Pakse Transportation Tips by DSwede Top 5 Page for this destination

Pakse to/from anywhere on the VIP bus

Every single guest house and tour agency will offer bus tickets to anywhere you need to go. The problem is that you never know just how much extra you are paying for this service. Most places will mark up 10%, but others will mark up more than 50%.

KVT offers service between Pakse to/from:
Vientiane (Sleeper and seated bus)
Ubon, Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
Champasak (Ban Muang)
Don Khong (4000 Islands)
Don Det / Don Khone
Cambodian boarder

It is best to shop around. However, the bus company itself does publish prices, so it would be recommended to consult this before purchasing anywhere. If you buy from guest houses or agencies, you may pay a little more, but they may also include the tuk-tuk transfer from your guest house to the terminal and things like that, so consider that in your calculations.

Prices for the sleeper buses are per person, based on a double-bunk. If you want a single bunk, you must pay ~30,000 kip more.

The sleeper buses do not appear to have assigned 'seats' on the tickets, nor was my experience that they were first come first served. Do what you can to avoid being in the back of the bus, directly above the engine. This bunk has reduced head height and is ungodly hot due to the heat of the engine. Regardless of where you seat, it is recommended to bring those personal eye shades since the windows will not likely have curtains.

Locals will likely be on the same bus as you. Be aware that it is not typically accepted to bunk with a local woman unless you are of the same family, so don't even attempt it. Try to get them to arrange bunks so that foreigners can be bunked together if you are not already traveling as a couple.

The old website was: http://www.buslaos.com/
But this may not be functioning any longer. The best schedule I found is in the link below.

Mode: TO

Other Contact: kvt-bus@yahoo.com

Phone: (031) 212228

Type: Bus

Local bus to/from 4000 Islands

Yes, almost all guesthouses and travel agencies will offer mini-van transportation to Don Khong, Don Det and Don Khone starting about 50,000 kip. Departures will be in the morning and bus will take about 2 hours.

However, if you enjoy traveling a bit more "local" style, you can always take a local bus. The travel time will be about 30 minutes longer, but its more authentic in my opinion and you have the potential and you will travel in an open-air side seated bus/truck. Price is 30,000 kip.

To get the local bus, you need to take a tuk-tuk to the "8km bus terminal" (pay no more than 15,000 kip).

If you are going to Don Khong, the bus will drop you off at the access road, from which point you must walk 0.8km to the river bank and take a (10,000 kip) ferry.

If you are going to Don Det or Don Khone, stay on the bus an additional ~30 minutes and similarly walk over to the river.

Mode: TO

Type: Bus

Local bus to/from Savannakhet

Took local bus from Pakse to Savannakhet.

Departure times from Pakse are approximately 7am ; 9am ; 1030am
Price is 35, 000 kip. Bus was about 4 hours.

Price does not include tuk-tuk to get to the local bus terminal. Should pay no more than 10,000 kip for the bus station.

The bus will stop at least once on the way and allow some hawkers on to sell some food/drink.

Mode: TO

Type: Bus