Houay Xay

Quick Facts:

  • Location: Northwestern Laos, the capital of province Bokèo, on the border with Thailand, the endpoint of national road No.3
  • Population: 12,500 people
  • Highlights: Ferries cross between Chiang Kong, Thailand and Houay Xay; special housing architecture
  • Domestic airport with connecting flights to Vientiane and Luang Prabang

Lying on the Mekong River opposite Chiang Khong in Thailand, Houay Xay is an interesting stop station in your traveling journey. For centuries Huay Xai was a disembarkation point for Yunnanese caravans led by the Hui (Chinese Muslims) on their way to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai in ancient Siam.

Nowadays HuayXai is a bustling riverside town where the biggest commercial district is cent red around the vehicle and passenger ferry landings for boats to Chiang Khong. Many new shop houses have been constructed along the main street, which curves along the base of a hill overlooking the river.
The most typical destination of Houayxay is JomKhaoManilat Temple. This temple is designed in the Shan style and was made wholly of teak, way back in 1880. The vibrant colours resemble religious sites and structures of Jakarta making it a must-visit for visitors. One can take in the views of the town of HuayXai and overlook the Mekong River from the top of this temple.

On the top JomKhaoManilat Temple, visitors can panoramic away to enjoy all the hidden beauty of this land. Somewhere, small houses which are thatched with palm leaves hidden in the early fog. Children with sun- burned faces play together on the roads. Old women and girls wear colorful brocade clothes textile by the local people.

In HouayXay, there is a special housing architecture - Ban Yong Hin. This 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.

In general, like other must-see destinations of Laos, traveling to Houayxay brings tourists a pleasure as if you can forget any worries in your life and ẹnjoy the most peaceful moment in your life.

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