Colonial Gem on the Mekong
Southern Laos, Laos
The fascinating and beautiful (if deteriorating) town of Savannakhet has an abundance of charm and a rich cultural past seen from the 500-year old Wat Sainyaphum and French colonial architecture. It’s a laid-back, Mekong-side retreat where the locals still play their version of petanque, a place to take a break on your way north or south.
Background
Meaning ‘city of paradise’ Savannakhet certainly has a charm about it. Savannakhet also provides a convenient and relaxing stopping off point when travelling to or from Si Phan Don, the 4,000 islands, and the border crossing with Cambodia. From here you can travel across the border to the Thai town of Mukdahan or to Vietnam Lao Bao on the Vietnamese border a couple of hundred kilometres to the east.