Oudomxay unearthing new potential tourism sites to lure visitors

Numerous prospective natural tourism sites have been discovered by Oudomxay authorities and will be publicised to attract more visitors to the northern province.
A representative of the group Travelling Volunteers, Mr Maiphone Phommachanh, who is also a provincial department of Information, Culture and Tourism official, told Vientiane Times the department is surveying and conducting feasibility studies on sites in Xay district to develop them as potential attractions.

“Our team, called the Travelling Volunteers, has been promoting tourism sites by creating activities such as hiking in the forest and up mountains. We aim to inspect locations and then survey and ultimately promote them to the public to attract more tourists to the province,” he said.
Some 17 volunteers organised a forest hike near Chom Ong village, Xay district last week to survey the area’s impressive large trees and unusual rock formations. The group also discovered several caves there.
“52 caves including Chom Ong Cave have been discovered in Xay district so far, and we are now promoting these tourism sites via YouTube, television and Facebook to bring more tourists to the province,” he said.
“We are planning to hike up Phou Thaen Mountain in La district to survey the area and experience the morning views of clouds over the valley below. We will also meet the local ethnic Ahka group and visit the elephant forest,” Mr Maiphone explained.
The group recently cooperated with the Department of Information, Culture and Tourism of Oudomxay to undertake a feasibility study for five tourism sites in Xay district.
They inspected Phou Ya Kha Mountain and the lookout, Ket rock forest (Pahin Ket), the ‘rock bridge’, Hin Pa Ya Ngu Yai rock and Phouphieng viewpoint.
Phou Ya Kha is a mountain located about seven kilometres away from the 32 Km village in Xay district, and there is a track which can be traversed in four and a half hours to reach the summit. The area is suitable for overnight camping with pleasantly cool evenings and mornings.
Pahin Ket is the second viewpoint located about one kilometre from the first one and can be reached after walking for an hour. The rock bridge is located 2.5 km from the second lookout after hiking for about two hours.
Hin Pa Ya Ngu Yai rock is located about two kilometres away from the rock bridge with a two-hour walk to get there. Phouphieng viewpoint is situated about 650 metres from the Hin Pa Ya Ngu Yai rock.
Oudomxay, one of the most beautiful places in Laos, is where tourists can experience untouched nature, culture and multiple places of interest.
Locals and visitors alike love to cool off at Nam Kat Waterfall, while Singkham Buddha temple is one of the most striking in the province and a lovely venue to offer up a prayer. The beautiful Tad Talae Waterfall is especially impressive after heavy rains.
Oudomxay is renowned for its delicious local dishes such as sop pak, or vegetables cooked with sesame, ginger and chilli, and som seen sai mai phai, which is fermented pork mixed with chilli and garlic and packed into a piece of bamboo.

By Phomphong Laoin
(Latest Update June 11, 2020)