South East Asian Trips

Khammouane is situated in the central part of Lao PDR with an area of moderately high mountains sloping down to the Mekong valley. Fertile land here is well suited to plantations of rice, cabbage, sugar cane, bananas etc.

A total population of 260,000 is made up of low land and up Landers Lao groups: Phuan, Tahoy, Kri, Katang etc. Thakhek provincial capital, situated across the Mekong from Nakorn Phanom in Thailand. It also has much well preserved French colonial architecture similar to that found in Vientiane.

Buses run several times a day from Vientiane and Savannakhet and yhe journey takes up to five hours from Vientiane. Tha Kek is a designated international border checkpoint, although visas are not available on entry. You will need a visa in advance. The ferry across the Mekong from Nakorn Phanom, in Thailand runs all day between 0800 and 1700 on weekdays, with some restrictions at weekends.Nakorn Phanom has an airport that is served regularly by regular flights from Bangkok by Thai Airways International.

Khammouane province contains two vast wilderness areas known as the Khammuane Limestone National Biodiversity Conservation Area and the Nakai - Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation Area.

Besides, Khammouane province also rich with many caves, such as Tham Xieng Lieup, Tham Nang An, Tham Phanang and Tham Phaya In. The Khammouane Limestone is a maze of limestone karst peaks forming a stone forest of caves, rivers and pristine jungle. For most of the wet season, the area is not accessible by road - most 'roads' being tracks with log bridges across deeps streams. These tracks are often routes across rice paddies near the river banks - during the rainy season, the only way to get around is by boat.

The National Tourism Authority of Lao PDR is currently investigating ecotourism projects in this beautiful region.

About 8 Km to the south of the town is the That Sikhotabong or Sikhotabong stupa, constructed around 9th to 10th century by King Nanthasen and restored in the 1950s.