This is my second trip to Laos. The first time I went to Vang Vieng and Vientiane, and I was traveling solo then...

...Almost every time I travel, I fly with AirAsia and have to book cheap tickets a year in advance. What can I do? As a low-cost tourist who is eager to travel, I have to choose to book tickets like this... This trip, we chose to travel to Southern Laos... Pakse... Champasak Province

...Everyone thinks I'm following Sunny Methathanon and Bird with the coffee ad, but actually... Pakse is a city I've wanted to visit since 5-6 years ago. Laos is an easy country to travel to, and we can understand each other. The only downside is that the journey can be difficult, and the cost of living is quite expensive. But it's still a country worth visiting...

...Going during the dry season... you can clearly see the islands and sandbars, but you have to endure the hot weather...

...At the beginning of the trip, there were only 3 of us (single) girls, but later on, we got 3 more guys to join the trip. I'm glad we have people to share the cost of the car.

...The 3 of us had to fly from Chiang Rai and then use the airport as our accommodation for the night so that we could leave early tomorrow morning.

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...March 10, 2016

07:40 AM: Please be informed that AirAsia flight number ….. is now ready for departure to Ubon Ratchathani. Passengers are requested to board at gate number …..

08:50 AM: We arrived in Ubon Ratchathani. After exiting the airport building, we walked along the side of the building towards the arrival area. There is a queue for taxi meters that charge approximately 60 Baht to the transportation hub. Do not take the airport taxi or taxis offered by people who approach you inside the building. They will charge 120-150 Baht, which is exorbitantly expensive.

We headed to the Ubon Ratchathani transportation hub, which we reached shortly. We met two other friends at the hub, one of whom had already traveled with us from Bangkok. We took a van to Chong Mek. The fare to the Chong Mek border checkpoint was 100 Baht per person. Our van departed at 09:50 AM and arrived at the checkpoint around 11:30 AM. We then took a motorcycle taxi for 20 Baht each to the border gate. After completing the paperwork on the Thai side, we crossed to the Lao side.

Note: The original text uses the informal word "ลอด" (meaning "to crawl under") to describe crossing the border. In the translation, I have used the more formal word "crossed" to maintain a consistent academic tone.

Here it is... walk down the tunnel to cross to the Lao side. Walk up and you're in Laos.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a construction site and a cloud of dust. We quickly made our way to the Lao Immigration office, also known as the Vang Tao checkpoint. We were each charged 100 baht for entry. We immediately hired a car to take us to the waterfall and Wat Phu Salao for 3,000 baht, including fuel. The Avanza was perfect for our group of six. Our driver, Mr. Lae, was very friendly. We asked him to drop us off at our hotel first. The road into town looked like we had traveled back in time to Thailand several decades ago. As we drove, we observed the dry landscape, with cows and buffalo grazing in the fields. It was a glimpse into a rural lifestyle that we rarely encounter. We stayed at the Lan Kham Hotel, which is well-known among Thai tourists. We booked it through Booking.com. The room was excellent. Before heading out, we were famished, having not eaten since morning. We had read that the Lan Kham noodle soup was delicious, so we each ordered a bowl. It was indeed delicious! Or maybe we were just very hungry! The bowl cost 20,000 kip and was huge!

The bamboo tunnel is considered a unique feature of Tad Pha Suam. However, when people walk on it, the bridge creaks significantly.

The driver suggested visiting the tribal village, so I took a walk there. It was quiet.

There are not many things. There are houses and goods for sale.

Our next stop is Tad Yeun Waterfall, where the entrance fee is 10,000 kip per person. There is an additional transportation fee, but the driver has already taken care of it.

....The walk down to the waterfall is quite long and steep...

But once you reach the waterfall, it is very refreshing. I would have loved to jump in for a swim, but I didn't come prepared.

We didn't have time to visit Tad Fane Waterfall because we were worried about missing the sunset at Wat Phou Salao. We spent a considerable amount of time at the waterfall, admiring its beauty until we were satisfied. By then, it was already late in the afternoon, so we continued our journey to Wat Phou Salao. Wat Phou Salao is located near the entrance to Pakse city, so we had to turn around and head back. However, it wasn't too bad as we were traveling in a comfortable air-conditioned car. We eagerly anticipated the sunset as we drove towards our destination, hoping to catch a glimpse of it at Wat Phou Salao. We wondered if we would be able to see the sun setting over the temple. Unfortunately, we didn't make it in time to witness the last rays of sunlight that day. Nevertheless, it was still a worthwhile experience. Wat Phou Salao offers a stunning viewpoint from the Lao-Japanese Friendship Bridge, where visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the Mekong River stretching as far as the eye can see. Additionally, the sight of the sunlight illuminating the grand Buddha statue is equally captivating.

We ended the day at Rueaan Pa Kham Fong restaurant, which was recommended by a fellow traveler. They said that anyone who comes here must eat at this restaurant, so we didn't miss out. The food was pretty good, and the prices were reasonable. We spent about 320,000 k on food and beer for the whole meal. We were full and happy after the first day.

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Day Two: March 11, 2016

Today, the group will be reduced to four members as the other two have decided to continue their journey to Vietnam.

Today's Journey to Wat Phu: A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Laos

This morning, we met with Mr. Lae at 8:00 am to head towards Wat Phu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Laos. It is the second such site in the country, following Luang Prabang.

At around 8:30 am, Mr. Lae picked us up at the Lan Kham Hotel. We headed towards Champasak, escaping the hustle and bustle of the city for the tranquility of the open road. This year, the landscape everywhere seems exceptionally dry. The barrenness along the road we traveled serves as a stark reminder of the destructive impact humans have on forests. Forest fires have become commonplace, seemingly accepted as normal. Mr. Lae mentioned that during the rainy season, this area is lush and verdant, with vibrant greenery everywhere.

The sky today is overcast, with no sunshine in sight. We are worried about the possibility of rain, as it would hinder our sightseeing plans. Before our trip, the weather forecast warned of potential storms. As we journeyed onward, we couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation mixed with apprehension.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for us to reach Wat Phu.

...The entrance fee to Wat Phu is 50,000 kip per person, and there is a golf cart service available for transportation.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Wat Phu, we were greeted by the sight of an ancient temple complex preserved in its natural state. The pathways were adorned with patches of grass growing between the stones, offering a glimpse into the passage of time. While certain sections of Wat Phu had undergone restoration to prevent further deterioration, the steepness of the staircase leading up to the temple demanded cautious steps. The path was lined with fragrant champas, providing shade and a sense of time travel as we ascended.

…We spent about an hour here…then we had to travel to Kon Phapheng Waterfall…On the way to the waterfall, we all felt hungry…so we told P'Lae that we wanted to eat at a local restaurant, we wanted to experience the local way of life.

……After a while, P'Lae stopped the car and said he would stop for lunch…Suddenly, an army of grilled chicken, liver, kidney, intestines, and belly surrounded our car…My friends in the car said, "Hey!!! I'm scared, I don't dare to get out of the car." What can I say? P'Lae knocked on the window with a weapon in his hand. Heyyyy…holding a grilled chicken, wanting us to help buy it…I really wanted to eat the chicken very much, but if I bought it from this person, I would have to buy it from that person too….In the end, I didn't buy any of them.

As soon as we got off the bus, we rushed into the restaurant. The tour guide followed us closely, like a kite tail. There were so many customers!

This restaurant seemed to be the best in the area. It looked clean and inviting, so we ordered Lao papaya salad, sun-dried beef strips (which were very thin, only four for 100 baht), and a small portion of grilled chicken (which seemed like it might be baby chicken). We also got a bowl of pho to have some broth to sip on, and two small baskets of sticky rice.

It was a simple restaurant, but it was expensive. Everything we ordered was just a small portion, and we had to buy water separately. When the bill came to 500 baht, we had to pay. Don't follow the example of some Chinese tourists who eat and then refuse to pay.

Full, let's continue the journey... what are you waiting for... time is running out... Kon Phapheng, I'm coming to see you.

We think it takes a long time to get from Wat Phu to Kon Phapheng, a distance of about 100 kilometers. Our friends fell asleep and woke up many times. We wanted to sleep too, but we were afraid we wouldn't see their city....Finally, Kon Phapheng, the entrance fee is 55,000 k per person.

At the entrance, there is the Manee Krot tree of Kon Phapheng, which is an ancient tree considered a sacred tree that the Lao people worship. Normally, it is located on a rock in the middle of the Mekong River. However, the Manee Krot tree has fallen down. The Lao people have brought it up to display at the museum built at the entrance of Kon Phapheng.

....If you visit Kon Phapheng during this season, you will be able to see the islands clearly. But if you come during the rainy season, the water will be very high and you will only see muddy red water.

...Kon Phapheng Waterfall, or "Niagara of Asia", is the largest waterfall in southern Laos in the lower Mekong River. When we went, it was the dry season, but the water flow was still very large and strong, making us stunned by the grandeur of this waterfall...There were not many tourists during this time, so we didn't have to take pictures with only people's heads in them. ><

....While admiring the waterfall, we wanted to cross to the other side, but we tried to find a way but were a little scared of whether we could go... Luckily, we met a little guide who volunteered to take us. The little boy spoke fluently and was very cute... So we told him to cross with us until we came back... The little boy agreed... We had to take off our shoes and wade across the water to see the other side.....On the way back, we gave the boy a 20 baht tip and asked to take a picture.

Our Final Destination: Don Det Island

Our final destination for the day was Don Det Island, but we had to catch a boat from Nakasang Pier. We planned to spend the night there.

We originally wanted to visit the Li Phi waterfall, which wasn't far from Kong Phapheng. We asked our driver, Mr. Lae, if he could stay with us and take us back to Pakse the next day. He couldn't stay because he had promised his daughter to attend a ceremony. However, his brother drove a two-lane vehicle on the Nakasang-Pakse route, so Mr. Lae called him to discuss our transportation back to Pakse. We agreed to meet at the Nakasang Pier around 8 am the next day. The boatman or a hired car would call Mr. Lae's brother to let him know where to pick us up. We were fortunate to meet a friendly driver who took good care of us, perhaps because we were so friendly with him.

Mr. Lae dropped us off at the pier, and we said our goodbyes. We paid him 4,000 baht for the day, including fuel. We asked for his phone number in case anyone else wanted to hire him. His number is 55632401, and he is usually stationed at the Chong Mek checkpoint.

We then boarded a boat to cross to Don Det. The boat fare was 60 baht per person. The Mekong River was vast and seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. It was quite different from the Mekong River near my home in Chiang Saen.

We hadn't booked accommodation on Don Det, so we decided to walk around and find a place. The room was decent, but a bit stuffy. We initially considered a room with a fan, but it was too hot, so we opted for an air-conditioned room with a built-in fan. However, my air conditioner broke down in the middle of the night. I asked the staff, and they said it was due to a power outage. I checked my friend's room, and her air conditioner was working fine. Oh well, it was too late to change rooms, so I slept with the fan.

We arrived on Don Det too late, so we rented bicycles and cycled as fast as we could. We still stopped to take pictures along the way. We were rushing because we wanted to see the Li Phi waterfall before it closed. Unfortunately, we didn't make it in time. We were a little disappointed, but we tried to persuade the staff to let us in for a few minutes. They refused, saying it was too dark and dangerous. They also said the place was haunted. We gave up and cycled back. It was very dark, and there were hardly any lights along the road. I had to stay at the back, with my friends in front, using my phone flashlight to guide us.

We planned to wake up early the next morning and cycle back to the waterfall, but we overslept. In hindsight, we could have just played on the beach instead. It was a small, cute beach.

From what I've read, Don Det is smaller than Kong Phapheng. Having seen Kong Phapheng, I think it was the highlight of our trip.

The night ended with a few drinks and then we went to bed.

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March 12, 2016: Today, we had to cross the Mekong River to Naka Sang Pier by 8 am to meet with our contact. Importantly, when riding in a shared taxi, be prepared with a dust mask to protect yourself from the dust. We didn't have a headscarf, so we used an old shirt to tie around our heads for some wind protection. The shared taxi fare back to Pakse was 250 baht. However, we still stopped at Daoreuang Market to drop off other passengers. If you take a shared taxi, you will end up at Daoreuang Market and need to find another ride to the van terminal. Luckily, our contact dropped us off directly at the van terminal for the border.

The trip ended with a return to Ubon Ratchathani.

We were charged another 100 baht each to exit Laos. What is this? We paid to enter, and now we have to pay to leave again...

In total, the trip cost around 5,000 baht, excluding the cost of the flight from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani.

....Goodbye, Pakse. I think I've found the answer.....Pakse.