Savannakhet understand · Savannakhet tourist information
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Savannakhet tourist information
Savannakhet tourist information
Travellers visiting Savannakhet are often suprised by its old French colonial architecture and the friendly, sleepy atmosphere of the town which conserves many aspects of Lao traditional culture. The small but blossoming tourist sector offers various eco-trekking programs to the outskirts of town and to preserved forests and other places of interest in neighbouring districts such as Champhone). The welcoming and generous character of the local people might give you the sincere feeling of being happy to be a family member, very unlike the commercial character of tourist destinations such as Vang Vieng and Si Phan Don. Although recently a casino was established, Savannakhet has no night-life scene, which probably is the main reason why Savannakhet is not popular as a tourist destination among Western travellers.
The last two decades, dinosaurs have become a main theme of Savannakhet. The Dinosaur Museum and decorations in the streets are reflecting the history. Long after dinosaurs had left their last footprints, Savannakhet probably was founded in the 17th century by forty families who immigrated from Phonsim village (around twenty km to the East of town). It is said that the settlement at the Mekong riverside was called Tahae village and researchers assume that Buddhist Temple 'Vat Xaiyaphoum' is an important remainder of that era.
France expanded Indochina by obtaining the eastern bank of the Mekong after a border dispute in 1893. Initially The French used the Mekong river as the main street of transport. Not many years later, a network of water transportation, post and telecommunication facilities and a railway were completed. Also a road, connecting Savannakhet with Quang Tri (Vietnam), was established. In the 1920's and 1930's Vietnamese and Chinese people started to settle in Savannakhet. Nowadays, the Chinese and Vietnamese still live in the same parts of the city, while other parts are still redolent of the French administration that was located at the Southern part of town.
Recently an important chapter was added to the history of Savannakhet. The 1600-metre Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge II was opened in January 2007. The bridge connects Savannakhet (and Vietnam) to Mukdahan (Thailand). This bridge strengthens the reputation of Savannakhet as open for business. Foreign investors and NGO's are considered to be crucial for the development of the town and province.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Savannakhet
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Savannakhet - updated May 2024
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Savannakhet Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.