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Savannakhet is the most populous province in Laos and regarded as a very active place for communication and commerce between Thailand and Vietnam (via Vietnamese border town of Lao Bao). Most people living in the province are Lao Lum, Thai Dam, Phu Thai, some of the Mon-Khmer groups.

Savannakhet town is on the banks of the Mekong River opposite Mukdahan town in Thailand. Most parts of the province are low land with some agriculture plots in the north and east of Savannakhet city.

Best time to visit

The dry season between November and March is the best time of the year to visit Savannakhet. Temperatures are usually a bit cooler and walking around the old town is more pleasant. Don’t forget to put a jumper in your bag for the nighttime especially if travelling in December and January. 

The rainy season starts at the end of April and goes on until October, with August being the worst month to visit.

If you’re travelling during mid-October at the end of the rainy season, don’t miss the annual racing boat festival. Held simultaneously on both the Lao and Thai banks of the Mekong, it is a celebration of the importance of the river in the city life. Ceremonies, contests and boats parade go on for several days.

Check the below table for the general idea of Savannakhet weather throughout the year.

Month Avg. High (°C) Avg. Mean (°C) Avg. Low (°C)
Jan 28.7 21.9 14.5
Feb 32.2 25.6 18.1
Mar 34.2 28.3 21.5
Apr 35.1 29.6 23.6
May 33.6 29.2 24.5
Jun 32.8 28.9 25
Jul 31.6 28.1 24.7
Aug 31.2 27.8 24.4
Sep 31.3 27.6 23.9
Oct 31 26.7 21.7
Nov 30.8 25.7 19.6
Dec 29.3 23.3 16.2

Savannakhet's current weather and 7-day forecast

SAVANNAKHET WEATHER

Historic Downtown Savannakhet

A half-day walking tour of town winds past 19 points of interest including the home of Lao PDR’s first prime minister Kaysone Phomvihane, the 16th century Vat Xaiyaphoum, the Dinosaur Museum, Saint Theresa Catholic Church, and plenty of French colonial structures.

Start at the residence of Kaysone Phomvihane, who was born and raised in Savannakhet. Kaysone met Ho Chi Minh while studying in Hanoi. He went on to become one of the co-founders of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and a leader of the Pathet Lao armed forces.

Stop at Vat Xaiyaphoum, Savannakhet’s oldest Buddhist temple. Originally constructed in 1542, near the Mekong River during the reign of King Saysethatirath, today’s structures were rebuilt in 1906, but maintain their original architectural style.

Learn all about this distinct province at the Savannakhet Provincial Museum, located in a renovated colonial administrative building on the town’s south side. Inside, you’ll find a collection of the province’s natural, ethnological, historical, and revolutionary artefacts.

Don’t miss the Dinosaur Museum and its displays of Savannakhet’s pre-history including dinosaur bones, fossils and meteorite fragments. The collection was started in 1936, when French geologist Josué Heilman Hoffet discovered fossilized dinosaur bones about 120 kilometres east of town. In 1990, a joint Lao-French team rediscovered Hoffet’s site and uncovered more remains in the Ban Tangvai area.

Other must-see attractions in Downtown Savannakhet include:

  • Talat Yen Plaza and its surrounding French colonial structures
  • Lao Chaleun Theatre’s Art Deco façade
  • Soumpholphakdy House, the Art Deco residence of a French officer
  • Sala Savanh Guest House, the former Thai Consulate built in 1926
  • Saint Theresa Catholic Church at Talat Yen Plaza, built in the 1920s
  • The Deer House, an excellent example of a French colonial house

Savannakhet Outskirts

Tackle this one-day circuit by car or van, tuk tuk, motorbike, or bicycle, and visit That Ing Hang Stupa, Dong Natad Protected Area, Nong Lom and Bungva Lakes, the Phonsim ruins, and Phonsim Turtle Lake.

Savannakhet’s most sacred site, That Ing Hang, headlines the circuit’s attractions. Some say Indian King Asoka created a monument in 225 BC to sanctify the site where Buddha is believed to have delivered a sermon. It is also thought that the Phathat (funeral reliquary) houses parts of Buddha’s spine.

Research shows that a Mon Empire king erected a stupa there 1,500 years ago. This smaller monument and area surrounding it was enlarged by King Saysethatirath in the 16th century. In 1930, a 9-meter-tall, three-tiered stucco stupa was constructed in Lane Xang style with the upper level symbolizing a lotus.

Just east of That Ing Hang is Ban Phonsim, with a short trail to the ruins of the original Phonsim settlement. The foundations of a pagoda and the town wall sit atop a hill surrounded by bamboo forest.

A 3-km trail continues to Phonsim Turtle Lake, originally constructed to irrigate rice paddies. You can see beautiful lotus blooms, buffaloes bathing, and migratory birds, but unfortunately the turtles have vanished.

About 6 km south, stop at Bungva Lake to relax in one of the shoreline gazebos and enjoy a beautiful view of the surrounding rice fields.

Located about 2 km from That Ing Hang, the Dong Natad Protected Area presents an ancient forest of towering trees where traditional forest products such as honey and plants are collected for food and medicine. You can see locals extracting nyang oil from trees to fuel torches that light their homes.

In the centre of Dong Natad is the legendary Nong Lom Lake, which can easily be reached on a 3-km nature trail. On the way, you can observe birds, butterflies, rare plants, and traditional village life.

Further west in Ban Nateuy village, where natural salt is produced from the ground water which is saltier than seawater.

Champone Loop

This one-or-two-day circuit takes in the Hotay Pidok Library with thousands of ancient palm-leaf manuscripts, the sacred Monkey Forest with countless simians, Turtle Lake with enchanted turtles, and Soui Lake’s distinct irrigation system.

Begin your investigation of Champone at the Hotay Pidok Library, the country’s most important repository of palm leaf books written in ancient Lao, Burmese, Pali, and Khmer. Originally constructed in the late 18th century, the library houses some 4,000 books containing 361 different stories, which are kept in good condition by monks and locals.

From here, a 3-km trail leads to the Sacred Monkey Forest, with more than 3,000 of the mischief-making primates inhabiting the 3-hectare reserve. To meet the monkeys, offer them food while walking along the trail. The monkeys can also be spotted feeding at one of the forest’s many spirit houses, where locals place food to make merit. Many animals make their home at the forest’s temple, where monks care for them.

Next, travel 8 km west to Soui Lake and its stepped irrigation dam and small islands, where villagers catch fish and snails during the dry season. You can taste these and other local foods while viewing lotus blooms and migratory birds such as white storks.

Drive to Turtle Lake, where legendary resident ghosts are kept from harming the turtles by the natural lake’s spirit house. The turtles are of different sizes and ages, and local children are experts at luring them from the depths with food.

A 7-km ride north reaches the Taleo Old Temple just outside Ban Taleo Gnai. The early 20th century structure resembles a Catholic church with a Buddha statue in its alcove. Inside colourful murals recount the history of the temple and Buddha. American bombing in 1969 took its toll on many of the surrounding buildings, but the main temple remains intact.

Here is our Xe Champhone Loop travel guide

Mekong River South

Take this 1-day circuit to explore an area with a long history of diverse civilizations. Among the stops are That Phonh Stupa, Huean Hin ancient Khmer rest house, traditional Phouthai cotton-weaving villages, and Kong Phanang’s unusual rock formations.

Begin your adventure at That Phonh stupa, where Buddha is said to have passed after leaving That Ing Hang. According to legend, he took only one step to reach the sacred spot, which is more than 40 km away. It is believed That Phonh was erected between 557 and 700 AD, and then reconstructed in the 16th century.

Just before the turnoff to That Phonh, Vat Sisaket and Palm Garden present the typical palm-tree and rice-paddy landscape of the area.

Continue to the Laha group of Phouthai weaving villages, and watch them hand-spin and naturally dye cotton textiles in traditional and modern styles. This community sends its high-quality crafts to markets in nearby Pakxong and Vientiane. Some can be found in museum collections worldwide.

About 7 km away in Ban Lahakok, visit the square-shaped That Oumoung stupa, which was built between 1940 and 1950, and resembles That Ing Hang. The monument is topped with very unique ornamentation inspired by the banana flower. Further south on Route 13 sits the legendary Tham Phaseng caves.

Along the Mekong, you’ll find Heuan Hin (Stone House), which is believed to be one of 121 stone rest houses constructed by Jayavarman VII (1181-1218) along the roads that connected all corners of the Khmer empire. The Mekong riverside structure is in ruins but well worth a visit.

The Kong Phanang Panorama presents one of the Mekong’s many natural wonders. Massive rocks jut from the river to create scores of mini-islands, with more than 10 caves at nearby Tham Pulan. Some believe that centuries ago, the area’s earliest inhabitants used these huge stones as construction materials. During the dry season, a walking path leads to an excellent view of this amazing natural site.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

Explore this well-known wartime transport route on a multi-day tour. Walk branches of the legendary trail on a trek through protected forests and see ruins of the Prince Souphanouvong Bridge destroyed by war-time bombing. Venture to Vilabouly’s Stone Pillars and the new Lao-Viet Commemorative War Museum at Ban Dong in Sepon.

Inspect the remnants of the Prince Souphanouvong Bridge, the target of 1968 US air raids, in Ban Tad Hay. Named after a founder of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the first president of the Lao PDR, Prince Souphanouvong designed and supervised the construction of this bridge crossing the Xe Bang Hieng River in 1942.

Located 3 km upriver, check out the rocky Sammateak Rapids, an ideal area for swimming, rafting, and kayaking. Along the riverside, craters left by aerial bombing can be seen. On the way to Tad Hay Village, about 5 km south of Phine, there is an excellent panoramic view of the area.

Visit the new Lao-Viet Commemorative War Museum and its display of battle memorabilia such as tanks, guns, bombs, and other weapons, as well as photos of soldiers and villagers. Local history experts, who have a first-hand knowledge of the fighting, were consulted on the design and content of the exhibition.

A few kilometres past the museum is the Lam Son 719 battlefield, the site of a decisive 1971 confrontation during the Indochina War, This was the only land-battle in Laos that the US Army supported by supplying tanks and other ground support to the South Vietnamese troops. Despite this support, the South Vietnamese lost the battle and recorded heavy casualties. Nearby, see the suspended cable bridge that was once part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

During the dry season (November-April), visitors can observe dinosaur footprints on the Xe Xang Soi riverbed at Phalanxay, about 100 km east of Savannakhet Town on Route 9.

Stop in the Phouthai Lao Silk-Cotton Weaving Centre at Ban Nong Kadaeng near Vilabouly Town in the mountainous east. Here, the descendants of the original Phouthai settlers continue to produce traditional cotton and silk hand-woven products.

About 18 km from Vilabouly, visit That Nang Lao stupa, which houses the remains of a Phouthai princess who was sent by her husband Prince Anouvong (1805-1828) to govern the local Phouthai people. Visitors to Vilabouly Town can also view a gold mine a few kilometres east of town.

Watch the Phouthai women in Ban Non Yang near Phine brew traditional rice alcohol, which is available for sale. Some make a special brew infused with herbs that is said to have the same effect as Viagra.

Meet ethnic Bru, Tri, and Katang women in remote Nong District as they weave distinctive textiles with highly complex patterns. If you don’t have time to visit the weaving villages, purchase a textile at the Craft Centre in Phine or the ODOP Centre in Savannakhet Town.

Easily accessed from Route 9 in an area that was once part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Tad Salene Waterfall drops 80 metres in densely forested setting. Craters caused by bombing during the war can be seen along the way, as can locals cultivating fruits and coffee.

Nearby, Ban Sepon Kao (Old Sepon) sits on the bank of the Xe Bang Hieng River on Route 9 just east of present-day Sepon Town. The old village retains an atmosphere of days gone by. From Old Sepon, trekkers can hike the 10-km trail to the Sakhoe Waterfall and from there to Salene Waterfall. Another 8-km branch of the trail leads to the Sadee Waterfall.

The towering Stone Pillars, a natural geological wonder, rise in the deep jungle, yet are easily accessed via a dirt road that was once a section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail linking Vilabouly Town to Khammouane Province. Here, you can become familiar with the Trail’s rugged terrain.

Phalong Waterfall is located 20 km south of Vilabouly in Phou Xang Hae National Protected Area (NPA) and is easily accessible from Route 28A. Trekking and homestays in the NPA are available during the dry season.

1. That Phon Festival (Boun Pha That Phonh). 

A festival lasting three days and three nights, held on the full moon in February at That Phon, a sacred stupa in Phon Village. There are different exhibitions of traditional goods, sports, dance, songs. Local people offer rice balls to the stupa and local monks. 

2. Heuan Hin Festival (Boun Heuan Hin). 

A festival held at Heuan Hin ("Stone House") in the middle of March, another important sacred place, dating back to the Khmer Empire. This annual festival is organised to respect ancestors. As part of the ceremony, Buddhist monks make offerings to the persons that built the Stone House. Visitors enjoy shopping of local products. At night there is a traditional dance called lamvong, where men and women dance together in a big circle. 

3. Lao New Year Festival (Boun Pee Mai Lao). 

This festival is held all over Laos, from 14-16 April. It aims at seeing out the old year and welcoming the new year. The biggest festivals are held in the city. There is a Miss Lao New Year contest; the winner parades through the town on the back of an artificial animal. Some families organise baci ceremonies, big arches made of rice plants in order to show their respect to the earth and sky spirits as well as to the land spirits who facilitate rice production. People splash or pour fragrant water with flowers on passersby, to wash bad things out of their bodies. 

4. Rocket Festival (55 km from Savannakhet).

Bounpavet (Elephant Parade) and Boun Bangfai (Rocket Festival) are held in Champhone District at the end of April to early May. There are many activities including traditional dancing, artificial elephant and horse riding and men wearing traditional Lao women clothes and cosmetics. Each village prepares a rocket and a rocket competition is held. The village with the highest rocket launch, wins. This competition is held for showing appreciation to the Payathan, deities who give rain for successful agriculture.

5. Boat Racing Festival (Boun Suang Heua). 

Annually organised to express people's appreciation to the Mekong River as the source of life. It is held in mid-October, on the last full moon of Buddhist Lent (rains retreat). The ceremonies take place at the Mekong River bank and each temple. Vat Xayaphoum is the main temple. People make Kathin offerings to the temples and temple parades and traditional dances are being organized. Long boats, made out of bamboo and banana trees, are filled with offerings like cakes, foods, flowers and candles. On the first day around 11:00, a boat racing ceremony starts at the river bank. Prior to this race, Lao and Thai river banks welcome each others boats. 

6. Ing Hang Stupa Festival (Boun Pha That Ing Hang). 

In December, is visited by people from all over Laos and Thailand. This festival is organized to show respect to Buddha and the people who built the stupa. People make offerings, Khanmarkbeng, bringing flowers and small towers made of banana leaves. Nuns who are around the stupa are available to give blessings by tying cotton strings around visitor's wrists.

Savannakhet’s accommodation scene has greatly improved over the years and independent travellers are spoiled for choice, with guesthouses offering good value, modern comforts and friendly service despite the fact that most “tourists” are in town for the bare minimum to grab a Thai visa.

Budget options

1. Eden Residence 

Adress: Ban Sounantha, 01300 Savannakhet, Laos

Eden Residence provides accommodation in Savannakhet. The accommodation features a 24-hour front desk and room service for guests. At the hotel, the rooms have air conditioning and a flat-screen TV.

2. Vanpila 

Adress: 12 thameuang, 01300 Savannakhet, Laos

Situated in Savannakhet, 10 km from Thai - Laos Friendship Bridge 2, Vanpila features accommodation with free WiFi, air conditioning and access to a garden with a terrace.

Guests can also relax in the shared lounge area.

3. Avalon residence2

Adress: Viseth rd Ban Sounantha, Kaysone District, 85620 Savannakhet, Laos

Set in Savannakhet, avalon residence2 is 9 km from Thai - Laos Friendship Bridge 2. Boasting family rooms, this property also provides guests with a terrace. There is an outdoor pool and guests can make use of free WiFi and free private parking.

All guest rooms in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV. At avalon residence2 all rooms include air conditioning and a private bathroom.

Guests at the accommodation can enjoy a à la carte or an American breakfast.

Mid-range options

1. Avalon Residence 

Adress: Sisavangvong Rd, Ban Sounantha, Kaysone District, Savannakhet Province, Laos, 85620 Savannakhet, Laos
Avalon Residence is located in Savannakhet. It offers air conditioned rooms with free WiFi. The property features a 24-hour front desk, airport shuttle and luggage storage.

The property is 3.6 km from Thai - Laos Friendship Bridge 2.

All rooms come with a refrigerator and safety deposit box. They also come with a satellite TV and en suite bathroom.

Some rooms have a microwave oven.

Guests can enjoy coffee and tea at the hotel’s coffeeshop.

2. Daosavanh Resort & Spa Hotel 

Adress: Ban Thahea Kaisonephomvihan District, Savannakhet Province Lao, 06000 Savannakhet, Laos

Daosavanh Resort & Spa Hotel is a 3-minute walk from Khong River. It offers air-conditioned rooms with free Wi-Fi. The hotel is equipped with a pool, fitness centre and spa.

The hotel is a 10-minute drive to 2nd Thai - Laos Friendship Bridge. It is a 15-minute drive from Savannakhet Airport.

Rooms are fitted with a satellite TV and safety deposit box. Free toiletries, hairdryer and shower are included in an en suite bathroom.

Guests can enjoy local and international dishes at Champasavanh Restaurant daily between 06:00-23:00 hrs.

3. Savan Resorts 

Adress: Nongdeune Village ,Kaisone Phomvihan , Savannakhet Lao PDR, 06000 Savannakhet, Laos

Savan Resorts is a 10-minute drive from Savannakhet Airport. Offering comfortable rooms, the hotel features a casino as well as meeting facilities and free Wi-Fi. Mekong River is a 15-minute ride away.

Rooms at Savan Resorts are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV and a fridge. En suite bathrooms are fitted with a bathtub and shower facilities.

Guests can enjoy pampering massage treatments at the spa. For convenience, a 24-hour reception service is provided.

A varied breakfast buffet as well as lunch and dinner are served at Romsai Restaurant.

For such a small city, Savannakhet has an unexpected number of good places to eat. Visitors won’t go hungry and expect to indulge in a mix of Lao, Thai, Asian and Western fare.

Here are some of our suggestions:

Dolly's Café (formerly Cafe Anakot, Cafe Chai Dee)

Adress: Ratsavongseuk Rd (Near the Catholic church). 

Opening hours: 08:30-21:00. 

Budget: 5,000-37,000 kip.

Menu: Japanese, Lao, and Western food, with a unique selection of smoothies, tea and fresh juices. Good choice for vegetarians. 

Offers book exchange, guidebooks, Wi-Fi and handicrafts. English speaking staff. 

Lin's Café

Adress: Latsaphanit rd, 100 m north of Plaza (old central square)

Opening hours: 08:30-20:00. 

Budget: 8-30,000 kip. 

Menu: Local, Japanese, and Western food. Original organic Lao coffee (served hot or iced), fruit shakes, pastas, vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. 

Free Wi-Fi, free tourist information. Book exchange, bicycles for rent, handicraft souvenirs, Lao cooking classes (upon request). Quiet place, great service, friendly English speaking staff. 

Sabaidee Restaurant

Adress: Ratsavongseuk Rd (At Old Market). 

Opening hours: 07:00-23:00. 

Budget: 10,000-50,000 kip

Menu: One of the bigger restaurants in town that serves a good mix of Lao and Western food. 

Very attentive staff. Popular place for local people to have dinner and a few Beerlaos. Can be quite busy and noisy. 

Dao Savanh Restaurant

Adress: Off Khantabuli Rd near the courtyard in front of the Catholic church. 

Menu: French cuisine. Serves both lunch and dinner meals for a reasonable price. The 3 course "Menu Dejeuner" for lunch (around 65,000 kip) is absolutely scrumptious, and a larger dinner menu includes entrees from 100,000-300,000 kip. The ultimate decadent dish (with a hefty price) is the 1 kg imported fresh lobster flambéed in whisky for 1,000,000 kip. 

The staff are very attentive and all the dishes are presented in an excellent manner. Possibly the epitome of fine French dining in Laos.

Get in

By plane

Savannakhet has an 1 airport (ZVK) not far from downtown. Lao Airlines which is the only domestic Laos carrier, runs some direct flights from and to Vientiane. Vientiane can also be reached by flying via Pakse, a trip that totally takes 2½ hours. One way to Vientiane costs around US$110. Round trips with Lao Airlines are not much less than double the one-way fare.

•    The only domestic direct flight is to Pakse. It leaves Savannakhet at 15:00 and arrives at 15:35 three days a week, Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. On the same days there are flights from Pakse to Savannakhet, leaving at 09:25 and arriving at 10:00. Schedules might change suddenly, so contact Lao Airlines in advance. There are also flights to Vientiane.

•    On Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, Lao Airlines offers direct flights from/to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), taking 2 hours and 20 minutes, leaving Savannakhet at 10:40. Flights from Bangkok leave at 13:00. One way trip costs around US$115, a round trip twice that amount.

Contact us for the latest flight schedule and price. Or you can check via some online platform such as SkyScanner.com or Kayak.com

Here you can find some tips to book the cheapest flight

By bus

Bus service from Vientiane to Savannakhet. 

For the time being it is the only way to practically get to Savannakhet from the capital. It is a 9-hour bus journey on a newly paved road. While the journey is long, it is an excellent way to see the local villages and lush countryside of Laos. Buses from Vientiane to Pakse, often stop in Savannakhet. There are two different types of buses that service the route from/to Vientiane:

•    Local bus 

These public bus leave Vientiane and Savannakhet throughout the morning, and make lots of stops to get passengers and goods. Takes approximately 9 hours, costs 75,000 kip one way. A genuine Lao experience.

•    VIP Bus 

Much like the local bus, but there are fewer stops, assigned seats, there is a toilet and all-important air conditioning. Less frequent and costs more, but well worth it. This is a night bus. Travel time is approximately 8 hours as the bus doesn't exceed 65 km/h. There are two types of night buses: one with bunk beds (120,000 kip) and one with seats (110,000 kip). Each bunk bed accommodates two people. Highly recommended you buy out the space next to you if you are travelling alone or are travelling in odd numbered groups as you will be sleeping next to a stranger in a twin-sized bed.

There are also local buses from and to:

•    Tha Khaek (30,000 kip, 2-3 hours)

•    Pakse (35,000 kip, 5 hours)

•    Si Phan Don (75,000 kip, 7 hours)

•    There are direct local buses from and to less travelled domestic destinations, such as Sekong (60,000 kip, 5 hours), Salavan (60,000 kip, 8 hours), Attapeu (70,000 kip, 10 hours) and Sepon (40,000 kip, 4-5 hours).

International

•    The Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge across the Mekong to Mukdahan, Thailand opened to the public in 2007. There is a regular bus service between Mukdahan and Savannakhet, with departures approximately once an hour. A one-way trip between Savannakhet and Mukdahan costs 50 baht/14,000 kip. In case you have to process a visa at the Laos immigration, the bus driver will not wait unless you ask.

•    Daily buses make the five hour trip (35,000 kip) from/to the Lao Bao border in Vietnam via Sepon. Local buses at 07:30, 09:00, and 12:00.

•    VIP buses to Dong Ha in Vietnam go via Lao Bao, and are only available on weekdays at 10:00. The 350 km trip takes around seven hours and costs 90,000 kip. Local buses leave every day at 22:00 (80,000 kip) and also take seven hours.

•    VIP buses to Hue (Vietnam) leave on weekdays only at 10:00. The 410 km journey takes eight hours and costs 110,000 kip. Get information and your reservation at Savanbanhao Hotel (downtown). The local daily bus to Hue (leaving 22:00, 90,000 kip) is not recommended, as you need to wait at the border checkpoint from 03:00 until the checkpoints opens at 08:00, which will lead to insufficient night rest due to immigration officials, vendors and beggars trying to separate you from your money. For local buses to Danang (also Vietnam) the same details apply.
The 2 Savannakhet bus station is about 2 km north of the town centre. ~50 baht for a tuk-tuk into the city.
As of September 2019, Thai citizens can use their Thai ID (bat pratchachon) to apply for a border pass that is valid for 3 days. The border pass office, run by the Thai government, is next to the Thai passport control station at the Friendship Bridge, and is open starting from 8 am. The application fee is 50 baht. The border pass is valid only for crossing into Savannakhet, and is not valid for any other crossings.

We recommend you check the latest bus schedule and price via rome2rio.com

Get around

The easiest way to get around Savannakhet is by foot or bicycle. Tuk-tuks are also available around the city and are an easy way to get to a specific location quickly. Be cautious about the fee for the tuk-tuk and always set the price before the ride. Because the minor roads of the districts around Savannakhet are often badly paved, a reliable cheap motorbike for rent in Savannakhet town might be hard to find.

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Laos BLOG ARTICLES

Taking a cruise on the fascinating Mekong River offers a unique and memorable travel experience. The Mekong River, one of the longest rivers in Asia, flows through several countries, including China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Each destination along the river offers its own distinct cultural, historical, and natural attractions. In this article, we will go over what you can expect when cruising the Mekong River. 

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Despite being open to tourism for the past two decades, Laos remains a destination brimming with hidden treasures and unexplored gems, awaiting the arrival of curious adventurers.

Among these remarkable places is the Xe Champhone Loop, an enchanting location that captures the essence of Laos.

In early September 2022, we had the privilege of embarking on an Educational Tour organized by the esteemed Tetraktys Organization. Our objective was to delve into the wonders of this loop and promote its allure to international tourists.

During our expedition, we were awe-struck by the captivating sights and valuable insights we gained. The area boasts an abundance of captivating natural landscapes, rich traditional culture, and warm-hearted hosts.

We have compiled comprehensive information about this captivating region below.

Stay connected to discover more about this hidden gem!

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The romance of train travel is alive and well in Laos. The recently-completed high-speed railway that stretches from Vientiane, through Laos, and into southern China is operating ‘full steam’ ahead. 

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Luang Prabang will celebrate the boat racing festival (Boun Souang Heua) in Namkhan River during Buddhist Lent Period, on August 26th, 2022.

A notice issued by Luang Prabang provincial office says that Luang Prabang will arrange Boun Hor Khaopadapdin, an annual festival held to feed spirits with home-made parcels of food, and the boat racing activities along Namkhan River. 

The province intends to promote the traditional festival and practices in hopes of attracting more domestic and foreign tourists, generating revenue for locals.

Traditional racing boats are made of a single tree and can accommodate up to fifty rowers.

The boats are considered sacred, are cleaned, and are given offerings which are believed to bring victory to the team.

In the downtown heart of Luang Prabang, there will also be gatherings and markets.

The festival will be held on August 26th, 2022, the same day with Boun Khao Padapdine.

Covid-19 put a stop to traditional customs and festivals for almost three years, but now that the measurements have been relaxed, tourist destinations in Laos expect to recommence festivities and offer hope for travelers.

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How long to spend in Laos may seem like a ridiculous question to address, but if you have plenty of time and aren’t sure how much to dedicate, this blog will definitely help you out. 

How long can you stay in Laos? 

Well, as long as you like! From 7 days to a month, there are various ways you can travel across Laos and uncover its secrets. Advising an ideal trip length for Laos is a bit of a complex challenge, as it depends on several factors such as the places you wish to visit, the activities you plan to join, or if you want to combine Laos with its neighbor countries. 

Stay tuned! We are going to sort all these things out including the step-by-step guide to create the best itinerary in Laos.

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The Rocket Festival (Boun Bang Fai) is a merit-making ceremony traditionally practiced by ethnic Lao people near the beginning of the wet season in numerous villages and municipalities, in the regions of Northeastern Thailand and Laos. Celebrations typically include preliminary music and dance performances, competitive processions of floats, dancers and musicians on the second day, and culminating on the third day in competitive firings of home-made rockets. Local participants and sponsors use the occasion to enhance their social prestige, as is customary in traditional Buddhist folk festivals throughout Southeast Asia.

The festival in Thailand also includes special programs and specific local patterns like Bung Fai (Parade dance) and a Beautiful Bung Fai float such as Yasothon the third weekend of May, and continues Suwannaphum District, Roi Et on the first weekend of June, Phanom Phrai District Roi Et during the full moon of the seventh month in Lunar year's calendar each year. The Bung Fai festival is not only found in Isan or Northeasthern Thailand and North Thailand and Laos, but also in Amphoe Sukhirin, Narathiwat.

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