3Days in The Life of The Far South

We leave from Pakse and drive up to the Bolaven Plateau, making our way to Tad Phaseuam Waterfall. We then we continue to Tad Lo Waterfall where we will start a short hike. We make our way to some villages of different ethnic minorities. We will stop in one of these villages for lunch of local Lao food. After spending some time learning about village life we make our way to our next destination, driving past banana and coffee plantations. We will stop at a local market, a great place to learn about local culinary culture. We then make our way to a local hotel where we will spend the night.

Approximately 5.5 hours driving, 2 hours walking.

Today we drive to see two different waterfalls, Tad Fat and Tad Huekun, before heading to Attapeu. Here we can explore the ancient town before driving through the beautiful countryside where we will visit the villages of many different ethnic minorities. Some elderly members of these groups wear elaborate traditional clothing. We stop for lunch again in the town of Attapeu where we will have a meal of traditional Lao food. In the late afternoon we drive a short distance to a district that borders Vietnam. We will learn about the history of the Secret War in Laos as we drive along a section of the Ho-Chi-Minh Trail. We make a stop at the ancient temple of King Xaysettha, one Lao’s most famous and respected kings. Here we can learn some of Lao’s ancient history from the time of Lane Xang. We then make our way back to Attapeu before heading to our guesthouse to rest for the night.

Approximately 4 hours driving, 3 hours walking.

After breakfast, we will continue on our way and we will spend some time exploring the ruined town before we make a short visit to the resettlement village. Here we can meet some of the villagers whose lives were uprooted after the dam collapse and were forced to leave their traditional homes. From here we will visit two waterfalls, Xe Pha and Xe Pong lai Waterfall. We will then make our way to Paksong, stopping in a coffee plantation to try some fresh coffee. We then explore the town’s lively market, a meeting point for many of the communities that live on the Bolaven plateau. From here we then make our way back to Paske, where you will be returned to your hotel.

Approximately 5 hours driving, 3 hours sightseeing.