Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → Laos → Phou Khao Khouay

Location: East of Vientiane, Laos

Time Required: half a day to 2 days

Red Tape/Notes: Be aware of the seasonality of certain popular activities – orchids are mainly in bloom January to June, butterflies are typically in residence May to October, and some waterfalls are best during the wet season (May – September/October)

What’s Nearby?: Tad Xay and Pha Xay, Buddha Park

Phou Khao Khouay is a National Protected Area a mere 40 km east of Vientiane, making it one of the easiest national parks to access. The area was designated to protect the sandstone cliffs, river gorges, and jungle area surrounding a stretch of mountains and three large rivers (all of which eventually flow into the Mekong) and their various tributaries. The area is home to a large variety of wildlife and various flora, including large quantities of orchids. One of the best ways to see the park is by boat – since the park is home to numerous rivers, kayaking along any (or several) of these provides beautiful views. You can also take a power boat if you’re feeling lazy or are short on time – and if you’re really short on time, it’s possible to do a quick trip to see just Tad Xay and Pha Xay, twin waterfalls that are particularly nice in the wet season. The other obvious way to enjoy the park is on foot, and there are numerous trekking options which allow you to experience some of the park’s interior jungle. Depending on the season, this is the best way to hunt for orchids and butterflies. Please be aware of the seasonality of both of these – the best time for seeing orchids in bloom is probably January to June, and butterflies are around mostly during the rainy season (May – October). We visited during neither of these times (late November), but did see a number of non-blooming orchids on our trek, and enjoyed the jungle regardless. It will be harder to see any of the notable wildlife (elephants, bears, monkeys, etc), since they are relatively rare, but there are a large number of treks/tours built around the potential to observe these animals, and your best chances will be to do an overnight trek (both because you’ll get further away from civilization and also because your best chances of seeing wildlife are around dawn and dusk). Just know that your chances of seeing them are relatively slim and don’t make this your primary purpose in going – you’ll have a much better time this way!

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → Laos → Phou Khao Khouay