Nice memories! Taking a slow boat and going up the stunning Nam Ou river in Laos: from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw and Muang Khua. Passing small villages and enjoying beautiful scenery. Meeting such a nice people along the way.
The Nam Ou ("rice bowl river") is one of the most important rivers of Laos. It runs 448 km from Phongsaly Province to Luang Prabang Province. The river rises in Muang Ou Nua near the Lao-Chinese border, and traverses the northern Laos mountains and gorges until meeting the Mekong River in Ban Pak Ou. Along with the Mekong, the Nam Ou is the only natural channel suitable for large-draft boat transportation. The Nam Ou is one of the 12 principal tributaries of the Mekong River. The river has a total area of nearly 26,000 km2.
Near its confluence with the Mekong are the Pak Ou Caves, famous for their Buddha statues. The river is also surrounded by limestone karts, forests, and valleys.
Different ethnic minorities' villages with generations of history are located on the river and rely on the river for survival.
The river supports Lao rice cultivation. This includes collecting resources from the river and surrounding forests for income, food, and spiritual practices. The river and surrounding villages have also become a tourist destination for hikers, tour groups, and kayakers.
The Nam Ou River is the site of the Nam Ou river cascade project, a series of seven dams at different sites along the river. 89 villages surrounding the river are expected to be relocated by the project. The project may have a negative impact on local animal and plant species.
