Laos · Coffee Growing Region
Bolaven Plateau Coffee
The Bolaven Plateau is Laos's coffee heartland — an ancient volcanic caldera in Champasak Province whose deep basalt soils, cool highland climate, and reliable dry harvest season produce nearly all of the country's specialty coffee. French colonists planted the first trees here in the 1920s, and smallholder families have farmed the red earth ever since.
The plateau's defining feature is altitude spread: Robusta occupies the 700–1,000 m band (extreme for the species, and the reason Lao Fine Robusta cups so cleanly), while Arabica — mostly Catimor with surviving Typica stands — grows from 1,000 m to the plateau rim. Paksong town is the trading and processing hub, and washing stations built over the past two decades have transformed quality.
Bolaven Plateau at a glance
| Country | Laos |
|---|---|
| Growing altitude | 800–1,350 m |
| Harvest season | October – February |
| Known for | Volcanic-soil Arabica and Asia's leading washed Fine Robusta |
| Cup profile | Chocolate, brown sugar, and mild citrus in Arabica; dark chocolate and malt in washed Robusta — round body, gentle acidity. |
Varieties grown in Bolaven Plateau
Processing in Bolaven Plateau
Bolaven Plateau — frequently asked questions
Why is Bolaven Plateau coffee special?
It combines volcanic basalt soil, high altitude, cool nights, and a dry harvest window — the same fundamentals behind Central America's famous volcanic origins, at Southeast Asian latitudes. The result is unusually sweet, clean coffee for the region, in both Arabica and Robusta.
What coffee grows on the Bolaven Plateau?
Roughly 80% Robusta (much of it processed to Fine Robusta standards) and 20% Arabica, dominated by rust-resistant Catimor with older Typica plots. Washed, natural, and honey processing are all practiced.
Volcana Coffee grows and exports specialty Arabica and Fine Robusta from our own region — the Bolaven Plateau in Laos — with SGS-inspected quality and full export documentation. Taste how our volcanic terroir compares.
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