Laos is a backpackers' favorite for its untouched beauty and cheerful people. Muang La, a rural village in the North, is everything we love about this country. It's a good 5-hour drive from Luang Prabang, one of the most remote spots you can imagine. Yet, Northern Laos' pristine beauty and its vast diversity of traditional ethnic tribes attract travelers to this faraway sanctuary. Any trip to Laos would be incomplete without visiting the mysterious North.
Ten rooms are housed in wooden, traditionally built villas inside Muang La Lodge's tropical garden. Colonial French and traditional Lao styles inspire the beautifully furnished rooms. The colorful fabrics are locally produced, and many paintings and sculptures are the works of Lao artists. Spacious would be an understatement, as interiors reach 6-meters in height. Additionally, all rooms have a balcony that overlooks the gardens or the river and the thermal spring.
Muang La Lodge takes you on a culinary journey with its five-course set menu that they offer every night. It consists of a fusion between traditional Lao food and modern cuisine. Ingredients are fresh, locally produced, and are full of flavor.
On a naturally formed island by the Nam Pak River lies the hotel's swimming pool and "sala" – a 4-meter tall pavilion where you can enjoy sunsets and observe local kids playing in the shallow waters, villagers taking a bath, and animals cooling down in the waters of Nam Pak. A poolside bar offers refreshing drinks for those relaxing on the vivid red sun decks. The infinity pool overlooking the lush green surroundings is a great place to rest after a long hike exploring the rural villages. You will need to walk through an elegant suspension bridge that connects with the resort to access the pool island.
The highlight of your stay will be the candle-lit Traditional sauna ceremony with fragrant herbs and the elevated hot tubs that are filled with the thermal spring's water. Perfect place to feast your eyes on the breathtaking sunset over the mountains after a visit to the massage pavilion.
Rural roads in Laos
Muang La village
Suspension bridge and thermal spring pools
Balcony overlooking the pool island and the suspension bridge
Elevated hot tub
Longtail boat ride on River Nam Pak
Ban Viengkham, Muang La, Oudomxai province, Laos, Muang La, Laos
