Tat Fan

Top choice


Tat Fan is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Laos. Twin streams plunge out of dense forest and tumble down more than 120m to form the Huay Bang Lieng. Early morning and late afternoon have the best sunlight, but the falls are often shrouded by fog. The viewing point is at Tad Fane Resort, a jungle lodge atop the cliff opposite the falls, and it's a near-mandatory stop for anyone in the area.

One way to beat the crowds is to take a trek to the top or bottom. The price is US$10/15 per person for a half-/full-day hike, and this includes the national-park entrance fee. The half-day walk includes a visit to nearby Tat Nyeuang and an abandoned temple.

The access road to the falls is in Ban Lak 38, which is 12km from Paksong.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Tat Nyeuang

0.77 MILES

Probably the most developed of the Bolaven Plateau waterfalls, Tat Yuang, as some signs spell it, is impressive, with its twin torrents falling about 40m…

2. Tat Champee

1.45 MILES

Not to be confused with the far inferior waterfall of the same name along Rte 20 on the way to Tat Lo, this is the smallest of the four waterfalls west of…

3. Tat E-Tu

1.9 MILES

Just 1km north of the main road (Rte 16), this is the first large waterfall you reach on the drive up from Pakse. The waterfall is beautiful, and its 40m…

4. Montra Flower Garden

14.65 MILES

Taking advantage of the Bolaven Plateau's cool climate and fertile soil, this newly opened flower garden 11km east of Paksong makes a nice break from…

5. Tat Phasuam

15.17 MILES

This modest but interesting U-shaped waterfall is 2km from the highway, within the Uthayan Bajiang Nature Resort about 35km from Pakse. Hawkers sell…

6. Champasak Historical Heritage Museum

18.59 MILES

Highlights here include ancient bronze drums, stone carvings unearthed up on the Bolaven Plateau, stelae with Tham script dating from the 15th to 18th…

7. Talat Dao Heuang

21.39 MILES

This vast market near the Lao–Japanese Bridge is one of the biggest in the country. It's at its most chaotic in the food zones, but just about anything a…

8. Wat Phou Salao

21.89 MILES

The centrepiece of this hilltop temple across the Mekong from Pakse is the giant golden Buddha statue looking out over the city. The views from his perch…