SOUTHERN d t L y 265 t P s n o i t a c i l b u P t e n a l Nam Tok Katamtok P y l e n o L

© Plateau Bolaven NPA Se Pian Don Si Phan visitors. The adventurous at adventurous The visitors. falang Wat Phu Wat Phu Wat Phu Bolaven Bolaven Attapeu (p 308 ) Don Si Phan

Ride out to the wild east of Champasak (p 278 ) in awe at 100m-high waterfalls Gaze and on the cool coffee sip fair-trade Plateau (p 298 ) and back via Nam Tok Katamtok (p 307 ) on the Southern Swing (p 297 ) Walk and wade your way into the jungles way into the jungles Walk and wade your Lavae village in the and stay in a remote NPA Pian Se (p 285 ) Wake up early for a dramatic sunrise at the Wake up early for a dramatic sunrise at the ancient Khmer complex at temple Soak up the rural lifestyle from the horizon- Soak up the rural lifestyle of your hammock on the tal perspective laidback islands of (p 285 )      HIGHLIGHTS Heading east from you climb to the cooler climes of the , with with Plateau, you climb to the cooler climes of the Bolaven Heading east from Pakse The obvious, almost unavoidable staging point is Pakse, the Mekong riverside capital of capital the Mekong riverside point is Pakse, obvious, almost unavoidable staging The Southern Laos where minority ethnic groups are still surprised to see groups are minority ethnic where off the beaten track and into the little visited provinces of , and Attapeu of Salavan, Sekong and Attapeu provinces track and into the little visited off the beaten its picturesque waterfalls and high-grade coffee. Keep waterfalls going and you startits picturesque and high-grade getting well coffee. and , where you can soak up the million-dollar sunsets from your hammock. you can soak up the million-dollar Don Det and Don Khon, where border. Among this stunningly beautiful maze of waterways are the palm-lined Don Khong, the are of waterways maze Among this stunningly beautiful border. expanding its girth at Si Phan Don, the ‘four thousand islands’ that straddle the Cambodian that straddle the Cambodian Don, the ‘four thousand islands’ expanding its girth at Si Phan past the ancient Khmer religious complex at Wat Phu Champasak and Don Daeng, before Champasak and Don Daeng, before complex at Wat Phu past the ancient Khmer religious with a relaxed ambience for a ‘city’. From here the Mekong flows south for a ‘city’. From here ambience with a relaxed Champasak Province made it possible to experience an authentic Laos far from the beaten track. an authentic Laos far from the beaten made it possible to experience ingly raw, but as with other partsingly raw, but as with other tourism projects of Laos a series of community-based have Laos a region of stark contrasts for the adventurous traveller. The whole area remains refresh- remains whole area The traveller. for the adventurous of stark contrasts Laos a region of the Bolaven Plateau and three remote and little-visited eastern provinces make southern provinces eastern and little-visited remote and three Plateau of the Bolaven An enticing blend of archetypal Mekong River life, ancient Khmer temples, the cooler climes Khmer the ancient temples, life, River blend of archetypal Mekong An enticing southern Laos than planned. beat experience or are happy just lazing in a riverside hammock, prepare to stay longer in hammock, prepare happy just lazing in a riverside beat experience or are heart seeking motorbike can tackle the southern swing loop. So whether you’re an off- SOUTHERN LAOS but becomes hellishly so between Marchbut becomeshellishlysobetween and The Mekong Valley ishotmostof theyear organisation. withmorealso beaccessed time,moneyand the wildernessof DongAmphanNPA can NPA, attheedge of theBolaven Plateau, and treks thebest waytodoit.DongHuaSao the easiesttoget into,withvillage-based Thong (p 275 PianNPA) andSe (p XapNPA. oftains Se 285 FornowPhu Xieng ) are Phu XiengThongNPA totheremote moun- the riverine forest alongtheMekong River in Areas (NPAs), covering asdiverse habitats as hassix Southern Laos National Protected 266 Climate Areas National Protected SOUTHERN LAOS That Ing Hang Crossing Border Natad Dong SOUTHERN LAOS

Mukdahan

Savannakhet ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ 13 Paksong

(Xeno)

Keng Kok

Seno Phon That

Lakhon Pheng

Heuan

Hin Lak 35 Ban Ban Kanluang Chong

Mek Se Jamphon

Atsaphangthong Lakhonpeng Vang Tao Wat PhuChampasak Utayan BajiangChampasak

Sonbuli

Songkhon Thong NPA Phu Xieng Ὀ ὈὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ Phonthong

Phalan Sanasombun Don Khon Sukhuma Saphai Si Phan Don Det Ban Munla Ban Champasak Don Ban Don Khong Sedon Pamok Talat Muang Khong Don Khiang Kao Se Pon 9 Nong Pakse Nuan NPA Se Ban 13 23 Khun Hat Sai Lak 21 Phu Asa 15 Lao Ngam Ban Muang Muang Thang Beng Ban Nakasang Ban TaOng 20 Sao NPA (Xepon) Sepon Trapaeng Kriel 23 23

Muang Phin Kiet Ngong Dong Ban Dom Kralor Hua Border Crossing Bolaven Se Pian Plateau Ban Khoua 9 NPA Ban Phapho Fan Tat Se Don Set Province, andalltheroadsrunningnorth inChampasak andThangBeng Attapeu trucks). Theexceptionsare Rte 18between and bybuses serviced region, themainroadsare smoothandwell andVietnam.Onceyou’reCambodia inthe –oneeach fromThailand,southern Laos There are three bordercrossingsinto intoDecember.rain right has itsownminiweathersystem, which brings coldafter dark.Theplateaudownright also all year,andfromNovember toFebruary it’s Plateau, ontheotherhand,isrelatively cool ing river breezes, butnotmuch. TheBolaven May. Somerelief comesfromrelatively sooth- &Around There Getting

Ban Muang Prince Souphanouvong's Tat Lo Toumlan Bridge (Destroyed& Paksong

Se Kong Phuoi CHAMPASAK Tat Meelook Impassable) Luang Ban Nong 16 Ban Beng Siempang SALAVAN Vieng NPA Dong Phu Tha Taeng Salavan Dong Dansavanh Ban 60miles 100km 0 0 18 Tahoy Vapi Crossing (Samakhi Xai) Border 16 ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ATTAPEU Attapeu Phu Katae Nong Bua (1588m)

Sanamsay Se Namnoy Katamtok Nam Tok Lao Bao (Muang Lamam) Sekong Ban Kaleum Khe Sanh Ban BengkhuaKham Samouy Se Xap SEKONG

Se Kong NPA Vong Phu Saisettha s Pa-am ǎ wngth Meuang Pha lonelyplanet.com Sansai Amphan NPA 18B ǎ Phou Keua VIETNAM Dak Cheung ew

Dong Se Nong Fa Kaman (passenger Yalakhuntum Crossing Border

Hué Bo Y SOUTHERN LAOS 267 031 / pop 75,000 The centre of Pakse retains the sort of the sort of retains Pakse of The centre Don and Cambodia to the south, the Bolaven Don and Cambodia to the south, the Bolaven to the east, and provinces and remote Plateau in travelling Thailand to the west. If you are all roads will lead to Pakse the south, it is likely at some time during your trip. found in towns like lethargy River Mekong PAKSE ¯¾¡À§ % sits at the con- Pakse to the south, Gateway Se and the River Don the Mekong fluence of Champasak and is the capital of (Don River) in It was founded by the French Province. outpost and has 1905 as an administrative Bridge grown rapidly since the Lao–Japanese opened in 2002. Trade across the Mekong with Thailand and Vietnam may be chang- the town, but tourism has also ing the face of as southern Laos years off in recent taken essential as an stop on the over- emerges It’s region. land trail through the Mekong Si Phan all about location, with Wat Phu, Lao (many of them Phu Thai), KhmersLao and Phu them (many of Mon-Khmer small groups, most of a host of region. Plateau whom inhabit the Bolaven (p 275 ) Starting from Pakse, take a three-day trek and river trip along trip along and river take a three-day trek ) Starting from Pakse, 275 (p PROVINCE •• Pakse CHAMPASAK (p 285 ) Striking out from Pakse, half-day elephant treks and nature walks around around walks and nature elephant treks half-day ) Striking out from Pakse, 285 (p

(p 301 ) This picturesque series of waterfalls picturesque is an affordable base for some straightforward ) This 301 (p

See the boxed text, p 234 , for trekkers’ cultural tips, and visit the excellent website www. tips, and visit the excellent website cultural , for trekkers’ 234 p text, See the boxed day-hikes to pretty villages. Costs are very reasonable, at 45,000K per person, and experienced person, and experienced at 45,000K per reasonable, very Costs are villages. day-hikes to pretty English-speaking spot. available on the guides are TREKKING IN SOUTHERN LAOS IN SOUTHERN TREKKING the years, but despite taken off in recent Opportunities really for trekking southern Laos have in parts developed of the more with compared a raw experience range of hikes available, it remains homestays northern Most of the hikes in southern Laos feature Thailand. Laos or neighbouring It is possible to organise Lao way of life. to immerse yourself in the way a great with Lao families, but centre, is an information there where with local communities directly treks some of these without an English-speakingyou may struggle in tourism office things up. The guide to help set a are or there is a useful starting in Champasak Province, most popular treks point for the Pakse experienced with these treks that can organise ) in Pakse 268 tour operators (p couple of reputable US$50 per day depending about US$20 to along the way. Costs average guides to help interpret on numbers, plus transport trek. to access the popular trekking the more for plenty of helpful information. Some of ecotourismlaos.com are: areas NPA Xieng Thong Phu Longer two- Kiet and Ngong wetlands. stunning views of the 700-hectare ) offer 283 Kiet Ngong (p Kingfisher canoe. Ong villages via dugout Ta remote reach forest Pian’s into Xe three-day treks is a Attapeu English-speakingLodge has knowledgeable from remote Also accessible guides. with a homestay in Ban Mai. waterfall trek Lo Tat the Mekong. The village homestay is much like others in southern Laos, but the hermit nuns homestay is much like village Laos, but the hermit nuns others in southern The the Mekong. a famous fixture. for world peace are maintaining a vow of silence NPA Pian Se Today Champasak Province has a popula- Today Champasak Province CHAMPASAK CHAMPASAK PROVINCE tion of more than 500,000, including lowland more tion of Fai Na (r 1791–1811). Fai was the nephew of the long-reigning Lao the long-reigning king was the nephew of Suriya Vongsa, Sainyakuman (r 1737–91), and kingdom at the beginning of the 18th century. kingdom at the beginning of Champasak kingdom had only The short-lived Soi Sisamut (r 1713–37), who monarchs: three absorbed into the nascent kingdom, away to become an independent Laobut broke AD. Between the 10th and 13th centuries it the Cambodian Angkor empire. was part of Angkor between the Following the decline of was 17th centuries, this region 15th and late empires between the 1st and 9th centuries empires to make Champasak one of the most popular the most popular Champasak one of to make in Laos.provinces Champasak has a long his- tory that began during the Funan and Chenla Champasak, the Mekong River islands of Si islands of River Champasak, the Mekong adding up Plateau, Don and the Bolaven Phan Headline attractions include Wat Phu attractions include Wat Phu Headline and east of Salavan. Cargo boats no longer Cargo boats no longer Salavan. and east of on the Mekong. operate lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS Lao Development Bank Lao Development BCEL MONEY SD Internet Internet Step Next Skynet 6000K perhour,includingthefollowing: fix, allcharging around100Kperminute or There are places toget afastonline several ACCESSINTERNET &TELEPHONE Police Hospital EMERGENCY of town. (p Kho 275 ), weaving centres, 15kmnorth Pakse SaphaiandDon canbemadetoBan fertile Bolaven Plateau. Short daytripsfrom tion of fresh produceandcoffee fromthe biggest inthecountry,famousforitsselec- near theLao–Japanese Bridge isoneof the of town. Chinese Societybuilding style Franco-Chinese look forthegrandiose, Fewer colonial-erabuildingsremain, butdo furthernorth. andThaKhaek Savannakhet 268 building. only) in themain office; cashadvances(Monday toFriday cash andtravellerscheques inthesmallerexchange h the city,includingoneoppositeSangAroun Hotel. AlsohasATMsadvances onVisaandMasterCard. around cash rates forcashandtravellerschequesmakes 8.30-10am Sat)SouthofWatLuang, BCELhasthebest

Information The vastTalat DaoHeung (NewMarket) ‘green season’(corresponding orfrom€760inthehighseason. toMayOctober) more timetoexplore SiPhan Donandsurroundingvillages. from€620inthe These tripsstart verted woodencargo boat.However, theircruisesare slightlylonger,lastingfive daysandinclude prefer toplotyourowncourse. youmay andDonKhone, accommodationnowavailableinChampasak,DonKhong With smart Pakse andSiPhan Don.Bothare butyou’re very tiedtotheitineraryonceyoubook. comfortable, lifeFor thosewholike onthewater, there are nowtwocruiseshipsplyingthewaters between CRUISING THEMEKONGINSOUTHERNLAOS there isonlyonetripperweek),and€528atothertimes(three perweek). Phaphengand Khon falls. Fares (when at€403perpersonfromMaytoOctober vary,butstart tripbetweenPakse two-night three-day, inWatPhu takes Champasak,UoMoung andDonKhong barge-cum-hotel. Itoffers andwestern 12woodenstaterooms bathrooms. withsingleberths A 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pmSat&Sun)Changes 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, ( CHAMPASAK ••Pakse PROVINCE Te luxurious The Newcomer ( % % (Rte 13; (Rte ( % 212 770;Th11; 212 145;Th10) (Rte 13; (Rte 212 018;cnrTh10&46) h Mekong IslandsTours 8am-10pm) h (Th 24; (Th 7am-8pm) h ( onTh10inthecentre % h 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri, 212 168; Rte 13; 212 168;Rte 8am-10pm)

(www.asian-oasis.com)

(www.cruisemekong.com)

wasthepioneer,operatinga34msteel-hulled including entryfees andguide. andtheBolavenPlateau(150,000K), Wat Phu(190,000K) runto highseason,daytrips areas. During and protected the south,includingBolavenPlateau,SiPhan Don around trips andkayaking trekking 13) Mountainbiking, inthePaksongnew junglezip-lineandecoresort area. plansincludea Development trips. andtrekking biking mountain kayaking, 13)Operates rafting, laos.com; Rte anywhere fromPakse. armed withallthelatestschedulesforbusesheading Theyare also Daeng. There’s nochargeforthisservice. Thong NPA, andDon andintohomestaysonDonKho Piancommunity-based treks inSe NPA andPhuXieng staffhere canbookyouonto English-speaking neartheLaoAirlinesoffice,well-organised River) h

Provincial Tourism Office Office Tourism Provincial INFORMATION TOURIST centre. postoffice Main POST CommercialBank ANZ ‘sights’ are‘sights’ limited. Much Pakse’s more aboutbeing thanseeing, Sights &Activities Xplore-Asia Discovery Green trips, trythefollowingreputable companies: Phan Don.Forlonger andmore adventurous Bolaven Plateau, WatPhu andSi Champasak Most hotels canarrange daytripstothe OPERATORS TOUR 2,000,000K inonehit,butwithaUS$5charge. 13; h 8am-noon & 1.30-4pm Mon-Fri) On the Se Don(Don OntheSe 8am-noon &1.30-4pmMon-Fri) 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) ATM8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) dispensingupto offers asimilarset-up aboardacon- ( % ( (cnr Th8&1)Southofthetown 221 893; www.xplore-laos.com; Rte Rte 221 893;www.xplore-laos.com; % 252 908;www.greendiscovery ( % 212 021;Th11; lonelyplanet.com ( % 254 371; Rte 254 371;Rte

SOUTHERN LAOS

‚ ‚ 20 " i 269 " @ 34 35 h Lao- T Bridge " n 47 Japanese

(37km) 12 #

I 34 1

41

28 Th ‚ 22 h

" @ 36 T To Evening Market Clinic Keo Ou Done

" i " @ " 6 i

D Don Khong (125km); Vang Tao; 3 4 Market) To Champasak (30km); Pakse Golf (3km) Talat Dao (2.5km); Southern Bus

13

h VIP Bus Station (300m); # T Heuang (New (Talat Lak Song) (300m); # I A # Th 24 11 !0 Victory Hi-Tech (2km); 1 C3 A4 D4 8 Cambodian Border (158km) # I " @ #2 (Traditional Medicine Hospice) Victory Beer Garden (2km); 39 Clinic Keo Ou Done (500m); 45 46 47 C2 C2 C2 Terminal (6km); Paksong (50km); D2 D2 " S 14 6

1 2 # Mekong Paradise Resort (1km);

2 Arawan Riverside Hotel (400m); 9 # Z 29 30 26 27 28 00.2miles 0400m h 29 T 13 10 & " i Th 40 " @ " @ 37 " m " i " @

24 33

23

Chinese Temple 4 43

4 # 1 5 h T 25 8 " i # G " @ 3 " i # " @ " i h 27 r T e #

16 v 15

31 i " i 26 19 R Champasak Plaza Shopping Centre 17

" 6 5 ng # "f

C 9

6 h 6 h " i T T Champasak & Chong Mek...... " 6 13 30 Meko TRANSPORT Boat Landing...... Office...... Mai Linh Express...... (see 27) Taxis & Sawngthaew to Vat Phou Office...... (see 42) & " @ 42 # 2 18

2

Saigon Champasak Hotel...... (see 27) Sang Aroun Hotel...... Sedone River Guesthouse...... Pakse Hotel...... Royal Pakse Hotel...... Sabaidy 2 Guesthouse...... 1

1 h T B3 B5 C2 C3 C2 D2 D5 # 36

21 h

2 T

C3 C2 C2 C2 # H D5 D2 46 4 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 Bridge French "

i

a lot of dull documents chronicling the history the history chronicling dull documents a lot of past the Lao you get Once province. the of and-sickle flags hammer- and Communist the of in the best part you’re at the entrance Son bronze old Dong very museumthree – striking 7th-century sandstone drums and Uo Moung (Tomo Temple). found at lintels collection and jewellery textile The simple

10 h T " @ 32 20 21 22 23 24 25 " @ 0200m 00.1miles

38 5 Th 3 34 Th

(Rte 13; ¡ × n o i D ? upholds e

S 6

B 1

4

h

h T

" ? T 24 1 Church h 44 SLEEPING Champasak Grand Hotel ..... Champasak Palace Hotel..... Daovieng 2 Hotel...... Hotel Salachampa...... Lankham Hotel...... Lao Chaleun Hotel ...... T Catholic 2 DRINKING Holiday Champa...... Oulayvan Minimart...... Phai Pailin Sundry Shop...... Pizza Boy...... Restaurant Na Dao...... Sinouk Coffee Shop...... Xuan Mai Restaurant......

h " <

T C2 C3 C5 C2 C3 C2 C3 C2 C3 A4 D2 D2 D2 D3 D2 D2 D2 D4 D4 C2 C2 C2 C3 A4 D2 D2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 ©¦¾©¥¿¯¾¦ × 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 33 34 35 36 37 31 32 30am & 1.30-4pm) .

13 0

& 1

4 1 h T Th 9

8.30-11 Th

¡¯½¹¸ Ü

5

PROVINCE •• Pakse CHAMPASAK 1

h 1

h T h T 35 ì© Ö " ridge @ # 8 ` B A Th 7

$´ × @

To Airport (3km); Northern Bus Terminal (7km); Ban Saphai (15km); Don Kho (15km); Vientiane (659km) To Champasak

rench # 45 ‚ F Heritage Museum...... Bank...... See Enlargement Chinese Society Building...... Dok Champa Massage...... Friendship Bowling...... Wat Luang ...... Wat Tham Fai (Wat Pha Bat)...... SD Internet...... Skynet ...... Vietnamese Consulate...... Xplore Asia ...... (see 27) SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Champasak Historical Lane Xang Travel ...... Lao Development Bank...... Main Post Office...... Next Step Internet...... Police...... Provincial Tourism Office...... INFORMATION ANZ Vientiane Commercial BCEL...... Green Discovery...... Hospital ...... Jasmine Restaurant...... Ketmany Restaurant...... Khem Khong Restaurant...... Local Restaurants...... Mengky Noodle Shop...... Nazim Restaurant ...... (see 27) ‚ EATING Champady...... Delta Coffee...... Champasak Historical Heritage Museum ©ê½² Ø PAKSE ² Ø 2 3 5 1

4

66

66 66 this grand tradition. It has a few artefacts and artefacts It has a few this grand tradition. the the admission 10,000K; ² museums in Laos do not Government-run viewing, and for compulsive necessarily make CHAMPASAK HISTORICAL HERITAGE HERITAGE HISTORICAL CHAMPASAK MUSEUM lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS wasn’t that much we friendship theevening and12,000K thereafter.cluding shoes, There pin action.Itis7000K before midday,in- 11pm) Bowling Friendship BOWLING after about500m. to theright GrandHotel andfollow signs the Champasak about 3kmsoutheastof town.Head eastfrom course, itislocated neartheMekong River, fees, clubs,caddy andacart.Quite atechnical ing just1150Bperround,includinggreen a bargain cost- byinternational standards, Phatana; at butswingers canpracticetheirputting Laos, anunlikely pursuitGolf mayseem insouthern GOLF shrine. there because isasmallBuddhafootprint Bat temple festivals. It’salsoknownasWatPha spacious grounds,makingitaprimesite for Palace Hotel, isundistinguishedexceptforits Government.the RoyalLao Loun Sasothith,aformerprimeminister in theashesofthe groundscontains Khamtay in anoriginalwoodenbuilding.A the Behind effect. canonical artwithoutlosingthetraditional murals; theartist’swhimsydepartsfrom concrete woodendoors and pillars, carved tic school at founded in1935,are thelargest. Amonas- which Wat LuangandWatThamFai, both There are about20watsinPakse, among WATS it’s allheadshotsof Party members. Yawn. ages andforlorn-lookingAmericanweaponry, Apart fromasmallcollectionof Buddhaim- encing yourlastfive minutes inthemuseum. Champasak. (Shiva phallus),plusascalemodelof WatPhu from the11thor12thcentury,asmalllingam from the15thto18thcenturies,awater jar struments, stelae intheThamscriptdating nowadays. seen lets andivoryear-plugs, are asthese rarely also interesting foritslarge ironanklebrace- from theNyaheun,SuayandLavengroupsis 270 Pakse Golf Wat Tham Fai WatTham Once youheadupstairs you’llbeexperi- Also onthegroundfloorare musicalin- isabargain lookingforsome forthose CHAMPASAK ••Pakse PROVINCE h 6am-6pm)

( % Wat Luang (Rte 13) (Rte 030-534 8280;www.paksegolf

( . The 18-hole golf course is . The18-holegolfcourse % s ǐ 020-7786 8886;Th11; m neartheChampasak

(Th 11) (Th isamonks’school features ornate thâat . h com; Ban 9am- on massage, sauna andjacuzzi. massage, sauna room.There’s theweight visitors also touse free forguestsandacheap 7000Kperdayfor side. distanceawayontheright-hand is justashort Turn about500mandtheclinic atthesignpostafter right ajumboeastoftheLao–JapaneseBridge. To gethere, take per hour. Unlimiteduseoftheherbalsaunacosts10,000K. from 30,000K(bodyorfoot)to70,000K(aromatherapy) gender. Amassage,usuallywithmedicatedbalms,costs air-con massageroomandherbalsaunasegregated by This professional andpopularmassagecentre hasan body scrubjourneyforjust200,000K. or 70,000Kwithoils. Throwcautiontothewindandhavea atjust35,000K for thestylishset-up:bodymassagesstart are veryreasonable inthecentre oftown.Prices emporium posite thePakse Hotel,thisisthelongest-runningmassage h % Dok Champa Massage Dok ChampaMassage OuDone ClinicKeo after exploring thesouth. Pakse torest ifyouneed wearymuscles those There are centres goodmassage several in MASSAGE &SAUNA champasak-palace-hotel The GYM tion, this place is certainly hardto beat,witha tion, this place iscertainly from 50,000/60,000K; Plateau. andrunsatourofChampasak theBolaven operates adailyboat to and theguesthouse 40,000K. Motorbikes are available forrent, vacy inaroomwithshared facilitiesforjust cheap-as-chips option,orsecure somepri- tobookahead.Four-bedis wise dormsare a homely surrounds.Itcanbevery busy,soit Sabaidy offers goodtravel informationin long-running budget favourite, thefriendly 2tour.com; Th24;dm Sabaidy2Guesthouse BUDGET downward pressure onroomrates. good newsforvisitors, asitmeansplentyof end hotels ontheMekong riverfront. Thisis Pakse andthere isnowacluster of higher- There abitof hasbeen abuildingboomin Sleeping just 3000K. bowled, asitwasbasicallyempty.Snooker is Sedone River Guesthouse River Sedone 9am-10pm, sauna3-9pm)Convenientlylocatedop- 251 895,020-55431115; Champasak Palace Hotel

25,000K, r40,000-87,000K; a (Traditional Medicine Hospice; Medicine (Traditional . com; Rte 13; com; Rte ( ) ( Whenitcomesto loca- % % h 020-7743 9278;Th5; /fax 212992;www.sabaidy

9am-9pm, sauna3-9pm) ( %

h ( lonelyplanet.com % 212 158;Th11; 2-10pm) 212 777;www. ai gymis

s/d A ) SOUTHERN LAOS )

271 ) What it Under )

a aiWs 255 111; www. 212 777; www.cham 254 120; mekongpara aiW % 260 345; www.arawan (

% % ( ( %

(

252 111; sangarounhotel@hot % ( Visible from all over town, this Visible from all over com; r incl breakfast 570,000-1,750,000K; com; r incl breakfast ) . com; r incl breakfast US$25-40; com; r incl breakfast . No one can miss the vast, wedding- No one can miss the vast, ) Arawan Riverside Hotel Mekong Resort Paradise Sang Aroun Hotel Champasak Grand Hotel Champasak Palace Hotel Champasak Palace and hot water, plus some decorative flourish flourish decorative plus some water, and hot an inviting pool by the Mekong River. Specials River. an inviting pool by the Mekong during the low season. available at 1000B are champasakgrand aiWs giant is a smart new addition to the 12-storey dise@yahoo Residence as the Hotel the same ownership is a resort du Champa, this new riverside Set amid escape from downtown Pakse. pretty Mekong gardens, most rooms have verdant still being views. The newest rooms were finished during our visit and include breezy TVs.balconies and flat-screen 1500-6000B; hotelpakse.com; r incl breakfast is a tad claim in their brochure The five-star es- the smarter ambitious, but it is one of tablishments in southern Laos. Rooms are including spacious and elegantly decorated, elephant on everything from the signature include drawer handles to towels. Facilities with others. pasak-palace-hotel.com; Rte US$23-200; 13; r incl breakfast ai 13 about Rte on style Champasak Palace, cake It was origi- the town centre. 1km east of Chao nally built as a palace for Champasakna Champasak, prince of the last the Kingdom of of and the prime minister Laos between 1960 and 1962. Boun Oum started building the palace in 1969, fled to The 115 soon after. in 1974 and died Paris reno- extensive good value after rooms are in vations in 2004, but it is worth investing have (US$60), which the VIP suites one of ample space and panoramic parquet floors, views. Rooms in the Sedone less building are inspiring. in the shape of Laotribal arts. and shape of in the textiles at charged but in public areas, free is Wi-fi in- is in rooms. Breakfast 300k per minute but by night lobby restaurant, cluded in the Le up to venturing it is well worth Panorama the best one of offers which on the rooftop, town. menus in hotel mail.com; Rte 13; r 135,000-240,000K; up for than makes it more lacks in character, smart, Rooms are in amenities and facilities. connection. wi-fi modern and include a fast not is included in some room rates, Breakfast

) a com; Th . A reliable A reliable ) 254 181; Rte 13; 212 273; salachampa@ % Another popular Another popular ) ( ) Set an attractive in

% 251 333; Th 10; r 70,000- ( a

214 331; Rte 13; r 85,000- aiW a 410 192; Rte 13; r US$10; % 213 314; lankhamhotel@yahoo. % ( ( Vietnamese-run, as the ) % Before you ask where Before you ask where

(

) 212 131; www.paksehotel % (

a PROVINCE •• Pakse CHAMPASAK % (

A friendly spot just off the main ) aiW a Hotel Salachampa Royal Pakse Hotel Royal Pakse Pakse Hotel Pakse Saigon Champasak Hotel Daovieng Hotel 2 Lao Chaleun Hotel Lankham Hotel cheaper rooms are not such a good deal as not such are rooms cheaper for in a deluxe no window. Invest they have air-con have views. All rooms River Mekong 5; r incl breakfast US$20-96; 5; r incl breakfast the Pakse, in the heart of hotel French-run garden rooms are rather bland by comparison. garden rooms are 4 is an immense space to hold a with suite this would TLC, more With a little conference. in town. Cheaper be the best boutique hotel ceilings, wooden floors and heavy furnishings. heavy and ceilings, wooden floors the garden and room Room 3 has views of French villa, the rooms in the original build- villa, the rooms in the French with high and character charm full of ing are o yahoo.com; Th 14; r US$14-30; MIDRANGE & TOP END by the old building – the rooms are smart and by the old building – the rooms are sparkling clean. r 100,000-120,000K; base for this is a convenient name suggests, Lanhanyone taking bus to Vietnam, the Mai daily. Don’t be put off as it departs from here this new place with smart rooms, shiny tiles wi-fi. and free Daovieng 1 is (we did), it is out of town on it is out of 1 is (we did), Daovieng for about that one and make 13. So forget Rte TV worth considering. This are and hot water transport. place to rent is also a reliable on a busy morning. Singles are a little cell-like, a little cell-like, are on a busy morning. Singles satellite with air-con, doubles but the larger 130,000K; sleep for that extra hour of drag, this can make Try and bag a larger air-con room at the front. room at air-con Try and bag a larger Lankham busi- rental doubles as a motorbike in size shop. Rooms come ness and noodle op- small or smaller: a cheap fan rooms are facing the corridor. windows tion, but have com; Rte 13; r 60,000-120,000K; centrally located the spot for backpackers, riverside setting on the Seriverside However, Don. it’s the with compared and ageing a tad lethargic rooms start from 60,000K Sabaidy. Air-con and include hot water. for a single lonelyplanet.com 150,000K; Located above Nazim Restaurant, Nazim hotel this above Located so the rooms refurbished, has been recently shininess of the good value given pretty are and fittings. the fixtures SOUTHERN LAOS tation for excellent seafood. Goinagroupso for excellentseafood. tation repu- floating restaurants andhasadeserved of townonthe Mekong, thisis oneof several 15,000-60,000K; morning and afternoon. Self-caterers should morning andafternoon. Self-caterers 15,000-40,000K; pîng p you canshare dishes, especiallythe several some DaoCoffee fromtheBolaven Plateau. era building,it’salsoafriendlyspot tosipon in aFrench- dishes.Set of Thai andLaotian alike, the Champadyhasanextensive menu h Western dishes andfry-upbreakfasts. vides refuge onahotday.Themenuincludes Ketmany hasanair-con interior which pro- food,the andVietnamese for authenticLao menu. It’soneof theonlyplacesforalate feed. onthe and thatmayexplainthe‘gleamcheese’ lic bread. Theowners speakabitof French fruitshakes sauce), gar- andeven sweet-spicy top-drawer serves 30,000K; Restaurant Mai Xuan LAO, THAI ANDVIETNAMESE 13; head tothemarket ortry Sundry Shop your pick.Therestaurants are openallday. different;slightly justwanderalongandtake taurants struggle. Even better isthespread of of beingrude,butthesoupsare worththe canbeindifferent tothepoint the Lankham mous foritsduck for noodlesandsoup.Mengky isjustlyfa- Noodle Shop Hotel perience. Therestaurant underthe breakfast andlunch, isanimmersive ex- Lao Chowing downwiththelocals,especiallyat Eating nonguests at54,000Kperday. shaped poolandfitnesscentre, available to internet isincluded,plusthere isakidney- views andanattractive woodentrim.Free yer-face exterior. AllroomsincludeMekong Pakse hotel scene,despite thesomewhatin- 272 is best), Champady Restaurant Ketmany lights, Just westof thetraffic Khem Khong Restaurant Restaurant Khong Khem h 7am-9pm) and,justacrosstheroad, CHAMPASAK ••Pakse PROVINCE 7am-10pm), ą h a on Th 46, each one serving something onTh46,each oneserving khào pûn (grilled fish). It also serves Beerlao Beerlao (grilled fish). Italsoserves 6am-midnight)

(Rte 13) (Rte (Rte 13) (Rte Popular withlocalsandvisitors h ( % h Pakse’s answerto7-Eleven. 11am-10pm) 030-534 8999;mains15,000-40,000K; 6.30am-9.30pm) are safe andpopularplaces sells decent sells (white flournoodleswith ( f f % ǒ ǒ e

e (15,000K;thechicken PopularXuanMai ( breakfasts. Service at breakfasts. Service 213 245;Th4;mains13,000- % ( % Oulayvan Minimart Oulayvan Minimart Located justsouth 212 615; Rte 13;mains 212 615;Rte 213 240;Th11;mains Agoodspot khào j Phay Pailin Phay į Lankham Lankham local res- Mengky Mengky i in the (Rte (Rte a good selection fromthesubcontinent,in- a goodselection 50,000K; you’re inluck,asdowntownPakse boasts French dininghasarrived inPakse. Exiled Dao Heuang;mains30,000-180,000K; less-exciting hotdogsandfries. and croissants ice latte peppermint. Snacksincludemoist designer coffees like mocha bananaliquoror in thecupandbybag.Themenuincludes this cafe isbest-knownforitscoffee, soldboth h andasmattering andThaifare. ofpastas Lao eller cafe offers good-value pizzas,sometasty h workers.plantation money tobuildschools forthechildren of nearPaksongfrom theirplantation andraise someof thebestcoffee intown Siriporn serve sticky riceintheboonies.Owners Alanand particularly ifyou’ve onasteady been dietof andpizzasarepasta stronglyrecommended, tion of andThaidishes.Thelasagne, Italian ‘Coffee’ suggests, includingaheartyselec- 50,000K; DeltaCoffee WESTERN, INDIANANDMORE along the Mekong, tothenorth of the Khem of alocaltouch, check out theriverside bars or two. Beerlao Formorestop forasunset The rooftop baratthe Drinking northern Indiancuisine. former partners, andhasasimilarmenu of across theroad,easingtensions between 15,000-50,000K; offerings. cluding tikkadishesandextensive vegetarian Jasmine Restaurant two restaurants almostopposite each other. for 185,000K. olives andafive-course menudegustation basscarpaccio,Paksongand sea with goose Moreish momentsincludeasalmon Laos. to bringtheircultured cuisinetosouthern from Vientiane,thefamilyhasmigrated south feel like adrunken sailor. of therestaurant asyou’ll onawindynight, in 3Ltowers, butbeware thegentle rocking SinoukCoffeeShop If it’sthetaste of Indiayoucrave, then Restaurant NaDao Restaurant PizzaBoy 7am-10pm) 7am-7pm) h h 7am-10pm) Nazim Restaurant 7am-10pm) Inarenovated French shophouse

( FormerlyVan this littletrav- Pisa, ( % % h 212 982; Rte 13;mains20,000-54,000K; 212 982;Rte 030-534 5895; Rte 13;mains20,000- 030-534 5895;Rte pain auchocolat 7am-10pm) ( % Delta does alot more does than Delta is the original and serves is theoriginalandserves ( % ( % 251 002; Rte 13;mains15,000- 251 002;Rte 255 558;Th38,oppositeTalat 212 552;cnrTh9&11; Pakse Hotel ( % recently relocated

h 410 192; Rte 13;mains 410 192;Rte lonelyplanet.com 11am-11pm) daily,plus isanice Fine SOUTHERN LAOS

ew ǎ 273 also also usually usually wngth ǎ s 251 508), % (

212 228; off Rte 13), 254 149, 0592-211 211 in 211 in 254 149, 0592-211 (Km 7 bus terminal), (Km 7 bus terminal), leave the leave % ew % ( ( ǎ

wngth ǎ s northern terminal khíw lot lák jét lot khíw operates a daily minibus connecting a daily operates VIP Bus Station The other service is departing from here Mai Linh Express of town. When buying bus tickets at any of of at any tickets buying bus When town. of 7km north of town on Rte 13, you’ll find a 13, you’ll town on Rte 7km north of called agonisingly slow normal procession of steady heading north. Every buses (without air-con) or so between50 minutes 6.30am and 4.30pm a slow bus starts the long haul to Savannakhet the handy Thai–Lao Bus; see International p 274 for details. (Morning Market) Dao Heung Market Buses and for Market the Dao Heung of farm at the edge if you Champasak (20,000K, one to two hours, and for Ban Saphai to wait for a ferry) have between about regularly (8000K, 40 minutes) 6.30am and 3pm. Northern Bus Terminal At the 3.30pm. For more information on crossing information 3.30pm. For more . 310 into Vietnam this way see p VIP Bus Station The Station Bus or Market known as the Evening most VIP busesKm 2 Bus Station, is where eightto Vientiane (150,000-190,000K, to 10 though they also 677km) originate, hours, the Lankhamusually stop in town, around and at the bus offices next to the SeHotel theseDon. It’s possible to take buses to Seno (for Savannakhet) and Tha Khaek, but the unfriendly and you pretty arrival times are for the various Tickets to pay the full fare. have in guesthouses, hotels available VIP buses are town; just ask where all over and restaurants This you need to be when the bus is leaving. bus station includes the inviting KVT Coffee access for and internet with air-conditioning 8000K per hour. Pakse’s bus stations, ensure you buy the ticket ticket you buy the bus stations, ensure Pakse’s and bus driver or the counter from the ticket some out to make intermediaries not from any quick kip. Vietnam) in Vietnam’s Kontum (118,000K) with Pakse CentralPaksong via Highlands. It travels (15,000K), Sekong Attapeu (34,000K), (108,000K) on the (57,000K) and Ngoc Hoi Ho Chi Minh Highway. It departs at 7am (p271) from the Saigon Champasak Hotel in Kontum around and arrives in Pakse

, is a ter- 30am & . ew that do ǎ 8-11 7am-11pm) ew h ǎ h wngth Lao Airlines office ǎ s wngth (Th 11; ǎ s Victory Beer Garden EW Ǎ a day or two before. a day or two before. PROVINCE •• Pakse CHAMPASAK , a small nightclub on the new Holiday Champa Holiday Champa WNGTH Ǎ

212 252; www.laos-airlines.com; Th 11; 212 252; www.laos-airlines.com; As the night the locals head to unfolds, most As

Sabaidy 2 Guesthouse a (p270) operates The popular grungy haunt of Lotty recently Lotty recently haunt of The popular grungy The airport is 3km northwest of town and The airport is 3km northwest of % local bus, as you get picked up in the centre centre up in the picked local bus, as you get if slightly more expensive option than the option than the expensive if slightly more the boat transfer. Prices are usually around Prices are the boat transfer. 50,000K to Don Khong and 60,000/70,000K to Don Det/Don Khon. This is a convenient, minals. Most guesthouses and hotels offer minals. Most guesthouses offer and hotels Don, including Phan Si of to the islands tickets BUS & S has several bus and Pakse bit more expensive) than taking the new road, expensive) bit more relaxing. more but infinitely daily boat to Champasak for those that like It costs 65,000K per person on the water. life at 8am. It is slightly slower (and a and leaves the trip in half the time for less money. Any has evaporated with the a recovery of chance new road to Champasak, running along the the Mekong. west bank of stopped operating, unable to compete with stopped operating, unable to compete soaring fuel prices and BOAT the public boat from so many others, Like to Champasak and Don Khong Pakse has ( 1.30-4.30pm Mon-Fri) several (US$132), with services per week. at the Be to check sure (US$155). There are also in- are There Luang Prabang (US$155). flights Reap (US$119) and to Siem ternational Pakse Airport has several flight domestic Pakse con- servicesnections, including daily to Vientiane (US$118) and several flights per week to Getting There & Away AIR it, 11.30pm. The nearby it, 11.30pm. The nearby open-air place showing regular relaxed more friends). football (soccer to our American Vientiane, but it does stay until, wait for open with a beer garden out front, but it remains to with a beer it remains garden out front, but its old form. be seenif it will recapture Victory Hi Tech night out. as reopened Khong Restaurant. Plastic chairs, fairy lights fairy Khong Restaurant. Plastic chairs, Beerlao cold of and oodles a Lao for make dark and not exactly ring road. It is loud and lonelyplanet.com has a BCEL A jumbo to the office. exchange airport should cost about 20,000K. SOUTHERN LAOS drop travellers orDonDet/ at DonKhong toPhnom Penhnational services that can bus companiesrunninginter-Cambodian More areand DonKhon. comfortable the (30,000K, three to fourhours) forDonDet Nakasang 7amand3pm Ban between (35,000K includingferry, three hours, 120km) there are regular departures forMuangKhong easily bea beabus,but itcouldjustas transport might 8 busterminal’), southof townonRte 13.The the For transportanywhere southoreast,headto Southern BusTerminal p Vientiane, see 114 . the time. tobreakmore thejourneyifyouhave sense two changes alongtheway,soitmakes much usually involve oneor ‘direct’These services 150,000K) andDanang(7am,180,000K). (6am, 100,000K),Hue(6.30am, Bao for Lao leaveare interminably long.Dailyservices fromhere, journeytimes although services on howlongthebusstopsinSavannakhet. journeysarethese very flexibleanddepend (100,000K, 16to18hours). Thedurationsof and amajor masochistic streak, Vientiane ofthose youwithplentyof time,nomoney toninehours), (50,000K,eight and,for Khaek (35,000K, fourtofive hours, 277km),Tha 274 toPakse aboutbuses For details from There are alsoafew international bus where another street andfinda (onehour,82km).Theto UbonRatchatani cheaperoptioniswalktheendofstall-lined drivers usuallywaitoutsideimmigrationandwantaboutB900toB1200forawholeair-con van plate fullofpurplenachosminustheguacamole. order. They’ll processyourentryinshort Taxi a buildingthatlooksvaguelylike another 100morsotoThai immigration,located inastartling plus anexchangeofficeoffering criminallylowrates. 300m uptothegreen-roofed building,where you’llbestampedout.Immigrationisalsohere, between Talat andVang DaoHeuang(NewMarket) Tao. stops,walkabout Whenyourtransport 45minutes)taxis (20,000Kperpersonor120,000Kforacharter, you’re ever tosee–run likely Laos. FromPakse, The CROSSING THETHAI BORDERAT CHONGMEK&VANG TAO ticket to the Thai capital (280,000K), also departing at3.30pm. alsodeparting totheThaiticket capital(280,000K), at3.30pmdailyoracombinationbus/sleepertrain to Bangkok(200,000K,14hours),departing fromPaksemain busstationat7.30amand3.30pm.Itisalsopossibletobuythroughtickets direct betweenPakse andUbon.Busesleave Pakse at8.30amand3.30pm,runfromUbon’s southern terminal CHAMPASAK ••Pakse PROVINCE Walk throughthethrongsoftradersandsmall-timesmugglersloitering aroundtheborder,then Much lessstressful istheThai–Lao International Bus(55,000K,2½tothree hours,126km) Vang Tao crossing (Laos)/Chong Mek (Thailand) s ǎ wngth s ǎ s wngth ǎ ( s ǎ wngth ǎ khíw lot lákp ew wngth ǎ . ForSiPhan Don, ew ǎ ew ǎ willsoonpickyouupforthetriptoUbon(40B,onehour,40km). ew (40B, one hour) to Phibun Mangsahan. Itwilldropyouatapoint (40B,onehour)toPhibun Mangsahan. (10,000K,75minutes, 44km)–andsomeofthemostbattered ą et et or ‘Km cluding Sabaidy 2 Guesthouse, Lankham Lankham cluding Sabaidy 2 Guesthouse, popularbudget in- through guesthouses, day. Motorbikes are alsoreadily available cycles, usuallyforaround10,000K per stopping atTat Fan ifyouask.Transportto leaves forPaksong (15,000K,90minutes), around 12noon. Phapho (25,000K,twohours orso),leaving s 60km southof One theborderinCambodia. ets toStungTreng (120,000K,five hours), the boattransfer. alsooffer buses tick- These TicketsDon Khon. cost55,000Kincluding at about 60,000K forsmaller bikes, risingto ChaleunHotel. Pricesstart Hotel andLao are 20,000K( charter, fares thestandard tothebusstations either busterminal costsabout5000K.For a bittoavoid beingovercharged. Arideto but asaforeigner tobargain youwillneed shared 3000Kand8000K, basiscostsbetween Using anyof Pakse’s localtransportona five tosixhours, 212km). (40,000K, and 11amcontinuetoAttapeu four hours, 135km)leave 7am hourlybetween drop youatTat Lo. (30,000K, toSekong Buses leaves regularly untilaround2pmandcan Salavan (25,000K,three tofourhours, 115km) or tuk-tuk). Gtig Around Getting ǎ wngth rent shopsandguesthouses bi- Several Regular transporttotheBolaven Plateau ( h ǎ 5am-6pm) isthebusiestinsouthern ew runstoKietNgongandBan s ǎ am-lâaw ) or30,000K(jumbo lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS

Ban 275 lies Phu Khong near the boat near for about 60,000K §¼¤êº¤ Þ (www.ecotourismlaos.com)

am-lâaw ǎ s ¤§¾©² È to Ban Saphai (8000K, 45 min- . The trip involves river trans- river . The trip involves ew ǎ Tourist Centre Information The Phu Xieng Thong NPA is home to a is home to Xieng Thong NPA The Phu Xieng Thong NPA The best way into Phu A couple of villagers speak enough speak English villagers A couple of wngth ¾¦½¹¤¸$Á¹ È ǎ small pier in Ban and Saphai speak some English a trek over historically important over a trek pretty as it can get early, trek to five-hour cross exposed rock the trek of warm. Parts a turtle resemble outcroppings that allegedly a backdrop to and provide and a fish basket forest and exposed and cave- sandstoneforest ridges contain which pre- some of outcroppings, like the historic paintings. On the Thai side of National Park. Taem is Pha Mekong including important con- wildlife, of range peafowl and green banteng, centrations of clouded leopard. Elephant, Douc langur, gib- might also bear and tiger black bon, Asiatic that visitors pass through, but it is unlikely will see these. If the season any of is right to see likely some striking more much you’re wild orchids. community-based is on a two- or three-day of village beginning in the Mekong trek Singsamphan port, a homestay in Ban Singsamphan and (Khong Mountain). It’s best to start the four GETTING & AWAY THERE S a tuk-tuk or hire one way. From Ban to Don Kho Saphai boats A boat people. five cost 20,000K for one to tour around Don Kho costs 70,000K. Phu Xieng Thong NPA ¯ the 1200-sq-km of Although the majority Phu Xieng Thong NPA its most accessible areas Province, in Salavan The area Pakse. from 50km upriver about are deciduous monsoon scrub, mixed features can phone ahead to arrange a bed. This is a bed. ahead to arrange can phone Centre, the Ban Handicraft Saphai part of stalls selling of a couple local are there where weaving. the of homestays, the tours guided to arrange people), per day, one to four island (50,000K Lao-style for a half day) fishing trips (25,000K (50,000K and even lessons in silk weaving one heard of We have per day, plus thread). days ‘homestaying’woman who spent four and learning to weave. Dao Pakse’s from fairly regularly leave utes) p273), or Market; (Morning Market Heung

Wat Don phàa salóng, at the edge of of at the edge PROVINCE •• Around Pakse CHAMPASAK on the far side of the island. on the far side of ¾$¦½²¾¨ É community guesthouse

sacred forest , which has some French-era buildings and has some French-era , which The villages of Don Kho are some of the some of Don Kho are of The villages

If a homestay your thing doesn’t sound like Like Don Daeng further south, there are are there Don Daeng further south, Like the the stay. Just say ‘guesthouse’ when you turn up (it’s about and someone will lead you there the guys in the a 700m walk). Alternatively, offering to the forest spirit to smooth your to the forest offering Bed the same as a home- are and meal rates a small will help you make stay, and villagers there’s a there’s per house. Meals are taken with the host fam- taken are per house. Meals ily and cost 20,000K. In our experience, the food is delicious. 30,000K per bed, with a maximum two people fires burned inside the trunks to extract a resin to extract a resin burned inside the trunks fires used to seal local boats. best places to experience a homestay (see the ) in southern Laos. Just turn 45 p text, boxed up on the island and say ‘homestay’ and the will sort you out. A homestay costs villagers Kho In the southeast drum tower. an impressive that the grounds is a soaring tree corner of old, thoughlocals say 200 seems is 500 years periodically have These trees realistic. more between Don Det and Savannakhet. These sight is days, however, the only real served as a mooring point for boats steaming the centre. Believethe centre. it or not, Don Kho was southern Laosbriefly the capital of following arrival in the 1890s, and it later the French or so residents live in villages at either side at in villages live or so residents rice in the 800m-wide island and farm of ping back to a more simple time. The 300 time. simple ping back to a more no cars on Don Kho and despite the advent on Don Kho the advent no cars and despite step- you’re like electricity it’s easy to feel of ing distinctive silk and cotton silk and ing distinctive happy to let long sarongs for men, and are you watch. weaving. Women can be seen Women can weaving. working on their homes produc- looms underneath large

The Mekong island of Don Kho and the Don Kho and the ©º$£/® island of The Mekong Ban 15km Saphai, about of nearby village famous for their silk are Pakse, north of AROUND PAKSE Don Kho & Ban Saphai able for 210,000K per day if you rent for a per day if you rent able for 210,000K trails on the for tacklingweek, some of perfect beyond roads or remote Plateau the Bolaven Attapeu, Sekong or Salavan. 80,000K for more powerful 120cc bikes. The bikes. 120cc powerful for more 80,000K Lankham avail- dirt bikes has 250cc Hotel lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS of townandare themainattraction,as (p Champasak 278 ) lie8kmsouthwest Mon-Fri) The Information side of circle. thefountain spread alongtheoneriverside street, either (p281). Daeng pointfor Dontown alsoactsasajumping-off in theimmediate vicinityof WatPhu. The hastheonly accommodationChampasak couple of dayshere. It’seasytospenda standards. byLao even relaxed andcowswhoseem it withbuffaloes venture downthenarrowmainstreet share Thefew woodenhouses. vehicles thatLao share spacewithtraditional Chao Ratsadanai, andanothertohisfather Oum naChampasak cluding onethatoncebelonged toChaoBoun remaining French colonial-erabuildings,in- departed withtheformerroyalfamily.The main street alludingtoagrandeurlongsince circleinthemiddleofplace, thefountain the daysthetownisasomnolent just that.These royalty, butuntilonly30years agoitwas It’s hardtoimagine of asaseat Champasak % ¥¿¯¾¦ CHAMPASAK (200,000K). Singsamphan andaboatfromthereBuang Kha toBan cheaper route involves roadtransporttoBan costs350,000K.Aslightly Singsamphan Ban in Pakse (p 268 Saphaito ). Aboatfrom Ban down fromtheProvincial TourismOffice pendently –ifyou’re interested, get thelow- toreach inde- Singsamphan difficult Ban there. forahomestay to DonKho the three-day version, which headsdownriver trip finishesafter thetrek butwerecommend cessful ontheinternational stage. Thetwo-day dedication isquite inspirationalifnotyetsuc- name of worldpeace. Bizarre, yes,buttheir years, allinthe ing andmanyfoodsforseveral andhave forsaken speak- Pa Peung Cliff) (Bee nuns lives inacave underneaththedramatic of alunch stopwithsomehermitnuns.The beautifulforest,through withthepossibility views. More enjoyableisthetwo-hourwalk mysterious archaeological ruinsandamazing 276 is inChampasak Just abouteverything The Angkor-period ruinsof WatPhu Limited transportmeansitispossiblebut 031 Lao Development Bank LaoDevelopment CHAMPASAK ••Champasak PROVINCE changes cashand travellers cheques. × ¡ ( h 8 . 30am-3 . 30pm Fri) Centre stucco relief onthefront.Thiswaswat colonnaded verandah, andhasawashedpastel Thong. Anold Nyutthitham north–south street isthelate 19th-century temples. Onadirtroadparalleltothemain hasacoupleofChampasak mildly interesting public internet access. about 150msouthof theInthira Hotel, has day, irrespective of numbers. Guides charge 40,000/80,000Kforahalf/full Phu andthe ancientcity,andtoUmTomo. speak English,leaddaywalksaroundWat there.house Local guides,someof whom boats toDonDaengandabedintheguest- Um TomoandDonDaeng,canarrange with informationaboutthetown,WatPhu, Ithaswell-presentedChampasak. displays Sights &Activities 6 " charge forkip. It isUS$2percheque ifyouwantdollars, no Unfinished 1 3 2 3 CHAMPASAK Palace Internet NamOly Internet The shouldbeyourfirst pointof callin S " INFORMATION ot oDnDeg...... Daeng Don to Boats TRANSPORT Restaurant...... Lujane & Frice EATING Guesthouse...... Thavisab ...... Hotel Siamephone & House Guest Saythong ...... House Guest Khamphouy & House Guest Dokchampa SLEEPING (Wat Nyutthitham Wat ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS Bank...... Development Lao Visitor District Champasak Restaurant...... Restaurant...... Thong) Centre...... Information

Information Visitor Champasak District ( % @ A , more commonly knownasWat i 020-220 6215; 2 #2 Administration oPke(30km) Pakse To s 5 Offices Public ǐ i i " " m 7 Fountain

# (per hr12,000K; features anarched and Circle i " ‚6 Police Z # 10 Office

8m;PipoeGetos (9km); Guesthouse Phimphone (8km); #H Post 1 6 4 3 1 9 8 7 5 2 htaaaa WtMagKang) Muang (Wat Phuthawanaram

` ‚# h us os etuat(500m); Restaurant & House Guest A3 A3 ‚ A3 A3 A3 B3 B3 B3 B2 B1 D " etuat(0) ogPaseud Vong (70m); Restaurant i " 4 nentNmOy(5m;Wat (650m); Oly Nam Internet 10 hmaa p (500m); Spa Champasak otLanding Boat to Stairs 8am-4.30pm Mon- a h hmaa (9km); Champasak Phu Wat lonelyplanet.com 00.05miles0100m oSuhtaGetos & Guesthouse Souchitra To !0 9 a hpi (1km) Phaphin Ban (500m); Restaurant a o aa (15km) Talat Don Ban @ " h B nhr oe (500m); Hotel Inthira ushue& Guesthouse

‚ 8 7am-6pm), oAnouxa To i ‚ " Mekong Ri

ver

Wat ‚ SOUTHERN LAOS 020- 277 030-534

% ( %

( 252 700; r 30,000- 920 038; r US$2-15; 920 038; r US$2-15; 020-227 4218; r 30,000K) % % . The Dokchampa . The Dokchampa ) ( ( 920 059; r 50,000-150,000K; % a ( %

( One of the first guesthouses the first in One of Just south of the circle, the simple the circle, the simple Just south of Long a popular choice with backpackers with backpackers Long a popular choice These clean and comfortable rooms are ) ) Saythong Guest House & Restaurant Vong Paseud Guest House Vong Paseud Khamphouy Guest House Dokchampa Guest House and Restaurant Souchitra Guesthouse Phimphone Guesthouse The restaurants in the following guest- in the following The restaurants a booth. The rooms are pretty basic but in- pretty booth. The rooms are clude an attached bathroom, and the family friendly. are bathrooms and over- rooms with hot-water New beds were a good choice. head fans are under construction during our visit, so expect a decent night’s sleep. 5535 0910; r 40,000-150,000K; years a serious facelift in recent has undergone the smartest now some of and the rooms are room 6 for river Try to bag at this price range. bungalows start from views. Air-conditioned 100,000K and include spiffy bathrooms and TV. satellite room and paper-thin walls, but the newer walls, but the newer room and paper-thin substantial. The more are rooms air-con and breezes with river comes restaurant fare. travellers’ serves better-than-average for available and bicycles are Motorbikes about near the Inthira Hotel, It is located rent. the fountain circle. 600m south of resolutely remains town, Mr Sing’s place basic while all those The around it upgrade. but a little musty. The res- Saythong is cheap, taurant (mains 15,000k to 30,000k) has one of the best locations in town. – it’s the closest beds to Wat Phu This offers from the entrance metres hundred just a few you do this, ask at one of the food tents for for food tents the one of this, ask at you do your of care particular and take spot a safe from the ranging valuables. Accommodation, basic (homestay) is available to the luxurious Daeng. on nearby Don all year-round dinner. houses are open for breakfast, lunch and and lunch for breakfast, open houses are 40,000K) a good deal if you opt for a fan, but not quite a good deal if you opt for a fan, but not quite The if you turn on the air-con. a steal such ham- riverside spacious common verandah, all good places to are mocks and restaurant out. chill thanks to the English- and French-speaking and French-speaking thanks to the English- restau- riverside located attractively owners, The original ferry. lift from the rant and free just a fan, bath- bones with bare rooms are a 6603; r 30,000K)

w ǎ h 10am- kâew and h m ǐ s at Wat Thong, at Wat Thong, Champasak Spa Champasak Spa m ǐ s (Tripitaka library) at i ą , more popularly known as popularly , more w t ǎ PROVINCE •• Champasak CHAMPASAK h Set in a traditional wooden here contain the ashes of King King contain ashes of the here uk ų . Supposedly at a certain moment in i ą

after the massage with some herbal tea the massage with some herbal tea after 020-5649 9739; www.champasak-spa.com; 020-5649 9739; www.champasak-spa.com; have coloured mosaics at the corners, and mosaics at the corners, coloured have You can reach Wat Muang Kang by boat Wat Muang Kang You can reach Ostensibly these crystal-sided boxes hold these crystal-sidedOstensibly boxes About 8km south of town on the Mekong town on the Mekong south of 8km About w t

After exploring the region, treat yourself treat exploring the region, After i ǎ ą % on the grounds of Wat Phu Champasak. Wat Phu If on the grounds of Champasak Festival (Magha Puja; usually Puja; usually (Magha Champasak Festival ), when you can sleep 281 see p in February, Finding a room in Champasak is straight- forward enough except during the Wat Phu Sleeping & Eating to Wat Phu and is also a good cause and is also a to Wat Phu as it women to stay local jobs to allow in creates Champasak to the city. rather than migrate and fruit. It’s almost as essential as a visit calming, very much the international spa ex- the international much calming, very perience at local prices. Relax in a riverside sala massage with a hot compress (70,000K). (70,000K). with a hot compress massage Service very is superb and the atmosphere a foot massage (45,000K), body massage a foot massage (45,000K), body massage (80,000K) and a herbal (45,000K), oil massage midday & 1-7pm). include treatments house on the riverbank, to a round of pampering at the to a round of ( combine a boat trip to Wat Muang Kang with combine a boat trip to Wat Muang Kang ). 282 a visit to Uo Moung (p from Champasak, or come by bike on the nar- from Champasak, or come by bike You could row dirt road along the riverbank. holy mountain above Wat Phu Champasak. Wat Phu holy mountain above across the river, bounces through the across the river, (crystal) and alights atop Sri Lingaparvata, the the night, a mystic light beam comes from h (most saythe annual lunar calendar it’s dur- in the middle of Festival), ing the Wat Phu Buddha images, but local legend ascribes a ascribes but local legend Buddha images, magical purpose to the one atop the more t crystal at windows coloured with a small box reminiscent ridge, the top roof of the centre Burmese architecture. of French-colonial and Lao Buddhist architec- French-colonial the of roofs The three-tiered ture. the intriguing combines elements of Wat Muang Kang Wat Phuthawanaram the Like Kang. Wat Muang stands the oldest active temple in Champasak, in temple stands oldest active the Nyutthitham (died 1885), Chao RatsadanaiNyutthitham 1975), and Chao Boun Oum (died (died 1946) royalty. among other used Champasak’s by the family, and royal kád thâat lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS leaf). a tasty serves side restaurant (mains15,000Kto30,000K) rooms, butnotalotintheatmosphere department. clean Probably thebiggesthotelintown,withsmart, day until about 3pm; see p day until about3pm;see 273 . s journey timetoless thanonehour. and Buses to28kmandthe ally itwillcutthe distance vehicles itandothers don’t, buteventu- use construction atthetimeof writing,sosome the westbankof theMekong. Itwasstillunder nected toPakse byanewroad runningalong isnowcon- The bignewsisthat Champasak &Away There Getting Guesthouse Thavisab SiamephoneHotel with aglassof vino. washeddown orlasagne Try gnocchi, pasta on19th-centuryfamilyrecipes.dishes based trattoriahasasmallmenuofItalian authentic 60,000K) Menu at69,000K,includingashotof Discovery45,000K orjustwadeintotheLao ily. Pricesare reasonable from15,000Kto it isalsopartof theGreen Discovery fam- inVientiane,as Kop ChaiDeuRestaurant borrowing liberallyfromthemenuof the The restaurant isoneof thebestintown, fresco rain shower. Mmmm,very niceindeed. al- with plentyof spaceandaBalinese-style gardenhouses a doublebalconyorLao-style and with terrazzo bathtubs,flat-screen TVs treme. duplexsuites fromsplit-level Choose theroomsareshophouse, tasteful intheex- inaconvertedaccommodation scene. old Set a wholenewexperiencetotheChampasak com; rUS$60; so who’scomplaining? there isn’tthatmuch actioninChampasak, from themiddleof theaction,butcomeon, are spaciousandsmart.It’sabitof ahike well-worth themoneyat120,000Kasthey conditioned bungalowsthatfacetheriver are Theair-pealing bungalowsinChampasak. friendly Anouxaoffers someof themostap- a 278 TV andhotwater. TV a (rice whisky). ǎ wngth Frice & Lujane Restaurant &LujaneRestaurant Frice o AnouxaGuesthouse options: Other sleeping ) Long-runningguesthousewithlargeroomsincluding ) Arguably thepickof th CHAMPASAK ••WatPhuChampasak PROVINCE An unlikely this findinChampasak, ǎ ew Inthira Hotel Inthira Hotel aiW fromPakse leave the throughout mok pa ( % ( ( % ) The classyInthirabrings % 920 128;r150,000K; ( % (fishcurryinbanana 920 081;r50,000-150,000K; 213 272;r100,000-150,000K;

The attached river-The attached ( 214 059;www.inthirahotel. % e guesthouses, thee guesthouses, 920 096;mains40,000- a lào-láo )

Cambodia. However, youknowtheoldadage However, Cambodia. Angkor-eramental sites nearSiemReapin Wat Phu issmallcompared withthemonu- orMtPenis),colloquially asPhu Khuai of thePhu Pasak range (alsoknownmore Stretchingto Laos. 1400muptotheslopes 4 ¸ WAT PHUCHAMPASAK rented atmostguesthouses. (50,000/80,000K perhalf/fullday)canbe Bicycles (10,000Kperday)andmotorbikes Around Getting and hailanythinggoingpast. 30onRte 13 Going south,get Lak toBan 3.30pm, withearlymorningthebusiest. departforPaksebuses (20,000K)untilabout per person, more like 15,000Ktocharter. byanyvehicleChampasak isabout2000K Festival. Travel Phaphin fromBan to hours adayduringtheWatPhu Champasak run regularly hours, duringdaylight and24 north of onthewestern Champasak) side side of theMekong Phaphin toBan (1.8km motorbikes) Muangontheeastern fromBan its historic importance, the84-hectareits historic importance, site political centre intheregion. Butdespite economicandformed themost important Angkorian period. most recent structures datingfromthelate- rebuilding, alteration and addition,withthe today istheproductof centuriesof building, andothertemples. Whatyousee settlement toincludeanetworkofevolved roads,cities, of heaven andfitted intoalarger planthat complex wasdesignedasaworldly imitation ship sincethemid5thcentury.Thetemple aplaceofconfirm thesite hasbeen wor- Heritage Site in2001. declaring theWatPhu complexaWorld architecture,unique inKhmer ledtoUnesco tical atmosphere. anda layoutthatis These, shade adduptogive WatPhu analmostmys- trees thatshroudmuch of thesite insoothing enigmaticcrocodilestoneandtall sanctuary, tumbledown pavilions, ornate Shiva-lingam about location,locationandthe Phu religiousThe ancientKhmer complexof . 30pm) × ©² Leaving Champasak, Champasak, Leaving Ferries (2000Kperperson, 7000Kfor sources Sanskrit inscriptionsandChinese thetempleAt itsheight, andnearbycity

(admission 30,000K,children 12&underfree; Þ ¥¿¯¾¦ is one of the highlights of isoneof anytrip thehighlights × ¡ s ǎ wngth lonelyplanet.com ǎ ew and h 8am- Wat SOUTHERN LAOS 279 Baray still fill in Lao) . Parts of of . Parts To Ticket Booth; Museum (500m) baray baray barays wng sá ǎ built of sandstone built of n LOWER LEVEL was via this long causeway by ceremonial (ponds) by ceremonial promenade, flanked either side promenade, flanked Entrance to the temple complex Entrance to the temple 00 0.1 mile 200 m . Foundations of Gopura (Ornamental Entranceway naga Former Baray Former Baray (Partly Dry Pond) (Partly Dry Pond) quadrangular pavilions Processional Causeway (ceremonial pond; (ceremonial The archaeological site itself site is divided into The archaeological MIDDLE LEVEL two exquisitely The middle section features carved Believedthe mid from and laterite. to date 10th or early 11th century, the style resembles in Cambodia. Some people (but not Ker Koh these the Unesco experts) suggest pavilions LOWER LEVEL A modern sala by Chao Boun Oum in built the great side of the 1960s stood at the western baray the dismantled, revealing until it was recently sandstone the ancient main entrance. base of begins a causeway-style ceremonial From here by two promenade, flanked both the northern and southern and the odd buffalo lotus flowers with water, during the wet season is in better and the site shape since the stone lotus buds lining the been re-erected. promenade have The Archaeological Site the at the junction of is situated Wat Phu Phasak, a mountain plain and Phu Mekong to local peoples centuries be- that was sacred the ruins now any of the construction of fore tribes liv- The original Austro-Asiatic visible. to paid respect undoubtedly ing in this area with the mountainanimist spirits associated spring. and its rock shelter main levels joined by a on three six terraces by statues promenade flanked long, stepped lions and of

MIDDLE LEVEL Pavilions to the 6th century naga Quadrangular Sandstone Khmer pavilions parts of which may date back parts of which may date with fine sculpture and reliefs, with fine sculpture and Galleries Hall Nandi Dvarapalas Yoni & Broken (admission with Wat (admission with Wat

Dvarapala Khmer-era beside the ticket of- beside the ticket museum 30pm) . Sanctuary Shiva-lingam (gate) PROVINCE •• Wat Phu Champasak CHAMPASAK Gopura Stone Elephant 8am-4 UPPER LEVEL Trimurti h considered sacred) above The main temple sanctuary, Buddha bathed from the spring (still bathed from the spring which once featured a lingam which once featured Footprint Stone Spring Crocodile Don’t miss the Years of work by the Italian work by Archaeological of Years WAT PHU CHAMPASAK WAT Meditation Cella building includes clean bathrooms. stone work from Wat Phu and its associated and its associated stone work from Wat Phu plus the in English, Descriptions are sites. been completed on the dozens of lintels, lintels, been on the dozens of completed serpents),(mythical water Buddhas and other fice. Extensive cataloguing work has recently cataloguing work has recently Extensive fice. tered across the site. Restoration of the Nandi Restoration of across the site. tered been completed. has recently Hall ceremonial causeway, replacing slabs and re- causeway, replacing ceremonial stone lotus buds that had been scat- erecting the way the ancients lived. During the last the way the ancients lived. the restored have archaeologists years, few the leading expert on Wat Phu who has beenthe leading expert on Wat Phu resulted since 1990, have working at the site and sur- the site detailed map of in the first about much rounding 400 sq km, revealing Mission and the inimitable Dr Patrizia Zolese, Mission and the inimitable Dr Patrizia resulting in a slow but steady destruction destruction in a slow but steady resulting To see the site. it, the northern side of of steps intact terraced the relatively compare with the site south of on the and pavilions those on the north. northern canal has collapsed completely, northern canal has collapsed completely, stabilise the southern of two ancient canals stabilise two ancient canals of the southern away from the central water built to channel However, important the equally structures. buildings will eventually collapse. Italian- buildings will eventually collapse. Italian- helped have projects and Japanese-funded erosion is pressuring the site and without and without site the erosion is pressuring plan the water-management a systematic remains in considerable danger from the el- in considerable danger remains that water ements. Detailed studies reveal lonelyplanet.com Phu ticket; SOUTHERN LAOS in others. together insomeplaces, anddrive themapart holdthebricks Rootsandmosses est level. fromthe finalandholi- the lowertwolevels remainshrines –onlytheir bases –separate Sixruinedbrick to AngkorWatinCambodia. 1.3km toHoNangSida(p 281 ), andeventually an ancientroyalroadonceledsouth forabout FromtheNandiHallleading tothenextlevel. of galleriesflankingaset lateritelapsed steps (dedicated toShiva’s mount)andtwocol- a smallerbuildingknownasthe entryisforbiddenforsafety reasons. although four galleriesandacentralopencourtyard, Shiva’s bullmount.Thebuildingconsistsof a relief of Shiva sitting on Nandi, andParvati the western pedimentof thenorthpavilion is feature variousformsof VishnuandShiva. Over Hindu sculpture remains inthelintels, which site inlater centuriesbutmuch of theoriginal ‘man pavilion’. they are sometimescalled‘ladypavilion’ and were for gender-segregated used worship and 280 Just behindthesouthernpavilion stands Wat Phu wasconverted intoaBuddhist which hasnotbeencategorically identifiedbymodernscholars. of thiscity,whichwasprobablyLingapura,aplacementionedinmanyancientinscriptionsbut near WatPhu after the9thcentury.Shebelieves theHoNangSida(seep 281 ) wasatthecentre material suggeststhecitywasinhabited untilthe16thcentury. who laterCambodia. capitaltoSamborPrei shifted Kukinnortheast thekingdom’s Archaeological discovered the‘conqueror’ Citrasena-Mahendravarman, in1994-95bearinginscriptionsbyKing until atleastthe7thcentury,asshowedbytwoNandipedestal(Shiva’sbullmount)sculptures honour themountainasplaceofPhi Intha(thesoulorprotecting spiritofthemountain). to betheresidence orthemanifestation godShiva,andeven oftheHindu todaylocalpeople ‘Honouredthe mountainnearWatPhu Champasak. sinceantiquity’,themountainwasbelieved nearby,aclearreferencecalled KuruksetraandalsomentionstheauspiciousSriLingaparvata to discovered here. Theandwas 5th-centurystele stated Devanika thecitywasfoundedbyKing religious ofeverydayimportant life. beliefwasintheworkings rare exampleofanancienturbansettlementinSoutheastAsia, onewhosedesignreveals how century SamborPrei Kuk),stoneimplementsandceramics. The sumofallthisisanextremely (includingalintel inthestyleof7th- statuaryandstonecarvings of irrigation,variousHindu ritual purposes),thefoundationsforcircularbrickmonuments,evidenceofanadvancedsystem tracesoftheoldcityincludesmall Other wallsonthree sidesandprotectedrounded bydoubleearthen ontheeastbyMekongRiver. (OldCity),butscholarsbelieve itwascalledShrestapura.today asMuangKao The site Chenlakingdom. isknownthat was,about1500yearsago,thecapitalofMon-Khmer Under thepalmtrees andricepaddies4kmsouthofChampasaktownistheremains ofacity CHAMPASAK INANTIQUITY CHAMPASAK ••WatPhuChampasak PROVINCE Ongoing research byDrPatrizia Zoleseandherteam hasrevealed thatasecondcitywasbuilt By theendof5thcenturycitywasthriving. Itcontinuedasamajorregional centre The origin ofthecityremained amystery untilSoutheastAsia’s oldestSanskritinscriptionwas Aerial photographsshowtheremains ofarectangular citymeasuring2.3kmby1.8km,sur- Nandi Hall baray

(a Khmer wordmeaning‘pond’,usuallyusedfor (aKhmer of here you’llcometotheremains of a walkway andontothegrassyarea justnorth nate entranceway).Ifyoustep the downoff Krishnavatara inwhich Krishnakills hisuncle the southernentrance depictsthestoryof above andbehindthecomplex.Alintel inside pipes –withwaters from the sacred spring that wasbathed– viaasystem of sandstone aShiva which lingam onceenclosed itself, isthesanctuaryOn theuppermostlevel nationaltree. ria orfrangipani),theLao century. Itislinedwith andprobablydates fromthe11th sanctuary the formerAngkoriankingdom. are thelargest dvarapalafoundanywhere in dvarapala statues lie twounusuallylarge, headlessandarmless sociated withShaivism. Very neartheyoni pedestal the ready nearwhatwasoncea withswordheldat ramrodstraight stands UPR LEVEL UPPER A impressive An A steep A , thecosmicvagina-wombsymbolas- naga stairway leadsonwardstothe stairway half-buried in the grass. These in thegrass.These half-buried dvarapala dàwk j (sentinel figure) (sentinel lonelyplanet.com ą mp gopura ą a (plume- (or- yoni SOUTHERN LAOS can flow 281 baray lào-láo (circumam- or tuk-tuk driver who or tuk-tuk driver wíen thíen wíen thíen am-lâaw ǎ s Throughout the three days of the festival the festival days of Throughout the three will do the return trip for about 60,000K to will do the return 80,000K. Cycling is also popular, but there’s shade so it pays to startnot much early. ©º$Á©¤ croc sunning itself an old out like Stretched Don Daeng is a the Mekong, in the middle of It’s classic an island that time forgot. little like scattered with eight villages middle Mekong, and rice fields in the middle. around its edge several areas are cordoned off for open-air are several areas nightclubs away as bands from as far featuring dark the beer After and Vientiane. rowdy. pretty gets and the atmosphere freely Getting There & Away ChampasakWat Phu is 46km from Pakse, and 10km 12km from Ban Phaphin jumbo from from Champasak. A shared Champasak to Ban Thong Khop, the village should cost about 6000K Wat Phu, opposite hag- to you’ll have likely More per person. gle with a DON DAENG February. The central ceremonies performed The central ceremonies February. Buddhist, culminating on the full-moon are monks parade of day with an early-morning followed that alms from the faithful, receiving evening by a candlelit the lower shrines. bulation) of Lao climb around the hillside, stop- visitors and flowers of offerings ping to pray and leave commercial than is more incense. The festival the time has an of it once was, and for much between a kids car- somewhere atmosphere include Thai Events nival and music festival. cockfights, matches, comedy shows boxing music and dancing. Food is and plenty of who set up along the from vendors available road from Ban Thong Khop, dark and after Lopburi. No doubt symbolic of the Hindu the Hindu of symbolic No doubt Lopburi. the and Vishnu, Brahma Shiva, of Trimurti from the 11th cen- believed to date are towers they are never completed; likely tury and were dried-up A large, in poor condition. be seen by Ban nearby. reached That can be Champasakjumbo from or Ban Khop. Thong Festivals The highlight year in Champasak the is the of Champasak (Wat Bun Wat Phu three-day held as part of ChampasakPhu Festival), Busa) during the full Puja (Makha Magha usually in the third lunar month, moon of

, cella prasat . Trimurti , a huge boulder , a huge . Its exact function (Lord Turtle Room). meditation cella , a boulder with a deep, elephant stone PROVINCE •• Don Daeng CHAMPASAK Ho Nang Sida the plains and the Mekong is the plains and the Mekong Hong Tha Tao crocodile stone baray,

An easy 1.3km walk to the south of Wat An easy 1.3km walk to the south of south stands another A further kilometre

Another few kilometres on, close to the kilometres few Another When you’ve seen everything here, just seen just When you’ve everything here, East of the sanctuary and a newer wat the sanctuaryEast a newer wat and of Sculpted into a large boulder behind the boulder into a large Sculpted similar tripartite monuments in Thailand’s similar tripartite village of Ban Khmer That, stand of three village of brick stupas) reminiscent (square-based for ill pilgrims. Jayavarman VII in the early 13th century, so Jayavarman to serve been there it might have as a hospital hospitals built during the reign of Khmer King of hospitals built during the reign be some UXO (unexploded ordnance) in the – stands area the terraced promenade because there may promenade becausethe terraced there ancient road to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. – stick to the trail heading south from Phu is uncertain, though from it probably dates been the early 10th century and might have the central shrine for a second ancient city. rubble pile, mainly interest die-hard fans of Khmer ar- of die-hard fans mainly interest stands beside the three the Each of chitecture. Other Sites Associated with Wat Phu smaller Angkor- three are Wat Phu South of poor condition that will in very era sites the crowds arrive. of the fantastic, especially in the morning before it, resembles or what’s left of This structure, sitting and soaking up the wide-angle view date from the 16th century. Nearby you can date a stone of see remains same path is the elephant thought an to of bearing the likeness spite much speculation that the sculpture was sculpture speculation that the much spite used for human sacrifices its function, if there unknown. Further along the was one, remains date from the Angkor period. Crocodiles were Crocodiles were from the Angkor period. date but de- in Khmersemidivine culture, figures so-called a croc believed to highlyof stylised impression building, a winding path leads north to the building, a winding path the Hindu holy trinity of Shiva, Vishnu and Shiva, trinity of the Hindu holy terrac- back, beyond some Further Brahma. the holy spring from which ing, is the cave flowed into the sanctuary. main sanctuary is a Khmer-style main sanctuary is a Khmer-style an altar. The brick rear section, might which The brick rear an altar. been is a built in the 9th century, have Kamsa. The sanctuary now containsKamsa. a set of on images Buddha unsophisticated-looking holy linga was kept. the (cell), where lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS 50,000K with a certain amount of50,000K with acertain negotia- forabout Muangor Champasak from Ban SaiSchool.tion of Bang the Ban projects on DonDaeng,includingrenova- community Folieissupportingseveral La boat transfer Muangtothelodge. fromBan includeaand international dishes.Rates of andincludesawide selection Lao by night The poolsiderestaurant isvery atmospheric inviting poolwithviewsacrosstoPhu Pasak. polished woodfloors. Theresort includes an textiles, colonialmotifsand including Lao bungalows withlotsof attention todetail, Phu. Roomsare inelegantwooden housed ais ( (30,000K perbed,20,000Kmeal). priceastheguesthouse sible andcostthesame also rent out bikes. Village are homestays pos- per meal)are prepared bythevillagers, who style intheMekong. Deliciousmeals(20,000K shower, butwerecommend bathinglocal- Uo Moung.There isabathroomwithbucket from which and tovisitWatPhu Champasak mattresses onthefloor,makes agood base guesthouse built.Thesimple tion hasbeen tip of theisland,iswhere theaccommoda- respecttheir village, please requests. these ditto forsunbathing.As youare aguestin whentheybathe,notbikinis; wear sarongs amorous inpublic,andwomenare asked to falang Don Det(p 289 ). Thatmeanstheydon’twant they don’twantDonDaengtogothewayof ence. Thevillage elders toldusspecificallythat will putsomepressures on thistimelessexist- fordecades,theintroductionofbeen tourism find peoplerefreshingly welcoming. village life. Walkingorcyclingaroundyou’ll Don Daengismore aboutjustsoakingup times,atleast.ButtheattractionofKhmer inhabitedsuggest since theislandhasbeen hiding underthe sat tor) are allthetransportthat’srequired. motorbikes andtheodd mercifully free of cars –bicycles, slow-moving around theedge of the8km-longislandis The smallandmostlyshadedtrackthatruns 282 % The village of To get toDonDaengtake asmall boat In aratherdifferent class is While life onDonDaengismuch asithas The remains of asquare-based brick inthecentre of theislandandanother, 030-534 7603;rinclbreakfast US$95/140low/highseason; CHAMPASAK Temple) ••UoMoung(Tomo PROVINCE openly smoking spliffs orgetting overly openlysmokingspliffs ), set

(dm 30,000K), on theriverbank facingWat Hua DonDaeng s ǐ m at withtworoomsand Wat BanBoungKham, dok , atthenorthern LaFolieLodge (minitrac- community pra-

It’s about45kmsouthof Pakse Rte off 13,in the reign of KingYasovarman theKhmer I. have builtlate inthe9thcenturyduring been trees, butthebestexamplesof lintels fromthis played onrocksbeneathtoweringdipterocarp lintels sandstone are dis- no faceatall.Several mukha usual because It’sun- on which two faceshave carved. been anunusuallingam-stylestonepost contains entranceways). Themore of intact the for lingas)andtwocrumbling dered markers bydistance (often mistaken to WatPhu. suggests itslocationwassomehowrelated Phu Pasaktion towardstheholymountain of thetemple itsorienta- isunknown,though oftributary theMekong. Theexactfunction a wonderfullyshadedforest besideasmall admission 10,000K; temple ruinofThe Khmer º will the will letthevillagers knowyou’re coming,as (p 276 canarrange) inChampasak boatsand InformationCentre Visitor Champasak District will likely charge 60,000Kto70,000K.The canassistbut guesthouses tion. Champasak Pakse byturning westjustbefore Km42. ruins canalsobe reached byvehicle from If indoubt,askthe kidsalongtheway.The thenleft.Thetemple isinaforest.road right, thevillage,walk norththrough following the cheapest (60,000Korsoreturn). a boatfromthereDon Daengandtaking is Sisoukatthesouth endofa bicycletoBan getsfall astheboatdistance shorter, so riding so whileyoulocate andtourtheruins.Prices return, includingwaitingtimeof anhouror 400m southof theruins)forabout200,000K Tomo(theriverbankboat toBan village about Youcancharter orChampasak. Champasak) a village onthefarsideof theMekong from Muang(theboat fromDonDaeng,Ban The easiestwaytoget toUoMuong isby &Away There Getting Buddha. Sukhothai-style ing attheheartof abronze thesite houses inPakseMuseum (p 269 ). Thewhite build- site are HistoricalHeritage intheChampasak TEMPLE) UO MOUNG(TOMO Þ Â´¤ (¸ The ruinsinclude anentrancewaybor- Tomo,climbtheriverbankFrom Ban and (faces),whilemostordinarylingahave Provincial Tourism Office Tourism Provincial × ©Âª½Â´½) mukhalinga h 7.30am-4.30pm) Uo Moung Uo usuallyhave four lonelyplanet.com inPakse (p 268 ). is believed to isbelieved gopura (Tomo Temple; (Tomo (ornate gopura

SOUTHERN LAOS 283 Ban Beng Thang 13 Ban Phapho (22km) To Kiet Ngong (11km);

phon

um Ban Tomo Nawk

Tuay Th (Muang Pathumphon)

Huay To Hat Xai Huay Khun (75km); (30km) To Pakse Tuay Voen Kham (110km)

Ban Khua Tomo 13 Huay Don Khao 00 2 miles 4 km Ban Tomo Ban Pak Tuay Ban Lak 30 , named for a group of 19th- a group of , named for Xai Uo Moung To Don Ban Khon Noi

(Tomo Temple) River in wet season Phu Asa Lao Ban To Rough tracks; difficult Peuay Pakse

Ban Muang Mekong Guesthouse Community Kiet Ngong is at the edge of a wetland 11km of is at the edge Kiet Ngong Almost everyone Ngong who comes to Kiet Daeng Ban Hang Ban Hua Ban Prasat Sisuk Don Daeng Don Daeng takes the elephant ride to the summit of a hill summit of the elephant ride to the takes called century nationalists who fought against the Siamese. The flat-topped hill is topped by an Unmortared site. archaeological expansive slabs, columns, topped by larger slate-brick for the majority of both lives. But as elephants both lives. of for the majority do now and machines to keep expensive are village their traditional work, the of much has turned to tourism to help pay their way. 13 and is also home to Kingfisher from Rte Laos’s ecolodges. real one of first Eco-Lodge, The wetland is used by an unusually large than 90 species of buffaloherd of and more been sighted. bird have Lodge Kham Ban Si Vang Ban Bang Sai Ban Boung Mungkhun Ban Xieng Kham (2km)

Don Pha

Route Ferry To Ban Mai Ban Phaphin Kang See Champasak Map (p276) Wat Muang

Sawa Champasak Muang Kao

Huay ¤ Ü Khop PROVINCE •• Kiet Ngong & Ban Phapho CHAMPASAK Ban Thong with river height Note: Island sizes vary p279) Wat Phu (See Map Champasak Hong Sida

Tha Tao Ho Nang To Ban That (11km)

By boat, you could combine a trip to Uo By boat, you could Talat AROUND CHAMPASAK AROUND ¾$°¾Â²/¡¼©¨ É Ban Don between owner and pachyderm has existed between has existed owner and pachyderm owner and in many cases the relationship owner and in many cases the relationship The elephants have traditionally worked traditionally worked The elephants have work in the rice heavy logs or doing moving elephant has a different fields. Typically each Perched on the edge of Se Pian NPA, the Lao Se of Pian NPA, on the edge Perched had a Ngong have Kiet of Loum villagers with elephants. centuries-long relationship KIET NGONG & BAN PHAPHO ® rent a bike on Don Daeng, take it by boat first it by boat first Daeng, take on Don a bike rent and to Uo Moung, then Wat Muang Kang, path back to Champasak. ride the riverside Muong with a stop at Wat Muang Kang on the Muong with a stop at Wat Muang Kang Another option is to the Mekong. west bank of lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS Information Centre is set on7ha attheedge ofis set awetland, about r180,000-765,000K) 534 5016;www.kingfisherecolodge.com; family, Lao-Italian exactly whatopened here in2006. Runbya firstone of real eco-lodges, Laos’s butthatis anunlikely placefor seem Kiet Ngongmight Sleeping &Eating Pian NPA. Phapho must pay a10,000Kentryfee forSe of hours tofetch andprepare theelephants. ing earlyorcallingaheadasittakes acouple Ateithervillage it’swortharriv- in season). you towatch theelephantsworking(80,000K, arranges elephantrides(120,000K)orcantake Mr Bounhome,whorunstheonlyguesthouse, we asked. tohaveone seemed anyalternative planwhen policy,butno Clearly thisisn’tasustainable The owners justcan’triskthelossof income. broken hips(notuncommon,apparently). elephants mate forfear theywillwindupwith PhaphoNgong andBan won’tlettheirfemale themahoutsofto beadyingartbecause Kiet elephantbreedingephants. However, appears traditional breeding centre forworkingel- village of speaker totranslate.for informationaskaLao PianNPA.the localarea andSe Iftelephoning accommodation, andhasinformationabout The centre arranges elephantridesandlocal of thepoorest communitiesinthecountry. tive, designedtobringtouristdollars tosome pro-poortourisminitia- Bank’s Development trance tothevillage, builtaspartof theAsian (60,000K perfourpeopleorless). theforestguide andwalkupbackthrough than aforest path.Itisalsopossibletohire a lateriteelephant) followsasteep roadrather the 90-minute elephanttrek (120,000Kper wetlands andvastswaths of forest, though not 1000years old. locals willtell you,thecolumnsare probably Stonehenge feel toitbut,contrarywhatthe down toaBuddhafootprint.Thesite hasa overgrown temple. Atitsfarendatrailleads At thecentre of thesite isacrumblingand gular spaceabout180mlongand50mwide. arectan- andenclose about2mhigh stand 284 Visitors headingtoKietNgongorBan Phapho isoldandquiteBan attractive. itself About 15kmeastof KietNgongistheSuay Guides canbefoundatthenew acrossthe From thetopyoucansee CHAMPASAK Ngong&BanPhapho ••Kiet PROVINCE Ban Phapho

( % igihr Eco-Lodge Kingfisher (22kmeastof Rte 13),a 030-534 6547) at theen- (

%

Visitor Visitor 030-

trasimple roomsinanauthenticwooden watching (November toJanuary isbest), khào n ricefields,arewalk through five basicand on village incomeandlodge profits. of activitiesgo,includinginformation these tremely transparent about where thebenefits English-speaking guides.Kingfisherisex- theyhavebecause themost-knowledgeable to arrange theTa PianNPA Ongtrek intoSe mahout (600,000K).It’salsothebestplace a day-longcourse tolearnhowbecomea biking,trekkingmountain byfootandeven no wi-fi. is alsofree internet available forguestsbut lodge. Africansafari Thereeasily beinanEast istherestaurantlight andbar,which could and hotwater are solarpowered. Thehigh- shared bathrooms, buthave thinwalls.Lights son), which are withspotless niceenough sea- economy; 180,000/270,000Klow/high There are alsofourecorooms (that’s‘eco’for mocks, hisandhers sinksandethnicmotifs. include balconieswithlarge ham- rattan which season), (585,000/765,000K low/high is about 8.5km eastof Rte 13and thevil- forKietNgong Theturn-off 13, toAttapeu. 48kmsouthof Pakse ThangBeng, onRteBan times diabolicalRte 18Athat runseastfrom PhaphoKiet NgongandBan are offthesome- &Away There Getting French. Ordermealsof are welcomingandspeaksomeEnglish hot water, butMrBounhomeandhisfamily Thebathroomissharedhouse. andthere’s no ( ‘homestay’. say ‘ bungalows say for them attheVisitorInformationCentre: per person are alsopossible. Arrange eitherof mattress andmosquitonetonthe not. Instead, get thevillagers upyour toset butthebungalowsarelocation isfantastic, ageing looking the wetland. Homestays for30,000K looking thewetland.Homestays % towards workismemorable. wetland whilemahoutsridetheirelephants splashtheirwayacrossthe a herdof buffalo and sittingonthebalconyatdawn,watching 700m eastof KietNgong.It’sabeautifulspot Activities includeelephantrides, bird- There are fourclassybungalows On thefarsideof thevillage, a15-minute Phapho,In Ban the 030-534 6293; per bed 30,000K) 030-534 6293;perbed30,000K) ǐ community-run bungalows aw in advance. heuan phak Boun HomeGuestHouse làap ’, for homestays ’, forhomestays lonelyplanet.com (20,000K)and has small,ul- (30,000K) sala . The over- SOUTHERN LAOS 285 $©º$ × Island life is changing, however, and elec- is changing, Island life During the rainy seasonDuring the this section of You can book the trek (dry season only) the trek You can book The second day starts with a fantastic dawn ² Ù Si Phan Don is where Laos Don is where becomes the land Si Phan islands of an archipelago the lotus eaters, of Khong attracts travellers looking for better looking for better Khong attracts travellers lodgings while Don Det has become one of with magnets, backpacker Southeast Asia’s all the good and bad that entails. Don Khon in between. falls somewhere Mekong fills out to a breadth of 14km, the of fills out to a breadth Mekong its 4350km journey along widest reach river’s to the South China Plateau from the Tibetan Sea. between mon- During the dry months behind hun- and leaves recedes soons the river (or thousands if you count every sand dreds the of islands and islets. The largest bar) of year-round inhabited permanent islands are traditional fascinating glimpses of and offer detached – ‘more life village river-oriented as one from time than from the riverbank’ to be source described it. Communities tend self-sufficient, own rice, their most of growing catching sugar cane, coconut and vegetables, as needed. Women textiles fish and weaving as long-tail wash their clothes in the Mekong around the bathing buffalo. boats weave Don big drivers. the tricity and tourism are SI PHAN DON (FOUR THOUSAND SI PHAN DON (FOUR THOUSAND ISLANDS) ¦ more time swings the pendulum of where a world laid-back, is more slowly and life the mainland from somewhat disconnected has washed ashore a traveller beyond. Many and stayed succumbed to its charms here, The name literally than expected. longer means ‘Four Thousand Islands’, and the few to visit on this scenic 50km-long likely you are so tranquil that it’s are the Mekong of stretch the allure. easy to understand walk through the forest. If you’re lucky you lucky you If you’re walk throughthe forest. yellow- rare might the haunting call of hear you breakfast After gibbons. crested cheeked and boat an easy one-hour walk can choose via a bush bash three-hour trip, or a steamy spectacular natural viewpoint. Tourism Officethrough either the Provincial in ) or Kingfisher Eco-Lodge 268 (p in Pakse is more trek ). The latter 284 Kiet Ngong (p but includes an excellent English- expensive no electricity in Ta There’s speaking guide. (flashlight).Ong so bring a torch return return a bamboo ew ǎ kaen, wngth is one of the most is one of ǎ s leave at 8am or 9am 9am at 8am or leave ew ǎ PROVINCE NPA •• Se Pian CHAMPASAK ¤§¾©À§¯¼$ È , and it’s in this extremely poor , and it’s in this extremely (25,000K, 1½ to 2½ hours) 1½ to 2½ hours) (25,000K, (www.xepian.org) ew ǎ wngth ǎ Ta Ong Ta s wngth ǎ The villagers’ belief system is a mix of ani- is a mix of belief system The villagers’ Alternatively, board anything going south board anything going Alternatively, The reason SeThe reason population Pian’s wildlife S ¾¦½¹¤¸$Á¹ È is how one of our party summed it up. is how one of instrument that looks like a long pan-flute but a long pan-flute instrument that looks like an accordion. Brou bagpipes like sounds more anything to go by, they know how to have fun – fun anything to go by, they know how to have especially the guy playing the mism and and, if our experience is this way-off-the-beaten-track Se part of Pian. barely day involves first the five-hour of Much visible trails and wading through streams. Ong trek. This is the hardest of the treks we’ve we’ve the treks This is the hardest of Ong trek. done in Laos, into but it’s the only way to get village of of village that you’ll stay if you do the two-day Ta village The most southern permanent settlement is the ethnic Lavae known as Brou) (commonly hasn’t been hunted to the verge of extinction. of hasn’t been to the verge hunted is so significant (unlike most other NPAs) is most other NPAs) is so significant (unlike so the wildlife here, anyone lives that barely birds, including the rare sarus crane, vultures sarus crane, vultures birds, including the rare and hornbills. Asiatic black bear, yellow-cheeked crested crested black bear, yellow-cheeked Asiatic may There gibbon and gaur, among others. It’s also home to many tigers. also be a few globally significant populations of banteng, banteng, globally significant populations of and the Cambodian border in the south, the the rivers, major three by 2400 sq km is fed Se Se Pian, Khampho and Se Kong. It boasts important protected areas in Laos. Stretching in Laos. areas Stretching important protected 13 to the west between 18 in the north, Rte Rte ¯ Se Pian NPA on Rte 13, get off at Ban 13, get Beng Thang on Rte and wait its way east. for transport bumping SE PIAN NPA about noon or so; Kiet Ngong is often misun- is often about noon or so; Kiet Ngong Asa’. ‘Phu for so ask instead derstood on Rte 18. Theseon Rte same between southern bus terminal from Pakse’s miss the 8am from Kiet Ngong, you should be miss the 8am from Kiet these pass when they able to jump on one of Phapho Phapho leave Kiet Ngong at about 8am. From Ban Ngong at about 8am. Kiet leave Ngong turn-off take the rightNgong turn-off take fork; it’s about easily this road. These15km along are roads and should be on small motorbikes travelled the passable, of sometimes slippery, most if year. lage is 1.8km further south. For Ban Phapho, Ban south. For 1.8km further is Phapho, lage the Kiet and soon after 18 along Rte continue lonelyplanet.com (sometimes only one service runs). If you SOUTHERN LAOS in Muang Khong. If youhavein Muang Khong. anyminor The policeare ablockbackfrom theriver INFORMATION up inthecoolclimes of Paksong. apparently heisliving it untrue,aslocalssay outhisretirementseeing ontheislandare fluential here, rumours although thathe is end of Hisfamilyare DonKhong. quite in- atthenorth HuaKhong Don in1924,Ban Siphandone, wasborninSiPhan Khamtay who wentontobecomepresident of Laos, on thewest;an8kmroadlinkstwo. ontheeastern shoreKhong and Muang Saen ers live inandaroundtwovillages, Muang by 8kmatitswidestpoint.Mostof theisland- kh Thai pronunciation ofbecause fewer foreigners andwiderskies. is more relaxing thatitssister islands, perhaps cle orjustchilling bytheriver. Insomewaysit to passadayortwo,pedallingaboutonbicy- around theislandmake itanattractive place but thetorpidpaceof life here andthesights no partytown–keep goingsouthforthat– bedisturbedbyavehicle.you’ll seldom It’s paddled againsttheflowonMekong, and Lifetal. moves slowlyhere, like aboatbeing tre, istheepitomeof districtcapi- thesleepy towns, MuangKhong, epicen- Don Khong’s universal adjective todescribeprovincial Even analmost where seems ‘sleepy’ inLaos, % ©º$¢¤ Mekong southof thefalls. phin (p 292 ) alsolikes tohangoutinthe border. Theincreasingly rare Irrawaddydol- attheCambodian suddenly dropsinelevation Phapheng (p 295 ) waterfall, where theMekong include someimpressive rapidsandtheKhon a few colonialbuildings.Otherattractions acoupleofpleted river inLaos), piers, and actuallycom- railway (theonlyever Hangwhile Ban isatthesouthernend. Khong isatthenorthernendof Khong DonKhong, ver endiscalled upriver endiscalled downriver endsof theirrespective islands.The named fortheirpositionattheupriver or 286 Island) (Khong Don Khong ǎ As hissurnamesuggests, thepostman Named forthesurroundingriver (usingthe The French leftbehindadefunctshort The villages of SiPhan Donare often 031 /pop13,000 wng CHAMPASAK ••SiPhanDon(FourThousandIslands) PROVINCE ), thislarge islandmeasures 18kmlong h ǎ ang kh h ǔ (tail). Hence (tail). Hua Ban ǒ a ng (head), thedownri- rather than the Lao ratherthantheLao thaninformation. architecture some English,butit’sprobablyofmore interest forthe MrPhansitsupstairsandspeaks the French departed. furnishings don’tlooktohavechangedinthedayssince dilapidated colonialvilladatingfrom1937,theperiod charge percheque). cash,andtravellerscheques(8000K dollars andThaibaht Southoftown,thisbankoffers poorratesforUS Mon-Fri) Buddha image facingeast.Thelocalsbelieve Kaew (ecolazy) isthebestwaytoexplore it. own wats.Bicycle(ecofriendly) ormotorbike by smallvillages, mostof which have their gardens aroundtheperimeter, punctuated and lowhillsinthecentre andvegetable isaprettyDon Khong islandwithricefields SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Post Office Guesthouse Phoukhong Lao Telecom Office Tourism Khong PromotionBank Agricultural or Thailand. is somethingmore headforPakse serious, Huay.Ifit andBan MuangKhong between French midway atthehospital, andisbased in somehills more or lessbehindthemayor’s betel palmsandmangotrees. temple groundsare shadedbycoconutand (offering protection) Thesandy isnotable. ing Buddhainone-handed are andanold woodenstand- ahighlight, woodenwindowshutters tile roof. Carved plan incrumblingbrickandstucco witha main from theChaoAnouperiod(1805–28), the Thong the northernendof is MuangKhong, down tothe Manysell. comebyboatandgetting yourself theislandstobuyand come fromthroughout 4.30amand6.30am,whenpeople between the in MuangKhong, Elsewhereto ousthimafter theRevolution. todefeat governmentin meditation efforts supernaturalpowers gained the abbotused is notsuperfast. h a fantastic way to start theday. waytostart a fantastic boats unloadtheirfish,fowlandotherfare is ailments, DrSoubanespeaksEnglishand isdominated by Muang Khong A kilometre orsonorthof MuangKhong, XiengWang,aneighbourhood at At Ban 7am-9pm) Has several computers, but the connection computers,buttheconnection 7am-9pm) Hasseveral anditstoweringmodern‘ , theoldesttemple ontheisland.Dating s ǐ m Justsouthofthebridge. features aunique cruciformfloor On the road to Muang Saen. OntheroadtoMuang small beach ( % ( % atdawntowatch the 020-257 0373) Set ina 020-257 0373)Set market 213 673;perhr30,000K; ( h lonelyplanet.com abhaya mudra 9.30am-4pm isfascinating naga Wat Phuang Wat Phuang protected’ Wat Jom

SOUTHERN LAOS 287 Falls Khon 4 km Phapheng (Cambodia) 2 miles 100 m Ban

Mekong River Don Thakho Phapheng To Trapeang Kriel Don D 20 Sadam 15 Don 13 Small Beach 16 9 Sahong Tao Don 6 11 19 4 0 10 12 14 School Ban 8 1 13 Dolphins 17 0 0 (104km) French Walls To Pakse Nakasang 2 5 18 13 En Don Don Toum Ban Khon 3 Khon Ban To Car Don Khon Ban Hang Police Ferry (4km) Phonsa-at Ban Khinak Det Don Ban Khon Tai Cave) (100m); ὈὈ ὈὈ Ban Xieng Wang (Green Mountain Bridge To Tham Phu Khiaw Muang Khong Tat Ban Hua Khong (11km) To Muang Saen (8km) Somphamit Koum Don Som Don Ban Keng Saniat (5km) Khun Hat Xai To Ban Ban

Huay Hai Nasenphan Don Xang See Enlargement San Don Ban Hat Ban Hua Car Ferry Khong Laem Ban ὄὄ Nalan Don Loppadi Khong Don Ban Hang Ban Huay Ban Tholathi Ban Na Muang Khong Dong

Ban Xieng Wang Ban Hat Ban Vung Tong Don Tham Phu Khiaw Khong Don B Phuman Khong Ban Hua Tan Don

ὄὄ ὄὄ Saen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Muang 7 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Don Long Don Hinyai Sralao Kompong PROVINCE Islands) (Four Thousand •• Si Phan Don CHAMPASAK Koi Don AC Ban Underwater unless end of dry season Underwater unless end Don Pakse Het Don Note: Island sizes vary with river height Note: Island sizes vary Khamao Agricultural Promotion Bank....Khong Tourism Office...... D4 Lao Telecom...... D4 Post Office...... C3 D3 Market...... Wat Jom Thong...... D2 D2 Wat Phu Khao Kaew...... B3 Wat Phuang Kaew...... D3 Auberge Sala Done Khong...... Done Khong Guest House & D4 Restaurant...... Mekong Guest House...... D3 Phoukhong Guest House & D4 Restaurant...... Pon's Arena Hotel...... D3 Pon’s River Guest House...... D2 Senesothxeun Hotel...... D3 Souksabay Guesthouse...... D4 Souksan Hotel...... D3 Villa Kang Khong...... D2 Villa Muong Khong Hotel...... D3 D4 Boats to Hat Xai Khun...... D3 INFORMATION SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES SLEEPING TRANSPORT C A M B O D I A SI PHAN DON SI PHAN 5 2 3 1 6 4

lonelyplanet.com ὄ SOUTHERN LAOS town with boats servicing theislandsto town withboatsservicing isabustlinglittle land fromMuangKhong, ( Most have restaurants. attached from, theriverbank alonga700m-stretch. TheyareDet orDonKhon. allon,orjust back ards are on Don generally thanthose higher modation anywhere intheislandsandstand- hasthebestrange ofMuang Khong accom- SLEEPING totheshoremuch closer thaninlarger towns. ity culminate inracesopposite MuangKhong, month. Fourorfive daysof carnival-like activ- Day, usuallythefirstweekend of orsecond the inearlyDecemberaroundNational Khong also referred toasBunNam)isheldonDon A boat-racingfestival (BunSuangHeua, FESTIVALS &EVENTS Huay the islandworthvisitingforoldwatsare 30,000K return. inMuangSaenforaround a motorcycletaxi hill tolocate thepathtotemple, orhire of frangipanitrees ontheeastern sideof the entrance toitslairiscovered. Lookforastand to behometoa believed built onthesite of ruins.Itis someKhmer of thenorth–southandeast–westroads),was of MuangSaen(about5kmfrom thejunction research. were noimmigrationfacilitiesatthetimeof anAngkorBeer.visited and sample There toapartof fewbeen others Cambodia have thatyou’ve butyoucansay nothing tosee, on thewestbankof theMekong. There’s village ofto theCambodian itispossibletotake aboatacross Cambodia, cess whatsoever. include Ifyourtripdoesn’t west of thathave DonKhong noroadac- obvious soit’sbesttofindalocalguideyou. by twotree trunks,butthetrackisn’talways (mostly uphill)tothecave entrance,marked It’sonlya15-minutebanana plantation. walk a 1.5km andtake atracktotheleft,through for find it,headnorthfromMuangKhong NewYeargrimages duringLao inApril.To Buddha images andistheobjectof localpil- of anoverhanging ledge someold –contains Cave). ThecaveMountain –actuallymore office, atrailleadsto 288 % o Saen Muang Two smallervillages atthesoutherntipof 213 673;r40,000-100,000K; and CHAMPASAK ••SiPhanDon(FourThousandIslands) PROVINCE Wat Phu Khao Kaew Khao Wat Phu Ban HangKhong Phoukhong Guesthouse&Restaurant Phoukhong , ontheopposite sideof theis- Tham Phu Khiaw Phu Tham . ai naga, , onalowhillnorth Kompong Sralao This place has ) though the though (Green Ban

r transport allover region. thesouthernLaos smart beddingandasatellite TV. Pon’soffers Arena Hotel. Air-con roomsare spaciouswith duced thepricessinceopeninghisswishnew Pon, theroomsare goodvalue,ashehasre- A reliable spot thankstoEnglish-speakingMr restaurantan attached perched over theriver. cheaper optionswithfanonly.There isalso offers spaciousroomswithhotwater, the about 250mnorthof thebridge. Souksan possibly asitisthelastplaceonstrip, rates areMuang Khong, nowvery reasonable, a dishes. is aminimartwithbasicmenuof Lao andhotwater shower.include TV Outfront gives theplacearelaxing vibe. The11rooms the roomsare aroundaleafygardenwhich set a are very cheap. barrendisappointingly bycomparison,but atmosphere totheplace. The oldroomsare sparkling newandtheair-con addsachilled avoid thepublicglare. Thebathroomsare better totake rooms201or202upstairs to the windowsare soitmaybe fullfrontal, panoramic viewstotheMekong. However, structure withfourbedrooms,allboasting gone upintheworldthankstoanelegantnew one riverfront site. much candiffer Standards somehow managed 52roomsinto tosqueeze hastour groups,the VillaMuongKhong Another long-running placepopularwith rincl breakfast US$40/45; khongislandtravel.com; rooms includeaterrace orbalcony. cluding thecontemporary bathrooms,and view. Furnishingsare in- tasteful throughout, withaMekongwith 21rooms,includingseven their blueprinttoinvest in thisstylishvilla Hotel. MrPonhasborrowedheavily from spurred onbythearrivalof theSenesothxeun more fromMay September. through lead toahike inrates. Pricesdropby20%or mansions isunderrenovation andthismay group,one of theoriginalFrench-eraLao teak somewhat time-warpedplace. Part of theSala thisremainson DonKhong, anatmosphericif One of thefirst auberges towelcomeguests com; s/dinclbreakfast US$20/25,stefromUS$26/33;

US$40-50; Pon’s River GuestHouse Pon’sRiver SouksanHotel SouksabayGuesthouse Villa Muong Khong Hotel Hotel Khong Muong Villa SalaDoneKhong Auberge Pon’s Arena Hotel Hotel Pon’sArena ) ) A friendly guesthouse neartheriverfront, Afriendlyguesthouse Onceoneof themore priceyoptionsin ai )

Clearly thelocalshave been ( % ( % 212 071;r60,000-100,000K; ( % 253 065;www.ponhotel.com; ( % (

% 214 122;r50,000-80,000K; 214 037;r ( % 212 077;www.salalao. lonelyplanet.com 213 051;www.

US$6-15; ai a a )

) ) SOUTHERN LAOS 289 ew & Minibus ǎ and buses head to Pakse and buses Pakse head to ew ǎ wngth ǎ Finally, Pon’s River Guest House has air- Finally, Pon’s River There are regular boats between Hat Xai between boats Hat regular are There Mr Pon operates boats for Don Det and Mr Pon operates is usually For the Cambodian border, there wngth ǎ barely anyone blinking an eyelid. The land barely is writ true on Don Det, eaters the lotus of in has found themselves as many a traveller slumber, unable to drag a hammock-bound away from the island’s charms. themselves GETTING AROUND Bicycles (8000K to 10,000K per day) and 60,000K per day) can be (from motorbikes from guesthouses along and elsewhere hired haggle with a Alternatively, the main street. jumbo driver. Don Det & Don Khon ©º$À©©/©º$£º´ Don mecca that is Welcome to the travellers’ Don Khon. these on twin islands Life Det and so laid back that you can imagine them feels into Cambodiajust drifting downriver with tween Ban Hat and Ban Na charges 2000K 2000K and Ban Na charges tween Ban Hat per motorcycle per pedestrian and 7000K (including passengers). Don Khon one way, (40,000K per person at 8.30am. Getting 1½ hours) 60,000K return, a to Don Khon in the dry season will require boat for this private a smaller boat. Chartering run will cost about 200,000K. Bus, S S 128km) until about (50,000K, 2½ to 3½ hours, 13 and wait to Rte that, head over 10am. After for anything heading north. a 9am connection that costs US$8 to Stung to Ban US$12 to Kratie, US$15 Lung Treng, Penh. and US$18 to Phnom con minibuses at 11.30am daily to that run for 60,000K. Pakse ing rooms in the Si Phan Don area. Fresh fish fish Fresh Don area. Phan in the Si ing rooms comfort menu, plus on the are specialities pasta and salads.food like GETTING THERE & AWAY Boat plan on is extinct, so to Pakse The slow boat boat and road. a combination of arriving by Khun and Don Khong; per boat it’s 20,000K for or 10,000K per person for one person, The boat- is futile. Bargaining two or more. you as near as possible to your man will take be- ferry The vehicle choice. guesthouse of

Let’s (mains (mains 214 ) Pon’s

mok pa and Lao % e ( ǒ f aiW 6.30am-10pm) In an appealing (mains 20,000-60,000K; (mains 20,000-60,000K; 030-526 0577; www.ssx 030-526 0577; h (mains 20,000-50,000K; (mains 20,000-50,000K; the mysterious ‘soup the mysterious 213 668; r 50,000-120,000K; & Restaurant

% ( ) In a prime position near the US$45-80; % 213 539; r 60,000-100,000K;

( làap, a % 6.30am-10pm) ( PROVINCE Islands) (Four Thousand •• Si Phan Don CHAMPASAK The restaurant here is not as here The restaurant h The Lao and European fare here The Lao here and European fare (mains 15,000-50,000K;

, which is often cited as the smoothest cited is often , which ) Set from the river, back this old-time favourite is set ) Sprawling over a family compound, the air-con ) Sprawling over a family compound, 6.30am-10pm) 7am-10pm) Other options are: Other options are: Senesothxeun Hotel Auberge Sala Don Khong Pon’s Done Khong Guest House & Restaurant Senesothxeun Hotel bridge, open onto a balcony and are the upstairs fan-rooms good value at 50,000K. 010; r 50,000-120,000K; h as the room tariffsexpensive would suggest. din- the only air-conditioned It is also one of the kitchen some notice. the kitchen greatest hits, plus a smattering of French- of hits, plus a smattering greatest should give Nonguests creations. accented h Khong standards. Dishes includes Laotian snacks, all the eating options are restaurants restaurants snacks, all the eating options are favourite. this a travellers’ make front terrace Thai and traveller fare and an attractive river- and an attractive fare Thai and traveller fresh river fish are worth a shot; the fish are river fresh galangal on tasting), and plenty of rice dishes. galangal on tasting), and plenty of Lao as dishes such gallingly root’ (we thought it was with chicken 15,000-50,000K; this place servesposition by the river, tasty in the country. attached to the aforementioned accommoda- attached to the aforementioned tion. Most places serve Don Khong’s famous lào-láo Apart from the odd place sellingApart EATING Villa Kang Khong Mekong Guest House fish in banana leaf)(steamed is particularly menu that includes Lao,good. An extensive Done Khong Guest House bathrooms include a rain shower. River views River shower. bathrooms include a rain start at US$50. ishing, plus satellite TV and minibar. The The TVishing, plus satellite and minibar. (or the awful abbreviation), for this is the for this is the abbreviation), (or the awful Khong. on Don hotel Rooms offer smartest Lao linens, tasteful silks and fine wood fin- hotel.com; r incl breakfast hotel.com; r incl name the unpronounceable to forgive agree more significantly than the prices suggest, so suggest, the prices than significantly more are big rooms The a few. to look at it pays slightly spartan, but staff say is in an upgrade spoken. English are and French the pipeline. lonelyplanet.com a threadbare. a little are in a spacious teak house, but rooms a good shape for the kip. in pretty are rooms here is enjoyable and the setting romantic by Don SOUTHERN LAOS the track has long since been carted off. the track haslongsincebeen no enginehasrun sinceWWII,andmostof Thebridgematerialised. andpiers remain but the Mekong really to Chinanever ahighway the islandsbut French dream of making either end.Smallenginespulledcargo across bridge andterminating inconcrete piers at the twoislands,linked byanattractive arched French builtanarrow-gauge railwayacross rapids andwaterfalls intheMekong River, the French colonialera. Inordertobypassthe during the Saigonand Laos ply linesbetween locals andtravellers alike. hammock, reading abookandchatting with a bicyclearoundthefew swingingina sights, of timelessbeautybestappreciated byriding people were first drawntothem,withasort This ismore whattheislandswere like when Don Det,where thingsare much more serene. alongthesouthernbankofat theguesthouses or a shortwalkawayandit’sonDonKhon, islands off youritineraryyet.Respite isonly up. you light kids. Wherever youare it’spolite toaskbefore drugs, worryingabouttheinfluenceontheir about thearrivalof thatpleased ever, harder the solereason forcoming.Theyare not,how- partofit wasanincidental avisitratherthan HuaDet,butthey’dprefermarijuana inBan tohavewith seemed accepted thearrivalof packer experienceandthelocalswespoke to become. Having ispartof aspliff back- Vieng asanexampleof whatthey ofenough thepotential changes tocite Vang come tourismbrings,butmanyare aware to theshared name. local life, nottomentionhisreputation thanks the impactstonedforeigners are having on Siphandonisconcernedabout dent Khamtay asformerpresi-may beontheway,however, coffee. Change ‘happy’ Lao mashed potatoes, or so,canchoose bars where travellers, foranextra10,000K andrestaurant- pooltables by musicandTV, packer tractorbeam.Thismarket isserviced of theislandhasemerged asasortof back- of thetwo. HuaDet,atthenorthend Ban the pastdecadeandismore rock’n’roll by comparison. twoislands,feels likewith these Woodstock Vang Vieng,thetownmostoften compared 290 dramaticallyinDon Dethas developed The islandswere linkforsup- animportant If thisisn’tyourscenedon’tscratch the The islanders are benefittingfromthein- CHAMPASAK ••SiPhanDon(FourThousandIslands) PROVINCE anything ‘happy’– don’t want 333 333 33 333 the bridge. There isnobank, medicalserv- a handfulof totheeastof places onDonKhon ing auniform400K perminute. There are also HuaDet,allcharg-along themaindrag inBan There are plentyof internet cafes clustered are scattered aroundthesite. temple, thelateriteKhmer remains of which temple builtontheformersite of anancient the southwestern isaLao endof Khon, Ban old. French buildings that are about 100years INFORMATION CAMBODIA o Som Don village, of coconut,bambooandkapok.Inthemain forthecultivation Laos famous throughout 33 33 33 : : : 1 4 3 2 eogRiver Mekong O KHON DON & DET DON Ngay Kong : : thelargerDon Khon, of thetwoislands,is Wat Khon TaiWat Khon a u Det Hua Ban 20 #\ 7 a Somphamit Tat i " i " L h Falls) Phi (Li : 1 Ban Khon 12 @ " #

#C

A

i " 33 33 33 24

S i "

u

n i "

a Hang Ban s

e 22 i "

t

S t

r 21 Khon i

p 8

S

4 4 u #\

n

, in Ban Khon Tai, Khon , inBan towards r

, there are crumbling several

a Hang Ban i

18 s i "

2

i " e 4 6 "

B

Det

i l " 6 6

v 3 333 333 33 33 9

15 i " 19 d i " Don Booth Ticket Det # Khon 16 Ban Tai i " 14 Khon i " Don rde on Bridges hsRoute this 11 13 i " i " Broken @ " i " oe sadszsvary sizes Island Note: 6 23

lonelyplanet.com

i " 00.25miles0500m R height river with

Village

o 17 33 33 33 33 33

Khon

c i

" k 10 Ban

i " y

S

ha 3

d B

i " e

l 6 " e

s

s 5

R !0

o Wat

u t e French-Era Channels Som Don Concrete ‚ SOUTHERN LAOS B2 A1 A1 A1 A1 291 20 21 22 23 24 taurant...... @ Bakery...... (see 4) Souksan Hotel...... Sunset View...... Tawan Daeng...... (see 9) Tena Bungalows...... EATING Chanthounma's Res Fleur Du Mekong...... (see 19) Jasmine Restaurant...... Khamphong Restaurant...... (see 20) Lamphoune's Restaurant DRINKING Beach...... (see 20) Pool Bar...... (see 1) B2 B2 B1 B1 B2 A1 A1 A2 A3 12 15 16 17 18 11 13 14 19 Much less risky but thoroughly captivat- Much path via the main The falls can be reached believethat – a trap for the falls act as just deceased animals) people and bad spirits (of You’ll never see as they wash down the river. and singing birds, eventually emerging at the and singing birds, eventually emerging the skel- resembles loading pier, which French Across from afar. an unfinished hotel eton of to the right is Cambodia.the river The rail a rocky road and tough on a bike. bed is quite the island’s path runs nearer An alternative smaller, shaded and more attractive path that attractive smaller, shaded and more passes the trucks through and avoids the wat Thai tourists and their billowing dust. full of small eat-drink shops at plenty of are There the falls. Railway Hike an interesting On Don Khon you can make across the island by following the 5km trek sit near ei- old rail bed. Rusting locomotives the line, including one located ther end of the bridge about 75m from the south end of that once doubled as the rail servicein an area south, the trail passes stretches yard. Heading rice fields, small villages forest, primary of locals swimming here – mixing with the dead – mixing locals swimming here – and too much a little fate is clearly tempting and dangerous it’s both culturally insensitive through a churns the falls at Water to do so. pace, especially during the wet season, frenetic who have two travellers of aware and we are years. in recent drowned here local fishermen edging out to ing is watching clear the enormous bamboo traps. During the early rains, a well-positioned trap can catch and fish a day. Some traps here half a tonne of almost an intake have in the area elsewhere basket 10m long, funnelling fish into a huge at the end. Ban Khon,heading southwest out of or on a Bungalows...... Restaurant...... Restaurant...... & Restaurant...... Mr B's Sunset View...... (see 7) Mr Mo Guesthouse...... (see 8) Mr Phao's Sunrise Mr Tho's Guesthouse...... Mr Tho's Bungalows & Pan's Guesthouse & Paradise Bungalows...... River Garden...... Sala Phae...... Santiphab Guesthouse ...... Seng Ahloune Guesthouse Sidae's Bungalows...... (see 15) has an office- B2 B2 B2 B2 A1 A1 A2 A3 A1 A1 6 7 8 9 2 3 4 5 1 10 PROVINCE Islands) (Four Thousand •• Si Phan Don CHAMPASAK © Ø (www.xplore-asia.com) i ´²¾´ Ü Floating around in inner tubes is a pretty Floating around in inner tubes is a pretty Don Khon has an official entrance charge Xplore-Asia Mekong Dream...... Mr Bounehome's Bungalows...... King Kong Resort...... Little Eden...... Mama Tanon Bungalows...... Dalom Guesthouse...... (see 12) Don Det Bungalows ...... Guesthouse Souksanh...... SLEEPING Auberge Sala Don Khone...... SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Wat Khon Tai...... INFORMATION Xplore-Asia...... SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES SIGHTS a raging set of rapids called Tat Somphamit rapids called Tat a raging set of everyone to by just about as Li but referred means ‘trap spirit’ and locals Li Phi Falls. Phi ª¾©¦ from Ban Khon 1.5km downriver is About Tat Somphamit (Li Phi Falls) (Li Phi Somphamit Tat bridge to Don Det. This charge includes a toll includes to Don Det. This charge bridge Somphamit a visit to Tat to cross the bridge, for the community fund to ensure and a fee trickle down to help provide tourist dollars services.village popular way to pass the time. It costs 5000K popular way to pass the time. or per day but don’t float too far downriver into the that feed you’ll hit the fast currents falls. set is to visit the island, which at 20,000K per just below the at a booth day and is collected available, including Trek, Giant and Merida Giant and Merida including Trek, available, for 20,000K per day. mountain bikes, relaxing on the islands, all of which are best are which of on the islands, all relaxing for about 10,000K accessed on a bicycle hired per day. Mr Mo Guesthouse has the best bikes There are a few things to see while you’re things to see a few while you’re are There guesthouses can also hook you up with on- and south to ward transport north to Pakse around for the best price. Cambodia. Shop ing connections to Cambodia. Most other ing connections to Cambodia. other Most various boating options, including kayak- various boating options, cruises,ing, rafting and sunset and pleasure includ- transport, of all manner can arrange ices and not even a post office. Some guest- ices and not even a post office. money at will change houses and restaurants Mr Mo Guesthousepoor rates: was offering our visit. during rate the most generous lonelyplanet.com cum-bar-cum-cafe in Ban Hua Det. It offers in Ban Hua Det. It offers cum-bar-cum-cafe SOUTHERN LAOS get here, headnortheast fromthebridge and shaded village attheeast endof To DonKhon. impact. ‘pilot’ wouldjump forhislife momentsbefore the logsintochannels beyond.Thepoor wedge, thussplittingthebindsand sending to guidetheraftontoareinforced concrete end of thepilotswere DonKhon, required they reached thecriticalarea at the north themaze ofand steer itthrough islands.When ‘pilot’wouldboardtheraft aLao off-course, into raftsof three. Toprevent themgoing of Vientiane,were usuallylashedtogether ally fromforests inSainyabuliProvince west channels todirect used logs.Thelogs,usu- where theFrench of builtaseries concrete waterways attheeastern edge of DonKhon A lessonerouswalkorcycletakes youtothe Eastern LoopHike should take aboutthree hours onfoot. western edge. The return trip, withbreaks, 292 thewalls ifyougotothe You canstillsee but their survival isfarfromguaranteed.but theirsurvival refuge duringthedryseason,whenriver levels dropdangerouslylow. These areasnear theborder,southofDonKhon. are asa vitaltothedolphinsbecausetheyact zonesbetween10mand60mdeepthathave beenestablishedto seethemintheconservation itstoll. water pollutionisalsotaking wasn’t badenough,manyjuvenile calves have diedmysteriously inrecent years,suggesting minutes, andwillusuallydrownbefore fishermeneven knowtheyare inthenets. As ifthat gill nettingremains andbreathe aconstantthreat every –dolphinsneedtosurface twotothree toll onthedolphins. Educationhasreduced theamountofexplosive fishing,butunintentional but generalgill netting,andgrenade anddynamite fishinginCambodia its hasinevitablytaken their 1970sreign ofterror. Sincethenfishermenhaven’t actively targeted Irrawaddydolphins, thousandsofthedolphinsinTonléSap,alarge inCambodia,reportedly lake killed during intentionallynor theKhmer capture dolphinsforfoodorsport. fallen intotheriver bycrocodiles. orbeenattacked These culturalbeliefs meanneithertheLao and there are manystoriesofdolphinshavingsaved thelives offishermenorvillagerswhohave Bangladesh are thoughttobeequally,ifnotmore atriskofextinction. though theyare seldomseeninthesea. The onlyotherknownpopulationsinMyanmarand foreheads andsmalldorsalfins. They are unusuallyadaptableandcanlive infresh orsaltwater, stretch oftheMekongbetweenLaoborderandCambodian townofKratie. estimated there are fewer than100remaining. few The live surviving primarilyalonga190km the MekonganditstributariesinCambodia andsouthernLaos asrecently asthe1970s,it’snow most fascinatingcreatures, andoneofitsmostendangered. Fromthethousandsthatpopulated Te raad dlhn ( dolphin Irrawaddy The ENDANGERED DOLPHINS CHAMPASAK ••SiPhanDon(FourThousandIslands) PROVINCE inCambodia, programstosave thedolphinscontinue,particularly Education andconservation asSekonginrecentIn Laos,dolphinshave years,butyou’re beenseenasfarnorth mostlikely In anattempt Rouge tocrushthesebeliefs oilfortheirwarmachinery,theKhmer andtoextract IrrawaddydolphinsareAmong theLaoandKhmer, traditionallyconsidered reincarnated humans The darkbluetogrey cetaceansgrowto2.75mlongandare recognisable bytheirbulging Orcaella brevirostris , called p afternoon. dolphins isbestin theearlymorningorlate waters.tion zonenearCambodian Viewing island thatlooksover adeep-water conserva- south endof runouttoasmall DonKhon three people)fromtheoldFrench pieratthe Boats chartered (60,000K perboat,maximum mainlyfromDecemberuntilMay.Don Khon, off the southerntipofcan sometimesbeseen Rare Irrawaddy theboxeddolphins (see text) Dolphins to offer bigfishtraps. beyondsomemighty whenwevisited itdidn’thavealthough much earmarkedhas been fortourism development, land. Nearbyistheislandof at astream nearthesouthernendof theis- comes more of petering aroad,eventually out The pathcontinuesalongtheriver andbe- thewallsopposite asmallvillage.you’ll see fields totheriverbank. As youcontinue south ricea watandfollowingthepaththrough turn southabout1kmalong,passingthrough ą a khaa inLaos)isoneoftheMekongRiver’s Don Pak Soi lonelyplanet.com , which SOUTHERN LAOS 293 ) A new a 020-7773 9045; www.littleed 020-7772 1572; lovely_laos@ 020-5575 9252; Sunrise Blvd; A small, friendly guest- % % (Sunrise Blvd; r 40,000-80.000K) %

( ( 020-7770 1860; Southern Shore; 020-7770 1860; Southern Shore;

( 030-534 5154; Ban Hua Det; r 40,000- (Southern Shore; bungalows 35,000- bungalows (Southern Shore;

% ( %

(

Another substantial cement Another substantial cement

Little Eden Hanging onto the northern tip of Don onto the northern tip of Hanging Probably the most memorable name most memorable name Probably the Probably the smartest rooms on Don Det Probably the smartest ) Mr Mo Guesthouse King Kong Resort Don Det Bungalows o Dalom Guesthouse Souksan Hotel River Garden has some solid bungalows set amid extensive set solid bungalows has some extensive amid yahoo.com; Sunrise Blvd; r 150,000-250,000K; with twee bun- little wooden bungalow resort Nice roofs. temple-style galows with elaborate bathrooms and impressive include touches seen rarely elsewhere touches some decorative restaurant (mains 15,000 to 40,000K) has fine restaurant sunset views but it does hot. get r 60,000-80,000K) slightly than aver- smarter building offering rooms with a fully equipped bathroom. age for is a good place restaurant The riverside information. travel enguesthouse-dondet.com; Sunset Strip; r 150,000-200,000K; a on the northern located to be found here, are the islands next to the Souksan. The tip of than some bungalows bigger bathrooms are you’re will ensure and the air-con elsewhere the cooler cats in town. The menu here one of is among the best on the island, with plenty of dishes and banana flambé. Western bungalows 40,000-80,000K) house with house-proud rooms featuring handicrafts. The pa- hanging silks and local has a tranquil setting on the vilion restaurant riverbank. Set the vil- in a big building for this part of spacious, clean rooms are the upstairs lage, towel and toilet like touches and include rare includes some cheaper The nice garden paper. bungalows. 100,000K) some Det, the Souksan’s solid rooms remain options on the island. Spacious the better of doubles start from 60,000K, including bath- room, and staff The English. speak reasonable gardens, but Sunset View is popular more but Sunsetgardens, popular more View is food and delicious atmosphere for the warm The (mains 15,000K to 35,000K). in the cafe legend. is the stuff of pumpkin burger two bungalows, ensuite of has a couple ‘resort’ some rooms facilities and with shared more is a cut above in an old house. The restaurant the competition with Italian food, pub grub and Sunday roasts. Gay-friendly. among the Don Det offerings, this Brit-run Don Det offerings, among the 50,000K) 020-5656 7502; Sunrise Blvd; 030-534 5109; Sunset Strip; English-speaking Mr B % % ( ( 020-367 6803; Sunset Strip; r 20,000- PROVINCE Islands) (Four Thousand •• Si Phan Don CHAMPASAK Confusingly there are two Mr are Confusingly there % ( The creaking bamboo lean-tos are old- bamboo lean-tos are The creaking Pretty much all the guesthouses here also also all the guesthouses much here Pretty Mr B’s Sunset View Mr Tho’s Guesthouse Coming from Ban Nakasang (see p 295 ), 295 Coming from Ban Nakasang (see p Don Khon is home to some more upmarket upmarket Don Khon is home to some more Note that things continue to change pretty pretty to change that things continue Note Don’t expect Flipper-style antics from these antics expect Flipper-style Don’t SLEEPING bungalows 30,000-60,000K) local products like ‘Bamboo’ Rice’ and ‘Sticky local products like ones include a bathroom and and the bigger fan. Tho’s on Don Det, but this is the sturdier, named after are central option. Rooms more with shiny new bathrooms. r 30,000-60,000K) some very smart (for Don Det) double rooms smart (for some very 60,000K) skool Don Det and start at a budget-friendly 20,000K. Across the path in a new home are Don Det Sunset View location. have an impact on price depending on the an impact on price have boatmen will usually drop you at your guest- if you ask, although this may choice house of serve food and drinks all day. places, pleasant eateries on the water and a less places, pleasant on the water eateries Don Det. Staying than youthful atmosphere ‘Lao’ a more experience. on Don Khon offers and smarter. and smarter. at isn’t listed here, that doesn’t necessarily here, at isn’t listed it might be newer mean it’s not up to scratch: fast on Don Det, so if the place you’re looking place you’re fast on Don Det, so if the the crowds, head for the quieter places on the quieter the crowds, head for the the island. of southern shore rest of the accommodation is spread along spread the accommodation is of rest known as Sunrise the pleasant shore, eastern further from to be Boulevard. If you’d prefer island to places that are relatively quiet and, relatively island to places that are good sunset views. The not surprisingly, have night. From here a footpath known as Sunset a footpath night. From here the of edge Strip leads along the northwestern has jumped aboard the bungalow bandwagon aboard the bungalow bandwagon has jumped guesthouses lin- dozens of now are and there con- the island. The greatest of ing the edge centration is in Ban Hua Det at the northern has become the place Don Det, which tip of la vida loca into the to be if you want to live Almost every Det and his cow on Don farmer brief flash as they surface to breathe, then then they surface to breathe, brief flash as gone. they’re dolphins. If they are there at all you’ll see at all you’ll there a are If they dolphins. lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS atmosphere andlibrary/bookexchange. ‘other’ MrTho’shaslongbeenpopularfortherelaxed Justsouthofthepier, bungalows 30,000-50,000K) bungalows 20,000-40,000K) The stiltedrestaurant haspanoramicviews. the firstguesthousesonDonDetandisstillagood option. Santiphab wasoneof Nearthebridge, 30,000-60,000K) Blvd; r 30,000-50,000K) Once known as the Rasta Cafe, Onceknown astheRasta Blvd; r30,000-50,000K) TanonMama Bungalows promoting free homeabout,butitistheonlyplace Nothing towrite Sidae’s Bungalows Santiphab Guesthouse 20,000K) Paradise Bungalows Bungalows MrTho’s garden. warm, familyfeel andbungalowssetinapretty riverside Southofthepier,MrPhao’shasa lows 20,000-40,000K) Bungalows Sunrise Mr Phao’s Mr Bounehome’sBungalows fan andbathroom. Thefourroomsinclude back. hammocks inwhichtokick New placeboastingahammocklounge,with14rattan Dream Mekong more options: and lowseason. on DonDet.Pricesrange high widelybetween 294 ting withwideviewsandspaciousgrounds. among themostbasiconisland,butit’sapretty set- book exchangehelpsfundalocalschool.

afraid,bevery afraid,thereBe are dozens       however, a few things worth considering when making yourchoice,suchasthefollowing: however, consideringwhenmaking afew thingsworth DonDetthatlookbasicallythesameandcostaround25,000Kanight.Thereparticularly are, Standards mightberising,butfornowthere are and stillplentyofbungalowsonDonKhon NOT ASSAME, SAME ASTHEYLOOK       CHAMPASAK ••SiPhanDon(FourThousandIslands) PROVINCE improved. windows inthebungalow/roommeansthataircirculation(andnight’ssleep)isvastly Window(s) Roof Neighbours placesonSunsetStripcanbeoven-liketoken, intheafternoons. facing east,where yourbungalowpretty themorningsunmakes toastyby8am.Bythesame Location available. should checktoseeifthere isroomtostringuptwohammocks,andifthere isasecondone Hammock(s If youdon’twanttosquat,lookforonewithathrone. bungalows. Dittoforplaceswithshare These alook. bathrooms. canvaryinstandard,sotake Bathroom

As basicasitgets,withshared bathrooms. The Tin roofs are hotter thantraditionalpalm-frondthatchroofs. petanque Ifit’sthehotseasonandyouplanonsleepingin,avoidSunriseBlvdoranywhere (Southern Shore; r40,000-60,000K) As competitionintensifies manyguesthousesare addingbasicbathrooms totheir Withtheadvent allroomshave ofelectricity, fansthesedays,buthavingtwo Bamboowallsare paperthin.Ifyouneedprivacylookforadetachedbungalow. ) Mostbungalowshave balconieswithhammocks,butanyonetravelling asapair (Sunrise Blvd;bungalows30,000K) (Sunrise ( (Sunrise Blvd;bungalowsfrom (Sunrise (boules)ontheisland. % ( %

True, thebungalowsare 030-534 5865; Sunrise Blvd; 030-534 5865;Sunrise ( % 030-534 6233;bungalows (South Sunrise Blvd; (South Sunrise 020-5546 5262; Sunrise 020-5546 5262;Sunrise (Sunrise Blvd;bunga- (Sunrise

views. bridge Daeng, roomsincludeabathroomandtherestaurant has Dn Khon Don Just watchoutfortheresident buffalo. garden. area withbungalowsdottedabouttheriverside restaurant Relaxed andchill-out galows 20,000-40,000K) balcony withsuperbviews. livesonthankstothebigcommunal ofMarley the spirit Tena Bungalows Tawan Daeng with visiting tourgroups,the familyare now 534 5807;rUS$11-30; internet isavailable. acrossthetrack; inacolonialshophouse set a riverside The small restaurant setting. is con roomsincludehotwater, andsomehave compared onDonDet.Theair- withthose ai bungalows70,000-130,000K;[email protected]; per hour. road isthecheapest ontheislandat15,000K terrace. Theinternet centreerview acrossthe are inabungalowblockwithshared set riv- cheapest strip,rooms placeontheDonKhon of thebridge. tions are spread alongtheriver eitherside andeatingop- All of sleeping DonKhon’s bungalows 50,000-60,000K) Pan’s Guesthouse & Restaurant Pan’s Guesthouse&Restaurant GuesthouseSouksanh Seng Ahloune Guesthouse & Restaurant AhlouneGuesthouse& Restaurant Seng )

These areThese pretty solidbungalows ( % ( % 020-5615 2173;SouthernShore; a 020-272 2730; Sunset Strip; bun- 020-272 2730;SunsetStrip; Long apopularrestaurant )

(r from30,000K; Friendly spotrunbyMrs Friendly lonelyplanet.com ( % 020-5534 6939; i ) Still the ( % 030- SOUTHERN LAOS 295 is steer- leave Ban Ban leave falang ew ǎ . (mains 15,000-35,000K; (mains 15,000-35,000K; Run by a friendly Run by a friendly 020-5676 3141; mains 020-5676 3141; mains wngth % ¤ × ( ǎ s papillote 7am-10pm) h Chanthounma’s ‘good food to food to Chanthounma’s ‘good ¡ª¾©£º$²½À² Ü 7am-10pm) See p 274 for buses from Pakse. 274 See p Other bars come in and out of fashion de- fashion of come in and out bars Other For Pakse (30,000K, 2½ to 3½ hours, 2½ to 3½ hours, (30,000K, For Pakse Fleur du Mekong Khon Phapheng Falls South of Don Khon the Mekong River fea- River Don Khon the Mekong South of $Õª powerful rapids with of a 13km stretch tures and by several cascades. The largest, sets of Boat prices to the islands are fixed by a local fixed Boat prices to the islands are boat association (that’s according to budding mafia to you and me). like communists, more Ban Nakasang to Don Det costs 15,000K per or 30,000K alone, or to Don Khonperson or 50,000K alone. costs 25,000K per person in the is- to go anywhere Boats can be hired lands for about 100,000K per hour. from 6am to 10am. Most Nakasang regularly on the island, book through tickets travellers including the local boat and a minibus trans- services usually a couple of are There a day fer. (50,000K, 8am & 1.30pm), plus con- to Pakse and Phnom (US$8) nections to Stung Treng (US$11) in Cambodia. Penh Don Khon Chanthounma’s Restaurant h de- up to the advertising, suit your mood’ lives tasty and affordablelivering Lao and Western be in a good mood by dishes. Hopefully you’ll the time you finish here. tour guide, this is the closest French-speaking Lao to the bridge. dishes include a restaurant fish delicious duck curry and a fusion baked in banana leaf or GETTING THERE & AWAY longer-running bars in town, also turning turning in town, also bars longer-running Xplore-Asia as the and doubling out pizzas office. whether or not a pending on so taken are travellers Plenty of ing the ship. stick around on Don Det that they with life their to help a local family with for a while Ban Hua Det is a good place restaurant-bar. seemsto crawl. There to be a semi-official wind down 11.30pm when the bars of curfew Beach to the ‘beach’. and the action moves not unheard and midnight dips are bonfires been but proceed with caution if you have of, drinking or smoking heavily. 148km), buses or 20,000-50,000K; means phae phae (Sunrise Blvd; cakes

030-525 6390; www. Formerly a small % ( (Ban Hua Det; mains 15,000- 020-5563 3572; Ban Hua Det;

A real treat, particu- treat, A real A popular drinking- %

( 030-525 6390; www.salalao.com; 030-525 6390; www.salalao.com; This is the Don Det branch This is the Don Det branch Under the same ownership Under the same ownership PROVINCE Islands) (Four Thousand •• Si Phan Don CHAMPASAK % ( (Ban Hua Det)

Occupying a strategic location above location above Occupying a strategic com; r incl breakfast US$30-50) com; r incl breakfast . Pool Bar Jasmine Restaurant Khamphong Restaurant Sala Phae AubergeDon Khone Sala hole with a busy pool table, this is one of the the hole with a busy pool table, this is one of of Indian favourites. Indian favourites. of mains 15,000-50,000K) institution serving the Pakse of a selection up for a beer. the ‘beach’ and boat landing, this relaxed res- this relaxed and boat landing, the ‘beach’ Lao selection a good of taurant food. offers place to linger Floor seating it a relaxed makes small Western menu includes dishes that dishes that menu includes small Western making it a top spot. don’t turn up elsewhere, this bakery whips up delicious brownies, whips up delicious brownies, this bakery The and other comforting treats. carrot cake 10,000K, mains 15,000-35,000k) Don Det Lamphoune’s Restaurant Bakery 15,000K to about 40,000K. guesthouses noted above for their food, most guesthouses above noted places serve cold Beerlao Lao of and a range at prices ranging from favourites and Western EATING & DRINKING & DRINKING EATING When it comes to eating, with the exception of hot water, plus a small balcony with unblem- hot water, views. Nice, but pricey compared ished river Don Khong. with upriver raft) in the Mekong. The smart rooms include raft) in the Mekong. toilet and bio-safe a small safe, wooden floors, construction, which should raise should construction, which standards. US$45) r incl breakfast phere, but a newer ‘heritage’ wing is under but a newer ‘heritage’ phere, the original building, as the bungalows aren’t the bungalows aren’t the original building, as offerings cheaper than impressive any more It’s a high price to pay for atmos- elsewhere. Khone offers the most romantic location on the most romantic location on Khone offers extra for rooms in the island. It is worth paying salalao Sala Don hospital, the Auberge French-era taurant, open from 7am to 10pm, has a huge taurant, has a huge from 7am to 10pm, open and does terrace bubbling hotpots riverside for 70,000K. a bungalow with a riverside balcony. The res- balcony. with a riverside a bungalow providing quality accommodation as well. well. as accommodation quality providing but the air- little pricey, a rooms are The fan on Don smartest the some of are con options Khon, a two-star including trim. Book hotel lonelyplanet.com as the Auberge, this is a floating hotel with is a floating hotel this as the Auberge, bungalows set on bamboo rafts ( larly for those with a bout of the munchies, the munchies, larly for those with a bout of 40,000K) SOUTHERN LAOS falls is used bydaringfishermen whoarefalls isused onthe rocks nexttothe bamboo scaffolds a goodviewof the falls.Ashakynetworkof near DonKhon. wayas Tatspirit trapinthesame Somphamit Phapheng actsasa Khon Thais, whobelieve and itual significancetheyholdforboth Lao busload. Part of theattractionisspir- forThaitourists,whoarrive by thein Laos flood, andisoneof themost-visited sites particularlywhenthe Mekongsight, isatfull Thisisaspectacular second. every Cambodia litres of water crashover therocksandinto pure, unrestrained aggression asmillionsof Tat KuangSinearLuangPrabang,butitis the Bolaven Plateau poolsof orthefairytale as beautifulthetoweringwaterfalls of Thakho.far fromBan Phapheng Khon isn’t near theeastern shore of theMekong not Mekong, is far themostawesomeanywhere alongthe 296 A pavilion ontheMekong shore affords Open since2001,thisremote CROSSING THECAMBODIAN BORDERAT TRAPAENG KRIEL&NONGKHIANG to Pakse, butit’salonghaulandbetter upintobite-sized chunks. broken (US$11)orPakse (US$9),DonKhong Khon (US$13).There are alsodirect busesfromPhnom Penh the Cambodian side. tripsfromSiPhan inthefloodedforest DontoStungTreng,combination kayak on taking November, withtheminivanrunningthroughtoStungTreng. connecting They alsooffer more thanthebus. They runaraft fromDonDettotheborder(US$20)betweenJulyand be abletohelparrangesomethingviatheirofficeinStungTreng, butitwillcostquite abit stretch toStungTreng withtheadvent oftheupgradedroad.Xplore-Asia (seep 268 ) may toandfromtheremote transport border.as youwillneedtocharter just aboutpossible,butyouwillneedlotsoftimeanditendupcostingmore money, atmosphere inthelaid-backriverside townofKratie. is GettingtoStungTreng bylocaltransport Kompong Cham,achangeofbusandoccasionalovercharging. Take yourtimeandsoakupthe Reap are butwedon’t really alsoadvertised, recommend these,astheyinvolve anovernight in thebustoStungTrengto take andthenboardaCambodian busfromthere. toSiem Services hours). FromPakse, itcosts120,000KtoStungTreng or230,000KtoPhnom Penh. It’scheaper Kratie (US$12,five (US$11,sixhours) orPhnom hours),BanLung Penh inRatanakiri (US$18,11 bus(minibus)toStungTreng abackpacker are (US$8,three taking hours,includingformalities), such aremote crossing. Negotiationispossible. holiday. InCambodia, it’scalled‘tea money’,asthepoorborderguardshave beenstationedat is commonbothsidesoftheborder. InLaos,it’s‘overtime’, asevery dayseemstobeapublic to press. BothLaoandCambodian visasare availableonarrival,althoughminorovercharging settled down,hencethenewnames,andaglitzybordergate aswego isunderconstruction to notonebuttwoimmigrationposts,ontheriver andoneontheroad.Things have finally overland circuit.Formanyyears,there wasmuchconfusionassociated withcrossinghere due CHAMPASAK ••SiPhanDon(FourThousandIslands) PROVINCE touristminibusesdominate thetradefromStungTrengHeading north, toDonDetand It isnolongerpossibleto crosstheborderviariver andfew boatsoperate the The route Cambodia. southgoestoStungTreng innortheast Fromtheislandsmosttravellers Khon Phapheng Khon

(admission 20,000K) border (7am-5pm) , isapopularcrossingpointontheIndochina our visit and comes highly recommended.our visit and comeshighly 7704; mains 20,000-40,000K) 7704; mains20,000-40,000K) beside thefalls. Phapheng.Khon for themoment.Itisabout3km northof butthingsarehole eventually, upsidedown six-hole golfcourse. Itismeanttobe a nine- swimming poolwithviewstotheriver anda balconies.There’s a islands, plusriverview andair-con,ers, luxurieson the satellite TV Roomsincluderainshow- on DonKhon. value compared endoptions withthehigher thisresortlands. However, ispretty good falls, preferring tobeddownonnearbyis- ais rinclbreakfast US$25-70; www.khonephaphengresort.com; &GolfClub Resort Khonephapheng SLEEPING &EATING the cascades. tohavesaid analliancewiththespiritsof There are lotsof and restaurants localstalls ) Few people tendnearthe tostay Khamphao Restaurant Restaurant Khamphao served afinefeast on served lonelyplanet.com ( % 030-516 0777; ( % 020-240 SOUTHERN LAOS

297 from ew ǎ coffee wngth ǎ s Katu and Alak Katu and Alak with its textile market. with its textile (p 307 ). Continue uphill ). Continue uphill 307 (p through and drink some decent Katu village (p 306 ), which can be a useful lunch ), which can be a useful lunch 306 (p Tat Fan Tat (p 308 ) goes past a couple of smaller ) goes past a couple of smaller 308 (p Bolaven Plateau Bolaven Nam Tok Katamtok Sekong Sekong to Ban Nakasang a and take From Ban Nakasang to Khonthere. Phapheng motorcycle taxi a about for you can hire Falls (this is a a jumbo for 100,000K 40,000K or jumbo and should for the whole fare return . Several villages dot this road towards Paksong, villages dot this road towards Paksong, . Several Attapeu (Phasoume Resort, p 301 which is good for lunch. which is good for lunch. 301 Resort, (Phasoume p (p 301 ) and look for the 301 (p (p 300 ), take a trek from ), take a trek 300 (p Bolaven Plateau Bolaven Tat Lo Tat waterfalls (p 303 ). If that doesn’t appeal, go just 4km to Ban Beng and turn right on the 4km to Ban Beng and turn right on the ). If that doesn’t appeal, go just 303 (p and a couple of guys with unfeasibly long rifles slung over their shoulders with their shoulders with long rifles slung over and a couple of guys with unfeasibly Utayan Bajiang Champasak Utayan , PROVINCE Islands) (Four Thousand •• Si Phan Don CHAMPASAK . Look carefully and you’ll see coffins stacked beneath buildings, and perhaps traditional and you’ll see coffins stacked beneath buildings, and perhaps traditional . Look carefully Salavan (sarongs) n ǐ s graves in small clearings in the forest. The dead are always buried in the forest, and usually with and usually with always buried in the forest, dead are The in small clearings in the forest. graves in another a farmer’s bicycle atop a grave, a significant possession; in one case we saw a child’s Continue south on the 46km sealed road to hoe. villages from Sekong to smooth 77km road stop. The on. plenty of those later waterfalls, are though there (p 299 ). And that’s it – you’re pretty much back in Pakse. pretty ). And that’s it – you’re 299 (p Day 5 – Paksong & around & around Day 5 – Paksong Check out some of the Day 4 – Attapeu to Paksong Day 4 – Attapeu Do earlier. if we’d left Attapeu more it even loved this ride, but would have loved We absolutely 10am), and head 47km norththat (before on Rte 16 to Ban Bengkhua Kham. Top up your tank heading up the beautiful, shaded road through pristine before here and check your odometer cheroot-sucking we saw included women Laven You won’t see many people, but the few jungle. in road to Tha Taeng. This 30km-road climbs up onto the This Taeng. road to Tha Day 3 – Around Attapeu . 310 check out the options on p this province; days exploring You could spend a few Continue on Rte 20 towards Lo, but if not then head about 28km up the road for a look in Tat It’s easy to spend two nights around Day 2 – Tat Lo to Attapeu to Attapeu Lo Day 2 – Tat Day 1 – Pakse to Tat Lo to Tat Day 1 – Pakse keeping straight on at the bus station. After and up toward the plateau, Head south out of Pakse about 20km turn left (north) 16 and 20, and go another at the junction (labelled Lak 21) of routes 17km or so to THE SOUTHERN SWING THE SOUTHERN and taking swing is a motorbike southern or bicycle trip starting in the Bolaven The in Pakse from . By motorbike it can takeanywhere 266 see Map p provinces, and other southern Plateau you stop. long as you like, days to as go and how often depending on how fast you three about it this is only a guide – everything days but takes five laid out here we’ve route The fairly Distances are a good idea. is On a bicycle, doing it in reverse is as flexible as you like. sealed, and those if not exact roads are Most (we didn’t trust our bike’saccurate, odometer). boxed Read the fine. 110cc bikes good condition, meaning are in relatively not are that are you go. before 342 on p text and at about 27km you’re on the and at about 27km you’re distance between Ban Bengkhua ). The is affordable accommodation the last 15km of which is partly sealed but badly potholed. There 298 (p Fan at Tat ) or smarter lodgings 299 (p in Paksong if time is tight. is 71km. Or you can push on to Pakse Kham and Paksong dead birds hanging from the end. After about 16km look for a waterfall from the end. After the distance to the in dead birds hanging north, and at 18km for the awesome but unsigned ing the journey independently, it’s best to get to get independently, it’s best ing the journey GETTING THERE & AWAY their trip through book Most people guest- a takinghouse to see to go often the waterfalls, mak- and dolphins. If you’re in both the falls lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS along the road between Paksealong the roadbetween and Paksong increases. influence inthearea slowly dyingoutas Lao offor thefacetattoos theirwomen,a custom are days. arare these sight moving workingelephants timber,although were extensively used forclearinglandand Suay (whocallthemselves Kui).Elephants dlers are tobetheanimistic-shamanistic said or riceshedsuntilneeded. death. Thecoffins are stored beneathhomes wellinadvanceofthe household anexpected of woodencaskets carving in acircle. OneuniqueKatu custom isthe they arrange theirpalm-and-thatch houses Katu andAlakvillages are distinctive because (Tahoy) andSuay,alsolive onthe plateau. groups, includingtheAlak,Katu, Ta-oy ethnic otherMon-Khmer Laven’). Several is theLaven (Bolaven means‘homeof the damom andrattan. p 300 ). Otherlocalproductsincludefruit,car- are theboxed busycultivatingcoffee (see text, both localfarmers andlarger organisations ues, butinareas where cleared, ithasbeen (unexploded ordnance)stilllyingaround. amountof bythestaggering UXO evidenced as both theAmericansandNorthVietnamese, Plateau wasconsidered strategically to vital able inthelate ’60s.ControllingtheBolaven lowed asUSbombardmentbecameunbear- independence inthe1950sandrest fol- Many of theFrench planters leftfollowing trees andbananasintheearly20thcentury. the French startedplantingcoffee, rubber Indochina War. most heavily bombedtheatres of theSecond tions. It’salsoknownforbeingoneof the fertile soilandhigh-gradecoffee planta- mous foritscoolclimate, dramaticwaterfalls, asPhu Phieng Bolaven)known inLao isfa- Bolaven Plateau (sometimesspeltBolovens, Province thefertile intoSalavan andSekong, Spreading acrossthenortheastof Champasak ² atmosphere atthefalls). include atleasttwohours inthe fortaking 298 BLVN PLATEAU BOLAVEN Þ ²¼¤® Among othertribes,thebestelephanthan- The largest ethnicgroupontheplateau The area wasn’tfarmedintensively until Several Several The Alak, Katu are andLaven distinctive The slowprocessof clearingUXOcontin- CHAMPASAK ••BolavenPlateau PROVINCE Ö ì½À¸$ Katu and Alak villages

for each memberof canbevisited of Paksong, and falls, including falls in Laos. Thetwinstreams offalls inLaos. theHuay Tat Fan isoneof water- themostspectacular day market frequented bymanytribalgroups. Salavan), around40kmeastof Pakse, isalarge Ngamontheroadto withMuangLao fused and onRte 20.In few of withinwalkingdistance Tat Lo(p 301 ), inSalavan Province.to Beng, There are alsoa Muang ThaTaeng (ThatHeng) ontheplateau the signs atKm38.Apath leadsdowntothe rareseason, hornbills. monkeys, largesee butterflies and,inthewet are pretty much zero. You’re more likely to thechancesalthough one of actually seeing tomunch theoccasionalhunter,said through home toasmallpopulationof tigers whoare a taste of thepark.DongHuaSaois reputedly trails aroundhere provide agoodway to get sq-km Dong HuaSaoNPA andthewalking nounced tumble downmore than120m.Tat Fan (pro- Liengplunge outofBang forest dense and ª¾©³¾$ of thevariouswaterfalls aroundthe plateau. Check outwww.bolaven.com forsomephotos Tat Fan &DongHuaSaoNPA the laterite road thatdescendssteadily from at thewestern edge of theplateau, andalong water- spectacular The plateau hasseveral Tat Fan is800msouthof Rte 23 –lookfor pole infrontoftheirhouseasaspiritoffering. ona household placesapieceinbasket is dividedamongthevillagersandeach faloes andspearthemtodeath.The meat of dancingthemenconverge onthebuf- by theirhouses. After aprescribed period buffaloes inthecentre ofthecircleformed and woodenshields,thendancearoundthe the villagedonwoodenmasks,hoistspears Duringtheceremony,harvest. themenof the bountyofprevious year’sagricultural animals –dependsontheiravailabilityand faloes sacrificed–typicallyfromonetofour age tothevillagespirit.The numberofbuf- onafullmooninMarch)hom- performed for anannualwater buffalosacrifice(usually andAlakareThe well knowninLaos Katu SACRIFICE THE KATU &ALAKBUFFALO /¯ tàat fáan È ¾¦½¹¤¸$ Tat Fan Tat Lo )

Lao Ngam is attheedge of the1100- Á¹ , afew kilometres west onRte 20 toSalavan. È ¤§¾©© (nottobecon- lonelyplanet.com Ü ¤¹ Ü ¸§¾¸ SOUTHERN LAOS 299 , also ) W www.waterfallet

(Rte 16; Alright, so it’s Alright, so it’s Ban Won 020-276 9769; (Phuouy), which has become which (Phuouy), % (

Phuoi , Laos’s capital, coffee may not be E-TU Resort E-TU Paksong & Around Paksong & Bolaven Plateau and you can walk through Plateau Bolaven from Tat treks them on the easy afternoon Those closer wanting to get to the action Fan. can head to for Jhai Coffee the unofficial headquarters ). 300 p text, Co-op (see the boxed Farmers INFORMATION The best place to seek out information on planta- and its surrounding coffee Paksong is tions and waterfalls no currently There’s known as Koffie’s Coffee. sign…yes, wi-fi sign but look out for the free with internet. this is the only place in Paksong aficionado, who is ap- coffee Run by a Dutch nicknamed Koffie, and his Laven propriately coffee this is the place to sample fresh wife, from a cuppa) fresh (5000K tea and green and plantation workshops Coffee the plateau. and start from 50,000K per available are tours visit the useful on Paksong, For more person. www.paksong.info. website COFFEE the sizes blanket varying of trees Coffee in the Bolaven area with polished wooden polished wooden with area in the Bolaven and striking Lao The nearby floors textiles. and Fan is easier to access than Tat waterfall swimming is possible. Paksong been oblit- it having to look at, most of much Second bombs during the in a storm of erated cli- a temperate War, but it boasts Indochina It is an 1300m. of thanks to its altitude mate base to explore affordable from which Bolaven market has a mildly interesting the plateau, cool. and is refreshingly Fan. All have a verandah and attached bath- and attached a verandah have All Fan. due to fan or air-con is no but there room, very still a little, they are cool nights. Ageing 20,000 (mains The restaurant atmospheric. views and serves has great to 50,000K) sand- and tasty Laowiches In the and Thai food. it pays to February) high season (November warm and to pack something to book ahead, from Pakse. US$45) r incl breakfast upaksong.com; kilo- but it’s just a few Fan, not strictly Tat is Etu and Tat down the road near metres around the Km 35 mark. Setsignposted in plantation, and tea a coffee the the heart of accommodation the smartest bungalows are www.tadfane.com;

These attractive These attractive 020-5553 1400; PROVINCE •• Bolaven Plateau CHAMPASAK % (

Transport between Pakse and Paksong and Paksong Transport between Pakse Rafting and kayaking trips are possible Rafting possible trips are and kayaking A half-day to US$5.50, costs US$3.50 trek ily rooms actually have a clear view of Tat Tat a clear view of ily rooms actually have wooden bungalows sit atop a cliff overlooking wooden bungalows sit atop a cliff overlooking fam- the falls, although only the two larger Tad Tad Fane Resort US$30/32/40) s/d/fam incl breakfast SLEEPING & EATING Local guides report that orchids are now only are that orchids Local guides report in the area easier to spot than tigers marginally Fan. around Tat locally. However, please buy the orchids, don’t Hua Sao. Dong come straight from which Thai tourists has also prompted local resi- Thai tourists has also prompted in the car dents to establish a small market innocent the goods on sale are park. Some of grown tea and green enough, as coffee such or beyond stops 800m north of Tat Fan (see Fan Tat or beyond stops 800m north of a there’s for details). When you arrive 300 p (5000K) for entrance and parking small fee not staying eating at the resort. or if you’re with day-tripping Fan Tat The popularity of from July to November. For details speak For details speak from July to November. in Pakse or Xplore-Asia Discovery to Green (both p 268 ). on Huay Bang Lieng during the wet season leeches. As one guide told us, ‘the flip-flop is one guide told us, ‘the flip-flop leeches. As not possible’. season but boots are better in the wet to deter in the wet to deter better season but boots are enough that women can usually get down to enough that women can usually get the locals. offending their swimwear without in the dry appropriate sandals are Adventure below is perfect for swimming, and private for swimming, and private below is perfect of a stroll and swim, walking through coffee of Cham Pi (which plantations to 17m-high Tat means Small Banana although Waterfall, pool The large us why). no one could tell about 12.30pm. The 1pm trek is usually more is usually more trek about 12.30pm. The 1pm US$10 including lunch. When possible, the When US$10 including lunch. the 8.30am and takes at leaves morning trek returning Fan, Tat steepof descent to the top depending on numbers, and a full-day is and a full-day is depending on numbers, in Laven and Katu villages, coffee plantations, coffee villages, in Laven and Katu one other waterfall. and almost always at least can arrange fairly easy half-can arrange and full-day treks These might take the NPA. of around the edge of a cliff opposite. The resort has a couple a cliff The resort of opposite. guides who English-speaking professional of and is often impassable. viewing An easier and is often ), a jungle lodge 299 Resort (p Fane point is Tad the top onto the falls from that looks down top of the falls and affords the falls and views, though fine top of the wet seasonslippery in perilously this is lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS flowing intolush jungle. Tat Yuangishugely with itstwintorrents falling about40mand getting here early isagoodidea. It’sOK to Thailand wholike to picnic atthetop,so popular withday-trippers fromPakse and (admission 5000K) of inquestion. thecataract sentation marked byabluesignwithpainted repre- ofwithin strikingdistance Paksong. Most are other cascadesdropoff theBolaven Plateau As wellasTat Fan, numerousbreathtaking WATERFALLS ifyouwanttheexperience.derstand ‘homestay’ the village speaksEnglish,buttheyshouldun- Nong Luangare possible. Note that noonein early.Ifyouget inBan so start stuck,homestays Jet impressive waterfalls, theseven-tiered to take alocalguide and walktotwofairly BanNongLuang hours wanttocontinueanother7km might but more adventurous soulswithafew spare Coffee Farmers Co-op.Phuoi is4kmalong, villagesmainly Laven thatmake uptheJhai edge of theplateau andishometothe12 This spine-jarring roadrunstothesouthern NongLuang. (south) downadirtroadtoBan 1.5km andlookforthebigsignpointingright 300 To get toPhuoi headeastonRte 23forabout and from theJhaiCooperative andtheirbeansare availableinPakse, Vientiane andLuang Prabang. to guarantee thebestprice. trade price,suchastoUS$1.70in2007,farmerscanchoosesellotherbuyersiftheywant what theymadesellingtolarger wholesalers. However, when coffee pricesclimbabove thefair with Fairtrade thefarmersare guaranteed certification more US$1.36perkg, thanthree times have beentrainedinmoderncultivationmethodstomaximisethequalityofbeans. And 23toBanNongLuang.south fromRte Machineryhasbeenbought,andcooperative farmers come from12villagesandseveral ethnicgroupslivingmainlyalongtheroughroadrunning help fromtheCalifornia-based JhaiFoundationandThanksgiving Coffee intheUS.Members Jhai today butafair-trade aimedatempoweringsmall-scale farmersisgatheringsteam. project The wasn’treallyUS$0.50 perkg improving theirlivingstandards. These businessesstilldominate panies, thelargest beingPakse-based DaoHeung. Forthefarmers,however, earninglessthan centrecoffee-growing diedwiththecarpetbombingof‘60sand‘70s. shipped homebecameknownasthe‘champagneofcoffee’. theplateau Planstomake amajor grown, muchofitaroundthe‘coffee town’ofPaksong. Arabica,ArabicaTypicaandRobustaaresome ofthebestandmostexpensive beansonearth. The high,flatgroundoftheBolaven Plateau isidealforgrowingcoffee andtheregion produces K Ą CHAMPASAK ••BolavenPlateau PROVINCE Lao MountainCoffee roastingcompany,purchases (www.laomountain.com),aVientiane-based Business begantopickupinthe1990sandwasdominated byafew plantationsandcom- The French introducedcoffee totheBolaven Plateau intheearly1900sandArabicaTypica A-FÉH LÁO(LAOCOFFEE)

Coffee Tat Kameud

isamongthemostimpressive, Farmer . From this village it’s possible . Fromthisvillage it’spossible . Thereturn triptakes awhile

Cooperative (www.jhaicoffee.com) Tat Yuang Tat Tha

15,000-40,000K) 15,000-40,000K) that starts besidethebathroomsatTatthat starts Yuang. 45-minute walkalongabeautifulforest trail A scenicwaytoTat Fan fromhere isthe and Pakse’s southern (Km8)busterminal and Buses THERE&AWAYGETTING located ontheleft-handside. from thenorth,thisisfirst place intown, food.Approachingmenu of town Laotian pretty flowers, thislocalrestaurant hasasmall which willbespaciousandsparklingclean. up thegranddriveway and intoa600Broom, sits atopahillsideoverlooking Paksong. Sweep 600B; hind themarket. rooms andsatellite TV. Itistucked awaybe- bath- modern andsmart,includingspiffy the ownerspeakssomeEnglish.Roomsare 100,000K) SavannaGuesthouse SLEEPING &EATING off Rteoff 23at Km40andgoafurther2km. a sarong. swim atthebottom,butwomenshouldwear isa500-membergroupformedin2004with Borlaven Restaurant Borlaven Hotel Paksong Phuthavada To get there, (south) followthesignsright a ) A friendlyspotnearapretty pond, Visible fromallover town,thishotel s ǎ Set in a thatched house with inathatched house Set wngth

( ǎ %

ew ( % 020-5579 0613;r70,000- between Paksong between (

% 020-5583 6326;mains lonelyplanet.com 030-534 8081;rfrom SOUTHERN LAOS 301 ) has the at- Phu Xieng Thong

near to Rte 13 and near to Rte

in the far east have in the far east have

here has information here tàat láw tàat and they give it a serenity it a serenity and they give Se Xap NPA Se Xap NPA Se Ban Nuan NPA raison d’être raison is accessible from Pakse (see p 275 ), but 275 (see p is accessible from Pakse 034 The town is a one-street affair,The town is a one-street most with Almost half the province is covered by by is covered province Almost half the the Ho of branch Just about every major There are a handful of attractions. The The attractions. of a handful are There visitors looking to get well-and-truly off well-and-truly the get looking to visitors track. beaten accommodation just east of the bridge. A A the bridge. accommodation just east of community guides office to surrounding sights treks on nine different (starting at 45,000K and nearby Ngai villages day to continue the painstaking task of finding finding day to continue the painstaking task of war, and and neutralising these weapons of Despite to come. expect to be busy for years to keen from travellers interest plenty of opera- the trail, so far no such walk part of tion exists. TAT LO ª¾©Àì¾½ % Tat Lo (pronounced with cheap retreat a backpacker of mosphere setting and accommodation, an attractive backpackers. few but very diversions, plenty of the are Waterfalls lies its charm. And herein town’s that sees than they stay longer many visitors deeper to explore wanting planned. If you’re Lo is the ideal base. Tat into the province, Ta-oy (Tahoy), Lavai, Alak, Laven, Katang, (Tahoy), Ta-oy and Kado. Katu Kanay, Ngai, Tong, Pako, pro- into the three but getting natural forest tough. is really areas tected NPA for now the particularly the whatsoever – in fact, no tourist infrastructure limited. any kind is extremely of infrastructure has piles of longer town no While Salavan rusting war detritus waiting for scrap mer- towns to the north and east plenty of chants, head out almost every Clearance teams do. province straddles the northern edge of the the of edge straddles the northern province just 30km from Lo, and Tat Plateau Bolaven near village is an attractive town, Salavan base and the best place to some waterfalls Beyondyourself. however, the eth- waterfalls, is the main lure. region the of nic diversity the population of than half of While more is ethnically LaoSalavan (Loum and Soung), The remainder to this area. native none are the 350,000 inhabitants belong to relatively of Mon-Khmer groups, including the obscure Chi Minh Trail cut through Salavan at some Chi Minh Trail cut through Salavan a serious problem. point and UXO remains Utayan Bajiang Lo PROVINCE •• Tat SALAVAN 031-251 294; off Rte031-251 294; off 20; entry 5000k per % (

38km northwest of Pakse is scattered is scattered Pakse 38km northwest of

The resort itself might seem a The resort be more to

An appealing elevated jungle walk leads Salavan (also spelt Saravan and Saravane) is and Saravane) (also spelt Saravan Salavan and upcountry not on the way to anywhere in Laos, the worst but some of roads remain tough of qualities and the lure it is these very hardy begun to attract a few that have travel south, Salavan is notable for its re- as much south, Salavan as any traditional tourism draws. moteness SALAVAN Sekong to the Like and Attapeu Provinces 36km from Pakse. Follow signs for Phasoume signs for Phasoume Follow 36km from Pakse. and it is a 1.5km walk. Falls 20 towards Salavan and get off at a turn-off at a turn-off off and get 20 towards Salavan about bridge, the Houy Cham Pa 400m after There is no direct public transport to public transport to is no direct There Rte any transport heading up Take Phasoume. GETTING THERE & AWAY contrived – the museum lifestyle just feels just feels – the museum lifestyle contrived surreal. The families seem happy enough, and you can even stay with them for 70,000K per person, but for us the whole experience is way too to a ‘museum village’ where families of Katu, Katu, families of to a ‘museum where village’ to entertain visitors. and Laven attempt Nge However, we’re assured that the tonnes of tim- of that the tonnes assured However, we’re from taken ber used to build this place were by local logging operations. rejected trees beams, posts, floor timbers, stepping stones stepping beams, posts, floor timbers, useand just about any other you can imagine. they’re sliced and diced into chairs, tables, sliced and diced into chairs, they’re homage to big dead trees than to live trees – trees than to live to big dead trees homage pared with Tat Lo. More sensible is to drop by More Lo. with Tat pared 20,000 to 40,000K) for (mains the restaurant accompanied most likely a tasty Thai lunch, Thai tourists. by busloads of (250,000K), but they’re not great value com- not great (250,000K), but they’re the small but beautiful Phasoume Waterfall. Waterfall. Phasoume the small but beautiful the 14 in one of It’s possible to stayhere houses Robinson–style tree Swiss Family through a stretch of thick jungle either side of side of thick jungle either of through a stretch A Thai-owned ‘ecoresort’, ‘ecoresort’, A Thai-owned Champasak Utayan Champasak Bajiang (Phasoume Resort) at Km 38 and follow the signs to the falls the falls follow the signs to at Km 38 and and resort. leave frequently between 4pm 8am and about frequently leave off get Fan, For Tat 90 minutes). (15,000K, lonelyplanet.com person) SOUTHERN LAOS hire (80,000Kperday). free transfers tothemain road. cooking.Plus fancy tryingyour handatLao and there alittlelean-tokitchen iseven if you the backof thecompoundwithricefieldviews relaxed vibe. There are twolarge bungalows at anda makes upforitwithfriendlyservice This placemaynotbeontheriver, butit Palamei Guesthouse Sleeping &Eating orTadguides’ office LoResort itself. 10am, 1pmand3pm.Youcanbook atthe at8am, from justoutsidetheguides’office ephant cancarrytwopeopleandtheydepart wouldn’t dream of el- crossingonfoot.Each villages andstreams fullof slipperyrocksyou forest,utes). Thetypicalrideplodsthrough elephants (85,000Kperelephant,90min- Tadlo Lodge offers ridesonitstwofemale RIDES ELEPHANT cipitous topof thefalls…don’tget tooclose. It’s notfarfromhere tothestunningandpre- Sanumnayandfollowittoaparkingarea.Ban ends. Look(hard)forthesignpointingleftto andleftwhereat thepowerstation theroad toTadlopast theturn-off Lodge, turnright cessible bymotorbike orbicycle. Head uphill cade is path bytheriver. thirdcas- Thespectacular keeping tothe GuestHouse, Saise through To get there, crossthebridge andwalkup ger butprobablywon’tknockyoursocksoff. a potentiallyerror. fatal atthetopofnot standing thewaterfall then, out whattimetherelease occurs soyou’re than doublingthewaterfall volume. Check upstream release water more intheevening, damauthorities that duringthedryseason, here; justgowhere the localkidsgo. Note It’spossibletoswimand someguesthouses. Hang stretch of river. Thenearest totown is There are actuallythree waterfalls onthis WATERFALLS Sights &Activities access on nearbyattractions.He alsooffers great English andisamineof information Soulideth of Tim whospeaks Guesthouse, you get hooked upwithaguide. It’srunby per person forafour-hour trip)andiswhere 302 Tat Lo , which can be seen fromthebridge, which canbeseen SALAVAN ••Tat PROVINCE Lo

(per min500K) Tat Suong , about700mupriver, isalittlebig- . It’sabout10kmoutandac- andcanarrange motorbike (

% 020-333 9365;r25,000-50,000K) internet internet Tat Tat

a here allhave shared bathroomandnoviews, river, thisplacesprawlsfromTat Hang toTat cheap meals withnothingcostingmore than15,000K. location.Therestaurant has balcony inapretty riverside Siphaseth, thisplacehas simplefan-conditionedhutswith her roadsiderestaurant. at Pap Mama whopromises‘bigeat,smallkips’ by friendly ahomestay,thesebasicbungalowsare tended village like amid forest withviewstoTat Hang. Atnight refurbishedbeen here andisbeautifullyset not breakfast isincluded.Therestaurant has of thefallsare agooddeal.Checkwhetheror bungalows withair-con, hotwater andviews bungalows furtherupstream. TheUS$20 for US$8tosophisticated air-conditioned Lo. Roomsrange fromcheap ‘tribebungalows’ downer Beerlao. to 25,000K) and river views.Therestaurant (mains5000 newer concrete buildingcomewithhotwater and includebathrooms.Solidroomsinthe the bungalowshave agoodgardenlocation r 40,000-70,000K) kids learncomputer skills. classroom (builtbySoulideth)where local exchange, isa andopposite theguesthouse specialities.Thereites plusseasonal isabook theusualrange of travellers’serves favour- the restaurant (mains6000kto35,000K), Soulideth isamineof local informationand atmosphere. English-andFrench-speaking by but whattheylackinluxuriesisoffset gmail.com; r40,000-60,000K; Sailomyen GuestHouse Pap Guesthouse Mama during ourvisit. ofLo, butitwasacase ‘sorry,nocooking’ ofthe bestselection EuropeanfoodinTat restaurant (mains25,000to100,000K)offers compared Thepavilion-style withtheSaise. bathrooms, butare atouch overpriced when bungalows have balconiesandcleanhot-water overlooking thelowerwaterfall. Theattractive lodge hasaprimepositionstraddlingtheriver, galows s/dinclbreakfast US$39/44) feeling theurge. food, plussomespiritsandmixers ifyouare andThai GoodLao most romanticsetting. picksoutthefallsmakingfora a spotlight o SiphasethGuestHouse Tim Guesthouse&Restaurant

Other optionsincludethefollowing: Tadlo Lodge ) Inlushgardensonthewestbankof the Saise GuestHouse

is theidealplacetohave asun- Inagreat locationbythebridge, ( % 211 889;www.tadlolodge.com;bun- (r 25,000K) Set amidthe Set (r25,000K) (r from 25,000K) Next doorto Next (rfrom25,000K) i

& Restaurant Thislong-running ) Thesimplerooms

( % ( % lonelyplanet.com 211 886;rUS$8-35; 211 885;soulidet@ (

% 211 890; SOUTHERN LAOS

. , a 303

Hong Lek Se Don Se 8am-4.30pm) 211 528; Ground D Wat Kong 30pm Mon-Fri) h

. ( 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) % 211 063; r 40,000- 5

( Police , signposted on on , signposted h

( % ( 30am-4 . 8 00 500 m 0.3 miles post office h

( 030-537 0799; r 50,000-140,000K; 030-537 0799; r 50,000-140,000K; Hospital Field Provincial Open % ( 4

School telecom office Ὀ Ὀ , Located near the market, this this near the market, , Located ) 3 Market a Provincial Tourism Office 2 8am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Fri) This could be the main attraction of a This could be the main attraction of ) 1 Follow a short dirt road at the south end of Follow a short dirt road at the south end of Phoufa Hotel The h 4 5 6 chilling mound of war remnants and UXO and UXO war remnants mound of chilling from around the province. the a fish restaurant, town to discover Sleeping & Eating Sleeping Thipphaphone Guesthouse friendly guesthouse is set in an old wooden fine, if unin- family house are and the rooms welcoming manager spiring. The wonderfully doesn’t speak any English. a on the road from Tat Located visit to Salavan. garden compound is home to Lo, this pretty the best digs in town. The 31 rooms include and satellite with air-con bungalows attractive to you’ll have room and a cheaper Take TV. luxuries. The grounds include a such forsake isn’t enough of a draw and instead they sen- they and instead a draw isn’t enough of Lo. to staysibly opt Tat at nearby Information Lao Development Bank US dol- will change the market, little west of The or Thai baht. lars and corner from the market is around the a next door is fl; the the main drag through town, is where and English-speaking Mr Bounthone French- worth a visit if you and is resides Sinachak into the province. plan on heading further 70,000K; BC SLEEPING Thipphaphone Guest House.... C2 EATING Hong Lek...... D2 TRANSPORT Bus Terminal...... A2 Airstrip Disused 1 2 3 PROVINCE •• Salavan SALAVAN A 6 Pakse (124km) Tat Lo (30km); Tha Taeng (49km); $ ×

To Phoufa Hotel (3km);

INFORMATION Lao Development Bank...... C2 Post Office...... C1 Provincial Tourism Office...... C2 Telecom Office...... (see 2)

Rte 20 Rte Petrol 034 / pop 25,000 Station The town sits within a bend of the SeThe town sits within a bend of Don,

If you’re heading to Paksong, get to Ban get heading to Paksong, If you’re To Khong Sedon (75km); Tahoy; Toumlan SALAVAN 2 1 Functionally, Salavan servesFunctionally, Salavan mainly as a sup- in surrounding districts. for farmers ply centre atmosphere backwater the For most travellers, which eventually meets the Mekong at Pakse. at Pakse. eventually meetswhich the Mekong town is a collection of brick and wood build- town is a collection of you’ll find ings, though if you look carefully than you might old buildings around more without charm. expect and it’s not entirely Army and Pathet Lao occupation. The rebuilt Lao The rebuilt occupation. Army and Pathet 1828. The provincial capital of Salavan was all Salavan capital of 1828. The provincial War, when it but destroyed in the Indochina bounced back and forth between Royal Lao Salavan (Sarawan in Thai) by the Siamese (Sarawan Salavan in % Once a Champasak kingdom outpost known mostly by and inhabited as Muang Mam Mon-Khmerit was renamed minorities, SALAVAN ¦¾ì½¸ Beng, coming from Salavan. a bus and catch or change It might to Paksong go all the way either way, allow a few buses at Tha Taeng; hours. motorbike or tuk-tuk (10,000K) to shuttle you or tuk-tuk (10,000K) motorbike Otherwise,the last 1.8km. walk. it’s an uphill or more buses a day. Tat Lo is 86km northeast Lo is 86km busesday. Tat a or more be you’ll road to Salavan; the off Pakse of dropped at Ban Khoua Set. might be a There tion. It costs 25,000K and there are usually five five usually are 25,000K and there tion. It costs Getting There Away & sta- bus southern Lo’ at Pakse’s Just say ‘Tat in the right direc- be pointed tion and you’ll lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS and because ofand because itsposition ontheHoChi interesting bothfromaculturalpoint of view in late February. Thetownisvery poor but theboxedfestival (see text, p 298 ) usuallyheld area isfamousforitssilkweavings andLapup Rte 23istheKatang village of About 50kmnorthof Salavan alongbumpy 23 Toumlan &Rte Phulook outfor1588m-high Katae nearby. thecrocsareof actuallyseeing slim.Instead, bicycle cost40,000Kperdayeach. Chances day triptoNongBuabybicycle. Aguideand canhelporganisebut thetourismoffice a aren’t manyleft(twoorthree, apparently), of crocodiles( Siamese road, isfamousforitsdwindlingpopulation Don about15kmeastof townalongaseasonal The lake of ¹$º¤® Bua Nong itself. to mostdestinationswillbeanadventure in spirit of adventure, getting inpart because Approach upcountrySalavan Province inthe SALAVAN AROUND roads runningtoTahoy andToumlan. holed stretches of earththatmasqueradeas transport toSavannakhet. 75km), onRte 13,where youcanpickupother (25,000K,three hours, Sedon 15 toKhong west of Salavan. Rte Theyrunalongrough of theroadsnorth,eastanddirectly tackling crammed inside,are theonlybeastscapable legroom sans built onthebackandseats 1½ hours, 49km). ThaTaeng gothrough These (10,000K, oneto to three hours, 93km)at7.45amand1.30pm. s uled toleave or at7.30amand10am.Buses (25,000K, three hours, 124km)are sched- where forPakse Rte Rte 15.Buses 20meets bus terminal is2kmwestof thetowncentre, fromPakse p For buses see 273 . Salavan’s BUS &S phrasebook. repellent andaLao vegetables andicyBeerlao. Bringmosquito superbbarbecuedfish,fresh Don.Itserves Se (mains 15,000-35,000K; 304 &Away There Getting ǎ wngth theyalsotake onthepot- In thedryseason Lot dai s SEKONG PROVINCE Ü ¸ Ǎ ǎ ew WNGTH Nong Bua ǎ leave (20,000K,two forSekong an, truckswithwoodencabins h Ǎ EW , near the source of the Se , nearthesourceof theSe dinner) khàe , onthebanksof the in Lao). There in Lao). Toumlan . The outsiders nottoenter. diamond-patterned bamboototems towarn during village ceremonies, theTa-oy putup a combinationof animismandshamanism; theypractise groupsinsouthernLaos, Khmer groups.Likeother Mon-Khmer manyMon- 1000m, often inareas shared withKatu and 300mand valleysataltitudesbetween tain Provinces. TheTa-oy live inforested moun- across theeastern areas of Salavan andSekong group, whonumberaround30,000spread Tahoy is fordaysduringthewetseason, passable Northeast alongRte 15,which canbeim- À¦ sometimes much longer. hours, abouteight and MuangPhin taking Phin Salavan onRte 9,thejourneybetween a smallmotorbike andcontinueontoMuang itshouldbepossibletocrosshere with season rebuilt. been 1968 andhasnever Inthedry Unfortunately thebridge wasblownupin in1942.(who wasatrainedengineer) built bythe‘RedPrince’Souphanouvong Souvanaphong’s Bridge Rte 9andMuangPhin, viathesite of ofsale scrap. here whilealso providing incomefromthe athreatMinh Trail.UXOcontinuestopose sive cliff walls of the southern Se XapNPA wallsofsive the southernSe cliff 1500maboverises With themas- level. sea lesser-known DakCheungPlateau, which Konganddominated intheeastby Se with waterfalls, bytheimpressive dissected this rugged andremote province isdotted the Bolaven Plateau totheVietnam border, Stretching fromneartheeastern edge of PROVINCE SEKONG day inthedryseason. second every hours,(30,000K, fourtoeight 84km)at11am out you’ll likely have Thegovernment tostay. lets across.IfyoucometoTahoyyour message todrawpicturesneed of toget bombsor tanks warjunkaskalocaltotake you;youmight see branches leadoff Rte 15nearby.Ifyouwantto on theHoChiMinhTrailandtwomajor Trail &theHoChiMinh Tahoy A Tahoy marker townwasanimportant É $꾤»¥ North of Toumlan,Rte 23headstowards rooms s (Ta-oy), acentre fortheTa-oy ethnic ǎ wngth

(30,000K) Ø ´ ǎ Ø $ ew inasimplebuilding. leaves Salavan forTahoy , named because itwas , namedbecause lonelyplanet.com Prince Prince SOUTHERN LAOS 305 (rice whisky). lào-láo of the world so traditionally male dominated, the world so traditionally male of husbands). polyandry (two or more tolerate people. By population Sekong population By people. of is the smallest Laos’s inhabit- among its 90,000 but provinces, tribal groups,from 14 different people ants are province most ethnically diverse making it the from Mon- are The vast majority in the country. Yae Taliang, Khmer the Alak, Katu, tribes, with These groups. total more largest the and Nge Other groups the population. than 75% of (Souei), Chatong, Suay Pacoh, include the These groups are diverse and Ta-oy. Katang seenot Buddhists, so you won’t many wats. Rather, and mix animism systems their belief tend and Taliang The Katu ancestor worship. unusually in a parttowards monogamy but, show, in readiness for the program’s Vietnam for the program’s Vietnam show, in readiness Top Gear Nick Ray shoot eventually took place in October in Vietnam only and we made only and we made took place in October in Vietnam shoot eventually Top Gear SEKONG PROVINCE SEKONG Hooking up with fellow Lonely Planet author Andrew Burke, we decided to head south on our Burke, we decided to head south on our Lonely Planet author Andrew Hooking up with fellow trails kept dead-endingThe in ricefields and we couldn’t find any locals to lead the way. The next morning was a mission to recover the second bike. Towing motorbikes is a delicate Towing motorbikes is a delicate the second bike. next morning was a mission to recover The Incidentally, the It was August 2008 and the rains were already falling hard in Laos. I had been recruited by the by the recruited I had been falling hard in Laos. already 2008 and the rains were It was August for the popular BBC as the line producer brief you might ask? Well, the original what was I doing in Laos, special? Quite special. Vietnam included route provisional Russian), and the French, was not motorbikes, old cars (American, but old bangers and plot a So I found myself in Laos trying to buy some and Laos. both Cambodia for Clarkson and co. route challenging 250cc dirt the use of the word Salavan on abandoned Rte to bikes23 (note from Muang Phin and we made skirted NPA, abandoned). It started route beautiful Vieng so well. The Dong Phu Bridge duly photographed, we it to the Se Pon in no time at all. With Prince Souvanaphong’s it all started in rickety canoes and continued on our way. Then to go wrong. crossed the river was ticking but time Four river we found the route, and it was a tough jungle ride. Eventually up. We tried push starts, my bike was flooded and but in had given my battery crossings later, We continued on one bike until rescue. for a later the end we had to abandon it in the forest blocking fallen tree the trail. It was too dark to find a freshly around 8pm, when we encountered a workaround, so despondently we had to turn back. We ended up sleeping with a Lao family kindlywho we woke up around 10pm. They plied us with sticky rice and a madcap dash from Saigon to Hanoi in 10 days: Jeremy Clarkson on a Vespa, Richard Hammond Richard Hammond Clarkson on a Vespa, a madcap dash from Saigon to Hanoi in 10 days: Jeremy arriving in Halong Bay, they converted Eventually on a Minsk and James May on a Honda Cub. the bay by motorbike. and became the first tourists to explore the bikes to amphibious vehicles a customised Ural bike the whole length of the country on on with a raised camera seat I drove and comfort. maximum safety I was right next he to Clarkson when the shooters the back to give accident and not and can dispel all rumours at long last – it was a genuine came off his Vespa designed to be ridden by someone who’s 6 ft 7 in. just aren’t staged. I mean, come on, tiny Vespas WE’RE ON A ROAD TO NOWHERE WE’RE ON A ROAD art, particularly person being when the ‘road’ in question is a rocky, muddy jungle path. The rock, then If the lead rider hits a big to follow the lead bike. towed can’t blink. simply have They from the course and both riders will end bad luck, so does the rider being towed. Any deviation a rather dramatic accident in one piece, despite We made it back to the river up on the floor. My bike went right, Andrew’s near the Se Pon. I ducked to avoid a branch at the last minute. bike went left and he flew off the embankment like the bike Superman. Luckily didn’t follow, the Se Pon and We survived a wobbly crossing back over and he managed to miss the rocks. made it to Savannakhet that night. eventually later That’s not to say there’s no reason to come. no reason That’s not to say there’s Alas, not yet. The province is among the yet. The province Alas, not than 100m. The other reason to come is thethan 100m. The other reason Noy River) and the breathtaking Nam Tok and the breathtaking Noy River) more plunges ), which 307 (p waterfall Katamtok Trail decades ago, mean much of it is off- of much Trail decades ago, mean intrepid. limits to all but the most on the Se waterfalls Nam Noy (Nam are There poorest in Laos and a combination of terrible in Laos terrible poorest a combination of and for virtually no facilities road infrastructure, unsafe a landscape that remains tourism and Minh dropped on the Ho Chi due to UXO Sekong to become an out- potential has the paradise. door adventurers’ (some are said to be more than 1000m high) than saidbe more to are (some and several sizable mountains the province, in lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS the otherendof thisroad. where beyondRte 16canbedifficult. The Thai bahtandUSdollars cashforkip only. Restaurant, thesimpleroomswithshareRestaurant, in nearbyforests. of birds,lizardsandsmallmammalshunted while others anever-dwindling sell number ing areas goods tradeclothforVietnamese to amalaria educationgroup. catching womanfever; actuallygo proceeds Wehaven’taffordable. heardof anyguests bathrooms here are very basic, butalsovery 5415 1610;r30,000K) Guesthouse KosmetCentre WomanFever Sleeping &Eating Fri) (UNDP) caseworker. prepared Programme byaUNDevelopment nic groups,villages andhandicrafts,mostof it which of has stacks informationonlocaleth- fered here isinthePha ThibRestaurant of themarket. Theonlyreal informationof- isinthestreets youneed everything justeast Kongtothesouth.Almost north andtheSe Rte 16inthe sitsonagridbetween Sekong Information &Orientation yard. Visitors are welcome. of rustingmunitionsandweaponry intheir for years andhave amildlyinteresting display market. guyshave These clearingUXO been Ministry of just westof Financeoffice the west. Atthe Bolaven precipitously Plateau rises tothe the southernandeastern sides,whilethe street names. wood-and-thatch stilthomes.There are no surrounded byareas of concrete, woodenand grid withgovernment buildingsinthecentre onabasic sprawlingtownisset necessarily of thewildernessinmid-1980s,un- out Carved into ajourneysouthtoAttapeu. nearby attractionscanusuallybeincorporated choice of accommodationislimited andthe Most visitors passthrough asthe Sekong, % À§¡º¤(À´ SEKONG (MUANG LAMAM) 306 isnotfarfromthemarket andcanchange The travellingNote thatinthewetseason any- Do by Drop Kongwrapsaroundthetownon The Se 038 /pop15,000 post office SEKONG PROVINCE •• Sekong (Muang Lamam) (Muang ••Sekong SEKONG PROVINCE Lao Development Bank Lao Development Û º¤ì½´¿) UXO Lao town market ( h

8am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri) 8am-noon &1-5pmMon-Fri) Opposite thePha Thib ( h 8am-5pm), , tribesfromoutly- (

h 9.30am-4pm Mon- opposite the ( %

menu, is at 020- are smart, clean and include satellite TV and are smart,cleanandincludesatellite TV rooms isquiteKham new,soconsequently then occasionalbuses/ 135km) there isatleastonebus(usually6am) ible. ForPakse (30,000K,aroundfourhours, Paksetween Schedules are andAttapeu. flex- instead they stophereoriginate inSekong; be- there costsabout5000K.Few actually buses 2km northwestof townoff Rte 16;ajumbo isabout dusty/muddybusstation Sekong’s &Away There Getting less memorablethanthefood. sour fishsoup.Thebathroomsare somewhat ites. Trythedeep-fried fishwithvegetables or favour- andVietnamese dishes, includingLao freshfriendly Vietownercooksuptasty, 8pm) dishes. and Vietnamese Chinese around townandhasamixof Lao, restaurant openlater thanmoststalls stays bathrooms withhotwater. Thedownstairs a diningvenuesalubrious intown. The riverside restaurant isarguably themost afridge andslickbathrooms. satellite TV, this smartnewhotel haslittleluxurieslike a another path headssout Tat Hia road about2.5km totherelatively ordinary immediately after aschool. Followthedirt dirtroad of alongarough town,turn right or jumbo(about80,000K).About 3.5kmsouth orcharteror motorbike inSekong, atuk-tuk part of adaytrip;you’dhave tohire abicycle villages andwaterfalls that couldbevisited as Rte there 16southofOff are Sekong several SEKONG AROUND motorbikes for80,000Kperday. the market. Pha canrent Thib Restaurant out hasafew jumbos,lookforthemat Sekong Around Getting intermittently from6am‘tilnoon. Salavan (25,000K,three hours, 93km)leaves two hours orsountilabout4pm.Transportto one dedicated departure at8am,thenevery (25,000K,twohours,Attapeu 76km)there is untilabout1pm.For fromAttapeu through Pha Thib Restaurant Thib Pha Hotel HongKham Hotel Thida For transportfromPakse p see 273 . ) ) Abighotel onthemainroad,Hong Littlemore thanawoodenshack,the Located Kong, onthebanksof theSe waterfall. Alittlefurtheralong Rte 16,

( % 020-233 7801; riverside; r100,000K; 020-233 7801;riverside;

( % (mains 15,000-35,000K;

211 777; Rte 16;r125,000K; 211 777;Rte s ǎ heast for about3km wngth lonelyplanet.com ǎ ew coming h 7am- SOUTHERN LAOS 307 have been found in have prasat Of the 11 ethnic groups found in Attapeu, Sealed18B to the Vietnam border has Rte In reality, Attapeu is best experienced as In reality, More recent history is just as violent. Every history is just as violent. Every recent More The province has hosted an important an important has hosted The province several in the new guesthouses and restaurants capital, a Vietnamese phrasebookprovincial useful than a Laowill be more dictionary. with Lao predominate, Lavae, and Talieng Nge Loum, Chinese number and a fast-growing the jungles near the Vietnam border. During the jungles near the Vietnam border. the Lan was known for Xang period the area his of upset the locals and members regent court in Vientiane when, on an expedition he kidnapped a local woman and to the area, her getting After hauled her off to Vientiane. to Attapeu to settle he returned pregnant The things down but wound up dead instead. Saisetthaand he him is named after town of is believed to be buried under a nearby stupa. the ran through of branch bombed was heavily Attapeu and the province Rare pieces during the Second War. Indochina still visible, though most has are ordnance of been off for scrap – the missile launcher carted ) being the notable exception. 310 (p at Pa-am brought the Vietnamese In back in numbers. ern highlands. Coming here by public bus by public bus ern highlands. here Coming is not ideal, as it is difficult local to arrange further exploration. transport and guides for guide may Anyone who wants an experienced companies need to book a tour through travel a road less offers ). It also 268 (p based in Pakse for border enthusiasts, as the remote travelled Y crossing links Attapeu with Keua-Bo Phou Vietnam. Kontum or Quy Nhon in period and since the Chenla trading route brick Khmer-style products. In in gold and forest being rich the 16th century, it saw King the demise of Setthathirat. Historians believe the Lan Xang ATTAPEU Laos.Attapeu wild east of is the It’s frontier in everysense, territory and with the rugged Cambodia bordering regions densely forested wildlife as well-endowed with and Vietnam still are the country. Tigers in as anywhere as rare and species in the province, present remote leopard roam the more as the clouded it a rough and However, this also makes areas. with little in the to explore, province ready information or infrastructure. way of around the south- trip a motorbike part of . Tat Se Tat Tat Faek Tat (traditional (traditional sín ATTAPEU PROVINCE ATTAPEU can home in on and sink its can home in on and sink pa pao is believed to lurk in the pool below.

, known locally as ‘waterfall of the heads’ the of , known locally as ‘waterfall When you're 31km south of Sekong, 31km south of turn When you're The road at Km 14 also leads to The road at Km

At Km 16 a long bridge crossesAt Km 16 a long bridge the Se Nam razor-sharp teeth into the human penis with razor-sharp the women Admittedly, uncanny precision. gleefulthan the men. Tat about this more are when approaching. drop. There is no sign and both are easy to is no sign and both are drop. There and slow down your odometer miss, so check out of the jungle appears this spectacular this spectacular the jungle appears out of You’ll know you’re getting near when you near when you getting You’ll know you’re a and climb a hill, where bridges cross three to the left and 25m-long trail leads back off first is after 16km, where if you look off if you look to the 16km, where is after first cascade in the distance. north you’ll see a large is about 2km further on. Nam Tok Katamtok leads to Paksong, 71km away. There are actu- are 71km away. There leads to Paksong, ally two falls to be seen from this road. The west along the laterite road that eventually west along the laterite And while they may or may not be bigger And while they may or may not be bigger easily as impres- these falls are Fan, than Tat because an you needsive to be something of to find them. explorer drops more than 100m out of thick forest at thick forest than 100m out of drops more what some describe as Laos’s highest waterfall. with the mighty Nam Tok Katamtok. Running Nam Tok Katamtok. with the mighty the Huay Katam Plateau, the Bolaven off Nam Tok Katamtok $Õª¡¡½ª¿ª¡ small fry compared falls are the above All of of Lao and tossedof soldiers their heads into about 100m wide and the falls. The falls are 7m deep. (Tat Hua Khon), owing to a WWII episode in (Tat a number decapitated soldiers Japanese which south of the bridge a track leads east to a track leads the bridge south of Noi and you enter Attapeu Province. Just Just Attapeu Province. Noi and you enter On the Se Nam Noi not far upriver of the SeOn the Se of Noi not far upriver Nam the right is about 1.5km off the road; take Faek turn left another about 500m, then fork after 800m beyond. Noi the evil Locals report with a sort of gleeful dread how gleeful dread with a sort of Locals report should use the one above the falls, as a a the falls, as should use the one above diabolical-sounding puffer fish known as the pa pao Kong, Tat Faek is about 5m high and there are are high is about 5m and there Faek Kong, Tat you can swim. Swimmers which two pools in end of dirt roads leading east 12km and 14km east 12km and 14km dirt roads leading end of from Sekong. toward the Setoward villages. two Alak Kong and for its fine is known The first sarongs). Similar villages can be found at the can sarongs). Similar villages lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS

tojustrockup. but don’texpect or4WD)maybeavailablewithsomenotice, (motorbike 0871) isthemaninknow.Guidesandtransport MrSiThanonSai ( tower, English-speaking newchalet200meastofthewater relocated toasmart the lobby. forguestsstayingnear enoughto plus awi-ficonnection h Post office Lao Telecom BCEL Internet ofTourism Office Attapeu Information to Vietnam. only street intownthatactuallyhasaname) KongandRte 18B(the bridge acrosstheSe a jobmadesimplerbythecompletionof a forexploringthewildeast, base this asensible accommodationmake locals andaffordable it’snotashittytownassuch. Engaging ‘sights’ tion, thetownisknownasAttapeu. adjustmentinpronuncia- some subsequent villagers were having Eitherway,with alaugh. Loumdidn’t like theplaceorpossibly Lao there wassomemisunderstanding. Maybe the krapeau manure,buffalo knownlocallyas lagers apparently pointed atanearbypileof the nameof theirtown.Inresponse, thevil- ple arrived theyasked thelocalswhatwas Loumpeo- hasitthatwhenearlyLao Legend dialects. shit’inMon-Khmer means ‘buffalo more remarkable given actually thatAttapeu thisreputation isallthe deserved, thoroughly lage’ foritsshadylanesandlushflora. While asthe‘gardenvil- is famedinsouthernLaos Kaman. Attapeu Kongand the smallerSe Se and tworivers nearby,themighty thatmeet the nearbyBolaven Plateau, 1000mabove, large valleyandflanked of bythe mountains ofThe capital ProvinceAttapeu ina isset tofindthisamouthful. localsseem but even Xai knownasMuangSamakhi It’s officially % º XAI) ATTAPEU (SAMAKHI the entire province. There are fewer than20Buddhisttemples in of concentrated inthe capital. Vietnamese 308 ATM, dispensing amiserly700,000Kattime. plusithasAttapeu’s first forkip, dollars, eurosorThaibaht ñ ©ª½¯ has littleinthewayofWhile Attapeu 036 /pop19,200 7am-10pm) Thishotelhasoneterminalinreception, (Rte 18A; (Rte ATTAPEU Xai) ••Attapeu(Samakhi PROVINCE Û (Attapeu Palace Hotel;10,000Kperhr; in contemporary Khmer ( h ( h h 8am-noon & 1-4pmMon-Fri) 7am-5pm Mon-Fri) 7am-5pm Mon-Fri) 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) ChangesUS 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) ( % 211 056) Recently 211 056)Recently % itkapu (ait ) 020-244 . Perhaps 65,000K; Dokchampa isawelcomingplacetostay. all hardwood staircases protrudingfromall hardwoodstaircases noodle soups. reliablea smallrestaurant outfrontthatdoes on thepriceysideforwhatyouget. There’s Rooms are ifaslightly enough, comfortable 150,000K; may have smarter trim. aslightly nearing completionduringourvisitwhich air-con, andhotwater. buildingwas Asecond fanor spacious andcomewithsatellite TV, aroundtown.Roomsarenesses cleanand likeplace isnowVietnamese-run manybusi- 60,000-70,000K; (80,000K). some Englishandcanarrange motorbike hire are pretty goodvalue. Themanager speaks to thepointof cells,buttheair-con twins the front.Thecheaper roomsare cramped SouksomphoneGuesthouse Sleeping andactivitiesliebeyondthetown. sights bargeboards. Andthat’sabout it.Thereal older monasticbuildingswithoriginal which wasbuiltin1939andfeatures some Mai, Muang temples. Themostinteresting is townisnotrenownedAttapeu foritsBuddhist Despite beingalargelyLoumplace, Lao ern mansion than a hotel, the Saise is theonly ern mansion thanahotel, theSaise r 120,000-150,000K; elsewhere. want more forbreakfast, thaneggs venture Ifyou isn’tahighlight. 50,000K), however, of free wi-fi. Therestaurant (mains20,000 to near thelobbyifyouwanttotake advantage aroomtion (10,000Kperhour)butchoose computer terminal withaninternet connec- to playfootballin.Thehotel hasa(rare) and up)have abathtuband are bigenough includes breakfast. VIProoms(260,000K fairly clean,andanythingabove 150,000K their age. Rooms are very spaciousand of ifseveral even themare toshow starting monolith hasthebestroomsinAttapeu, tial aboutthisplace. the44-room However, get tooexcited, there isnothingvery pala- r100,000-310,000K; yahoo.com; Sights &Activities DokchampaHotel Guesthouse Phoutthavong o Palace Hotel Attapeu a ai Saise Guesthouse ) usuallyknownasWatLuang, The placewiththemother-of- a ) a Alittleoutof town,the ) Forget the Lao name,this Forget theLao

) Looking more like amod- ( % 211 061; Rte 18A;r100,000- 211 061;Rte ( % aiW

(

% 211 204;atp_palace@ ( ( % % lonelyplanet.com 211 046;r40,000- 020-9981 8440;r 020-5659 8368; Before youBefore ) Wat Luang naga

SOUTHERN LAOS are are 309 18B 13 14 làap One of One of D To Saisettha (12km);

Se Kaman

Se Kong 020-5591 3580; mains 11am-9pm) This restaurant is This restaurant 'Bo Y (Vietnam Border) (113km) % ( h Pha Meuang (18km); Pa-am (35km); (

11am-10pm) Restaurant Kamsay...... B3 Ferry to Ban Kaman...... C3 DRINKING TRANSPORT 11 00 0.2 miles 400 m h 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 10 8 12 1 4 14 Restaurant Kamsay Neung Ban Laek Tee Police 3

5 7 30,000-60,000K; dining in town. the best uniformly considered popular, the su- barbecues are The Korean good and the various kiyaki pretty to a new It had just relocated mouth-watering. during our visit. venue surly and we were ushered out after barely barely out after ushered surly and we were finishing our meal. Attapeu closes early. several mainly bamboo places overlooking the Se sunset is mainly about Kong, Kamsay Beerlaos but is also popular for its barbecued If you buy the whole goat (25,000K per plate). usually tied up out the front beast – they’re – you get vegetarians praying for a busload of to drink the blood for free. To Ban Laek 2 Tee Neung (50m) 13 Field Athletic Phomvihane

Bust of Khaysone Attapeu Palace Hotel...... C1 Dokchampa Hotel...... A1 Phoutthavong Guesthouse...... C2 Saise Guesthouse...... Souksomphone Guest House...... C3 C2 Ban Laek Tee Neung...... Talat Nyai...... C1 Thi Thi Restaurant...... C3 C2 SLEEPING EATING B (main mar- are available available are e of Tourism (1.5km) To Provincial Office ǒ 1 2 3 4 (1.5km); Attapeu Office f Ban Airfield

Ὀ Ὀ Kaman Overgrown Talat Nyai Talat 211 303; Rte 18A; mains 10,000- %

( 18A This Vietnamese-run place Pakse (212km) Sekong (77km); Se Kong To Attapeu Office To Attapeu of Tourism (200m) Sanamsay (37km); PROVINCE •• Attapeu (Samakhi Xai) ATTAPEU To Talat Noi (2km); Bus Terminal (2km); Se Pian NPA (37km); To Phu AC Vong (13km) 7am-9pm) 6 h BCEL...... Internet...... (see 5) C2 Lao Telecom...... C1 Post Office...... C1 Wat Luang Muang Mai...... C2 INFORMATION SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

Petrol

Thi Thi Restaurant Station ATTAPEU (SAMAKHI XAI) XAI) (SAMAKHI (SAMAKHI ATTAPEU ATTAPEU 2 3 1 4 Water Tower Nhon coast. However, the service is pretty has, unsurprisingly, decent Vietnamese food, seafoodincluding imported from the Quy 40,000k; ket), near the bridge, and other snacks can be near the bridge, ket), had at any time. Attapeu by any is not a culinary destination means. Noodle dishes and during the morning at Eating & Drinking hot showers. Clean and well-run, it’s the best hot showers. all-rounder in town. views. The well-equipped rooms include pol- TV satellite air-con, and ished wooden floors, accommodation to take advantage of river river of advantage accommodation to take lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN LAOS interred to have isthought builtby his been Wat Pha Thestupainwhich Saysettha. heis Xangking Lan isburiedhere in Setthathirat the a dirtroad,isthemain attractionbecause Hat XaiKhao. River) justbeyondBan andtake asharpright Kaman (Kamanfurther east,acrosstheSe town hasagoodvibe. Continueabout3km an attractive here watinuse andthewhole Kaman.on thenorthbankof There theSe is Saisettha Heading eastonRte 18Bbringsyou to ATTAPEU AROUND Palacethe Attapeu Hotel. and motorbikes (80,000K)canberented at US$1 or10,000K.Bicycles(20,000Kperday) costs about6000K,butyou’lllikely becharged 4000K perperson. To/fromthebusterminal A jumbotriparoundtownshouldcostabout older, naturallycooledaffairs. Tha Taeng. are Attapeu servicing Mostbuses get abusheadingtoPaksong, andchange at Tat LoorSalavan toheadoff early, you’llneed or Paksong (35,000k,fourhours, 162km).For (25,000k,twohours, 77km) atSekong buses 6am andmidday.Youcanget anyof off these 60,000K, five tosixhours, 212km)between usually five ormore toPakse buses (40,000to and Paksong.Pakse viaSekong There goes are soalltransporttoorfrom able tomosttraffic, south of theBolaven Plateau remains impass- at Km3northwestof town.Rte 18Athatruns busterminal isnexttoTalatThe Attapeu Noi &Away There Getting 310 Gtig Around Getting but thiswillcostanarmandalegcompared tothebus. avehicleto charter totheborderandthenarrangeatransfer fromBoYdeeperintoVietnam, An andDanang. Tickets are soldattheThi Thi Restaurant(p 309 ) inAttapeu. Itisalsopossible toHoiKontum. FromKontumitispossibletotravel southtoPleikuorQuyNhonandnortheast and Kontum,reaching Attapeu around11.30amineitherdirection. aboutfourhoursto Ittakes at7amfrombothPakse Itdeparts KontumwithPakseconnecting viaAttapeu (80,000K). (118,000K) of development ofthetwocountries. ofwoodcabins.comparison, isamotleycollection Itspeaksvolumesabouttherelative stages Vietnamese sideoftheborderisanelaborate affair,withamassive dutyfree complex.Laos,by arrange thepaperworkinPakse (US$40,availablesameday),Vientiane orPhnom Penh. The visas are nowavailableonarrivalatthisborder,butVietnamese visasare definitely not,so crossing 18Bisadramaticmountainroadthatruns113kmtothe Rte CROSSING THEVIETNAMESE BORDERAT BOY&PHOUKEUA ATTAPEU ••AroundAttapeu PROVINCE Mai LinhExpress , asizablevillage 12kmfromAttapeu . The secondhalfisalluphillandlandslidesare commonduringthewetseason.Lao Pha Meuang Pha

( % , another3kmalong 030-539 0216inAttapeu,0592-211211Vietnam) launcher. youcanwalk, Inthedryseason to crosstheNam Pa toreach themissile River) andaroadthatwasformerlybranch Pa-am straddlesboththesmallNamPa (Pa much warjunk. Toget there, crosstheSe youwon’tsee for anhourortwo,though Vietnam. Thevillage diversion isapleasant the HoChiMinhTrailveering easttowards and Trail continuingsouthintoCambodia main branches of thetrailsplit–Sihanouk Vong particularly interested inthevillage of bombed duringthewar. Thebombers were boxed text, p 264 ) andassuch washeavily textiles andbasic mealsare available. it’s thetripthat’smost fun.Alakvillagers sell planter boxes, – there’s tosee notmuch else apart fromafew cluster bombcasings-cum- the scraphunters bygovernment orderand, defend Ithassurvived againstaerialattack. to upbytheNorthVietnamese which wasset stencilling,plete withRussianandVietnamese is aRussian of theHoChiMinhTrail.Themainattraction village of bined withavisittothemodest,tree-shaded couldhappilybecom- A day-triptoSaisettha ²½º¿ Pa-am and ridethe13kmtoPhu Vong. Kong (3000Kwithmotorbike) Kaman toBan tegral the partof theHoChiMinhTrail(see village andwatisanexperience. son around1577.Justwanderingthe youneed When comingfromAttapeu The area southeast of wasanin- Attapeu , 13kmsoutheastof where thecapital, two Pa-am Bo Y (Vietnam)/Phou Keua(Laos)Bo Y(Vietnam)/Phou surface-to-air . About 35kmeastof Attapeu, operates adailyminibus

missile lonelyplanet.com (SAM),com- Phu SOUTHERN LAOS

t l

i o f 311

a n l o

a m s i y i e c

a

r r s e e w s

t r a m p e a m m g

h , o n c e

c o t - s l i i

s n a

h

o r t r

n e

o o e , f t l

p ¤º¿²¾$ Ü a s e - t s n i o e t s o

c © Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd - s r c r r u is a 1975-sq-km protected is a 1975-sq-km protected a e e

o e , p

¤§¾©© È e p r n

s o o a u f

s o t o i t n t . This beautiful volcanic . This beautiful volcanic Nong Fa

o r e i u e s t i t o u

y d p

o a n r t

h o o f ’ c c u

. This trip is more about the travel than the than the the travel about is more This trip The main attraction in the protected area area main attraction in the protected The To get back to Sanamsay on the sameTo get day

r t o s ¾¦½¹¤¸$Á¹ d i e n y i n

destination, so don’t expect a pot of gold at gold pot of expect a so don’t destination, ride involving 100km of surfaced road on Rte surfaced road on Rte ride involving 100km of 18B and 76km on poor dirt roads. The journey pos- so it’s not really hours, about five takes planning to visit sible as a day trip. If you’re Ratanakiri in Cambodia, you may want to experience for Yeak your volcanic crater save Ban from Lom, just 10 minutes Lung. Dong Amphan NPA betweenthe Se wedged to the area Kaman north and west, the Vietnamese border in 18B to the south. Timber the east and Rte the pristine threaten poaching and wildlife it remained recently environment, but until the coun- the most intact in ecosystems one of on the try. However, hydroelectric projects this for Se and Se changing Kaman Su are the worse. is fabled Lom in than Yeak to but larger similar lake, Cambodia’s Ratanakiri was used by Province, the North Vietnamese an R’n’R for soldiers as hurt on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It is now ac- cessible by road from Attapeu, but it’s a long the end (or much in the way of services, in the way of the end (or much either; The and sun protection). water BYO food, a trip, as the river journey is, however, quite the way. of for much by deep forest is abutted from start (hiring a jumbo or motorbike early guesthouse no Attapeu might be best). There’s stuck, someone will in Sanamsay but if you are find you a bed. DONG AMPHAN NPA ¯È h e s t k a t

a s n s d e a

o a t

m c o i o

r

t l r

e e p r ew t u i k

u o a

a e

f t

’ h h m s t t n

’

i Ban Mai, t o o e i w

T d e

k wngthǎ . S g e

n ǎ d . i s n s t t i i a h ew run from L

h t

e l

t l l y Tat Samongphak Tat

e e t p t

s P , h w

e

s g , s r i

d n r n r r

r wngthǎ o o o e i

u ǎ , t t h w a

t e w

r r c

i o o e l n n h D b I ‘ t

k

, three impressive waterfalls waterfalls impressive , three . u (www.xepian.org; admission 10,000K)(www.xepian.org;

o -

P

d u PROVINCE •• Dong Amphan NPA ATTAPEU

¤§¾©À§¯¼$ È e e n o t I t v

y e c

. o i n y e r b l a t n l a n s

o P leave Attapeu at 9am, noon, 2pm ew leave o e

e y

r y r

s h l

t e y

e e

l

v s l

g n

e o a Tat Saeponglai Tat

o n t p

i i o L

Another way into this part of the Se of Another way into this part Pian

r wngthǎ

y

t g ¾¦½¹¤¸$Á¹

u

i a

ǎ t

s i

p d lonelyplanet.com downriver. and 4pm, and the last one returns at 3pm. In and 4pm, and the last one returns Sanamsay, you further find a boatman to take (15,000K, 75 minutes, 35km) along Rte 18A; along Rte 35km) (15,000K, 75 minutes, s the road (or river) less travelled, then this then this less travelled, the road (or river) might a be for you. To do it, take in Attapeufrom the bus terminal to Sanamsay boat ride. Talk to the Tourism Office to the about Talk boat ride. someone to trans- finding a guide, as having the trip, and the manda- for you makes late of village tory homestay in the pretty along branches of the Se of Pian. In the rainy along branches a involve season the treks some sections of is by taking a boat down the Se Kong NPA If you fancy towards the Cambodian border. area. There are one-, two- and three-day treks treks one-, two- and three-day are There area. , Saepha concentrating on Tat and richer. much been established and involve village home- village been established and involve the of reaches into the eastern stays and treks possible to get into the park from Attapeu. possible to get have tourism projects Community-based While Se Pian NPA ), it’s also 285 (p Pakse is most accessible from Se Pian NPA Se Pian NPA ¯È morning. the right. Otherwise s Attapeu every (15,000K, one hour, 35km) towards Vietnam and keep straight and keep towards Vietnam on the the sealed road when bends to road laterite at other times there is an improvised pas- is an improvised times there at other is easily Pa-am ferry. and motorbike senger 10km 18B Rte take motorbike; by reachable ©