Borikhamxay earmarks river site as tourist draw
Standing on the Mekong riverbank and observing the fishermen on their boats is a very relaxing way of spending the day. And if you can go with the fishermen on their boats it will be even more enjoyable as you get to watch them at work and have a nice view of the river and the communities that live along the riverbank.
This idyllic riverine environment has the potential to be a strong tourist draw as more and more people seek out less well known parts of the country.
Rocks resembling a turtle lie in the middle of the Mekong in Kaengsadok village, Borikhamxay province.
Borikhamxay is one of the 17 provinces in Laos that is making a careful assessment of its tourism potential. It recently laid out a strategy plan for 2015-2020 aiming to position the province as a tourism hub linking the south of Laos to the region and is now seeking concession-holders to develop 25 tourist sites.
As a reporter, I recently accompanied the Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Savankhone Razmountry, and a provincial tourism team to Kaengsadok village which lies alongside some intriguing natural rock formations in the middle of the Mekong.
This site, in Pakxan district, is listed as one of the 25 new tourist attractions.
The trip to Kaengsadok took place after a media meeting last month to discuss the introduction of analogue television transmission along with other broadcast media which was attended by more than 40 senior officials and chaired by Mr Savankhone.
Kaengsadok is 25km from the urban heart of Pakxan district on Road No. 13 South. A right turn off this road indicated by a sign takes visitors a further 15 minutes to reach the village.
When you arrive at the riverbank, you will see many fishing boats and an embankment under construction. If you gaze out over the river to the left your attention will be caught by some curiously shaped rocks and the fishermen's boats in midstream.
Deputy Head of Kaengsadok village, Mr Chomphet Vinavong, said 70 to 80 boats go out in search of fish every day. Sometimes, visitors hire them out for a pleasurable fishing trip.
“This area not only has the rocks, which can be imagined as a dog, turtle, crocodile or stupa, and the activities of the fishermen to interest visitors. We also have a large expanse of white sand along the river which runs for about one kilometre and is suitable for beach activities,” he said.
“This is a great spot for locals and domestic visitors as well as overseas tourists. They come here to look at the rocks and have a relaxing day on the beach, especially at Lao New Year and other festivals. People can buy Mekong fish and grill it over charcoal and eat it on the beach.”
On the other side of the river lies Thailand and the bucolic scenes along both banks where the locals grow plots of vegetables make for a pleasing sight.
Mr Chomphet said “We sometimes get some fishing amateurs here from Vientiane who come with rods and lines and people were hooking 8 to 10 kg of fish last month. In March and April you can pull 20 to 30 kg of fish out of the water each day.”
People like to come here for payang, pakueng and payon, which costs 35,000 to 80,000 kip per kg.
These things are the reason why the province approved Kaengsadok as one of the 25 places for development as tourist attractions.
Statistics for 2014 published by the Tourism Development Department show that Borikhamxay has 108 hotels and guesthouses with 2,011 rooms, which puts the province in seventh place in terms of accommodation rankings in Laos.
The province also has two travel agents, 70 officially designated sites of natural beauty, 11 sites of cultural interest and three historical sites.
Borikhamxay is 150km from Vientiane and can be reached by Road No. 13 South.
~News courtesy of Vientiane Times~
Standing on the Mekong riverbank and observing the fishermen on their boats is a very relaxing way of spending the day. And if you can go with the fishermen on their boats it will be even more enjoyable as you get to watch them at work and have a nice view of the river and the communities that live along the riverbank.
This idyllic riverine environment has the potential to be a strong tourist draw as more and more people seek out less well known parts of the country.
Rocks resembling a turtle lie in the middle of the Mekong in Kaengsadok village, Borikhamxay province.
Borikhamxay is one of the 17 provinces in Laos that is making a careful assessment of its tourism potential. It recently laid out a strategy plan for 2015-2020 aiming to position the province as a tourism hub linking the south of Laos to the region and is now seeking concession-holders to develop 25 tourist sites.
As a reporter, I recently accompanied the Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Savankhone Razmountry, and a provincial tourism team to Kaengsadok village which lies alongside some intriguing natural rock formations in the middle of the Mekong.
This site, in Pakxan district, is listed as one of the 25 new tourist attractions.
The trip to Kaengsadok took place after a media meeting last month to discuss the introduction of analogue television transmission along with other broadcast media which was attended by more than 40 senior officials and chaired by Mr Savankhone.
Kaengsadok is 25km from the urban heart of Pakxan district on Road No. 13 South. A right turn off this road indicated by a sign takes visitors a further 15 minutes to reach the village.
When you arrive at the riverbank, you will see many fishing boats and an embankment under construction. If you gaze out over the river to the left your attention will be caught by some curiously shaped rocks and the fishermen's boats in midstream.
Deputy Head of Kaengsadok village, Mr Chomphet Vinavong, said 70 to 80 boats go out in search of fish every day. Sometimes, visitors hire them out for a pleasurable fishing trip.
“This area not only has the rocks, which can be imagined as a dog, turtle, crocodile or stupa, and the activities of the fishermen to interest visitors. We also have a large expanse of white sand along the river which runs for about one kilometre and is suitable for beach activities,” he said.
“This is a great spot for locals and domestic visitors as well as overseas tourists. They come here to look at the rocks and have a relaxing day on the beach, especially at Lao New Year and other festivals. People can buy Mekong fish and grill it over charcoal and eat it on the beach.”
On the other side of the river lies Thailand and the bucolic scenes along both banks where the locals grow plots of vegetables make for a pleasing sight.
Mr Chomphet said “We sometimes get some fishing amateurs here from Vientiane who come with rods and lines and people were hooking 8 to 10 kg of fish last month. In March and April you can pull 20 to 30 kg of fish out of the water each day.”
People like to come here for payang, pakueng and payon, which costs 35,000 to 80,000 kip per kg.
These things are the reason why the province approved Kaengsadok as one of the 25 places for development as tourist attractions.
Statistics for 2014 published by the Tourism Development Department show that Borikhamxay has 108 hotels and guesthouses with 2,011 rooms, which puts the province in seventh place in terms of accommodation rankings in Laos.
The province also has two travel agents, 70 officially designated sites of natural beauty, 11 sites of cultural interest and three historical sites.
Borikhamxay is 150km from Vientiane and can be reached by Road No. 13 South.
~News courtesy of Vientiane Times~
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