The city and provincial capital is located on the Mekong River across from Mukdahan, Thailand. Savannakhet doesn’t appear on many tourist itineraries, and its location 25 kilometres off of Route 13 is partially to blame. Those travelling through southern Laos bypass it completely and you will only end up there if you make a point of it.

A large number of “tourists” find themselves in Savannakhet due to the fact that there are two important border points: the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge just 6 km north of the city, and the Dansavanh/Lao Bao border with Vietnam, the most convenient point of entry to connect Hue and Da Nang to Laos. Both are popular spots for expats and travellers to do ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 1,000 words.)