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This festival is held all over Laos, from 14-16 April. It aims at seeing out the old year and welcoming the new year. The biggest festivals are held in the city. There is a Miss Lao New Year contest; the winner parades through the town on the back of an artificial animal. Some families organise baci ceremonies: big arches made of rice plants in order to show their respect to the earth and sky spirits which facilitate rice production. People splash or pour fragrant water with flowers on passersby, to wash bad things out of their bodies.
Exhibits dinosaur fossils or "big lizard bones" as called in Lao. They were excavated from Xonbouly District. Three kinds of dinosaur bones have been discovered; Pode, Iguanodon and Sauropode. Two rooms. Information is all in Lao and French, no English.
A private exhibition of the town's history, mainly focused on French colonial architecture of the downtown area.
Old French-style buildings can be seen in the central city area, especially around the Catholic church and the central plaza. These building are heritages from the French colonisation of Laos in the mid 20th century.
This 16th century stupa is one of the most revered in the country. Annually in December, Buddhists travel to this holy site for the annual "Boun Pha" ceremony. There are two roads that lead to the stupa: the first one is the busy main road to Seno. Tuk-tuk rides should cost 70,000 kip for a round-trip. Far more recommended is the alternative road through the green rural outskirts, passing the Beung Va lake, which is best experienced by bicycle or motorbike.
A 16th century temple in the centre of the city along the bank of the Mekong River. Now serving as both temple and high school for novice monks of Savannakhet. Pee Mai Lao (The Lao New Year celebration) and Boun Suang Huea (boat racing festival) following Buddhist Lent are held here.
A "Provincial Protected Area" which extends to 8,300 hectares and hosts two tribal villages. There is a beautiful lake called Nong Lom in the centre of the forest where you can observe wild birds like teal, butterflies, and rare plants.