Luang Namtha

• 🌍 Luang Namtha Airport (LXG  ^IATA). Lao Airlines and Lao Skyway flights from Vientiane on a daily basis. Both companies have offices in town (main street). Promotions are often available online. Avoid local companies that claim to be 'franchise' (they even have stickers and promotional banners) from both airlines and/or the bus station. The real ones look like real offices (i.e. no bamboo on the walls). 

Shared tuk-tuks wait outside for arriving flights and will take you to anywhere in town for 10,000 (more often, 20,000) kip.

A high speed standard gauge train runs each morning from Vientiane via Phonhong, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and Muang Xay, taking 3 hours to Luang Namtha and continuing to Boten on the border with China, returning south shortly after midday. Because of Covid, as of Dec 2021 no trains cross the border: the nearby road crossing remains open but there are onerous restrictions on travellers, especially non-citizens. The high speed line continues north to Kunming but the Chinese timetable has not been published. A later train plies between Vientiane and Luang Prabang but doesn't go further north.

The bus station for destinations inside the province is on the main road west of the main guesthouse strip. The old bus station across from the market has now been demolished to make way for a luxury hotel, and the main bus station for destinations further afield is now an inconvenient 10 km out of town. A tuk-tuk should cost about 10,000 kip per person or 20,000 kip if you're alone.

Buses for Huay Xai, on the Mekong River at the Thai border, leave at 09:00 and 12:30 and cost 55,000 kip. Tickets can be bought from 07:30, and the journey takes only four hours due to improved road conditions, and you can therefore make it into Thailand on the same day. If you want to be assured of a seat, tickets can be bought in town the day before at the travel agent across from Green Discovery Treks for 75,000 kip including tuk-tuk to the bus station. Like all bus travel in Laos, tickets bought at the bus station always have priority as for seating. The tuk-tuk leaves the travel agent at 08:00. Alternatively, you can hire a minibus and ride comfortably Luang Namtha in 3–4 hours for 120,000 kip/person.

Trips to Luang Prabang take 8–12 hours, depending on road conditions, and costs 100,000 kip (leaves at 09:00) (in town, sold for 130,000 kip), 130,000 kip for minivan (11 seater) (leaves at around 08:30 or when everyone gets on board) and 110,000 kip for the (supposedly faster) VIP bus (22 seat version) (if running, at both 09:00 and 14:30) (in town, sold for 140,000 kip) . While the 10,000 kip fare from the new bus station to the main town centre appears non-negotiable, the fare from the town centre to the new bus station can be negotiated for multiple passengers. The bus station booking office (at the new bus station) sells tickets in the afternoon for the following day. In Laos, it is wise to pre-purchase tickets to be more sure of a seat.

The roads from Luang Namtha to Luang Prabang are in poor to fair shape with numerous potholes along the way. The bus stops at the Oudomxay bus station for lunch. Most bus drivers stop every couple of hours to check brakes, etc. At these times passengers can find a bush for bladder relief. The journey is not for the faint-hearted during the rainy season with the bus squeezing and weaving across roads collapsed due to the landslides. In parts, the scenery is fantastic. Like all buses in Laos, the earlier you arrive, the better choice of seat (try for at least 1 hour before). The alternative is sitting on a plastic stool in the aisle for hours on end, or not being let on. While the Lao accept a bag on a seat as taken, the Chinese do not!

Sometimes they board Luang Prabang passengers on the bus leaving for Vientiane which leaves at 08:30, so its better to go early to the bus station to see which one will it be.

Buses for Vientiane cost 180,000 kip and leave daily at 08:30.

Buses for Bokeo cost 60,000 kip and leave at 09:00 and 12:30.

Buses from Muang Xay (Oudomxay) cost 40,000 kip, take about four hours, and leave daily at 08:30, 12:00, and 14:30.

Buses from Muang Sing leave at 08:00, 09:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:30, cost 80.000 Kip and take 1–2 hr.

From Jing Hong there is one maxi-bus (comfortable though not a coach) daily (10:40) from the north bus station, stopping en route at the south bus station at 11:00 (choose which is closer to your hotel and buy a ticket a day before, as it usually sells out),¥77. Stops for lunch in Mengla, where one can change yuan to kip (rates are negotiable and are fairly competitive, though check notes as they often pass 1,000 kip for 10,000 kip as they have similar colour). Border crossing requires carrying your baggage into Chinese Customs Hall for scanning. The same bus awaits on the other side of the hall. After ~100 m further driving there is the Lao Visa on Arrival window. After Laos passport control, there are money changers (good rates for selling yuan). Arrival around 17:40 in downtown Luang Namtha. There are 2 BCEL ATMS and 1 LDB ATM in Luang Namtha.

Mengla (China) via Boten it will cost you about ¥46 for a bus to Luang Namtha. The first bus leaves Mengla north bus station at 09:00 and there is another one at 14:30 (Jun 2011). The trip takes 4–5 hours, depending mostly on the length of the border crossing.

Laos visas are available on arrival at the border (US$32 or 320,000 kip or ¥300 for EU/Australian; US$37 for UK citizens; US$44 for Canadians; US$33 for Germans; US$37 for Greeks; free for 15 days for Japanese). Note the poor rate for payment in kip or yuan. Paying in US$ is cheaper.

If going to China, you must arrange your visa in advance (nearest embassy/consulate is in Vientiane or Chiang Mai; as of 2015, there is also a Chinese consulate in Luang Namtha). Agents in Luang Namtha can securely send your passport to the embassy in Vientiane with a turnaround of 3 days for around US$60, perfect if you're going trekking in the meantime. The daily bus leaves around 08:00, costs 60,000 kip to Mengla and 90,000 kip to Jing Hong, you'll want to exchange or use up all your kip before you head off, as exchange rates at the border are variable, and the kip is useless outside Laos.

(In Chinese, especially at the bus station, Luang Namtha may be called "Nan Ta".)

It was possible to take a boat along the river, all the way from Huay Xai, but there is no scheduled service any more. From Luang Namtha, Boat Landing Guest House/Green Discovery can try to arrange charter boats, at an estimated (but highly variable) price of US$170–400 for a boat that can handle 4-10 passengers. The trip takes two days and requires overnighting in a village along the day (included, but take some backup food if the village dinner is not to your standard).

In the dry season after Nov, the northern parts of the river (towards Luang Namtha) may not be navigable and dams (2015) are being built on the way to Nalae, making this option unavailable in the future.

There are several companies offering trekking to the hill tribes in the area as well as nearby Nam Ha Protected Area. At least half a dozen trek agencies are along the main road within a block of the night market. They all offer roughly the same treks: varying numbers of days, visits to different villages, waterfalls, jungle, kayaking, biking, etc. The more people on any given trek, the lower the price. They'll each post out front if they have people signed up for a specific trek, to encourage others to join and lower the price.

Shop around on price though, in addition to the number of people on a trek, the different agencies have different prices for comparable treks. Check where the money goes, whether it is being distributed equitably to local guides, villages, etc. The other differentiating factor seems to be equipment. Some have newer equipment in better shape. For example, some offer sleeping pads in addition to sleeping bags, whereas others just have old sleeping bags that have seen better days.

Haggling is common in Laos so always politely negotiate the price. Some advertised prices are inflated twice. Insist on paying in kip (and not in dollars) as that will give you a better understanding on how the price compares with the costs of the local products and services.

The mountainous jungle scenery in the area is a major attraction. If you are seeking to trek through this type of vegetation, make plain your preference as many treks take hikers generally through the rural landscapes of farmland and rice paddy.

• 🌍 Green Discovery, ☏ +85686211484. 08:00-21:00. Offers up to three-day trekking trips, the price is a bit more expensive than in the tourist office. They also offer kayaking and other activities. 
• 🌍 Luang Namtha Tourism Department (Eco-Guide Service) (behind the night market.). Offers up to four-day trekking for an average of US$30 per day. Groups can be from 4-8 people and the cost per person drops the more participants there are. Other activities offered include kayaking. 
• 🌍 The Hiker (Community-Baed Ecotours), 3A, Luang Namtha main street,, ☏ +85686212343, hello@thehikerlaos.com. 08:00-21:00. The Hiker is a community-based eco-tours travel agency offering premium level adventure tours including trekking, Kayaking, Mountain biking, cultural immersion, in Luang Namtha, Laos. (updated Jul 2016)
• 🌍 Discoveringlaos (Namtha river experience), 3A, Main street., ☏ +856 86 212 047, booking@discoveringlaos.com. 08:00-21:00. Discovering Laos is a family-held eco-tour operator in Luang Namtha, in the north of Laos, Discovering Laos is owned and managed by Vanxai. The owner has been a guide in the Nam Ha National Park for several years and a trekking coordinator for a major eco-tourism agency in Laos. He opened Namtha River Experience in 2009. (updated Jul 2016)

You can also take a tuk-tuk or bicycle and just go independently to some of the villages which are next to the roads and not in the jungle. A mountain-bike rental from a good shop will provide you with a not-to-scale map over villages and a nice waterfall. The surroundings are really pretty to cycle about in.

The quality of bicycling on the road from Luang Namtha to the Chinese border is excellent. The road is completely sealed with little or no traffic along the way. The route from Luang Namtha to Boten round trip is approximately 120 km long and passes through Laotian hill country and rice fields. The grades range from flat to moderate with one 2-km, 10%-grade stretch. Welcomes along the way are great.

With a motorbike, you can travel around to see the beautiful countryside and visit the villages in and around Luang Namtha (e.g., closer to Muang Nalae, Vieng Phouka or Muang Sing). The road to Muang Sing takes about 2 hours and makes for a beautiful journey.

Then there a number of waterfalls to be seen. Close by Namtha town is the Nam Dee waterfall and near Muang Sing is the Gneung Phou Ku Lom waterfall.

There are several herbal saunas in Luang Namtha, the most popular being the one next to the Panda Restaurant, down the lane from the Lao Airlines office. It's a very simple rickety shack, but easy to spot (look for the stove) and equipped with separate male/female saunas, a changing room and lockers. The tourist price is 50,000 kip, with optional massages for 100,000 kip (price December 2023). The newest massage and sauna is down the driveway of Minority Restaurant, the standard is slightly higher than some others.

Last but not least, if you liked what you saw, leave a compliment at the People's Complaint Box in front of city hall!

• 🌍 Chanlaya Guesthouse (100 m from the main street), ☏ +856 20 23955558, fax: +856 20 55 111834, chanlayaguesthouse@gmail.com. Modern hotel, with large, clean and comfortable rooms. Friendly manager; English spoken. Free Wifi, air conditioning, TV. Attached bathroom with hot shower. No breakfast, but free hot coffee available in the hall. 200,000 kip. (updated Dec 2023)
• Adounsiri Guesthouse, ☏ +856 20 2991898. Family-run place with clean rooms, double beds with inside bathrooms. Quiet as it's on a street parallel to the main street. Free Wi-Fi and water refill. Bike rentals for 10,000 kip/day. Mind that rooms are not sealed and mosquitoes do come in at night. Owner, Mr. Ketsana. 60,000 kip. 
• Dokchampa Hotel (On the main street in the centre of town.), ☏ +856 86 212 227, contact@dokchampahotel.com. The biggest hotel in town. Free Wi-Fi and 2 computers for use in the lobby, free water (in coolers) in each room, off-street parking, 24-hour security and reception. 61 rooms ranging from pleasant single rooms to huge, plush VIP rooms with huge, nice beds and a bath/shower combo. The 3rd and 4th floor rooms at the back of the building have mountain views. 150,000 kip. (updated Dec 2023)
• 🌍 Houng Heung Guesthouse, Luang Namtha Rd, ☏ +856 86 212099. Check-out: 11:00. This is a colonial styled three storey guesthouse with clean basic rooms and great balconies for relaxing. Rooms have 24/7 electric hot water, Wi-Fi and fans. English speaking staff. 60,000 kip. 
• Khamking Guesthouse (In the centre of the "new" town), ☏ +856 86312238. This simple guesthouse is comfortable and squeaky clean. Rooms with fan, TV, and attached bathroom. 50,000-70,000 kip. 
• Tai Dam Guesthouse (from Green discovery, head south on the main street and take a right at the sign "Tai Dam". Keep going straight; the paved road will make a right turn; at this point continue forward on the (muddy) unpaved road.). This place offers bungalows with that overlook fishing areas, with the hillsides as the surrounding backdrop. The bungalows are designed and decorated in Tai Dam-style. You can also stay in the main building. Attached bathrooms with hot shower and a TV with access to Lao and Thai stations. From 40,000 kip low-season. 
• Yuranan Guesthouse (a little past the Night Market on the other side of the road). Clean with free Wi-Fi. 50,000 kip. 
• Zuela Guesthouse, ☏ +856 86 212059, +856 20 5886694, fax: +856 86 212058. Spacious rooms. Hot showers. Private rooms from 200,000 kip. (updated Dec 2023)

• Boat Landing Guesthouse (about 7 km south of town). Bungalows on the river with quiet surroundings. US$20-30.