Pakse Things to Do

Most travellers who come to Pakse come to get out, using Pakse simply as a brief stop in a transport hub while on their way to other destinations in Laos or elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Even for those who do plan to stay in Pakse for a few days, there is truly not much to do within the city centre. The majority of activities around Pakse involve getting out of town and exploring the scenery and landscape a bit further.

Exploring Pakse by motorbike

Renting a motorbike is one of the most popular ways for tourists to get a taste of Pakse and the surrounding areas, and many travellers use Pakse as a base for independently biking around the Bolaven Plateau. This area surrounds the city of Pakse and is known for coffee fields, waterfalls, and cooler temperatures due to the elevation of the plateau.

Motorbikes can be rented in Pakse, often from guesthouses, travel agencies, or motorbike rental shops, and can be used for a day trip outside the city or (if prearranged with the owner who is renting to you), can be kept for a few days in order to get the most out of your trip.

Most places that rent a bike can also give you a map and help explain some of the popular routes for biking around the Bolaven Plateau; Miss Noy’s Motorbike Shop on Road 13 is a popular backpacker choice for renting motorbikes, and this shop is actually a useful source of information on popular routes and other travel ideas. Many travellers choose to take 2-3 days to loop around the Bolaven Plateau, stopping to see the various waterfalls and points of interest and then staying in homestays or guesthouses in villages overnight.

Packaged tours to Bolaven Plateau

For those travellers who would like to explore the Bolaven Plateau area but would prefer to do so as part of a more structured, guided tour, there are also tour companies that offer a variety of different packages suited to your interests, time, and abilities.

Green Discovery Laos is one of the most popular tour companies in Laos, and has several different tour packages in the Pakse/Bolaven Plateau area. Whether you’re interested in trekking, exploring waterfalls, learning about coffee farms, seeing temples, sleeping in a tree (yes, one of their tour packages near Pakse includes spending the night in a treehouse in the jungle!), or just spending a few days to explore the surrounding area (including the 4,000 islands), Green Discovery Laos will likely have a tour option that fits your interests.

Ziplining in Pakse

Ziplining in the jungle around Pakse is another popular activity for tourists who come here, and Tree Top Explorer offers ziplining tours through Dong Houa Sao, which include trekking and overnight stays in a treehouse. These can get a bit pricy (around LAK2,000,000 or more), but prices will fluctuate depending on how many people are in your group (a larger group means a cheaper price per person).

Massages and spa

If you’re just passing through Pakse and rather than searching for an adventure, you’re just looking for a relaxing way to spend your time before moving on to your next destination, then a massage may be the best way for you to spend your evening. There are several massage places near the shopping mall south of Road 13. Traditional massages start at about LAK35,000, while a head, neck, and shoulders massage will run you about LAK50,000.

You can always finish off the day with a relaxing stroll near the river and a tasty Beerlao in one of the town’s bars or restaurants.