The south of Laos is even sleepier than the rest of the country - hard that it is to imagine - and dominated by the Angkorian ruins of Wat Phou and the Bolaven Plateau.
Coffee was introduced to this area by the French during the colonial era, and remains of primary import to the local economy. They do it well, and it is worth bringing some home. Southern Laos has easy access into Thailand, and is also the entry point for an adventurous route into Cambodia which normally takes several days with variable road conditions.Things to See and Do:
The UNESCO Wat Phou ruins are the major draw for this part of Laos. These are incredible ruins dating from the 6thCentury AD, pre-dating the Khmer Kingdom of Angkor across the Cambodian border. Wat Phou ruins are an easy excursion from Pakse, or a more memorable one onboard the Wat Phou cruise boat.
The Bolaven Plateau is the most fertile area of Laos and, thanks to the French introducing coffee to the regionduring their colonisation of Indochina, the coffee grown here is now ranked as some of the finest in the world. You can enjoy a couple of days' exploring this area - witnessing the rolling glory of the tea and coffee plantations and the incredible waterfalls of Tad Fane and Tad Lo, both well worth a short stop for a refreshing dip.
The Four Thousand Islands form one of the more remote regions of the old French Colonial Empire, but quite accessible by boat. The waterfalls of Khone Phapeng are the largest in South East Asia and are home to rare Irrawaddy Dolphins, and nearby there is an even rarer railway line, at Ban Khone.
The UNESCO Wat Phou ruins are the major draw for this part of Laos. These are incredible ruins dating from the 6thCentury AD, pre-dating the Khmer Kingdom of Angkor across the Cambodian border. Wat Phou ruins are an easy excursion from Pakse, or a more memorable one onboard the Wat Phou cruise boat.
The Bolaven Plateau is the most fertile area of Laos and, thanks to the French introducing coffee to the regionduring their colonisation of Indochina, the coffee grown here is now ranked as some of the finest in the world. You can enjoy a couple of days' exploring this area - witnessing the rolling glory of the tea and coffee plantations and the incredible waterfalls of Tad Fane and Tad Lo, both well worth a short stop for a refreshing dip.
The Four Thousand Islands form one of the more remote regions of the old French Colonial Empire, but quite accessible by boat. The waterfalls of Khone Phapeng are the largest in South East Asia and are home to rare Irrawaddy Dolphins, and nearby there is an even rarer railway line, at Ban Khone.
