Where to Stay Each Night
Best Stays on the Thakhek Loop
Best Stays on the Thakhek Loop: Where to Stay Each Night
The Thakhek Loop is a motorbike loop located in central Laos and is one of the most adventurous things you can do when travelling Laos. The Thakhek Loop spans usually across 3-5 days and where you stay for the night on the loop can really make or break your experience.
Accommodations on the Thakhek Loop are experiences of their own and can really add to your overall experience when on the road. There’s always something for you no matter the type of traveller you are.
There are many accommodation options available on the Thakhek Loop from local homestays to beautiful view front bungalows. In this post I’ll share with you my recommendations on where you should stay on your ride on the Thakhek Loop.
If you are planning on doing the Thakhek Loop, check out my full guide:
Table of Contents
- Quick Summary about the Thakhek Loop
- What “Good Accomodation” Means on the Loop
- Best Accomodation on the Loop – One Night at a Time
Quick Summary about the Thakhek Loop
What is it?
Scenic motorbike loop covering the areas of Thakhek in Central Laos
Duration
3-5 days (most commonly done in 4 days)
Distance
Roughly 450 – 550 Km
Travel direction
Most commonly anti clockwise
Mode of transport
Self driven Motorcycle/scooter
Best Time to Go
October – February (during the dryer and cooler months)
Key Highlights
- Epic Limestone Mountains
- Grand Caves (Kong Lor Cave)
- Untouched Local Culture
- Absolute Raw Adventure
What “Good Accomodation” Means on the Loop
“Good Accomodation” on the Thakhek Loop is a bit different than what it may traditionally mean. Unlike other destinations and adventures, the Thakhek Loop is a motorbike journey covering large areas of mostly rural Laos. The traditional criteria of what makes a good accommodation don’t count here.
For me good accommodation on the loop wasn’t about how luxurious or how many modern amenities there were but more about how places gain meaning and character to its environment. For example I liked to stay in places that highlighted the local life and was in touch with the nature around.
On the loop many of the best accommodations highlight the region around and makes you truly feel like you’re on a wild adventure in Laos.
If you want a full budget breakdown of the Thakhek Loop, check out my guide:
Why imperfect stays often become favorite memories
Choosing the “right” accommodation in my opinion is very important as you will be spending a lot of time at your accommodation.
In general, it’s not the smartest idea to ride in the dark, especially around more rural and grassland areas where there may not be any street lights. This means usually you’d be done riding and heading to your accommodation before 6 pm.
When I choose my accommodations I often say that imperfect stays often become my favourite memories. This is because like most things in life, the unique experiences and the unfamiliar feelings are what tend to become more memorable and the stuff you actually end up thinking back on.
The Thakhek Loop is filled with such places that, in terms of perhaps traditional standards may not suit your everyday standards but the environment and rawness of these places gives so much more that it more than makes up for everything!
I mean who needs air conditioning when you can lie on your hammock whilst watching the sun set over golden ricefields!
What actually matters after 6-8 hours of riding
I found after riding the Thakhek Loop that after being on the road for 6 – 8 hours per day the things that really matter are places that are:
- Soical and creates a friendly environment
- Calm and Peaceful
- Has a Restaurant!!!
Social and creates a friendly environment
there are going to be many familiar faces each day when you are on the loop as most people are doing similar itineraries like 4 days on the loop. So at the places you stay you’ll constantly be running into the same people.
I found accommodations that create a social environment become some of my most memorable experiences on the loop. Everyone gets a chance to share their day, plan for the next and just enjoy each other’s company.
Whether it’s around an open fire pit, under the stars or simply in the court yard, I think an accomodation that creates a social playground for travellers is a great place to stay
Calm and Peaceful
Essentially what I’m saying are places that are not party party all the time. For me after a long day of riding, I wanted to just relax and unwind for the day and recharge for the next day. The Thakhek Loop can get tiring with all the constant excitement and adventuring so I think staying a night in a place that is both calm and peaceful was something that I needed after a long day.
Has a Restaurant
This one I found to be very important. Not only are accommodations that also have a restaurant very convenient but I found the food to be delicious as well. Some places had nighty buffet style BBQs whilst others served amazing local cuisine.
The conveniences of it is really great as a lot of the rural villages don’t have many choices of restaurants, much less places that are open till late. Also after a long day of riding, you tend to not want to go back out to find food. Staying at an accommodation that has a restaurant is more than just convenience, its comfort and ease of mind.
Best Accommodation on the Loop
One Night at a time
Here I’ll be sharing with you my recommended accommodations on the loop based on my 4 day itinerary of the Thakhek Loop.
Here we will be travelling anti clockwise going from:
Night 0 Night 1 Night 2 Night 3
Thakhek → Nam Theun → Na Hin → Kong Lor → Thakhek
Night 0 Thakhek - Best Accomodation in Thakhek
Night 0 is the night prior to doing the loop. Here its most important to find accomodations that have all the resources you’ll need for the Thakhek Loop. Stuff like information about stops, bike rentals and what not as well as a place you can meet people wanting to do the loop.
It’s best to secure a bike for the Thakhek Loop on night 0 to get the bike you want. You don’t want to be picking the left over bikes.
When renting a bike for the loop, it’s important you know what you’re looking for. Check out my guide about everything you need to know when renting a bike:
Bike&Bed
Rooms & Prices
Dorm Rooms : ~ 100 000 Kip
Room prices subject to change depending on seasonality
Why Stay Here?
When I first arrived in Thakhek, I wanted to find a place that is social and very informative about the Thakhek Loop. Bike&Bed may be the most popular hostel for travellers wanting to do the Thakhek Loop.
Basically everyone that stays at Bike&Bed plans on doing the Thakhek Loop so if you were wanting to find people to travel with it’s the Perfect Place. They also offer both automatic and semi automatic motorbikes for rent for the loop as well as can take care of storage of luggage.
The dorm rooms are clean and spacious and have everything you need for a good night’s rest before you begin the Thakhek Loop.
Highlights
Social – great place to meet travellers planning on doing the Thakhek Loop.
Friendly owners – owners themselves are experts in terms of the loop and can help plan your itinerary. You can ask anything from which stops to visit, police activity and hidden spots on the loop!
Luggage Storage – they offer luggage storage for no extra cost for people staying at Bike&Bed
Motorbike for rent – very conveniently they have motorbikes available for rent for the Thakhek Loop. They have a quality selection of both automatic and semi automatic bikes available for rent.
Cozy Homely Environment – Bike&Bed feels very cozy and family like with everything built for a warm welcome and stay
Naga Hostel & Cafe
Rooms & Prices
Dorm Rooms : ~130 000 Kip
Room prices subject to change depending on seasonality
Why Stay Here?
Another great hostel to stay at for your first night on the Thakhek Loop. Naga is another popular hostel with most people also planning on doing the Thakhek Loop. It’s a great place to socialise and meet other travellers planning on doing the loop.
The hostel itself is very well taken care of and the owners extremely helpful with anything to do with the Thakhek Loop.
Highlights
Friendly owners – owners are very helpful with everything regarding the Thakhek Loop and will help you plan your itinerary.
Luggage Storage – Naga provides luggage storage for their guests planning on doing the Thakhek Loop
Social – great place to meet fellow travellers wanting to do the Thakhek Loop
Cafe & restaurant – Naga also operates a cafe & restaurant which is very convenient and affordable
Night 1 Tha Lang - Best Accomodation in Tha Lang
Night 1 you will be staying in the beautiful region of Tha Lang. After a full first day of riding you will arrive in Tha Lang for the night which is a beautiful lake region of the Thakhek Loop fill withs its unique flooded forest landscape.
The first night is a great way to meet new people on the loop with many other riders on the road with you
Sabaidee Guesthouse
Rooms & Prices
Dorm Rooms : ~130 000 Kip
Private Rooms: ~ 250 000 Kip
Room prices subject to change depending on seasonality
Why Stay Here?
Probably the most popular first night accommodation on the Thakhek Loop. Sabaidee Guesthouse offers a warm welcoming environment with great ambience and company. It’s a great place to meet fellow travellers and share experiences and plans for the Thakhek Loop.
There are a lot of things going for this place with lots of social areas including outdoor seating and a bonfire they do every night. If you choose to stay for more than one night to explore the surrounding area, they offer boat tours, as well as gear for rent such as fishing equipment if you want to go for a solo adventure.
They also organise a nightly buffet style BBQ which I highly recommend. It costs around 100 000 Kip and it’s a great way to meet people and just have a good time on your first night on the Thakhek Loop. There will be food, music and great company all around a bonfire to light up the night!
Highlights
Very Social – great place to socialise and meet fellow travellers also doing the Thakhek Loop.
Great Atmosphere – Sabaidee has a great atmosphere that is calming and relaxing after a long day on the road. The place feels very cozy and comfortable which is just what you need when on the road
Nightly BBQ and Bon Fire – delicious buffet style BBQ they cook up every night for the guests. Provides great food and a great way to meet and socialise with other travellers.
Restaurant – Sabaidee also has a restaurant which makes it very convenient for travellers. They have a great selection of traditional and western food offering breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Phosy Thalang Laos
Rooms & Prices
Private Bungalow – starting from ~$19 USD
Why Stay Here?
Phosy Thalang Laos is a great place for people wanting a bit more comfortable stay on their first night of the loop. Accommodation here consists of bungalows starting from $19 and onwards. Definitely a stay more suited to people who may not want to stay in a hostel like environment and want a bit more peace and quiet.
Make sure to arrive before the sun goes down to be able to enjoy the sunset over the water that you can see from its water front terrace. Order food from its restaurant and you have the perfect way to spend the first sunset of the Thakhek Loop.
Tours and Activities at Phosy
Phosy also offers a range of activities and tours that explore the lake regions of Tha Lang from boat tours all the way to fishing and cooking classes. I think these are great options especially for people wishing to stay and explore the region of Thalang a little more.
Phosy also uniquely offers multi day camping and trekking tours of its surrounding national parks that venture through the Nakai Nam Theun National Park. If you are keen and adventurous the trek provides a unique opportunity to seek insight into Laos’ often overlooked wildlife all whilst guided by locals.
If you want to see the full range of activities and services provided at Phosy Thalang Laos, click here.
Highlights
Private Bungalows– clean, comfortable bungalows in a beautiful location
Sunset from waterfront terrace – amazing sunset beaming over the lake all seen from the waterfront terrace
Tours and Activities – wide range of tours and activities available for people wanting to stay a little longer in Tha Lang. Also options to do multi day camping and trekking across the rarely visited areas of Nakai Nam Theun National Park
Restaurant – Phosy Thalang Laos has a restaurant part of its services which is both convenient and comfortable for travellers after a long day on the loop.
Night 2 Na Hin - Best Accomodation in Na Hin
Night 2 you will arrive in the quiet rural town of Na Hin. It would have been a exhausting day full of adventure and exploring so a nice quiet afternoon would serve you up perfect before next day of riding!
SanHak Guesthouse and Restaurant
Rooms & Prices
Dorms : ~100 000 Kip
Private Rooms: starting from ~300 000 Kip
Room prices subject to change depending on seasonality
Why Stay Here?
Of all the stops, I think Na Hin has the least interesting accommodations (at least in comparison to other nights) but SanHak Guesthouse and Restaurant stood out as a warm welcoming place to stay for the second night of the loop.
By now everyone on the loop has had a couple action packed days and just a simple, comfortable place like SanHak is the perfect way to spend a night at Na Hin before everyone makes their way to Kong Lor for another adventure packed day.
SanHak has everything you need and all the amenities you need to have a restful stay including an amazing restaurant.
Maybe it was because the people I was with but my time at SanHak was filled with joy and laughter. By now we had formed pretty tight relationships with each other, who only a couple days ago were complete strangers.
We spent our time just laughing and talking at the upstairs seating area where we spent our night. 50 000 Kip rice wine also was a big win!!!
Highlights
Cool Calm, and Restful – Sanhak is a great place to rejuvenate and recharge for more adventure throughout the Loop
Great Social Atmosphere – maybe a bit subjective but my time here was only filled with joy and laughter shared between all the people I had met along the loop.
Restaurant – SanHak has an amazing restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and may perhaps be my favourite accommodation that also has a restaurant on the Thakhek Loop
Night 3 Kong Lor - Best Accommodation in Kong Lor
Night 3 is the last night on the Thakhek Loop and definitely saved the best for last. The region of Kong Lor is simply magnificent and truly a once in a lifetime experience to explore the biggest cave in Laos.
The bungalows you stay stay in Kong Lor also offer in my opinion the best view of any accomodation I’ve been to and definitely one to not miss out on when in Laos.
Kong Lor Khamchalern Guesthouse and Restaurant &
Thongdam Guesthouse
Rooms & Prices
Private Bungalows: starting from ~300 000 Kip
Why Stay Here?
I’ve included both Khamchalern Guesthouse and Thongdam Guesthouse together as they are essentially identical and provide the exact same experience. Both are located side by side and have the same style bungalows as each other.
Khamchalern Guesthouse and Thongdam Guesthouse have the most amazing views on the entire Thakhek Loop. These bungalows each have a balcony facing an array of endless golden rice fields with tall fencing limestone formations seemingly forever gazing into the distance. Words simply do not describe how surreal the view is and most definitely the best places to stay around Kong Lor.
The bungalows themselves are nice, clean and comfortable. The balancy also has hammocks which you can lie down on whilst watching the sunset.
Social Atmosphere
Although these bungalows don’t have a specific social gathering area, by now you would have met quite a few people along the loop and these familiar faces make the atmosphere. From my time on the loop, by the time we got to Kong Lor, we basically all knew each other and we just carried on the good times wherever we went.
We were just jumping from one balancy to another saying hi to each other as we spent our last night on the loop. Lots of laughs, giggles and memories forever!
Highlights
Best View on the Thakhek Loop – unparalleled view of the rice fields and staggering limestone formations. A must visit and a definite highlight of the Thakhek Loop
Private Bungalow – clean and comfortable private bungalows with balancy and hammocks with amazing views
Honorable Mention - The Rock Lodge
Rooms & Prices
Forest Pods: starting from ~$45 USD
Why Stay Here?
If you’re looking for a completely unique stay at one of the most beautiful locations on the Thakhek Loop, try The Rock Lodge located at The Rock Viewpoint. It is a bit pricey so it may not suit everyone’s budget however I think for people wanting a stay a bit more than ordinary it’s a great, fun experience to have.
The Rock Lodge offers private Forest Pods and has a wide range of different options to suit solo travellers all the way to large family suits.
Adventure Activities at The Rock Viewpoint
If you choose to stay at The Rock Lodge, it’s perfect if you want an extended opportunity to try some of the adventure activities you can do here. From ziplining, climbing, net bridges and more! If you want more information about prices and activities on offer, check out here!
Quick Pick Accomodations
Here are some of my quick picks for accommodations on the Thakhek Loop.
Sabaidee
Best if you want to meet people and socialise
- Sabaidee Guesthouse
Accomodation with the best views?
- Kong Lor Khamchalern Guesthouse and Restaurant
Thongdam Guesthouse
Most unique accomodations on the Loop
- Kong Lor Khamchalern Guesthouse and Restaurant
Thongdam Guesthouse
- The Rock Lodge
Best if you want to do activities
- Phosy Tha Lang Laos
Should you plan Accommodation in Advance?
This is mostly down to the individual and their preferences in terms of travelling. Some people would much rather book in advance, secure a room and stick to schedule. Others prefer to go with the flow and see where they’re feet land.
My recommendation
When I did the Thakhek Loop, I chose to just go with the flow and do the Thakhek Loop with no concrete plan. That meant not being definite about how many days, what to do, what to see and also without booking anything in prior!
All the accommodations I stayed at on the Thakhek Loop were all walk-ins. We gambled where to stay each night and if it worked out, it worked out, else it didn’t.
I think the Thakhek Loop is such a raw adventure where anything is possible and I personally think the best way to feel the freedom and endless possibilities is to just get on the loop and think about everything else as the day goes on. (Ofcourse have some idea of what you want to do!!!)
I can guarantee you as long as you have an open mind, this is the best way to do the Thakhek Loop. That means don’t book anything in advance! The Thakhek Loop is still relatively unknown and it’s difficult to get to, so you’ll see that not many people are on the loop. So accommodations and things like that don’t really book out.
So I say, don’t book anything and just go with the flow!
Want to do more on the Loop?
Final Thoughts
The Thakhek Loop is definitely a must do thing when travelling Laos and if you want a true adventure, its the perfect thing to do.
Choosing the right accomodation for the loop can really make a huge difference to your overall experience as it certainly did mine. You meet a tonne of people and get a chacne to share an experience of a life time with!
Whether you stay here or there just do the Loop!