Center of LAOS
Borikhamsay is located in the narrow
"neck" with moderately high mountains
sloping southwest into the Mekong River
valley.
Vientiane and Xieng Khouang provinces lie to
the north. Khammouane province to the south.
Paksan the capital town is a commercial
centre. In Borikhamsay province, between
Vientiane and the provincial capital Paksan,
a "footprint of Buddha" shrine at Vat Phra
Bat is an important pilgrimage site.
The most famous attraction of the region is its
striking landscape. At Ban Nahin, Poupha
Mane, a stone forest featuring thousands of
rock pinnacles, can be found. Due to its
proximity to Lak Xao, the latter is within
easy reach for tourists crossing to Vietnam
. South of Lak Xao, the still pristine
forests of Nam Thuen, protected area with
varieties of wild life.
Khammouane is situated in the central part
of Lao PDR with area of moderately high
mountains sloping down to the Mekong valley.
Fertile land here is suited to plantations
of rice, cabbage, sugar bananas...
A total population of 260,000 is made up of
land and uplanders Lao groups: Phuan, Td Kri,
Katang ...
Thakhek is the provincial capital and is
well known to day-tripping Thai from Nakhon
Phanom, across the Mekong River . It also
has much well-preserved French colonial
architecture similar to that found in
Vientiane .
About 8 kilometres 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.
Besides, Khammouane province also rich with
many caves, such as Tham Xieng Lieup, Tham
Nang An, Tham Phanan and Tham Phaya In.
Savannakhet is the most populated province of
Laos . Touristically, it does have the
surrounding villages that are among the most
typical and beautiful of the region, notably
Kengkok.
Geographically, its position lies at the
crossroads of commerce and communication
with Viethnam (Hue- Danang) bordering on the
western side with Thailand (Mukdaham).
Khanthabouly, the provincial capital of
Savannakhet, is a busy market place for
trade with nearby Thailand . Numerous
examples of French architecture tell of the
town's importance during the colonial era.
Khanthabouly's main attractions are its
noteworthy temples such as the beautiful Vat
Saja Phoum and That Ing Hang. The latter is
the holiest edifice in southern Laos housing
a hollow chamber with a distinguished
collection of Buddha images. That Ing Hang
and That Phone stupa which, during the full
moon of the 3rd month, repectively holds the
special festival.
Near Muang Phin, on the route to Vietnam ,
dinosaur remains are on display. They were
discovered by a French scientist in the
1930s.
Not as old as these prehistoric relicts but of no
less significance, is the northernmost
example of Khmer art at Heuan Hin (stone
house). The buildings were constructed
between 553 AD and 700 AD. Today little more
than unrestored ruins remain.
Visitors interested in the latest period of Lao
history may want to visit the former Ho Chi
Minh Trail, whose outer edges are next to
Xepon, 170 km east of Khanthabouly. North
and south along the trail, remnants of
downed US helicopters, fighter planes and
other war material can be seen.
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