Pakse: Riverside Setting, Morning Market and City Routes

Pakse lies at the confluence of the Mekong and Sedone rivers. The city is considered a commercial and transport hub in southern Laos, with connections to Bangkok in the west, Da Nang in the east and Phnom Penh in the south. When planning a stay, it helps to distinguish between activities in Pakse and other destinations in the broader Champasak destination: markets, neighbourhoods and city routes are part of the local overview, while Champasak’s cultural landscape and attractions are regional topics.

Morning Market and Local Shopping

Daoheuang is Pakse’s morning market and is known for being lively; an early-morning visit is recommended. Pakse has souvenir shops and an art gallery. Handicrafts are also sold at small stalls and by individual makers along the way. The offerings at individual shops and stalls may change.

City Routes by Bicycle

A city cycling tour passes floating boat restaurants on the Sedone and continues to Daoheuang Market. Another cycling route from Pakse crosses the Japanese Bridge, which spans the Mekong for 1,380 metres. As bridge conditions may change, check the current situation at the bridge before setting out.

Wat Phabat is on the city route described. Near the Russian Bridge, the route offers a view of the historic Champasak Palace Hotel.

Neighbourhoods, Temples and Art

Some buildings from the French colonial era remain in Pakse’s old quarter. Pakse also has a Vietnamese neighbourhood. Wat Luang is a Buddhist temple in Pakse and also a religious, educational and cultural centre for the local community.

Near Pakse, Wat Phu Salao is located on Phu Salao Hill, east of the Mekong. Its Golden Buddha statue overlooks Pakse and the surrounding Mekong Valley. About 7 km from Pakse city centre is the Laos Wind Trace Art Museum, an art gallery featuring Korean-Lao exchange exhibitions as well as paintings by students from the art school in Pakse. The exhibition programme may change; check which exhibitions are currently on before visiting.

Champasak: Cultural Landscape and Nature

In the broader Champasak destination, the cultural landscape includes the Wat Phou temple complex. It is a planned landscape more than 1,000 years old, which developed from the 5th to the 15th century. Temples, shrines and waterworks are arranged along an axis from the mountain summit to the riverbank, extending for about 10 kilometres. Wat Phou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Champasak Province.

In Dong Houa Sao National Protected Area, visitors can hike and camp from the village of Nong Luang. Tree Top Explorer is also located in the protected area and combines trekking with zip lines, canopy walkways and a via ferrata. The Champi and Pak Koot rivers join to form Tad Fane, whose twin waterfalls plunge 120 metres. Tad Fane offers full- and half-day hikes to the top of the waterfalls and to nearby ethnic villages.

Discover more destinations: Nakasong, Champasak, Ban Gnik, Pakxong, Muang Khong, Khinak.

Go to the broader travel overview: Champasak.