The tranquil Xieng Kok in Luang Namtha provinvce is a good place to hang around for a while, before exploring the rest of north Laos. The village consists mainly of wooden houses and bamboo shacks. Xieng Kok is on the Burmese border and there is a ferry boat. Unfortunately, foreigners are not allowed to use this border crossing. Here you can find the usual hustle and bustle of a border town, with trucks coming to load of unload their cargo. When such a truck gets stuck in the mud and has to be pulled out, this always attracts a crowd of locals and travellers.

The best thing about Xieng Kok is the trip getting there, for example from Huay Xai, on the Mekong River.