Champasak province

Places to go in Champasak province
Pakse
Ban Khiet Ngong
Champasak
Don Dhet
Don Khon
Don Khong
Pak Song

Since not as many travellers make it to this part of Laos, the tourism infrastructure is less developed, making it a bit harder to explore. But Champasak Province has much to offer: it's best known for its spectacular Khmer ruins at Wat Phu and the stunning cluster of islands near the Cambodian border known as Si Phan Don (4,000 islands). Here you'll also find elephant trekking in Ban Khiet Ngong, stunning waterfalls rimming the Bolaven Plateau, and you'll get a glimpse into authentic, traditional Laotian life on the islands of Don Kho near Pakse and Don Deng near Champasak Town, making a tour of the region well worth the extra effort.

Travellers should be prepared to spend longer in this province than expected. Besides the excellent hospitality of the locals, there's a growing list of worthwhile things to do, some of which have only become a part of the tourist trail starting in mid 2006. Another reason is the rather slow pace of public transportation. Though Champasak has generally good roads, as in much of Laos, the transport that runs along them does so at its own creaky pace, loaded to the roof with more goods and baggage than people, making frequent stops along routes that offer a small selection of daily departures.

Partly as a response to the slow buses, motorbikes have become a popular alternative, and are easily rented in the provincial capital of Pakse long-term. For those so inclined, this is recommended, as it will allow you to better explore the province without spending half your time sorting out departures, waiting in terminals, and languishing on a long, slow bus ride. Increasingly, group package tours offer to take care of some of these hassles for you, but nothing can beat stopping off at a road-side food stall in the middle of nowhere, or coursing down back roads along streams and canals through fields of rice against a scenic backdrop of mountains.

Many backpackers and travellers to Champasak province elect to head straight down to Si Phan Don (4,000 islands) to while away a few days in a hammock, but for those with more time on their hands, Champasak and Pakse are well worth more than a cursory glance.