hours overnight. Bus travel in the far north offers beautiful views and a chance to meet locals, but it is pretty grueling in the best of circumstances.

By Car -- Contact Diethelm Travel in Luang Prabang (tel. 071/212-277; fax 071/212-032; www.diethelmtravel.com) for jeep or minivan rental. It's expensive, but a decent option for the north.

Visitor Information & Tours

Green Discovery (tel. 086/211-484; www.greendiscoverylaos.com), in cooperation with the New Zealand- and UNESCO-backed Nam Ha Ecotourism Project (tel. 086/312-150; www.unescobkk.org) and the Boat Landing Eco-Lodge, puts together community-based ecotourism tours to Khmu and Hmong villages in the area, as well as great kayak and raft trips in the pristine Nam Ha NBCA. You'll visit villages where they'll ask, through a translator, "Why are you here?" because foreign wayfarers are still an anomaly. The Nam Ha River is an exciting whitewater ride through cavernous jungle overgrowth or steep-walled gullies teeming with life. The folks at Green Discovery ensure that their clients set a good example and tread lightly in the villages, while the Nam Ha Ecotourism Project is designed so that revenue generated from the program goes directly to the villages and guides, developing the local economy and thereby encouraging forest conservation by reducing reliance on natural resources. Highly recommended.

Fast Facts: Luang Namtha

Currency Exchange -- There are a few foreign exchange counters on the main road (Rte. 3), and Lane Xang Bank has a branch on the south end of town. You can also change U.S. and Thai currency to kip in the central market.

Internet Access -- There is one Internet cafe on the southern end of the main street, with service at 600 kip (US6¢/£0.03) per minute.

Telephones -- Most guesthouses can do callback service. There are also phone booths on the main road that are IDD-capable and require a local card, which you can buy at any store or the post office.

Where to Stay & Dine

For lodging, the Boat Landing (tel. 086/312-398; www.theboatlanding.laopdr.com) is a rustic little gem on the banks of the Nam Tha River some 6km (3 3/4 miles) from the town center (just past the old town in Luang Namtha). It has teamed up with Green Discovery to provide eco-friendly treks and tours to local villages and the Nam Ha Biodiversity Conservation Area. In Luang Namtha proper, an array of budget accommodations start at US$2 (£1.10). Try Oudomsinh Hotel (tel. 086/312-077).

The Far South: Pakse & Champasak Provinces

South of Vientiane, Route 13 traces the Mekong River as it forms the border with Thailand. The river passes through Savannakhet, a French colonial outpost, and then Pakse, a midsize town, before reaching the wide Mekong floodplain, where the river spreads into hundreds of rivulets before cascading over dynamic Phapheng Falls to Cambodia. What brings many to this little-visited region is Wat Phou, a pre-Angkorian ruin on a hilltop overlooking the river near the town of Champassak. The city of Pakse is the best base for exploring, and there are some great new luxury options, like a multiday cruise on Luang Say's Wat Phou riverboat. Si Phan Don, in the far south, literally means "the 4,000 Islands." Here, the Mekong spreads out like the branches of a tree and you'll find stunning waterfalls and quaint island towns like Don Khong. The town of Savannakhet is a good stop for those connecting overland with Vientiane, and there are also some good rustic resorts like those at Tad Lo, Saravan, and the Bolavan Plateau. Arranging a tour with Diethelm Travel or Exotissimo Travel, even just for transport, is a good choice.

Getting There

By Plane -- Lao Airlines (tel. 021/214-427; www.laoairlines.com) flies regularly from Vientiane to Pakse for US$95 (£52). The airport in Pakse is on the opposite side of the river from the main town. Tuk-tuks connect to town for 8,000 kip (US80¢/£0.45) with bargaining.

By Bus -- Buses connect from Vientiane via Savannakhet. The road is good thanks to the many new Japanese-funded bridges, but it's 2 long days of travel. It is 8 hours from Vientiane to Savannakhet and then up to 10 hours from Savannakhet to Pakse. It's worth a flight, even if just one-way.

Pakse is just a short ride from the Thai border and a few hours by bus from Ubon Ratchatani.

Luxury on the Mekong

The Vat Phou Cruise operated by the folks at Luang Say Cruises (tel. 021/215-958 in Vientiane; www.asian-oasis.com) is a 3-day, 2-night excursion between Pakse and the 4,000 Islands (Si Phan Don) in the far south. In high season, trips cost a whopping US$479 (£263) for a single, or US$362 (£199) per person in a shared double, but it's worth it. The boat is large and luxurious, with a top deck replete with quiet corners in which to relax and enjoy the passing scenery. Private state rooms are small but air-conditioned and comfortable. All trips begin in Pakse. Trips include stops at small villages, the unique pre-Angkorian ruins of Oum Muong, and, of course, the south's premier attraction, Wat Phou. The food is ample, guides are informative and professional, and service is very friendly.

Where to Stay

Accommodations choices are limited in the far south. Champa Residence, on Route 13, east of town in Ban Phonosath (tel. 031/212-120), has tidy rooms in a former colonial from US$30 (£17). The Champasak Palace Hotel, half a mile east of town on Route 13 (tel. 031/212-263), on the banks of the Se Don River, has rooms from US$40 (£22). In the heart of town, Hotel Pakse, Street 5, Ban Watlouang (tel. 031/212-131), has basic concrete rooms with air-conditioning and cable TV from US$18 (£9.90).