Champasak

You Can't Get There from Here!
By exacto (dabbler - 13 reviews)
Written on 19th February, 2010 after a visit to Champasak in January, 2010
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.
Also reviewed by exacto: Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Phet, Ko Maak, Lopburi, Mukdahan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nong Khai, Pakse, Phitsanulok, Savannakhet,

Southern Vibe
By chaos23 (dabbler - 6 reviews)
Written on 13th June, 2009 after a visit to Champasak in November, 2008
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 ...
Also reviewed by chaos23: Don Dhet, Ko Tao, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Vientiane,