LAOS


Further along the river is the Bolaven Plateau, an area of highlands nurtured by rich volcanic soil, a temperate climate and the fertility-giving waters of the mighty Mekong. It produces most of the country’s rice and vegetables and nearly all of its highly regarded coffee crop. The Jhai Coffee Farmers Cooperative is


typical of the myriad small coffee houses found here. Begun in 2006 by Thao and his brother Laty, the cooperative helps local, small-scale coffee growers sell their produce to an international market. Thao also runs a busy coffee shop that’s popular with visitors travelling around Bolaven. He roasts the beans on site, and provides his suppliers with a much-needed boost in income. On the other side of the river, in


Champasak province, is the oldest and holiest temple in the area: Wat Phu. It was constructed around a thousand years ago by the same Khmer culture that built Angkor Wat, just across the border in Cambodia. Cattle graze around it these days, despite its significance.


132 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL


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