La Folie Lodge · Don Daeng Island · Southern Laos
Trees to recognise. Birds to listen for.
Time to look a little closer.
Nature in Champasak
On Don Daeng Island, beside the Mekong, the gardens of La Folie Lodge are part of the stay. Between the bungalows, kitchen garden and old trees, a walk reveals more than the landscape: a leaf, a birdsong, a butterfly passing through.
The nature pages in your in-room book continue the discovery, with a few pointers for recognising the island’s trees, birds and butterflies.
The botanical garden
Tended by our gardening team since 2007, the gardens are yours to wander. Plant labels put names to the greenery; signs lead towards the old mango trees in the garden of Ban Lao.
Follow the signs, or simply linger. Return to the same tree, notice the shape of a leaf, take a moment to read its name.
The birds of Don Daeng
A call draws your attention before the bird comes into view. From the gardens, the discovery continues along the island paths and beside the river.
The pages devoted to Don Daeng’s birds in your in-room book offer a starting point for your observations. There is no checklist to complete. A few minutes spent looking can add something unexpected to a familiar walk.
Butterflies
Our illustrated butterfly selection invites a closer look at shapes and markings: the pattern of Papilio demoleus, the wings of Graphium doson or those of Junonia lemonias.
Keep these pointers in mind as you explore the gardens and the island. Encounters change from day to day; part of the pleasure is noticing something you missed before.
The Lao kitchen garden
Inspired by a traditional Lao garden, the kitchen garden brings together herbs, spices, fruit and flowers. Some of its harvest finds its way into the kitchen and spa.
It offers another way of looking at plants: through their fragrance, their flavour and their place in everyday life.
In your room
The in-room book connects the natural world with local culture. Alongside birds and butterflies, you will find stories about the tamarind and Bodhi trees, and the legends of the island.
Read a few pages before heading out. A walk becomes a chance to recognise a detail, recall a story or ask our team a question.
Listen to Don Daeng
Yes. During your stay, you can wander through the gardens at your own pace. Plant labels and signs help you discover the greenery and find the old mango trees at Ban Lao.
Your in-room book includes pages devoted to the nature of Don Daeng. They complement the botanical labels in the gardens and provide a starting point for exploring the island.
The book covers Don Daeng as a whole. It accompanies your observations without promising a sighting of every species. Take your time and let wildlife come and go freely.
Yes. Looking at leaf shapes, spotting a butterfly or listening for a bird are simple ways to discover the gardens together. Please leave plants where they grow and observe wildlife from a distance.
Beyond the gardens
Don Daeng’s paths continue the walk, through villages and the landscapes of the Mekong.
