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The six-hour boat trip up the Nam Ou from Louang Phabang to Nong Khiaw is wildly scenic, especially the last part. Approximately four hours into the trip, the deforestation of the vertical limestone peaks stops and the river washes onto miniature beaches of pristine white sand. Normally there is only one very crowded passenger boat per day, which leaves before 8am and costs around $5. The alternative is to charter a boat ( mao heua) for $30 or more. The road route from Louang Phabang to Nong Khiaw takes about two and a half hours along well-maintained Route 13. Many Nong-Khiaw buses may dump you off at the junction town of PAKMONG , which straddles the junction of Route 1 (connecting Oudomxai and Houa Phan provinces) and Route 13 and is a little way short of Nong Khiaw itself. Resting at the foot of a striking red-faced cliff, amid towering blue-green limestone escarpments, the dusty, ramshackle town of NONG KHIAW lies smack in the middle of some of the most dramatic scenery in Indochina. Local entrepreneurs are gradually realizing that there's money to be made from the backpackers using the town as a hub, and the level of service here has been improving steadily. Arriving by road you'll first pass Pho Sai (under $5), about 600m from the bridge, opposite the school. Beds fill up quickly in this friendly establishment, conveniently located next to a little restaurant that serves simple fried noodle and rice dishes and mouth-watering banana fritters. The owners of the restaurant also guide groups to caves and waterfalls in the area ($15 for a group comprising no more than ten people). On the main road, next to the trail leading to the boat landing is Vandy (under $5), with comfortable doubles and outside bath. A little further upriver is Somgnot (under $5), offering the cheapest deal in town - 3000K for a bamboo "cage" suspended above the ground. The friendly owners also serve food - decent omelettes, fried rice and noodles - and good Lao coffee. If you're in the mood for a little entertainment, there's a tiny "cinema" which shows Kung Fu movies between 6 and 9pm, when the town's electricity is on the go.
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