Pakse (ປາກເຊ) is the relatively modern and friendly capital (pop. 116,200 in 2020) of Champasak province. The transport hub of Southern Laos, Pakse is not a tourist destination in itself, but a necessary and useful stop on the tourist trail to Si Phan Don and the Bolaven Plateau, and the nearest big town to Wat Phou.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The French established Pakse in 1905. The city was the capital of the Lao Kingdom of Champasak (under French colonial rule) until 1946 when the Kingdom of Laos was formed. Pakse remains the largest town in Southern Laos and a major transportation hub; if you plan to go to the Bolaven Plateau, Wat Phou, or Si Phan Don, you will probably have to spend some time here.
If you plan to do the Bolaven Plateau Loop, rent a motorbike or buy a bus ticket beware of the company Lao Adventure(r) Travel. The Lao woman in the office will try to scam you by selling tickets for non-existent buses. Apparently the office changes names quite often. On Google Maps you will find it as "Phouphieng Bolaven Travel Co.,Ltd" on the No. 12 Rd. While the immediate downtown area with the highest concentration of lodging and restaurants is walkable, many things outside are small city center are spread far apart.
1 Ban Keosamphanh. The most beautiful green rice fields of Pakse, a former French army camp, and is home to the oldest market of Pakse. 2 Big Buddha (Wat Phusalao ວັດພູສະເຫຼົ້າ). Built in 2011 adjacent to the Japanese bridge. 300 steps to the top, a great view of the river and city. (updated Feb 2026) 3 Dao Heuang Market, Rd 38. Many food stalls that are a feast to the eyes and nose. 4 Champasak Historical Heritage Museum, Route 13 (close to the new market, 500 m north of the banks of the Mekong). M-F 08:30 to 11:30, 13:30 to 16:00. 10,000 kip. (updated Mar 2018) 5 Wat Luang. The biggest and most beautiful temple of Pakse, and home of Buddhist monk school.
There's not much to do in Pakse. However, it is a good base for travel to the Bolaven Plateau and Si Phan Don. Pakse is convenient as a staging point for archaeological trips in this part of Laos for two reasons: to visit the Champasak Provincial Museum (listed in See above) as an introduction to local archaeology, and as an alternative to Champasak town as a jumping off point to see Wat Phou. Wat Phou is a UNESCO world heritage site and is the Lao counterpart to Angkor Wat/Angkor Thom. It's the finest of its genre outside Cambodia. It's possible to organise a day-trip to Wat Phou near Champasak, where you can also stay easily. Rent a motorbike and head east towards Pak Song (Paxxong).
The majority of restaurants, over 50, are concentrated on the road which runs parallel to the Mekong, a five-minute walk from the main street). Most offer Lao or Vietnamese cuisine and some western dishes, have English menus, and are low-priced. Several restaurants catering to tourists are found near most of the accommodation along and nearby the main street. These are higher-priced but offer more variety in non-Lao food, such as Indian, Italian, Korean, burgers, steaks and pizza. 1 Dornsokdee Restaurant (on the main Rd 13 S, opposite the museum and between IndoChina Bank and ANZ Bank). A Sin Daat (cook yourself Lao BBQ) restaurant that also serves Thai, Vietnamese and some Western food.
4 Cafe Sinouk, No 11 Rd (Near Champasak Shopping Centre). Cafe has free Wi-Fi for patrons and fancy frappe drinks, cakes and basic restaurant menu. 5 Delta Coffee (On Rd 13 across from the Champasak Palace Hotel). Offers Western food options such as pasta (20,000-30,000 kip), pizzas (35,000-50,000 kip), sandwiches, hamburgers (15,000-20,000 kip), and desserts baked on-site. Known also for good quality, locally sourced coffee. Prices are quite reasonable and the staff friendly. Enjoy the sunset with a Beerlao on the Mekong River. Go to the French bridge and then head south along the Mekong.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €40 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Jul, Pakse typically sees ~30°C daytime highs and 31 rainy days.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-07-30. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy