8 Days • 7 Nights
Southern Laos: Pakse, Bolaven Plateau & the 4000 Islands
Tour Includes
About the Trip
You'll tour the coffee estates and thundering waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau, explore the pre-Angkorian Khmer temple of Wat Phou at Champasak, and drift through the tranquil 4000 Islands (Si Phan Don), where the Mekong shatters into countless channels around palm-fringed islets and the mighty Khone Phapheng Falls.
With comfortable hotels, private guides and the transport arranged, it is an authentic, off-the-beaten-track side of Laos.
Trip Highlights
- The coffee estates of the Bolaven Plateau
- The thundering Tad Fane and Tad Yuang waterfalls
- The pre-Angkorian Khmer temple of Wat Phou
- The tranquil 4000 Islands of Si Phan Don
- The mighty Khone Phapheng Falls
- Rare Irrawaddy dolphins on the Mekong
- Palm-fringed islets and village life
- A private guide throughout
Day by Day
A detailed day-by-day plan for this 8-day journey.
Arrive in Pakse, gateway to southern Laos, and settle in with a welcome dinner of southern Lao flavours.
Ascend the cool Bolaven Plateau, touring coffee and tea estates, meeting local growers, and swimming beneath the thundering Tad Fane and Tad Yuang waterfalls, overnighting in the highlands.
Descend to Champasak on the Mekong to explore Wat Phou, a hauntingly beautiful pre-Angkorian Khmer temple set against a sacred mountain.
Travel south to Si Phan Don, the 4000 Islands, where the Mekong braids around countless palm-fringed islets, settling into your island guesthouse for a first river sunset.
A boat tour of the islands — the mighty Khone Phapheng Falls (the largest in Southeast Asia), the old French railway and, in season, a chance to spot rare Irrawaddy dolphins.
A gentle day cycling the islands past rice fields and villages, kayaking the Mekong channels or simply relaxing in a hammock over the river.
A relaxed morning on the islands before travelling back north to Pakse for your onward connection, with a final riverside evening.
A final breakfast before your transfer to Pakse airport.
Where You Will Travel
What's inside the package?
Inclusions
- Private airport transfers and private guides throughout
- 2N Pakse, 1N Bolaven Plateau, 1N Champasak, 3N Si Phan Don (4000 Islands)
- Daily breakfast, a welcome dinner and a local lunch
- A Bolaven Plateau tour — coffee estates and waterfalls
- The pre-Angkorian Khmer temple of Wat Phou at Champasak
- A 4000 Islands boat tour with the Khone Phapheng Falls
- A river trip to spot Irrawaddy dolphins (seasonal)
- All entrance and boat fees per the itinerary
Exclusions
- International airfare to and from Laos
- Laos visa fees (visa on arrival or eVisa)
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary or inclusions
- Drinks unless specifically stated
- Optional excursions and experiences
- Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
- Anything not specifically mentioned under Package Inclusions
Know when to go.
- Visa: Most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival or an eVisa for Laos; check your passport's eligibility. Your passport should be valid at least six months with a blank page
- Currency: The currency is the Lao Kip. Cash is king outside the main towns, and while US dollars and Thai baht are sometimes accepted, carry kip for markets, temples and rural areas — ATMs are limited
- Best season: The cool, dry season from November to February is ideal; March to May is hot and can be hazy from farming fires, and June to October brings the green monsoon
- The pace of Laos: Laos is famously laid-back and unhurried — embrace 'bor pen nyang' (no worries) and the gentle rhythm, which is part of its charm
- The alms-giving: In Luang Prabang, monks collect alms at dawn in a moving ritual. Observe quietly and respectfully from a distance, or participate sensitively with your guide's advice — never intrude
- Temple etiquette: Cover your shoulders and knees and remove your shoes at temples. Women should never touch a monk, and always lower yourself below monks and Buddha images
- Getting around: Mountain roads are winding and slow, so some legs use short domestic flights or scenic river boats, all arranged for you
- UXO awareness: Parts of Laos still hold unexploded ordnance from past conflict, so always stay on marked paths and trails, especially around the Plain of Jars
- Health: Drink bottled or filtered water, use mosquito repellent, and enjoy freshly cooked food. Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended
- Connectivity & power: A local SIM is cheap but signal can be patchy in remote areas — a welcome excuse to slow down. Power is 230V with type A/B/C plugs, so bring an adapter
Frequently Asked Questions
What meals are included?
Daily breakfast is included throughout, along with a welcome dinner and the specific meals named in the itinerary, such as a Mekong cruise lunch. Other meals are left free so you can enjoy Laos's fragrant, French-influenced cuisine.
Are transfers and touring private?
Yes — you travel with your own licensed guide and private driver (or boat on the Mekong), so everything is arranged for you.
Do I need a visa for Laos?
Most visitors can get a visa on arrival or an eVisa. We guide you to the requirements for your nationality before you travel.
When is the best time to visit?
November to February is the cool, dry and most comfortable season. March to May is hot and sometimes hazy, and June to October is the lush, quieter green season.
What is the alms-giving ceremony?
At dawn in Luang Prabang, hundreds of monks walk the streets to collect alms of rice from kneeling locals. It is a moving, sacred ritual best observed quietly and respectfully, or joined sensitively with your guide's advice.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Absolutely. Durations, towns, hotels and experiences can all be tailored, and we can add a Mekong cruise, the 4000 Islands, Vang Vieng or trekking. Just tell us what you have in mind.
How do we travel around Laos?
By a mix of short domestic flights, private cars and scenic river boats, all included and arranged, with a private guide in each region.
Will we see the Irrawaddy dolphins?
A small population of rare Irrawaddy dolphins lives in the Mekong near the Cambodian border, best spotted from a boat in the dry season (roughly December to May). Sightings are wonderful but, as with all wildlife, never guaranteed.
Is southern Laos very different from the north?
Yes — the south is lower, hotter and even more laid-back, with coffee plateaus, Khmer ruins and the vast island-studded Mekong, and far fewer visitors than Luang Prabang.
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