Tha khaek & Savannahket 22nd-24th

After extending our visas in Vientiane we decided to take a few stops on the way to Si Phan Don and take a look at what southern Laos had to offer.
We had a quick overnight stop in Tha Kheak which is a very popular launching spot for a 3 day motorbike called “the loop”.

We skipped this and caught the bus to Savannahket, a busy town located on the Mekong.
Like all towns in Laos the bus station is inconveniently located around 5km out of town. Maybe the Lao city planners get bribes from the tuk tuk drivers.
Savannaket is split into two areas; the old town, which is located on the Mekong and oozes French colonial charm. A few blocks back the new town is bustling although boring from an architectural point.

We spent a day biking around the old part of the town checking out the old French buildings which are in serious disrepair, this part of town is like a ghost town compared to the new town a few blocks away.
The next day we found some information about a 1 day motorbike trip out to the monkey forest, turtle lake and some local wats. The map seemed good enough except we left town from the wrong side and got completely lost.  We ended up finding a different turtle lake which was empty, later we read the lonely planet which states “although there are no longer turtles here”.

We did come across the impressive “That Ing Hang” Buddha is believed to have stopped here when he was sick during his wandering. He rested by leaning (ing) on a hang tree (thus Ing Hang). A relic of the Buddha’s spine is reputed to be kept inside the thâat.
 After our 140km ride we arrived back in Savannaket a bit disappointed, a little sunburnt and stiff from a long scooter ride with the one scooter between the two of us.

We found a place with a live band surrounded by locals sharing hot pot, so took a table and had a few beer Lao and all was right again.