Things to Do in Bolaven Plateau

Tad Fane Waterfall

Twin streams plunge side by side into a gorge dropping over a hundred meters. The water atomizes into fine mist that catches light and soaks your clothes before you reach the viewing platform. The surrounding forest is dense. The falls reveal themselves suddenly, the roar building as you walk the short trail from the road. Arrive before mid-morning. Tour groups from Pakse are still en route then. You can stand at the overlook with only the crash of water and gibbon screech echoing off the cliff walls.

Coffee Farm Circuit

Several family-run estates between Paksong and Tad Fane welcome visitors to walk through growing and processing stages. You'll see cherry-red fruit on the branch, then wet milling, sun-drying, and final roast. At the better farms, you'll taste the difference between robusta grown at lower elevations and arabica that thrives in this cooler climate. The latter carries clean citrus brightness. It surprises people who associate Lao coffee only with the sweet condensed-milk style served in lowland shops. Weekday visits tend to be more relaxed. Farmers talk more willingly about the nuances of their particular microclimate.

Tad Lo

A cluster of cascades near the village of the same name in Salavan Province offers something the bigger waterfalls don't: you can swim in it. The lower falls spill into a wide, calm pool. The water runs amber-brown from tannins, cool enough to feel restorative after a morning on a motorbike but not cold enough to shock. The village sits right along the Xe Set river. In late afternoon, you might catch local kids launching themselves off rocks while water buffalo wade downstream, indifferent to the spectacle.

Ethnic Minority Villages

The ethnic minority villages scattered across the plateau offer encounters with ways of life that predate the modern Lao state. The Katu and Alak communities along the eastern stretch of the loop road are worth seeking out. In some Katu villages, you'll still see traditional communal houses with high-pitched thatch roofs and carved wooden totems. Woodsmoke clings to everything. The rhythmic clatter of handloom weaving carries from open-sided workshops. Women there produce textiles with geometric patterns specific to their clan.

Tad Yuang

A horseshoe-shaped waterfall framed by coffee trees and wild frangipani might be the most photogenic spot on the entire plateau. The falls drop around forty meters into a bowl-shaped pool. The surrounding vegetation grows so thickly that the spray zone has its own microclimate. It's cool and damp enough that moss covers every surface in luminous green. There's a staircase down to the base. It's steep. Your thighs will remind you about it the next morning. The reward is standing close enough to feel the concussive force of water hitting rock. Late afternoon light hits the falls at an angle that turns the mist golden.

Pakse is where most travelers base themselves before and after the loop. The guesthouse scene concentrates along the Mekong riverfront near the old French colonial quarter. The area has a low-key, slightly worn charm. Budget rooms are stacked above street-level noodle shops. A scattering of mid-range hotels sits within walking distance of the morning market. As the largest town in southern Laos, Pakse also has the widest range of accommodation. Options run from dormitory beds to air-conditioned rooms with river views.

Paksong sits at the plateau's center. It is the coffee capital, though the town itself is workmanlike rather than scenic. A handful of guesthouses cater to riders passing through. The appeal here is proximity to the coffee farms and Tad Yuang and Tad Fane falls. Both are reachable within a short ride. The morning air in Paksong is noticeably colder than Pakse. It is sharp enough that you'll want a layer.

Tad Lo village has developed the most traveler-oriented accommodation directly on the plateau. Several guesthouses and a couple of modest resorts sit along the Xe Set river within earshot of the falls. Staying here overnight lets you swim in the late afternoon after the day-trippers have left. The atmosphere is relaxed. It borders on sleepy. Hammocks and river views do most of the work.

The area around Tad Fane, along the road between Paksong and the falls, has a few eco-oriented lodges and a resort perched on the gorge rim. Accommodation here tends to sit in the mid-range bracket. The draw is waking up to the sound of the falls. You also get the cooler temperatures that come with the altitude and the forest canopy.

Sekong, the provincial capital on the eastern side of the big loop, offers basic guesthouses. These are aimed more at Lao business travelers than tourists. The town is unpolished but functional. It makes a good overnight stop to break the big loop into manageable riding days. Expect simple rooms. Expect cold-water showers. Expect a few noodle shops near the market.

Attapeu, at the southeastern corner of the big loop, has a quiet, end-of-the-road character. Some riders find this appealing after days on the plateau. The town sits at the confluence of the Xe Kong and Xe Kaman rivers. A few guesthouses along the waterfront offer clean, basic rooms. It's the least-visited provincial capital in this part of Laos. This is either a drawback or the whole point. It depends on your tolerance for limited dining options and early-closing streets.