Coffin caves have previously been reported in the archaeological literature, for most countries within Southeast Asia, with the notable exception of Laos. This presentation focuses on the first stage of a research project which addresses this knowledge gap, by examining coffin caves throughout Laos, starting in the south of the country. The southernmost coffin caves found in Laos are located in the highlands of the volcanic Bolaven Plateau. Located near the south-eastern escarpment of the plateau, in Champasak Province, is a large rockshelter containing seven simple wooden coffins, without any sculpture. Although this site is heavily disturbed, numerous bones and artefacts have been identified, including black fired and burnished earthenware with rice temper. In the northern foothills of the Bolaven Plateau, 50 km away in Salavan Province, is Tham Saen Kham, a small rockshelter containing a single coffin, with head sculpture resembling an animal. Although the rockshelter is small, at least six individuals are contained in the one coffin. Numerous artefacts were also been interred with these bones, including Chinese trade porcelain. In Khammouane Province, 200 km further north, is a large limestone cave, containing the disturbed remains of similar coffin burials. Numerous ceramic artefacts were found at the site, including an incised and impressed bowl which closely resembles early Ban Chiang style. Despite a total separation of over 250 km and vastly different geology, from large caves set in limestone karst, to small sandstone rockshelters, some remarkable similarities between the coffin caves were observed. Most notably, each coffin cave had a west by northwest aspect, directly overlooking a flat plain with permanent water source between 450 and 500 metres away. The authors are currently comparing these sites to coffin caves in the north of Laos and those published from elsewhere in Southeast Asia.