Playing Tennis in Pakse

Playing Tennis in Pakse: Quality tennis courts in a small town I didn't want to miss

Hello, I'm mr.hotsia. Today I want to share my experience playing tennis in Pakse, the capital of Champasak Province, Laos. I had planned to bring my tennis racket for several days but hadn't had the chance to play until I arrived in Pakse, where I finally found an interesting tennis court and played to my heart's content.

Previously, I traveled to Don Khong and Champasak but couldn't find any tennis courts to play on. I had to make do with playing badminton. But when I found the tennis courts in Pakse, located at Kilometer 6 on the road to the southern bus station, I didn't hesitate to experience playing tennis there immediately.

The tennis courts here have many courts and are well maintained. The court surface is slightly coarse but not too slow, perfect for enjoyable play. I stayed in downtown Pakse. To play tennis here, some effort is needed, starting with buying new tennis balls. I bought Wilson US Open balls for 250 baht per can, then took a tuk-tuk (three-wheeled taxi) to the court at Kilometer 6. The tuk-tuk fare was about 20,000 kip, roughly 80 baht, similar to a small local bus fare. I chose the small bus because it was faster and the price was the same.

At Pakse tennis courts, there were more than five available courts. I arrived in the late afternoon near dusk. It would have been better to come earlier to have more playing time. At the court, I met a tennis coach named Kru Niam, who is a tennis athlete that once competed in the SEA Games in Korat, Thailand. Kru Niam is very skilled. I had the chance to play tennis with him for over an hour. We had fun and worked up a good sweat. It was great exercise and an opportunity to exchange sports experiences.

There is no court fee at this tennis facility, but there is a lighting fee of 100 baht per hour. If a child is hired to collect tennis balls, the fee is 10,000 kip, about 40 baht. For anyone visiting Pakse who wants to play tennis freely, I recommend contacting Kru Niam directly at the Laos phone number 99720649 (from Thailand +856 20 99720649). Kru Niam was also kind enough to ride a motorcycle to take me back to my accommodation after playing. Many thanks to him.

Pakse: Travel and Interesting Context

Pakse is the capital of Champasak Province, located in southern Laos. This city is a great starting point for traveling to important attractions such as Wat Phu, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also home to the 14th Market, which offers a wide variety of local food and goods.14th MarketThis market is bustling with both Lao and Vietnamese shoppers. I enjoy stopping by to stroll and try local dishes here.

If you are interested in nature and lush green scenery, I recommend visitingPaksongwhich is about 50 kilometers from Pakse. Paksong has cool weather year-round and is known as the coffee capital of Laos. There are many beautiful waterfalls and opportunities to experience the lifestyle of hill tribe villages.

Traveling to Pakse is very convenient, especially if you come from Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. I have written about this in the articleTraveling from Ubon to Paksewhich provides detailed information about travel and border crossing, making cross-country travel hassle-free.

Experiences and Impressions of mr.hotsia

Playing tennis in Pakse on good courts with a skilled coach like Kru Niam made me feel like I fulfilled a long-awaited happiness. Even though I traveled far and carried my equipment for several days, hitting tennis balls under the evening lights in this small town is a memory I will never forget.

Additionally, experiencing the Lao way of life here — riding tuk-tuks to the courts, shopping at local markets, chatting with locals, and traveling to various attractions around Pakse — are all experiences I highly recommend everyone try for themselves.

For anyone wanting fun exercise in a foreign atmosphere, I, mr.hotsia, recommend trying tennis in Pakse. It will surely be another side of Laos that impresses you as much as exploring nature or culture.