Mekong Riverside Digital Detox & Yoga Retreat in Southern Laos

Your day starts however you want it to. Coffee or tea on the terrace, breakfast at the lodge restaurant, then nothing scheduled until the yoga session - which takes place on the sand during beach season with the resident teacher. Outside beach season, the detox package is still bookable but the yoga session isn't part of it, so check before you book if that matters to you. Aside from that, the day is yours: swim in the pool, read under a tree, take a kayak or boat out on the Mekong, or book one of the lodge's excursions into the surrounding countryside.

The 45-minute massage is built into the package and typically gets scheduled early, because screen withdrawal hits hardest on day one. The spa also offers further treatments if you want more than the included one. Herbal tea is unlimited and available all day - the lodge specifically positions it as the thing you sip instead of scrolling.

Rooms are deliberately screen-free. No television, no clock radio with a glowing face, nothing blinking on standby. Devices go into storage when you arrive and stay there until you check out. Staff will keep them properly secured rather than just leaving them in a drawer. If you genuinely need to be reachable for work or family, this is not the deal for you - the whole point is that you can't dip back in halfway through.

What makes this different from a standard spa break is that it's an add-on option rather than a separate retreat. You book any room or offer at La Folie Lodge and select the Digital Detox option during the reservation process in the booking engine. So you're choosing your own room type, your own length of stay, and your own level of comfort - it's the device policy, the massage and the yoga session that make it a detox rather than just a hotel booking.

La Folie Lodge itself sits in Done Daeng, in Pathoumphone District near Pakse, on a bend of the Mekong facing the UNESCO-listed Wat Phou temple complex. It's an ecolodge - solar water heating, waste separation, community projects with nearby villages - and it carries ASEAN Green Award and sustainable travel recognition. The grounds are tropical gardens with direct river frontage, a pool, and a small spa. It's quiet. That's the whole appeal.

The property also runs longer programmes if a one-off detox isn't enough - a 4 to 6 day Wellness Escape with yoga, meditation and cultural visits, an All-Inclusive Getaway, and family or romantic packages. Several guests combine the detox with a few nights of the wellness retreat before or after, which softens the transition back to having a phone.

What's included

- Secure storage of phones, tablets and laptops for the duration of your stay - 45-minute massage at the lodge spa - One yoga session with the resident teacher (beach season only) - Unlimited herbal teas throughout the stay - A mindful, tech-free room with no screens or standby lights - No Wi-Fi on the property

What's not included

- Meals and drinks unless included in your chosen room rate or package - Additional spa treatments beyond the included 45-minute massage - Excursions and guided tours - Airport or land transfers - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Alcohol