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Traveling

Exploring the off-the-beaten-path of Pakse, Laos Dec 17-23, 2014

Exploring the off-the-beaten-path of Pakse, Laos

GPS waypoint: 15°07'11.7"N 105°47'55.4"E
Location: Pakse, Laos

Pakse?
Even for the backpacker, Pakse isn't a big blip on the radar - it remains off-the-beaten path. In Laos, the usual destinations are Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. But coming from Pleiku (Vietnam), Pakse was along the way to the more visited places to the north. Tuyen and I didn't really know what to expect, but the first thing we noticed was that Pakse (and all of Laos) is more expensive than Vietnam. The food prices on the menu seem the same as in Vietnam, but in Laos, we are talking Kip, not Vietnamese Dong.

Horrific Minivan Ride
For such a long 12-hr trip, I was hoping we could get a sleeping bus. But no. We had to board a cramped minivan full of workers on their way across the border. It was literally standing ovation inside the small van. It was also cold so the windows were all closed. If that was not bad enough, the men were smoking like crazy. Vietnamese smokers, in my experience from as southwest as Phu Quoc Island to as far northeast as Halong Bay, are completely oblivious about the inconvenience they impose on other people, or simply put, they don't care. They smoke in air-conditioned rooms, in hospitals, in air conditioned buses, in an enclosed space with kids and babies, etc. Vietnam has come leaps and bounds in its progress since the war, but when it comes to smoking ethics, it's still in the stone age.

Abundance
Life has been good for me and Tuyen in Pakse. We were able to close restaurant deals with a Vietnamese seafood restaurant and an Indian restaurant. We also stayed at a luxurious hotel for a few nights including breakfast for 2. All of these deals were in barter exchange for increased presence on the internet. With freebies like that, our need for money was not as compelling.

Misses
It wasn't exactly the Red Sea parting to rain abundance. We also had our setbacks. I tried to close deals with tour companies and some cafes, but nothing came out of it. We wanted to explore the Bolaven Plateau, Wat Phou but the rates were just prohibitive. We tried to rent bicycles but again, the cost was almost double from other places.

Walking About Town
Tuyen and I just chilled within town, walking around, exploring what other streets have to offer. In a new city, it's always fun to walk around - discovering new sights and new food offerings. Pakse doesn't have a backpacker area like Khaosan Road of Bangkok. It's a small city and you can walk across its radius in less than an hour.

Ending Thoughts
If Pakse is along the way, then stop-over for a break on the journey - but don't expect much from the city itself. Pakse would be a good day trip to check out Bolaven Plateau or Wat Phou. If you're heading south, you can go straight to the 4,000 Islands on the Mekong Delta.

--- TheLoneRider

Next stop: Vientiane, Laos

the ride from Pleiku, Vietnam to Pakse, Laos, was a grueling 12-hr ride on a cramped bus with people smoking inside Laos food is similar to Vietnamese food...noodle soup with lots of veggies Laotians like their beer, BIG Pakse is still a sleepy town
market scene Laotians love their chillies like most of SE Asia, Pakse has its share of pagodas I've always wondered what monks do inside their pagoda grounds
house of the rising sun Tuyen and I ate a lot of Indian food at Jasmin Restaurant the affable Mr. Haydeen preparing Indian pancake at Jasmin Restaurant Pakse Hotel's VIP Suite was our home for the few days we were in Pakse....luxurious and comfortable
at Pakse Hotel's open roof deck Tuyen feeling emo nice river shot with the restaurant-barge Tuyen and the long narrow boat
a vintage Russian army motorcycle with sidecar can you count how many chicks this hen has? the most I've ever seen river view from the restaurant barge awesome river view while enjoying your food. Who says it has to be expensive?
many restaurants are lined-up along the river, serving mostly grilled seafood and meat Tuyen and I pampered ourselves with lotsa fresh seafood dishes from Hai San Vietnamese Seafood Restaurant...a barter deal for web services fairground for kids we viewed another hotel that offered Colonial French architecture and design - Sisouk Hotel
enjoying our beer by the road time to pack out for Vientiane    

Nearby Attractions

  • Wat Phou Temple - pre-Angkor, a World Heritage Site since 2001 (map)
  • Bolaven Plateau - tropical jungle that is home to 20 ethnic minorities
  • Phou Asa - a temple built like a fortress where elephant riding can be availed

Pakse Cost Index, backpacker places (US$1 = Kip 8124.95 = Php 44.25 as of Feb 8, 2015)

Pakse, like all of Laos, is more expensive compared to Saigon, Bangkok or Phnom Penh. Foodwise, it is almost twice as expensive as Saigon.
  • Kip 10,000 one big bottle beer
  • Kip 40,000/hour body massage
  • Kip 5-10,000 coffee
  • Kip 20-25,000 noodle soup with meat
  • Kip 20,000 bicycle rental, 24 hours
  • Kip 60,000 lodging, room for 2, fan room, ensuite, hot water
  • Kip 10,000/kilo laundry
  • Kip 60-70,000/day motorcycle rental
  • Kip 10,000 banana pancake (Jasmin Restaurant)
  • Kip 300,000 standard room with double bed in a 3-star luxury hotel, Pakse Hotel
  • Kip 5,000 sticky rice, a Laotian specialty
  • Kip 35,000 lap dish, a Laotian specialty
  • Kip 65-70,000 local bus trip to 4,000 Islands (no a/c, lots of stops)

Pakse Tour Rates (Kip)

  • 4,000 Islands - 65-70,000/pax
  • Wat Phou + Kied Ngong Elephant riding - 250-475,000/pax
  • Wat Phou + Khoneprabeng Waterfall - 250-475,000/pax
  • Wat Phou - 190,000/pax
  • Bolaven Plateau + Tha Teng + Tadlor - 180,000 with guide

Pakse Bus Rates (Kip)

  • Pakse to Champasak - 55,000/pax, boat or bus
  • Pakse to Vientiane - 170,000/pax, sleeping bus
  • Pakse to Si Pan Don - 70,000, includes boat ride
  • Pakse to Phnom Penh, Cambodia - 240,000
  • Pakse to Siem Reap (for Angkor Wat) - 280,000
  • Pakse to Bangkok - 250,000
  • Pakse to Luang Prabang - 350,000
  • Pakse to Vang Vieng - 250,000

How to Get to Pakse from Saigon

  • FASTEST AND SHORTEST ROUTE (NEW): you can take a direct sleeping bus from Saigon to Pakse. Bus line is Minh Vu / phone: 020 996 96 179 / +84 989 96 1239 / Laos (Pakse) - Cambodia - Vietnam (Saigon) and vice versa / departs 4am daily, arrives 7pm, Kip 300,000 (VND 800,000 or US$38-40) / 15 hours
  • I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS ROUTE: take a sleeping bus from Saigon to Pleiku City, Gia Lai (Province), 12 hours (departs 7pm, so you sleep during the trip), $14/person. From Pleiku, there is a small bus departing for Pakse between 7 and 8 am, depending on which bus line you choose, 11-12 hours, $14/person including lunch. The small bus has no air-conditioning, crowded, very few stops, closed windows because of the cold, and a lot of the people smoke inside the bus - you had been warned! If you are making the direct connection from Pleiku to Pakse, make sure that the Saigon-Pleiku bus departs Saigon early enough to make to to Pleiku before the Pleiku-Pakse bus departs at 7am.

How to Get to Vientiane from Pakse

  • the Pakse bus terminal is within the city center, right by the river, where you can book a sleeping bus directly (not sure if this saves you money compared to getting your booking from your hotel). Night buses leave 8pm and arrive Vientiane 7:30am the following day. Kip 150-170,000. You'll get off at the Vientiane Southern Bus Terminal. Take a tuk-tuk to city center, Kip 20,000/pax.
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Dec 17-23, 2014

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Pakse Hotels

Pakse hotels







Pakse Hotels


Pakse Hotel, Laos, Bolaven Plateau, 4000 Islands
Pakse Hotel
Pakse, Laos


Hai San, Vietnam, seafood restaurant, Pakse
seafood restaurant
Vietnam Style
Pakse, Laos



Jasmin Restaurant, Indian and Malay Food
Indian & Malay Cuisine
Pakse, Laos





Vientiane Hotels


Mixay Guesthouse, Vientiane, Laos
Mixay Guesthouse
backpacker rates
incl. wifi + breakfast
Vientiane, Laos






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