Pakse

Welcome to Pakse

When travel to Laos, people often refer to the famous tourist destinations such as Vientiane capital, the ancient capital of Luang Prabang, Chum fields relics … Few people know the places’ remote areas like Pakse Champasack province, located at the confluence of the Xedone River and the Mekong River.

1.Overview about Pakse

From Vientiane to Pakse is about 700km, if traveling by plane it takes more than 1 hour, while driving along Road 13, with a speed of 100km / hour takes about a day.

From Pakse, tourists can travel to the famous places such as Bolovens Plateau, Attapeu Province, Gia Lai, Kon Tum (Vietnam) or go to Cambodia, just 40km further to the border.

Since the Japan Friendship Bridge was built over the Mekong River, you only need to travel more than 40km to reach Thailand, then back to the north through Thailand’s Nong Khai province is back to Vientiane (Laos) . Due to this particularly attractive location, visitors often choose Pakse as the first destination in their tour.

Next to the road, the air route to Pakse is also convenient. Lao Airlines has direct daily flights. Vietnam Airlines also operates direct flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang to Pakse.

At present, the province is expanding its Pakse airport at second phase with a value of 50 billion kip (US $ 6.23 million) to accommodate larger aircraft, serving the rapid increase of passengers.

2.History

Along with the favorable geographic location, this young city is also an attractive tourist, economic attraction of Laos. Formerly the capital of King Champasak Bounum, the last king of the Lao feudal system was abolished in 1946.

Although more than half a century passed, the anecdotes about the dictatorial reign of this king of Laos are still spreaded among the people, especially the lavish life with many of the royal women whom the king gave from villages to serve.

The palace of King Bounum is located by the dreamy Mekong. The Pakse people are commonly referred to as houses with 1,000 windows. Today, this large villa is almost intact and is being exploited by the city as a hotel and tourist destination.

In addition to the monarchy of Bounum, there are many other tourist attractions such as the Laos-Japan Friendship Bridge and the Dao Vieng Business Park. Going beyond 40km is the World Heritage Site of Wat Phou …

Pakse is also home to many unique festivals, such as Wat Phou Festival, Pha Veat, Khao Phansa …

3.Destinations in Pakse

3.1 Bolaven

Bolaven has a unique natural beauty from the waterfalls, travelers will admire the gentle waterfalls, carrying the thin flowing through the plateau, creating a romantic landscape with nearly a dozen cascades are located close to each other, beautiful and full of charm.

In Lao, tad means waterfall, and in Southern Laos, the most beautiful tad are located in Bolaven. The journey to the beauty of the cascades in Bolaven, is not a relaxing trip, but an experience and conquest. The biggest waterfall on Bolaven is Tad Nam Tok Katamtok, which is most conveniently accessible by motorbike, at a height of over 100 meters, and Katamtok, the highest waterfall in Laos.

3.2 Wat Phou temple

Wat Phou is the oldest temple in Laos, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2001. This ancient temple dates back to the fifth century, once the center of Hinduism, worshiping Shiva.

Wat Phou is also called “Mountain Pagoda” because it is located at the foot of Mount Phou Kao (Elephant Mountain), Champasak Province about 670 km south of Vientiane. If traveling from Pakse city, you can take a motorbike or take a tuk tuk to the temple about 40km.

Occupying more than a thousand years of history, even though it is still a ruin, what remains is that Wat Phou is an important religious architectural complex, which preserves historical and cultural values ​​of Laos. The main gate and the front of the temple are now ruined, but still marked by the reliefs carved images of the gods of Hinduism.

4.What to eat in Pakse?

4.1 Lap

When referring to Lao cuisine visitors can not help but mention the Lap. This unique dish is a traditional dish in all parts of Laos, and is made with the desire to wish good luck. The main ingredients for making this delicacy are beef, pork, chicken … are chopped, mixed together a little more characteristic spices such as lemon, chili, galangal, sticky rice before frying. You should enjoy this dish  with lettuce, cowpea … to enhance the flavor of the dish. Light aroma plus spicy spicy, sour, sweet … will bring you the unforgettable experience. You can enjoy this dish in most shops, restaurants from luxury to popular in Laos with 30,000 kip.

4.2 Klao Niaw

Like other Southeast Asian countries in Laos they attach special importance to rice. The Lao people often eat rice from a cloud, with sticky rice, they pick up their hands. When enjoying, they will take rice into small pieces and then dip them in traditional sauce. This simple dish, but under the skill of skilled chefs make them perfect dishes for your Pakse trip. The famous place to enjoy sticky rice is at Phu Doi restaurant in Luang Prabang by famous chef Deinla.

4.3 Savanakhet

One of the most popular specialties in Pakse is the Savanakhet (southern Laos). This delicious dish is made from chicken countryside freely in the garden so fragrant meat, delicious, firm. After cleaning the chickens are grilled on bamboo sticks on a special charcoal made from perennial woody to ripe. Savanakhet chicken is served with white sticky rice and “cheo deck” (a typical sauce in Laos). With delicious taste, pungent, sweet and sour sweet and sour will make you swoon. Chicken dishes are best known in southern Laos, but you can enjoy them in many places as well as in the capital Vientiane or the ancient capital of Luang Prabang. The price of a 50,000 kip Savanakhet chicken, you should buy at the Seno junction (Savanakhet) or the Vientiane in the capital from Luang Prabang because it is the best place to cook chicken in Laos besides Pakse.

4.4 Crispy bread

Laos has long been a French colony so French cuisine is not only favored but also influenced Lao cuisine very much. French crispy bread is a living proof that French dishes are very popular in Laos. This bread is commonly used for breakfast, when served with coffee, milk, eggs or some pate. Although the recipe is quite similar to Vietnamese bread, if you have tasted it once, then you will see the difference and unforgettable. This popular dish in Laos can be found everywhere but delicious and most attractive then you should visit the shop on the way from Vientiane to Luang Prabang.

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