Slow boats take two days to complete the journey from Houayxai to Louang Phabang , stopping overnight at the village of Pakbeng . You can also do the trip by speedboat in just over six hours, but this is less atmospheric.

Despite deafening engine noise and a general lack of comfort, most travellers agree that the two-day journey by slow boat ( heua sa) to the old royal capital is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Most mornings, slow cargo boats leave from the slow-boat pier , 1km upriver from the ferry landing, and arrive at Pakbeng in the late afternoon. The following morning the boat continues on to Louang Phabang, arriving around dusk. Fares are payable in Thai baht, dollars or kip, but baht is preferred: B180 to Pakbeng or B360 to Louang Phabang. Passengers must bring their own food and water, as none is provided. Once the cargo has been loaded, passengers lounge on plastic mats or sacks of rice or wherever else they can find space. The roof of the boat is off-limits to women because the Lao believe that the guardian spirit of the boat is offended by women sitting up there and that this also renders the captain's amulets impotent - both of which could have dire consequences for captain and passengers on such an unpredictable river. A closed-in area on the stern serves as the toilet.

Speedboats ( heua wai) also make the journey to Louang Phabang (B860), with a break in Pakbeng (B430); mandatory crash helmets are provided. As with the slow boats, baht is preferred on this route. The speedboat landing is located 2km downriver for boats going in that direction. Speedboats going upriver to Xiangkok leave from another landing approximately 2km north of town. It's best to arrive at the landings as early as possible to ensure a seat. If there are no other passengers going, it may be necessary to hire the boat outright. The ride isn't so bad really: while scrunched into the cramped seats your body's circulation is soon cut off and this, combined with the perpetual howl of the engine, makes everything numb. You arrive in Louang Phabang shaken, but alive, though you may find that even after a few drinks your ears won't stop ringing.