Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre

Set serenely close to the Mekong, this beautiful, traditionally styled workshop, where weavers, spinners and batik makers produce top-quality fabrics, offers free tours every half-hour. There's also a great riverside Silk Road Cafe serving drinks and excellent Lao food. Or try a cup of the surprisingly pleasant worm-poo tea, a unique infusion made from silk-worm droppings. Better still, why not try a bamboo-weaving course. There is also a beautiful boutique and a handful of elegant rooms available on-site.