HouayXai is the capital of Bokeo, which is a province in Laos. It is also known as Houay Xai or Houeo Sai and is located on the banks of the Mekong River. This is also part of the border with Thailand.
The fact is that most visitors to Laos treat Huay Xai as a stopover to other destinations. This is quite unfortunate since there is a lot to experience in this small town in terms of local life in Laos and it’s worth it to try some local beer, relax on the banks of Mekong or simply interact with fellow tourists here.
If you are visiting Huay Xai for the first time here is a list of places you may want to visit to make your trip worthwhile:
Ban Khao Pun
A lot of villagers work in the production of rice vermicelli, also known as ‘kanom jeen’ as a means of earning their living. Locals eat a dish made with this kanom jeen mixed with phla raa, which is fermented fish sauce. This recipe, when made in Ban Khao Pun, is exported to Chiang Kong, across the border in Thailand. Other than fish sauce, one can try the kanom jeen dish with various types of sauces.
Ban Tom Lao
Ban Tom Lao is a village in Laos which is known for its rice fields and various forms of alcohol that are prepared on it by the villagers. The name of this village roughly translates as ‘brew comes’ which is appropriate since locals prepare a genre of hooch which is legal in Lao, but not permitted for consumption in most other countries. The alcohol level of the various drinks is not always regular, since it depends on the fermentation period. On average, it is at 40%.
Ban Yong Hin
Ban Yong Hin is a form of mobile home structure made of wood. Wooden stakes are placed on a stone to create this house. The Thai Lue people are known to build these kinds of structures and although they are known to be mobile homes, the reason for using stone as the base is to prevent destructive termite and moisture erosion in the wood.
