Champasak
Tourist Destination in Laos
Champasak was once, 1400 years ago, the centre of power
in the lower Mekong basin, later a revered outpost of the
Khmer Angkor empire and later still one of the three kingdoms
to rule over the remains of Lane Xang. A fine heritage that,
according to the last prince of Champassak, was brought
to hard times by a former queen's indiscretion.
The beautiful Nang Pao ruled over Champasak
in the mid-17th century. But it's lonely at the top and the
queen found comfort in the arms of a prince from a neighbouring
kingdom. Alas, for the lady's pennyroyal was ineffective,
and Nang Pao fell pregnant. A great scandal ensued and, though
the queen remained in power and was succeeded by her illegitimate
daughter, Nang Peng, the unhappy Nang Pao decreed that all
unmarried mothers in the kingdom must sacrifice a buffalo
for their sins. The practice survived in some local communities
until the 1980s, the unfortunate women being known as 'Nang
Pao's Daughters.'
Though the Kingdom of Champasak prospered
for a while after the final dissolution of Lane Xang, at the
beginning the 18th century, its fortunes faltered quickly
and it was reduced to a vassal state of Siam before the century
had passed. For its part in Chao Anou's abortive attempt to
win freedom from the Siamese for the Lao kingdoms, Champasak
lost all of its territory east of the Mekong. Under French
rule the once mighty kingdom became a mere administrative
block; its royalty stripped of many of its privileges.
"With an unmarried mother as queen,"
Prince Boun Oum na Champasak, the last of the kingdom's royal
line, once said. "Everything started so badly that the
game was lost before it began."
Boun Oum, who died in French exile in 1980,
may have griped about his family's downfall (though he was
not a direct descendent of Nang Pao), but it did not stop
him from using his remaining royal privileges to loot the
nearby Wat Phu. The magnificent Angkorian temple complex was
recently made a UNESCO heritage site and is considered one
of the finest Angkor-inspired edifices outside of Cambodia.
Champasak Province hotels and resorts at the best rates, with budget accommodation like Champa Residence or Villa Muong Khong, you are sure to find the accommodation you are looking for.
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Pakse offers many possibilities when it comes to tours and excursions: From a half-day excursion at Tadfane Waterfall to a full day at the Bolaven Plateau, the choices are numerous...
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One of the most visited provinces of Laos; Champasak has a population of around 50,000 and is formed by Pakse, Bolaven Plateau, Paksong, Champasak and Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands). Bordering Thailand and Cambodia, Pakse sits at the confluence of the Mekong and is the provinces capital, as a result of the Lao-Japanese Bridge crossing the Mekong the town has quickly grown as an area of trading importance and popular tourist destination.
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Champasak has a rich menu of activities to enjoy, all of
which strongly encompass Laos most distinctive features
and defining cultural traits. Like the rest of Southeast
Asia it does not disappoint when it comes to getting a sensuous
massage or taking a scenic hike. The province is widely
considered to be Laos' newest and most appealing tourist
destination, since the opening of the Laos-Japan bridge,
it is firmly rooted on the Southeast Asian backpacking trail.
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Apart from local stalls on main streets selling foods like
noodle soup and standard Lao dishes such as laab with sticky
rice, other eating options are restaurants attached to guesthouses
and hotels within the towns. Like most of Laos provinces,
baguette stalls dominate the main streets in Champasak.
However, there are a few restaurants serving Western food
as well as Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
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Nightlife in Champasak
Surprisingly, the small town hosts a few nightclubs along
the Mekong River. Lotty is one of the most popular nightclubs
with both local and tourists. South of the Mekong, one will
find a number of places to enjoy the sunset over the river
with a Beer Lao. Although nightlife in Pakse usually ends
at 23:30 (as well as the other parts of Laos,) guesthouses
with good outdoor seating areas along the river make good
spots to continue the evening. Alternatively, try the Laos-styled
Korean barbeque with a cold drink and a group of friends.
As with every city in Laos, there is a Morning Market selling
fresh meats, vegetable, and food ingredients. While souvenirs
like weaving silk, silverware, jewellery, antiques and hill-tribe
products can be found from stalls located surrounding most
of Champasak's attractions like found at temples. When in
Champasak, don't forget to try (or even buy) Laos' famous
Arabica Coffee grown on the Bolaven Plateau (the best place
to grow coffee in Southeast Asia.)
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