Tad Lo is a place where the Bolaven Plateau puts on its gentlest face. The Xe Set river tumbles over a series of low waterfalls and rapids in a wooded setting, with simple guesthouses on the banks, a few small restaurants and a village atmosphere that is popular with travellers who want to slow down. The falls are not the largest in Laos, but they are among the most pleasant, since you can swim in the pools below them in the dry season, sit on the rocks with a cold drink and listen to the water. The name tad means waterfall in Lao, and the plural is well deserved, since there are a handful in the neighbourhood.
The people here are mostly of the Katu and Alak ethnic groups, who live in villages nearby and keep their own customs, including a tradition of keeping elephants, which have long been used for work in the forest. A few operators run elephant-related activities, and travellers should think carefully about which ones treat the animals well. The villages can be visited, but it is polite to go with a local guide and to ask before taking photographs of people.
The riding is a pleasant part of the Bolaven loop. The roads around Tad Lo are paved, narrow and quiet, with rolling hills, forest and farmland, and side tracks are dirt and sometimes steep. The surface can be rough in places, particularly after the rains, and the red clay becomes slippery when wet. Motorbikes are the ordinary transport here, and you will share the road with local riders carrying astonishing loads. Cattle, buffalo and chickens use the road freely, so keep your speed modest and expect surprises. The best time is the dry season, from November to April, when the roads are firm and the skies are clear. The rainy season brings green hills and full falls but also mud and leeches.
For practical needs, Tad Lo has guesthouses with simple rooms, restaurants serving noodle soup, fried rice and grilled fish, and a few shops. Fuel is not reliably available in the village, and the nearest stations are in Ban Thateng and in Salavan, about twenty-six kilometres away, a small provincial town with markets and basic services. It is wise to fill before you head out and to carry a little extra if you plan to explore the side roads.
Evenings are quiet, with the sound of the river and the occasional cry of a gibbon from the forest. It is a good place to break the loop and linger.