Southern Laos

The southern region of Laos is comprised of 6 provinces: Attapeu, Champasak, Khammouane, Saravan, Savannakhet, and Sekong.

Regions

• 1 Champasak — its Khmer ruins have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 2 Si Phan Don — the "Four Thousand Islands" in the Mekong River
• 3 Saravan — known for its wild and mountainous terrain, waterfalls and diversity of ethnic minority communities

Other destinations

• 1 Bolaven Plateau — an elevated region crossed by several rivers and has many scenic waterfalls and coffee plantations. Itineraries are available for self-guided motorcycle touring of this area.
• 2 Ban Nakasang — a small riverside town that is one of the main stations for boat and bus services to Don Det and Don Kon, the two most popular of the "4,000 Islands"
• 3 Tadlo — a village with 3 waterfalls nearby
• 4 Pakse — a small but modern town near the borders with Thailand and Cambodia
• 5 Savannakhet
• 6 Thakhek

Understand

People

Southern Laos, like the rest of the country, is ethnically diverse, with the ethnic Lao (Lao Loum) being the dominant group due to their high population density along the plains of the Mekong. However, they do not form an overall majority. East of the main river valleys, Lao Theung groups are more prevalent, extending into western Vietnam and northern Cambodia. Southern Laos has few Lao Soung hill tribes, which are so common in the north.

The Lao Loum (lowland Lao) primarily engage in wet-rice or paddy farming. They are culturally and linguistically similar to the Thai, with more ethnic Lao living in northeastern Thailand than in Laos itself. Both Lao and Thai languages belong to the Tai family, and most Lao can understand the Bangkok Thai used in media. In the south, Lao speak a dialect distinct but understandable to those in Vientiane. Both cultures are heavily influenced by Theravada Buddhism, with local temples (wat) playing a vital role in communities.

The Lao Theung (upland Lao) mainly practice shifting cultivation which may be mixed with paddy cultivation.

The Lao Theung (highland Lao) primarily practice animism, though some are adopting elements of Buddhism. Animist practices focus on local spirits, often nature spirits like forest or river spirits, which play a significant role in daily and agricultural life. This results in different calendars, ceremonies, and celebrations compared to the Lao Loum. Lao Theung languages vary greatly and are often unintelligible to each other and the Lao Loum. Fluency in Lao, the national language, varies by remoteness.

Geography

The south is less mountainous than the north and central regions of Laos. Because of this, there is more arable land and therefore a relatively dense population for Laos, especially in Savannakhet and Champasak provinces where the population density is 45 people per square kilometre. Southern Laos has the second and third largest cities in Laos: Savannakhet and Pakse, respectively.

The Mekong forms the border between Laos and Thailand, and its tributaries flowing east to west are the Xe Banghiang, the Xe Don and the largest, the Xe Kong (Xe is the word for river in southern dialect, while Nam is used in the north). Savannakhet and Champasak provinces are dominated by flat, deforested river plains, a rarity in Laos, and are home to 1.7 million people, or one quarter of the total population. At the Cambodian border, the Khone falls prevent any boats travelling further.

The mountainous Annamite Chain roughly forms the border with Vietnam. In between these mountains and the Mekong lies the incredibly fertile Bolaven Plateau, at over 1,000 metres above sea level. Straddling Champasak, Xekong and Salavan provinces, the plateau is famed for its mild climate and coffee production, and is a popular tourist destination.

Both the land and the rivers of southern Laos hold incredible biodiversity and beauty, which are great drawcards for visitors, although the environment is under threat from damming and logging. The cheap furniture from Vietnam you see in shops all over the world is made from wood taken (legally or otherwise) from the forests of southern Laos.

Get in

By air

The only airports in the entire region are in the largest cities: Pakse and Savannakhet.

Pakse airport is the most popular entry point into southern Laos. As of Dec 2024, it is the only international airport in the region. It has international flights from Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap, while domestic routes include Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

There are also flights between Savannakhet and Vientiane. Laos Airlines stopped flying between Savannakhet and Bangkok in mid-2024 due to lack of demand.

By land

Cambodia:

• As of Oct 2023, there is one official crossing point, at Nong Nok Khiene (Laos) - Tropaeng Kreal (Cambodia).

Thailand:

• The border crossing at Chong Mek (Thailand) - Vang Tao (Laos) is open daily from 06:00 - 20:00 (Oct 2023). This crossing is within easy reach of Pakse. The international bus from Ubon Ratchathani to Pakse leaves at 08:40 and 15:00 daily (three hours). Vans also go from Ubon to the border crossing.
• The Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge No. 2 affords easy access to the city of Savannakhet from the Thai town of Mukdahan.
• The Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge No. 3 likewise provides a convenient way to get between the Thai town of Nakhon Phanom and Thakhek in Laos.

Vietnam:

• Daensavan checkpoint in Savannakhet
• Na pao checkpoint in Khammouane
• Phoukeua checkpoint in Attapeu
• Lalai checkpoint in Saravan

From elsewhere in Laos:

If coming from Northern or Central Laos, you'll have to leave from Vientiane or Vang Vieng. Night buses from either place stop in Thakhek around 02:00 (it is common practice to book accommodation in advance and get a staff member to pick you up from the bus station) and Pakse by around 08:00. Day buses are available but these are often very crowded. You can break up this journey with a day in Paksan.

From Phonsavan there is a direct bus to Lak Sao that stops in Pak Kading. Get off there and catch a day bus to Thakhek or the night bus to Pakse.

Get around

Long-distance bus is the most common method of transport between towns in southern Laos. The Mekong River is not navigable for boat transport owing to waterfalls and dams.

See

Wat Phou are ruins of a milennium-old Angkorian temple complex hidden in the mountains 10 km from Champasak and 40 km from Pakse.

Khone Phapheng are the largest waterfalls in South-East Asia. They are reachable by boat from Don Khon.

Si Phan Don are the 4,000 islands on the Mekong near the Cambodian border.

Do

Popular motorcycle routes include the Thakhek Loop and the Bolaven Plateau Loop.

Stay safe

Border officials at the border crossings have a bad reputation for making up extra (usually small) fees and even extorting money from travellers by using the threat of withholding a stamp or not returning your passport. Read the Google reviews for your chosen border crossing to see what you're in for.

Go next

Fly from Pakse direct to Luang Prabang, Siem Reap, or Ho Chi Minh City.

Cross the Thai border to visit the Isaan region, home of Thailand's second largest ethnic group, the Thai Lao. Despite having 30% of Thailand's population, this region receives less than 3% of the tourists.