the pick of pakse

ANDREW BURKE SHARES 10 GREAT REASONS TO VISIT BANGKOK AIRWAYS' LATEST DESTINATION IN LAOS

AS THE LARGEST CITY in southern Laos, Pakse is the gateway to one of Southeast Asia's least explored frontiers, stretching up and over the cool Bolaven Plateau and south to the Cambodian border. The city combines a rich history with an energy born of being a fast growing hub for trade between Vietnam and Thailand.

But for all its disarming charm, Pakse's main attraction is its proximity to the region's rich array of natural and cultural attractions. Within an hour's drive are spectacular waterfalls, pristine forests, Mekong islands untouched by progress and a World Heritage-listed Khmer temple complex – all of which remain blessedly o? the radar of most travellers… for now.

So check out these 10 highlights before everyone else arrives.

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1 IN THE MARKET

If shopping centres reflect the lives of those who shop in them, then Pakse's vast Dao Heung Market (Morning Market) with its eclectic range of products speaks volumes about the diverse people of southern Laos. They come in droves to shop for everything from groceries to Soviet-era wristwatches.

As a visitor, much of the charm is in the fact that this is not a tourist market. There are few of the trashy souvenirs ubiquitous elsewhere. Not that this means there's nothing to buy. Co? ee from the Bolaven Plateau is sold by the bag, and exquisite traditional woven fabrics from both Mekong villagers and highland tribal groups are also available.

2 COFFEE CULTURE

Pakse is the major roasting and distribution centre for the high-grade Arabica co?ee grown on the nearby Bolaven Plateau.

It was first planted by the French in the early 1900s and is now among the most expensive co?ee on earth. It is possible to pay a visit to the plantations and co?ee-growing villages on the plateau itself, but the actual tasting is best done in Pakse.

To enjoy it the way locals do, head to the Dao Heung Market, find a vendor and watch her skillfully scoop the ground beans into a sock-like filter before pouring boiling water through it.

Café Lao , as it is known, is drunk hot in a heart-starting ratio of about 60 per cent co?ee, 40 per cent condensed milk – though the iced version is equally divine. If you want to try the local brew in a more familiar style, head to Delta Co?ee (Route 13, tel +856 (0)30 534-5895 ) or Sinouk Co?ee Shop (corner of Street 9 and Street 11, tel +856 (0)31 212552 ).

For avid co?ee-lovers, also keep an eye out for Thanksgiving Co? ee's (www.thanksgivingco. ee.com ) Café Lao beans produced by the Jhai Co?ee Farmer Cooperative (JCFC), a fair-trade project aimed at empowering small-scale farmers.

3 ISLAND LIFE

Stretched out on the Mekong River like a lazy crocodile soaking up the sun, Don Daeng is the definition of relaxation. The 8km-long island sits opposite Champasak town, about 38km south of Pakse. It has been inhabited since the glory days of Wat Phu, but with no electricity, no cars and only a few motorbikes, life in Don Daeng's eight villages remains refreshingly simple.

Cycling is the best way to see the island; stopping here and there to chat with locals for whom tourism remains a novelty. Stay overnight in a simple community guesthouse or with a local family in Ban Hua Daeng, at the northern tip of the island.

More luxurious lodgings are due to open by the middle of the year. Arrange your accommodation through the English-speaking tourist information o?ces in either Pakse (Street 11, tel +856   (0)31 212021 ) or Champasak ( tel +856 (0)20 220-6215 ).

4 WALKING THROUGH TIME

Wandering through the town's old quarter east of the French bridge – itself a relic of the long-gone colonial era – reveals stucco slowly crumbling from French-era shophouses on streets rarely disturbed by tra? c.

Pakse was founded in 1905, and apart from a period during the '60s and '70s when it was a major American base in the Second Indochina War, it has always been a rather languid place. As investment increases, however, things are changing, so get here before it is too late and modernisation makes an irreversible impact on the pace of daily life.

5 NATURE'S HIDEAWAY

For centuries, Kiet Ngong villagers lived and worked with their elephants, traditionally using them to move logs or perform the heavy work in the rice fields. These days, however, the elephants are as likely to carry tourists up nearby Phu Asa. Th is mountain is topped by an expansive and mysterious archaeological site consisting of dozens of 2m-high brick columns forming a huge rectangle. The other attraction is the nearby Kingfisher Ecolodge ( tel+856 (0)30 534-5016, www.kingfisherecolodge.com ), a quaint Italian-run lodge recently built at the edge of a wetland that is home to dozens of bird species.

6 FIT FOR A PRINCE

The Champasak Palace Hotel is more than just the best place to stay in Pakse. It's a piece – and a very large one – of the city's history.

Intended as a 1,000-room palace for Chao Boun Oum na Champasak, the last Prince of Champasak and Prime Minister of Laos between 1960 and 1962, the wedding cake style of the enormous white building seems incongruous in modest Pakse.

Building began in 1968 but was not completed until the '90s, and the hotel combines '60s style with modern luxuries, all at very good value. Guests and visitors are welcome to wander through its historic floors and stop for a sundowner with a view in the newly-opened bar and restaurant on the top floor (Route 13, tel +856 (0)31 212777, www.champasak-palace-hotel.com ) .

7 ANCIENT SIGHTS

World Heritage-listed Wat Phu is a definite must-see destination for anyone visiting Pakse. The ancient Khmer religious complex, on the lower slopes of the revered Phu Pasak range just a few kilometres past Champasak town, predates the monumental temples of Angkor to the south. Indeed, the city around Wat Phu was the most important economic and political centre in the region before the rise of Angkor in the early 9th century.

Today, the highly ornate Shiva Lingam sanctuary ( lingam means “mark” or “symbol” in Sanskrit), enigmatic crocodile stone and fragrant frangipani trees lining the processional causeway give it an almost mystical atmosphere.

If you can, get here at dawn, and don't miss the small museum nearby. Admission costs US$3. Open from 8am to 4.30pm.

8 NATURAL WONDERS

Cascading dramatically out of the jungle in two magnificent cataracts, Tad Fan is the most spectacular waterfall among the dozens that fall from the Bolaven Plateau. Its parallel streams plunge more than 120m before continuing their flow into the rugged forests of the Dong Hua Sao National Protected Area (NPA). Myriad walking trails criss-cross the area, taking in other falls and local co?ee- and tea-growing areas.

The comfortable Tad Fane Resort ( tel +856 (0)20 553-1400, www.tadfane.com ) is an environmentally-friendly operation that looks down onto the falls from the top of a cli? opposite.  It is wonderfully cool up on the plateau, so don't forget to bring something warm to wear.

9 RIVER ISLAND

With no cars, friendly locals and rice fields surrounded by traditional wooden houses, the island of Don Kho is like the place that time forgot.

As you walk around the island on a peaceful shaded path, you won't see many (if any) other tourists. Instead, you'll find women weaving the island's famous silks on large looms underneath most of the raised homes; you can buy directly from the weaver at very reasonable rates.

You can also choose to stay here – either at a community guesthouse or in a local home. If there are enough of you, they might even conduct a traditional baci ceremony to keep the spirits onside during your travels. Tuk-tuks and local transport make the 15km trip north from Pakse.

10 WALK THIS WAY

Pakse is the base for two new trekking experiences into some of the least disturbed forest in Southeast Asia.

Established with the local communities, two- and three-day trips get right o? the beaten track (literally) in the Xe Pian NPA, south of Pakse and Phu Xieng Thong NPA, near the Mekong north of the city. Both give you the opportunity to sleep in local villages and experience the “real Laos”.

Treks are organised through the Provincial Tourism O? ce in Pakse (Street 11, tel +856 (0)31 212021 , 8am to noon; and 1.30 to 4pm on weekdays).

POCKET GUIDE PAKSE

Pakse International Airport is just 3km northwest of town. There is an exchange office where you can buy Laotian kip. Tuk-tuks and taxis will meet flights, and the ride to your hotel should cost between US$1-3.

You might not find silver-service dining, but you'll get some tasty cheap eats here. Among the more interesting options are Mengky Noodle Shop (no tel available) on Route 13, in the heart of town, and the open-air riverside Khem Kong Restaurant (Street 11, tel +856 (0)31 213240).

The former is famous for its duck pho breakfasts and other noodle dishes; the latter has a well-earned reputation for excellent seafood.

If you're looking for some Lao-style muan (fun) after dinner, Lotty on Street 11 (open from 6 to 11pm) is just the place to be. Located opposite the river, Lotty's nightclub might not be as sophisticated as you are used to, but it is hard to argue with the enthusiasm of the locals, be it for Thai karaoke or the local DJ spinning an eclectic mix of popular, modern tunes.

Nurse sore heads or aching bones the next day at Clinic Keo Ou Done (tel +856 (0)31 251895; open from 4 to 9pm Mondays to Fridays; 10am to 9pm on Saturdays and Sundays). It is located east of the centre and well-known by locals.

You won't find aromatherapy or exotic mud masks here, but what you will experience is Lao-style herbal sauna and massage at its best.

Also known as the “Traditional Medicine Hospice”, the sauna is segregated by gender, and the massage is conducted in a hygienic, clean, air-conditioned studio. The whole experience will set you back by about US$4.

Andrew Burke is an author of Lonely Planet Laos (5th edition, 2004) who recently completed the 6th edition (published August 2007) and a new guide to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & The Greater Mekong (published September 2007). Visit www.lonelyplanet.com