Saravan-Vietnam border crossing attracts 200,000 travellers
SARAVAN - Since the opening of the Laylay border crossing between Saravan province and Quang Tri province in Vietnam in 2014, more than 200,000 people have entered Saravan using this route.
Of this number, 87,000 people were Vietnamese coming to Laos, but it seems that most were Lao nationals crossing into Vietnam to visit popular tourist destinations like Hue and Danang.
The Lalay International Checkpoint is located in Samuay di strict, a mountainous area and one of the three poorest and most remote districts in the province.
Most Lao people crossing the border here come from the south of the country - mostly Champassak, Xekong and Attapeu provinces. Southern Laos is not so far from Hue and Danang; it takes only a day or half a day to reach Hue.
Deputy Director of the Information, Culture and Tourism Department in Saravan province, Bounthom Phommavong, said “More people are using this border crossing because it has good road access after Road No. 15R was asphalted in 2015, and makes travel time to Vietnam shorter.”
“Another point is that Champassak province has an international airport in Pakxe district, making it relatively easy for tourists to travel from there by land to Saravan and then into Vietnam.”
Road No. 15R is a very attractive route and gives people good views of the forests, mountains, farmland, ethnic dwellings (Pako and Oy groups) and their lifestyle. Tourists can also visit Kang village in Ta Oy district where some interesting ethnic groups live, and in Samuay district they can visit houses that are roofed with straw.
Road No. 15R runs from Saravan provincial capital over a distance of about 150km to the border. From there it's about another 100km to Hue, and from Hue to Danang it's about 80km.
Previously, travellers had to go to Savannakhet province and take Road No. 9 from Xeno district to the Densavan-Laobao border crossing before heading to Hue and Danang.
Bounthom said Saravan has 84 officially recognised tourist sites, of which three are operated as concessions. Only the Tad Lor waterfall in Lao-Ngam district has been developed to acco mmodate tourists and is a very popular destination.
In 2015, over 33,000 tourists visited S aravan province.
The province has a great deal of potential for tourism but access remains a problem and a lot more funding is needed to pay for the necessary infrastructure and facilities at tourist sites.
Nevertheless, the Information, Culture and Tourism Department intends to forge ahead with developments and will build new facilities when they have funding.
At present, the province is mainl y a point of transit for travellers. If more attractions can be developed and made accessible, more people will want to spend more time there, helping to generate income for local people as well as boosting the provinc e's economy.
It is proving a challenge for the department to decide how best to develop areas of attraction to tourists. In the meantime, it is continuing its work to identify more places that would draw visitors and will add them to its plan for future development.
Bounthom said “Road construction and the provision of water and electricity at tourist sites is a very important aspect of development and feasibility.”
Saravan province is home to 10 ethnic groups and about 400,000 people who live in eight districts, and lies about 700km southeast of Vientiane.
