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I spent a night in one of Pak Ou’s floating water cottages—simple rooms literally on the Nam Ou River, surrounded by limestone cliffs and jungle.
It’s an adventure-first stay that suits travelers who don’t mind rough edges and want nature to be the main event.
In this guide I share exactly how to reach the cottages by river, how booking works (no online systems), what the rooms are actually like, and the must-know cautions before you go.
Is this stay right for me (comfort vs. adventure)?
If you love the idea of crossing a river and sleeping on the water, this place delivers.
If you need plush bedding and hotel-like service, you’ll struggle.
It’s not flashy luxury—it’s the quiet kind, where you sit on the roof deck and feel like the river is yours for a while.
If you’re bug-sensitive or picky about mattresses, consider visiting Pak Ou as a day trip instead of staying overnight.
Where is Pak Ou and why stay overnight near the caves?
Pak Ou is a small town upriver from Luang Prabang on the Mekong, famous for the Pak Ou Caves with 4,000+ Buddha statues.
Across the river (on the Nam Ou side) there are two floating water cottages—a rare chance to sleep on the river rather than beside it.
The area stays rustic and quiet compared with touristy parts of Luang Prabang.
How do I get there and cross the river?
From central Luang Prabang it’s about 1 hour by road to Pak Ou.
The route is straightforward and mostly one road.
You can go by rental motorbike or hire a taxi/tuk-tuk.
Once in Pak Ou town you must charter a small boat to cross to the cottages—there’s no bridge.
I walked down to the riverbank and told a local boatman I wanted to stay at the floating cottages; we agreed on 30,000 kip for the short crossing.
- You cannot reach the cottages without a boat.
- Plan your river crossing while it’s still light.
It’s much easier to arrange boats and find the right landing point before dark.
How to book (no online reservations)
There are two floating cottages in Pak Ou.
Neither takes online bookings.
You’ll need to go in person and negotiate.
When I visited, one cottage supposedly accepted phone bookings, but no one answered when I called.
- My final rate after in-person negotiation was 350,000 kip for 1 night.
- Expect to discuss price on arrival; availability is first-come, first-served.
Have a backup in case you can’t secure a room (e.g., stay in Luang Prabang).
Rooms & amenities (what’s actually inside?)
Both cottages are the same type.
Amenities provided during my stay: toothbrush, shampoo, soap.
Air-conditioning and a hot-water shower are installed; there’s a proper bed.
Breakfast was not provided.
There is no official website.
From my night there, here’s what mattered most:
- Hot water = lukewarm, pressure = very weak.
- Don’t expect a satisfying shower; rinsing shampoo takes time.
- The bed is extremely hard.
- Tiny insects in the bed.
If this is a deal-breaker for you, skip the stay—you won’t magically “get used to it.”
Bottom line: AC works well and keeps the room comfortable, but shower and bedding comfort are real compromises.
The experience: views, rooftop, river time, and night sky
The location is stunning—limestone mountains, green jungle, and the slow Nam Ou drifting past.
The cottages let you climb onto the roof for a higher view, or you can cool off right in the river at the edge of the platform.
At night it’s pitch-dark and very quiet, with only insects and the occasional splash of fish.
On clear nights you should get great stars; when I stayed it was cloudy, so I missed them.
Two important cautions before you go (food & getting back)
1) No meals are served—bring your own.
There were no snacks/light meals for sale when I stayed.
They did sell a few drinks, but the family running the place went to sleep early, so don’t rely on buying late.
Bring plenty of water and what you want to eat ahead of time.
2) You can’t easily pop back to town.
Once you’re across, returning to the opposite bank requires the owner to run the boat.
Keep this in mind if you realize you forgot something.
On check-out, the boat back was included in my stay (I wasn’t charged).
Quick facts (for easy updates)
| Address | Nam Ou River, Pak Ou, Laos |
| Check-in Check-out | Not clearly posted Unknown; confirm on arrival |
| Free basics | Bathroom amenities (toothbrush, shampoo, soap) bottled water |
| Breakfast | Not provided |
| Official website | None |
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