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Pakse
Although Pakse City, Laos, does not have many famous tourist attractions, it is still known as one of the most popular tourist cities in the country. Pakse is a quiet town where life runs along the banks of the Mekong River. This entire area was heavily influenced by French colonialism, as was the nearby city of Savannakhet.
There are not many tourist attractions in Pakse city. Attractions in Pakse are mainly French colonial architecture near the Xe Don River and pristine Buddhist temples such as Wat Phabad, Wat Phousalao, and Wat Luang, or Champasak Provincial Museum, Pakse Market, and Xe Don Bridge.
Wat Luang is one of Pakse's most beautiful temples. This colorful temple complex has a school that teaches Buddhist courses for monks.
Wat Phabad (or Phabat) is home to colorful stupas. Locals believe that Buddha left his footprints on the temple grounds, which attract devotees from all over the world.
Although there are not many places to visit, Pakse is the starting place to visit many other attractive tourist attractions nearby. The beautiful Vat Phou temple in Champasak town is very similar to the temples in the Angkor complex in Cambodia; the Bolaven plateau, where there is one of the best Arabica coffees in the world and beautiful waterfalls; Si Phan Don, an area called the 4000-island archipelago on the Mekong River with the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia, Khone Phapheng waterfall... Come to Pakse and start your journey to discover Southern Laos!
From Pakse you can visit the Vat Phou temple complex about 40 km away.
Pakse nightlife
Nightlife in Pakse is nothing too special, like most cities in southern Laos. There is a cluster of rustic and laid-back bars along the Mekong River. Many high-end hotels have rooftop bars or pools with views of the town center.
Pakse Shopping
If you want to buy some souvenirs in Pakse, check out Champasak Shopping Center. You can find silk, electronic products, clothing, and ethnic handicrafts in Laos, but the choice is quite limited. To get the best deals, you should visit Luang Prabang and Vientiane, as both cities have more diverse shopping options.
How to visit Pakse
Pakse International Airport receives regular flights from Lao Airlines and Lao Skyway. You can fly to Pakse from other Lao provinces such as Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Savannakhet, as well as from several other countries: Bangkok (Thailand), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), and Siem Reap (Cambodia). The airport is also a major transportation hub for the southern regions of the country.
One of the best ways to get around Pakse is by bicycle or motorbike. In the center of Pakse, on the same street 13, you can rent bicycles for 30,000 kip per day, and you can also rent motorbikes for 60,000 kip per day.