Savannakhet'sSoui Lake set for tourism development

Visitors and locals enjoy playing in the water of Soui Lake
in Champhone district of Savannakhet province. --Photo Champhone Travel

Champhone district authorities have submitted plans and a budget for a comprehensive tourism development at Soui Lake in Savannakhet to the provincial office for approval, according to a local official.Deputy Head of the Information, Culture and Tourism sector in Champhone district MrPhetchamphoneVongkalasin told Vientiane Times yesterday the plans include the development of restaurants, parklands, waterside huts and other facilities beside the lake.

“Our tourism development project for Soui Lake aims to attract more tourists with the project costing more than 4.4 billion kip. The plans have been designed by a local company in cooperation with us and there will also be our nation flag in the middle of the lake made up of planted lotus flowers,” he explained.

“The plan also includes planting water hyacinth to spell out ‘Soui Lake' for visitors to take photos of. When the plan is approved by the governor, then we will directly cooperate with a local company to start work on the development,” he added.

He also invited the public to visit the lake next month on September 1 for the HorKhaopadapdin festival noted for special parcels of food displayed inside and outside the temple. Authorities are then organising boat races on the lake during the weekend of September 3-4 to celebrate the festival.

“During the weekend, many of tourists, especially local people flock to our lake to play in the water and picnic,” he said.

He stressed that visitors would not only enjoy a visit to the lake, but other attractions in the area such as That Kou (which resembles a HeuanHin or stone house) in Xayphouthong district, Dongling area with its many monkeys, HortayPidok or Buddhist teaching library, NongPafa (soft-shelled turtle pond) and the Siamese crocodile conservation area.

Tourists could also continue their trip and visit the spiritual That Pholstupa at the temple in Xayphouthong district, one of the most popular attractions in the area with the sacred stupa's construction spanning the years 557 to 700AD.

“We have a smooth 20 km unsealed road which links all the tourism sites in our district and we plan to asphalt the road next year,” he noted.

Last week, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism MrSavankhoneRazmountry inspected Soui Lake and the Dongling area to share his views on the development and management of the local vicinity.