The Bolaven Plateau

Bolaven — 'the home of the Laven.' This plateau has been inhabited for centuries by the Laven, Alak, Katu, Tahoy, Suay and Gnay — all animist, all deeply rooted in their relationship with nature, spirits and the land. It was the French who, in the early 20th century, transformed the plateau into an agricultural region — introducing coffee, rubber, and food crops. Today, it is Laos's leading coffee-producing region. A high-altitude coffee, hand-picked, known the world over. But this soil carries a heavy memory. 600,000 American bombing missions — one bomb every 8 minutes for 9 years. Tens of millions of unexploded munitions still lie beneath your feet. Tad Lo is the beating heart of all this. Located 86 km from Paksé, the village is surrounded by three waterfalls and numerous ethnic minority villages. This is where the plateau truly reveals itself — far from the main roads, at human scale. You are here. Look around you.