En	Fr

LOCATION and FACILITIES

The Local Area
Rivertime is situated 29 kilometres north-east of the Lao capital on the south bank of the Nam Ngum river (a tributary of the Mekong).  The location is mid-way between Vientiane and the mountainous Phou Khao Kwai National Protected Area (NPA).

The resort is near a village of the Lao Loum ethnic group  (Ban Thadokkham) on one side, and a Lao Soun ethnic village (Ban Jut Nung) on the other.  Across the river from the resort is another Lao Loum village called Ban Na Taer.  Note: ‘Ban pronounced ‘baan’ is the Lao word for ‘village’

View over rice fields towards the resort and Phou Khao Kwai National Protected Area

Each nearby village has its own Buddhist temple and each temple has its own unique style.  Thadokkham temple is the largest.  It is highly-revered and often visited by Vientiane residents.  This is the temple where the resort owner has spent several meditation retreats as a Buddhist monk.  Directly across the river from the resort is Na Taer temple, notable for its unique architecture and temple turtles.  A total of four Buddhist temples are within easy walking distance of the resort.

Also within easy walking or cycling distance are three village primary schools and the main agricultural research centre of Laos.  The schools and the research centre all welcome visits which can be easily arranged by the resort management.

There are three types of lodge - single lodges with private, western-style bathrooms and private balcony; paired lodges with private, western-style bathrooms and sharing a balcony with one adjacent lodge; and two 3-bed dormitories with outside shared bathroom and large, communal balcony shared with two adjacent lodges.

The lodges vary from each other in terms of exterior and interior design, reflecting the particular forest location in which they are set, and to maximize river views. 

The Resort Grounds

The resort nestles in a large area of old-growth secondary forest on the south bank of the Nam Ngum river.  During the construction of the resort in 2006-2007, we took great care to ensure that the natural environment of the forest be retained.  All lodges and resort buildings are placed in their own unique environment and designed in such a way as to leave all surrounding trees intact.

The resort is crisscrossed by a series of paths connecting the lodges and resort facilities.  The forest and land through which the paths lead has been left to continue developing naturally, enabling visitors to have easy access to all parts of the resort while leaving the natural environment intact.

The Garden Restaurant
The Garden Restaurant and organic vegetable garden are adjacent to Rivertime Resort.  It is owned and operated by Thanongsak, a retired but young Thai executive, who came to live in Laos to get away from the poor environment and hustle and bustle of Bangkok.

The Floating Restaurant
A floating restaurant built on bamboo rafting serves Lao and European dishes and provides guests with a surround view of the Nam Ngum river while they enjoy their food.  The main restaurant can seat up to 80 guests, while two smaller, sections can be reached by ‘floating bridges’ to provide a more private setting for up to 20 people in each section. 

The restaurant includes a bar and also provides access to the resort’s long-tailed riverboats for trips to places of interest both upstream and downstream from the resort.

Lao Sauna and Traditional Massage
We have plans to build a traditional Lao sauna in the resort grounds in which guests will be able to spend a relaxing and refreshing couple of hours of steam therapy.  Additionally, guests may take advantage of a traditional Lao massage either in the sauna house itself or in the comfort of their own lodge.  Massages will be given by local village women highly skilled in the traditional technique.