Spätzle süßsauer
Spätzle süßsauer
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Pakse and our day trip to the Bolaven Plateau - waterfalls, coffee plantations, and much more!

Ipapashiwe: 21.06.2019

We hope you have read our post about the transfer from Cambodia to Laos. If not, definitely catch up on that!

After this eventful day, our first full day in Laos began in Pakse. One thing we definitely wanted to do from Pakse was take a day trip to the Bolaven Plateau. A highland in the south of the country and one of the most fertile regions of Laos. Waterfalls, coffee plantations, and lots of green make this plateau so charming.

Originally, we had planned to do this trip on the first day and on our own with a scooter. However, it turned out that all the things we had planned could not be done on the first day. So we postponed the trip to the second day and decided to hire a private tuk-tuk driver - after we found out that we didn't have insurance for the scooter, would have to pay for every single scratch, and also have to leave our passports as collateral.

The change in plans allowed us to explore the nice town of Pakse on the first day. What became increasingly clear to us: We had expected Laos (without having informed ourselves in advance) to have an even lower level of development than Cambodia. This turns out to be a misjudgment, at least until now. For example, the roads are consistently paved and in good condition. Furthermore, the overall appearance is much cleaner than in Cambodia, Vietnam, or China.

After withdrawing some money, we strolled through the streets towards the Mekong River. Pakse is also strongly influenced by French colonial buildings, which is quite nice to see. When we reached the river, we walked along it for a few meters before stopping at a restaurant.

The highlight of the first day awaited us in the afternoon. We decided to hike up a nearby mountain. The reason for this was a golden shining huge Buddha statue. But this was just a joke compared to what else awaited us there: The most beautiful temple of our trip and a wonderful view!

A beautiful view!
A beautiful view.


We must correct ourselves: Currently, Laos deserves first place in terms of the most beautiful temple, ahead of Cambodia.
We must correct ourselves: Currently, Laos deserves first place, ahead of Cambodia, in terms of the most beautiful temple.

We were thrilled!
We were thrilled!

On the second day in Pakse, our excursion awaited us. We were picked up by a "tuk-tuk" at 8:00 am. At first glance, the vehicle seemed more like a cattle transporter than a tuk-tuk. However, upon closer inspection, this first impression turned out to be wrong. We quickly became fond of the spacious "vehicle".
Our tuk-tuk - the cattle transporter, not the car ;) and by the way: the roads in Laos are comparably very well-maintained.
Our tuk-tuk - the cattle transporter, not the car ;) and by the way: the roads in Laos are comparably very well-maintained.

A typical Laotian tuk-tuk from the inside.
A typical Laotian tuk-tuk from the inside. The plant was allowed to ride back with us.

What you encounter on Laotian roads...
What you encounter on Laotian roads...


We set off towards the Bolaven Plateau! Which meant for us: Three waterfalls, coffee plantations, and beautiful scenery.

After about 1 1/4 hours of driving, we arrived at the first waterfall. And we were deeply impressed. The water plunges about 100 meters here. But see for yourself.

The Tad Fan: Natural spectacle number 1 on the Bolaven Plateau
The Tad Fan: Natural spectacle number 1 on the Bolaven Plateau. You can't even see the end of the waterfall.

After this first impression, we definitely wanted to hike to the top of the waterfall. We did everything in our power to get there, but muddy, slippery, and steep paths through the Laotian jungle put an end to our plans. We had to turn back just before reaching the goal, as much as it hurt.

In the jungle...
In the jungle... It was much steeper going down than it appears in the picture.


We made a cool discovery at a small restaurant at the top of the waterfall: There was a drink dispenser from an organization that apparently advocates for sustainability and the reduction of plastic waste. If you bought a bottle from this organization, you could refill it for free at all water dispensers of this organization in Laos. We think that's great!

Back at the parking lot, we continued with our tuk-tuk towards a coffee plantation. After taking a close look, we enjoyed the coffee grown there. It was really delicious! The friendly staff also gave us some interesting information.

Next stop: Coffee plantation
Next stop: Coffee plantation


Really good coffee and directly from the manufacturer!
Really good coffee and directly from the manufacturer!


Wide awake, we continued to the second of the three waterfalls. And Nadine had her highlight of the entire trip here! While the waterfall is completely natural, a beautiful park-like area has been built around the river. After getting a light shower at the base of the waterfall, we simply enjoyed the surroundings.

Tad Yuang was Nadine's highlight of the trip so far: The view, the roaring sound, the area, and especially the free shower that immediately surrounds you when you get close to the waterfall.


These cute, probably local girls also couldn
These mischievous-looking, probably local girls, like us, couldn't get enough of nature.

Tööröö! The white angel
Tööröö! The white angel's trumpet


After a delicious lunch with a beautiful view of the area, we continued with our nice but silent (probably because he doesn't speak English) driver towards number three. His pool would have been ideal for swimming, but we didn't have enough time for that. Nevertheless, we could relax and enjoy this amazing natural spectacle.

The Tad Champi was the third waterfall in the group (but there are still several more waterfalls on the Bolaven Plateau)
The Tad Champi was the third waterfall in the group (but there are still several more waterfalls on the Bolaven Plateau)


And so our time in Pakse was coming to an end. After just two days in Laos, we can already say: Our expectations have been greatly exceeded! And we are really looking forward to the upcoming destinations in this country.

Phendula (1)

christiane
Liebe Nadine, lieber Max, wenn ich an die heißen Temperaturen denke, die in den kommenden Tagen auf uns zukommen... Die Wasserfälle sehen herrlich erfrischend aus! Herzliche Grüße Christiane