Laos
Pakse
November to April (cool dry season)
$25-55 USD
Lao (English at tourist businesses)
UTC+7
About
Discover Pakse
Pakse (also spelled Pakxe) is the capital of Champasak Province in southern Laos and the main gateway to three of the country's most remarkable attractions: the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wat Phu Champasak, the 4000 Islands archipelago (Si Phan Don) at the Cambodia border, and the Bolaven Plateau — a highland region of coffee plantations, minority villages and dramatic waterfalls.
Situated at the confluence of the Xe Don and Mekong rivers, Pakse is a functional commercial town rather than a major heritage destination in its own right, but its role as the hub of southern Laos travel makes it an essential stop on any regional itinerary. The town has a modest French colonial architectural legacy, a lively morning market on the riverfront and a small grid of streets housing guesthouses, tour operators and Lao-Chinese restaurants.
Wat Phu Champasak, a pre-Angkorian Khmer temple complex set on the lower slopes of Phu Kao mountain about 45 km south of Pakse, is the region's defining cultural attraction. Older than Angkor Wat and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, Wat Phu's stone sanctuaries, paved processional avenues and sacred spring provide a compelling alternative to Cambodia's more heavily visited temple circuit. The annual Wat Phu Festival in February transforms the site into a remarkable scene of Buddhist ritual, elephant processions and cultural performances.
The Bolaven Plateau, rising to around 1,300 metres above sea level east of Pakse, is responsible for some of Laos's finest Arabica coffee, cultivated in the cooler upland air by Laven, Alak and Katu minority communities. The classic Bolaven Loop — a 300–400 km motorcycle circuit from Pakse — passes coffee farms, ethnic minority villages, French colonial ruins and spectacular waterfalls including Tad Fane (the tallest in Laos at 120 m), Tad Yuang and Tad Lo.
Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) lies about 135 km south of Pakse on the Mekong River near the Cambodian border, where the river spreads into a vast complex of islands, channels, rapids and sandbars. Don Det and Don Khon are the main traveller islands, offering hammock-strung guesthouses, sunset cruises and the rare chance to spot the Irrawaddy freshwater dolphin. The Khone Phapheng waterfalls nearby are the widest in Southeast Asia.
Where to Stay
Best Hotels in Pakse
Luxury Hotels
Champasak Grand Hotel
Champasak Grand Hotel is the most prominent four-star property in Pakse, a large modern hotel with 230 rooms set on a rise above the Mekong-Xe Don confluence with panoramic river views. The hotel features a large outdoor pool, three restaurants, a spa, conference facilities and a central location that makes it the preferred choice for business travellers and tour groups visiting southern Laos.
Mekong Paradise Resort
Mekong Paradise Resort is a three-star property offering bungalow-style accommodation on the banks of the Mekong River, with a garden setting and good river views. The resort provides a peaceful base outside the main town with a restaurant serving fresh river fish, and is popular with travellers looking for a quieter alternative to the more central hotels.
Xuanmai Garden Resort
Xuanmai Garden Resort is a three-star property set in a landscaped garden outside central Pakse, offering comfortable bungalows with natural surroundings. The resort's outdoor pool and restaurant, combined with its peaceful garden setting, make it a pleasant choice for travellers wanting a quieter stay close to the city.
Boutique Hotels
Le Jardin Hotel
Le Jardin Hotel is a stylish four-star boutique property set in a tropical garden compound offering comfortable rooms with a French colonial aesthetic. The hotel's garden restaurant, courtyard pool and quiet setting on the edge of central Pakse create an atmosphere of relaxed elegance that stands out among the town's largely functional accommodation options.
La Folie Lodge
La Folie Lodge is a charming French-run three-star boutique property with a relaxed garden atmosphere and a well-regarded restaurant known for its French-Lao cuisine and excellent wine list. It is a popular choice for travellers who want a personal and culturally comfortable stay while using Pakse as a base for regional exploration.
Residence Sisouk Boutique Hotel
Residence Sisouk is a three-star boutique property in central Pakse offering well-furnished rooms with traditional Lao décor, a small pool and a restaurant. The hotel's boutique character, attentive family service and good central location make it a reliable and charming mid-range option for independent travellers.
Mid-Range Hotels
Arawan Riverside Hotel
Arawan Riverside is a four-star hotel on the banks of the Mekong River offering well-appointed rooms with river-view balconies, an outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant serving Lao and international cuisine. Its riverside setting, quiet gardens and professional service make it the leading choice for comfort-focused independent travellers in Pakse.
Athena Hotel
Athena Hotel is a contemporary four-star property in central Pakse offering modern rooms, a rooftop bar with panoramic views and a restaurant serving Greek-influenced and Lao cuisine — a reflection of the Greek-Lao owners. The hotel's central location and comfortable facilities have made it a popular mid-range option for both business and leisure travellers.
Nakhone Champa Hotel
Nakhone Champa Hotel is a four-star property offering spacious rooms with modern fittings in a quiet residential area of Pakse. Facilities include an outdoor pool, a restaurant and free parking, making it a reliable and comfortable choice for travellers arriving by private transport for Bolaven Plateau and temple excursions.
Champa Residence Hotel
Champa Residence Hotel is a long-standing three-star property in the heart of Pakse offering comfortable rooms at competitive prices. The hotel's friendly staff, pool, restaurant and proximity to the morning market and main transport connections make it one of the most convenient and reliable options for budget-to-mid-range travellers.
Budget Options
You Empire Hostel & Bar
You Empire Hostel & Bar is Pakse's most sociable budget option, offering dormitory beds and private rooms in a modern hostel setting with a lively bar and communal areas. It is the preferred choice for backpackers looking to meet other travellers while using Pakse as a base for the 4000 Islands and Bolaven Plateau.
Phetphaylin Hotel
Phetphaylin Hotel is a 2.5-star guesthouse in central Pakse offering clean rooms with air-conditioning at budget prices. The property provides a straightforward base for travellers spending a night or two in Pakse before heading south to the 4000 Islands or east to the Bolaven Plateau.
Lankham Hotel
Lankham Hotel is a simple two-star guesthouse offering affordable basic rooms in a central location near the Pakse morning market and the Mekong waterfront. The hotel is popular with budget-conscious travellers and transit visitors passing through the city on longer southern Laos itineraries.
Pakse Mekong Hotel
Pakse Mekong Hotel is an affordable two-star property on the banks of the Mekong River, offering basic but clean rooms with river views at low prices. Its riverside location and bargain rates make it a popular choice for budget travellers who want a Mekong setting without paying mid-range prices.
Experiences
Things to Do in Pakse
Wat Phu Champasak UNESCO Temple
Wat Phu is a pre-Angkorian Khmer Hindu-Buddhist temple complex 45 km south of Pakse, set on the terraced slopes of sacred Phu Kao mountain above the Mekong plain. Built from the 5th to 15th centuries, it predates Angkor Wat and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. A baray, paved processional avenue and richly decorated sandstone shrines lead to the main sanctuary at the summit.
Bolaven Plateau Day Tour
A guided day tour of the Bolaven Plateau from Pakse visits the twin Tad Fane falls (Laos's tallest at 120 m), Tad Yuang waterfall, Lao Arabica coffee farms operated by minority communities and a typical Alak or Laven village. The plateau sits at 1,300 m elevation and is noticeably cooler and greener than the lowland Mekong valley.
4000 Islands (Si Phan Don) Trip
Si Phan Don, where the Mekong spreads into thousands of islands near the Cambodia border, is one of southern Laos's most captivating destinations. The main traveller islands of Don Det and Don Khon are reachable from Pakse in 2.5 hours by bus and ferry, offering hammock guesthouses, bicycle riding, Khone Phapheng waterfall visits and Irrawaddy dolphin-spotting boat trips.
Irrawaddy Dolphin Spotting at Khone Falls
One of the world's rarest freshwater mammals, the Irrawaddy dolphin, survives in small numbers in the deep-water pools of the Mekong near Khone Falls at the Laos-Cambodia border. Boat tours from Don Khon island take visitors to the dolphin-spotting zone, where these elusive and critically endangered animals can sometimes be seen surfacing in the river's wide channels.
Bolaven Plateau Motorcycle Loop
The classic Bolaven Loop is a 300-400 km self-guided or guided motorcycle circuit from Pakse through the highland plateau, taking 2-3 days. The route passes Tad Fane, Tad Lo and Tad Yuang waterfalls, dozens of coffee and tea estates, French colonial remnants at Paksong, and the villages of Alak, Katu and Suay minority communities whose traditional animist practices remain relatively intact.
Tad Fane Waterfall Visit
Tad Fane is the most spectacular waterfall in Laos — twin falls plunging over 120 metres into a mist-shrouded gorge surrounded by old-growth forest on the Bolaven Plateau about 90 km from Pakse. The Tad Fane Resort at the rim operates zip-lines across the gorge for an adrenaline-filled perspective, and the viewpoint is best visited in the morning before cloud builds.
Champasak Town and Mekong Island Exploration
Champasak town, across the Mekong from Pakse, is a sleepy colonial-era settlement with French mansions and a quiet riverside atmosphere. A day trip from Pakse can combine the town with a visit to the Mekong islands just upstream, bicycle riding along the river levees and lunch at a local riverfront restaurant before continuing to Wat Phu.
Wat Phu Festival
The annual Wat Phu Festival (held in February on the full moon of the third lunar month) transforms the temple complex into one of Laos's most extraordinary cultural events, with candlelit processions of monks, traditional music, Lao folk dances, cockfighting, buffalo racing and an elephant procession along the processional avenue. Tens of thousands of pilgrims and visitors attend over three days.
Pakse Morning Market
The Dao Heuang Market, on the southern outskirts of Pakse, is the largest market in southern Laos and comes alive before dawn with stalls selling fresh produce, jungle herbs, river fish, woven textiles, spices and dry goods. Walking through the market at 6-7 am alongside local traders and residents provides an authentic window into everyday commercial life in the Mekong lowlands.
Lao Coffee Tasting on the Bolaven Plateau
The Bolaven Plateau produces some of Southeast Asia's finest Arabica coffee, grown at altitude in the rich volcanic soils of the highland. Coffee farm visits near Paksong town include guided walkthroughs of cultivation, processing and roasting, followed by cupping sessions that showcase the plateau's diverse single-origin flavours. Tad Coffee and locally run estate tours are among the most visited.
Tad Lo Waterfall and Village Trek
Tad Lo is a series of cascades on the Xe Set River in the western Bolaven Plateau, surrounded by jungle and accessible by a short walking trail from the small village of Ban Houei Set. The falls are less crowded than Tad Fane, swimming is possible in the lower pool, and guides from the village lead half-day treks into the surrounding forest to visit Alak and Katu minority communities.
Mekong Sunset Boat Cruise from Pakse
An evening boat cruise from the Pakse waterfront along the Mekong River at sunset offers a gentle and scenic way to experience the river as the sun dips behind the western bank. The cruises pass river islands, fishing communities and the confluence of the Xe Don River, with refreshments served on board.
Information