Meet Xieng Kok on The Mekong

Xieng Kok is a small Mekong port town in Luang Namtha’s Long District, located 135 km downriver from Ban Say. It sits at the mouth of the Long River, 22 km from Long Town. Xieng Kok’s landing rests at the base of a small hill and reached by a short gravel road. The landing serves local ferries crossing to and from Myanmar, as well as an occasional stop for cargo vessels plying on their China-Thailand run.

There is no scheduled boat service to/from Xieng Kok to other Mekong ports, though a couple of high-end cruise vessels call on the small village a few times a year. Locals charge a premium for 8-hour longboat rides to Houay Xay with an overnight stop in Ton Paeng. Xieng Kok is starting to attract adventurers seeking river passage from Houay Xay to continue up the Mekong on a cruise from Luang Prabang.

You can hire longboats in Xieng Kok for the ride to Long Town. Tour operators offer a 2-day Xieng Kok motorcycle itinerary that stops at 11 mountain villages with an overnight homestay, before riding along the Mekong to three reverside Lahu villages. Muang Sing is the traditional starting point for travelling by motorbike or public transportation to Xieng Kok.