Muang La, Laos

This small luxury boutique ecolodge in the far north provides the perfect base for explorations of one of the country’s most ethnically diverse regions. Comprising only 10 rooms in stilted bungalows, the property is set amid well-tended gardens overlooking the banks of the river, where locals come to bathe and water their buffalo each morning. Enjoy an indulgent massage in the spa, followed by a champagne sundowner in the resort’s signature, spring-fed hot tub. Served on a stylish candlelit terrace, the meals are Lao-French fusion dishes prepared from fresh local ingredients - a real highlight.