Route 1 is the main road east from Nong Khiaw and takes you all the way to Viang Thong, though it's in poor condition. You'll probably have to change vehicles at Viang Kham , on the banks of the Nam Xeng River. Few travellers tarry here, however, preferring to push on to the first major town of Houa Phan province, Viang Thong , also known by its old name, Muang Hiam. A key northeastern transport hub, Viang Thong sits in the centre of the Louang Phabang-Xam Nua-Phonsavan triangle, and is the launching point for buses heading north to Xam Nua or south to Phonsavan.

The better options out of Viang Thong's three accommodation places are the handful of rooms with shared bathroom at the Phu Kae (under $5), a white house on a hill just west of the river, and the friendly Santisouk (under $5), a rickety two-storey building, about 400m west of the market, which stuffs tour groups and truck-drivers into its tiny, thin-walled rooms and communal bathing facilities. There's little to choose from among the handful of restaurants clustered at the heart of town.

Moving on , it's imperative that you track down your bus early, as vehicles depart from the bus stand next to the market between 6.30am and 7.30am each morning. If there's no direct Phonsavan bus, catch a bus to Nam Neun, a gruelling two to three hours to the east along a hilly, potholed road, where connections on to Phonsavan can be made. A direct bus also leaves daily from Viang Thong for Xam Nua; if you miss this, or the bus is cancelled owing to a lack of passengers, take a bus to Nam Neun where you can get a connection north, although you'll need to arrive in Nam Neun by noon lest you wind up stuck there as well.