Southern Laos Directions Help

Hi.

I was hoping to spend days in Southern Laos. I%26#39;ll be going from Vientiane to Pakse via bus. This is where I%26#39;m a bit stuck on how to get around. I%26#39;d like to see Wat Phu, Boloven Plateau, and 4000 Islands.

What%26#39;s the best way to Wat Phu from Pakse? Could this be a day trip and back to Pakse?

How would I get to these places from Pakse?

Is Bolovens Plateau commutable from Pakse or should I stay there overnight? Is a taxi the best way to go?

Also, which of the 4000 Islands would be easiest or fastest to get to from Pakse? Is boat the only way to go?

Please do advise.

Southern Laos Directions Help

In Nov, my wife and I spent two weeks exploring Champasak Province and loved every minute; Pakse makes a great base to see Southern Laos. You can get around pretty much anywhere in the Province via public bus, but expect to wait around as they do not always adhere to set schedules, are relatively slow and can be crowded.

We took a boat from Pakse to Champasak town, and stayed there for a few days, with an overnight homestay out on the island of Don Daeng--highly recommended. Anouxsa Guesthouse is a good choice in Champasak, right across the road from the Mekong, spectacular sunrises. Visited Wat Phu by bicycle from the guesthouse, a good long ride but very pleasant, especially if you get an early start in the cool morning. Expect to spend a few hours at the temple site, the setting is spectacular. Returned to Pakse by public bus, just waited out in front of the guesthouse for one to come by at more or less the right time, drops off in Pakse at the Southern bus terminal (where you can also get bus to Chamapasak).

Green Discovery in Pakse offers a good full-day tour of the Bolaven Plateau and is very affordable, especially if there are others on your trip. I think we paid $25 each for the day in a/c mini van and saw a tea plantation, coffee plantation, a strenuous, beautiful jungle trek to Tad Fane, lunch and swimming at the gorgeous Tad Yuang falls, Tad Pasuam, a stop at the dutch-run Koffie%26#39;s Coffee House in Pak Song (he runs coffee tours that look great: www.paksong.info), and a stop at the local market in Paksong, a very full, interesting day indeed!

There are also some great day trip and overnight trekking opportunities offered from the Gov Tourism Office in Pakse. We did a day trip through the office to the silk weaving village Ban Saphae on Don Kho Island, very interesting trip and well worthwhile. Also did the two-day trek in the Xe Pian National Protected Area, along the Ta Ong Trail. The first day ends at the ethnic Brow village Ta Ong, where we stayed in the community guesthouse, a very unique experience. More trekking the next day and a gorgeous canoe ride back to the starting point at Ban Phalai Bok. You can learn more about these trips on the Lao EcoTourism website:

www.ecotourismlaos.com

also lots of great info on the region at travelfish.org; I recommend his e-Guide to Champasak province, very useful!

Visited Se Phan Don for a couple of days as well, stayed on Don Khong at Sala Don Khong, food there is spectacular. Got r/t mini-van tickets to Don Khong booked at a tour office in Paske town center, don%26#39;t remember which one but should be very easy to sort out. Biked around the island one day, very quiet with hardly any other travelers around. Visited Don Khone on a day trip by boat; great trip, but found Don Khone to be quite busy and crowded in stark contrast to relaxed and quiet feel of Don Khong. We spent the day walking around and sitting at Liphee falls, truly an amazing site. Really enjoyed the trip to Don Khone, but was glad we chose not stay there as it was seemed so crowded. Did not make it over to Don Dhet, so cannot comment on that Island. Great scenery on the boat trip back and forth.

Enjoy your trip, we loved Southern Laos!