Two rivers run off the Bolaven Plateau side by side and throw themselves into the same gorge, and the result is Tad Fane, one of the tallest waterfalls in Laos, with a drop of well over a hundred metres. The streams, called the Huay Champi and the Huay Bang Lieng, plunge in thin white ribbons from the rim into a deep green abyss, and from a lookout across the gorge you can watch them fall for what seems like a very long time. The sound arrives a moment late, the spray drifts up on the air, and the mist lingers in the trees at the bottom. The best view is in the rainy season, from about June to October, when the flow is at its fullest, though the dry season gives clearer skies.
The plateau is a world apart from the flat, hot lowlands of southern Laos. At around a thousand metres or more, the air is cooler and the red volcanic soil is perfect for coffee, tea, cardamom and bananas, and the road from Pakse climbs through plantations and forest to reach it. It is called Bolaven, which means the place of the Laven people, one of the ethnic groups that live here, along with the Alak, Katu and others, each with their own villages, languages and customs. The French introduced coffee in the early twentieth century, and it is still the main crop.
The riding on the plateau is a pleasure. The main roads are paved and quiet, winding through forest and coffee farms, and the side tracks are dirt, often red and slippery after rain. Distances are modest, and the cool air is a relief after the heat of Pakse. In the wet season, storms come in the afternoon and the roads can be muddy, so start early. Watch for water buffalo, children, dogs and the occasional pig. Laos is also the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita, because of the American campaigns of the 1960s and 70s, and unexploded ordnance is still a danger in some rural areas, so stay on established paths and roads.
There is a resort and a small restaurant near the viewing point, and basic food stalls appear along the road. Fuel is available in Pakxong, about eleven kilometres away, which has stations, shops and cafes, and also in Pakse, thirty-six kilometres to the west, where a wider choice is on offer. Carry cash in Lao kip, since cards are rarely accepted.
Evening on the plateau is cool, and a hot cup of local coffee is the right way to end the day.