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Thong Bay Guest House

Simple but lovely bungalows

What we say 

Photo of Thong Bay Guest House, On the banks of the Nam Khan River, Luang Prabang. , Luang Prabang
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Situated just outside town on the banks of the Nam Khan, Thong Bay features simple but lovely bungalows that combine bamboo and hard wood with delicate decorating touches. Each has a balcony, some with stunning views over the river. All bungalows are fan-cooled, with hot water showers and a fridge. Well-equipped bathrooms feature a rustic combination of tile, wood, stone and brick. Staff serve food and drinks all day -- even directly to bungalows -- and can organise day trips to the local sights. In hot weather, you can descend a slightly treacherous path to swim in the river with monks and local children, or just sit on a riverside balcony and watch Lao life go by. The warm welcome of the staff and the peace and beauty of the surroundings easily make up for the 20-minute walk into town, though some may not be comfortable with the trek at night as the path is uneven and not well lit. Staff however are happy to call a tuk tuk if you're feeling lazy or accident prone.

Contact details:
On the banks of the Nam Khan River, Luang Prabang. T: (071) 253 234 
Email them at: layinthavong@hotmail.com
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What we were quoted*

Type of room Low season High season Notes
Bungalow fan private b'room 22 USD 26 USD Add $4 for a riverfront bungalow
Deluxe bungalow 35 USD 40 USD Three beds, breakfast not included

* Travelfish researchers visit and review properties on an anonymous basis. By that we mean they show up, in person, and pretend to be either be a potential guest, or somebody looking for a room for a friend or relative. Where possible the researcher will inspect at least a couple of rooms. The rates you see above are what either the desk staff told us they were, or what were in the brochure when they just told us to quit bugging them and look in the brochure. For mid-range hotels and up, always shop around online for a competitive rate. Click here to find out more about what makes Travelfish different with regards our accommodation reviews.

Added to Travelfish on: 26th May, 2004
Last visited or updated on: 9th June, 2008

Thong Bay Guest House reviews

Read 8 opinions from Travelfish readers

Great bungalows - 20th January, 2009
Although a good walk from all of the action in town, Thong Bay is a secluded haven. Quiet, huge bungalows with very cool bathrooms, excellent food and very friendly service -- we had a great time here; and the host family was very warm and welcoming.

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by CunningMcFar on 20th January, 2009, rated 4 out of 5.
Stayed here 4/2005
This is a Travelfish recommended reviewer
Total reviews submitted: 43.
CunningMcFar also reviewed: A-One Inn, Anouxsa Guesthouse, Auberge Sala Done Khong, Baan Lotus, Bougainvillier Hotel, Cave Lodge, Champasak Palace Hotel, Fern Resort, Golden Gate Hotel, Golden Gate Hotel, Kampot River View Guesthouse, Lai Thai Guest House, Mutmee Guesthouse, New Siam II Guest House, Pakse Hotel, Royal Hotel, Salachampa Hotel, Sang Tong Huts, Sayo Guesthouse, Soppong River Inn, Sri Isan Hotel, Tamarind Village Hotel, Thong Bay Guesthouse, Top North Hotel, Two Dragons Guesthouse.

Beautiful Bungalow - 21st February, 2010
This place is amazing! Stayed for 5 days in Jan. 2010 and would have loved to stay longer. Reserved a bungalow facing the river and payed $34 U.S. a night. Well worth the price. The staff is super friendly and willing to help. They now offer free transfer to the city center 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening. The walk back is not to dangerous and takes 30min. They also offer transport if you are interested in serving alms to the monks. If you are a light sleeper and not a morning person the pounding of the drums at 6 in the morning from the temple may bother you. There is also a semi-steep trail towards the back of the hotel which takes you down to the river. Swimming in the river is a great way to cool off, however I recomend the swim for only strong swimmers as the current is quite strong. Will definately stay there again.

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by stephfinch81 on 21st February, 2010, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 1/2010
Total reviews submitted: 4.
stephfinch81 also reviewed: Bamboo Riverside Guesthouse, Chat House, Hotel Beau Rivage Mekong.

Not a bed of roses - 22nd April, 2008
Sorry to be the voice of dissent, but I didn't find this place all it was cracked up to be. I chose to stay here due to all the praise written on this page, but found it not quite up to expectations. My parents stayed in a riverview bungalow for $30 a night, while I stayed in a guestroom in their house across the road for $15. Considering the lack of air-con, this is a bit expensive when other options in town offer it. Unfortunately, we needed the cool air badly, as the bungalow got scorching hot in the day, making life very uncomfortable. The fan in the room is a ceiling fan, which directs all the air at the walls and not on the bed, so no relief there. There is no fan on the balcony either, so working up a sweat and being bitten to death by mosquitoes isn't exactly pleasant. Not as romantic as others may say. My suggestion to the owner is this: Remove the ceiling fans and get a decent floor fan that we can move inside or outside. This was of course during April and Luang Prabang was at its hottest, so maybe during the rest of the year the heat isn't an issue. The staff were very friendly and attentive. They do seem to be in league with the tuk-tuk drivers though, and three people into town costs 30,000 kip a time -- 50,000 to the airport. I think it's a bit overpriced but what can you do after they called someone to pick you up? The positives in short: Beautiful garden, friendly staff, nice wooden bungalows, nice views, nice bathrooms, spacious rooms, nice decor. The negatives in short: Very hot during April, overpriced, too far to come and go from town as you please, inadequate fans, rooms are NOT mosquito-proof, endless tuk-tuks work out expensive. Overall, think carefully before staying here. It's a good place, but far from perfect. For us it wasn't a good choice, but we still had fun. Staying in town with air-con at the same price would have been better. It would have been nice to go to the room and take a cold shower whenever you wanted, and go somewhere without needing a tuk-tuk all the time. We chose poorly, but it didn't take the shine off Luang Prabang for one minute!

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by gromily on 22nd April, 2008, rated 3 out of 5.
Stayed here 4/2008
Total reviews submitted: 3.
gromily also reviewed: Le Jardin Organique Vang Vieng, Mali Namphu.

Beautiful staff ang GH! - 27th October, 2007
This was a lovely guest house in every way. Staff amazingly helpful, rooms very clean, good food, great views from the balcony to the mekhong and very reasonably priced. Book early!

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by rutht8 on 27th October, 2007, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 10/
Total reviews submitted: 3.
rutht8 also reviewed: Sayo Guesthouse, Sayo Guesthouse.

Recently renovated, great view - 13th August, 2007
very nice place. we had one of the bungalows with a river view (three of them have river views, two with river and mountain views). ours was recently renovated with a new bathroom. we had none of the problems stated in prior posts (no problems with worms, hot water, or dodgy plastic undersheets). breakfast on the balcony every morning. staff is very helpful. it is a bit of a walk to town, so we shelled out for a tuk-tuk. really nothing to complain about at all. One of our favorite guesthouses during our trip.

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by syzafar on 13th August, 2007, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 8/2007
Total reviews submitted: 4.
syzafar also reviewed: Borann, Little Garden Bar & Guesthouse, The Pavilion.

Read 3 more reviews

Rent the bikes! - 28th January, 2007
Great place with great views of the river. The Swiss owner loves his gardening too, so very pleasant environment. It is a wee bit out of town but the place rents bikes for a dollar a day and the cycle in to town is laid back in terms of traffic. Only downside of this quality establishment was dodgy plastic undersheets on the beds.

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by spy on 28th January, 2007, rated 4 out of 5.
Stayed here 12/2006
Total reviews submitted: 10.
spy also reviewed: Baan Sabai, Orchid Guesthouse, Paradise Palms, Thanh Binh 3, Thien Thanh, Top North Guest House, Top North Hotel.

Thong Bay - 12th December, 2006
What a fantastic place ! If you dont mind being little way out of town...but its still walkable..Thong Bay is quite perfect. The prices are absurdly low, the catering and service excellent, and the situation and views just impossible to better. I spent many...too many !..hours just sat on my balcony watching the river go by. I will not hesitate to return

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by alanshiel on 12th December, 2006, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 9/2006
Total reviews submitted: 2.
alanshiel also reviewed: Manypoon Guesthouse.

inspiring bathrooms - 20th March, 2006
These bungalows are a great bargain compared to accommodation in the centre of town. The blue-tiled bathrooms have a lovely indoor/outdoor feel, the staff are friendly and attentive, and the food (served right to your bungalow and enjoyed on the patio floor cushions) really is wonderful. Though they are all fine, it's worth the extra $2 for the bungalows with river views. You will want to get a tuk tuk to make the trip into town at night, though, as there aren't sidewalks the whole way.

Thong Bay Guest House reviewed by karabelle on 20th March, 2006, rated 5 out of 5.
Stayed here 1/2006
Total reviews submitted: 5.
karabelle also reviewed: P.U. Guesthouse, Paradise Palms, Rambuttri Village, Wendy House.

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