Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area
ປ່າສະຫງວນແຫ່ງຊາດພູເຂົາຄວາຍ
A mountain forest protected area about 70 km northeast of Vientiane, with Tad Xay and Tad Leuk waterfalls and jungle trekking. It is well suited to a day trip.
Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area covers about 2,000 square kilometres. It is the largest nature reserve closest to Vientiane, with waterfalls, gorges and wild elephant herds in its mountain evergreen forests. The most popular spots are Tad Xay and Tad Leuk waterfalls, where you can swim and picnic below the falls. At Ban Na village, a community ecotourism programme lets you trek through the jungle with a guide and spend a night in an observation tower to watch wild elephants. The drive from Vientiane takes about 1.5–2 hours. It is best to hire a car for a day return, as road conditions are poor in the rainy season.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Vientiane Railway Station (Laos–China Railway)
- Xieng Khuan (Buddha Park)
- Lao National Museum
- Kaysone Phomvihane Museum
- Lao Textile Museum
- Pha That Luang
- Patuxai
- Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge