Champasak is a province in the south-west of Laos, at the boundary to Thailand and Cambodia. The capital of the province is Pakse, but the province takes its name
from the former capital of the Kingdom of Champasak. You probably would not go to Champasak if it was not for Wat Phou but the town – more a village – has a subtle
charm that will hold you for a couple of days.
What to do?
The main attraction of Champasak province is
Wat Phou complex, one of the grandest
Khmer ruins outside Cambodia. Visit during the Wat Phou Festival, on the full moon
of the third lunar month (usually early February) to enjoy elephant races, traditional
music and dance. Besides, there are most –visited sites in the area including the
Bolaven plateau, a highland area with plantations, waterfalls and lots of scenery
and the 4000 islands region (Si Phan Don) to the south.
When to go?
The best time to visit overall is the cool season, between November and February.
Don't forget to bring warm clothes as it does get a wee chilly.
The rainy season
begins in May and ends in October. It is a beautiful time of the year to visit with
every thing so lush and green. However, it does make travel a bit uncomfortable
with muddy roads and land leeches.
Getting there: Champasak can be reached from Thailand through the Chong Mek border
crossing, at Vang Tao, from where the highway leads east towards the city of Pakse.
