Description: This entire resort was up and down we climbed steps to the tent, then down to the ‘spa’ then up to the top and down to the restaurant and every time we went anywhere there was a climb! There are twenty of these tents so had they all been full it would have been quite crowded. I believe there were about seventeen guests that night so about half full I suppose.

THE SPA
Below our tent was the spa; a hut with open sides and a bamboo floor. We visited this luxury establishment for a Laos massage after our activities in the afternoon. There was a small rattan changing room where you changed into a pair of baggy trousers and a top for the massage. The price of this massage was $12 US . This is a massage with clothes on and no oil but a very deep and penetrating massage most thorough and so painful but felt good afterwards. My husband said he had no idea that someone so small could inflict so much pain! This was the only treatment available and as you lay ‘enjoying’ the treatment you had a view of the buffalo grazing and the river through the trees.

THE BAR AND RESTAURANT
These were two separate open sided thatched buildings which were separated by an elevated path between the padi fields. The bar was just a collection of rattan chairs where could sit and enjoy a drink which was brought to you from the restaurant hut. It was most atmospheric sitting there as the sun went down watching the men coming to light the kerosene lamps along the paths. We also were entertained by the local village children running around the fields with torches catching crickets which they then put on skewers and barbequed.

MEALS
The restaurant was similar to the bar only larger with wooden floors. The tables were so heavy and the chairs similar as I could barely lift them to slide them back. The kitchen was a pretty long walk away so the staff ran backwards and forwards with food to the serving area then they brought it to the tables on the plates.

Food was plentiful, nicely prepared and authentic. I found that the meat was a little tougher in the dishes than it had been in Luang Prabang so I carefully avoided the meat and went for the veggies. Desert was fresh fruit sliced and prepared, papaya, sapodilla and mango or banana or dragon fruit in different combinations. I wouldn’t rush back for the food alone but when you think that they were right out in the middle of nowhere the food was okay. The lunch and dinner were similar and on both occasions we had fruit for dessert.

Breakfast was pretty unexciting. Hubby had scrambled eggs but I don’t eat eggs so i had three tiny bananas and a couple of slices of warm French bread which was tasty and fresh but bread and jam isn’t my favourite breakfast. I would have preferred a bowl of fresh fruit and a yogurt.

YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A PLACE TO SIT AND RELAX!
At 2.30pm we met our lovely guide and had activities to entertain us, archery with a homemade sort of cross bow and my husband was very pleased to get a Bull’s Eye while I was happy to hit the target! We also went down the sand dune towards the river to learn how to cast one of their fishing nets, which was surprising heavy and very difficult to do. We were given the opportunity to do some gold panning but this required getting into the river so we declined and just admired the local person’s skill.

We also went to visit the village next door. The village had three different Laos tribes all living in the village Hmomg , Kamu and Lao- Loum. The people were all very friendly and smiled and said hello to us. The lady in the little shop was selling Lao lao whisky ( more like vodka in my view0 in recycled water bottles. We didn’t want to buy a bottle but we did have a taste each and we gave her the price of a bottle for letting us try it. The children who so sweet and all wanted their photo taken then asked to see the picture which made them giggle and run away.

Our guide Lee was lovely and translated for us. We were with a young girl from Vietnam and she loved the children. We went to the school buildings but it was International Ladies Day and a public holiday so it was closed.

The village had a temple which was not open and the house next door was where one monk and two novices lived. When they rang the wooden bell the villagers brought food twice a day. Not a bad life and very different from the monks in Luang Prabang who had to walk through the town with their bowls to get their food.

AFTER DINNER ENTERTAINMENT
After our evening meal we were invited over to join the village children and their teacher near the huge fire as they had prepared some singing for us. They sang a few local songs and then they performed some dances followed by assort if bamboo skipping game. This was a bit like elastics but with two bamboo poles that were banged on the ground then together in rhythm, the idea was you jumped in between the poles keeping to the rhythm. They were very good and the only other time I have seen this was at the Opening Ceremony of the Brisbane Commonwealth Games when a Philippine group performed this dance and there it is known as Tinikling. If you want to have a look then go to Youtube and type in Tinikling and there are several videos to watch.

The next day we were ready to leave after breakfast and this return journey only took two hours in total as we went with the current. It was actually quite chilly in the boat and we were given blankets to wrap around us and we enjoyed our cup of hot tea too. The hazy dawn on the river was very atmospheric and we also saw people panning for gold as well as, fishermen and larger river vessels.
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