Nam Ou River, Luang Prabang Province, Laos

5OztravelsAust 5:00 PM Mar 20, 2012

A message from the village chiefs at Nam Ou (Laos)
Hello. I recently visited Nam Ou as part of my project in Laos working with the Luang Prabang Tourism Department. During the visit the village chiefs raised the issue that some visitors (a small minority) are causing concerns with the community regarding excess drinking and socialising (sexual conduct). They have asked me to asset them to spread the word about these issues and ask that people visiting respect their culture and their desire to keep Nam Ou a quiet relaxing place for visitors. Below is their approved statement. Thanks you for your attention. We would like to welcome you to our community of Nam Ou and proudly invite you to experience all that our village and the surrounding area has to offer. If you are a first time visitor or a returning visitor we would like to ask that you respect our traditional culture and values and remember that this is our home. Our community has conservative values and we ask visitors to enjoy the peaceful and relaxed environment and refrain from drinking in excess or disturbing other guests. We have been benefiting from tourism since 1995 but we are aware that tourism will have an impact and influence on our young people so we would ask that you avoid public displays of affection. Nam Ou is a place for relaxation and a chance to enjoy the true essence of Lao.

5Dom21076 5:00 PM Feb 28, 2013

A wonderful river cruise... Don't miss it!
We cruised the Nam Ou river for 2 days from Muang Khua village down to Luang Prabang with a stopover night in Nong Khiaw. We booked a private boat (fits 8 - more than enough for my family of four) via an agency based in Vientiane. this was one of the highlights of our trip: the scenery is magnificent, the river travels between high peaks... among the most beautiful in South East Asia (reminder of Guilin in China). We stopped on the way to discover some of the local villages... well worth it! Absolute relaxation and enjoyment!! All in all, a superb experience!