Luang Namtha

After 6 hours on very windy, stomach-churning roads, we arrived in Luang Namtha.
The town is not beautiful, but it is known for the nearby Nam Ha National Park.

For the next day, we booked a group trekking tour, although it felt more like a retirement hike for us. We took a tuk-tuk through the still quite cold morning air to a market where we bought our lunch. The drive to the national park was a bit warmer. From there, we leisurely walked uphill through the forest. The landscape was similar to the trekking in Nong Khiaw, except that everything was covered in forest and there were no plantations.
We had a lunch break at a rest area with tables and benches. The food was the highlight of this excursion. Fish filled with herbs and eggplant mousse were prepared over the fire. We also had rice, vegetables, and bamboo shoots.
After lunch, we mostly walked downhill to a village and from there back to Luang Namtha.

For the next day, we booked a minivan to Houay Xay. To our surprise, it was not a public bus as there were not enough people traveling in the early morning.
We arrived at our destination very quickly and relaxed. The city offers relatively little to see, so after a short walk, we sat by the Mekong with crosswords and beer, enjoying it for the fourth and last time.