From Don Det we headed to Tat Lo — a village in the Bolaven Plateau with guesthouses, several waterfalls nearby, and trekking routes through one of the few protected natural areas in Laos that doesn't charge an entry fee.
To get there: boat from Don Det to Ban Nakasang for 15,000 kip, then a public songthaew to Pakse for 40,000 kip, then the public bus from Pakse towards Salavan to the stop near Tad Lo for 30,000 kip. Once at the stop we shook off the minivan touts and walked the kilometre and a half to the guesthouses and the first waterfall.
Quick reminder: 1 euro = 10,400 kip, so 30,000 kip is barely €3.
There we were met by Mr. Po, the owner of a guesthouse called Falamei, who invited us to take a look at his rooms. Surprisingly, his approach was far calmer and more relaxed than the usual hustle — so we had a look and were genuinely impressed: huge rooms with hot water for 30,000 kip.
Sign for Falamei guesthouse
We still had a look around to see if anything was better or cheaper, and Mr. Po himself told us where to find the competition. Basic bungalows with cold showers for 25,000–30,000 kip — so we quickly headed back to Falamei.
The good value-for-money was just the start. That afternoon we were invited to join a communal dinner for 25,000 kip, and after hearing what was included, we said yes immediately.
Around 6pm everyone staying there gathered to help prepare the dinner, cook alongside Mr. Po, and pick up a few recipes from Lao cuisine.
Learning to make spring rolls
Cooking vegetables and frying chicken
That first night: spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce, stir-fried vegetables, breaded chicken fillets, and pumpkin soup. The conversation matched the food — a relaxed chat with Mr. Po and the other travellers.
Mr. Po told us how he built his house for 7 million kip (about €7,000), how he got into guesthouses after working at several resorts, and how he'd housed passing foreigners in his own home before the guesthouse was a thing.
Delicious dinner with Mr. Po
Over the following mornings and afternoons we did several routes around the area, visited the three main waterfalls (Tat Hang, Tat Lo and Tat Suong) as well as a few nearby villages, jumped into the river with the local kids from a little mound, rented a couple of bikes and explored some of the Bolaven Plateau roads, and reached the top of Tat Suong — an imposing wall of water that dominates the whole surrounding landscape.
The first waterfall: Tat Hang
On the way to the second waterfall
The waterfall that gives the village its name: Tat Lo
From the top of Tat Suong
The following dinners were just as good as the first: spiced Lao-style pork grills, salads, soups, Indonesian-style duck and chicken stews…
And the food wasn't only good at Falamei — fifty metres towards the first waterfall we found the restaurant run by Mr. Po's aunt, known to every traveller as "mama". A remarkable woman who radiates warmth and joy.
There we had the biggest bowls of noodles we'd seen in all of Laos, plus enormous crêpes the size of a family pizza. Almost everything for barely 10,000 kip.
Family-size crêpe made by "mama"
After 3 nights, and reluctantly, we said goodbye to Tad Lo and pushed on to explore central Laos. Mr. Po offered to drop us at the bus stop on his motorbike, free of charge.
See you later, Tat Lo
