Most people blow through the small village of Champasak on their way to see Vat Phou. There isn't much to the place, which is spread out along the Mekong River, but it does have its charms. There are a few nice hotels, guesthouses and restaurants around the town, which is sprinkled with some interesting historic architecture. If you're looking for a place that offers a more laid-back relaxing atmosphere, you might be wise to spend more time in Champasak and less time in Pakse.
One of the better-preserved old houses in Champasak
Champasak is a natural place to stop between Pakse and the 4,000 Islands area. How much time you spend here largely depends on your interest in the life and architecture of the area, versus the more urban setting of Pakse or the natural charms of the 4,000 Islands. You can 'see' the place in a single day, but if you're on a relaxed schedule you may feel like spending more time here.
A view from the boat on the way from Pakse to Champasak. Getting to Champasak from either the nearby destinations of Pakse or the 4,000 Islands is relatively easy. Your options basically come down to boat or bus.
Boat is a popular option. From Pakse, the trip takes only about one and a half hours and costs 70,000 Kip. The trip can take a lot longer going from Champasak to Pakse, so many people opt for the bus option going that direction.
Vat Phou (or Wat Phou) sits hard up against a mountainside, facing east to the Mekong River. The site has been sacred for more than 1,500 years, but the current temple dates from the eleventh century, when the area was part of the Khmer empire centered around Angkor Wat.
The mountain became important thanks to the phallic rock formation at its peak. The phallus, or linga, is a symbol of Shiva, so the original Khmer temple was devoted to Him.
There isn't a huge selection of hotels in Champasak. Within the city there a just a few locally run hotels, most of them decidedly tourist class. A couple of good central choices are listed below. If you aren't satisfied with my selections, you can search dozens of sites at once to find the best rate on Champasak hotels using the search box on this page.
Inthira Champasak A surprisingly posh boutique hotel built on the bones of an old shop house.
Lao style 'larb' - a sort of pork salad - at Inthira Hotel in Champasak Most of the restaurants around Champasak are affiliated with hotels or guesthouses. There are several places that have balconies over-looking the river, which can make for a scenic meal. I have to say that a lot of places didn't impress me with their cleanliness. The nicest place I found in town to eat was my hotel, the Inthira, which had a nice mix of Asian and western foods, as well as about the only wine and hard liquor to be had in the little town.
The old library building, scheduled for restoration It doesn't quite compare to the colonial charms of Vientiane or Luang Prabang, but Champasak does have a surprising number of buildings of architectural interest. Most of them date from the 1920s or later, and a number are actually from the 1950s even though they appear much older. A walk down Champasak's potholed main street will allow you to see most of the buildings.
December 2011
The Inthira seems to be the best that Champasak has to offer. In fact, it's a bit of a surprise in a small town where most of the accommodations are small basic guesthouses. While not luxurious, the Inthira is still surprisingly good for its location.
The old shop-house lobby of the Inthira Hotel The lobby and restaurant are housed in an old shophouse that's been completely gutted and refitted with a new second floor.
