THAKHEK
BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS YOU SHOULD VISIT AT THAKHEK
In the beginning, Thakhek was called Khottabong where it became a frontline of the Mon-Khmer kingdoms of Funan and Sheng La under the name of Pali: Sri Gotabura. Until the French invasion, the place was renamed Thakhek.
When you travel in Thakhek, you will discover that the town’s history is still present today in the Old Town beside the Mekong river. Around the city square, you can stroll the beautiful streets around the heritage. The unique in the architecture of the house, shop, and café where you can see easily in this style of differentiation. You can call the name of the town base on the style of its. Thakhek means “ Guest landing”, and in the last few hundred years, it has been the place of commerce for foreign merchants. Exploring Thakhek, the guests can enjoy cool drinks, eat a few pieces of cake and immersed in the scene here.
WHERE TO GO IN THAKHEK
Konephapheng Waterfall, the widest waterfall in all of South East Asia
1.A SMALL CORNER OF FRANCE
The town is the common name for the area where the city has its oldest origin. This is the place where you will find many old buildings from ancient times as well as during the colonial period of France. You will find many large and small hotels, restaurants, caterers along the roadside, as well as shops available. Located right along the river, this is a great place to enjoy a day of dining and shopping or take a romantic stroll or bike the ride along the river. One of the things you will find serving in open markets in this area is an unusual array of encounters that many Westerners are not used to joining, including squirrels, snakes, frogs, and bats.
2.THAM NANG AEN CAVE
Tham Nang Aen Cave is a large cave 15 km east of Thakhek and just south of Route 12, along with the Alley cave. The spectacular cave, 30 meters high in the central room, is named after the orphaned legendary Nang Samounta. The guide will tell you the story of her tragic romance with ex-Xieng. You can travel by boat on the lake, run through the giant cave, and enjoy a drink, meal or picnic on the shady lawn of the cave.
3.KONGLOR CAVE
Konglor Cave is also a great place for tourists to spend some time to explore. The length of the cave is nearly 4km, where the river goes through the cave. You will see spectacular limestone formations and can visit the caves on the river in a boat or walk along the coast. Buddha Cave is another example of the great cave formation in the area where gorgeous limestone statues and huge Buddha statues carved in the cave walls.
4.PHA NVA IN CAVE
Pha Nya In Cave are the steps up on a limestone cliff about 2km west of the Tham Kaen Aen, close to 12th Street. It is named after the Archangel Archer. In the cave, you will see the statues outside the entrance, a Buddhist temple, a large room that is naturally lit with stalactite ceilings and a swimming pool.
Note: At this place, the water is sacred and you should not go into it. Entrance to the cave can be flooded and inaccessible during the rainy season.
5.XIENG LIAB CAVE
You can see the limestone cave – Xieng Liab Cave – named after the legendary Nang Xieng and tragic legend of the legendary Nang Samounta – from Highway 12, about 11km east of Thakhek. The cave is an about 200m length which has impressive limestone formations on the ceiling and is said to contain many historical drawings. In the dry season, you can walk for 10 minutes to the river that flows out of the cave, and go through the cave with a village guide. In the rainy season, you can take a boat ride through the cave.
6.ELEPHANT (XANG) CAVE
Elephant (Xang) Cave is an important pilgrimage site for local communities, especially festivals including Pii Mai. The cave is located in a limestone cliff above Ban Tham. Visitors climb the rocky stone steps through several levels up to the Xang elephant stones and the cave is named after. The cave and the sunset views give a stunning view over the plains and Limestone Mountains. At the ticket entrance, there are souvenirs and beverages for sale, parking, and toilets. You can also visit Ban Tham village, the temples, and Pho Sii stupa.
7.WAT SI KHOTTABONG TEMPLE
The temple built in the 18th century, the original temple is a grand tower from the ninth century under the reign of King Nanthasen. Si Khottabong Temple is still splendid. This is also a place of sacred worship of local people and many international visitors. You can come here to ask for peace and good luck for yourself and your family.
8.KHAMMOUANE MUSEUM
This museum which is a large collection of cultural memorabilia of Laos people. The museum was built by the French in the twentieth century. Inside the museum is a collection of guns, porcelain, porcelain and rattan that are over 2000 years old. It also saves many valuable souvenirs that are typical of the culture and history of the Laotian people.
YOU SHOULD TO KNOW BEFORE TRAVELING TO THAKHEK
THINGS TO DO IN THAKHEK
- Bike through the challenging Thakhek Loop
- Explore the magnificent caves of Thakhek
- Discover Thakhek’s hidden rock-climbing paradise
- Go kayaking on clear and calm rivers
- Catch the view at The Rock Viewpoint
- Trek deep into Thakhek’s National protected areas
- Dip in the lakes and rivers of Thakhek
- Visit the sacred stupa That Sikhottabong
- Join the Thakhek Cycling Adventure
- Destress wela with a relaxing Lao massage
Getting in and out of Thakhek is a relatively easy matter, no matter where you’re coming from or where you’re planning to go next. Buses are the primary method of transport, and the bus station is located on Route 13, a few hundred meters south of the intersection with Route 12.
There is a bus between Nakhon Phanom and the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, which leaves from the bus station frequently and costs about LAK20,000. The bus ride is only about 90 minutes (including time spent crossing the border), and it is one of the quicker and easier border crossings between Thailand and Laos.
There are also buses from Thakhek to Vietnam, and it is possible to travel between Thakhek to Dong Hoi, Hanoi, Ha Tinh, Hue, and Vinh. Schedules vary and these buses do not depart every day, so it’s necessary to check at the bus station for the times and availabilities of these buses if you are hoping to travel to Vietnam after Thakhek.
Buses to Vientiane take about 8 hours; the VIP bus is meant to be about an hour faster.
Other destinations in Laos that are serviced by buses in Thakhek include Attapeu, Paksan, Salavan, Savannakhet, Sekong, and Xieng Khouane. Prices and times vary on these buses, and although you generally can’t buy tickets in advance, it is advisable to check in at the bus station ahead of time to clarify schedules and prices. There is also a smaller station with songthaews and small local buses that go to the small towns and villages along Route 12 and Route 8.
WHY TO GO THAKHEK
Thakhek itself is a relatively small town and not a particularly exciting tourist destination, but it serves as a good landing spot for backpackers who are branching out into the surrounding areas of Konglor Cave, or planning on motor biking around what is becoming the somewhat famous Thakhek Loop – a circular loop of a few hundred kilometers that generally takes 3-4 days to travel around by motorbike.
Though not for the faint of the heart, the Loop will give you spectacular views of quiet, rural Laos. There are a variety of sights to see along the Loop, including Konglor Cave, of course, as well as many other interesting caves filled with Buddha statues, underground rivers, and other rock formations, located close to Thakhek itself.
IS THAKHEK A SAFE PLACE TO VISIT?
Thakhek is a safe place to visit. Your main concern here lies in ensuring that you are well prepared if you choose to travel the motorbike Loop, as you may pass through long stretches without fuel stations or much sign of life nearby; you’ll want to fill up your take frequently, and you may even want to take a bottle of fuel with you just in case).
TEMPERATURE AND BEST TIME TO VIIST THAKHEK
Best time to visit Thakhek belongs to typical weather of Laos, the city is always hot year round and has two basic seasons is the dry season and rainy season. Dry season here is quite hot and sunny during rainy season with heavy rainfall so the weather is much cooler and much more pleasant.
WHERE TO EAT IN THAKHEK
Thakhek is not particularly known for its broad range of eating options, but at nighttime, the Mekong riverbank area is the best place to go for food. There is a night market here where you can find a good variety of foods such as fried chicken, grilled meats, noodle soups, deep fried dumplings, drinks, roti, etc—depending on what you get, you might pay around LAK15,000 for an item from the night market. You will also find several barbecue stalls and papaya salad spots opening up at night along the riverbank.
Sabaiedee Thakhek is a popular backpacker restaurant with standard offerings on the menu of Lao, Thai, and Western food. The Kitchen, located in the Inthira Hotel, is another popular tourist spot with a big variety of options on the menu catering to Thai, Lao, and Western food tastes. Olso enjoying popularity is Le Bouton D’Or Boutique Hotel Restaurant , located just north of the night market, which has a nice view over the river and a similarly large array of items on the menu.
