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Places to Visit in Savannakhet, Laos, Asia

Places to Visit in Savannakhet, Laos, Asia

Savannakhet is the capital city of Savannakhet Province located in Western Laos at the coordinates of 16°33′ N 104°45′ E. It is placed about 544 km southeast of national capital Vientiane and is the second biggest city of the country after Vientiane. The province of Savannakhet occupies an area of 21,774 sq. km. and is the birthplace of Lao’s former president Kaysone Phomvihane.

Savannakhet is home to worship places of different religions like Budhhist, Christians and Muslims and houses one huge 15th century Buddhist Temple. Savannakhet Province is the largest province and is one of the leading tobacco producing regions in Laos. Savannakhet is also known for its mining business and has rich mineral resources of copper and gold.

Geography and climate of Savannakhet:

Savannakhet experiences a tropical wet and dry climate and from April to October is wet season in Savannakhet. Savannakhet Province is bordered by Salavan Province in the south, Khammouan Province on the north, Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan provinces of Thailand in the west and Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces of Vietnam towards east.

History of Savannakhet:

The literal meaning of Savannakhet in local language is “city of paradise” and the city was earlier known as Khanthabouli.

Cuisine, Culture and Shopping in Savannakhet:

The restaurants of Savannakhet offer Chinese, Thai, Indian and Japanese food. The best restaurants in Savannakhet include Lin’s Cafe, Cafe Chai Dee, Hanarhan J, Tonenam restaurant, Vasana restaurant and Sabaidee Restaurant and French Restaurant Dao Savanh. Laos coffee is very famous and available at two coffee centre of Savannakhet, one is located in front of the Catholic Church and another one near city bus station.

Savannakhet is home to different religions namely Christians, Muslims and Buddhists of Lao, Vietnamese and Chinese. The natives celebrate festivals like That Phon Festival, Heuan Hin Festival, Lao New Year Festival, Rocket Festival, Boat Racing Festival and Ing Hang Stupa Festival in the months of February and March with great enthusiasm.

Savannakhet houses several major banks and ATM centers as well. One District One Product, Savanxay Market and Dao Heuang Duty Free Shop are the major shops of the city with an ability to fulfill the requirements both local and foreign tourists.

Connectivity to Savannakhet:

Savannakhet is served by Savannakhet Airport with daily flights from and to national capital Vientiane and costs around $US110. It is good for Bangkok tourists, Lao Airlines provides weekly 3 time air services (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and it takes 2 hour 20 minutes, costs US$115.

Savannakhet is well connected with Vientiane, Pakse and other major cities of the country through roadways. There are two types of buses leave at Savannakhet City Bus Stand like VIP Bus and Local Bus and the ticket charge of VIP bus is high compared to Local Bus. Also the city has connectivity to Thailand and Vietnam through bus.

Tourist attractions in Savannakhet:

That Ing Hang Stupa:

That Ing Hang Stupa is the sixteenth century stupa and the major holy place of Laos Buddhists. It is located 13 kms away from Savannakhet City and December is the best time to visit this stupa.

Wat Xayaphoum:

Wat Xayaphoum is a very ancient temple placed on the banks of River Mekong in the heart of Savannakhet City. This 16^th century temple is very famous among the surrounding regions of Savannakhet.

Dinosaur Museum:

Dinosaur Museum has three different types of dinosaur bones like Pode, Iguanodon and Sauropode. The museum is open from 08:00 AM to 11:30 AM and afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 daily.

Other tourist attractions near Savannakhet include:

Old French colonial buildings
UXO SVK
Kaysone Phomvihane’s House
Savannakhet Tennis Club

Ideal time to visit Savannakhet:

From December to March is the best time to visit Savannakhet.

Accommodation Options in Savannakhet:

The major hotels, resorts and guest houses in and around Savannakhet are as follows:

Nongsoda Guesthouse
Leena’s Guesthouse
Nongsoda Guesthouse
Xayamoungkhoun Guesthouse
Rattanasawan Hotel
Hoongthip Hotel
Savan Vegas & Casino
Dao Savanh Resort & Spa
Soulinsouk Hotel
Mukdahan Grand Hotel
Ploy Palace Hotel
Hotel Riveria

Places to Visit in Sam Neua, Laos, Asia

Places to Visit in Sam Neua, Laos, Asia

Sam Neua also spelled as Xam Neua is the capital city of Houaphan Province in Northeast Laos, situated about 631 kms northeast of national capital Vientiane and is located between 20.4133° north latitude and 104.0481° east longitude. The adjoining regions of Sam Neua include Muong U, Houamuang, Chomsan, Muang Pan, Muang Hom, Muang Peu, Muang Xon, Ban Muang-Et, Ban Nampang and Muong Vene.

Sam Neua is home to few educational institutions and health centres with poor road infrastructure. The tourist attractions located near Sam Neua include Hintang Archaeological Park, Pathet Lao Caves and Namnoua waterfall.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Sam Neua:

More than 95% of Sam Neua citizens are Buddhists and less percentage of Christians and Hindus are also inhabited in Sam Neua. The population includes the people from Lao, Vietnamese, Hmong, Tai Dam, Tai Daeng and Tai Lu. The natives speak Lao, Vietnamese and Hmong along with French.

Sam Neua houses plenty of food corners serving Laos, Chinese and Vietnamese style. Dan Nao Meuang Xam Restaurant is the well known food centre just away from Boun Home Guesthouse. Tourists can get noodles soup, fried rice for 12,000 kip and French Fries for 20,000 kip. All the restaurants are open till 9 PM only.

One can pick colorful handicrafts in Sam Neua City in day times only and the city hosts several modern cloth centres and shopping malls other than handicraft shops. The products like cloth and footwear are available at affordable cost compared to other regions of the province in Sam Neua. The major banks of Sam Neua offer currency exchange service for tourists.

Connectivity to Sam Neua:

Sam Neua has one airport named as Nathong Airport well connected with national capital Vientiane. Other nearest airports accessible to Sam Neua are Oudomxay Airport and Houeisay Airport.

There are daily buses accessible from Sam Neua to Phonsavan (8 hour) and Luang Prabang (15 hour) at a cost of 130,000 kip. Other than buses, Taxis and Jeeps are also available to travel in Sam Neua.

Places to see in Sam Neua:

Viengxay Caves:

Viengxay Caves are very famous caves located in Houaphanh Province. It witnessed Second Indochina War and houses a hospital, a school, Pathet Lao offices, bakeries, shops, and a theatre. Viengxay Cave is one of the must visit tourist destination in Laos.

Wat Pho Xai:

Wat Pho Xai is the important landmark and the major tourist destination of Sam Neua. It is surrounded by several hotels and other tourist destinations as well.

Nameuang Hot Springs:

Nameuang Hot Springs is situated near the valley of paddy fields located in the vicinity Houaiyad waterfall.

Hintang Archaeological Park:

Hintang Archaeological Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered as one of the major historical sites of northern Laos.

The list of other tourist attractions near Sam Neua is as follows:

Ban Tham Buddha Cave
Tat Saloei Waterfall
Xanglot Cave
Prince Souphanouvong’s Cave

Best time to visit Sam Neua:

From November to February is the ideal time to holiday Sam Neua.

Accommodation Options in Sam Neua:

Most of the hotels located at Sam Neua offers internet connectivity, hot water bath facility and host of other facilities. The prominent budgeted guest houses and luxury hotels in and around Sam Neua are:

Long Ma Guesthouse
Shuliy Guesthouse
Bounhome Guesthouse
Sam Neua Hotel
Viengxai Hotel
Mai Chau Lodge
Ha Noi hotel
Huong Sen Yen Chau Trading Hotels Corporation
Sao Xanh Hotel
Nam La Hotel

Tourist Places to Visit in Pakse, Laos, Asia

Tourist Places to Visit in Pakse, Laos, Asia

Pakse also spelled as Pakxe is the 3^rd most populous city in Laos and the capital city Champasak Province located at the coordinates 15°07′ N 105°47′ E. It is placed on the convergence of two main rivers Xe Don River and Mekong River, about 670 km southeast of Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Pakse hosts countries second biggest hospital and is highly developing in its tourism sector. The top tourist destinations of Pakse comprises of Champasak Provincial Museum, Vat Phou Temple and Si Phan Don.

Climate of Pakse:

Pakse feature a tropical savanna climate. March and April are very hot and between October and February is cool in Pakse similar to other Asian countries like India, Srilanka and Pakistan.

Culture, Cuisine and Shopping in Pakse:

A traditional festival Wat Phou Festival is celebrated every February at Angkor Precede with very grand manner by the natives. There are cultural programs of dance and music organized and the special attractions of the festival include elephant racing and cock fighting.

Morning Market (500 meters from the city centre) and Talat Dao Heuang (2 kms away) are the popular shopping centres of Pakse.

Due to the increase in visit of foreign tourists, there are plenty of Western and Asian food corners started their operations all around the city with variety of modern features. The best restaurants in Pakse are as follows:

Katuad Cafe located in centre of the city and is open from morning 7 AM to 9 PM, offers free Wi Fi.

Le Panorama is a best access point for Western, Asian, and fusion dishes with variety pizzas. It is located on the seventh floor of famous Pakse Hotel.

Victory Hi Tech is situated just away from the town and is open until midnight.

How to reach Pakse?

Pakse is placed on the country’s one important highway (National Road 13) and is connected with the regions of Salavan, Sekong and Attapeu. Pakse is served by Pakse International Airport situated 3 km away from the city with direct flights to Vientiane, Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. Visa extension process is very easy in Pakse, tourists must reach police station on Th. 10 and submit passport and one photo, fill in a form.

The Northern Bus Terminal, The Southern Bus Terminal, The Kriang Kai Bus terminal and Chitprasom Bus Station are the four major bus stations of Pakse. One can visit tourist spots and nearby regions by boat also, departs at 8 AM.

Places to see in Pakse:

Khone Phapheng Falls:

Khone Phapheng Falls is a top tourist spot in Champasak Province placed on the banks of Mekong River and is considered as the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia. The falls is home the longest freshwater fish in the globe ‘plabuck’.

Champasak Palace:

Champasak Palace was earlier house of Chao Boun Oum, the Prince of Champasak. The palace now has been converted into a heritage hotel.

Champasak Provincial Museum:

Champasak Provincial Museum is a famous museum situated in Pakse City and has a great collection of artifacts of Champasak Kingdom and chronological photographs of cultural occasions.

Other tourist attractions in Pakse are:

Vat Phou
Si Phan Don

Best time to visit Pakse:

From November to March is the great time to reach Pakse to enjoy the beauty of waterfalls.

Accommodation Options in Pakse:

The famous guest houses and luxury hotels located in the regions of Pakse are as follows:

Daovieng Hotel 2
Arawan Hotel
Champasak Palace Hotel
Lan Kham Hotel
Lao Chaleun Hotel
Noknoi Guest House
Pakse Hotel
Sabaidy 2 Guesthouse
Sedone River Guest House
Soutchai Travel
Thaluang Hotel

Tourist Places to Visit in Oudomxay, Laos, Asia

Tourist Places to Visit in Oudomxay, Laos, Asia

Oudomxay also called as Muang Xai is one of the important cities of Laos situated at the coordinates 20°42′ N 101°49′ E. It is the capital city of Oudomxai Province located about 532 kms from Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Oudomxay is placed on the banks of Nam Ko River and is considered as the largest city of Northern Laos. Oudomxay Province is spread over an area of 15,370 sq. km.

Agriculture is the main economy source of Oudomxay and also the natives are involved in mining activity because of the greater availability of zinc, antimony, brown coal, kaolin and bronze. Oudomxay houses one of the biggest caves in Northern Laos ‘Chom Ong Cave’ and Saymoungkhoune Rattana Stupa is the most important landmark of Oudomxay.

Geography and Climate of Oudomxay:

Oudomxay Province experiences a moderate monsoon climate and shares its borders with China in the north, Luang Prabang Province on the east and southeast, Xaignabouli Province towards south, Bokeo Province to the west and Phongsali Province on the northeast.

History of Oudomxay:

Oudomxay was formed as a province in the year 1976 by carving out from Luang Prabang Province and its capital changed from Ban Nahin to Muang Xay in the year 1987.

Culture, shopping and Cuisine in Oudomxay:

Oudomxay has a strong cultural background and the dressing and food culture varies from region to region. The natives of Oudomxay celebrate ‘The Baci festival’ with great enthusiasm every year gathering together. There are plenty of handicraft shops located in Oudomxay and one of the prominent shop situated opposite to the airport street with traditional clothes and bags.

Shopping is very easy in Oudomxay compared to other regions of Oudomxay and the best shops and their facilities are as follows: doubt

Luxay Market is open from morning 9 AM to evening 5 PM, offers variety of branded clothes and shoes.

Chinese Market is adjoining Luxay Market, houses Chinese food corners and cloth centres.

The famed food markets situated in Oudomxay include Tin Market, Nonmengda Market and Phoukhaiw Market.

Connectivity to Oudomxay:

Oudomxay is served by its own airport with weekly three time air services to Vientiane City, located 1.5 km away from the centre of the city. Oudomxay is well connected with nearby city Luang Prabang through National Road 1 and also there are regular buses plying between Oudomxay and other major cities of the country Phongsali, Pak Beng, Muang Khua and Vientiane.

Tourist Attractions in Oudomxay:

Saymoungkhoune Rattana Stupa:

Saymoungkhoune Rattana Stupa is more than 400 year old stupa located in Oudomxay and is considered as one of the sacred places of Theravada Buddhists.

Chom Ong Cave:

Chom Ong Cave is the longest cave in Oudomxay and second longest in the country. It is located about 44 kms from the heart of Oudomxay City and stands at a height of 50 meters. Due to the bad road infrastructure, monsoon season is not an ideal time to visit the Cave.

The list of other tourist attractions near Oudomxay is as follows:

Vipassana Temple and Park
Bear Rescue Centre
Phou Si
Tad Thong Waterfall and Nature Trail
Vat Xieng Toung
Tad Sae Waterfalls

Ideal time to visit Oudomxay:

Between October and March is the best time to travel Oudomxay to visit caves and stupa.

Accommodation Options in Oudomxay:

Hotels in Oudomxay charge from 60,000 kip to 100,000 kip per night. The best guest houses and luxury hotels located in and around Oudomxay are as follows: