Luxuriating by the river @ Nong Kiau

In the shadows with the LHT

Flying on land as usual...

The colour of the coffee and the river was the same!

The Nong Kiau bridge - a 1975 gift from China when Laos become communist

Mom & child on the family MPV

One of the many beautiful scenes along the river in NK

140km north of Luang Prabang is the dusty and ramshackle town of Nong Kiau. Its a stopover for many on their way to Muang Ngoi by boat but Nong Kiau itself has its own charm. Located at the base of a red-faced cliff and towering hills, it makes for delightful place to just chill out. The famous landmark of a bridge - a gift from the China in 1975 when Lao became communist, stands as its main landmark and this is the place to absorb the remarkable scenery. Trekking is also popular here as many traditional, unspoilt Lao villages with carefree and remarkably cute children play while women wash their laundry in the stream.

3 young wood-cutters - radiating warmth and friendliness!

Of course, we preferred to do our exploring by bicycle and our adventure had already started since Luang Prabuang. The ride up to NK was absolutely brilliant with rolling hills and towering limestone cliffs. The cool weather was also just starting to kick in and it was like cycling in aircon. Chris was smart enough to hijack a pickup truck for the steepest section and it was a smart thing to do if we wanted to arrive before sunset.

A long way to go but who's complaining?

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Two nights at the Nong Kiau Riverside Resort spoilt us rotten. A generous 45sq m villa, 4 poster beds with thick, firm Marriot-style mattress, quaint mosquito nets and most importantly, a huge balcony that could park 3 dirty and tired Surlys impressed us thoroughly. Add the best views of majestic & misty limestone cliffs with unobstructed river views, this was a slice of heaven.

Our beautiful villa!

The service too was very satisfactory thanks to Japanese owner Naomi San who looked into the minute details that kept her guests happy. We were dining yesterday and it was getting chilly. Suddenly, a hot charcoal stove appeared beside our table to keep us warm. Is that service or what?

I can't say enough of this great place especially after a hard day's ride. Do check them out if you are ever in this area of Laos.

http://www.nongkiau.com/