The Bolaven Plateau Extended Loop is the largest and most adventurous motorbike route in Southern Laos, created for riders who want to push well beyond the standard Bolaven Plateau Loop. This is a true off-the-beaten-path journey, best suited to experienced riders looking for remote landscapes, challenging riding conditions, and a deeper connection with rural life in Laos.

Riding this loop is demanding and often slow. Expect long dirt sections, broken surfaces, river crossings in places, and very limited services once you leave the main plateau. Fuel, food, and accommodation options can be sparse, so good preparation and confident riding skills are essential. Because of the remoteness, this route is best tackled with a solid plan and ideally in a small group. Out here, help can be hard to find – but that isolation is exactly what makes the experience so special.

For those willing to take on the challenge, the rewards are immense. The extended loop winds through quiet countryside, isolated villages, jungle tracks, and rarely visited corners of the Bolaven Plateau that few travellers ever reach. Riding days are filled with raw scenery, slow technical sections, and the feeling of genuinely exploring Southern Laos rather than simply passing through it.

One of the standout highlights of the route is reaching Tad Sepa and Tad Sae Pong Lai, two powerful, wild waterfalls hidden deep in the countryside. Accessed via scenic dirt roads, these falls feel completely removed from the tourist trail and perfectly capture the untamed nature of the extended loop.

A particularly memorable section passes through Xaisetha, one of the most remote and least-visited districts in Southern Laos. Most travellers never hear of Xaisetha, let alone ride through it. The roads here are rugged and slow, villages are small and traditional, and modern infrastructure is minimal. Riding through this area offers a rare and authentic glimpse into everyday rural life and is often cited as a defining moment of the entire loop.

For riders with extra time, adding Champasak at the end of the route is highly recommended. Instead of returning directly to Pakse, you can ride from Paksong to Champasak and finish the journey with a relaxed riverside ride back to Pakse the following day. Champasak is an ideal place to unwind after the tougher riding days, with its laid-back Mekong atmosphere and easy access to Wat Phou, the UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Laos’ most important historical landmarks.

The Bolaven Plateau Extended Loop isn’t about speed or comfort. It’s about adventure, exploration, and discovering a side of Laos that very few people ever experience. For riders with the right skills and mindset, it delivers an unforgettable motorbike journey through some of the country’s most remote, challenging, and rewarding terrain.

This Big Loop around the Bolaven Plateau is best enjoyed over 4 to 6 days, giving you the freedom to ride at a relaxed pace and really take in one of Southern Laos’ most scenic regions. While it’s possible to complete the loop faster, allowing extra time makes a huge difference – letting you enjoy the landscapes, local culture, and quieter backroads that give this route its character. Champasak, with its laid-back riverside setting and access to Wat Phou, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a natural extension of the loop and well worth slowing down for rather than rushing past.

Along the way, you’ll still visit many of the plateau’s most famous waterfalls, including Tad Lo, The Four Sisters (Tad Fane, Tad Yuang, Tad Champee, and Tad E-Tu), as well as Tad Tayicseua and Tad Faek. These falls dramatically mark the drop from the cool highlands down toward the lowlands and are especially impressive during the rainy season. With more time available, you can stop at multiple viewpoints, walk down to the bases of the falls, and enjoy lunch or coffee overlooking the jungle instead of simply ticking them off and moving on.

What really sets this longer loop apart is the opportunity to explore the plateau beyond its headline stops. The riding takes you through coffee plantations, cooler highland scenery, and small ethnic villages, offering insight into how much of Laos’ coffee is grown and processed in this region. These quieter stretches feel far more authentic and see very little traffic, while the route still follows some of the best road surfaces in Southern Laos, making it accessible to a wide range of riders.

With the added flexibility of a longer itinerary, evenings can be spent in peaceful places such as Tad Lo, Houay Kong, Sekong, Paksong, or Champasak. These are ideal spots to wind down after a day on the bike, enjoy local food, watch riverside sunsets, and stay in relaxed guesthouses. This balance of iconic sights, comfortable riding conditions, and off-the-beaten-path experiences makes the Big Bolaven Plateau Loop an excellent choice for riders who want to see more than just the highlights – without committing to overly challenging or technical roads.

This is the shortest and most accessible motorbike loop from Pakse, and it can comfortably be completed in just 3 days, making it an excellent choice if you’re short on time or new to riding in Southern Laos. Although the loop itself is compact, it still packs in some of the region’s most iconic scenery. If you have an extra day available, adding Champasak is highly recommended – its relaxed Mekong riverside setting and cultural highlights make it the perfect complement to the ride.

Despite its shorter distance, this loop delivers some of the Bolaven Plateau’s most famous highlights. You’ll ride through lush countryside to reach Tad Lo and the Four Sisters Waterfalls, two of the most impressive and easily accessible waterfalls in Southern Laos. These stops offer a great introduction to the plateau’s dramatic landscapes, cooler climate, and powerful cascades, without requiring long or demanding riding days.

Because of the limited timeframe, the route focuses on the main attractions and follows mostly direct, well-maintained roads, which means it skips some of the quieter backroads and more remote areas found on the longer Bolaven loops. However, this is also what makes it so appealing – it’s efficient, scenic, and achievable, while still feeling rewarding rather than rushed.

For riders looking for a short, scenic, and manageable motorbike loop from Pakse, this route is an ideal starting point. It offers a taste of the Bolaven Plateau’s natural beauty, with the flexibility to slow things down and unwind in Champasak if your schedule allows.