Southern Laos
Bolaven Loop Full Day Tour
Journey through dramatic volcanic highlands, witness the towering 120m Tad Fane twin falls, and explore indigenous artisan villages.
The Bolaven Plateau is a vast highland rising east of Pakse to an altitude of 1000–1350 meters above sea level. Created by a gigantic extinct volcano, its cooler climate, abundant rainfall, and fertile soil make it famous for producing world-class organic coffee. This full-day loop takes you deep into the highlands to witness thunderous waterfalls, stroll through indigenous tribal villages, and taste premium local coffee from seed to cup.
Highlights
- Tad Fane — the tallest twin waterfalls in Laos (120 meters)
- Tad Gneuyang waterfall trails and panoramic viewpoints
- Traditional workshops at Ban Blacksmith village
- Cultural immersion at Katou animistic tribe villages
- Organic coffee tastings at Café Lak 40 and with local expert Mr. Vieng
08:00 – 09:15 AM — Blacksmith Village Exploration
Departure from your hotel in Pakse center at 08:00 AM. Our first stop is at Ban Blacksmith village, spread out along the main access road to Bolaven. Observe several small, family-run workshops forging various farming tools, machetes, and knives in open, simple smithies.
Open family smithies at Ban Blacksmith
09:15 – 10:30 AM — Majestic Twin Falls of Tad Fane & Tad Gneuyang
Arrive at the spectacular twin falls of Tad Fane. Plummeting 120 meters down a jungle cliff, these are the tallest waterfalls in Laos, viewed from a spacious wooden viewing platform. Next, take a short drive to Tad Gneuyang (40 meters tall), where you can explore walkways that let you view the rushing waters safely from the top, side, and bottom pool.
The breathtaking 120m drops of Tad Fane
10:40 AM – 12:45 PM — Premium Garden Coffee & Resort Lunch
Stop at Café Lak 40, nestled inside a lush evergreen botanical garden indigenous to the plateau. Tour their organic coffee and tea processing facility while enjoying a cup of quality espresso, tea, or fresh fruit shakes. Afterward, we take a scenic 45-minute drive past forests and highland fields to the beautiful Sinouk Coffee Resort for a 1-hour lunch break (lunch costs not included).
Fresh organic coffee tasting at Café Lak 40
13:05 – 14:30 PM — Katou Tribe Culture & Tad Lo Cataracts
Stop briefly at the Ban Kok Phung Tai village market to meet members of the Katou tribe. Learn about their animistic customs, watch the women practice intricate cotton weaving, see the men's wood carvings, and observe their unique tradition of smoking homegrown tobacco from large bamboo bongs. Continue next to the cataracts of Tad Lo for a relaxing walk through dense indigenous forest and a chance to swim or spot local fishermen.
Traditional Katou village life and handicrafts
15:10 – 18:00 PM — Seed-to-Cup Coffee Session & Return
Our final stop is at a specialized village dedicated to organic coffee production and Katou-style weaving. Entrepreneur and local guide Mr. Vieng will share his profound knowledge about Bolaven coffee cultivation from seed to cup. You can browse exclusive artisanal coffee products and textile handicrafts before returning to Pakse around 18:00 PM.
Tour Pricing
Prices include transport in a clean private minibus or SUV, all taxes, entrance fees, and your local community guide at the Katou coffee plantation. (Lunch is not included).