Pakse by Bus or Plane: Getting There, and the Bolaven Loop

An overnight sleeper bus runs Vientiane to Pakse, about 10 hours, departing from the VIP bus station in town, near the Champasak Shopping Centre.

Pakse International Airport is about 5 km northwest of town, roughly US$3 to 5 by tuk tuk. Green SM ride-hailing also operates in Pakse, with a fixed fare shown before you book, for any of the three stations or the airport. InDrive does not work anywhere in Laos: it has been blocked since May 2025.

• Wat Phou: a Khmer temple complex built between the 7th and 12th centuries on the slope of Phou Kao mountain, about 45 km south of Pakse near Champasak, on the west bank of the Mekong. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001, and its festival falls in February. Public buses leave Dao Huang market in Pakse in the morning; most people go by rented motorbike, on a day tour from Pakse, or by bus to Champasak and then tuk tuk or bicycle.
• The Bolaven Plateau: cool high ground east of Pakse, known for its Arabica coffee, sold by the growers themselves, and its waterfalls: Tad Pha Suam, 33 km from Pakse, the twin 120-metre falls of Tad Fane, Tad Yuang and Tad Katamtok.
• The Pakse Loop: the plateau by motorbike. The small loop is about 200 km, at least 2 days, through Tad Lo, Thateng and Paksong; the big loop adds Sekong and Houay Kong, over 300 km and at least 4 days. Bolaven Tours runs guided motorbike and van trips.
• The 4000 Islands and Khone Phapheng: Si Phan Don, the 4000 Islands, are scattered across the Mekong just above the Cambodian border, and most stay wild and uninhabited. Don Det is the most laid back of the visited islands, Don Khong the biggest and easiest to reach, with village life, old buildings and walking trails. Close by, 13 km from the border, the Mekong pours over Khone Phapheng, the largest waterfall by volume in Southeast Asia. The Irrawaddy dolphins once watched from boats here have died out: the last one died in February 2022. How to get there is in the next section.

The 4000 Islands (Si Phan Don) are about 150 km south of Pakse. Buses and minivans from the Southern (Km 8) station run to Nakasong, about 3 to 4 hours, followed by a short boat crossing to Don Det or Don Khon.

From Vientiane

There is no quick way down. Take the overnight sleeper to Pakse, about 10 hours, which arrives at the VIP station in town, then a morning bus or minivan south from the Southern (Km 8) station to Nakasong, 3 to 4 hours, and the boat across. Plan on a night on the bus and most of the next morning. The Km 8 station is about 8 km south of the centre, so allow for a tuk tuk between the two.

From Thakhek or Savannakhet

Every long-distance bus heading south on Route 13, from Thakhek or Savannakhet, runs through to Pakse and arrives at the Northern Station, about 10 km out. From there, cross town to the Southern (Km 8) station, about 8 km south of the centre, for the onward bus to Nakasong.

From Cambodia: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Stung Treng

Buses cross at Nongnokkhene, the only land crossing between the two countries, which sits right below the islands: Stung Treng to the 4000 Islands is 4 to 5 hours; from Siem Reap the advertised time is about 8 hours and from Phnom Penh 9 to 10, often longer in practice. Lao visa on arrival is issued at this crossing, in cash; the eVisa is not accepted.

The boat from Nakasong, and leaving the islands

Don Det and Don Khon have no road access. Buses and minivans stop at Nakasong on the mainland, and boats wait at the pier for the short crossing. Going the other way, every departure from the islands starts with that boat back to Nakasong, so build it into your time before any bus.

The pier is a short walk from where buses and minivans set you down. Recent travellers report that boats may wait for more passengers before leaving, so leave a buffer rather than treating the road arrival and the boat as one seamless connection. Bring enough cash for the islands: there is no reliable ATM on Don Det, and Nakasong, on the mainland, is the safest place to withdraw before you board.

The nearest airport

Pakse International Airport, about 150 km north: 3 to 4 hours by road to Nakasong, plus the boat. Lao Airlines flies Vientiane to Pakse in about 1 h 15 m, and there is a direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City. See flights to Laos.