Savannakhet is Not a Savannah

Where am I?

Was I in Khanthabouli, Kaysone Phomvihane, Savan or Savannakhet? All the answers were correct. Khanthabouli was the old name of the town, which was renamed Kaysone Phomvihane. The town is the capital of the Savannakhet province and is usually referred to with the province name (in Laos most provincial capitals use the province’s name) or with its short form: Savan.

Is it a Savannah?

Savannakhet means "Paradise City," "Nakhet" is a distortion of "Nakhon" a word featured in many Laotian and Thai names that means "city," "Savan" means "paradise."

Location and Rationale

Savannakhet grew up to be main commercial center in Laos and the second biggest city in the country due to its location. It sits along the main route between Thailand and Vietnam, as well as along the Mekong River. It is also the main city in the way from Vientiane to Cambodia as well as the main port in Laos. The Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge connects it to Mukdahan in Thailand.

The city is unavoidable while traveling in southern Laos or making the Indochina loop, thus it relatively few attractions can be explored while in the way to more attractive locations. A day or two would be more than enough for a visit, unless the traveler finds calm riverside locations irresistible.

A Petite Version of Paradise

Despite its importance the town is tiny; its main appeal is the Mekong River and the charming colonial-French architecture of its center. The port and trucks heading to Vietnam along Route 9 do not create enough traffic to bother the passing travelers.

A point of special interest in Savannakhet is the religious diversity displayed; few cities in this Communist country feature a Catholic church, a 16th century Buddhist temple (Wat Sainyaphum), a mosque and Chinese and Vietnamese temples.

Heaven’s Food

Savannakhet offers the typical Laotian dishes with the prominent addition of Vietnamese dishes and secondary influences from the Chinese and Thai cuisines. Due to its commercial importance, restaurants and coffee shops abound along the riverside and in downtown.

The most obvious – and tasty – snacks are the ubiquitous Laotian baguette sandwiches, which are available at all hours; they are served with ham, pate and vegetables, or with fried eggs. The tasty bread appears in several sizes and is called khao jii. It is a life-saver every time the nostalgia for Western bread becomes insupportable.

The baguettes are best enjoyed in the company of a cup of Laotian Coffee. The early morning is the best time for a coffee and pah thawng ko (deep-fried Chinese dough sticks). Healthy Chinese green-tea is given free at the end of an extra strong cup of Laotian coffee.

Vietnamese noodle soup (pho) and Vietnamese deep-fried spring rolls (yaw jeun) can be found and enjoyed in the market.

Other interesting option is French cuisine, which never has been prepared with more care and been less expensive than in the Lao Paris Restaurant just off the river promenade; the place serves also winning Laotian dishes, like laap salad. They are prepared with minced meat, lime, mint leaves and chillies. The duck’s version is excellent; beware of the chillies, they are young and fierce. Near the court yard in front of the Catholic Church is the similar – though classier and more expensive - French Restaurant Dao Savanh.

A plethora of cheap restaurants surrounds the main concentration of guesthouses in town; these specialize mainly on hybrid international dishes.

Seventh Heaven Accommodations

Strangely enough for a city placed next to a mighty river, Savannakhet suffers of problems in the water supply during the afternoons; do not plan showers for those hours.

There are plenty of inexpensive guesthouses in town but no luxury hotels. Hotel Savannakhet, Khenkham Guesthouse, Soulinsouk Guesthouse (conveniently placed in front of the bus terminal; excellent for late arrivals) and the relatively upmarket Hoongthip Hotel (which offers fast internet to its clients) are all recommended.

Some Shopping

The increased international traffic since the opening of the bridge have improved the service offered by the Dao Heuang Duty Free Shop. The shop is on Sisavangong Road, conveniently near the Dao Heuang coffee shop and offers cigarettes, chocolates, liquor, and the main item: the excellent Laotian Dao Coffee.

Reaching Paradise

Savannakhet is one of the few places in Laos accessible from any direction. From Vientiane in the north and Pakse in the south are buses and boats sailing the Mekong.

Vietnam is to the west; the Lao-Bao border can be reached through daily buses roaming Road 9. Visas to Vietnam must be arranged in advance. Direct buses to Dong Ha in central Vietnam leave every other day; but stopping on the border allows more freedom in the itinerary.

Thailand is to the east; Mukdahan is just across the bridge. There is a regular bus service between Mukdahan and Savannakhet, with departures approximately every hour during the day.

Crossing to Vietnam from Savannakhet is simple; daily buses reach the Lao-Bao border roaming through Road 9; the visa to Vietnam must be arranged in advance. Direct buses to Dong Ha in Central Vietnam leave every other day.

The former paragraph could end this article if it wasn’t for two exciting attractions along this way: the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the DMZ. I strongly recommend avoiding direct transport to Vietnam and exploring these two important sites; an additional stop at Saravan – an important town along the historic trail - would vastly enrich the experience.

Lao Bao

Despite its name, Lao Bao is a town on the Vietnamese side of the border; the border cross got its name from it since there are no other landmarks in the area. Describing the cross as rural and remote would be the understatement of the millennium; there are practically no infrastructures there for the exception of two huts on each side of the border, belonging to the immigrations.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

The Ho Chi Minh Trail was a series of trails, caves and waterways in eastern Laos running parallel to Vietnam; it was used by the North Vietnamese Army in the USA-Vietnam War and by the Viet-Minh against the French in the 1950s. Through it passed soldiers, weapons, military vehicles, oil (through plastic pipelines!) and provisions from North to South Vietnam. All the area east of Savannakhet – and Saravan to its south – was part of the trail and can be appreciated in the way to Vietnam.

During the war, the USA bombed the trail, causing Laos to enjoy the doubtful award of being the most bombed country in mankind history, if calculating tonnage of ordnance per head. Weaponry is still visible in the area as well as the deforestation caused by the massive use of defoliation products (mainly Agent Orange - dioxin). Needless to say, touching the weaponry can be dangerous; unexploded ordnance (look for the UXO signs) abounds, thus leaving the roads is not wise.

The most popular stops along the trail are Muang Phin where the Lao-Vietnamese War Memorial is located and Xepone. The last is a on the Ho Chi Minh Trail and near the Lamxeunh battlefield; there, tanks and cannons can be seen.

Across the Border: DMZ – The De-Militarized Zone

Together with Saigon, the De-Militarized Zone is the best place in Vietnam from where the horrors of the devastating Vietnamese War can be witnessed. It spans more than a hundred kilometers east to west near the center of present-day Vietnam, from the Laotian border to the sea.

Reaching the DMZ

If entering from Lao Bao, along the Vietnamese part of Road 9, the Khe Shan Airbase, the Rockpile stronghold – both American bases during the war – and finally the Vinh Moc Caves, near the old border between North and South Vietnam and next to the sea, would be reached. The Hien Luong Bridge on Highway 1 and over the Ben Hai River has a touching war memorial and a reconstruction of the original bridge gate.

History

In 1954 the French were defeated by the Viet Minh – the North Vietnamese Army - at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and the French Indochina War (1946-1954) ended. Following it, the DMZ, a dividing line between North and South Vietnam, was established by the Geneva Conference on July 21, 1954. The 17th parallel was defined as a provisional military demarcation line; it extended 5 kilometers from either side of the Ben Hai River.

The Geneva Accords promised elections in 1956 to determine independence and a government for Vietnam. However, France and the North Vietnamese government (DRV) signed the document; the USA and the government in Saigon – backed by the French - refused to abide by the agreement. The violation of the free elections process resulted in the Vietnamese-American War.

Khe Shan Airbase

Next to the Laotian border is the Khe Shan Airbase. From here, the Americans bombed the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The base was practically destroyed by the Vietnamese and nowadays the old runaway is barely visible below the vegetation which reclaimed its ancestral ownership.

The Rockpile

Any visitor with a military background would appreciate the American decision to place a stronghold on this impressive green, rocky hill rising from the flat plains. A small and well equipped defensive force could hold it practically forever. However, any visitor with a political background and social conscience would recognize the futility of such military means. The stronghold eventually surrendered to political reality and stands today as a bold reminder that only negotiations can solve political problems.

The Vinh Moc Caves

Next to the sea, the caves are much bigger than the ones near Saigon, and provide a better insight of the daily life of such a community during the war. Rooms adapted to different activities (dormitories, working rooms, meeting rooms, kitchens) successfully provide the visitor with a feeling of what meant to live underground. The hidden exits to the seashore tell of an immediate element of danger in their lives.

On several occasions I commented on the exceptional qualities of Laotian Coffee, probably is one of the best coffee crops in the world; now it is time to visit its source.

A big part of southern Laos is a high plateau; most of the Saravan province – including the Saravan (or Salavan) capital town - is on it. The plateau’s name is Bolaven; practically all of the Laotian coffee grows atop it. Featuring an altitude of between 1000m and 1300m in a sub-tropical area, the plateau is ideal for the growing of this liquid, monsoonal type of gold; the French introduced both Arabica and Robusta plants, which are still grown in a natural, organic environment and yield some of the finest coffee cherries on the planet.

Upon arrival from Vietnam through Lao Bao, I decided to begin that visit to Laos paying homage to the birthplace of my favorite coffee.

Approaching Heaven: Coffee Tales

Saravan shouted its true nature loud enough to be heard from Vietnam. Its famous streams and waterfalls were ubiquitous, but more appealing than anything else were the coffee cherries half-hidden in the surrounding greenery.

Around the town were spectacularly green hills covered by a thick fog, a clear sign we were in the monsoons season; accompanying rain appeared soon and freshened up my visit.

The town was obviously small – the smallest province capital I saw in Laos – the spread-out huts made it difficult deciding where its boundaries were; dust rising from the dirt road left no doubts regarding its importance. Most structures were built from wood; stilts would have helped them to cope with the ubiquitous mud puddles.

Miss Asim Guesthouse

Finding a guesthouse in the small town was simple, though all the options were minimal. Miss Asim Guesthouse was my choice; the place was conveniently placed next to the market. The basic structure featured enough gaps on the walls to allow the cooling evening breeze in.

The Market

Downtown was another name for the central market; most of it was covered, though several stalls surrounded it. A huge pig, the biggest I've ever seen, was walking free around the market and eating leftovers.

The market’s food plaza featured all the Laotian staples, including coffee; being at its birthplace gave the cup a special taste. Unlike in Vientiane, it was served pure, black, thick and strong – condensed milk didn’t manage to climb the plateau.

In front of the market were several small restaurants; the one I chose for dinner was showing Thai comedians making fun of Western tourists while I was the only client.

The Bus

An old bus took me away from Saravan towards Vientiane; by itself that was not remarkable. Yet the trip provided two small events which characterize my most vivid memories of Laos.

Shortly after the departure, the bus stopped at the road side – next to a small village – and the driver helped a tiny woman to load bananas on its roof. Two hours later (literally so) he finished; the bus roof was bent inside and I considered keeping my head out of the window for the rest of the trip as a precaution against its collapse.

The next day at 5:15am, the bus stopped without fuel a few kilometers before Vientiane’s Morning's Market. Picking a complimentary banana, I put my backpack on my shoulders and completed the way by foot.

Moving, flowing destinations with quietly implied adventures, rivers are the ultimate destination for travelers. More than anything else, the Mekong is a human river, countless cultures and civilizations were born, grew up and gave way to others on its shores; crossing Laos along its whole length, it offers an awesome encounter with this landlocked country.

Geography

The Mekong is considered to be the tenth-longest river in the world, and the tenth-largest by volume. Despite the problematic definition of the term (because there are several tributaries), its estimated length is slightly less than five thousand kilometers, and it drains an area of over 800,000 square kilometers. Many rapids and waterfalls, as well as a flow varying wildly during the seasons make a complete navigation of the river impossible.

Politics

The Mekong originates high on the Tibetan Plateau and runs through Yunnan in China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The common name of the river originates in the Thai language: Mae Nam Khong (or Mekong for short) means "Mother of Rivers."

Roughly half of its length is within modern China. After leaving China, the river forms the border between Myanmar and Laos, at the end of which it meets the Ruak River at the Golden Triangle. This point also marks the division between the Upper and Lower Mekong. Then, it divides Laos and Thailand, before a stretch passing through Laos alone, where it reaches during the high season a width of over four kilometers and a depth of a hundred meters.

It marks the Lao-Thai border in the stretch passing Vientiane, the Laotian capital, and then it passes again through a short stretch through Laos alone until the Cambodian border; this is an area known as the Si Phan Don (four thousand islands) region. In Cambodia it meets the Tonle Sap River next to Phnom Penh. The Tonle Sap connects to a huge lake of the same name in northern Cambodia; the complex system can flow in both directions depending on the season and the relative height of both rivers. South of the union of both rivers, it is known as the Bassac and flows into Vietnam and the Mekong Delta. The nine estuaries of the delta are the origin to the Vietnamese name: Sông Cuu, or namely the River of Nine Dragons. Roughly a hundred million people rely on the river for the growth of rice, which is the main crop of the area.

Lucky Unfitness

The French intended to use the Mekong as a transport hub from colonial Indochina into China; a landlocked counterweight to British Hong Kong and Portuguese Macau. In 1866, the Francis Garnier Mekong expedition studied the possibility for a couple of years, but concluded the river was not navigable due to obstacles in southern China and northern Cambodia; thus the river was saved for future tourists and its denizens.

Natural Life

In northern Laos, the Mekong is home to the endangered Giant Mekong Catfish while the Si Phan Don (four thousand islands) region hosts groups of the very rare Irrawady fresh water dolphins. These are quite a sight since they feature short snouts and a dark color; they hardly resemble our mental picture of a dolphin. The tigers, elephants, monkeys, crocodiles and boas reported by Garnier are gone; deforestation is a malady of certain areas, though in Laos there are serious efforts to reforest large parts of the country.

Bridges

In the Lower Mekong, the best known bridge is the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, which connects Nong Khai with Vientiane in Laos. The Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge is south of there and connects Mukdahan in Thailand to Savannakhet. Within Laos there is another bridge near Champosak.

Human Presence

Settlements dating back to 2100BC have been found around the river, with Ban Chiang being the oldest one. Following the fall of the Khmer empire, the Mekong was the frontier between states of Siam and Tonkin (Northern Vietnam). The French captured Saigon in the mid-19th century, established a protectorate over Cambodia in 1863 and then took the three Laotian principalities from the Siamese in the late nineteen century. They added a distinctive colonial touch to these cultures; the colonial reality lasted until the First and Second Indochina Wars ended French and American involvement in the region.

Festivals

The Naga festival in Nong Khai and Vientiane celebrates balls of light rising from the water and attributed to underwater dragon-serpents (Nagas).

Main Stops along the Laotian Mekong

The Mekong is navigable from Jinghong southwards, though within Laos it is possible to travel on boat mainly from Huay Xai southwards; an exciting option is to cross over the river to Cambodia crossing the Four Thousand Islands region. The river can be explored on small boats – fast and slow ones – or in organized cruises including suites with private bathrooms, showers and air conditioners. Needless to say, the small boats provide a better experience of the area.

Huay Xai

Huay Xai is a small town just south of the Golden Triangle. Historically it belonged to Thailand and was passed to Laos as part of the settlement of borders with the French. Even today it looks more Thai than Lao and is better connected to Thailand than to Laos. It can be reached overland from Luang Namtha or through the river from Chiang Khong in Thailand. Huay Xai delimits the northern edge of the lower Mekong; regular boats connect it with Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang

The way to Luang Prabang crosses Pak Beng, a small, traditional village that can provide a revitalizing break. Luang Prabang was the former capital of the northern Laotian principality and is nowadays a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The small town is much more compact than the typical Lao town and can thus be leisurely explored by foot within a day.

Vientiane

The Laotian capital features some of the mighty river best sights; including awesome sunsets over the Thai town of Srichiangmai, displaying every day different colors. Few cities provide such a fusion of local culture with the colonial one; the French restaurants and architecture seem as at home here as on the Champs-Élysées while friendly sharing the space with durian fruits and noodle soup stalls.

Twenty kilometers south of town, the river can be crossed over the international bridge; since each country drives on a different side of the road, the traffic arrangement are rather amusing.

Savannakhet and Pakse

Savannakhet and Pakse are the main cities along the Mekong in southern Laos. The Champosak ruins are the main sight in this stretch of the river. Chong Mek – the only overland border cross between Thailand and Laos can be easily reached from Pakse.

Si Phan Don

Si Phan Don (four thousand islands) is a shallow area of the river separating Laos from Cambodia and featuring endless islets. It is the wildest and most attractive area of the river in Laos, still covered with tall tropical trees talking among them with the help of huge wild parrots.

I arrived at Savannakhet after having crossed the border from Cambodia and having travelled on an ice truck for a day or so. The thick layer of dust covering me protected me from the merciless Mekong sun.

It was neither my first nor my last trip in Laos and I felt confident enough to travel around with minimal amounts of local money. However, having entered the country the day before, I had almost no kips – the Laotian money. Exchanging money was imperative in order to reach Vientiane.

While walking along the main street a bank appeared in front of me. It looked like a temple; it was the only building above the street level with impressive steps leading to the heightened entrance. An armed guard kept the door.

Dusty and happy, I passed through the guard and feeling like Rotschild put fifteen dollars in small bills in front of a smiling clerk. I added no words; I have learned than in such remote locations the less a traveller speaks in a foreign language the better. My intentions – to exchange fifteen dollars into kips - were obvious.

Still smiling, the clerk showed me the current exchange rate on a big sign hanging on the wall. That day it was 10475 kip for one dollar. That meant I was to receive 157125 kip; however, any amount of money below 500 kip is insignificant. The general practice is to round the sum downwards. I would have been happy receiving 157000 kip.

Accordingly, she began laboriously counting small denomination notes. After a while I had 157000 kip in a solid brick of money. My hands were attempting to pick up the package, when she suddenly said in an imperative tone unfit of such a delicate creature:

"Sit!"

She didn’t explain. I was sure she couldn’t explain in English. I had all the money I expected to get, but she spoke in an imperative tone and an armed guard kept the door. I sat down at the nearest coach. Still behind the counter, she entered a side room.

Minutes passed by, and nothing happened. The guard was by the door, the clerk was missing.

Suddenly I remembered the notes I gave were very old. One of them had black spots on it and it was difficult to see it was worth a whole dollar. Maybe – like in Myanmar - they accept here only new, crispy notes? Was I regarded now as a regime enemy due to my attempt to corrupt their spotless monetary system?

It didn’t make sense – I already got the local money – but otherwise, where did she go? Wasn’t she making an urgent call to the police, explaining them my dollar note was dirty? The guard was looking at me.

There was no escape. I resigned myself to my dark destiny and waited patiently.

Minutes passed. Why did I come to Laos at all?

Suddenly she returned from the side door. Smiling, she called me. She had something in her right hand.

With shaking knees I approached the counter. There, she gave me three notes: one worth a hundred kip, another of twenty and the third one showing the infinitesimal sum of five kip; for thirty minutes I had been trapped in the mythological Laotian kindness.