LA
Pakse
Mekong river town and gateway to Wat Phou, the Bolaven Plateau and the 4,000 Islands
Mekong river town and gateway to Wat Phou, the Bolaven Plateau and the 4,000 Islands
Built in 1935 on the bank of the Xe Don, Wat Luang is the largest temple in Pakse and home to a monastic school. Its ornate gates, painted doors and gilded stupas are the town’s main sight.
Visit in the early morning or late afternoon, when monks are about.
Photo: Phillip Maiwald (Nikopol), CC BY-SA 3.0
On the hill across the Mekong, a large golden seated Buddha looks out over the town. A long staircase leads up past rows of smaller Buddha statues to wide views of the river and the bridge, especially at sunset.
Cross the bridge by tuk-tuk or motorbike; the climb is steep.
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Lao–Nippon Bridge, built with Japanese aid and opened in 2000, spans the Mekong on the road towards the Thai border. The riverfront, the morning market by the Xe Don and the big Dao Heuang Market are the best places to watch daily life.
The riverside is lined with simple restaurants for sunset beers.
Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0
About 40km south near the town of Champasak, this Khmer temple complex climbs the slopes of a mountain whose peak was seen as a natural lingam, sacred to Shiva. Its oldest buildings date from the pre-Angkor era, and the site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. A large festival is held here each February.
Go early to climb the steep stone stairs before the heat.
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0
East of Pakse, the plateau rises to about 1,000–1,350 metres. The French introduced coffee here in the early 20th century, and it now grows almost all of Laos’s coffee. Waterfalls such as Tad Fane, Tad Yuang and Tad Lo are the main attractions, along with coffee farms and villages of the Laven and other ethnic groups.
Stick to marked paths; unexploded ordnance from the Vietnam War remains in parts of the region.
Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0
Try Lao staples such as larb (minced meat salad with herbs), sticky rice, tam mak hoong (spicy papaya salad) and grilled Mekong fish, as well as noodle soups (khao piak sen and feu) for breakfast. French influence lives on in baguette sandwiches and good coffee.
Local Bolaven coffee is served in cafés all over town, and farms on the plateau sell beans directly.
Pakse International Airport has flights, mainly with Lao Airlines, to Vientiane and a few regional destinations. The Thai border at Vang Tao–Chong Mek is 44km west; international buses link Pakse with Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand in 2–3 hours.
Buses and minivans run to Vientiane (a long overnight journey), to the 4,000 Islands (under three hours) and up to Paksong on the Bolaven Plateau (about 90 minutes). Tuk-tuks cover the town, and motorbikes are easy to rent for the Bolaven loop and Wat Phou.
Laos uses the kip (LAK). Prices below are in US dollars because the kip’s value changes often; US dollars and Thai baht are sometimes accepted.
Buses and street food keep costs very low.
Entrance fees to waterfalls and Wat Phou are small.
A car and driver makes the Bolaven loop easy in a day or two.
Pakse works best as a base for day trips.
Visit Wat Luang and the morning market, have coffee in town, then cross the Mekong to Wat Phou Salao for sunset over the river.
Rent a motorbike for the day to get around easily.
Ride or take a tuk-tuk south to Champasak and explore Wat Phou in the morning before the heat. Stay the night in Champasak or return to Pakse.
Bring water; there is little shade on the upper terraces.
Head up to Paksong for Tad Fane, Tad Yuang and a coffee farm tour, or spend two to three days on the full motorbike loop via Tad Lo.
Nights on the plateau are cooler; bring a jacket.
Rent from reputable shops, check the bike and brakes, and wear a helmet.
Bolaven coffee from farm shops makes a good souvenir.
ATMs are available in Pakse, but carry kip for villages and waterfalls.
Unexploded ordnance remains in rural southern Laos; do not wander off marked tracks.
Quick answers for planning time in Pakse.
Yes, mainly as a base. The town itself is pleasant for a day, and it gives easy access to Wat Phou, the Bolaven Plateau and the 4,000 Islands.
About 40km south, around an hour by road, near the town of Champasak.
Buses and minivans run daily to the ferry points for Don Det and Don Khon, taking under three hours.
Yes. International buses link Ubon Ratchathani with Pakse via the Chong Mek–Vang Tao border in 2–3 hours.
November to February is dry and cooler. Waterfalls are fullest late in the wet season, around August to October.
Planning a wider trip? Our Laos travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.