Savannakhet Province lies on the Mekong, opposite Thailand’s Mukdahan Province. The province’s character is shaped by Buddhist shrines, colonial buildings, local markets and distinctive natural areas. Its attractions range from religious history and handicrafts to wetland wilderness and sandstone landscapes.

Temples, Pilgrimage Sites and Colonial Heritage

That Ing Hang is an important pilgrimage site for Lao and Thai Buddhists. The stupa is about nine metres high and adorned with intricate carvings and decorations. You can reach That Ing Hang by tuk-tuk, bicycle or motorbike; the availability of local transport may vary. The structure combines religious significance with detailed architectural design.

Vat Xaiyaphoume is the oldest Buddhist temple in Savannakhet and was originally founded in 1542. Kaysone Phomvihanh Town’s French colonial heritage includes St. Theresa’s Catholic Church and numerous colonial shophouses. The Provincial Museum is housed in a remarkable building in the old town. As renovation status and opening hours may change, check them before visiting.

Stone Structures, Festivals and Fossils

Heuan Hin is a pre-Angkorian stone building on the Mekong, about 40 kilometres downstream from the city. On 29 January 2026, the National Heritage Department recognised the site as national cultural heritage. The Heuan Hin Stone Castle Festival is held annually and promotes traditional arts, culture and customs. The That Ing Hang Festival is usually celebrated at the full moon in December; exact dates vary according to the lunar calendar. If you are travelling for a festival, check the specific date in advance.

The provincial Dinosaur Museum displays fossils and information about around four dinosaur species, including sauropods, theropods, Iguanodon and Psittacosaurus. They were excavated in the Ban Tangvai area, 120 kilometres east of the province. A visit to Savannakhet can therefore include both religious and architectural heritage, as well as insights into prehistory.

Handicrafts, Local Specialties and the Mekong Waterfront

The Lao Silk-Cotton Weaving Centre in Ban Nongkadeang, Vilabouly District, offers bags, shirts, Lao skirts and Lao silk. The centre gives you an insight into a local craft through the products it makes. One of Savannakhet’s specialties is Sin savanh: sweet, dried and flattened beef with sesame, available to buy at local markets.

Food and handicrafts are sold daily from 5:00 to 18:00 at Savanxay Market. As market operations may change, check the opening hours in advance. People use the Mekong promenade for exercise, socialising and watching the sunset. The market and riverfront thus reveal different sides of everyday life: food and handicrafts for sale in one place, and a public space for activity and spending time together in the other.

Wetlands and Sandstone Landscapes

The Xe Champhone Wetland in Champhone District is the larger of Laos’s two Ramsar sites. It supports great aquatic biodiversity, one of the last remaining populations of endangered Siamese crocodiles, as well as endangered turtle species and wetland birds. In Tansoum village, the Xe Champhone Wetland and Crocodile Information Centre offers insights into wetland wilderness through information panels and murals. It opened in May 2025.

Phu Xang Hae National Protected Area offers a different landscape, characterised by a steep sandstone slope and extensive sandstone outcrops. Along with the wetland, this landscape adds a geological contrast to the cultural discoveries.

Discover more destinations: Savannakhet, Dong, Phongsaly, Houaphan, Vientiane, Bolikhamsai, Attapeu, Louangphabang.

For the main travel overview: Laos.