Southern Laos

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.

Explore Southern Laos

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southern Laos.

  • Ruins

    Wat Phu Champasak

    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…

  • Waterfall

    Khon Phapheng Falls

    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,…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Somphamit

    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…

  • Waterfall

    Tayicseua

    There are seven significant waterfalls (none of them named Tayicseua) and several smaller ones at this remote but easily accessible private nature reserve…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Fan

    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…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Soung

    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…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Sae Pha

    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…

  • National Park

    Se Pian NPA

    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…

  • Ruins

    Prince Souphanouvong's Bridge

    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…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Hua Khon

    Three kilometres south of the Tat Faek turn-off from Rte 11 (just past the market), this waterfall is an impressive 100m wide. The P&S Garden resort,…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Sae Pong Lai

    This spectacular waterfall was unfortunately heavily affected by the 2018 Attapeu Dam collapse. It's difficult to reach, lying about 7km north of Tat Sae…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Nyeuang

    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…

  • Waterfall

    Tat Champee

    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…

  • National Park

    Dong Hua Sao NPA

    The 1100-sq-km Dong Hua Sao NPA, south of Paksong, is home to large tracts of pristine jungle, where you might spot monkeys, large butterflies and rare…

  • Viewpoint

    Wat Phou Salao

    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…

  • Waterfall

    Tat E-Tu

    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…

  • Buddhist Temple

    Wat Chomphet

    This temple just past the stone carvers in Ban Don Khoh is well worth a visit, not only for its 30m-tall gold-painted Buddha but also some of the…

  • Market

    Talat Dao Heuang

    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…

  • National Park

    Dong Amphan NPA

    The highlight of this 1975-sq-km protected area in eastern Attapeu Province is the fabled Nong Fa (Sky Blue Lake). This beautiful volcanic crater lake,…

  • Village

    Saisettha

    Saisettha, 11km east of Attapeu on Rte 18B, is a sizeable village on the north bank of the Se Kaman (Kaman River). It used to be a small, quiet village…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Southern Laos.