Thakhek Town - The Complete Guide
Nestled in the heart of Central Laos, Thakhek town is a full of great food, colonial architecture and history. A jumping off point for the famous “Thakhek Loop” and the amazing caves at Konglor, Thakhek town has become a hub for travellers heading to and from Central and Southern Laos. We have spent quite a bit of time exploring the town of Thakhek, really getting to know its nooks and crannies and we feel that it is well worth a place on your Laotian itinerary.
This is our guide to what to do, where to stay and what food not to miss during your time in Thakhek.
In this guide to Thakhek Town:
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Thakhek town has amazing views across the Mekong at sunset!
What to do in Thakhek
Why come to Thakhek? Why not! There are tons of things to do in and around the town. Thakhek is a fantastic gateway not only to the Konglor Caves but to the beautiful heartlands of Central Laos. The town makes a great base to explore some of Laos' lesser known treasures, both nearby and slightly further afield.
Things to do in and around Thakhek town
If you are looking at keeping it local, Thakhek has plenty going on within walking distance, or a very short drive, from the centre of town:
Thakhek Town's Riverfront - Sunsets on the Mekong
Thakhek town sits on the eastern bank of the Mekong river, facing Thailand. Sitting this way means that Thakhek gets to enjoy some absolutely amazing sunsets! The town has made the most of its West-facing riverbank by paving a promenade along the edge of the Mekong.
During the day this makes for a nice wander along the riverside, with cafes on the bank to nip into for a coffee or cheeky brownie. The promenade runs from the old ferry terminal in the north to the "Sunset Restaurant" in the south.
Come sundown, the riverbank's population swells as people come to watch the sky shift from blue to orange and then fade into the twilight of evening. On the southern end of the promenade you will find a string of cheap and cheerful BBQ joints selling beer and the traditional Laotian "stuff on a stick". It is a great way to end a day!
Explore the streets - French colonial architecture and Vietnamese influence
Thakhek is a town of many histories. Its name derives from its past as a trading port (its name translates roughly to boat-guest). Under French rule, its high street and administration buildings were rebuilt in the colonial style with colonnaded, balconied buildings. Also at the direction of the Colonial French, a large portion of the population was immigrant Vietnamese, "encouraged" to relocate by the French in their attempt to link Laos and Vietnam by railway.
The streets of Thakhek are great to just wander about.
You never know what, or who, you will find!
You can see strands of all of these ‘pasts’ by walking the streets of Thakhek. Beautiful colonial French facades sit alongside traditional Laotian and Vietnamese styled shophouses and homes. The town boasts several French style bakeries and coffee shops as well as some excellent Vietnamese food and the ever present, always tasty, Laotian charcoal grills.
21 March 1946 Memorial Park
(location)
A grim reminder of colonial brutality sits just off of Thakhek's riverfront. A large shrine and memorial sit in memory of the devastating battle of 1946 which marked the French re-colonisation of Indochina. The shrine memorialises a particularly horrible episode of history where the French forces disposed of the bodies of women and children by throwing them in the town well.
Nowadays the park and its beautiful shrine are still respected and revered, but are more often used by the locals to relax and play badminton and ball games in the cool of the evening.
Wat Nabo Si Pattanaram
(location)
Set on road that runs along Thakhek's riverfront this beautiful temple is well worth a visit. On the river's side is an ornate staircase, flanked by colourful Naga statues, their coiled bodies leading down to the water. On one side of the staircase is the "city pillar" of Thakhek, housed in an elaborately decorated shrine. The main temple sits on the other side of the road and is full of statues, gold leaf and the quintessentially Laotian blend of serenity and vibrancy.
Wat Nabo Si Pattanaram’s Naga statues are especially impressive at sun set.
Wat Phathat Si Khottabong
(location)
A short drive outside of town is the huge Wat Phathat Si Khottabong. A focal point for worship in the area, the large temple houses a sacred stupa from the 3rd century believed to hold relics of the Buddha. The temple grounds are large and peaceful to explore with a massive prayer hall, fountains and amazing statues.
The area outside the temple is also used for night markets and festivals. When we visited in February there was a huge market and celebration going on with hundreds of food stalls crowding around the temple.
Exploring Central Laos - Day trips from Thakhek Town
Thakhek is perfectly situated to act as a gateway to the lesser explored regions in Central Laos. Full of waterfalls, amazing cave systems and incredible views, the central regions best attractions are usually only a day trip away from Thakhek town.
Everything we mention below can feature as a stop on the amazing motorbike / scooter adventure - the Thakhek Loop. But do not despair if you cannot ride a scooter (or just don't have the time to spare), you can do lots of the regions highlights as a day trip from Thakhek town.
The Thakhek Loop
The Loop is what the town is most famous for in backpacker and traveller circles. Thakhek town acts as the start and end of the epic multi-day ride. We have written an exhaustive guide to everything you can see and do on the Thakhek Loop as well as riding tips, accommodation recommendations and how to rent a bike. Read all about the Loop and details of all the places mentioned below here:
Cave Tour - Local Sights at Elephant Cave, Xieng Liap, Phaya In and Tham Nang Ene Cave
Only a short drive from downtown Thakhek are four fantastic caves to explore:
Elephant Cave - location
Xieng Liap Cave - location
Phaya In Cave - location
Tham Nang Ene Cave - location
The largest, and furthest away - Thang Nang Ene cave - is only 35 minutes drive from town. If you are going for a day trip we would advise to go all the way out to Thang Nang Ene Cave and work backwards.
Thang Nam Ene Cave - It is like a multicolored Moria
You could pair the cave visits with a lunch and swim at...
Thafalang - Swimming and food amidst mountains
(location)
Sitting in a beautiful mountain ringed valley, this restaurant / resort floats on a crystal clear and fish filled river. Thafalang makes a perfect rest stop to swim and cool off in the river before eating a delicious Laotian feast from their restaurant. It costs 50,000 kip for one of their riverside floating huts and is worth every penny.
We actually stayed at Thafalang for a night, make sure you read the our Thakhek Loop guide (linked above) for all the details.
We enjoyed an amazing swim and a fantastic fishy feast at Thafalang - check out our Thakhek Loop guide for more info.
Konglor Caves
(Location)
The caves at Konglor defy description (very helpful for a travel blog, we know); they are just too big, too impressive. The cave system winds 7km through a mountain, houses cathedrals of hollow stone, stalactites and mites the size of factory chimneys and a dark river winding throughout everything. It is unbelievably impressive!
The Konglor Caves are quite a way outside of Thakhek but there are several tours and day trips available that will take you there and back inside of a day. If you have more time to spare, but do not want to ride the whole Thakhek Loop you can catch a bus from Thakhek to Na Hin and then change for a ride down to Konglor Village. The village has loads of great guesthouses and restaurants and would make for a great overnight stop.
We have gone into much more detail about visiting the Konglor Caves and staying in Konglor Village in our Thakhek Loop article, make sure you check it out here.
The entrance to Konglor Caves gives no clues at what is hidden inside!
There are several tour agencies in town who can arrange a tour to the Konglor Caves, just be aware it will probably be quite an early start and a long day!
You could also combine a visit to Konglor Caves with an adventure at...
The Rock Viewpoint - Ziplines and adventure park
(location)
If you are looking for adventure and adrenaline, The Rock has you covered. Set high up on top of a mountain, The Rock is full of zip wire lines, high-wire spider-net courses and incredible viewpoints. The Rock Viewpoint is in a unique geological area - the Stone Forest. This rocky, improbable landscape is a great backdrop for some adrenaline pumping adventures.
There are also some options for those not seeking the thrills; there is a great boardwalk trail through a portion of the Stone Forest (this is what we did and we loved it!), as well as a restaurant and café, all making the most of the incredible views.
If you were looking to stay there overnight there are also some very unique accommodation choices at the Rock. Pods overlooking or even overhanging the massive sweeping views. Check out some of the rooms here.
The company that operates the Rock Viewpoint offers a variety of packages and tours. You can even use them to get a tour that includes the Konglor Caves. They also run one of the nicer hotels in town - The Inthira Thakhek - but more on that later! Check out their costs and packages here.
Where is Thakhek? - Getting to the town and where to go next
Thakhek can be found here on a map. Nestled down in Central Laos the western side of Thakhek borders Thailand, the two countries separated by the Mekong River. Thakhek is around 335 km southeast of the Laotian capital Vientiane, about a 5.5 hour drive.
Thakhek town is well connected by bus to all the major Laotian towns, cities and traveller hotspots. Whether you are arriving in Thakhek from the Cambodian border to the south, coming in from Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the north or hopping across the river from Thailand, Thakhek is a useful transport hub for exploring Central and Southern Laos.
Thakhek by bus - getting around Laos
By far the most common way to get to or from Thakhek is by bus. The main bus stations can be found a little way outside of the town (we were dropped here). As is unfortunately common in Laos, there is a larger than usual taxi fare to drive from the bus stop into the town itself - expect to pay around 50,000 kip per person for the 4+km ride.
If you book a ticket from Thakhek, most of the guesthouses will offer a pick up service to get you to the bus station, if you book online - look for the tickets including hostel/hotel pickup.
Once in Thakhek town, it is easy to get around. Most of the restaurants, accommodation, coffee shops and bars are on or near the riverfront.
Vientiane to Thakhek
The journey between the Laotian capital and Thakhek takes around 5.5 hours and there are multiple bus companies offering the route.
Either head on down to the bus station, ask at your accommodation or check out 12Go to book in advance.
Vang Vieng to Thakhek
The backpacker and adventure travel town of Vang Vieng is around 7 hours and 460km away from Thakhek. If you are travelling from Vang Vieng to Thakhek there are several daily buses you can book online. Most will require a change in Vientiane (even when this is not explicitly stated!). You can book them from any guesthouse or travel agency in Vang Vieng or online in advance through 12Go below:
Vang Vieng - Thakhek bus tickets
If you are travelling the other direction - Thakhek to Vang Vieng - you will need to transfer in the capital of Vientiane. There wasn't an option to book this direction online - if this changes let us know in the comments!
Thakhek to Savannakhet
If you are looking to explore the fantastic night market, colonial architecture and amazing repurposed art deco buildings of Savannakhet you can take a 2 hour bus the 120km south from Thakhek. There is not much online booking available for this route but you can easily book a minivan / bus from your accommodation in Thakhek. We paid 150,000 kip each for our tickets on a minivan with hostel pickup.
Thakhek to Pakse
If you are looking to go south and explore Pakse, the Bolaven Plateau (and its motorbike loop) or the ruins at Champasak, there are several daily buses heading the 330km south to the town.
Again book in advance with 12Go or from the bus station or your guesthouse.
Thakhek to Don Det - The 4000 Islands
Laos may be landlocked but it still boasts beaches, bars and laid back, old-school backpacker vibes from its 4000 Mekong Islands at Don Det. To get to the 4000 Islands from Thakhek you will need to get the bus to Pakse then, usually the next morning, get a minivan down to Nakasong and finally, a short ferry across to Don Det. After you reach Pakse from Thakhek, there are two daily buses to Nakasong and Don Det. Both buses leave in the morning and fill up fast, so book early! We paid 130,000 kip per person for combined bus and ferry tickets both times we travelled from Pakse to Don Det. You can use the links above for the Thakhek - Pakse journey but will need to arrange the Pakse - Don Det leg with your accommodation.
To travel up from Don Det to Pakse is a simple 10 minute ferry to Nakasong followed by a long (around 8 hour) bus journey all the way (470km) to Thakhek. You can book this route in advance online here:
International travel from Thakhek
Depending where you want to go / where you are coming from you can book a number of international buses from Thakhek. From Cambodia to Thailand and Vietnam there are several bus routes leading from Thakhek out of Laos. Check out the 12Go widget at the bottom of this section.
The High Speed Railway - Getting to Thakhek from northern Laos
If you are looking to go, or are coming from the North of Laos - Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Vang Vieng etc then you can take advantage of Laos’ new high speed railway. The trainline drastically cuts down journey times and links Vientiane to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang. It takes the journey from Luang Prabang to Vientiane from over seven hours down to two! This means you can travel to or from Thakhek and the south a lot faster than you used to.
To use the train service to get to Thakhek from the north. Catch the train from Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang to Vientiane and then change onto a bus to Thakhek. It will save you hours on Laos' bumpy roads!
If you are on a tight budget and don't mind the extra journey time you can book yourself on a sleeper bus from the north, just be aware that you will probably have to change buses in Vientiane anyway!
For more information on the high speed railway including how to book - check out our article here.
Crossing the Border Thailand to Laos - Nakhon Phanom to Thakhek
If you are coming to Thakhek from Thailand or plan to leave Laos at Thakhek, it is a short ride across the Mekong and the Thai - Laos Friendship Bridge at Nakhon Phanom.
From the Thai side of the border buses leave Nakhon Phanom 4 times a day to Thakhek town. The bus costs 75 baht per person. The buses from Thailand are scheduled at 9am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 16:30pm. The buses from Thakhek to Thailand are meant to run at 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 16:30pm - but check with the bus station first!
If you are travelling without using the bus you can find the Thai border crossing point here and the Laotian border point here. On both sides of the border there will be taxis, tuk-tuks and songtheaws waiting to take you into town.
If you are entering Laos through this border be aware that it does NOT accept E-visa’s at the moment. You will need to purchase a ‘Visa on Arrival’.
Thakhek as a "border run" town
Thakhek has long been a popular place for people attempting a "border run" to renew/extend their visa in Thailand.
You can stamp out of Thailand, cross the Friendship Bridge, enter Laos (paying for the Laotian Visa). You then turn around and do it all again in reverse to re-enter Thailand on a new visa. You may need to go all the way into and then back out of Thakhek town (using the bus) to do this.
Online reports seem to suggest this route is fairly common. We cannot comment on "visa running" but if you have come all the way to Thakhek and spent the money on the visa - why not stay a while and enjoy Laos?!
You can litterally see Nakhon Phanom from Thakhek!
Booking transport online
If you are travelling from Vietnam, Cambodia or just a different destination in Laos and you want to secure your ticket in advance, check out all the online options from 12Go with their city widget below:
Accommodation - Where to stay in Thakhek
Despite being a popular town to visit, and acting as a gateway to the famous "Thakhek loop" (seriously you should read our mega article about the loop!), Thakhek town does not have an overabundance of places to stay. There are a few hostels and plenty of dorm rooms as well as a couple of higher end offerings. We have stayed multiple times in Thakhek and these are our recommendations:
Backpacker accommodation - KFG Hostel / Guesthouse
Located slap bang in the centre of town KFG was just what we needed to find. We stayed both before and after our epic Thakhek Loop experience and both times it was cheap, comfy and clean with helpful staff. KFG has dorm rooms as well as private rooms. On our first stay (prior to the loop) we had a cheap private room with shared bathroom. When we finished the loop we upgraded to a private bedroom with an en-suite. Both rooms had access to a great balcony / veranda overlooking the town square and both times we stayed were great.
The guesthouse can also sort out your onward travel, book tours, give advice about the Loop and even rent you bikes and scooters. It was the most popular place for backpackers to stay and the rooms can sell out fast so book early!
To have a look at availability or book a room at KFG Guesthouse - Click here
A little luxury - Inthira Thakhek
Sometimes its nice to treat yourself. We have been on the road now for around 3 years and, every so often, it is nice to have a real hotel stay. We love our hostels, homestays and guesthouses but, every so often we will treat ourselves to something a little more bougie. Inthira Thakhek was just such a treat. Set in an amazing colonial-era building we had a gorgeous balcony room with views over the square and down to the river front. Having such a nice balcony meant that we could just chill in in the evenings, drinking a beer and admiring the view. We also had breakfast included in our deal and the congee, or rice porridge was a great way to start a days exploration (they do have western options too).
If you are looking for something a little more fancy, book Inthira Thakhek here.
The Inthira is littlerally in the center of everything in town. You can see the amazing balconies!
Other accommodation in Thakhek
There are a few other places to stay in and around Thakhek. Check out our handy map below for all the online accommodation offerings:
If you do stay elsewhere, let us know in the comments how it was, we are sure to be back in Thakhek someday!
Where to Eat - Food in Thakhek
Thakhek town has lots to offer the hungry traveller. Like most of Laos, it is possible to eat very well for not very much money. Being long term backpackers with large appetites we have eaten our way around the town and would recommend the following:
Thakhek Night Market - Centre Point
(location)
By far the most popular place to be when the sun has set, Thakhek's Night Market is stuffed with places to eat. Set inside a covered building, it feels more like a food court than a "traditional" night market. You can have pretty much any of the SE Asian favourites to eat here, from pad thai to pork leg rice, banana pancakes to Laotian BBQ. At the riverside entrance to the market is a large hot-pot restaurant and bar with live music on the weekends.
We ate in the market twice, both times getting different variations on the theme of noodle soup. Both times were cheap (40,000 kip per bowl), yummy and just what was needed!
Crispy Pork Noodles at R'Zim Pork and Duck Restaurant
(location)
This little shop house restaurant has a reassuringly small menu. We opted for the crispy pork noodles and they were amongst the best we tasted in Laos. Perfectly roasted pork belly, topped with deliciously crunchy crackling - what more can you need?! The bowls were very well priced at 40,000 kip each.
Sunset beer and BBQ stalls
(location) - Available everywhere on this stretch of the river - no formal Google listing.
As the sun sets the fires of Laotian BBQs are stoked into life along the Mekong's banks. Plastic chairs and metal tables are unfolded and shop-cart barbecue restaurants open up. It is a perfect place to have a beer and watch an amazing Mekong sunset. A beer also pairs very well with any of the skewers of barbecued meat or fish sold at these stalls. There are plenty of different stalls to choose from all selling very similar menus, so just find the one with the best view!
You always have a good variety of choice with Laotian BBQ!
Everything goes well with a sunset and a beerlao!
Bánh Mỳ Ngon
(location)
Thakhek has a history of immigration, both forced and voluntary, from Vietnam. The cuisine of the town reflects this mixing of cultures. Bánh Mỳ Ngon is a fantastic example of truly delicious Vietnamese food in Laos. The restaurant does serve the titular Bánh Mỳ but not in the way those visiting from the West might expect. This Bánh Mỳ is not a sandwich: a sizzle plate full of runny egg, meatballs, sauce and chilli is paired with a charcoal toasted baguette. You make your own sandwich, or as we did, tear, smear and scoop all the deliciousness with the bread. If you haven't tried this genre of Vietnamese food you really should. Bánh Mỳ Ngon was an unexpected delight in our visits to Thakhek. It was also very cheap, each plate cost only 30,000kip!
Make sure you get there early - it is a breakfast restaurant and only open from 6am until midday or earlier if it sells out!
Le Bouton D’or
(location)
If your looking for a slightly fancier place to watch the sun set from, Le Bouton D'or makes a fantastic choice. Sharing a name and owner with the boutique hotel on the other side of the road Le Bouton D'or has a beautiful view of the sun set over the Mekong. We enjoyed a few reasonably priced beers here after we finished the Loop and it was a very nice place to celebrate.
Full disclosure: We didn't eat here. Le Bouton D'or was a little pricey and very 'tourist friendly' in it's menu - lots of fries and pizza options. However, it did look the ideal place for people who wanted a break from Laotian noodles and rice. If you do eat here let us know in the comments how the food was!
Coffee in Thakhek - Getting your caffeine fix
It wouldn't be an Adventures of Jellie article without some mention of coffee. We cannot resist a good cup of the brown stuff (wow that sentence sounded better in my head). Thakhek has a couple of really good places to have a cuppa, these are our recommendations:
Yo and Ko Cafe
(location)
Yo and Ko Cafe was our favourite and most visited coffee shop in Thakhek. Sitting right next to the main town temple and the night market this coffee shop served up fantastic iced coffees and sweet treats. Their iced latte were the perfect sweetness to coffee bitterness ratio and fuelled us in the mornings and re-energised our afternoons!
Make sure you treat yourself to one of their delicious "brookies" - the delicious love-child of a brownie and a cookie!
An iced latte costs 35,000 kip - Not expensive at all for craft coffee!
Via Thakhek Hostel and Cafe
One iced americano from Via Thakhek costs 30,000 kip.
Conclusion - Thakhek Town, more than just the loop!
Most travellers, especially backpackers will use Thakhek as a gateway to the Thakhek / Konglor Loop but the town is special in its own right. From richly decorated temples to riverside views, good food and lovely people, Thakhek has lots to offer those who give it a try, it definitely deserves to be more than a border run or finishing line! Stay that extra day and get to know the place, it is well worth your while and will open your eyes to a little more of Laos!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
For all our Laotian adventures check out our blogs and guides here:
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The Thakhek Loop of Laos is an unforgettable motorbike journey. Our guide covers everything you need to know from how many days it takes to ride, a complete map of the loop, scooter hire, 2 to 5 day itineraries, every stop and attraction on the Loop as well as where to stay and what not to miss on this incredible adventure!