Ban Komean

Northern Laos

LoginSave

Phongsali's famous tea village, Ban Komean, lies 14km out of town and commands stupendous valley views that sweep nearly 360 degrees when you stand on the promontory behind the school. The tea bushes are reputedly more than 400 years old and said to be the world's oldest. A fair percentage of the village's authentic Phu Noi homes are set on stone-pile platforms. Rent a tuk-tuk from Phongsali (250,000K return) or hire a bike from the tourist office for 50,000K per day.

If getting here by motorbike, take the Boun Neua road, turn left directly opposite the inspirationally named Km4 Nightclub (not the asphalt road just before), then curve steadily around on the main unpaved road, keeping left at most junctions but avoiding any turn that descends into the valley.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Phu Den Din NPA

    Phu Den Din NPA

    24.4 MILES

    This vast area of partly unexplored, relatively pristine forest is layered across inaccessible mountains that climax at almost 2000m near the Vietnamese…

  • Market

    Market

    3.33 MILES

    Make a dawn visit to the earthy wet market (camera in hand) and thread through the labyrinthine collection of rickety stalls, with all manner of…

  • Museum of Tribes

    Museum of Tribes

    3.19 MILES

    This museum gives you a chance to deepen your understanding of the ethnic peoples of Phongsali Province. It contains a wealth of cultural information on…

  • Phu Fa

    Phu Fa

    3.22 MILES

    For great views across town climb to the stupa-topped peak of Phu Fa (1625m); it's a punishing, tree-shaded climb of more than 400 stone steps. A ticket…

  • Yunnanese Shophouses

    Yunnanese Shophouses

    3.15 MILES

    These atmospheric one-storey wooden houses make you feel, as you peer into their Chinese-decorated interiors, that you are no longer in Laos but already…

  • Chinese Temple

    Chinese Temple

    3.11 MILES

    This Chinese temple, with its red roofs animated with myriad green and blue dragons, enjoys pretty views over a nearby pond crowded with old Yunnan houses.

  • Wat Keo

    Wat Keo

    3.04 MILES

    This modest Buddhist temple is more memorable for its petang-playing monks than its architecture.

View more attractions

Nearby Northern Laos attractions

1. Wat Keo

3.04 MILES

This modest Buddhist temple is more memorable for its petang-playing monks than its architecture.

2. Chinese Temple

3.11 MILES

This Chinese temple, with its red roofs animated with myriad green and blue dragons, enjoys pretty views over a nearby pond crowded with old Yunnan houses.

3. Yunnanese Shophouses

3.15 MILES

These atmospheric one-storey wooden houses make you feel, as you peer into their Chinese-decorated interiors, that you are no longer in Laos but already…

4. Museum of Tribes

3.19 MILES

This museum gives you a chance to deepen your understanding of the ethnic peoples of Phongsali Province. It contains a wealth of cultural information on…

5. Phu Fa

3.22 MILES

For great views across town climb to the stupa-topped peak of Phu Fa (1625m); it's a punishing, tree-shaded climb of more than 400 stone steps. A ticket…

6. Market

3.33 MILES

Make a dawn visit to the earthy wet market (camera in hand) and thread through the labyrinthine collection of rickety stalls, with all manner of…

7. Phu Den Din NPA

24.4 MILES

This vast area of partly unexplored, relatively pristine forest is layered across inaccessible mountains that climax at almost 2000m near the Vietnamese…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "laos/phongsali/attractions/ban-komean/a/poi-sig/1625187/1314801",
  "destination": "Northern-Laos",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "Laos",
  "region": "Northern-Laos",
  "position": "superzone"
}