Is there an airport or train to Nong Khiaw?

No. Nong Khiaw has neither. Every visitor arrives by road, most from Luang Prabang. The nearest railway station is Luang Prabang's, about four hours away by the same road.

How do I get onward to Muang Ngoi?

By boat up the Nam Ou, about one hour for around 25,000 kip. Public boats typically leave Nong Khiaw around 10:30 and 14:30; there is no road to Muang Ngoi, so the boat is not a scenic option, it is the only one.

Can I do Nong Khiaw as a day trip from Luang Prabang?

Technically, but four hours each way on top of any time in Nong Khiaw makes it a long day for very little payoff. Almost everyone stays at least one night.

Nong Khiaw at a bend in the Nam Ou river, surrounded by limestone peaks, seen from above

Destination guide · Verified 5 September 2026

Nong Khiaw Bus Tickets: The Road In, and the Boat Onward

Q: How do I get to Nong Khiaw from Luang Prabang?

A direct bus from Luang Prabang's Naluang (Southern) terminal runs once daily, about four hours, tickets around US$3. Minivans run more often in season, about 50,000 kip, three to four hours, with departures typically around 08:30, 10:30 and 13:00.

No airport and no railway reach Nong Khiaw. Everyone arrives the same way, by road from Luang Prabang, then most carry on by boat up the Nam Ou.

Only reachable by road
Luang Prabang: about 4 hrs
Boat to Muang Ngoi: about 1 hr
Minivan approx 50,000 kip

Search routes to Nong Khiaw

How do I actually get to Nong Khiaw?

Nong Khiaw has no airport and no railway. Everyone arrives by road from Luang Prabang: a direct bus from the Naluang (Southern) terminal, about four hours, or a minivan, around 50,000 kip. From Nong Khiaw, a public boat up the Nam Ou reaches Muang Ngoi in about an hour.

The road in from Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw, the only overland route.
Mode	Duration	Fare	Notes
Direct bus	about 4 hrs	approx US$3	Once daily from the Naluang (Southern) terminal
Minivan	3–4 hrs	approx 50,000 kip	More frequent in high season; typically 08:30, 10:30, 13:00

Luang PrabangNong Khiaw

Duration: approx 4 hrs
Sold as: van, bus, taxi

Check Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw prices Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang prices

Onward by boat: the Nam Ou to Muang Ngoi

There is no road to Muang Ngoi Neua. The only way there is a public boat up the Nam Ou, about one hour for around 25,000 kip, with departures typically around 10:30 and 14:30. Boats also continue further up the river depending on water levels, which fall enough in the dry season to affect the schedule; ask locally on the day rather than relying on a fixed timetable.

Common questions

How do I get to Nong Khiaw from Luang Prabang?

Direct bus from the Naluang terminal, about 4 hours, or a minivan around 50,000 kip.

Is there an airport or train?

No. Road only, from Luang Prabang.

How do I reach Muang Ngoi?

By boat up the Nam Ou, about an hour, around 25,000 kip. No road connects them.

Can I visit as a day trip?

Possible but long, four hours each way. Most people stay at least one night.

Laos Bus Tickets

Written and maintained from Vientiane. The people behind this site have lived in Laos for two decades and cross these borders themselves. Routes and visa rules get rechecked whenever something changes, not on a fixed schedule that lets stale information sit for months.

Sources for this page

Lao Department of Immigration: checkpoint list, opening hours and visa status
Travelfish: how to get to Nong Khiaw: bus and minivan services from Luang Prabang
Wikivoyage: Laos: background on overland travel and bus classes