4,000 Islands & Bolaven Plateau – Bespoke Laos Itineraries

Savor a slower pace in southern Laos. Visit a plantation where you can enjoy a freshly roasted cup of coffee, swim under waterfalls, and laze away an afternoon in a hammock on one of the many islets that dot this part of the Mekong River in the dry season.

Our favorite parts of the south are two very different but equally rewarding destinations: the fertile highlands of the Bolaven Plateau and the river islands of Si Phan Don. The Bolaven Plateau is an elevated, fertile area renowned for its coffee plantations, an industry that began during French colonial times. Si Phan Don, which translates to ‘4000 Islands’ is the closest you’ll get to a beach getaway during Laos travel. In the dry season, countless submerged islets appear on the surface of the Mekong here.

Ancient sandstone temple ruins rise from a green jungle hillside at Wat Phou in Laos.

A tall waterfall drops through thick green jungle into a misty pool in Laos's Bolaven Plateau.

A small wooden boat moves along a wide river at sunset, orange light reflecting on the water.

Why visit the Bolaven Plateau and Si Phan Don?

Hop in a jeep for a safari that traverses the backroads of the Bolaven Plateau, where you can soak in views of the mountains and highlands that were formed by a supervolcano. You’ll arrive at Mystic Mountain Coffee, a coffee plantation that has been owned for 17 years by Mr. Kham, a local coffee aficionado who will lead a tour and tasting. On the drive back, stop at the secluded Tad Moun waterfall and take a dip in the clear, refreshing water before enjoying a picnic lunch of authentic Lao food.

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Hop in a jeep for a safari that traverses the backroads of the Bolaven Plateau, where you can soak in views of the mountains and highlands that were formed by a supervolcano. You’ll arrive at Mystic Mountain Coffee, a coffee plantation that has been owned for 17 years by Mr. Kham, a local coffee aficionado who will lead a tour and tasting. On the drive back, stop at the secluded Tad Moun waterfall and take a dip in the clear, refreshing water before enjoying a picnic lunch of authentic Lao food.
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In the Bolaven, you’ll also get a guided tour of Wat Phou, which pre-dates Angkor Wat and is thought to have been the political and religious center of the Khmer Empire from the 10th to 14th centuries.
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On a half-day tour bike tour on Don Khone Island, you’ll travel along rice paddies, skirting small villages and organic gardens, and visit the old narrow-gauge railway that was built by the French colonists, enabling them to bypass the region’s Liphi Waterfalls. At sunset, embark on a cruise down the Mekong to visit some of the smaller islands with a cold beer in hand.

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