New Thai-Lao Bridge a Boost for Mekong Tourism!

Friendship Bridge spans the Mekong

Travel and tourism on and around the Mekong River received a significant boost with the opening of the second Friendship Bridge between Thailand and Lao PDR on 20 December.

The bridge was officially inaugurated by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand and Lao Vice President Bounngang Vorachit in the presence of the Prime Ministers of Thailand, Lao and Vietnam as well as members of the diplomatic corps.

Travel throughout the Mekong basin has been growing ever-popular on the world stage since the early 1990s with the restoration of peace throughout the Indochina Peninsula and the transition to a market economy among socialist states.

Ancient temples line the Mekong

The bridge is part of the East-West Corridor route which connects Vietnam, Lao PDR and Thailand. The two provinces on both sides of the river are Savannakhet and Mukdahan, where the people share a cultural, historical and ethnic heritage.

Savannakhet can be easily explored by foot and has historic temples and architectural landmarks dating back to the colonial French days. There are 11 ethnic minorities that are easily visited on the many one and two-day treks. Other points of interest include the Ho Tay Pidok Library which houses a collection of 200-year-old palm leaf manuscripts written in the ancient Khom-Pali and Lao alphabets.

Mukdahan is home to an interesting mixture of cultures from various tribes, fantastic natural rock formations and also renowned for its sweet tamarind fruit. The Thai Mukdahan Cultural Heritage Gathering, an annual festival and fair is held in January to promote the cultural heritage of the 8 ethnic tribes. All year round the town’s Indochina Market offers a variety of local products and handicrafts, particularly woven cloth, matmee silk, prae wa silk, khit pillows and local herbs. The Mukdahan National Park is a deciduous forest extending 49 sq km with uniquely-shaped rock formations throughout a wide rock plateau. Towards the end of the rainy season, a floral magic begins to transform the landscape into a myriad of vibrant colors.

The best way to relax and take in the atmosphere at the end of a great day exploring is to lean back in a rattan chair, sip an ice-cold beer and munch on a spicy Somtam salad, made from green papaya, a hallmark dish of the area’s understated cuisine. All the while you can watch the constant swirling of river eddies and the lively scene of fishermen casting their nets in the shallow waters near sandbanks.

National parks, waterfalls and much, much more!

As Mukdahan does not have its own airport, for those on a tight schedule we suggest flying to Nakhorn Phanom, Thailand. From there you can travel down river while enjoying the many cultural and natural sites. The bridge makes crossing to Lao easy and opens new paths south to the province of Champasak and Cambodia or alternatively on to the beaches of Vietnam.

For specialty travel information on Mekong tours, please contact:

North by North-East Travel
Tel: +66 (0) 4251 3572
Fax:+66 (0) 4251 3573
e-mail: info@ north-by-north-east.com
Web site: www.north-by-north-east.com

Photos and captions courtesy of Tourism Authority of Thailand