chiangrai Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I'm off to Savannakhet nexr week.I"m being dropped off at the friendship bridge apparently I have never been there before. What it like.is it a big busy place or a small quiet town. Can anybody recommend a cheap but comfortable hotel near the Thai embassy. Where are the Bars. How do I get from the bridge to the embassy. And any other general tips welcome . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao Lao Beach Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 It is completely utterly boring, and that is an understatement. This mob is great. http://www.savanvegas.com/visarun/ Their office is just left of the passport check point at the bridge. It is actually cheaper using this when you factor in the transfers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fookhaht Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 What's it like? In three words: sad, pitiful, boring 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hullupullo Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 It is completely utterly boring, and that is an understatement. This mob is great. http://www.savanvegas.com/visarun/ Their office is just left of the passport check point at the bridge. It is actually cheaper using this when you factor in the transfers. How they are cheaper? 50b bus over bridge and 100b tuktuk from border to embassy. Leena Guesthouse 450b. My friend paid Laos visa 1500b using savanvegas, I paid 1300b doing it by myself, same national. Their service is maybe good but cheaper it is not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao Lao Beach Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Leena Guesthouse 450b compared to the casino rooms are chalk and cheese. True you could do it cheaper. Clearly the Casino is hopping that you gamble heavily, and justify including a 1 hour proper massage, fantastic room, all meals transfers and place for some entainment in an extreamly boring town. Actually the casino does the trip to the consolute for you at no cost and just delivers your passport back to your room. I would recommend doing it your self if the 200B makes a difference to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Leena 360 bht. OK, for us guys and full of farangs so good to talk. Lao beer 40 bht per pint 5 minutes from Consulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiangrai Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 o.k, I get the picture,nobody has said where the bars are so i take it that there aren't any. Go to Leena guest house and have a beer there,then walk to the Thai embassy in the morning. You mean there's no riverside bars with topless houtchy coutchy dancers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeijoshinCool Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 The beer sounds good, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hullupullo Posted February 28, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted February 28, 2013 Yes there are some bars but no topless staff, toothless yes. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 o.k, I get the picture,nobody has said where the bars are so i take it that there aren't any. Go to Leena guest house and have a beer there,then walk to the Thai embassy in the morning. You mean there's no riverside bars with topless houtchy coutchy dancers. Very nice riverside floating bar near the consulate. BUT, is your trip for a visa or masturbation purposes. ? Think you must let us know what your trip is bout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennyEagle Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 This is an OK town, been there many times, Lenna guesthouse is good, a good price and the people are wonderful, but no refigerator in the room, if You are not driving they have bikes, it is not Thailand but nice and no noise, I like it that way myself, I normally fly in from Vientiane but it is hard to leave the airport, no Tuk or taxi. The consulate is so easy , no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny1967 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 It is completely utterly boring, and that is an understatement. This mob is great. http://www.savanvegas.com/visarun/ Their office is just left of the passport check point at the bridge. It is actually cheaper using this when you factor in the transfers. Have to agree with CLB.I just got back yesterday after doing the savanvegas visa run.Totally relaxed for my first ever visa run.Staff were very friendly and did everything for me.Would definitely use them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackybang Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) Have been to SVK perhaps 5 times now - there is plenty going on under the sleepy, mundane surface if you would wish to find it. Get out and have a look around - plenty of nice people, and cheap beer everywhere. Loads of hangouts, and a couple of discos also - not massively hightech, but a good laugh for a night. Plenty of women there, hostess bars and Vietnamese massage, if that's your bag, but it's not in your face (thankfully). Loads of pretty and friendly local, normal women (if you've got the language). Buy a bus ticket at the border - 50 baht to the bus station, and take a samlor from there. Embassy is about 1-1.5 clicks from station. I have stayed at Leena everytime I've been there, and stayed at the Casino also, just to try it out. Leena is okay, and I have certainly recommended it to many people, and even taken people I've met there to stay, when they've asked for a half decent 'value' room. I would say, however - the last time I stayed there, the people had changed their demeanour slightly, and it didn't feel as welcoming as on previous occasions - and it wasn't just a bad day, as I stayed for 4, and was constantly greeted by sour, uninterested faces - apart from the cleaners. Not sure they haven't been infected with too much money ? The Thai food there is not that clever atall, in my opinion, but alright if you want an omelette baguette. For decent, traditional Laos coffee (mornings) (3,000 kip) walk out of Leena, turn left, walk to next junction, turn right - about 30 meters along on your right. They sell 'Cowjee' also - baguette, pork meatballs in soup / fried eggs + cheap, filled baguettes. For decent Somtam at Laos prices / grilled meats / fish (10am 'til around 12:00 midday - they sell out quick)- walk out of Leena, turn right, left at next junction - walk along around 2-3 hundred yards, on the left, next to, and just after a ladies fashion shop, run by a ladyboy. For half decent western food - out of Leena, right to next junction : left, and then first right, and about 20 yards on your left, bamboo frontage, or at that same junction : right - walk along maybe 100-150 yards, on the left - Seven restaurant. Or down to the river, and right, (opposite side to the river) - Mekong restaurant - good pizza, etc. Before the Mekong restaurant, there is a semi decent Korean bbq on the same side, and a very busy Laos bar further along. I had to change my room twice this time, as the T.V. / Aircon wasn't working in two rooms, and they didn't seem interested in fixing it - so check, and change if you need to. If you want a fan room, it's cheaper - around 200 baht, but they seem to be developing a habit of telling people there are no fan rooms available, when there quite clearly are, as a group of budget travellers I recommended them to found out on this trip. Having said all of that, I still stay, and would stay there again, but would not use them for anything other than accomodation. You can rent a bike for around 10,000 kip for a day. There is a really nice Vietnamese guy doing hires - in a small cubby hole, out of Leena, turn right - about 30-40 Yards along on the right. Really nice, genuine bloke, and poor, so I like to support him whenever I'm there - be careful if he invites you to sit and have a drink with him - the whiskey is like rocket fuel... Great, easy going and mannerly Embassy staff there - no problems atall. Have a good trip - I'm sure it will be whatever you make it ! Edited February 28, 2013 by Ackybang 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignis Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 It is completely utterly boring, and that is an understatement. This mob is great. http://www.savanvegas.com/visarun/ Their office is just left of the passport check point at the bridge. It is actually cheaper using this when you factor in the transfers. Have to agree with CLB.I just got back yesterday after doing the savanvegas visa run.Totally relaxed for my first ever visa run.Staff were very friendly and did everything for me.Would definitely use them again. Would agree it is easy and straight forward with them, but just looked the price has jumped up another 500 baht.. Not sure if I ever go again, would use them unless the price comes down.. . I have stayed some time ago at Phonepaseud Hotel Savannakhet big rooms, very big bathrooms, rooms are in block of 4 in gardens, WiFi and big TV and big fridge in rooms, Reception has PC's to use....... it is just above the Town, easy to walk to Consulate as all down hill, on the corner is a very good cafe few meters from hotel with those wonderful bread rolls.. I like Savannakhet, and when I go a stay a few days, The Casio is fine for 1 night or if you gamble but is far out of town.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHANGOVER Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 As Ackybang says; it is there if you look or ask. My wife and I stayed at NongSoda guesthouse on the left (Mekong opposite) about a minute's walk from the consulate. Run by a friendly SA guy called Eddie. 400 THB for a large comfortable room with air,'fridge and bathroom inc bath.He suggested the Mekong View restaurant (5/600 m past the consulate soi) if we wanted Western food but we walked into town and had a HUGE noodle soup with squid, clams, chicken and pork.Twice the size and flavour of a Thai noodle soup at half the price!. Lao beer is brilliant too!! Yes it is pretty quiet but the bars, restaurants and people are good. A good change from some places in Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHANGOVER Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Did I mention the Lao beer? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiangrai Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Thanks too all who replied. i was joking about the topless dancers,I like quiet sleepy towns and Laos must have the best in the world. How about Mukdahan,I will have to stay one night there one night,any good value hotels there. And to cross the friendship bridge can I walk or should I take a bus and then Tuk Tuk to the embassy. Other than that I feel like I know Savannakhet pretty well at this stage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignis Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Thanks too all who replied. i was joking about the topless dancers,I like quiet sleepy towns and Laos must have the best in the world. How about Mukdahan,I will have to stay one night there one night,any good value hotels there. And to cross the friendship bridge can I walk or should I take a bus and then Tuk Tuk to the embassy. Other than that I feel like I know Savannakhet pretty well at this stage You MUST take a bus, there is a foot path but have seen a couple of times backpacker try to walk but have been turned back and had to catch the bus... You need a Laos Visa ? that office opens at 8 am.......... = 2 things get the bus over the bridge only as bus into town will not wait for you to get a Visa. Most of the non Asians are going to the Thai Consulate, so a Tuk Tuk or a Mini bus know where your going, Mini Bus may well wait until a few more people are going before taking off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I understand they are now building a new consulate, about half way between the bridge and the old one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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