Huay Xai is primarily a transit point, but the town has a pleasant, unhurried atmosphere and is worth an overnight stay. Most travellers are here for the slow boat to Luang Prabang or for the Gibbon Experience in the Bokeo Nature Reserve.
The temple of Vat Chom Khao Manilat sits on a small hill above town, reached by a flight of steps. It is a working Buddhist temple with fine views over the Mekong and across to Chiang Khong in Thailand. The riverside itself — a strip of guesthouses and restaurants overlooking the wide brown river — is the place to sit in the evenings and watch the sun go down over the Thai bank.