Wellness Escape: Yoga and Cultural Immersion on the Mekong in Laos

The week starts as you arrive on Don Daeng, an island reached by a short boat crossing from the mainland near Champasak. You'll be handed a welcome drink and shown to your bungalow – all of which face the Mekong, with the silhouette of the sacred mountain and the Vat Phu ruins opposite. The first evening kicks off with a gentle opening class to shake off the travel dust, followed by dinner at the lodge's restaurant, which sources most of its produce from local farms and its own garden.

Each day follows a similar, soothing template – but with enough variety to keep it interesting. Mornings begin with a meditation session (on the lawn by the river or in the open-walled shala set among the garden), followed by a yoga class. After a slow breakfast on the terrace, the middle of the day is left open. Some guests take the lodge's free bicycles and ride through the island's rice fields to watch fishermen hauling their nets; others collapse by the pool with a coconut. Late afternoon brings a second yoga session, then dinner, and afterwards something easy – a yoga nidra, a talk on yoga philosophy, a local shadow-puppet show, or a live music evening. Two activities are fixed: a guided visit to the Vat Phu temple complex (an ancient Shiva temple that predates Angkor Wat) and a cooking class that begins with a trip to the local market in Champasak.

The teaching is shared between two instructors. Shanna has led classes in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Laos, and favours a supportive, unhurried style; she offers hatha, vinyasa, yin and restorative yoga, plus guided meditations. Ayuri is a certified somatic yoga life coach who brings a mindful, self-care-oriented approach, with classes in hatha vinyasa, wheel yoga and yoga nidra. Depending on the dates you book, you'll be with one or the other – sometimes both if the group is larger.

Don Daeng sits in a protected riverine zone, so the surroundings feel remarkably untouched. The island (its name means 'red island', from the colour of its soil) is home to a handful of villages where life revolves around fishing and small-scale rice farming. La Folie Lodge is the only resort on the island, which keeps things peaceful. The property itself is a cluster of wooden bungalows connected by sandy paths, with a restaurant, a pool, a small spa, and loungers set right on the riverbank. It's not luxury in the marble-and-chandelier sense; it's luxury in the sense of having a huge, quiet terrace facing the water and absolutely nothing that needs your attention.

What's included

- 3 nights accommodation in a private bungalow with Mekong view - 3 daily meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner - Water, tea and coffee served throughout the day - Welcome drink on arrival - Daily yoga classes (morning and afternoon) - Daily meditation classes - One cooking class with local family - One 1-hour treatment (massage) - Guided group excursions, incl. visit to Vat Phu temple - Boat transfers to and from the island - Free WiFi - Use of bicycles - Free cancellation up to 1 day before arrival

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Visa fees - Travel insurance - Additional activities not mentioned in the itinerary - Additional spa treatments - Airport transfers (available as an optional extra at €39–€138 per person)