Pakse is a city located between the rivers Xe Don and the Mekong in southern Laos. It was founded by French colonialists in 1905 and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Champasak until it was unified with the rest of Laos in 1946. Pakse International Airport connects the town to neighbouring cities like Siem Reap, Vientiane, and Bangkok.
Pakse makes for a good base for those travelling to natural landscapes such as Bolaven Plateau, Xe Pian National Protected Area, and Si Phan Don (4,000 Islands), the Xe Pian National Protected Area, as well as smaller towns like Tat Lo and Lao Ngam in the Salavan Province.