Pakse, Laos

Pakse is the capital city of Champasak province. This is the most important city in the south to act as the host city for visitors and travelers who like to explore and enjoy the southern part of Laos.

Situated at the confluence of two rivers, the Mekong and Se-Done rivers this city has a beautiful views and nice scenery to offer everyone who came here for business or pleasure.

Currently its population is approximately 70,000 people and is one of the biggest town in southern of Laos. For century this town has been the commercial center for the people in the south. Apart from poor and unreliable roads the Mekong river provide an excellence transportation route from north to south linking this city by boats.

Since opening the bridge in 2002 across the Mekong river and the improvement of road infrastructure, this city had changed rapidly. As the traffic begin to flow from Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand the city become more commercial and ideal place for travel and tourism. From here you can continue to explore the Bolaven Plateau, Xe Pian National Protected Area, Wat Phu and Si Phan Don

This city has a wide range of hotels and guest houses for you to choose from. If you are looking for nice accommodation, good view with air-conditioning Champasak Palace hotel may be the right one for you. To compare price and booking visit Pakse-Hotels

Pakse International Airport:

Pakse Airport

Its International Airport is 3km north of town and offers scheduled flights to Vientiane, Bangkok and Siem Reap.

Domestic Flight

Laos Airlines flies between Pakse and Vientiane daily (one way US$95, 70 minutes flight), and to Luang Prabang twice per week (one way US$135, 1 hour 40 minutes flight).

International Fight

Laos Airlines flies to Phnom Penh twice per week (US$95 one way, 70 minutes flight and three timesper week to Siem Reap (US$85, 45 minutes flight).

Bangkok Airways and Siem Reap Airways also fly between Pakse-Bangkok and Pakse-Siem Reap a couple of services per week.

Pakse Tourist Information

Provincial Tourist Office
business hours:
Morning: 8.00am to 12.00 Noon
After-noon: 1.30pm to 4.00pm
Tel: 212021
Adress: Sedone River (near Laos Airlines Office)

Hospital: 212018
Police: 212145

Internet Access

Laos is now have internet cafes. The prices are cheap, connection is fast and reliable and internet shops are widely available in the main cities. Many of the shops are also offer international phones services too. Here are some popular internet shops available in Pakse:

Adam's Internet
Open hour: 8am to 10pm
Address: Situated on route 13
Next Step Internet
Open hour: 8am to 11pm
SD Internet
Open hour: 7am to 8pm

Banks And Money

The currency of Laos is "Kip". There are no coins in circulation.Notes of Kip are ranging from 50kip to 20,000kip.

Us dollars and Thai Bath are widely accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels. Major currencies and traveller's cheques in US dollars and pounds sterling can be exchanged at most leading banks.

BCEL
Open hour: 8.30am-3.30pm (Moday-Friday)
Saturday: 8.30-10.00am
Tel: 212770
Lao development Bank
Open hour: 8am-4pm (Monday-Friday)
Sat & Sun: 8am-3pm
Tel: 212168
Lao Viet Bank
Open hour: 9.30am-4pm
Tel: 251470

Sightseeing and Activities

Pakse is more like a center in the south for travellers to continue their journey to Boliven Plateau or Si Phan Don (Khong Islands) in the south. But once you are at Pakse you better of visiting:

Champasak Historical Heritage Museum
Address: Km2 Route 13 South
Ban PhoneSa-Ath, Pakse
Tel: 856 (0) 212501
Business hours:
Morning: 8.30am-11.30am
After-noon: 1.00pm-4.00pm

Buses And Others Transportation

This town provides easily and convenient transportation for you to travel. There are several bus terminals you need to know where you want to go.

Northern Bus Terminal

Pakse Bus

Situated on route 13 at Km 7 north of town also known in Lao language as Khiu lot lak jet. This bus terminal operates the bus from here to Vientiane between 6.30am to 4.30pm. You also can go to Savannakhet and Thakek using this terminal. Most of the bus do not have air conditioning and normally slow and very crowded as the fare is very cheap. If you have plenty time and like to experience the real life travel of Lao people maybe this option is for you.

Southern Bus Terminal

Southern Bus Station

Southern bus station in Pakse ( KM 8 )

Situated on route 13 at Km 8 south of town also known in Lao language as Khiu lot lak pet. This bus terminal operates the bus from here to Si Phan Don (Khong Island), Bolaven Plateau (Paksong), Salavan, Attapeu, Mounlapamok (Nadi) and many others destinations as below:

Pks to Si Phan Don
Bus or SongTheo leave from this terminal between 10am-3.00pm several times per day.
Fare to Muong Khong including ferry (US$3.50). Three hours journey of 120km.
PKs to Nakasang for Don det and Ban Don Khon
Bus or SongTheo leave from this terminal between 7.30am-3.00pm several times per day.
Fare to Nakasang (US$3.50) three to four hours ride. Some of the buses go all the way to Veun Kham on the Cambodia border.
PKs to Paksong
Bus or Songtheo leave for Paksong five times per day stoping at tat Fan on your resquest. Fare (US$2.00) travel time 1.30 minutes.
PKs to Salavan
It takes between three to four hours to travel to Salavan. Fare (US$2.50) distance 115Km. Bus or Songtheo leave this terminal several times per day via route 20, stopping at Tat Lo on your requestr>
PKs to Sekong
Buses to Sekong (US$3.00, three to four hours ride, 135Km) leaving this terminal three times a day at 7.30am, 9.30am and 2.00pm
PKs to Attapeu
Buses to Attapeu also stop at Paksong, Tha-Teng and Sekong.Leaving this terminal at 6.30am, 8.00am, 10.30am and sometimes at 1.00pm. Fare (US$4.00), 212Km travel time five to six hours.

VIP Bus Station

PKs to Vientiane
Also known as the Evening Market Bus Station or Km2 Bus Station operates VIP buses to Vientiane. Fare (US$13.00) travel time eight to ten hours, distance 677km. It's possible to take this buses to Savannakhet or Thakek.
Thai-Lao Internatinal buses
PKs to Ubon Ratchathani
Buses leave Pakse at 7am, 8.30am, 2.00pm and 3.30pm. Fare 200B, travel time around 3 hours, 126Km.

Buses From Talat Dao Heung (Dao Heuang Market)

PKs to Thai boder at Vang Tao and Chong Mek
Songtheo leave from Talat Dao Heuang to Vang Tao regulary, fare (Us$0.80) take about 75 minutes to get there, distance 44km.
Taxi about US$2.00 per person about 45 minutes.
PKs to Champasak (wat-Phu)
Buses and SongTheo leave from Dao Heuang market to Champasak regulary. Fare (US$1.50) for one to two hours ride.
PKs to Ban Saphai
Buses and SongTheo leave from this terminal too between 7.00am to 4.00pm daily. Fare (US$0.50) for 40 minutes travel.

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