Guide to the Rock Viewpoint: An Overview
This Rock Viewpoint Guide will tell you everything you need to know about the adventure activities provided here, what is best for you, food, lodging, and much more! We won’t say the viewpoint alone is the peak of the Thakhek Loop, but the activities here certainly are. While significantly more expensive than other activities on the Thakhek Loop, the zip lining and climbing the via ferrata course is a once in a lifetime experience. The amazing views of the limestone forest everywhere you look makes this something you will not want to miss. If you’re doing the Thakhek Loop, visiting Kong Lor cave, or just in the area, make sure to add this to your Laos itinerary!
Check out our complete guide to the Thakhek Loop!
Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
Safety Wing’s Nomad Insurance is how we travel knowing that if something bad were to happen to us, we’d be protected. They cover medical assistance if you get sick or get into an accident which gives us peace of mind while on the road. In addition to medical benefits, they also cover lost baggage, travel delays, and even evacuation from political and environmental dangers! They have additional add-on coverage for non-US residents for extreme adventure activities, electronics theft, and US coverage. This is a must-have for every long-term traveler!
Activities at the Rock Viewpoint
The Rock Viewpoint has three different zipline tour length options; we go over them in detail in the next section. The longest zipline offered here is 480 meters, although there are many ziplines that are over 300 meters long. Two guides will accompany you for each activity to make sure you are safe and have a great time, and they’ll also provide water at various stopping points. We can’t say enough good things about our guides and everyone at Green Discovery Laos for making such a professional and enjoyable experience. If you want to just visit the Rock Viewpoint lookout and restaurant and not do any ziplining, you can do this for 50,000 Kip. Let’s get into the activities at The Rock!
Types of Tours
The Rock Viewpoint offers a variety of zipline activities to fit any time constraint and/or budget.
| Time Duration | Difficulty | Cost | Activities | |
| The Highlights | 2 Hours | Low | $30 | – 5 Ziplines, one of them being 480 meters long – Cross a hanging rope bridge – Cross the only spider net bridge in Laos – Climb a small Via Ferrata Circuit – Do a 15-minute, 600 meter hike |
| Half Day Tour | 4-5 Hours | Medium | $120 | – 12 zip lines – Cross a hanging rope bridge – Cross the only spider net bridge in Laos – Cross a suspended bridge – Climb various rigorous Via Ferrata Circuits – Do a 15-minute, 600 meter hike |
| Full Day Tour | 7-8 Hours | Hard | $180 | – 15 Zip Lines – Cross a hanging rope bridge – Cross the only spider net bridge in Laos – Cross a suspended bridge – Climb various rigorous Via Ferrata Courses – Rappelling/Abseiling for 30 meters – Trekking 50 meters through a cave – 2130 meters of trekking through canopies in the Limestone forests – Lunch is included |
The following prices are outdated, but the courses are still accurate!
Which Activity is Best For You?
The Rock Highlights is a great activity that almost everyone can enjoy. The hardest part is a quick but steep Via Ferrata circuit. This quickly gets more intense if you choose the Half or Full Day Tours. We highly recommend doing the longest tour you can fit into your schedule, as the combination of these activities will make this a day to remember. We did the Half Day Tour, which was amazing, the only downside is that this experience will be extremely hard to top!
Book your Zipline Adventure through Green Discovery
When is the Best Time to Visit?
The best time of year to enjoy the Rock Viewpoint is from November to February. During this time, the weather will be dry and perfect for enjoying outdoor activities. Though the dry season extends all the way until May, we don’t recommend visiting Laos from March to May because it gets extremely hot during that time.
In terms of time of day, we recommend getting to the Rock Viewpoint when it opens (8 am). Getting an early start is always best in Laos because the temperatures can get very high midday.
How to Book Activities at The Rock
We highly recommend booking in advance via their website: Green Discovery. However, if you aren’t able to book in advance, you may be able to book the day of. We were walk ins and they were able to get us started right away, but this may not always be the case based on how busy it is. Get there as early as possible!
The Khob Chai Deu Restaurant
We’d be satisfied with any quality of food while looking at the majestic limestone forest. However, lucky for us, the food was great and had super reasonable pricing. They even gave us our drinks free because we did the Half-Day Activity. They also have a coffee/alcohol bar with some of the more flavorful coffee we’ve had in Laos. The deck space as well as the indoor seating was plentiful which is great for accommodating the many travelers that were here by midday.
The Rock Lodge at Phouphamarn
We highly recommend staying on the Rock Viewpoint property – we saw these tiny cylindrical bungalows and immediately wished we had stayed here. They have porches with beautiful views overlooking the limestone forest, and there’s even two massive tree houses you can stay in. When we were here, they didn’t have their availability up on Booking.com, but you can book this on Agoda!
How to Get to the Rock Viewpoint
The easiest way to get to The Rock Viewpoint is via your own motorbike or rental car. However, you can also get here by paying for a private Songthaew (pickup tuk-tuk) if you’re in the area. To get to the Rock Viewpoint area without a motorbike or car, you’ll need to take a bus. Here are four popular options:
- Vientiane to Kong Lor Bus: You can take the 10 am bus from the south Vientiane bus station to Kong Lor, which will drive past The Rock Viewpoint. This bus costs around 160k Kip ($8 USD) and takes around 7 hours.
- Two Earlier Buses from Vientiane: You can take the 5 am, 6 am, or 7 am bus heading to Lak Sao which will drive right past The Rock Viewpoint. This bus takes around 7 hours and costs 160k Kip ($8 USD).
- Two Buses From Thakhek: At the Inter Provincial Bus Station, ask for a ticket to Vieng Kham on any bus going north that will get you to Vieng Kham before 2 pm. Then tell the driver you’ll be getting off in Vieng Kham, and wait at this market for the 2 pm bus to Na Hin. You shouldn’t pay more than 20k for this second bus.
- Two Buses From Kong Lor: You can take the 7 AM bus from Kong Lor headed towards Vientiane but get off at the Na Hin Bus Station and take the 8:30 am bus towards Thakhek. This bus will pass The Rock Viewpoint within 15 minutes and cost a maximum of 20k Kip ($1 USD).
All of these bus options will get you right near The Rock Viewpoint. If you’re staying on the property, you can just ask to be dropped off right there. Otherwise, use the buses to get to your accommodation destination, and organize a tuk tuk to get to The Rock Viewpoint (if you ask your hosts, they’ll likely be very helpful).
When leaving the Rock Viewpoint, you can ask them to flag down the driver to take you to your next destination.
Other Activities Near The Rock Viewpoint
- Spend the day at Kong Lor Cave, one of the best stops on the Thakhek Loop!
- Explore Tham Nam Non Cave, most of which is still undiscovered.
- Kayak the Nam Hinboun River (organized by the Spring River Resort).
- Green Discovery Laos also offers tours like kayaking Kong Lor Cave, which seems amazing
- Hike to the Nam Sanam Waterfall: This 3 hour hike is best in or shortly after wet season
Read our Guide to Visiting Kong Lor Cave!
Keep Exploring Laos…
- The Ultimate Guide To The Thakhek Loop: All You Need To Know Before You Go
- Kong Lor Cave Guide: Everything You Need To Know Before Going
- Vientiane: The Best Things to Do in Laos’ Capital
- The Best Things to Do in Luang Prabang
- Ultimate Guide to the Kuang Si Waterfalls: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
- Amazing Things to Do in Nong Khiaw
- The Best Things to Do in Vang Vieng
Traveling Southeast Asia? Check Out These All-Inclusive Trips
- Southeast Asia Highlights: 18 days including Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia
- Exploring Thailand: 15 days including the cultural north and islands of the south
- Laos to Northern Thailand: 14 days of culture, trekking, and delicious food
- Discover Cambodia: 9 days including Ho Chi Minh City, Cambodia, and Bangkok
- 8 Days in Southern Thailand: Koh Samui, Khao Sok, Krabi and Bangkok
- Indonesia Highlights: 22 days including Java, Bali and Lombok
- Vietnam Highlights: 11 days including Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, & More!
- Jungle Hikes and Island Nights: 14 days including South Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore
- Wanderlust Sailing: 7 days sailing through South Thailand
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
