Slow Days at Tad Lo

A riverside village with three waterfalls within walking distance, hammocks on the balcony and the sound of water all night long.

Area

Bolaven Plateau

Start from

Pakse

Distance

about 85 km

Time needed

1–2 days

Best season

November – May for swimming; June – October for power

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Motorbike, or bus from Pakse towards Salavan and a short tuk-tuk from the junction

Tickets & rules

Small fees at some falls

Why go

Tad Lo is the kind of place where people plan to stay one night and stay four. The Xe Set river tumbles down the edge of the plateau here in a series of falls, and a small village of guesthouses, restaurants and Lao homes has grown up around them.

The main falls, Tad Hang, lies right beside the bridge, so you can watch it from your breakfast table. A short walk upstream brings you to Tad Lo proper, and further still to Tad Suong, a broad rock shelf with views over the forest. In the dry season the pools are perfect for swimming.

Beyond the falls, the paths lead to villages of the Katu and Alak peoples, where traditional houses, rice granaries and wooden carvings tell a story very different from the lowland Lao towns.

The story

The Xe Set is one of the rivers that drain the northern Bolaven Plateau, and it has long been used by people living on its banks for fishing and farming. In recent years it has also been dammed upstream for hydropower, which means water levels at the falls can change with releases. A falls that is gentle in the morning may roar in the afternoon.

The villages around Tad Lo belong to several of the plateau’s Mon-Khmer speaking groups. Some Katu villages traditionally arranged houses in a circle around a communal house, and wooden posts carved with figures and animals mark important ceremonies. Many families have moved into more modern houses, but local guides can show you older customs and explain how they are changing.

Tad Lo was once known for elephant rides, now largely gone. The village has gradually shifted towards walking, swimming and homestays, which suits its unhurried mood.

Getting there

On the Bolaven loop, Tad Lo lies just off Route 20 between Pakse and Salavan, about two hours by motorbike from Pakse. By public transport, take a bus or songthaew bound for Salavan from Pakse’s northern bus station and ask to be dropped at the Tad Lo junction; from there it is a couple of kilometres to the village by tuk-tuk or on foot.

Everything in the village is walkable.

A suggested plan

1. MorningBreakfast facing Tad Hang, then walk upstream to Tad Lo.
2. Late morningContinue to Tad Suong, swim in a dry-season pool.
3. LunchBack in the village for fried rice or laap by the river.
4. AfternoonA guided walk to nearby Katu and Alak villages.
5. EveningSit by the falls at dusk and listen to the water.

Where to stay

Tad Lo has a range of simple guesthouses near the bridge, plus a few lodges with better rooms overlooking the falls. Homestays in nearby villages can be arranged locally. It is quiet, cheap and very easy to stay longer than planned.

Good to know

• Hire a local guide for village walks; it is more respectful and you will learn far more.
• Bring cash; there may be no ATM in the village.
• Swimming is best in the late dry season, when the water is clear.
• Sunset at Tad Hang is the social moment of the day.