I spent 4days and experienced a lot of wonderful things; farming in the morning and evening, and a small tour to the next island to see a local whisky maker, local food etc. The room was comfortable enough in May, with a fan inside and some hammocks in the shades outside . The owner family is friendly and supportive, I spent a lovely time with them and the other guests from France, Germany and US!

Beautiful sunset and friendly owner

“Hidden Gem in southern Lao!”

We had the most amazing time at the Vera Sunset Homestay. Phonephet and his family are very friendly and the island is perfect for a few days off the beaten path. You can just relax in your hammock all day or explore the rural island and play football with the village kids. The food was very good and fresh. The standard of the bungalows is basic and in line with the price. Definitely one of our highlights in hole SOA and we can't wait to come again!

This was a good homestay. The family was very friendly and easily helped with any problems. They made me feel very welcome. The comfort and cleanliness were what I expected to find at a rural homestay off the main tourist trail. If you are expecting a hotel, look elsewhere. This is for those who want to experience life like a local and can adapt easily to different living conditions. After my initial stay, I actually returned a few days later. If I had more time, I would have stayed even longer!

We were there for 2 weeks and loved it. It was a very nice family hosting. They involved us in activities like cooking classes. Friendly kids came over every day to play soccer and volleyball with us. We harvested delicious peanuts with the locals. We biked around the island and went to the beautiful Buffalo Beach. We watched amazing sunsets every night. Stay here if you're ready to live like a local!

“Unique experience with a very welcoming family.”

Secluded and relaxing. You get a real experience of rural Lao.

“Try Lao style in the middle of the Mekong River!”

First of all we were impressed by the location. We are grateful to Phonephet for opening his inn on this island. We enjoyed both beautiful sunrises and sunsets along with the Mekong River. The bungalows and bathrooms are may not be so comfortable, but it was a good opportunity to experience authentic Lao style. He taught us how to make a papaya salad, took us on a boat tour. Those were interesting. Actually, our most memorable experience on the island was the day we explored the island by bicycle. A group of men called us on the street and invited us over for lunch. We ate sashimi and drank beer with them. It was quite chaotic because we didn't speak the same language, but we had so much fun. FYI: From Pakse to the island (Don Nangloy) We went to Green Paradise Tour and Travel in Pakse and they arranged a minivan from our hotel to Thapho port with 150.000 kip / person. From Thapho port to the island, you can take a small boat. The fare was 20.000 kip / person.

“Beautiful river”

Lovely to be in the river.

super nice basic homestay with a very nice family. we cooked dinner together :)) good place to stop when you’re heading south to Don Det from Pakse.

“Authentic, traditional and unforgettable experience”

We stumbled upon this place by chance, but it was one of the best things we discovered on our trip through Laos. If you are looking for ways to experience the traditional laotian lifestyle, this is your place to go. We lived in simple bungalows with basic equipment (double bed, table, coat hooks). Just by opening your door, you can look at the Mekong river and in the evening you can see the sunset. If you are up early, you can also see the sunrise on the opposite side. The kitchen with a large table for eating and doing the English classes is in a separate shelter. Also the toilet / shower are in a shared and separate shelter with just basic equipment. Beware that there is only a proper lavatory in the kitchen. We really enjoyed our stay here. Phonephet speaks English pretty well and will help you as good as he can when you have any problems (you can ask for a fan or mosquito nets). There is a cute little puppy and Phonephets even cuter daughter Vera strolling around you. You can get 3 meals a day including water refill, coffee / tea and bananas for 9 USD per day. Phook will cook delicious traditional laotian dishes for you. You can take a walk around the island, swim in the Mekong or relax in the hammocks. We also met a bunch of really cool and open-minded guests and volunteers from different countries and had a lot of fun together. At around 4.30 pm some kids from the island come for English class. You can volunteer to teach them to improve their future and you get free accommodation in return, search for the Don Khamao Project. However, we went there as regular guests. Look at Jan‘s post for instructions to get to Don Nangloy, we paid 160.000 for 2 people on the local bus from Pakse to Thapho Port, the ferry cost 30.000 Kip p.P. to Don Nangloy. We had the opportunity to make papaya salad on our own and then of course eat it. Don Nangloy has some temples and small shops for a pepsi or some sweets (but no ATM!).

“If your looking for an opportunity to spend time with local Laos people and experience their way of life, you’ll find it”

The location of the home stay is amazing, an island right in the middle of the Mekong. Being able to stroll around the village of such friendly welcoming people. Seeing the peanut harvest and tasting the fresh peanuts. We enjoyed a stunning sunset. Phonephet and his wife made us very welcome. He’s dedicated to providing the local children with free English lessons by offering accommodation to volunteer teachers. The accommodation is rustic with a separate shared toilet block. Food is traditional, local and fresh.

I give this place a 10 because I can’t give it more! I came here for a few days and I ended up staying for almost 3 weeks. This island is magic and the inhabitants are the sweetest persons I have ever met. The place is extremely quiet, right in front of the Mekong river, surrounded by stunning mountains and green peanuts fields. It’s perfect for relax and chill, especially after a few months on the road. Phonphet’s family is extremely welcoming, I have felt at home during my stay here. What I like the most is that everything is authentic and traditional. We’ve always been eating delicious, local and fresh food cooked by Puk, an amazing person and very talented chef! Their food is basically organic as almost every product comes from the island itself or the local markets. It’s a perfect opportunity to immerse yourself into the authentic Laotian culture. For over 3 weeks we have been the one and only foreigners on the island, which made our experience even more special. Every time we were walking around people were screaming at us, inviting us to their house for a snack, asking us to take a picture or simply to say hello. I’ve felt part of a family, everyone on the island has been very very nice and welcoming to me. Last but not least, Phonphet and Puk started an English project right In the backyard of the homestay. Volunteers gets free accomodation in exchange of a couple of hours of English teaching to both kids and teenagers. During my stay I had the opportunity to take part of this project and be an English teacher for the little kids; it was one of the best experience of my life, if you have the chance to stay a bit longer I would highly recommend it. Sometimes the kids are still video calling me to see how I’m doing and to convince me to go back! After all, this homestay has been one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to during my whole 4 months trip in Asia.

“Perfect place for getting insights into the traditional Lao culture and experiencing the slow life on a small islands, o”

We stayed for five days at Don Nangloy and had an incredible time. If you are looking for an authentic Lao experience, this is the place. We were one of the first tourists at the island and got insights into the life of the 300 families that live at Don Nangloy. The bungalows are newly built - simple but comfortable. Moreover, they are right next to the Mekong. Experiencing the amazing sunsets at this place while swimming in the Mekong was an incredible experience.We were really happy to get to know Phonephet, the owner of this place. His English is pretty good, so he was able to tell us about the traditions of Lao culture. He was also a monk for 8 years and can give insights into Buddhism and meditation. His wife can cook for you three times a day. The food is tasty and you can always get more so you won’t feel hungry. Phonephet also started a volunteer project at Don Nangloy. Foreign volunteers can come and help teaching the local children English, in order to give them better perspectives in life. For more information you can research about the „Don Khamao Project“ where you will also find contact information of Phonephet in case you have any questions. Introducing these children to the English language and playing games with them was a meaningful experience for us, from which we learned a lot. In case you don’t know how to get to Don Nangloy, here is the way: You can get to Don Nangloy ( Vera Sunset Homestay & bungalow ) New 4000island, Muang khong, Southern Laos the following ways: 1. Take the local bus from Pakse to Don Nangloy. You have to go to “south bus station km 8” in Pakse ( signal board : “Muangmounnadee”). Ask the bus driver to drop you at Thapho port, then you can take a ferry boat to Don Nangloy port . The bus leaves from Pakse 3 times 9 am, 11 am, 2pm. Fare 60.000kip. 2. By local bus from Dondet you need to get on a bus in Nakasang. The bus leaves around 8 am. Fare around 40.000kip.