This vast area of partly unexplored, relatively pristine forest is layered across inaccessible mountains that climax at almost 2000m near the Vietnamese border. At present the only legal way to get a glimpse of its grandeur is on irregular boating or kayaking trips down the Nam Ou (Ou River) between Ban Tha and Hat Sa. An army checkpoint currently prevents any access to the NPA. Sneaking past it you risk being shot as a suspected poacher.