Rai Saeng Arun Resort

One of the last relaxing hidden gems left in Thailand. If you are looking for a tranquil experience and want to check out from our modern world than Rai Saeng Arun is the place for you! Unfortunately we spent only two nights we wish it was a week. In fact we were lucky enough to be the only guests at the time. This made our stay quite unique since we had the place to ourselves. Our room was situated on the bank of the Mae Kong River. The room is actually a cabin, but felt comfortable right when we stepped inside the door. In fact we really liked the design of the cabin. The interior was very clean. The room had large sliding glass doors allowing one an incredible view of the Mae Kong River and low rolling mountains over in Laos. At dusk we saw brilliant sunsets and great cloud formations. In the morning mist envelops the mountains giving it a dream like atmosphere. If you are a birder like I am this is a great spot with many species present. I would recommend bringing binoculars. In addition I found it quite fascinating watching the local fishermen ply the Mae Kong setting up their traps. The service was excellent the manger is very kind and has a wonderful family. I have to say he really went out of his way to make our short stay very memorable.

This large complex is located on a rural road. It consists of 14 bungalows and a restaurant/office lobby. Emails were promptly answered in very good English. We arrived at 6:30pm after dark. This is important to take note of because the restaurant closes at 5:00pm and there is nowhere else for miles to eat. The resort did inform us about this and advised us to eat in Chiang Khong before arriving. We reserved the Saeng Arun bungalow because it was the largest with a king bed, but did not realize it is far away from the office. We arrived after dark so we were driven over a bumpy dirt road to our lodge. The bungalow is simple and rustic, but clean and comfortable with the usual amenities including WiFi and decent AC. The unique shower is outdoors so be prepared to enjoy mother nature. In the morning there is a nice 500m walk through a forest and farm fields to the lobby. Those with mobility problems may have some difficulty. Smaller Rim Khong bungalows are closer to the lobby/restaurant and have a nice view of the Mekong river. We were required to order breakfast the night before and there is a choice of Western or Thai food. Served outdoors overlooking the Mekong river, it was a wonderful way to start the day. Overall we had a good experience, but keep in mind this is a farm/camp with some bungalows situated a 10 minute walk over trails and stairs. The resort is remote and serene, but a good place to relax or use as a base for sightseeing with a car.

Beautifully located on the Mekong. There are bungalows directly on the river which I highly recommend. Breakfast was selected the day before at the reception. A Thai breakfast or Western breakfast is available. I had the Thai breakfast with tea, rice soup , watermelon and even more delicacies. The rooms are clean and the air conditioning works excellently. The beds and pillows are comfortable. The shower and toilet are arranged outside the bungalow and are not air conditioned. The hotel staff is professional and very friendly. I would book again.