Savannakhet to Pakse
We had planned to cover the distance to Pakse in a 3-night trip, but managed it in two. The first day to Pakxong was into a strong headwind. It was hard work. There wasn't much to see en route. We did stop at a local market which was for the benefit of small enterprises inside a large open-sided building. The photographs show the range of produce being sold.
That night, we stayed at the Wat Tha Na Guesthouse, which was being managed by two young ladies, one whose husband works on an offshore rig in Vietnam. She had lived in the UK and thought it was too cold. The guesthouse was not a huge financial success and it was up for sale.
After a very comfortable night's sleep, we awoke to a dramatic overcast sky. Fearing rain, we pushed off at 6 am. At 25km, we reached a town, which is close to the border with Thailand. There was a lone soldier with his AK-47 walking the bridge. We had breakfast with a granny and her ducks. At 44 km, we met a French cycle tourist heading north on his bike with a trailer. We had a long chat.
Although there was a spot or two of drizzle, the conditions were very good and we had a side wind, not a headwind. This allowed us to make the 105-km journey to Muang Khongxedon. We spent the night at the Sengdeun Sengmany Hotel, a very rustic guesthouse. During the course of the evening, more locals arrived, some setting up camp and fire, killed their duck for their supper.
It was going to be hot today, so we belted the last 67km into Pakse. Having arrived two days earlier than planned, we are grateful that the Athena Hotel agreed to take us in. After guest housing for the past few days, we are treated to a first-class establishment.
Total distance: 250km
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| Provincial Tourism Department map |
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| Pet shop at the local market |
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| Natas de coco |
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| TV operating instructions on the wall |
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