Savannakhet Survival Guide

[LawrenceChee]

Many have posted very useful information on the visa application process and since I just returned from a trip, I thought it would be good to write something of what to do while you wait out for your visa.

If you fly in through Bangkok on Laos airlines like myself, you have 4 day / 3 nights wait for your visa due to arrival timings / departure timings. If you came in a bus through the land bridge , depending on the timing you came in, you could be in and out in 2 days 1 night if you get all your timings right to the point of submitting before 11am on Day 1 and leaving on Day 2 after collecting at 2pm.

The place has its advantages, no questions asked approach, easy to follow step by step for the visas and the place is in general very friendly.

Transport

From the airport , there is limited taxis, bargaining a one way trip from the airport to the city hotel is between 180 - 250 baht depending on how hard you bargain or get the guy for a round trip. There is very little taxis in the airport compared to the bridge where the tuks tuks are waiting so your options are limited. I got mine at 150 baht speaking in Thai and showing him I had only 150 baht in my pocket.

For your travels there , you can either rent a motorbike at about 300 baht a day which is expensive or a tuk tuk for half day at about 400 baht where ehe will take you around for sites and wait for you. For regular rides within town, pay nothing more than 40 baht per trip so have lots of 20s with you and if you have a companion, get the driver to agree on the price before leaving as some would collect from every passenger. I had a tuk tuk who insisted in collecting 100 baht per passenger for foreigners and took my 40 as I spoke Thai and I was shocked as the price should be for the ride and not per passenger but he was obviously lucky as the foreigners paid.

My suggestion is to get a good tuk tuk driver and make him yours for the next few days. I paid very little 40 baht internally and most of the time he was on time and happy to have frequent trips

Hotels

Hotels options here are very limited in the city and Thai consulate and the Avalon Residence seems like a decent choice for the price paid. The rooms are basic tiled and toilets have good working showers and the bed relatively comfortable and aircon works. So for 600-800baht a night you wont expect much and you wont get much. The army of cleaners are good and the reception speaks good English and can book cars, tuk tuks etc

The breakfast sets are like Vietnam hotels and it is probably not filling for most. Fresh fruits is not available much there and there is no supermarket in town. I packed half of my hand carry luggage with fruits from Thailand and it was the best decision as I supplement my daily meals with fruits from Thailand.

In the city centre where the night walking street is , there is limited options and guesthouses although most look poor on the outside and badly maintained.

Meals

In the middle of the city, the daily night market has stalls like your regular Thai markets, filled with cheap sushi, waffles and stir fried dishes. There is no shops available there in the night market and people gather there to eat.

I ate at 3 restaurants and was a regular there and would recommend them.

1) Macchiato Cafe - This is the best cafe in the entire city. It's like being transported into Thonglor Bangkok and for a few hours with then free wifi, you can really enjoy the beautiful surroundings in the cafe, nicely decorated very chic chic and you can people watch here as all the hi-so / visa applicants are all here through the day. the food is priced at Bangkok pricing but for the peace / quiet, the good coffees and tea and thai food. It's worth it. I ate here for all 3 days for at least one meal and the food - Vietnamese Pho / Mcwings with fries / Fried Rice were all good with the drinks. Ambience 100% and price is not much if you are used to city living. walking distance from the Thai consulate after you have finished your submission at 9ish and you can spend the day there catching up on mails and working

2) White House - I stumbled on this place for dinner on the way back one night and the food here is surprising good. It's another hi-so place with Laotians dressed up for their meals and i was there in my shorts and shirt and welcomed . Food was great ...I had the steaks and it was really good done correctly at medium well and the ambience and service was great. Had like 6 servers to one meal and it was amusing watching them teach the interns how to serve etc. I spent about 30 USD for the meal there for a giant steak, additional fries, soup and a great watermelon shake that was huge even by Thai standards.

3) Daosavvah - This is a nice french restaurant right next to the night market and mostly empty on the nights I was there. I had great scallops and the bread done French style with the soup was great quality and again for those that like to eat well, this is another good option. I spent about 20 USD for the 3 course meal including ice cream

4) Retro Cafe - First meal and it was slow and the service slow. This place livens up after 9pm where they have live music and more locals hanging out to chill out.

Linh Cafe & Pilgrim Inn was closed at the time of the visit ...owners probably taking a break for the low season...and the reviews say they are good

Things to do

1) Massages - At the main savant road, you can find 2 massage places near to the 7 mart. Not 7-11 but 7 Mart :- ) at that location right ope is one and just about 10metres down another on the same side of the road. These 2 massages places charges about 200baht for foot / body and its a great way to while the afternoon away.

2) Savan Vegas Casino - About 200 baht ride from town / 20 mins is the casino...good cheap buffet , they have a Thai Muay thai boxing ring and the slots and tables can keep you busy. Lots of Chinese guests there to gamble and have an overpriced bar. Always get one way transport as at the desk if you have bought chips, you can get the free shuttle back into town and save the 200 baht for the return journey back.

3) There is a national park for those who love nature

4) Stroll around the city and look for old phones ! Amazing they still sell lots of old Nokia stuff and it's interesting to see them.

5) Detox...the phone signals are weak unless yo are right at the riverbank....so for a few days...your phones wont work if you don't buy a local sim card and you can enjoy the silence ....

6) Head to the Chinese association during the day and if you speak Mandarin...it's amazing the free conversations you can get and the local gossip on what's available for sale...

Enjoy the visa run...for a few days of the year...it's worth the days spent in this sleepy town for the annual visa.

[Enoon]

Fresh fruits not available?

Except in the night market 2 mins walk from the Avalon and the huge day market 5 mins walk from the bus station.

When one reads total skollboc so early in someones idea of a "guide" one is tempted not to waste any more time on it.

Unfortunately I did.

Edited July 20, 2016 by Enoon

[LawrenceChee]

Mate....those 2 markets have fruits mainly from China and these are heavily laced fruits.

I am recommending based on price quality but understand there may be those after price points only and these are 2 different tangents altogether.

Edited July 20, 2016 by LawrenceChee

[HannahD]

If you have the time you might return to Thailand by way of Pakse and Champasak and while there visit Wat Phou which is probably the easternmost Khmer temple in the string of temples which are mainly in lower Isaan. There is an international bus from Pakse to Ubon.

[maximillian]

Very kind of you Lawrence, to share such a lot of information.

Thank you so much.

Edited July 21, 2016 by maximillian

[MobileContent]

Very interesting report.

I was in Savannakhet around two weeks ago and visited the That Ing Hang Stupa and bought a lot of French bread for around 50 Baht. I also bought some amulets for around 80 and 180 Baht and of course the cheap Texas and Jonnie cigarettes.

[johninbkk71]

Savanaket is truly one of the most boring places to go for a visa. The food is even worse than in Thailand and that's saying something.

There is a supermarket however. Just down from the Thai consulate is an empty shopping mall and next to it is a smaller mostly empty building with a supermarket. No fresh produce just imported dried noodles,tinned food, snacks, etc from Thailand.

Edited July 21, 2016 by johninbkk71

[Mangostin]

Thanks for it

I had an interesting experience at Macchiato, more staff than customers around, and when you need something they would turn their heads the other way rounds because they prefere to keep chit-chatting with each other rather than do any works (yes Lao people are way lazier than thai...).

Their supervisors however can speak and understand english and are way better than those time wasters they are hiring, asked for the check-bill 3 times, they make the move to going for it but they disappear into the toilettes outside, what a joke.

I suggest you to try some places into the old town, Cafe Chai-Dee, good food, reasonably cheap and an incredibly attentive service, or the restaurant Chez Boune, more classy but also more expansive and with good food. There is also a place which have good ice creams a few hundred meters out of the bus station, can't remember their name but i think it was something with some "star" in between, cheap but good luck with getting served, this ones also don't like to have their constant break times interrupted by customers....how laozy

[midas]

We should cherish places like Savanakhet as a mental refuge away from cities like Bangkok where 50% of the population walk around glued to their mobile devices and at least in Savanakhet you will not be trampled down by a group of youths playing Pokémon.

[rapom]

Mate....those 2 markets have fruits mainly from China and these are heavily laced fruits.

I am recommending based on price quality but understand there may be those after price points only and these are 2 different tangents altogether.

My wife and I bought oranges from the day market when we were there last October. The oranges had the same "product of Australia stickers" as the ones sold at Big C in Surin. I have never been able to distinguish one countries fruit from another without a sticker. But, I must say I never saw fruit there with Chinese stickers. As far as the local food, we ate at a restaurant on the opposite side of the street not far from the Avalon. My wife and I both had 1/2 roasted chicken, sticky rice, vegetables and including drinks, it was less than 300 baht. No complaints about the quality or quantity of the food during my stay in Savannakhet. We enjoyed the walk from the Avalon to the Thai Consulate both days. Paid 100 baht 2nd day for tuktuk from consulate to friendship bridge.