Champasak
Travel Guide
In a nutshell
See World Heritage-listed Wat Phu, one of the most impressive Khmer temples outside of Cambodia. Visit Don Deng, a tranquil island just off Champasak, to see a traditional Lao lifestyle in action. Visit the few ruins or just soak up the atmosphere.
On the western bank of the slow-flowing Mekong River, some 40km south of Pakse, sits the quaint riverside town of Champasak. A modest place, Champasak is popular with backpackers who are either visiting Wat Phu or who have been attracted by the generally very relaxed pace of life. Without the hustle and bustle of Pakse and certainly without the crowds of Don Dhet and Don Khon, Champasak retains the best of both worlds, all well-wrapped-up in a blanket of traditional Lao hospitality.
The Khmer-period ruins of Wat Phu, some eight kilometres to the southwest of "town", were granted their UNESCO World Heritage status in 2001, but aside from a large carpark, a semi-modern looking administrative centre and a museum, the ruins are largely as they've been for centuries.
Well worn and heavily weathered, this is the most important Khmer site in Laos. An attractive but rather small affair, what Wat Phu lacks in size and grandeur it more than makes up for with charm and atmosphere. Overshadowed by Phu Pasak and littered with frangipani, Wat Phu's somewhat rambling almost teetering appearance belay it's importance. The site predates many of the finds in Angkor and Thailand and if you're lucky enough to have an uncrowded early morning or late afternoon to yourself the whole place has a bit of a lost city feel to it.
The ruins draw a steady crowd of day-trippers from Pakse and further afield -- you can even do a day trip from Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand if you'd like -- but, with its handful of colonial mansions, typical Chinese shopfronts and pretty wooden houses try to allow for at least an overnight stay if time allows.
Even in high season, this is a sleepy place. Along the solitary main road water buffaloes and wandering geese are more common sights than cars and buses, and the riverfront, with its smattering of small restaurants and hammock-strewn cafes creates an ideal getaway from the midday heat.
Although some skip here, opting to head straight from Pakse to Si Phan Don, for those with a spare day or two, this is a great little hideaway in its own right, with a charming atmosphere that leads many a visitor to linger far longer than they planned.
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Text and/or map last updated on 5th September, 2010.
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The above are all within 200km of Champasak.
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Cozy luang prabang
Champasak is a great town to get away from everything. I'd recommend a two night stay at least - that way you can get up early on your first full day to bike down to the temple. However, there are enough nice riverside restaurants to keep you occupied for more time, the people are friendly, and it is a good place to relax and put your feet up if you don't want the city life of Pakse or the scene of 4,000 islands.
There is already one Luang Prabang style Spa, and a snazzy Western eatery, and I expect more will come - maybe even sidewalks, as tourism money comes in - making this a 'little Luang Prabang' in a few years. So if you still want to check it out while the vibe is mellow, its a good time to start planning a trip.
A great way to reach Champasak is via motorbike from Pakse - that way you can whiz around town and beat all the bicycles to Wat Phu in the morning. Definitely come in on the east side of the Mekong and take the ferry - be aware that the signs off Route 13 are well concealed and say 'Wat Phu' not Champasak - near Km marker 30 south of Pakse. For the more adventurous there is a dusty dirt road through what looks more like Sudan than Laos that joins back up to the main road to Pakse about 45 Km northbound on the west side of the river (if you head out to Wat Phu and detour south a little ways).
By caseyprich (dabbler)
Written on 14th February, 2011 after a visit to Champasak in February, 2011
Also reviewed by caseyprich: Can Tho, China Beach, Da Nang, Don Dhet, Hoi An, Hue, Ko Chang, Ko Maak, Ko Wai, Luang Prabang,
You Can't Get There from Here!
There really, really isn't much going on in Champasak proper. It's not much more than a wide spot on the river, but for folks seeking a relaxing place to get away from it all, this is a great spot. The river is wide and slow moving here, and the location on the west bank makes for amazing sunrises. That, combined with lots of smiling faces and children waving hello makes for a pleasant getaway. Be sure to bring a book or two with you, since Asia Books hasn't exactly opened a Champasak branch yet.
For such a small place, Champasak has a good range of accommodation and quite a few good spots to eat too, most with river views. There is no ATM in town, but there is a branch of the Lao Development Bank for currency exchange, although their M-F 0830 to 1530 hours are a bit limited. There were two internet cafes as of January 2010, both charging 200 kip per minute. The one to the north of the ferry pier (technically in Pha Pin) is on the second floor of the secondary school and is open from 8 am to 8 pm. The other is in the southern end of town, well past the Vong Paseut Guesthouse. It is open from 7 am to 6 pm or so, and also sells homemades bread and makes excellent coffee. There is a post office just north of the traffic circle in the center of town.
It isn't impossible to get to Champasak, but it isn't easy either. If there are enough people asking, travel agents in Pakse will arrange a boat trip from Pakse to Champasak for 70,000 kip or so per person. Otherwise, a bus heading south from Pakse or north from the 4,000 islands area will drop you off across the river, where a ferry will take you over to the Champasak side for 10,000 kip or so. From there it is another 2 to 4 km walk to the guesthouses, depending on which one you choose. Getting away is also somewhat iffy, with most guesthouses able to book you on a daily bus departure (typically 50,000 kip to Pakse, for example, or onward to 4K islands) or a boat heading upriver to Pakse (60K per person) if there are enough passengers. Ask around, since different guesthouses advertise significantly different departure times.
Apart from finding a romantic spot to relax, most people come to Champasak to visit Wat Phu. It's a short 8 km by car or a long 8 km by bicycle from the center of town to the temple gates, with the mostly flat road passing through several Lao villages along the way.
Whether the trip to Wat Phu is worth it or not will definitely depend on how much you are into this kind of stuff. Those with only a passing interest and who have already been to Angkor Wat may be disappointed, particularly as the site is small and not all that restored. But those who very much enjoy the temples and ruins of the Angkor era will likely be delighted, and even feel a bit like they are discovering this hidden treasure just as it is being plucked from the jungle.
Admission is 30,000 kip, plus a 10,000 kip overtime fee if you arrive before the normal opening hours of 0830. If at all possible, it is definitely worth it to arrive as close to daybreak as possible and pay the small additional overtime fee. This is because the site is on an east-west axis, and the sun will rise directly behind you as you climb the steps to the top of the temple, making for dramatic lighting and views. Arriving early is also a matter of logistics, meaning that you'll be hiking during the relative cool of the morning, and that you'll have time to yourself before the crowds, vendors, and restoration work, which all start at around 0830, cause the place to transition from an ancient temple into a tourist attraction.
There is a small museum near the entrance which is included in the price of your admission ticket, and several food stalls and restaurants near the entrance or on the grounds. Even so, be sure to take water with you for the climb up the hillside to the top of the temple, particularly if you arrive before the vendors set up shop in the morning. The steps up the mountain are quite steep, so keep that in mind, since you'll need to do that climb to make the visit worthwhile.
Finally, if Wat Phu isn't worth a 2-day side trip to Champasak for you, there are day trips available from Pakse. Considering the amount of time money it takes just to get to and from Champasak, these day trip tours are a pretty good value for those with a casual interest in the temple.
By exacto (dabbler)
Written on 19th February, 2010 after a visit to Champasak in January, 2010
Also reviewed by exacto: Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Phet, Ko Maak, Lopburi, Mukdahan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nong Khai, Pakse, Phitsanulok, Savannakhet,
Southern Vibe
I stopped in Champasak to see my favourite piece of culture the magnificent Khmer Temple at Wat Phu. Besides that, there's not much to Champasak. But if you look, you'll find the old house of the French governor and so on ... history is everywhere in Laos! The town has a really nice and relaxed atmosphere, and you'll meet travellers heading both south and north that you can share your stories with -- don't miss the alms giving in the morning ...
By chaos23 (dabbler)
Written on 13th June, 2009 after a visit to Champasak in November, 2008
Also reviewed by chaos23: Don Dhet, Ko Tao, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Vientiane,