Bolikhamxay Province is located in central Laos in the narrow “neck”, with moderately high mountains sloping Southwest into the Mekong River valley. It is 150 km from the Morning Market bus station in Vientiane, or about 3 hours by bus. Vientiane and Xieng Khouang Province lie to its North-West, and Khammouane Province lies to its South. It borders Vietnam on the East. As with most of Lao-PDR, the Province is frequented because of its striking landscape and biodiversity.
Pakxan is the capital town and is a commercial center. Nearby, there is a “footprint of Buddha” shrine at Vat Phra Baatis, which is an important pilgrimage site. At Ban Nahin, Phou Pha Mane, a stone forest featuring thousands of rock pinnacles, can be found. Due to its proximity to Lak Xao, the latter is within easy reach for tourists crossing to Vietnam.
Bolikhamxay Province is also home to the still pristine forests of Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation, which teem with myriad wildlife. Nam Theun is the largest conservation area in the country at 3,700 square km, and is home to over a dozen endangered species, including the Asiatic black bear, clouded leopard, elephant, giant muntjac, guar, Malaysian sun bear and tiger. The Sao La (spindle horn), one of only three land mammals to have been classified with their own genus this century, was sighted in the Nam Theun conservation area after being discovered in Vietnam in 1992.