Tad Katamtok

Location :

• Megaworld Asia

  05 April 2018

  After an uncomfortable night’s sleep at the Phu Thevada Hotel in Paksong (note: if you stay at this hotel make sure you’ve got a good supply of insect repellent as the mosquitoes are en masse at the open restaurant area) I was back on the road early. I’d taken the option of the big loop and my objective was the big waterfall – Tad Katamtok – a few kilometres before the T-Junction on Highway # 11. The road, compared with that on the western side of Paksong, had far less habitation but in the early morning sunlight and clear blue skies the scenery was picture postcard perfect. The chill, even at a slow speed of 60 km an hour, was quite intense and as the road passed through shaded areas I was happy I’d bought a jacket and a pair of jeans for the trip. As mentioned, Paksong is the high point of the Bolaven Plateau so the road out to the eastern perimeter is a gradual descent across an open land punctuated by river valleys and craggy peaks off to the horizon. temperature difference between the top of the plateau and back down at the river plains is quite marked and didn’t hit me until I returned to Pakse the following day. Whereas the day time temperatures on the plateau are a pleasant 27 – 28 deg Celsius, the heat in Pakse is more intense in the low to mid 30’s range.
  
  After approximately an hour of chilly riding I eventually found the turn off to Tad Katamtok. If you are coming from Paksong it’s on the right but be warned, it’s not very well sign-posted. There is a faded picture with an arrow indicating the direction down a pot-holed dirt track. It’s actually only a short distance, perhaps 100 meters, from the main road to the viewing point of the falls. Due to the large volume of water spilling over the 100 meter drop you’ll hear the falls before you actually see it. As Laos’ largest waterfall it’s quite spectacular and well worth the effort of going there but it is a remote location and therefore has no tourism infrastructure of any type to add to the experience.
  
  For in-depth info on the BOLAVEN PLATEAU and the LOOP TRIP, check my travel blog: megaworldasia dot com - S.E. Asia's off the beaten track specialist

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