Nam Xay Viewpoint

Craig and I had an rewarding experience hiking up to the Nam Xay Viewpoint. Located about about an hour drive from Luang Prabang, this lookout is one of the highest points in Northern Laos, offering stunning panoramic views of the lush jungle and surrounding mountains.

The journey up to the Nam Xay Viewpoint is just as exciting as the destination itself. The hike started at a local outdoor restaurant, where we hydrated with some water and bought our tickets. As we made your way up the mountain path, you will took in the beautiful scenery of the rolling hills and dense jungle below. The hike is quite steep, so we were sweating buckets in no time!

When we arrive at the viewpoint one, we were rewarded with breathtaking views of the jungle and mountains in the distance. We could see viewpoint two. After enjoying the views and some some more water we went down a few steps to join the path that led to viewpoint 2. Not only were sections of the path steep, there were questionable signage indicating other routes through hilly jungle. We opted for staying on the main route.

On the last section leading up to the viewpoint, we had a very steep, no steps, mostly rocks and a bamboo railing guiding us up to the summit of the viewpoint. After negotiating our last few steps of our climb, we reached a set of wooden platforms offering incredible views of the valley and land below us. Absolutely beautiful! On one of the platforms, there was an old motorbike with a Lao flag for selfies and pictures. Craig and I took our turn snapping some fun photos.

Visiting the Nam Xay Viewpoint was an unforgettable experience that took some effort. There was one traveler on the way down, who had stopped at one of the tight corners with her leg visibly shaking. It was a reminder to myself that we should do these kind of activities while we still can. The rugged landscape and unique views made for an absolutely stunning adventure today.Read more