Tad Lo: The Scenic Waterfall Town in Southern Laos

Laos is a country that is possibly the most easy paced in Asia and it has a lot of places where one can unwind and relax a long while. Tad Lo, located in the Bolavan plateau of the South of Laos is one such place. It is one place where you can find a swift flowing river and lots of water in its waterfalls in the peak of summer. And it is also the place where you can get some of the best coffee in Laos as most of Laos coffee is grown in the Bolavan Plateau.


Generally, tourists give the Bolavan plateau a miss and visit the more touristy places of 4,000 islands, Pakse and Champasak in the South Laos, but if you are a traveler, you will hire a motorbike in Pakse and do either the short loop (Pakse –> Tad Lo –> Pakxong –> Pakse) or the long loop (Pakse –> Tad Lo –> Salavan –> Seekong –> Pakxong –> Pakse). The short loop should take you 2 days, while the longer one will take you 3-4 days.


It is during this journey that you will come across Tad Lo, a sleepy town located next to a fast flowing mountain river and a lovely waterfall that is perfect for a shower in the summer. All the guest houses are either located close to the river or the waterfall and thus provide easy access. The cost of stay and food here is possibly the lowest in Laos and the people are very nice, making it a perfect place to enjoy a long countryside holiday. The dense green cover, the fast flowing rivers and the umpteen number of waterfalls close by make it a hot favorite for me in Laos.