Pakse is the capital of Champasak province in southern Laos, a river town at the confluence of the Mekong and Se Don rivers and the main hub for exploring the south of the country. It is the gateway to the UNESCO-listed Wat Phu temple complex, the 4,000 Islands (Si Phan Don), and the Bolaven Plateau — a cool highland region famous for its coffee plantations, waterfalls, and ethnic minority villages.