Coffee grows mainly on the Bolaven Plateau in the south, where robusta outweighs arabica. Lao arabica is described as medium-bodied with mild citrus.
Laos grows most of its coffee on the Bolaven Plateau in Champasak Province, at roughly 1,000 to 1,350 m. The French introduced coffee around 1915, planting arabica, robusta and liberica. Robusta makes up most of the harvest, with about 15,000 of roughly 20,000 tons in one estimate, and arabica is described as medium-bodied with mild citrus and floral tones. Smallholders deliver cherries to collective wet processing centers, and the government has encouraged more arabica planting because it sells for more.
History
French colonists introduced coffee to Laos around 1915 and found the south best suited to plantations, planting arabica, robusta and liberica. Production declined during the war years and later recovered. The government has encouraged more arabica planting because it yields a higher price.
Field notes
- i
About 95% of Lao coffee is harvested on the Bolaven Plateau, according to one source.
- ii
Laos grows robusta at unusually high altitude, around 1,300 m.
- iii
The French planted arabica, robusta and liberica in Laos, and the first coffee plants arrived around 1915.
Where it growsCoffee is grown mainly on the Bolaven Plateau at about 15 degrees north, at roughly 1,000 to 1,350 m.
In the cup, according to guides
- CitrusOften notedLao arabica is described as having mild citrus tones.
- FloralOften notedThe same description mentions floral tones alongside medium body.
Regions of Laos
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Volcanic highland plateau in Champasak Province, about 1,000 to 1,350 m, producing both robusta and arabica.
Paksong
How it is usually processed
Sources · 3 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-11. Some details here are less settled than others.
- Coffee production in Laos · Wikimedia Foundation
- Bolaven Plateau · Wikimedia Foundation
- Coffee: World Markets and Trade (July 2026) · USDA Foreign Agricultural Service