Photo by Oh! Magazine

Treks in Boun Tai District head into the Nam Lan Conservation Area through thick jungle abundant with bird species. The journey stops at Ban Natan to enjoy some of the best hot springs in the country, and includes overnight stays in Akha, Tai Yang, and Lue villages. Treks are two and three days long and require the services of a trained local guide from the District Tourism Office.

One to four-day treks to visit Akha and Pu Noi villages are available from Phongsaly District. These are booked through the Provincial Tourism Office, which has a core of local trained guides. For those interested in adventurous boat travel, take the Nam Ou River from Phongsaly down to Luang Prabang Province.

Phou Daen Din National Protected Area

Location: Pongsali Province. 2,220 sq. km

Key Species: Elephants, gibbons and a high density of lesser fish eagles.

Habitat: Predominantly dry evergreen and semi-evergreen. Mosaic of swidden land and forest at various stages of regeneration. Large tracts of contiguous old-growth forest survive towards the Vietnamese border and along the Nam Ou, upstream from the Nam Khang confluence.

Access: Access is difficult, but can be accomplished by boat along the Nam Ou and Nam Khang or by foot. From Phongsali, the NPA can be reached by a short drive to Ban Hatxa and a then a half-day boat journey or 2-day walk.