VIENTIANE: Funky Monkey Hostel

Funky Monkey was one of three cheap accommodations that came up when I used Vientiane as a key strong on Hostelworld’s website. When I say cheap, we are talking USD5 a night for a bunk bed kind of cheap. There were two other choices, and I think all three of them are within the same area, so your decision might be based on presentation and photos displayed. As for me, internet connection will always be of primary importance, thus, the decision. In terms of cheap accommodation, Cambodia and Laos seem to be at loggerheads with one another as to who can offer you the cheapest dorms. They also really seem to like using the term “Monkey” considering how my guesthouse in Phnom Penh a few months ago was called Mad Monkey. Anyway, this is one of the cheapest accommodations I have booked so far, and the quality of the dorm is not that bad either. Good catch.

There are shower rooms downstairs, which have to exist because the shared bathroom for the second floor, with two dorms of 16 people each (or maybe there are just 8 in the other room, I do not know), is all alone. However, I never really experienced waiting for my turn when I was here. Either people prefer the shower rooms downstairs or they do not like to shower, period. There is a pool table by the entrance of those shower rooms, along with some lounge sofas on the other side. The dorm room is simple, with just four double bunks on both sides, each of which has two lockers incorporated below the beds for each of its two occupants. There is ample space in the middle if you feel like doing some back flips for no apparent reason. The air-con is operational, but most of the electrical sockets are not. Wi-Fi is intermittent at times, but fast when stable. Location is just a few cartwheels away from the Mekong River. I booked my bus to Luang Prabang at the reception.