Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos is famous for its great scenery, ethnic villages and unexplored corners. It’s probably best known for being home to some of Southeast Asia’s most spectacular waterfalls including Tad Fane and Dong Hua Sao (aka Taat Fang). The plateau’s elevation ranges approximately from 1,000 to 1,350 metres above sea level and here the weather in general is milder than the rest of the country, getting cool, especially at night.
Its fertile plains allow farmers to produce some of the best tea and coffee in the country (coffee remains Laos’ biggest agricultural export.) Tourism has become another important source of income for locals as the area has almost unlimited trekking and daytrip opportunities.
Bolaven Plateau & Tad Fane Waterfall
The impressive Tad Fane twin falls thunder over 100 metres down the steep cliffs into a gorge, located a few kilometres west of Paksong Town, Champasak Province. The scenic rainforest spot is part of a big national park where wild animals live, including leopards, tigers, elephants and monkeys. Hornbills are among the 300 bird species found in this area.
Opening Hours: All year round. The waterfalls are more impressive in the rainy season between July and October. If visiting between the months of October and February, visitors can observe the harvesting of coffee around the plateau
Location: Bolaven Plateau is situated in the northeast of Champasak Province, covering parts of Salavan, Attapeu and Sekong provinces. The main town to use as a base is Pakse in Champasak
How to get there: Pakse has a large bus station with regular connections to other parts of Laos. It also has a small airport
