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Southern Laos is dominated by the Bolaven Plateau, a fertile highland that spreads over four of the region’s provinces. It is the site of Laos’ thriving coffee plantations and also many of the region’s beautiful waterfalls.
Pakse is the ‘big smoke’, a mid-sized town tuned in to travelers’ needs with accommodation and restaurants. It's the base for tours into the Bolaven Plateau and other destinations, and is well endowed with tour and bike-hire companies. Wat Phu Champasak, a striking remnant of the once-mighty Khmer empire, can be reached from here, or from the small town of Champasak.
The mighty Mekong plunges and spills to its widest point in Si Phan Don, which has established itself as a backpacker place-to-be, but also has some exquisite boutique hotel accommodation. Here are opportunities to take relaxing bicycle rides through the local villages, go kayaking or ziplining, or view the increasingly rare Irrawaddy dolphins.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southern Laos.
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Bucolic Wat Phu sits in graceful decrepitude, and while it lacks the arresting enormity of Angkor in Cambodia, given its few visitors and more dramatic natural setting, these small Khmer ruins evoke a more soulful response. While some buildings are more than 1000 years old, most date from the 11th to 13th centuries. The site is divided into six terraces on three levels joined by a frangipani-bordered stairway ascending the mountain to the main shrine at the top.
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More a glorified set of rapids than a waterfall, but oh, how glorious it is. The largest and by far the most awesome waterfall anywhere along the Mekong, Khon Phapheng is pure, unrestrained aggression, as millions of litres of water crash over the rocks. While pricier than the similar Tat Somphamit, this place, with its gardens and walking paths, is more attractive. You can also get down closer to the rapids.
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One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Laos, Tat Sae Pha, about 40km from Attapeu, is way off the beaten track and pretty well impossible to access in the rainy season, but in the drier months it's well worth the journey. Cascading down 20m in a broad horseshoe shape, the falls form a spectacular sight. It's possible to get close to the water and there are small pools for a refreshing paddle. Contact the Attapeu tourism office for an update on current travel options.
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Now billing itself as the Don Khone Somphamit Waterfalls Park, vast Tat Somphamit (also called Li Phi) is a gorgeous set of raging rapids. Recent developments include clear walking paths and the Mekong Fly zipline. While local fishers risk their skin edging out onto rocks, don't try this yourself – the rapids are extremely dangerous, and there have been deaths.
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There are seven significant waterfalls (none of them named Tayicseua) and several smaller ones at this remote but easily accessible private nature reserve. Some sit right near the restaurant-parking area while others, such as postcard-worthy Tat Halang (aka Tat Alang), are down in the forest along a good set of trails, which you can walk without a guide. It's in the early stages of growing into a proper resort but, for now, crowds remain rare.
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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.
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Se Pian NPA is one of the most important protected areas in Laos. The 2400-sq-km park boasts small populations of Asiatic black bears, yellow-cheeked crested gibbons and Siamese crocodiles, and is home to many birds, including the rare sarus crane, vultures and hornbills. Banteng, Asian elephants, gaurs and tigers once roamed here, but sightings of these creatures have been rare to nonexistent in recent years.
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Really only of interest to dedicated bike riders, this ruin of a bridge is way off the beaten track, about 10km west of Salavan and then 10km north. The 150m-long bridge was blown up by American bombers in 1968 due to its position on a supply branch of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Only some concrete supports and a part of the steel span remain. The contrast between heavy war damage and the peaceful setting makes it quite interesting.
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Tat Soung is a 50m drop over the edge of the Bolaven Plateau, and though the dam has affected these falls more than the others – slowing them to a trickle for most of the year – you can walk around the rocky top of the falls from where the views are fantastic. During heavy rains from August to October, when they reach their full width, the falls themselves are quite spectacular too.