Tha Khaek
Where to lay your head
Where to lay your head
The town centre is on the Mekong river and there’s a smattering of accommodation located along there, but most budget places are scattered throughout town. Popular backpacker place Thakhek Travel Lodge is a good three kilometres from the river and isn’t close to anything.
Le Bouton D’or is not flawless, but for now it is Tha Khaek’s best accommodation. With a prime location on the Mekong river front, one block north of the tourist centre and night market, the hotel lives up to boutique label in both size and style. The French colonial style building has 18 comfortable, elegantly furnished rooms boasting soft clean linens, wonderful comfy beds, good... Read our full review of Le Bouton D’or Boutique Hotel.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Anchoring a corner of the town centre square, just steps to the night market and Mekong river, Inthira Hotel is a longstanding Tha Khaek favourite. Unfortunately it doesn’t take long for guests to realise that the hotel's popularity is due to the prime location and not the service, which is terrible/non-existent. Expect lazy service offered with dour looks and shuffling feet at a hotel that... Read our full review of Inthira Hotel.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
For budget accommodation located in the town centre, Southida Guesthouse is the best option in Tha Khaek. It’s just two blocks from the night market, one road back from the river and despite the worn out facade, the air-con rooms have not changed a whole lot over the years. There’s no doubt that these are budget rooms, but they’re more comfortable than those at the Khammouane Inter and... Read our full review of Southida Guesthouse.
For those who desire Thakek Travel Lodge’s social backpacker atmosphere but can’t stomach its dingy rooms, Villa Thakek is the ticket. For just a few dollars more, a separate, newer building adjacent to the lodge offers modern, less controversial rooms. Stay here and you can still indulge in the communal hub and backpacker services like a motorbike rental shop that the Travel Lodge is... Read our full review of Villa Thakek.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
Xailuedy Hotel (also written Xayluedy) is an excellent pick for flashpackers in need of new modern rooms. A polite proprietress greets visitors and the complimentary help yourself hot water and coffee/tea station in the lobby sets the tone. Rooms are neat and tidy, kitted with amenities that make it a step up from your average guesthouse. You can look forward to rooms with a flatscreen... Read our full review of Xailuedy Hotel.
If the building wasn’t painted fluorescent green, you’d mistake Khammouane Inter Guesthouse for a dated government department building — even the name sounds oddly authoritarian. Rest assured, it is a guesthouse and this joint boasts gleeful amounts of unintentional retro charm, complete with Escher-esque floor tiles, padded leather sofas and a 70’s colour palette of pink salmon,... Read our full review of Khammouane Inter Guesthouse.
The Thakhek Travel Lodge helped put the Tha Khaek motorbike loop on the backpacker map and it remains a long time favourite for travellers making the journey. It’s a popular budget choice and is THE traveller hub for Tha Khaek, with those who have completed the loop chewing the fat and sharing their adventure ’round a nightly bonfire in the garden. Many also choose to stay here because of... Read our full review of Thakhek Travel Lodge.
( Read more on Agoda.com or Booking.com )
The vast majority of travellers driving the Tha Khaek motorbike loop go anti-clockwise, starting by heading east on Route 12. Green Climbers is along the way, 12 km from town. The natural surrounds of this backpacker Shangri-La and rock climbing school makes a good case for staying outside of town, whether you’re interesting in scaling the surrounding karst or not.
Plopped in the middle of Tha Khaek’s famed karst, Green Climbers Home offers courses for those eager to learn how to scale these limestone formations. Even if you have no desire to become Spiderman, the seasonal property will appeal to any traveller who appreciates stunning natural scenery and a chilled out atmosphere. Best of all, there’s a range of accommodation that will suit different... Read our full review of Green Climbers Home.
Sent every Monday, our newsletter is full of travel advice, news & special deals. Read past issues.