Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
The route: Vangtao, Pakse, Champasack, Don Khong, Attapeu, Sekong, Tad Lo, Saravan, Pakse and Savannakhet
Champasack to Attapeu - the Waterfall day
After arriving from Don Khong in Champasack I stayed one night in the Anouxsa GH (Sala Anousa).
Smallish but nice rooms for 100,000 Kip, good food and very pleasant and helpful owners.
Fellow travelers on their way from the Anouxa GH to Don Khong
Left early in the morning to see a few waterfalls en-route to Attapeu. Just before reaching Lak 36 on Rd 16 there is a turnoff to the north to the Itou or E-tu waterfall
Tad Itou waterfall
A bit further, also on the north side of Rd 16 is the Tham or Tad Champi Waterfall. The turnoff is almost opposite from the place where you turn of to the south to the Tad Fane waterfall.
Tham Champi waterfall
Again a bit further but now on the south side is the Tad Yuang waterfall. This waterfall is quite busy during holidays as it is a very nice spot for picnics and cooling off in the river.
Tad Yuang waterfall (Photo by Malkush)
All this water made me thirsty but Mr. Coffee from "Coffee and WiFi" (N15 10.635 E106 13.957) in Paksong made me a freshly brewed cup of excellent coffee (the beans were just roasted that same morning) grown on their own estates at the Bolaven plateau. If interested you can participate in a 1 day workshop to learn about coffee growing and processing (http://www.paksong.info/laos_coffee_workshop.php)
After the coffee I decided to see a few more of the many waterfalls in this part of Laos. Instead of heading northeast along Rd 16 in the direction of Sekong and Attapeu, I went east along road 16A which is being upgraded (at least for the first 30 km. or so) but at the moment is still unpaved and very dusty.
Rd 16A being upgraded
Along this road there are quite a few waterfall with some easy to reach while others are almost impossible to get to.
Just a bit past Ban Nongphamouan (also known as Ban Oupaxa) the Tad Kou waterfall can be reached after a short walk to the west.
Tad Kou Waterfall
A few kilometers further to the south (west of the road) and just past Ban Ta-Oy the Khone falls need a bit further walking but still easy to get to.
Tad Khone waterfall
Both the Tad Kou and the Khone falls are in the Makchan-Gnay river which joins the Xe Nam Noy river a bit further to the east. Very close to where the rivers join, the Tayik Seua waterfalls can be found. At N15 05.119 E106 34.719 there is a turnoff to the east (about 4 km to the caretaker house - doable by car - and then another km or so walking to the twin falls.
The western part of the falls is part of the Makchan-Gnai river while the eastern part is on the Namtang river which also joins the Xe Nam Noy.
The eastern half of the Tayik Seua waterfalls
Quite a bit further to the east the beautiful Katamtok falls also known as the Xekatam falls thunders more than 100 meters down from the Bolaven Plateau.
Watch out, the water is falling down over 100 meters and there was very little to hang-on to while this picture was taken (photo by Kris)
It was now getting late but, as the Huay Makchan falls, which are extremely difficult to reach, can also be seen in the distance from the road 16A it took little time to have a quick peek. At about N15 07.943 E106 38.799 or a bit further to the east look to the north and with some luck you should be able to spot the falls.
Huay Makchan falls (photo by Hectsm)
Road 16a joins Rd 16 (also known as Road 1 I) a bit south of Sekong and from there it was a quick ride to Attapeu and a few cold ones and food at the Dokchampa Restaurant and a well earned rest at the Amphone GH (N14 48.685 E106 49.418 and Phone 031-211069)
Champasack to Attapeu - the Waterfall day
After arriving from Don Khong in Champasack I stayed one night in the Anouxsa GH (Sala Anousa).
Smallish but nice rooms for 100,000 Kip, good food and very pleasant and helpful owners.
Fellow travelers on their way from the Anouxa GH to Don Khong
Left early in the morning to see a few waterfalls en-route to Attapeu. Just before reaching Lak 36 on Rd 16 there is a turnoff to the north to the Itou or E-tu waterfall
Tad Itou waterfall
A bit further, also on the north side of Rd 16 is the Tham or Tad Champi Waterfall. The turnoff is almost opposite from the place where you turn of to the south to the Tad Fane waterfall.
Tham Champi waterfall
Again a bit further but now on the south side is the Tad Yuang waterfall. This waterfall is quite busy during holidays as it is a very nice spot for picnics and cooling off in the river.
Tad Yuang waterfall (Photo by Malkush)
All this water made me thirsty but Mr. Coffee from "Coffee and WiFi" (N15 10.635 E106 13.957) in Paksong made me a freshly brewed cup of excellent coffee (the beans were just roasted that same morning) grown on their own estates at the Bolaven plateau. If interested you can participate in a 1 day workshop to learn about coffee growing and processing (http://www.paksong.info/laos_coffee_workshop.php)
After the coffee I decided to see a few more of the many waterfalls in this part of Laos. Instead of heading northeast along Rd 16 in the direction of Sekong and Attapeu, I went east along road 16A which is being upgraded (at least for the first 30 km. or so) but at the moment is still unpaved and very dusty.
Rd 16A being upgraded
Along this road there are quite a few waterfall with some easy to reach while others are almost impossible to get to.
Just a bit past Ban Nongphamouan (also known as Ban Oupaxa) the Tad Kou waterfall can be reached after a short walk to the west.
Tad Kou Waterfall
A few kilometers further to the south (west of the road) and just past Ban Ta-Oy the Khone falls need a bit further walking but still easy to get to.
Tad Khone waterfall
Both the Tad Kou and the Khone falls are in the Makchan-Gnay river which joins the Xe Nam Noy river a bit further to the east. Very close to where the rivers join, the Tayik Seua waterfalls can be found. At N15 05.119 E106 34.719 there is a turnoff to the east (about 4 km to the caretaker house - doable by car - and then another km or so walking to the twin falls.
The western part of the falls is part of the Makchan-Gnai river while the eastern part is on the Namtang river which also joins the Xe Nam Noy.
The eastern half of the Tayik Seua waterfalls
Quite a bit further to the east the beautiful Katamtok falls also known as the Xekatam falls thunders more than 100 meters down from the Bolaven Plateau.
Watch out, the water is falling down over 100 meters and there was very little to hang-on to while this picture was taken (photo by Kris)
It was now getting late but, as the Huay Makchan falls, which are extremely difficult to reach, can also be seen in the distance from the road 16A it took little time to have a quick peek. At about N15 07.943 E106 38.799 or a bit further to the east look to the north and with some luck you should be able to spot the falls.
Huay Makchan falls (photo by Hectsm)
Road 16a joins Rd 16 (also known as Road 1 I) a bit south of Sekong and from there it was a quick ride to Attapeu and a few cold ones and food at the Dokchampa Restaurant and a well earned rest at the Amphone GH (N14 48.685 E106 49.418 and Phone 031-211069)
