Oudomxay Museum: Climb to the top of Phou Sebey to visit the provincial museum in an old French army camp. The troops called the mountain “CB”, which locals transcribed into Sebey. The hilltop museum grounds present excellent views of Muang Xay, especially at sunrise, when the first rays hit the roofs of the houses in town. Inside the 2-storey museum, you can view displays of weapons used during the Indochina Wars, old Japanese communications equipment, traditional farm tools, and ethnic clothing.  

Location: Phou Sebey rises in the eastern end of town, and across from the stadium. You can climb the stairs from the Main Road (Route 13) to the museum, or take a tuk tuk or motorbike on the road to the mountain’s north.

The Toung Dai Vietnamese Monument: Pay respect to Vietnamese soldiers, who fought and died alongside their Lao comrades. The Toung Dai Monument was built in 2001 to honour these soldiers. A stupa at the centre contains the bones of the dead Vietnamese, with a tall golden Buddha standing on top and overlooking the town as a symbol of solidarity between the two countries.

Location: Follow the Phongsaly Road for about 1.5 km from the town’s centre. The road to the monument is on the left, just past the Department of Justice and across from the stadium.

*Other interesting heritage sites include the Singkham Buddha Cave that safeguarded historical artefacts during the Indochina War, and Ban Na Xieng Di’s archaeological sites dating to the 1500s.