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Laos

Northern Laos

Northern Laos is a mountainous region of . It shares borders with , , and . The region encompasses the provinces of , , , Bokeo and Sainyabuli.
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Photo: Wikimedia, CC0.

Essential Destinations

Top destinations include Luang Prabang and Muang Xay.

Photo: Jjtkk, CC BY 2.5.
, historically known as Xieng Thong and alternatively spelled Luang Phabang or Louangphabang, is the capital of in north-central .

Photo: Luisah, Public domain.
is the capital of the multi-ethnic Oudomxay Province, in the Nam Ko River Basin and surrounded by scenic mountains. It's the largest city in Northern Laos and, if you're traveling by land, you'll probably end up here at some point.

Photo: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0.
is the largest city in Luang Nam Tha Province, Northern Laos. It lies on the banks of the Nam Tha River, and the meaning of the name is "The area around the Tha River ".

Destinations to Discover

Explore places such as Sayabouly and Huay Xai.

Photo: Masae, Public domain.
Sainyabuli, is the capital of Sainyabuli Province, . It lies on Route 4 which along with Route 13 connects it to , roughly 80 kilometres northeast by road and to the border across the Luang Prabang Range in the southwest. lies southwest of the town.

Photo: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0.
is the capital of the province of Bokeo. It lies on the banks of the Mekong River, which forms the border to . For most tourists it is seen as a transport stop-over, which is a pity.

Photo: Wikimedia, Public domain.
is one of the larger towns in Northern Laos. As with much of Laos tourism and other infrastructure is being developed at a rapid pace and information in guidebooks is quickly out of date.

Photo: HylgeriaK, CC BY-SA 4.0.
is a rustic little town on the bank of the Ou River in . It is squeezed in between some of the most fantastic limestone mountains to be found north of .

Photo: Bitswonders, CC BY-SA 3.0.
is a small riverside village in Northern Laos wedged in between karst mountains at the confluence of the Nam Ngoi and the Nam Ou rivers.

Photo: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0.
is a small village in Bakeo Province, Northern Laos. The two-day boat between and has to stop for the night, and a number of guesthouses have been set up to cater to passing tourists.

Photo: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0.
is a small town in Northern Laos, about 60 km northwest of . It sits at the far northwestern part of Laos, bordering and 's Province.

Photo: Hannob, CC BY-SA 3.0.
is a border town at the north edge of Luang Nam Tha Province, Northern Laos. Its counterpart on the Chinese side is .

Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0.
is a small town in Phongsali Province of northern Laos. Most people use it as a transit town, but it has its own charm.

Long is a district of in northwestern .

Northern Laos

Latitude of center
20.65° or 20° 39′ north
Longitude of center
102.29° or 102° 17′ 24″ east
Wiki­data ID
Q14206446
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Satellite Map

Discover Northern Laos from above in high-definition satellite imagery.
© Stadia Maps, Airbus DS, CNES, PlanetObserver, and Copernicus

In Other Languages

From Hebrew to Vietnamese—“Northern Laos” goes by many names.
  • Hebrew: “צפון לאוס”
  • Italian: “Laos settentrionale”
  • Slovenian: “Severni Laos”
  • Swedish: “norra Laos”
  • Vietnamese: “Bắc Lào”

Laos: Must-Visit Destinations

Delve into Vientiane, Pakse, Savannakhet, and Vang Vieng.

Explore These Curated Destinations

Discover places selected for their distinct character and enduring appeal.
About Mapcarta. Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, except for photos, directions, and the map. Description text is based on the Wikivoyage page “Northern Laos”. Photo: Wikimedia, CC0.