Savannakhet

Savannakhet reviews

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• It's Not Hawaii!

  Due to poor planning (mine), I've been sentenced to six days here while waiting for a Thailand tourist visa. I never really plan, previously preferring it that way, but this one did me in. I arrived Saturday morning and I've been looking for things to do and good places to eat - since then.
  
  What is there to do? Savannakhet has a Dinosaur Museum. It was closed Sat, Sun, and now today is Laos National Day and I'm sure it will be closed again. Tired of walking around in the 30C+ heat, I rented a bike for a dollar and cruised all over the city and found some typical Buddhist temples - nothing out of the ordinary (I've seen many in Thailand).
  
  Cafe Chez Bourne is a lovely place, with lovely Laotian staff... and the food is absolutely tasteless. Qualifying that, the scrambled eggs, bread loaf, and pizza are tasteless. How do you make tasteless pizza sauce, crust, and cheese? If you really want to know - go experience it. The coffee, I ordered the latte with extra espresso shot - did not taste like any coffee I've ever had. It wasn't good. There was a burnt brown residue around the rim - I guess they microwave cold latte? No idea, but I've seen reviews that Chez Bourne had the best coffee in Savannakhet. That is likely true. It is likely that you won't enjoy it at all if you know good coffee.
  
  Today is Monday, I'll spend it in my room at Leena Guesthouse. The food here - I've heard, is not good. I don't know what to do for food in this town - I cannot find anywhere that I liked. I'll use one of the reviews on this page to try the floating restaurant on the river. I saw it yesterday during my bike ride, and maybe it's decent. If so, I'll sit at that place all day and have lunch and dinner there - assuming they have fans running. A weird thing about Savannakhet restaurants - it's hot as hell here, and yet nobody has fans running to circulate the air. Is electricity that expensive here?
  
  Leena Guesthouse is pretty decent. I think I'm paying $12 for air con room. There is a wood saw howling away at 7:00 AM, and apparently it's a routine because I've seen other reviewers elsewhere mention that.
  
  Savannahkhet is hot, boring, and without decent food. Hopefully will find something to do today, and good food to eat. I'm not expecting to, but there MUST be somewhere decent to eat. The fact that I've seen a big handful of expats eating at the Chez Bourne, probably means they think that's the best place to eat in town. I really hope to find something else.
  
  Oh, and if you're planning on picking up one of those nifty 2x Tourist Visas for Thailand, you won't want to do it during this time. Monday is a Laos holiday, and the 5th of Dec is, of course, HM's birthday - so, Thailand Consulate is closed here in Laos for that on Wednesday. So, I'll drop off my passport Tuesday, to pick it up on Thursday.
  
  The Big Picture?
  
  I've been here less than 48 hours and already I'm bored senseless. Laotians here are smiley, friendly, and eager to practice English. Though I enjoy the people, it's just a very lifeless city that I'm hoping to avoid in the future.

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  • Eat & drink
  • Traveller's scene
  • Romance
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  • I'll be back (or not)

  By AimforAwesome (dabbler)
  Written on 2nd December, 2012 after a visit to Savannakhet in December, 2012

  
  

• A good way to break up a long bus ride (if you like dogs)

  Savannakhet has more going for it than you'd think - or at least it is trying to. Currently there is no boardwalk along the river, though the food stalls there are a good place to chat with tuk-tuk drivers, the historical district is largely empty of cafes, bars, and eateries, with some roads still packed-red earth, and the street with everything happening (Ratsavong Seuk Rd) is a pretty charmless main street. There you'll find other travellers at places like iLounge Cafe (free WiFi), the Japanese restaurant just down the street, and a nice cup of coffee at Cafe Chez Boune. The few ex-pats who are living here are more than happy to while-away some time chatting.
  
  In the right light, the decaying historical area is picturesque, and there are one to four day treks available in the area, though I wasn't enticed by any of them. This is a good spot to break up the long ride between Pakse and Vientiane - as the place is quiet and relaxed.
  
  In the evening, after 11, the town is nearly shut down and all the dogs come out and guard their territory - seriously they are on guard, the least friendly dogs I've found in Southeast Asia. If you've got a problem with dogs, don't come here. I myself like dogs but found myself walking down the middle of the street as I returned to my guest house in the evening.

  • Sights & activities
  • History & culture
  • Scenery & environment
  • Eat & drink
  • Traveller's scene
  • Romance
  • Value for money
  • I'll be back (or not)

  By caseyprich (dabbler)
  Written on 19th February, 2011 after a visit to Savannakhet in February, 2011

  Also reviewed by caseyprich: Battambang, Can Tho, Champasak, China Beach, Da Nang, Don Dhet, Gili Meno, Hoi An, Hue, Kampot,

• I'm only here for the beer...

  It was easy getting to Savannakhet from Mukdahan via the international bus, which runs nearly every hour on the half hour during daylight hours for 45 baht. The immigration process on the Lao side wasn't all that efficient, but I managed to slip through anyway and the bus did wait for me, which was a bonus. If you happen to arrive outside of normal business hours or on weekends, the overtime fees for the immigration officials are 5 baht on the Thai side and 40 baht on the Lao side.
  
  Once in town however, I didn't find a lot of substance to Savannakhet, and I'd have to say it was the least charming city I've visited in Laos. That isn't to say it is completely charmless however. It is still possible to enjoy a Beer Lao or a coconut at a stand along the river front, and there are a few charming cafes near the square or elsewhere and plenty of nice-looking restaurant night spots. There is at least one ATM and internet cafes are plentiful. But the town cannot hold a candle to Pakse or Vientiane, and given the chance I'd just continue on to those other places rather than overnight here again.

  • Sights & activities
  • History & culture
  • Scenery & environment
  • Eat & drink
  • Traveller's scene
  • Romance
  • Value for money
  • I'll be back (or not)

  By exacto (dabbler)
  Written on 24th January, 2010 after a visit to Savannakhet in January,

  Also reviewed by exacto: Champasak, Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Phet, Ko Maak, Lopburi, Mukdahan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nong Khai, Pakse, Phitsanulok,

• Savanakhet is slow

  I have been to Savannakhet a number of times for visa runs, since I live right across the border in Mukdahan.
  
  Savanakhet has some good restaraunts. The Dao Cafe in the center of town (look for the Catholic Church, it's in the same square) offers some great non-Asian food and an eclectic selection of beers. You will, however, pay top dollar (or kip) for it. It's not a cheap place to eat, but the food is good, and the service is excellent.
  
  There is also a nice riverside restaraunt just down the steet from the Thai consulate. Excellent Laos and Thai food and also very good service as well as lovely ambience. The restaruant is floating in the Mekong and mored to the rivers edge.
  
  There is an excellent hotel (Unfortunately I forgot the name and gave the card I used to have to another traveller) right on the main road across from the Rose Garden (it's a beer garden). Old French architecture, high ceilings, wood floors, clean... 180B a night. I love the place. Name starts with an "X".
  
  The nightlife is limited, but there is some. A couple of "discos" featuring your usual Lao music and working girls, a smattering of small bars and a few Karaoke places. Word of warning, Laos working girls put you at risk, as Laos has a law that prohibits lao citizens from having sex with non-Laos.
  
  I find the place slow, a bit dirty and boring. But some people do like it, and there are plenty of tourists moving through.

  • Sights & activities
  • History & culture
  • Scenery & environment
  • Eat & drink
  • Traveller's scene
  • Romance
  • Value for money
  • I'll be back (or not)

  By MADMAC (dabbler)
  Written on 10th June, 2009 after a visit to Savannakhet in November, 2008

  Also reviewed by MADMAC: Chaiyaphum, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, That Phanom, Udon Thani, Yasothon,

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