Easy Go Backpacker
Don Dhet’s dorms
More on Don Dhet
Those who crave a chilled out hostel atmosphere or are counting every kip in their budget, Easy Go Backpacker is the answer. This is as close to a “beach” backpacker joint as you’ll find on the island and it doesn’t get much cheaper than their 25,000 kip dorms.
Travelfish says:
The dorm rooms are on the upper floor of a two storey building. Within rustic wooden walls there are five beds with a hard mattress, mosquito net and small locker (you need your own lock). There’s wiggle room between the beds, a few windows and fans. Expect no frills. An electrical outlet near the door is where you’ll be charging the phone but it’s unwise to leave it or anything else of value unattended as there is zero security and anyone can walk in and out freely. Lock things up, even while asleep.
The shared bathrooms (western toilet, cold shower) were decent. Need a private room? There are a few bamboo thatch huts with palm thatch roof—they are rustic and basic, with wooden floor boards, mosquito net, windows, fan and a single light bulb. We couldn’t inspect the bungalows with private bathroom because they were all occupied. From the outside, they certainly do look sturdier with their wooden walls and a solid roof supposedly strong enough to support the hammock strung across the porch. Whether in the dorm or bungalow, light sleepers will need earplugs.
As expected, there’s a riverside restaurant full of loungey cushions and tables to relax, chat with your fellow backpacker, occasionally checking if the WiFi decided to work or not (probably not). In dry season a beach forms, a great spot to catch that blazing sunset.
The biggest hurdle is the 1.6 km distance from the boat landing/concentration of bars and restaurants. This is one of the furthest accommodation on the sunset side and if you see yourself frequently going to “town”, be prepared for a 20-minute walk or invest in a bicycle rental, torch at the ready for the return journey in the dark.
Contact details for Easy Go Backpacker
Address: Don Dhet, sunset side 1.6 km from boat landing
T: (020) 5822 8309;
Web: http://www.easygohostel.com/
Coordinates (for GPS): 105º55'1.14" E, 13º58'26.29" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: Under US$10
Room rates
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Dorm fan cooled | 25,000 kip | 25,000 kip |
| Bungalow fan share bathroom | 40,000 kip | 40,000 kip |
| Bungalow fan private bathroom | 50,000 kip | 50,000 kip |
Reviewed by
Cindy Fan
Cindy Fan is a Canadian writer/photographer and author of So Many Miles, a website that chronicles the love of adventure, food and culture. After falling in love with sticky rice and Mekong sunsets, in 2011 she uprooted her life in Toronto to live la vida Laos. She’s travelled to over 40 countries and harbours a deep affection for Africa and Southeast Asia. In between jaunts around the world, she calls Laos and Vietnam home where you’ll find her traipsing through rice paddies, standing beside broken-down buses and in villages laughing with the locals.