Travel Guide to Champasak

Champasak Town presents the gateway to the area’s Heritage Landscape, while Don Khong and Don Khone/Don Det open the door to the 4,000 Islands. Those heading to the Bolaven Plateau often stay in Paksong.

For independent travellers, plenty of transportation options take you to popular destinations, where you’ll find a variety of accommodation and dining choices. A solid list of travel operators present inclusive itineraries throughout the province to fit everyone’s tastes and pocketbooks. 

Lao Airlines offers 14 direct weekly flights to Pakse International Airport from Vientiane, and a daily flight from Luang Prabang. The carrier also flies from Bangkok, Ho Cho Minh City, and Siem Reap.

Overland travellers will find plenty of busses departing from Vientiane’s Southern Bus Terminal throughout the day, and two VIP sleeper busses for an overnight journey. Busses are also available from nearby provinces, and international destinations including Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani as well as Da Nang and Hue in Vietnam and Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia. Visas on arrival are available at all border checkpoints.

To travel around Champasak Province, hop on a public bus in Pakse and district centres. Most depart in the morning. Song taews (Pickup trucks with benches) also move passengers between tourist destinations. You can hire song taews and tuk tuks for a one-way trip or for the day. Head to the district bus station to negotiate with local drivers, or ask your hotel or guesthouse to arrange a vehicle.

Minivans to popular destinations can be arranged at travel agents. Independent travellers can rent bicycles at major tourism hubs for long or short journeys. Rental cars (with driver) and motorcycles are also available in Pakse for touring the province. 

Champasak offers more than 240 hotels, resorts, guesthouses, and eco-lodges, and though most are in Pakse Town, there are plenty of choices in tourism hubs. Prices range from guesthouses for less than $12 to high-end hotels and resorts for up to $200, with loads of options in between to meet everyone’s needs.

The province presents more than 70 restaurants, with most in Pakse Town, where you’ll find Lao, International, Thai, Indian, Italian, and Vietnamese food. Other tourist destinations offer some Western and international menus. Roadside shops sell local specialties, which are often based on fish, including fish salad (lap pla), sour fish (pla dek), and pureed fish. And don’t forget a cup of coffee, grown on the Bolaven Plateau.