In short: the Pakse Loop is a motorbike loop over the Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos, full of waterfalls and coffee farms. The small loop is about 200 km in 2 days, the big loop 280–340 km in 3–4 days. I rode it twice, in 2014 and in 2023; in 2023 we started with the big waterfalls in the south and came back over road 20 (our route and GPX are below, in both directions). Rent a semi-automatic in Pakse. Travel guides put the all-in budget at about US$16–22 a day for bike, bed, food and entry fees (2025).
Pakse Loop at a glance
| Small loop | Big loop | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | about 200 km | 280–340 km |
| Days | 2 | 3–4 |
| Main stops | Paksong and the big waterfalls of the plateau | Same, plus quieter roads and villages further from Pakse |
| Highest point | about 1,300 m (Paksong) | about 1,300 m (Paksong) |
| Climbing (our routes) | about 1,900–2,000 m | about 3,400 m (363 km) |
| Best for | Waterfalls and coffee in a weekend | Villages, quieter roads, more time per stop |
Distances from travel guides (Backpack Moments, 2024); your route and detours change them. Our own 2023 route was 363 km in 3 days, including the side trips to Tad Tayicseua and Captain Hook (map and GPX below).
The Pakse Motorbikeloop takes two days for the small loop and three to four for the big one. In 2023 we rode the big waterfalls of the south first, slept in Sekong and at Tad Lo, and came back to Pakse over road 20. You can ride it either way: the GPX below comes in both directions. I’ve done the loop in 2014 and in 2023. Things have changed. The homestay at the waterfall (Tad Jarou Halang also named – Tad Tayicseua) has been closed, unfortunately. But new places (like Fendee Island) opened up and this motorbike loop is still an awesome thing to do!
Rent a motorbike Pakse
When you want to rent a motorbike for the Pakse motorbike loop you can go to Wang Wang Motorbike rental Pakse. If you did the Thakhek Loop, you probably know Wang Wang. We rented our bikes at their Pakse shop in October 2023: friendly staff, they kept our bags in the shop and arranged our sleeper bus ticket. Mobile data helps on the way, for Google Maps and the GPX below: see my guide to a local SIM or eSIM for Laos.
Video of the Pakse motorbike loop
Watch our Pakse Loop video on YouTube
Mr Vieng Coffee and Homestay
On road 20, between Pakse and Lao Ngam, you will find Mr Vieng Coffee; look for the sign by the road. You can also stay there in his homestay. When you order coffee it comes fresh from their own plantation. Mr. Vieng roasts his coffee in the wok and brews you the coffee. On our 2023 route it was the last coffee stop of day 3; ride the other way and it is your first.
Captain Hook guide tour (took us 4 hours)
I definitely liked the Captain Hook village and farm tour but for us 4 hours is way too much, if the group agrees you also can ask if he can be a little bit faster/ shorter in words 🙂 Besides the time this tour was interesting with the cultural differences etc. Not to forget Captain Hook and his wife are also running a homestay.
Pakse Loop map, GPX and day stages (free download)
This is the route we rode in November 2023, put on the map from the places of our own photos. Download it for free, no sign-up: the GPX works offline in Organic Maps, OsmAnd, Maps.me, Komoot and on a Garmin; the KML opens in Google My Maps and Google Earth.
Download the route
Big loop, our 2023 route: 363 km, 3 days
Download GPXKML for Google
Other direction: GPX · KML
Small loop: 210 km, 2 days
Download GPXKML for Google
Other direction: GPX · KML
Day stages of our 2023 route
- Day 1: Pakse → Sekong, 161 km
via Tad Fane, Tad Champee, Paksong, Tad Jarou Halang (Tad Tayicseua)
Open day 1 in Google Maps - Day 2: Sekong → Tad Lo, 79 km
via Thateng
Open day 2 in Google Maps - Day 3: Tad Lo → Pakse, 123 km
a morning trip to Captain Hook Homestay and back, then Lao Ngam, Mr Vieng Coffee & Homestay
Open day 3 in Google Maps
Riding it the other way? Open the reverse stages in Google Maps: day 1 (Pakse → Tad Lo) · day 2 (Tad Lo → Sekong) · day 3 (Sekong → Pakse).
Each day is a separate track in the file, so your app shows one stage at a time. Waypoints include all waterfalls on the way, Sinouk Coffee, Captain Hook Homestay and Mr Vieng Coffee. For Tad Jarou Halang (Tad Tayicseua) the file has the turn-off where the dirt road starts, because Google sends you the wrong way: follow my step-by-step route to Tad Tayicseua from there.
Pakse Loop elevation profile: how steep is the Bolaven Plateau?
The Pakse Loop starts with its biggest climb. From Pakse (about 100 m, on the Mekong) the road climbs about 900 m in the first 40 km, to Tad Champee and Tad Fane at about 1,000 m, and then to about 1,300 m around Paksong, the highest part of the loop. After Paksong it is mostly downhill: on the small loop to Tad Lo (about 340 m), on the big loop all the way down to Sekong (about 150 m).
On the big loop, day 2 climbs again from Sekong to Thateng: about 700 m up over 47 km. The way back from Tad Lo has shorter climbs of 250 to 350 m, up to about 600 m near Lao Ngam (about 680 m on the side trip to Captain Hook Homestay), before the long descent to Pakse.
| Small loop (2 days) | Big loop via Sekong (our 2023 route) | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (our GPX) | 210 km | 363 km |
| Lowest / highest point | about 100 m / 1,300 m | about 100 m / 1,300 m |
| Total climbing | about 1,900–2,000 m | about 3,400 m |
| Hardest day | Day 1, about 1,250–1,300 m up | Day 1, about 1,550–1,600 m up |
Elevation: Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (© DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018, provided under COPERNICUS by the European Union and ESA), checked against SRTM 30 m and ASTER GDEM 30 m (median difference 3–5 m per point) and against the height of Paksong (about 1,300 m). Climbing totals: Copernicus and SRTM agree within 50 m on both loops, ASTER gives about 10% more. Calculated from the route, not from a recorded GPS track; checked 25 October 2026.
Roads and distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Distances include our side trips. The GPX files follow the roads and carry no elevation data; they are not a recorded GPS track.
Waterfalls on the Pakse Loop (entry fees 2025)
Every waterfall charges an entry fee and a small parking fee for your motorbike. Bring cash in kip.
Tad Jarou Halang (Tad Tayicseua)
Entry: ask on arrival · Motorbike parking: ask on arrival
My personal favourite: a wide wall of water with two viewpoints, very hard to find. How I got there. The homestay at the falls has closed (2023).
Tad Yuang
Entry: 40,000 kip · Motorbike parking: 10,000 kip
Wide falls with pools at the bottom; easy access from the main road.
Tad Fane
Entry: 30,000 kip · Motorbike parking: 10,000 kip
Twin falls dropping over 100 m into a gorge; viewpoint through the resort, zipline on site.
Tad Champee
Entry: 30,000 kip · Motorbike parking: 5,000 kip
Swimming basin; the bridge behind the falls can be out after the rainy season.
Tad Lo
Entry: check on arrival · Motorbike parking: check on arrival
Calmer falls next to a village.
Fees as listed on Wikivoyage in August 2025; they rise with inflation, so expect a bit more.
What the Pakse Loop costs per day
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Semi-automatic or automatic scooter (110–125cc) | about 80,000–120,000 kip a day |
| Manual motorbike | about 150,000–200,000 kip a day |
| Waterfall entry + parking | 35,000–50,000 kip per waterfall |
| All-in budget (bike, guesthouse, food, fees) | about US$16–22 a day |
Price ranges from 2025 guides (Go Asia, Wikivoyage, Backpack Moments), checked 16 October 2026. Rental shops in Pakse set their own prices: ask before you sign, and check the bike, brakes and lights.
Accommodation on the Pakse loop
Looking for good accommodation on the loop can be hard. I recommend Vilaychay Guest House in Sekong, where we slept after day 1 in November 2023. It is run by a family and has about 10 rooms. The great thing is that you can safely park your motorbike inside!
Camping / Glamping Fendee Island
One of my other favorites was Fendee island. It is an island where you can sleep in a little triangle hut or even a treehouse. They have a restaurant that serves delicious food and cold drinks.
Bolaven Coffee
Coffee is everywhere on the Bolaven Plateau: you ride past plantations around Paksong and Thateng. These are the coffee stops on and near our route:
- Jhai Coffee House in Paksong: fresh local coffee, see my Jhai Coffee review.
- Sinouk Coffee Resort: on road 16, about 6 km from Thateng towards Paksong; a waypoint in our GPX.
- Mr Vieng (coffee and homestay)
- Captain Hook (Guided tour and homestay)
Machetes made on the Pakse loop
On the way back to Pakse you can buy a machete made in the village: a machete cost for 30.000 kip ($4) or two for 50.000 kip ($6) They make the machetes over there, so you can see the whole process.
I hope you’ve also a nice motorbike loop near Pakse! More of Laos: my Laos travel guide with costs and our route. Do you like motorbike loops? Check also the Thakhek Loop. Heading south afterwards: bus from Pakse to the 4000 Islands and cycling Don Det and Don Khon.
More motorbike loops: the Thakhek Loop in Laos and, in northern Thailand, the Golden Triangle Loop from Chiang Mai (798 km, with GPX).
Help other travelers
If you’ve more information about the Pakse motorbike loop for other travelers don’t be shy and post it below 🙂
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13 Comments.
Hey I’m so happy to have found your page! I’m about to do this trip in a couple of days, leaving for Laos tomorrow. I will follow your tips and let you know if there are any changes/updates. Thanks 🙂
Cool Colleen! Have fun 🙂
My friend & I will be in Pakse on January 23rd. We had arranged a car & driver to take us up to see some parts of the Ho Chi Minh Trail near Xepon, Laos. That arrangement has fallen apart. So we are looking at other alternatives. Following is our time frame:
1/23: Arrive in Pakse about Noon, taking bus from Ubon, Thailand. Drive up to to Muang Phin.
1/24: Travel to Xepon & sightsee.
1/25: Visit War Museum, Muang Nong Bambo bridge and le Xanong river ford, Stone Ho Chi Minh trail, but drive back to Pakse that evening.
1/26: Return to Ubon via the 0830 bus to arrive by Noon so we can catch 1405 flight back to Bangkok.
Do you have an email address for Miss Noy so we could ask them about the possibilities of doing this on motorbikes & if they could help us?
I’m sorry I dont have any contact details from Miss Noy
Hi, just to add some comments about Miss Noy.. It is next to vilaysing guesthouse on the main road number 13. A friendship supermarket is on the opposite side. They have also made the road from Bane Beng Phou Kham to Paksong new. Have fun!
Thnx Dani! Nice extra about miss Noy in Pakse! 🙂
Lao go car and Motorbike Rental is also good. Owner grew up around Pakse so knows a lot of things to do that are off the usual tourist track.
Could you please give me any more details where can I buy mentioned machetes? I collect knives and that’s gonna be perfect keepsake for me (no matter how strange does it sound like haha). Thanks in advance!
Hi Mariusz, This was on the way back on the loop, I think it was roughly 45 minutes out of town with the motorbike 🙂 I think when you ask a local and show them an image / video they know where to guide you. Have a great trip!
Hi there the homepage from miss noy isn’t working 🙁 do you have an email address maybe?
Hi Nathalie,
I don’t have an email address but I got a phone number: +856 20 22 272 278
Have fun!
Very useful information. Can I start the loop in the afternoon?
Hi Fabio, yes you can, you can do it on your phase. Thats the best part of the loop and the freedom of hiring a motorbike yourself 🙂