Tad Lo

The Xe Set river steps down off the Bolaven Plateau in three separate falls within a few kilometres, and the village that grew up between them has been the place people stop and stay longer than planned for decades. Tad Hang is the low one at the guesthouses, wide and swimmable. Tad Lo is above it, bigger and louder. Tad Suong is furthest upstream and the tallest by some distance. Katu and Alak villages sit in the surrounding hills, and the whole area is quieter and greener than the plateau above it.

What you actually see

• Tad Hang - the lowest fall, a broad step with a pool people swim in.
• Tad Lo - the middle fall, wider and heavier, a short walk upstream.
• Tad Suong - the highest of the three, furthest up and least visited.
• The village - guesthouses along the river, and hill villages within a walk or a short ride.

When to go

June to November has the water at its strongest, which is what these falls are for. December to March is dry, pleasant and much reduced. The pools are safest to swim in when the river is low, which is the trade-off.

Honest expectations

Water levels are controlled in part by a hydro scheme upstream, and releases can change the river within an hour, so the pools are not always as they look. Tad Suong takes a proper walk or a ride to reach. The village is small and quiet, which is either the appeal or the problem depending on why you came.

Nearby

Tad Fane and the Paksong coffee plantations are on the plateau to the south; Salavan town is east.