Our last stop before returning to Tat Lo was Paksong. After being a bit disappointed in our stop in Attapeu we weren’t expecting much from Paksong. Luckily, this nature heaven surprised us with its beautiful, lush landscape and the waterfalls it had to offer. Since you are at a higher altitude and atop the plateau you can expect a refreshing, cooler climate along your ride.

Tad Katamtok – Laos Largest Waterfall

On our way from Attapeu to Paksong we were able to see Laos largest waterfall, Tad Katamtok off the side of route 16. This is a great pitstop to give your butt a rest from all the riding on the motorbike. The scenery is breathtaking and the falls reach over 160 meters! Yikes! Take care not to miss the small white sign posted on a tree on the left of the road at km 16 or you will pass right by it without ever knowing.

After what felt like a really long ride we made it to Paksong. We were not even sure if we were in town because there really isn’t much going on. Little did we know we passed most of the cheap guest houses. If you are visiting do not expect much from the town itself and be prepared to eat dinner before 6 pm or you might not get fed.

The best sites to see in Paksong would be the four waterfalls that are within at 15 km distance of downtown. The largest, most impressive, and recognizable is Tad Fane. You can get a great view of the falls from Tad Fane Resort. Expect to pay a tiny fee for parking and admission to see the falls (under $2 for the both of us).

We really had our heart set on doing a full day trek with a guide from the resort, but were disappointed to find out the poor guy was in the hospital in Bangkok and we did not get to go. We were going to wander down the trail near the resort but the owner told us it is best not to go on our own because of the King Cobra problem down there.

No thanks! We didn’t know the first thing about how to treat a snake bite, so we enjoyed our breathtaking views from the resort and got a few great photos of the twin falls. In our opinion this waterfall looked much larger than Tad Katamtok.

Tad Yuang

The other waterfalls are Tad Champee, Tad E-Tu, and Tad Yuang all within a 2-5 km distance of Tad Fane and worth visiting. Again, expect to pay a tiny fee to park and see the falls. Each waterfall was impressive and stunning. Tad Champee had a raft you can take under the falls and swim in the pool. You can also swim in Tad Yuang. We saw local kids swimming in E-Tu and even one caught a snake. We booked it out of there after the snake, we are both pretty scared especially after hearing about the cobra problem at Tad Fane. It’s hard to believe how much beauty and natural wonders are in one place. Not only are the falls beautiful, but the lush rolling jungle background is definitely easy on the eyes.

Note: All the waterfalls close at 5pm except for Tad Fane and Tad E-Tu because they have viewing from the resort restaurants.

In our opinion, Paksong had the most beauty to offer. Although, there is not much to do here and the food is only so-so. If you love waterfalls and nature then you don’t want to miss this place. If you are short on time we suggest only biking to Tat Lo and Paksong. We also have put together a great guide to the Bolaven Plateau to help you plan your adventure!