What Does Laos Coffee Taste Like? A Guide to the Bolaven Plateau

Laos rarely makes coffee headlines, yet almost every bean it grows comes from a single, rain-soaked volcanic plateau in the south of the country: the Bolaven. So what does Laos coffee taste like? Most of it is Robusta, so expect a heavy, low-acid cup with dark chocolate, roasted nut and earthy, sometimes woody notes, and more caffeine than Arabica. The smaller Arabica crop, mainly Catimor, is softer and sweeter, with milder chocolate and gentle fruit when it is well processed.

That one-line answer hides a more interesting story: a French colonial experiment, a plateau bombed during the Vietnam War, and a recovery led by smallholders. Here is the full picture.

Key takeaways

• Roughly 95 percent of Laos’s coffee is grown on the Bolaven Plateau, mostly in Champasak Province.
• Robusta dominates, at around three quarters or more of the harvest; Arabica is mostly the rust-resistant Catimor.
• The plateau sits at roughly 800 to 1,350 m, with red basaltic soil and heavy rainfall.
• French colonists introduced coffee in the 1910s; war, frost and disease set the industry back for decades.

In this article

1. What Laos coffee tastes like
2. The Bolaven Plateau
3. A short history
4. How Laos drinks its coffee
5. How to brew Lao-style coffee
6. FAQ

What does Laos coffee taste like? Robusta vs Arabica

Because the Bolaven grows two very different species, “Laos coffee” covers two distinct cups. Use this as a buyer’s guide:

Two things shape the cup beyond species. First, processing: much Lao coffee has historically been sold as commodity grade, but specialty-minded farms and cooperatives now sort and process more carefully, and those lots taste cleaner. Second, roast: Lao Robusta is often roasted dark for local drinking, which pushes it toward bitter chocolate and smoke. Roasted medium, a good Robusta can show nutty sweetness instead.

If you have only tasted Robusta in cheap instant coffee, a carefully processed one can be a surprise. Our guide to Arabica vs Robusta explains why the two species taste so different.

The Bolaven Plateau: where Laos grows its coffee

The Bolaven is a raised volcanic plateau in southern Laos. Most of it lies in Champasak Province, with its edges reaching into Salavan, Sekong and Attapeu. Several features make it coffee country:

• Altitude: roughly 800 to 1,350 m, cooler than the surrounding Mekong lowlands.
• Soil: red basaltic soil from old volcanic activity.
• Rain: abundant rainfall, which keeps trees growing without much irrigation.
• Farmers: mostly smallholders in hundreds of villages, many from Mon-Khmer groups such as the Laven, who give the plateau its name.

The market town of Paksong, on the road from Pakse, sits at the heart of the growing area. Coffee from the plateau is protected by a “Bolaven Coffee” geographical indication, held by a promotion body for local producers.

Bolaven coffee by the numbers

A short history of Lao coffee

1. 1910s: French colonists bring coffee to Laos. Early attempts in the cooler north give way to the Bolaven, with its altitude and volcanic soil.
2. World War II and after: many French plantation owners leave, and the estates decline.
3. Vietnam War era: the plateau is heavily bombed by US aircraft. Unexploded ordnance still affects the area today, a hazard farmers live with.
4. Late 20th century: Lao growers slowly rebuild the industry, battling frost, disease and low prices.
5. Recent decades: rust-resistant Catimor Arabica helps revive Arabica planting, specialty buyers start visiting, and national competitions such as the Lao Green Coffee Competition reward quality.

The pattern is familiar from other young Asian origins: commodity Robusta pays the bills while a smaller specialty segment grows. Our pieces on Yunnan coffee and Vietnamese coffee tell similar stories next door.

How Laos drinks its coffee

At home and in markets, Lao coffee is usually strong and sweet. Two styles dominate:

• Café yen (iced coffee): thick coffee brewed through a cloth or metal strainer, poured over ice with sweetened condensed milk, and often served in a plastic bag with a straw.
• 3-in-1 instant: sachets of instant coffee, creamer and sugar, hugely popular across Southeast Asia.

In Pakse, Paksong and Vientiane, a growing number of cafés and farm tours now serve single-origin Lao coffee black, which is the best way to taste the Arabica side of the plateau.

How to brew Lao-style coffee at home

You do not need Lao beans to try the style. Any heavy-bodied, low-acid coffee with some Robusta works:

1. Use a fine-to-medium grind and a strong ratio, about 1 part coffee to 8 to 10 parts water.
2. Brew in a sock filter, phin, moka pot or as a short French press.
3. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk into a tall glass.
4. Pour the hot coffee over it, stir, then fill with ice.

For a dairy-free version, use sweetened condensed coconut milk or oat milk with a little sugar.

Coffees with a similar character

We do not currently sell a Lao single origin, but you can taste the same family of flavors. Our Robusta from West Java is full-bodied with cacao, Brazil nut and malt notes, and naturally higher in caffeine: ideal for the condensed-milk recipe above. Asian Plateau Blend brings together coffees of Southeast Asia for a heavy body and herbal notes. Both are roasted 1 to 5 days before delivery.

Laos coffee FAQ

Is Laos coffee Arabica or Robusta?

Mostly Robusta, around three quarters or more of the harvest. Arabica, largely Catimor, makes up the rest.

Where is coffee grown in Laos?

About 95 percent comes from the Bolaven Plateau in the south, mainly in Champasak Province around Paksong.

Is Laos coffee good?

It ranges widely. Commodity Robusta is mainly used in blends and instant coffee, while carefully processed lots, including some prize-winning ones, can be excellent.

When did coffee come to Laos?

French colonists introduced it in the 1910s, around 1915 according to most accounts.

Can you visit Lao coffee farms?

Yes. Farm tours run around Paksong and the Bolaven waterfalls. Our guide to coffee farm tours has tips for visiting any origin.

Sources

1. Coffee production in Laos, Wikipedia.
2. Bolaven Plateau, Wikipedia.
3. LAK40: Bolaven Coffee and Paksong Tea produced in Laos, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) IP Advantage.
4. The rich history of Lao coffee, Culture Trip.

Facts checked in October 2026.

Keep reading: Arabica vs Robusta · Vietnamese iced coffee · Blends