Coffee, ruins and the 4,000 Islands
Southern Laos is the Bolaven Plateau’s coffee farms and waterfalls, the Khmer temple of Wat Phu at Champasak, and the lazy river world of Si Phan Don — the 4,000 Islands — where freshwater dolphins still swim.
Best places to visit
- Pakse — the gateway city to the south
- Bolaven Plateau — coffee plantations and the Tad Fane and Tad Yuang falls
- Champasak & Wat Phu — pre-Angkorian Khmer ruins, UNESCO listed
- 4,000 Islands — Don Det, Don Khone and the Khone Phapheng falls
Travel tips
- Best season: November to February.
- Recommended length: 4–8 days.
- Combine with Cambodia — the border is close and crossings are easy.