Le Grand Pakbeng Resort

I thoroughly enjoyed my two nights here. Most travelers to Pakbeng stay only overnight, continuing the next day on their slow river boat trip. During the day there are few or no tourists in Pakbeng town, and it’s enjoyable to walk around, visit the temple, and practice English with the children who hang out there. There’s not really much else to do in town. The hotel grounds are lovely, and the pool is refreshing in the heat of the afternoon. Staff are friendly, but many of them are still struggling with basic English, so communication was sometimes difficult. Breakfast and dinner were both excellent. The hotel is on a steep hill, and it’s a bit of a hike up from the lower bungalows to the restaurant at the top of the hill. Navigating the grounds in the dark is a little bit tricky, because of the variety of paving styles and subdued lighting. Overall I enjoyed my stay, and I’m very glad that I spent two nights instead of rushing off on the slow river boat after one night.