Nam Ngum Dam, Laos

About 90 km north of Vientiane is the Nam Ngum Hydropower Plant.  It is 1.5 hours drive from the capital city, and a popular day trip for picnic. Public transport only reached the town centre and you would need private vehicle to come in.

Nam Ngum Dam makes a pleasant trip from Vientiane.  It is good to take in a visit to a hydropower plant as the country is becoming a major exporter of hydroelectricity to the region.  The country calls itself the "Battery of Asean".








We left Vientiane around two pm and arrived at the Dam at half past three.  I would recommend a slightly earlier departure if possible.

On that day, we saw a few groups of people having picnic by the ground.

The dam itself may not be beautiful but it is imposing.  Visitors are not allowed into the building.

This photo was taken around 6 o'clock.

We continued our drive up the hill and eventually arrived at the lake.   The view point is beautiful, unfortunately my photography skills did not do justice.

At the lake front, there are a few restaurants where visitors could have a meal or drink.

Visitors could also charter a boat to visit a few islands.  We did not do so as it cost around US$40 to charter one, and there were only a few of us. 

It was just as relaxing eating at the restaurant and looking at the lake view.

Near the lake, there are many stalls selling the local products.  This photo shows fish paste (or fish biscuit) wrapped in coconut leaves.  It is quite similar to Otak in Singapore or Malaysia.

Nam Ngum is worth a visit if you have ample time in Laos.  For visitors, it is recommended to charter a car as public transport may not be convenient. 

From the web, one or two Vientiane tour agencies organise day trips to this dam, plus visits to an ethnic community.  You may wish to join this tour.








For more entries on Laos: http://clumsycompass.blogspot.sg/p/laos-travels_22.html