Lying between the Annamite Mountains and Mekong River in the far south of Laos, the Bolaven Plateau ranks among the most remote and beautiful corners of Indochina. A lush, fertile upland filled with waterfalls, spice plantations, cardamom and coffee groves, it was originally developed in the 1900s by the French, who appreciated the region’s temperate climate. Ethnic minority people make up the majority of its scattered population today. Dominant among these are the Laven (whence the plateau’s name), whose villages, along with a couple of spectacular waterfalls, provide the focus for day visits to the region.