Pakse also spelled Pakxe, is a small town, manageable on foot. The surrounding nature, mountain and river setting, makes for a relaxing atmosphere.

Pakse has a number of comfortable places to stay and is a good base from which to explore the surrounding area.

There are not many sightseeing attractions in the town. You can find here some nice Wats and temples. In the city, there is the Champassak Museum where you can see relics from Wat Phu as well as from the Bolaven Plateau. But the town is a good starting point for many excursions in south Laos, for example to the former royal capital of Champasak, and it is close to an extraordinary attraction: the Angkor ruins of Wat Phu.

The town has one of the largest markets in the region. It is definitively worth a visit. Watch out for the jumping fish (the fishes in the tubs are kept alive by only a very small quantity of water so they cannot really swim. But from time to time one of them manages to gather enough energy to jump right out of the tub).

The views from the riverside at the Se end of Pakse are amazing. To the south is the Mekong River with the mountains in the background and to the east, the river bends like a snake, disappearing behind the mountains as it continues to run Se. The riverside is the best place to enjoy the sunset and observe local daily life.