French colonists brought coffee to Laos around 1915. After trials in the north, they found the south better suited.
Almost all Lao coffee now grows on the Bolaven Plateau, about 1,000 to 1,350 metres up. The plateau is named after the Laven people.
In the late 1960s it was one of the most heavily bombed areas of the war, and unexploded bombs remain a danger. The Ho Chi Minh Trail ran along its eastern edge.
The ritual
Lao coffee
How it's made. Robusta brewed strong.1
How it's served. Sweetened with condensed milk.
Field notes
What the record says
- French colonists first brought coffee plants to Laos around 1915.1
- About 95 percent of Lao coffee is harvested on the Bolaven Plateau.1
- The plateau lies at roughly 1,000 to 1,350 m between the Annamite Range and the Mekong.2
- Robusta grown at about 1,300 m on the plateau is unusually high for that species.1
- The Bolaven Plateau was one of the most heavily bombed areas of the Vietnam War, especially in the late 1960s, and unexploded ordnance remains a hazard.2
- The plateau is named for the Laven people; Alak, Katu, Taoy and Suay communities also live there.2
- Laos produces about 20,000 tons of coffee a year, roughly 15,000 tons robusta and 5,000 tons arabica.1
What we couldn't confirm
Relies on Wikipedia; Sweet Maria's library was blocked and other sources were roaster blogs. Wikipedia gives the altitude as 800 to 1,350 m in one article and 1,000 to 1,350 m in another.
Sources
- Coffee production in Laos · Wikipedia in the bibliography
- Bolaven Plateau · Wikipedia in the bibliography
