País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9 País 9
Go to Map

Coffee in Salavan
Province

A person smelling roasted coffee beans from a metal sample tray, possibly at a coffee roastery.

Salavan is characterized by rugged mountains, forested plateaus, and fertile lowlands in the northwest of the Bolaven.

Fertile volcanic soils in the highlands support the production of high-quality Arabica and Robusta coffee, making Salavan part of Laos’ premier coffee-growing region.

The tropical monsoon climate brings heavy rainfall from May to October and cooler temperatures on the plateau. 

The province is also drained by the Xe Don and Xe Bang Hieng Rivers, supporting agriculture and traditional farming practices.

The central part of Salavan province is on the Bolaven Plateau. Beyond the plateau and the Mekong River, the landscape features lowland plains and a mountainous region near the Vietnamese border.

Salavan is one of Laos’ key coffee-producing areas, alongside Champasak and Sekong. Arabica coffee from the Bolaven Plateau is a significant export product and visitors can also buy it in villages along the main roads.

Nambeng Coffee Group: Youth-led, award-winning coffee from a remote village helps to ensure quality, stable incomes, and local jobs. Photo by Nicole Motteux

Close-up of green coffee plant leaves.

Case Study – Nambeng Coffee Group

Nambeng Coffee Group is an award-winning company that partners with smallholder farmers to ensure rigorous cultivation standards. 

Close-up of a hand picking ripe red coffee cherries from a branch.
Piles of coffee cherries and green coffee beans drying on a farm
Two coffee bags labeled "NCG Coffee" with a logo of Nambeng Coffee Group, one white and one black, on a wooden surface surrounded by coffee beans, against a colorful background.

They use wet and honey processing methods to improve bean quality, and roast coffee locally for premium specialty markets.

Nambeng won the Arabica Experimental Process award at the Lao Green Coffee Competition in 2021. 

A year later, in 2022, Nambeng scored nearly 85 points for their naturally processed green beans, qualifying them to participate in the first-ever coffee auction in Laos.

They were also chosen to participate in the World of Coffee (WOC) exhibition in Greece in 2023.

Man driving a homemade tractor on a dirt road with trees in the background.

Origin highlights

Historical Beauty in Salavan

Scenic river landscape with rocks, waterfall, and lush green trees under a cloudy sky.

Tad Lo waterfalls in Bolaven Plateau

Salavan, in southern Laos, is a land of rolling hills, fertile valleys, and the three major rivers of Sekong, Sedon, and Houay Champi.

The 1,300 km2 Xe Bang Nouan National Protected Area shelters clouded leopards, elephants, black-cheeked gibbons, great hornbills and peacocks, among other species. Tad Lo and Tad Hang waterfalls make for great natural swimming pools. 

Lao, Alak, Ta Oy, and Laven ethnic communities preserve traditions through weaving and animist rituals while the Ho Chi Minh Trail remnants mark the province’s wartime past.

With its rich biodiversity and expanding coffee sector, Salavan is becoming a key player in Laos’ specialty coffee industry.