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EXPLORE
THE
CHARMS OF
CHAMPHONE Venture off the beaten path into the nature and culture of Savannakhet. TEXT BY JASON ROLAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOONSAB THEVONGSA / JASON ROLAN above: The Library at Wat Ban Lam Chan 1. Murals and archways at Wat Taleo Kao 2. A sacred softshell turtle 3. Remnants of a temple structure at Wat Taleo Kao 4. Monkeys at Dong Ling
S
ometimes the best things are found where you least expect them. Savannakhet is the most populous province in Laos, yet also one of the least explored, as tourists seldom stray from the pleasant and scenic downtown area of the city. On a recent visit, I was advised to get out and see the real Savannakhet on the Champhone Circuit. To find out what I was missing, I acquired some transport and headed out of town.
Champhone District is quite flat and agrarian. It is marked by the Xe Champhone River which flows from mountains in the north down into the Xe Bang Hiang and onward into the Mekong. My first stop along this route was to admire the wide Soui Reservoir, jokingly called “the ocean of Savannakhet” which contains water for use in the area. It is a charming lake and popular spot on weekends for local people who flock to restaurants on the lakeside and enjoy fresh catches of fish and shellfish. Driving on a few kilometers, the driver stops. “Monkeys!” he exclaims. We have arrived in Dong Ling – “Monkey Forest”. These rare animals live in a forest believed to be sacred by local people, so they are given free rein. Local shops must protect them-
