The province of Bolikhamxay (or Bolikhamsay) is located in central Laos in the narrow "neck", with moderately high mountains sloping Southwest into the Mekong River valley.
Vientiane and Xieng Khouang Province lie to the North, Khammouane Province to the South. Pakxan is the capital town and is a commercial center. In Bolikhamxay Province, between Vientiane and the provincial capital Pakxan, a "footprint of Buddha" shrine at Wat Phra Baat is an important pilgrimage site. The most famous attraction of the region is its striking landscape. 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 Viet Nam. South of Lak Xao, the still pristine forests of Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation teem with varieties of wildlife. Nam Theun is the largest conservation area in the country at 3,700 sq.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) or Vu Quang Ox-Pseudoryx nghetinhensis was discovered in neighboring Viet Nam in 1992, and sighted since then in Laos in the Nam Theun conservation area. Only two other land mammals have been classified with their own genus this century. The first live Sao La was captured in neighboring Khammouane Province in 1996.