An unadventurous bus drive to Pakse for once

After my stay on 4000 Islands I went on to Pakse. There I wanted to be on the Pakse Loop with a scooter for a couple of days. After breakfast at 4000 Islands, I still had a few minutes before I had to leave for the boat dock, so I took a little walk around the island. Then I went back to the guesthouse, picked up my luggage and then went to the jetty. I waited there for a while until the boat drove back to the mainland.

When I got there, I went straight to the bus company. The van I was originally supposed to get into was already full, so I had to wait a few more minutes for the next van. Luckily it came quite quickly and I was on my way to Pakse. It was the first time in a long time that the bus ride wasn’t a big adventure, but actually quite relaxed.

After two and a half hours the mini van arrived in Pakse. It was only 500 meters from the bus stop to my hostel, which is why I decided to walk it.

There isn’t much to see in Pakse and as soon as I arrived I had to admit to myself that this place isn’t really pretty either. However, I only wanted to come here for one night and start the Pakse Loop the next day. This is a loop with numerous waterfalls that you can ride down on a motorbike. During the bus ride, I had already been able to plan my route along the Pakse Loop.

After checking in at the hostel, I got more helpful information for my little roadtrip there. I was hoping that I would meet people in the hostel who had similar plans to mine and we could go together on the Pakse Loop. However, the hostel was pretty quiet and empty.

Exploring Pakse and it’s temples

After planning my road trip, I set out to explore Pakse and Wat Luang Temple. Wat Luang Temple is the only highlight for travelers in Pakse.

The temple was really beautiful with its many bright colors and nobody was there except me and a few monks. I was able to explore the temple in peace. The temple was very beautiful, but in my opinion, it is not an attraction that you should definitely come to Pakse for.

After I had visited the temple, I bought some fruit at the market and withdrew money. When withdrawing money, I thought I had given in 3 million kip, but was a bit surprised when I only got 300,000 kip. I found out pretty quickly that I had made a mistake and had only withdrawn 300,000 kip.

So I had to withdraw money again and pay the fee again. Since the maximum amount was only 1.5 million, I only withdrew that much. But then I realized that it might be a bit short on money for a few days on the Pakse loop. So I withdrew money a third time and paid the fee a third time. Luckily, withdrawing money in Laos doesn’t cost quite as much as it does in Cambodia.

After I had enough cash I went back to the hostel. There I started packing my things for a few days on the Pakse Loop. Since I had to pack clothes for both warm and cool temperatures, it wasn’t easy to limit myself to the bare essentials. But after I had everything I needed, I made my way to the hostel’s restaurant and had dinner there.

Ready for four days on the road

The next morning after breakfast I borrowed a scooter and started the Pakse Loop. After filling up the tank, I first had to drive out of the city of Pakse. The route stretched quite a bit and the road wasn’t really special either.

I started the Pakse loop clockwise which is why I ended up having to turn right. I had expected that the road and the landscape would be a bit more spectacular from there on, but none. So I drove mile after mile to get to my first destination, Tad Pha Suam Waterfall. The road that led there was not really developed, so I had to drive carefully, but with the palm trees, the narrow path and the cows on the roadside, the two-kilometer path was really nice. Exactly what I was hoping for from the Pakse loop.

When I arrived at the waterfall, I was initially quite deserted in the forest. I could hear the waterfall in the distance. However, nobody was there except me. So I parked my scooter and followed the splashing of the water. Finally I stood at the head of the waterfall.

I then went further into the forest to get to the end of the water as well. But in the end I could only see the waterfall from afar and couldn’t go down to the water. Since the place itself seemed pretty deserted, I continued my journey along the Pakse Loop.

Heading to Tad Lo

In the meantime my back was already hurting from carrying the heavy backpack. In addition, sitting on the scooter was not that comfortable either, after all I had spent most of the day on the bike two days before.

My next stop on the Pakse Loop was supposed to be Mr. Vieng’s Coffee Farm. Tours through his coffee farm are offered there. This was also recommended to me at the hostel in Pakse. When I arrived at the coffee farm about an hour later, I had to admit that at that moment I wasn’t in the mood for a 1.5 hour tour of the coffee plantations. So I continued on my way.

Next I wanted to stop at a small temple. To get there, however, I had to turn off the main street of the Pakse Loop and drive another two kilometers over gravel. When I arrived at the supposed temple, there was nothing more than a field. So I drove back the 2 kilometers off road.

So I decided to go to Tad Lo where I wanted to spend the night. There were also waterfalls that I could visit. Up to this point I had to admit that I wasn’t really excited about the Pakse Loop.

Arrived at my accommodation for the night

Arrived in Tad Lo Village, I first drove to the Mama Pap Guesthouse, which I had read a lot about on the internet before that it was supposed to be good. But when I got there, it seemed pretty quiet and nobody was there. So I drove to another guesthouse down the road. This was recommended to me at the hostel in the morning.

There I was immediately warmly welcomed and shown to my room for the night. The guesthouse was really nice. Behind the dining area was a small garden with a few bungalows for guests. Behind the guesthouse was a really nice paddy field.

I had the choice of a bungalow with a private bathroom, which was a bit more expensive. Or a bungalow with a shared bathroom. Since the shared bathroom was right next to the room anyway and there weren’t many people in the guesthouse, I opted for the bungalow with shared bathroom.

After checking in, I first lay on the bed and rested for half an hour. After that I packed my things again and made my way to the waterfalls that were in Tad Lo. These weren’t far from the guesthouse, so I was able to walk there.

Exploring the Waterfalls in Tad Lo

I had parked my scooter in the guest house shed. Since scooters are likely to be stolen very quickly in Tad Lo, I should never leave it unattended, even if it was well locked. After just five minutes of walking, I arrived at the Tad Hang Waterfall. Over a small footbridge, you came to a vantage point from which you could see the waterfall. A few children were playing down by the shore.

To get closer to the waterfall, you could walk a narrow path through the forest. I walked there and finally arrived at the head of the waterfall. From there, however, I could see the much larger and more spectacular Tad Low Waterfall in the distance. So I continued on my way through the forest to reach the waterfall. There was also a small viewing platform from which you could see the waterfall well. Ever since I arrived in Tad Lo, I’ve been fascinated by the Pakse Loop. The village of Tad Lo and the waterfalls were really beautiful.

The Country Life of Laos

After watching the water splashing for a while and taking numerous photos with my camera, I walked a little further through the forest. Finally I stood in a clearing with a beautiful view of nature. The sun was slowly setting, which is why everything was bathed in a beautiful golden light. Cows stood at the side of the road, being herded in by their owners. Children played in the water, families returned from their trip to the waterfall and tractors drove past me.

I love to accidentally discover beautiful places where no tourists come and where you can observe the life of the locals, who all wave at you in a friendly way. Finally I made my way through the forest back to the guesthouse. I also saw a beautiful sunset over the falls. Also in the village of Tad Lo I was able to observe the traditional life there again.

When I arrived at the guesthouse, I just left my things in the room and then went to dinner. There was supposed to be a family dinner that evening. A Spanish couple was already preparing summer rolls, which I then helped.

When the food was ready shortly afterwards, I had dinner with the Spanish couple, a group of boys from Israel and an older French employee who emigrated to Laos. Together we talked a lot about our day and the Pakse Loop.

Starting day 2 on the Pakse Loop

The next morning we all had breakfast together again. I had planned to stay the next night in Paxsong, but was advised against by the Spanish couple who drove the Pakse Loop counter-clockwise and had already passed there. The four Israeli boys drove the Pakse Loop in the same direction as me and wanted to stay the night at the Mystic Mountain Guesthouse. This should be a little further up the mountains from Paxsong. Since the photos looked really good, I decided to spend the night there as well.

After breakfast, we all said goodbye and started our day. I actually wanted to do a tour of Captain Hook Farm in the morning. There you will be shown a village where the people still live very traditionally and a tour of the coffee plantations is also included. But since the Spanish couple told me the night before that the tour lasted three hours, I decided not to do this tour.

So my first stop was a small loop that was on the route. At the hostel in Pakse I was told to ride this mini loop in Thateng. As well as the Spanish couple recommended this to me.

Driving the most scenery road along the Pakse Loop

When I arrived in Thateng after more than half an hour driving, I had to turn off the Main Loop. At first the road wasn’t really nice, which is why I wasn’t that enthusiastic at first. But when I had to turn again to get back onto the Pakse Loop, the road suddenly became incredibly spectacular. The nature was beautiful and the road was just a dream. The route stretched 20 kilometers through the breathtaking landscape. I kept stopping to enjoy the view. Once I also met a German backpacker who drove the loop from the other side. After we talked briefly, we drove on in opposite directions.

Now I had to drive more than 30 kilometers to Paxsong. On the way there it started to rain a little, but not that much that it bothered me. I arrived in Paxsong just before 2 pm. Just as I was taking a break and trying to relieve my back a little, it started to rain like crazy. I quickly positioned myself under a nearby shelter.

Exploring the spectacular waterfalls

Fortunately, the heavy rain was over after ten minutes and I was able to continue on my way. My next stop was the Tad Fane Waterfall, which was only 12 kilometers past Paxsong. This waterfall was considered one of the most famous on the Loop. When I got there, of course, it was overcrowded with buses and tourists.

The waterfall itself could only be observed from a high platform. It’s really very spectacular and I found it really beautiful, but the mass of tourists has robbed this place of its magic.

After visiting the waterfall, it was just before four o’clock. I then considered whether I should visit another waterfall or whether I should drive to the guesthouse in Mystic Mountain. Although Mystic Mountain was not far from Paxsong, Google Maps indicated that it would take 30 minutes to travel the 10 kilometers to Mystic Mountain. It was already clear to me that the road up there couldn’t be particularly well developed.

I then decided to visit one more waterfall, but I hurried so I had enough time to get to Mystic Mountain before sunset.

Exploring waterfall number five along the Pakse Loop

First I drove to the Tad Gneuang Waterfall. This was also considered to be very well known. Also like at the Tad Fane Waterfall there were some tourists hanging around. You arrived at the head of the waterfall and then had to walk down a flight of stairs to get directly to the waterfall. The stairs were extremely steep and slippery from all the rain so I fell right at the start.

After a short stretch, which I had to walk down the stairs, I arrived at the waterfall. Since there is an extreme amount of water splashing down the waterfall, you got extremely wet right in front of the waterfall from all the water hitting the water. It was like standing in the middle of a rain shower. But I think this experience gave the waterfall its uniqueness.

Finally I went back to the beginning of the waterfall and looked around there a bit. At 4.45 pm. it was about time that I made my way to Mystic Mountain.

First I had to drive 12 kilometers back to Paksong. There I finally had to turn onto a road that was no longer so well developed. From there it was still 15 kilometers to Mystic Mountain and I still had a little over an hour until the sun would go down.

Having the most adventurous drive of my life

At first there were a lot of potholes on the road, but that wasn’t a big problem because I could just drive slowly around them. I figured that if the road stayed that way for the next few miles, it shouldn’t be a problem getting to Mystic Mountain Guesthouse.

However, the road started to get muddy very quickly. Especially since it had rained a lot before, the road there was very slippery. However, the ground was relatively slippery afterwards, so I advanced at a slow pace. Once, however, the scooter slipped behind me and I fell down with the scooter. But since I was driving very slowly and I also fell on the soft mud, I didn’t hurt myself at all. I quickly picked up the scooter and continued on my way. Two girls who drove past me then asked me if everything was okay. The locals are generally always so helpful and nice as soon as you have problems with the scooter.

But after my little accident, I knew that I had to be even more careful from now on. But I still had a few kilometers ahead of me. This made me a little nervous as the sun was going down and I was afraid of falling again and this time getting bigger injuries. I considered turning around, but I wouldn’t have known where to stay in Paxsong and I really wanted to go to Mystic Mountain. The pictures looked really nice. So I continued on my way.

Driving on the most terrible road

Every time I thought to myself, should the road stay like this from now on, then it shouldn’t be a problem getting to Mystic Mountain any time soon. But the road got worse every time I thought, now it can’t get any worse. The last 5 kilometers were a disaster. The road was extremely rocky and of course wet, so I could only move at a maximum of 10 km/h. Again and again puddles blocked the way through which I had to push the scooter, otherwise I would have fallen. Once I got stuck in a puddle too. With all my strength I managed to pull the scooter out of there. In the meantime it was getting later and later and I started to regret not having left earlier.

Going back didn’t make any sense because I had already covered most of the distance and I didn’t want to do the route in the dark. In addition, I was also afraid that this Mystic Mountain Guesthouse might not even exist and that I had driven all the way for nothing. After all, I couldn’t imagine that many tourists would come there. Also, I wasn’t sure if the four Israeli boys had also done the street and if I would meet them at all.

Turning back was out of the question for me, even if I already had the thought in the back of my mind that if in doubt I would have to go all the way back today. There was a really beautiful sunset on the horizon, but I couldn’t concentrate on it at that moment.

At quarter past six I arrived at the entrance that led to the Mystic Mountain Guesthouse. This was also signposted there. Hoping that the road might get better now, I turned off. But no, the road didn’t get any better at all. All the time I was able to ride on flat roads, but now there were uphills and downhills as well. But it was only 600 meters to the guesthouse.

Getting saved by the owner of the Mystic Mountain Guesthouse

I got stuck on a slope and the scooter fell over. Luckily I managed to jump off the scooter in time so I didn’t fall. A local noticed this and helped me to get the scooter back up and push it up the mountain. At the same moment a car drove past me. It stopped as soon as it saw me and the driver got out. He then asked me if I was looking for the Mystic Mountain Guesthouse. After I said yes, he replied that he was the owner. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relieved as I did at that moment.

He then drove the last few meters of my scooter while I sat on the back. I was grateful that someone with experience was driving me because the last bit was really tough.

When I arrived at the guesthouse, I actually met the four Israeli boys. At that moment, of course, I was even more relieved to know that I wasn’t the only crazy person who had done this route. Immediately we started talking. The boys arrived just an hour before me, but they came from a different direction, so they did this road for 30 kilometers. Neither of them managed not to fall. At that moment, when all the tension was gone and I was able to share with people about the same experience, it didn’t seem so bad anymore.

Spending the evening at Mystic Mountain Guesthouse

The owners then set me up a room. It was very basic, with a single mattress on the floor, but it was really very comfortable.

I then spent the evening with the boys. We got something delicious to eat and then we played cards. Meanwhile the owner sat with us and rolled one joint after the next for the boys. I fell into bed pretty early, I was so exhausted from the day.

I wanted to start the next morning a little more relaxed and not leave right after breakfast. Also, the area looked really nice and I wanted to check it out after venturing all the way to Mystic Mountain. However, I then realized pretty quickly that I would have a damn stressful day getting back to Pakse if I left late. Since I found the place really beautiful and my motivation was absolutely 0 to drive down the whole exhausting way straight away, I decided to stay another night.

Spending the day at Mystic Mountain

The boys also had the same plan, so we started the day relaxed with breakfast and playing cards. Around noon we took a walk up to Mystic Mountain. We were amazed by this beautiful nature all the time and how calm and peaceful this place was. I love it when I go to places that hardly any people go and do something that not everyone does.

The owner’s son accompanied us the whole way up Mystic Mountain. He showed us the way and played with us. The view of nature from the top of the mountain was incredibly beautiful. It was immediately clear to us that we definitely had to come back here at sunset.

After a detailed tour of discovery on Mystic Mountain, we went back down the mountain to the guesthouse. On the way back we also saw the pigs that belong to the guesthouse. Back at the guesthouse, we quickly put on our bathing suits and then went down to the river, which was right behind the house.

Taking a bath in the River and watching the sunset over Mystic Mountain

The water was extremely cold, but a little pleasant with the sun. Swimming in the water was not possible as it was not very deep. However, it was a challenge to walk across the rocky bottom to get to a nice spot where we could sit in the water and just enjoy the day. We also tried to teach the little boy to swim.

After our swim in the river we got lunch. A small table was prepared for us under the trees, where we ate. After lunch we spent the afternoon playing cards. In the afternoon it also started to rain and we weren’t sure if we would even be able to see a sunset today. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in Asia, it’s that when it rains in the afternoon, the sky clears up quickly and you’re rewarded with a gorgeous sunset. And so it was now. Shortly after half past five we made the 15-minute walk up the mountain again. As soon as we reached the top at six o’clock, the sun was slowly setting.

The colors were incredibly beautiful and this place was so incredibly calm and peaceful. I definitely enjoyed the day in Mystic Mountain a lot. After the sun had set, we made our way back to the guesthouse. We got dinner there and spent the rest of the evening playing cards again. In the end we had to go to bed because we wanted to venture the long way back to Paxsong and Pakse the next day.

Making our way back down the most terrible road

The next morning I woke up early. The first thing I saw was that it was gray and foggy outside. Shortly afterwards it started to rain. Of course that meant that the road back to Paxsong would be extremely muddy. I have to admit I was a bit nervous all morning. I dreaded the 13 kilometers back to Paxsong.

After breakfast with the boys we all packed up and got our motorbikes ready for the day. I asked the owner if he could drive my scooter from his property back to the main road as that was the most dangerous part. He was kind enough to do this for me too and I walked the piece. It had rained all morning and the moment we left it started raining again. Luckily it stopped as soon as I got on my scooter and didn’t start again until I got to Paxsong.

As soon as we were back on the main road, the guys were already riding their motorbikes. It was impossible for me to keep up with them. I wasn’t quite as willing to take risks riding the road at a faster pace and the guys had better bikes than me.

It took me almost 1.5 hours for the road back to Paxsong. It went a little better this time as I already knew the road, I wasn’t pressed for time with the sun and I wasn’t driving aimlessly into nowhere. The first part was very bumpy again, I didn’t drive faster than 5 km/h there, but after a while the road got a little better, so that I could at least make progress at 10-20 km/h.

Reached the end of the road

Luckily I managed the route without falling. Only once did the scooter slip and fall, but I managed to jump off in time. A girl and a child who saw the fall immediately helped me to get the scooter back up and asked me if everything was okay. I am always fascinated by how nice and helpful the locals are.

Shortly thereafter I finally arrived on the main road of the Pakse Loop. Shortly before that I met one of the guys who had a flat tyre. I was immensely relieved when I was finally back on the normal road, but at the same time extremely proud that I had mastered the road. I think I can now call myself one of the most experienced scooter riders Southeast Asia. In addition, I did not want to miss this experience and the time I had in Mystic Mountain at any price.

Now I went on to the last waterfalls that could be explored on the Pakse Loop. The first waterfall I wanted to see was the Tad Champee Waterfall. When I finally had to turn off Main Road, it was two kilometers to the waterfall. But the road was extremely muddy. Having already mastered 13 kilometers round trip on one of the worst roads, I figured this shouldn’t be a problem for me anymore.

Everytime you think, it can’t get worse, it will get worse

The first 500 meters wasn’t  a big problem as long as I drove slowly. Eventually I stood in front of a huge puddle of mud. I did my best to get through there, but the scooter kept slipping away from me. Pushing was also almost impossible because the scooter was quite heavy for me and of course I didn’t have a firm footing on the mud. I then thought about turning back, but since I had to go through the puddle anyway to turn around, I decided to keep going. The road looked much better behind the puddle.

In the end I got stuck and had to wait until one of the locals drove past me and helped me to push the scooter out of the mud. After I finally had a better road under my tires again, I slowly continued the journey. Shortly before I had to turn again, I had to drive through a slightly larger puddle again, but I mastered that. After the turn, it was still 1.2 kilometers to the waterfall. I decided that if the road got too bad I would turn around. However, the road was passable so far, which is why I drove further towards the waterfall.

Reaching the waterfall

400 meters before the waterfall there was a slope. As soon as I stood there with my scooter, I knew straight away that I wasn’t going to drive down there. However, it was now only 400 meters and I didn’t want to have driven all the way in vain. So I parked my scooter at this point and walked the last few meters to the waterfall. While I was advised not to leave my scooter unattended, I decided to hurry and not spend too much time at the waterfall.

The Tad Champee Waterfall was extremely beautiful, but I was extremely tense knowing that I had to drive the 2 kilometers back on this muddy road. So, like a tourist, I quickly snapped a few photos and then headed back to my scooter.

I had to try to turn it somehow. Driving was impossible as it was way too slippery. I would have fallen immediately with the scooter. So I had to push the scooter. But since I was slightly on the slope, this was a big challenge that I didn’t get to master. The scooter kept falling or I slipped. In the meantime it started to rain heavily, so I had to wait until the rain passed.

I kept hoping that someone would come along who could help me, but no one came. I waited a while, but I was there all alone. In the meantime I was getting a bit desperate, because I didn’t know how to get back on the wet road.

Getting help from the kids

Finally I went back to the waterfall where two little boys were selling the tickets. I try to ask them if there was anyone else there who could help me. But they didn’t spoke English. I then used my hands and feet to explain to them that my scooter was stuck. But they didn’t understand me until I translated it for them with Google Translate. They understood immediately and followed me to my scooter. The three of us then managed to turn the scooter and I thanked the boys.

Now I could finally start the way back. I slowly made my way back. I was infinitely grateful for every meter I managed without an accident. For the last 600 meters I switched off the engine and also the way through the puddle and rolled the rest of the way. Luckily it was possible to do this without any problems, since it went very slightly downhill.

When I was finally back on the normal road, I breathed out a sigh of relief and swore to myself that I would never drive a road like this again. There was another waterfall on the Pakse Loop, but I told myself that if the road is bad, I’ll skip the waterfall.

Visiting the last waterfall along the Pakse Loop

On the way to the Tad Itou waterfall, the boys drove past me again and also turned towards this waterfall. So I followed them too. The first part of the road was a bit rocky but definitely still doable. As soon as we had driven a little, we were stopped by the owner of a bistro. He offered us to park our bikes at his place. He advised us not to ride the dangerous road with the bikes. We should better walk the last 800 meters. I knew immediately that I would not drive the street and would park my scooter at the bistro. But the boys didn’t mind the road and they rode their motorbikes.

When the owner of the bistro saw my dirty scooter, he was totally amazed where I had been. When I told him I drove to Mystic Mountain and Tad Champee Waterfall, he threw up his hands and admired me for daring to scooter down that trail.

I then walked to the Tad Itou Waterfall. As soon as I saw the street going up and down, I thanked myself for parking the scooter at the bistro.

Exploring the Tad Itou Waterfall

Arrived at the waterfall, I could already see the motorbikes of the boys. In order to get to the water, I had to fight my way through the bushes and down an extremely steep and slippery staircase. When I got to the bottom, the boys were already in the water. But I stayed outside because it was all too slippery for me.

I then made my way back to Pakse a little earlier than the boys. They would have overtaken me anyway and now I just wanted to fall into bed. From the Tad Itou Waterfall it was another 37 kilometers to the hostel in Pakse. It took me a little over an hour for the route. But I also have to admit that I was driving slower than usual as I felt like my tires were slipping all the time now. Which of course they didn’t.

When I finally arrived safely at the hostel, I was more than just relieved. Every part of my body hurt from sitting, I was tired, dirty and totally exhausted. I immediately checked into the hostel and returned the scooter. The owner of the scooter looked at my scooter quite critically but didn’t find anything else apart from the dirt. I was scared I would have to pay for any repairs.
The four days on the Pakse Loop were an incredible experience. Especially the day in Tad Lo and the day in Mystic Mountain were a big highlight of my trip. I just love it when I come to remote rural places where there are no tourists. I will carry with me the experiences and memories that I gathered during these days, and I will happily tell them again and again.

After my tour along the Pakse Loop, I went on to Thakhek. There I drove another loop. You can find out in my next blog post Making a roadtrip along the Thakhek Loop – Laos Travel Diary, whether I was so crazy again and drove the worst roads possible. Spoilers: I did.