Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
The Xe Pha and Xe Pong Lay waterfalls in South Laos
On my recent 5700 km. and 19 day long trip to Laos to join in the Thai Lao Cambodia Brotherhood School Projects I did also quite a few other things like dropping of copies of my Laos Road map at Provincial Tourism Information Department (Saravan, Sekong, Attapeu, Pakse (Champasack), Savannakhet and Thakhaek) for the "2018 Visit Laos Year" year and quite a bit of mapping work.
The mapping work consisted of checking up on bridges, upgraded roads (Savannakhet Loop), visiting a few waterfalls which I had not yet been to or could not find on previous visits, go to the Don Sahong Hydro Power project at the border with Cambodia, etc, before heading north to Phonsavan, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane - more on this in other posts.
The two waterfalls - Xe Pha and Xe Pong Lay - which I had never seen before are located more or less west of Attapeu on road 9004 which branches of Rd. 18A to the north-west to Paksong which is located on Rd. 16. These two waterfalls can now be reached by car so it was much easier to get to them unless in the past where you would have to hike up to the falls.
It is a relatively easy ride from Attapeu to Sanamxay along Rd. 18A as the road has been graded and was in great shape. However, at the start in Attapeu the weather did not look good.
However, once on my way, the sun came through and it was further plain sailing all the way to the 4000 islands (Si Phan Don). Crossing the downstream channel of the Xe Pian - Xe Nam Noy hydropower project with a new bridge to cross the channel.
While Rd. 18A was OK, some of the bridges in it were far from inspiring confidence in crossing them so small detours through streams were the preferred option
In Sanamxay the goats had occupied the ATM
After Sanamxay the road till the turnoff (coordinates N14.70692 E106.49250) to Paksong at Ban Samong-Tai was a bit bumpy but from here to the north the road was great till the junction (coordinates N14.76896 E106.43187) which brings you to the Xe Pha and Xe Pong Lay falls
After parting with a 30,000 Kip (about 3 Euro) entry fee at the gate you can turn right to the Xe Pha Falls (coordinates N14.77631 E106.44160) and left to the Xe Pong Lay falls (coordinates N14.80345 E106.44825)
The Xe Pha falls in February 2018 (top) and in full flow (bottom)
and a panorama of the falls
Backtracking a bit and after crossing a small river I am on the way to the Xe Pong Lay falls
and there it is - the xe Pong Lay Falls - top a few weeks ago and bottom while in full flow
and a drone picture of the falls in full flow with the Bolaven Plateau in the background obviously not taken by me
and yes, you can get there by car
While the waterfalls were in the past managed by the local people who provided guides, boats to go to the falls, etc. it appears that the management has now been taken over by an entity which seems to have big plans for the area
After the waterfalls, it was back on the road to Paksong
The Houay Soy river crossing in road 9004
and the suspension bridge which is used to cross the Houay Xoy in the rainy season
Another river crossing
and soon back on the newly paved road all the way to Paksong while passing through coffee plantations with the coffee bushes flowering
To be continued
On my recent 5700 km. and 19 day long trip to Laos to join in the Thai Lao Cambodia Brotherhood School Projects I did also quite a few other things like dropping of copies of my Laos Road map at Provincial Tourism Information Department (Saravan, Sekong, Attapeu, Pakse (Champasack), Savannakhet and Thakhaek) for the "2018 Visit Laos Year" year and quite a bit of mapping work.
The mapping work consisted of checking up on bridges, upgraded roads (Savannakhet Loop), visiting a few waterfalls which I had not yet been to or could not find on previous visits, go to the Don Sahong Hydro Power project at the border with Cambodia, etc, before heading north to Phonsavan, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane - more on this in other posts.
The two waterfalls - Xe Pha and Xe Pong Lay - which I had never seen before are located more or less west of Attapeu on road 9004 which branches of Rd. 18A to the north-west to Paksong which is located on Rd. 16. These two waterfalls can now be reached by car so it was much easier to get to them unless in the past where you would have to hike up to the falls.
It is a relatively easy ride from Attapeu to Sanamxay along Rd. 18A as the road has been graded and was in great shape. However, at the start in Attapeu the weather did not look good.
However, once on my way, the sun came through and it was further plain sailing all the way to the 4000 islands (Si Phan Don). Crossing the downstream channel of the Xe Pian - Xe Nam Noy hydropower project with a new bridge to cross the channel.
While Rd. 18A was OK, some of the bridges in it were far from inspiring confidence in crossing them so small detours through streams were the preferred option
In Sanamxay the goats had occupied the ATM
After Sanamxay the road till the turnoff (coordinates N14.70692 E106.49250) to Paksong at Ban Samong-Tai was a bit bumpy but from here to the north the road was great till the junction (coordinates N14.76896 E106.43187) which brings you to the Xe Pha and Xe Pong Lay falls
After parting with a 30,000 Kip (about 3 Euro) entry fee at the gate you can turn right to the Xe Pha Falls (coordinates N14.77631 E106.44160) and left to the Xe Pong Lay falls (coordinates N14.80345 E106.44825)
The Xe Pha falls in February 2018 (top) and in full flow (bottom)
and a panorama of the falls
Backtracking a bit and after crossing a small river I am on the way to the Xe Pong Lay falls
and there it is - the xe Pong Lay Falls - top a few weeks ago and bottom while in full flow
and a drone picture of the falls in full flow with the Bolaven Plateau in the background obviously not taken by me
and yes, you can get there by car
While the waterfalls were in the past managed by the local people who provided guides, boats to go to the falls, etc. it appears that the management has now been taken over by an entity which seems to have big plans for the area
After the waterfalls, it was back on the road to Paksong
The Houay Soy river crossing in road 9004
and the suspension bridge which is used to cross the Houay Xoy in the rainy season
Another river crossing
and soon back on the newly paved road all the way to Paksong while passing through coffee plantations with the coffee bushes flowering
To be continued
