Luang Nam Tha

Luang Nam Tha is the largest city and also the provincial capital of Luang Namtha Province, locates in northern Laos. Lies on the bank of Tha River and nestled by surrounding mountains, nearly 90% of the area is limestone mountain, Luang Nam Tha has a remote, cowboy town feels and makes an excellent base for treks, mountainous biking…  Some liken this place to a calm and dreamlike picture on the majestic highlands of Laos. Luang Namtha is an ideal travel destination for those who want to escape from the bustle and hustle.

The name Luang Namtha means 'Royal Palm Sugar' or 'Royal Green River'. The province shares the border with Yunnan, China in the north, Oudomxay province in the east and southeast, Bokeo province in the southwest, and Myanmar in the northwest. Luang Namtha province covers an area of 9,325 square kilometers with more than 85% of its terrain is hilly and mountainous at the height of 800 – 2,000 meters above sea level. The highest peak is in Vieng Phoukha District and many peaks that approach 2,000 metres concentrate on the province’s central mountains between Namtha and Muang Sing. 

The local people here live off of agriculture, wood processing, lignite and copper mining, handicraft production, transportation and tourism.

Trekking, mountain biking, rafting and kayaking are the activities that are enjoyed the most in Luang Namtha.

Outside Luang Namtha town, you can visit the waterfall at Ban Nam Dee. Luang Namtha province is divided into 380 villages. It would be your special experience walking through many small villages to explore nature and get into the local people’s lives.

You can choose to explore the Nam Ha Protected Area, where is home to many large mammals, including some endangered species such as tigers, leopards and elephants. The park is covered in a lush forest and is inhabited by groups of Khamu, Akha and Lao Huay people. Rock climbing and bird watching are top activities in Nam Ha PA.

The rainy season in Luang Namtha is from May to October, followed by the dry season from November to February next year. During the dry season, the weather is cool and in winter, some places have temperature can drop to 0 degree Celsius.

Luang Namtha has an airport, with flights from/to Vientiane. There are tours to Luang Namtha that start from other parts of Laos, include Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Bokeo, Muang Xay… and some from Mengla (China) and Dien Bien Phu (Vietnam).

Maybe you like our Laos Tours: Must-sees of Cambodia Laos Vietnam Tour - 19 days itinerary | Highlights of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia Tour