Forgotten remote of Laos

Muang Khoa or Muang Khua town in Laos sits on the bank of the Nam Ou River, near the mouth of the Nam Phak. The scenery at this little hill side town spectacular and beautiful, peaceful spot halfway up the river between Nong Kiaow and Phongsali.
It's half-way house status is the main reason foreigners visit to experience the beauty and serenity of this spectacular journey. Muang Khua itself is rarely a destination in its own right but nevertheless quite a few things can be seen and done locally, and you're fairly guaranteed to be, if not the only, then one of just a few foreigners in town. For those interested in trekking, the region is a great place to explore for a few days. Untouched and rarely visited mountains which were once part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail are now host to a number of hilltribe villages.