The tour was quite good. We had ten people from eight countries—France, Belguim, Hong Kong/China, Australia, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and the U.S. The guest house has its own guides; so we had a guide, Lang, in the van with us. The Bolaven Plateau is 700-1000 meters high and is known for its coffee and tea plantations.
Our first stop was an organic tea plantation owned by a Vietnamese family. Lang explained the growing and harvesting processes. Tea grows at elevations of 600-900 meters. Plants are cut every five years to keep them small, the highest being about five feet. The quality of tea is better during the dry season because the plants grow more slowly. At this time, leaves can be picked every 15 days while they are picked weekly during the wet season. The leaves are then dried. 60-70 kilos of leaves produce 5 kilos of dried leaves.
Next we stopped at the first of three waterfalls: Tad Fone. Since they are across the river, they can be viewed only from a distance.
Then we went to a coffee plantation. I learned more about coffee than I’ve ever known. I’d seen plants before but hadn’t been to a plantation. I was surprised at how big the trees get. They grow both Arabica and Robusta coffee beans. Most trees are the former, but the latter are now in more demand and are plantations are changing to grow more Robusta trees. I read later that Arabica coffee beans are mostly used in instant coffee and mass-produced coffee. So it made sense that Arabica is more popular now, as specialty coffees and coffee shops are increasingly popular. The fruit on the trees is called “cherries” and each cherry produces two beans. Coffee is harvested from October to December; so we were there at the end of the season. Coffee trees live up to 40 years.
On the way to the coffee factory, we stopped at Tad Greung waterfall. It is in a beautiful setting. We walked along the river and then to the bottom of the waterfall.
Since coffee is the main source of income on the Plateau, every village has a processing factory. The beans are soaked in water. Those that sink are the best quality. Those that float are second quality. The soaked beans go to the fermentation tub. Then they are spread on racks to dry. They are considered to be dried when the moisture level is about 11%. This is determined by weight. Drying the beans takes about two weeks. They are then sent to Vietnam for export, since Laos is a landlocked country. It is the dried beans that are exported. They are then are roasted in Europe.
I also read later, at a restaurant that is affiliated with a Laotian-owned- coffee plantation, that most plantations and factories are owned by Vietnamese who don’t pay their Laotian employees well. And, if they are Vietnamese-owned, most of the profit is not going to local people.
Next we stopped at two ethnic group villages. Both are stops for tourists who take day tours, which provides income for the villages. The guest house has tours almost daily at this time of the year and three or four times a week in the low season. Other tours also visit the villages, but not the school in the second village.
First was an Atak village. The village was founded in 1971 when the Atak people were moved from the Vietnam border to the Bolaven Plateau. About 40 families live in the village, with 2-4 families living in one house. The people speak their native dialect, but most also speak Lao. Children attend a school that is about one kilometer away. This is an animist village and the spirit house is at its center.It is used only on special occasions to sacrifice animals. Pigs roam around the village but are only killed for ceremonies. Chicken is eaten.
The next village was a Katou village. Kok Phang Tai village was founded in 1974. The guest house sponsors the school here
and has recently helped build a new library. The foundation also provided a water pipe for the village; so water is readily accessible.
About 1000 people live in the village. Families are big and have up to ten children.
Before they die, people purchase a coffin for their body. These are not buried but are set on top of the ground in the burial ground. They used to be made of wood, but now people prefer concrete, as it is cheaper.
The next stop was Tad Lo waterfall. We were lucky, as the water was low the previous day because the dam had not been opened. It was in full flow when we were there.
On the way back we stopped at a weaving village. Women use a foot loom. They were selling their goods, mostly scarves. Since they were unique and like to purchase from such women, I bought two. When it started to look like I was a serious buyer, several women surrounded me, which is overwhelming.
We were also lucky to have a beautiful sunset on the way back. Lang had the driver stop so we could take photos. It was a long but excellent day. I was ready to eat dinner and rest when we arrived back in Pakse.
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