Savannakhet is easy to explore on foot but tuk-tuks are also available around the city, taking you quickly to attractive sites. Savannakhet’s Vietnamese temples and Catholic churches located around the city are worth visiting. Some more fascinating sites to check out include: The That Ing Hang Stupa, the ruins of Khmer at Heuan Hinh (Stone House), Wat Xayaphoum, and the Dinosaur Museum. All are highly recommended and not-to-be-missed sites.
Visitors are recommended to drop by the Savannakhet Tourist Office. In addition to picking up a free map of the city and getting help from the efficient English-speaking staff, the Tourist Office also offers a wide variety of local walking tours and eco-tours. The office is located on Khantabuli Road, just before the Post Office.
Attractions in Savannakhet
Savannakhet is easy to explore on foot but tuk-tuks are also available around the city, taking you quickly to attractive sites. Savannakhet’s Vietnamese temples and Catholic churches located around the city are worth visiting. Some more fascinating sites to check out include: The That Ing Hang Stupa, the ruins of Khmer at Heuan Hinh (Stone House), Wat Xayaphoum, and the Dinosaur Museum. All are highly recommended and not-to-be-missed sites.
That Ing Hang Stupa: That Ing Hang Stupa is about nine metres high with beautiful carving and decoration. It’s reported to house a relic of Buddha’s spine. The 16th century stupa is located in Savannakhet, Central Laos.
Savannakhet itself is famous as the birthplace of Laos’ popular former leader, Kaysone Phomvihane. It was also known as a French trading outpost back in colonial times therefore there are a number of vintage French colonial and Sino-Franco buildings in the business districts.
The sacred stupa is an important place of worship not only for Laotian Buddhists but also Thai Buddhists who live in northern Thailand. ‘Dress with respect’ is a must for all visitors. Women may be required to wear traditional pahsin (Lao-style sarong) before entering the temple grounds. There are plenty of them available at the nearby stands and stores.
How to get there: To get there from Kaysone Phomvihane, it’s best to take a tuk tuk taxi for the roundtrip or to rent a motorbike. If coming from Thailand, visitors can easily cross the 1.6km-long Friendship Bridge from Mukdahan Province to Laos’ Savannakhet. The border crossing is usually open from 09:00 – 16:30.
Dinosaur Museum: A decent museum where one can discover more about the Savannakhet prehistoric period. It is the latest addition to tourist sites here and is situated south of the stadium on Khantabouli Road. The hall displays a massive collection of fossils excavated from 1930 to the present. Four different dinosaurs and early mammalian remains from 200 million years ago are on display; even some fragments of a meteorite that fell to earth over 100 million years ago are kept here. Don’t worry if all the labels are in Laos and French; local staff next to the admission box will be pleased to translate for English-speaking visitors.