An Evening by the Mekong in Pakse

Grilled fish, cold Beerlao and a sunset over the widest river in Southeast Asia, followed by a slow walk home past night stalls and karaoke.

Area

Pakse town

Start from

Central Pakse

Distance

walking distance

Time needed

evening

Best season

Dry season, November – April, for open-air riverside seating

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

On foot

Tickets & rules

None

Why go

Pakse is not a party town, and its evenings are better for it. As the heat drains out of the day, people drift to the riverbanks where the Xe Don meets the Mekong, and simple restaurants set out plastic chairs and low tables facing the water. The sky over the west bank goes pink and then violet, and the golden Buddha on Phou Salao glows in the last light.

This is the time to eat like the locals: whole grilled fish stuffed with lemongrass, laap made with minced fish or duck, papaya salad pounded as spicy as you dare, sticky rice in little baskets, and a jug of iced Beerlao shared around the table.

Afterwards, a slow walk through the centre shows the town’s night life: noodle stalls under fluorescent tubes, teenagers on scooters, families out for shaved ice, and a karaoke bar somewhere that is always playing the same ballad.

The story

Lao food in the south leans on the river. Fish from the Mekong and its tributaries appear in almost every meal, fresh, grilled, steamed in banana leaves, or fermented into padaek. Freshwater shrimp, river weed dried into crisp sheets, and snails all turn up on menus by the water.

Beerlao, the national beer, has been brewed in Vientiane since the 1970s and is one of the few Lao brands most visitors know by heart. In the south you will also see people drinking lao-lao, a strong rice spirit, offered from a shared glass at celebrations. Accepting a small sip is polite; you can then hold up a hand to decline more.

The riverbank has changed over the years, with new embankments and promenades, but the habit is old. In a place where the river is road, fridge and bathroom all at once, sitting beside it at dusk is the most natural thing in the world.

Getting there

From the town centre walk west towards the Mekong, or follow the Xe Don down to its mouth. Riverside restaurants come and go, so the best approach is simply to walk the bank and choose one that is busy with Lao families.

Tuk-tuks wait near the main hotels if you are too full to walk back.

A suggested plan

1. 17:00Walk to the riverbank and pick a table facing west.
2. 17:30Order a cold drink and watch the sunset and fishing boats.
3. 18:30Dinner: grilled fish, laap, papaya salad and sticky rice.
4. 20:00Stroll through the centre past the night stalls and try a dessert of coconut jelly or shaved ice.
5. 21:00Back to your guesthouse; most of Pakse goes to bed early.

Where to stay

Any central guesthouse works. If you want a river view from your room, look at places near the Xe Don or the Mekong embankment, and ask for a room away from any karaoke venue.

Good to know

• Sticky rice is eaten with the right hand: roll a small ball and use it to scoop the other dishes.
• Say bo phet, not spicy, when ordering papaya salad unless you love fire.
• Mosquitoes come out at dusk by the river, so bring repellent.
• Order a few dishes to share; Lao meals are communal.