It is around a 90 km ride from Sangkhom to Chiang Khan, almost the entirety of which is right by the river. This is the Northeast’s last hump before the Mekong winds north back into Laos’ embrace.
Midway along the ride lies Pak Chom, a fairly non–descript town, which was once a backpacker hideaway. The guesthouses, like the backpackers, seem to be largel…