Pakse is a low-key Mekong town; the reason to come is the Bolaven Plateau behind it, about 1,000 m up, cooler, and covered in coffee farms, villages and big waterfalls. Most people rent a scooter in Pakse and ride a loop of two to four days, sleeping in guesthouses and homestays on the way. Add a day for Vat Phou at Champasak, a Khmer temple older than Angkor Wat. Plan four to five nights in all.
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When to go
October to February is dry and cool on the plateau, the best time to ride. March to May is hot and the falls are at their smallest. From June the rains fill the waterfalls, but dirt sections of the loop turn to mud; experienced riders only.
Pakse right now and the next 7 days
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Pakse on the map
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The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Pakse & Bolaven Plateau · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
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Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Page updated 18 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Pakse & Bolaven Plateau in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Tad Fane and Tad Yuang waterfallsHalf day · ₹250 each · About 20,000–30,000 kip each plus parking. Twin falls into a deep jungle gorge, about 2 km apart.
- Lunch on the way
- 08:00Coffee plantation tour2 h · ₹280 each · About 70,000 kip around Paksong, ends with a cup of the plateau's own coffee.
- 10:30Tad Champee1 h · ₹60 each · About 10,000 kip plus 5,000 parking. You can swim behind the curtain of water.
- 12:00Tad LoHalf day · free · Free. A riverside village with several falls and cheap guesthouses; a good night stop on the loop.
- Lunch on the way
- 08:00Vat Phou, ChampasakHalf day · ₹200 each · About $2–3. A hillside Khmer temple complex and UNESCO site, 40 km south of Pakse.
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Pakse
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
International bus
₹860About $7–10, one morning departure from Ubon bus station; it often leaves late. Lao visa on arrival or e-visa at the border; a small exit fee is charged leaving Laos.
Flight
₹4,200Lao Skyway from about €45 one way; Lao Airlines also flies. Check current schedules; they change often.
Sleeper bus Cheapest
₹760VIP sleeper about 170,000–190,000 kip, overnight. Double berths are shared, so solo travellers may share with a stranger.
Pakse → Paksong Last leg
₹170Only if you are not riding. Intercity fares from Pakse run 30,000–70,000 kip; confirm at the station.
Getting around once you're there
Scooter rental
₹700About 120,000–200,000 kip ($7–10) a day in Pakse. Most shops keep your passport or a cash deposit. Carry a licence and international permit.
Tuk-tuk in Pakse
₹120$1–2 for short rides, up to $4 longer.
Day tour transport to the plateau
₹860About $10 a person for a shared waterfall day from Pakse. For those who don't ride.
Songthaew
₹40Shared pickup trucks, 5,000–10,000 kip for short distances.
Where to stay in Pakse
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Dorm
₹500/night$4–10 a bed. Hostels here rent scooters and keep your big bag while you ride.
Guesthouse
₹600/nightAbout 150,000 kip. Walk in on the loop.
Homestay, half board
₹800/nightAbout 200,000 kip a person with dinner and breakfast.
Hotel
₹1,500/night200,000–450,000 kip for an air-con room; Mekong-view hotels from about $35.
What to eat, and what it costs
Khao piak sen (noodle soup)
₹14025,000–45,000 kip at the morning noodle shops. The local breakfast.
Bowl of pho
₹200About 50,000 kip at the well-known pho houses.
Market or night-stall dinner
₹100About 20,000–30,000 kip for a decent plate.
Sindad (Lao barbecue-hotpot)
₹46080,000–150,000 kip a person. Best shared.
Things to do in Pakse
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Tad Fane and Tad Yuang waterfalls
₹250About 20,000–30,000 kip each plus parking. Twin falls into a deep jungle gorge, about 2 km apart.
Coffee plantation tour
₹280About 70,000 kip around Paksong, ends with a cup of the plateau's own coffee.
Tad Champee
₹60About 10,000 kip plus 5,000 parking. You can swim behind the curtain of water.
Tad Lo
FreeFree. A riverside village with several falls and cheap guesthouses; a good night stop on the loop.
Vat Phou, Champasak
₹200About $2–3. A hillside Khmer temple complex and UNESCO site, 40 km south of Pakse.
Tad Fane zipline
₹3,000About $35. Ziplines across the gorge in front of the falls. The splurge of the trip.
Day trips and next stops
Champasak & Vat Phou
₹200Scooter, or songthaew and ferry
Si Phan Don (4,000 Islands)
₹250Minibus with boat transfer
Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
₹860International bus via Chong Mek
Tad Lo
₹860Day tour from Pakse, or stay on the loop
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- Bike shops hold your passport as deposit. Photograph the bike's dents first and agree in writing who pays for damage.
- Travellers in 2026 report police stops of foreign riders with on-the-spot 'fines'. Wear a helmet, carry a licence and international permit, and ride with lights on.
- Unexploded ordnance from the Indochina war remains in parts of southern Laos. Stay on paths and don't touch metal objects in fields.
Ways to spend less
- Ride the small loop (two or three days) rather than a rushed one-day tour. Sleeping on the plateau is the point.
- Visit Tad Fane and Tad Yuang together in one morning; they are 2 km apart.
- Fly into Ubon Ratchathani on a Thai budget airline and take the morning bus. It is often cheaper than flying to Pakse.
Before-you-go checklist
Pakse in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Pakse & Bolaven Plateau?
Jan–Feb, Oct–Dec is the best time. October to February is dry and cool on the plateau, the best time to ride. March to May is hot and the falls are at their smallest. From June the rains fill the waterfalls, but dirt sections of the loop turn to mud; experienced riders only.
How do I reach Pakse & Bolaven Plateau?
International bus: Ubon Ratchathani (UBP), Thailand → Pakse via Chong Mek, 3 h 30 m – 5 h, about ₹860 one way. Flight: Vientiane (VTE) → Pakse (PKZ), 1 h 10 m, about ₹4,200 one way. Sleeper bus: Vientiane → Pakse, 10 h, about ₹760 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Pakse & Bolaven Plateau cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹4,500 on a shoestring, ₹7,500 mid-range or ₹13,500 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is sleeper bus (Vientiane → Pakse) at about ₹760 each way.
How many days do you need in Pakse & Bolaven Plateau?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Tad Fane and Tad Yuang waterfalls, Coffee plantation tour, Tad Champee, Tad Lo without rushing.
Is Pakse & Bolaven Plateau good for families or solo travellers?
Pakse & Bolaven Plateau works best for solo, couples, groups. It is harder with young children or older parents. Solo travellers find it easy and cheap.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Pakse & Bolaven Plateau?
Lao food leans on fish sauce and padaek (fermented fish), so ask for 'baw sai nam pa'. Pakse has Indian restaurants and traveller cafés with clear vegetarian dishes; on the plateau, sticky rice, eggs and vegetable stir-fries are easy to get.
Will my phone and cards work in Pakse & Bolaven Plateau?
Buy a Unitel or Lao Telecom SIM in Pakse with your passport. Signal is patchy between villages on the loop. A few Pakse hotels take cards. Almost nothing on the plateau does. Kip is king. Fees, homestays, fuel and noodle shops are cash only; bring small notes for the plateau.
Guides for Pakse & Bolaven Plateau
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
Sources and last check
Checked 11 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- gov.uk OfficialFCDO advises against all but essential travel only to Xaisomboun Province; Champasak not named
- takeyourbackpack.comCosts as of 15 Oct 2026: intercity buses 30,000–70,000 kip, songthaews 5,000–10,000 kip, tuk-tuk $1–4, Bolaven day transport ~$10, Tad Lo ~$10, scooter $7–10/day, Vat Phou ~$2, dorms $4–10, daily budget $15–30
- en.wikivoyage.orgLao Skyway Vientiane–Pakse from €45 (Feb 2025); VIP sleeper 170,000–190,000 kip; Pakse hotel rooms 200,000–450,000 kip, Nicolas Homestay $20, Arawan Riverside $35 (Feb 2026); Pho Khemkong 50,000 kip (Feb 2026); police stops of foreign riders (Feb 2026); BCEL/LDB ATMs and limits; exit fee
- thelavendertravelers.comTad Lo guesthouse 150,000 kip, homestay with dinner and breakfast 200,000 kip, Tad Champee entry + parking 15,000 kip, coffee plantation tour 70,000 kip, Tad Fane zipline $35 (Feb 2024 prices, page updated Feb 2026)
- adventuresofjellie.comScooter rental 150,000–200,000 kip per day; Tad Lo free; named rental shops
- faroway.aiKhao piak sen 25,000–45,000 kip; Dao Lin dinner 20,000–30,000 kip; sindad 80,000–150,000 kip per person (via search summary)
- 12go.asiaUbon–Pakse express bus, 08:00 departure, about $6.63, frequent late departures
- backpackmoments.comTad Fane and Tad Yuang entry 20,000 kip each (some report 30,000), 5,000 kip parking; Tad Champee 10,000 kip; passport/cash deposit for rentals (via search summary)
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 18 October 2026 · Photo: Christophe95 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Ilya Plekhanov · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Hector Garcia · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
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