In Laos, the closest tropical rainforest escape to China
Finding this hotel hidden in the mountains was completely unexpected.
Driving from Luang Prabang back to Xishuangbanna would have taken 9 hours straight, but considering the fatigue of the return trip, I decided to find a hotel for the night in Muang Xai, located between Luang Prabang and Boten border crossing. I searched for Muang Xai on Trip.com, scrolled around the map, and discovered the "Nam Kat Yorla Pa Protected Area" nearby. Surprisingly, there was a resort hotel within the protected area. Upon closer inspection, it looked quite decent, with good reviews and reasonable prices, although it seemed not many people had stayed there, judging by the limited number of comments.
Based on my experience, I figured the potential issue with such a hotel might be poorly maintained facilities, but the environment should be nice. So, I decided to take a chance. Even if it was subpar, it couldn't be worse than the hotels in Muang Xai city, right?
And then, I opened a surprise box.
It was almost 10 pm, nearing midnight, when I arrived at the hotel. As the car drove in, all was quiet, and the entire hotel seemed unoccupied. After checking in, the manager drove a shuttle to take us to our room. We passed through layers of bamboo forests in the mist, finally arriving at our riverside accommodation.
It was so dark that I could only rely on my hearing to guess the surrounding environment: the sound of the stream, the chirping of insects – it was incredibly serene.
The next morning, I opened the curtains to reveal a stream flowing from right to left just outside the balcony, with dense jungle and wild mountains on the opposite bank. There were no barriers between the balcony and the valley, creating a natural and refreshing atmosphere. Excitedly, I lit a cigarette at the table, taking in the scene before me: jungle, stream, and a standalone wooden cabin. This was the dream dwelling I had fantasized about countless times.
After freshening up, I headed to the restaurant for breakfast. Walking along the wooden boardwalk, I passed through patches of lush vegetation. All the rooms in this hotel were riverside cabins, categorized into different room types based on their size. The cabins faced the stream on one side and the boardwalk on the other, with dense tropical plants in between. The trees were towering, the epiphytes clustered, the vines long, and the leaves broad.
Clearly, the landscaping had been meticulously designed and planted, yet it perfectly showcased the wild, vigorous, and unrestrained power of nature. The rainforest across the stream, however, was completely untouched. The morning tropical forest, shrouded in mist, displayed distinct layers of vegetation.
The breakfast restaurant was located in an open area by the valley, near other public buildings like the swimming pool, gym, and lobby. The breakfast selection was diverse, the taste decent, but the long viewing area overlooking the valley was truly a delight. Sitting by the valley, enjoying breakfast with a view of the murmuring stream and wild jungle, birds flying by, and insects chirping, this was the perfect blend of modern life and pristine nature in my book.
Of all the tropical hotels I've stayed in, this one best preserved and interpreted nature, and most fully and naturally implemented landscape aesthetics.