Pakse, Laos

[brewsterbudgen]

I'm planning on spending New Year in Pakse, Laos. Can anyone recommend a decent hotel or an internet hotel booking site that covers Pakse. I've looked at AsiaRooms and Agoda but neither have anything in Pakse. I found the Champasak Palace Hotel on Trip Advisor but when I try to book for 29 Dec - 2 Jan it has "no rooms available". Surely a Pakse hotel is unlikely to already be fully booked for NY?

Recommendations for places to see using Pakse as a base would also be great.

Thanks.

[Farma]

I wouldn't be surprised if the hotel was fully booked. When I stayed there it was packed at night with bus loads of tour groups. The hotel is an old palace, basic with large rooms and a good view of the city. Very colonial.

If you're driving or taking a tour around the place there's a few places to visit reasonably close. Tad Fan waterfall, Coffee plantation, Champasak and the Khmer temple. Be prepared for a long climb up to the temple, look for the human sacrifice alter (later changed for crocodiles) off to the right as you reach the top.

[liveforever]

i've not been so its not first hand, but i've got lonely planet's mekong region guide any they recommend saigon champasak hotel, tel 254181, 1000,000-150,000 kip, 7 rooms, family run. used the guide for years and they are pretty good on the reviews.

hope this helps.

cheers

[brewsterbudgen]

Thanks guys.

[brewsterbudgen]

Is Pakse the place to be for New Year celebrations? Every hotel I've found has no availability for Dec 29/30/31 & Jan 1! I assumed Pakse was a sleepy little Laos town that would be happy to have my custom!

[sabaijai]

I've stayed at the Pakse Hotel recently. Nice rooms, reasonable rates, excellent rooftop bar/restaurant. Under French management. Much better than the Champasak Palace Hotel IMO.

[TBWG]

Hi

I can recommend the following ~~~ http://www.paksong.info/laos_coffee_workshop.php

This combined with a stop at Tad Lo spl) on the way back makes for a very pleasant tour.

TBWG

edit ... typo

Edited September 2, 2010 by TBWG

[TBWG]

Is Pakse the place to be for New Year celebrations? Every hotel I've found has no availability for Dec 29/30/31 & Jan 1! I assumed Pakse was a sleepy little Laos town that would be happy to have my custom!

Pakse is not a sleepy town! Has lots of international restaurants and french colonial influence. Lots of nice bars by the river to watch the sun go down plus nice atmosphere, also very popular with back packers so lots of guest houses.

TBWG

[Focus]

The Pakse Hotel is a very nice place. Great roof top bar, as another poster said.

[brewsterbudgen]

I've stayed at the Pakse Hotel recently. Nice rooms, reasonable rates, excellent rooftop bar/restaurant. Under French management. Much better than the Champasak Palace Hotel IMO.

This was great advice. I emailed the Pakse Hotel and got an immediate response and a confirmed reservation for New Year. The hotel looks lovely. I'm assuming my Laos girlfriend won't be able to join me at the hotel overnight, but her family live in Pakse so I'll survive.

[anotheruser]

Is Pakse the place to be for New Year celebrations? Every hotel I've found has no availability for Dec 29/30/31 & Jan 1! I assumed Pakse was a sleepy little Laos town that would be happy to have my custom!

Pakse is not a sleepy town! Has lots of international restaurants and french colonial influence. Lots of nice bars by the river to watch the sun go down plus nice atmosphere, also very popular with back packers so lots of guest houses.

TBWG

LOL Surely you are joking. Pakse certainly does not have a wide assortment of international restaurants. It is a very sleepy little town with not much at all to do. I know Pakse very well as I live in the area and describing it as anything other than a small backwater would be stretching it. Please do give me some of the names of these international restaurants. There are around 4 restaurants that serve anything other than lap and noodles, none of which are anything too great. They would be Jasmine which a mediocre Indian place, (friends of mine have gotten food poisoning there) Delta Cafe and Pizza boy. There is also place called Champady that does okay Thai food for cheap and pretty good coffee.

There is one pretty good nightclub about 4 KM outside of town called Victory. Other than that there are no western style bars at all. I have thought about opening a bar and restaurant in town precisely because of the lack of options for people to do there.

As far as hotels being full for NY I am guessing that their staff simply doesn't know how to use the internet so the sites don't work. I tried to use several sites before and had the same experience. The exception was the Pakse Hotel which is under foreign management.

In my opinion the Pakse hotel lacks the character of the Champasak Palace and am surprised people think it is that nice.The roof top terrace is nice but the food is not very good. My advice is to enjoy some beer up there around sunset and go somewhere else to eat. If you booked the basic rooms there don't expect to have a window that faces the outside. I stayed in the King's room at the Palace before and the Pakse hotel has no room that even comes close to that layout. Also at least at the CP you get enormous balconies overlooking the city.

I will say that Pakse hotel is well located and that is why it gets the business simply because of the location. You put the Pakse hotel in any other place and there are a handful of hotels that are as good or better. Anyway I am ranting but it makes me cringe when people say Pakse hotel is the best. I really like the owner and he is friendly and all but I have to be honest about it.

As far as the OP staying with his girlfriend I think it should be okay my friend has a Lao. I don't think the Pakse hotel would call the cops on you or anything. I would just check in together and see if they say anything. My friend routinely goes to Pakse to stay with his girlfriend and shares a room at the Saigon hotel and never had any problems. Obviously if you follow my advice it is at your own risk but Pakse seems more mellow about such matters than say Vientiane. Because of Pakse's sleepy nature the local officials aren't too concerned about suppressing a Thai style sex industry springing up.

Have a nice stay in Pakse and if you have any questions feel free to ask as I go to Pakse at least 3 times a month.

[brewsterbudgen]

Is Pakse the place to be for New Year celebrations? Every hotel I've found has no availability for Dec 29/30/31 & Jan 1! I assumed Pakse was a sleepy little Laos town that would be happy to have my custom!

Pakse is not a sleepy town! Has lots of international restaurants and french colonial influence. Lots of nice bars by the river to watch the sun go down plus nice atmosphere, also very popular with back packers so lots of guest houses.

TBWG

LOL Surely you are joking. Pakse certainly does not have a wide assortment of international restaurants. It is a very sleepy little town with not much at all to do. I know Pakse very well as I live in the area and describing it as anything other than a small backwater would be stretching it. Please do give me some of the names of these international restaurants. There are around 4 restaurants that serve anything other than lap and noodles, none of which are anything too great. They would be Jasmine which a mediocre Indian place, (friends of mine have gotten food poisoning there) Delta Cafe and Pizza boy. There is also place called Champady that does okay Thai food for cheap and pretty good coffee.

There is one pretty good nightclub about 4 KM outside of town called Victory. Other than that there are no western style bars at all. I have thought about opening a bar and restaurant in town precisely because of the lack of options for people to do there.

As far as hotels being full for NY I am guessing that their staff simply doesn't know how to use the internet so the sites don't work. I tried to use several sites before and had the same experience. The exception was the Pakse Hotel which is under foreign management.

In my opinion the Pakse hotel lacks the character of the Champasak Palace and am surprised people think it is that nice.The roof top terrace is nice but the food is not very good. My advice is to enjoy some beer up there around sunset and go somewhere else to eat. If you booked the basic rooms there don't expect to have a window that faces the outside. I stayed in the King's room at the Palace before and the Pakse hotel has no room that even comes close to that layout. Also at least at the CP you get enormous balconies overlooking the city.

I will say that Pakse hotel is well located and that is why it gets the business simply because of the location. You put the Pakse hotel in any other place and there are a handful of hotels that are as good or better. Anyway I am ranting but it makes me cringe when people say Pakse hotel is the best. I really like the owner and he is friendly and all but I have to be honest about it.

As far as the OP staying with his girlfriend I think it should be okay my friend has a Lao. I don't think the Pakse hotel would call the cops on you or anything. I would just check in together and see if they say anything. My friend routinely goes to Pakse to stay with his girlfriend and shares a room at the Saigon hotel and never had any problems. Obviously if you follow my advice it is at your own risk but Pakse seems more mellow about such matters than say Vientiane. Because of Pakse's sleepy nature the local officials aren't too concerned about suppressing a Thai style sex industry springing up.

Have a nice stay in Pakse and if you have any questions feel free to ask as I go to Pakse at least 3 times a month.

Cheers for this. I might see if I can upgrade my room at the Pakse Hotel as a window would be nice! I'm just thankful to have somewhere booked as I hate turning up and not having to look for a room. I'm not sure about getting the girlfriend to stay with me as I don't whether her family will approve but we'll see. Thanks.

[anotheruser]

Is Pakse the place to be for New Year celebrations? Every hotel I've found has no availability for Dec 29/30/31 & Jan 1! I assumed Pakse was a sleepy little Laos town that would be happy to have my custom!

Pakse is not a sleepy town! Has lots of international restaurants and french colonial influence. Lots of nice bars by the river to watch the sun go down plus nice atmosphere, also very popular with back packers so lots of guest houses.

TBWG

LOL Surely you are joking. Pakse certainly does not have a wide assortment of international restaurants. It is a very sleepy little town with not much at all to do. I know Pakse very well as I live in the area and describing it as anything other than a small backwater would be stretching it. Please do give me some of the names of these international restaurants. There are around 4 restaurants that serve anything other than lap and noodles, none of which are anything too great. They would be Jasmine which a mediocre Indian place, (friends of mine have gotten food poisoning there) Delta Cafe and Pizza boy. There is also place called Champady that does okay Thai food for cheap and pretty good coffee.

There is one pretty good nightclub about 4 KM outside of town called Victory. Other than that there are no western style bars at all. I have thought about opening a bar and restaurant in town precisely because of the lack of options for people to do there.

As far as hotels being full for NY I am guessing that their staff simply doesn't know how to use the internet so the sites don't work. I tried to use several sites before and had the same experience. The exception was the Pakse Hotel which is under foreign management.

In my opinion the Pakse hotel lacks the character of the Champasak Palace and am surprised people think it is that nice.The roof top terrace is nice but the food is not very good. My advice is to enjoy some beer up there around sunset and go somewhere else to eat. If you booked the basic rooms there don't expect to have a window that faces the outside. I stayed in the King's room at the Palace before and the Pakse hotel has no room that even comes close to that layout. Also at least at the CP you get enormous balconies overlooking the city.

I will say that Pakse hotel is well located and that is why it gets the business simply because of the location. You put the Pakse hotel in any other place and there are a handful of hotels that are as good or better. Anyway I am ranting but it makes me cringe when people say Pakse hotel is the best. I really like the owner and he is friendly and all but I have to be honest about it.

As far as the OP staying with his girlfriend I think it should be okay my friend has a Lao. I don't think the Pakse hotel would call the cops on you or anything. I would just check in together and see if they say anything. My friend routinely goes to Pakse to stay with his girlfriend and shares a room at the Saigon hotel and never had any problems. Obviously if you follow my advice it is at your own risk but Pakse seems more mellow about such matters than say Vientiane. Because of Pakse's sleepy nature the local officials aren't too concerned about suppressing a Thai style sex industry springing up.

Have a nice stay in Pakse and if you have any questions feel free to ask as I go to Pakse at least 3 times a month.

Cheers for this. I might see if I can upgrade my room at the Pakse Hotel as a window would be nice! I'm just thankful to have somewhere booked as I hate turning up and not having to look for a room. I'm not sure about getting the girlfriend to stay with me as I don't whether her family will approve but we'll see. Thanks.

The economy room does have a window but it looks into the corridor. Those class of rooms are located on the first floor so there wouldn't be much to see anyway.

[Robby nz]

Hi Anotheruser

I have an (insane you might say) ambition to travel down the Maekong river from Vientaine to the falls on the Cambodian border.

Then back by road, after looking around in the south of Laos.

Would this be possible?

Wouldnt be looking at doing it for about a year.

Appreciate any info you could give me.

Robby

[anotheruser]

Hi Anotheruser

I have an (insane you might say) ambition to travel down the Maekong river from Vientaine to the falls on the Cambodian border.

Then back by road, after looking around in the south of Laos.

Would this be possible?

Wouldnt be looking at doing it for about a year.

I would need to know if you are looking at doing this yourself or if you need a boat man to drive. What kind of boat? I actually have a 15 meter boat but to do the leg from Pakse to the Cambodian border I need 10 passengers at $30 each.

I hope this gives you some indication of charter prices. If you want to go it alone people have done it but it can be dangerous once you get to the area around Don Kong.

I would maybe hire a driver for this section which would be cheap enough if you buy the gas and hav your own boat.

You can get a boat with a 5.5 motor brand new for around $500 in the area I am in. Not sure what the boats cost farther up. 5.5 engines go for around 10,000 Baht new.

I guess what I am saying is that yes of course it is possible but you need either bravery or money. The cheap availability of buses has pretty much killed the boat business for long trips.

Edited September 30, 2010 by anotheruser

[Robby nz]

Thanks for that.

Will see what happens closer to the time.

[brewsterbudgen]

I have just returned from my trip to Pakse.

The Pakse Hotel was fine and my standard room had an external window and was clean and comfortable. My Lao girlfriend didn't stay with me but with her family in Ban Saphai. Her father was very keen for me to stay at the family home (particularly after drinking Beer Lao all morning) and although the toilet/shower facilities leave a lot to be desired, I might consider this next time.

The food at the Pakse Hotel was good (Western/French) and drinking Beer Lao while watching the sun set over the Mekong was fantastic.

I'll be back.

Edited January 4, 2011 by brewsterbudgen