Introduction Pakse looks more chaotic then Savannakhet. It's much more alive, with a big market in the center.
Pakse is the starting point to:
- Bolaven plateau - Tadlo resort
- Wat Phu Champasak
- Si Phan Don (4000 islands)
- Border crossing to Thailand at Chong Mek
Accommodation We stayed at the Vannapha guesthouse. They have nice bungalows with bathroom and even AC for 20.000 Kipp pp.They also have cheaper rooms, but they are easily sold out, also to locals, for about 10.000 Kipp pp. There's also a small snack shop where you can get breakfast or some drinks. You can also make reservations for a cheap guesthouse at Si Phan Don Islands.
The Suksalam hotel is a multistory building with 24 rooms for about 40.000 Kipp pp. They also change money.
We heard from people staying at the Phonsavanh hotel for 10.000 Kipp pp, but the owner is not friendly.
Restaurants The central market is very good for self catering. You'll find fresh bread, fruits etc... There are some noodle shops around the market, but somehow they were the least attractive of whole Laos.
Sedone restaurant looks one of the best places to eat, but the food wasn't that good. It was fat and salty costing about 10.000 Kipp pp.
Another restaurant you could try is the Xuan Mai restaurant, but the food was not much different from the Sedone.
What to do
Boat races We were also here during the boat races. The whole town was one big party, with live concerts etc... Big fun. For the rest there's not that much to do.
Champasak You'll find a truck near the station on the east side of town. The bus takes about 1 hour and costs 5000 Kipp pp. You get to Ban Muang, take the river crossing to Champasak. It's a nice beautiful town with some restaurants and guesthouses. You can take a tuk tuk to Wat Phu Champasak for about 5000 Kipp pp. It's around 8 km from the town. you can also rent a bike, but the ride is very hot. Entrance is 2000 Kipp pp. It's a beautiful Khmer temple. It's pre-Angkor, not so big as his Siem Reap brother, but it has a lot of atmosphere. It dates from the 6th to the 8th century. The archeological site is divided into 3 main levels. You need at least 2 to 3 hours to walk around.
On arrival at Champasak town, ask when there's a boat or bus back to Pakse. We were stuck there, and at the end we had to take a Tuk Tuk back to Pakse (10.000 Kipp pp).If you take a boat back to Pakse, it stops at the Champasak side of the river, not at Ban Muang (we were on the wrong side of the river).
UPDATE
Transportation
Bus Vientianne - Pakse : Dep at 8, 11 or 13uur, arrival next morning between 1u en 5u, 35.000 Kip / persoon. Don’t stop in Savannaketh, there is nothing to see there !
Lodging, food and drinking
· Sedone GH, in a little street along the river with the same name, 150 meter from the one-way-bridge. Not in any guidebook (yet). 35.000 Kip for a room with toilet and shower. The (also Frenchspeaking) owner is the big boss of the "Lao Coffee Entreprise Pakse", a very important man in town !
· In Pakse you must try a Korean Barbeque (20.000 Kip, a lot cheaper than in Vientianne) !
· In the mainstreet you can find a lot of Vietnamese restaurants.
Getting out To Thailand
This is the last official entry border to Thailand. Take the ferry from Pakse across the Mekong for 1000 Kipp pp. on the other side, it's again 30 min to the border at Chong Mek with a pick up for about 3.000 kipp pp. There are no problems when crossing the border.
To Savannakhet
The busstation is North of town, take a Tuk Tuk for 2000 Kipp pp. The trip to Savannakhet takes 6 hours and costs 16.000 Kipp pp. Don't take the bus to Vientiane, it's too long.
To Si Pan Dong
By bus
At the Eastern busstation, you'll find buses to Si Pan Dong.
By boat
Since there's a road, there are only few ferries doing this trip. It takes 8 hours and they charge 20.000 to 30.000 kipp pp.
To Bolaven
Take a bus at the Eastern busstation going to Salavan. Get off on the way, near the Tadlo resort. |
