A hot spring in Bokeo province's Mueng district may be the country's newest tourist destination, with Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone staff calling for a survey of its tourism potential.

Zone Administrative Office Head, Mr Somphone Southam, said a group from his office visited the hot spring at Poungloc village earlier last week on an unofficial trip, and discovered the spring was the biggest any of them had seen in the province.

“The spring boiled in the middle of a stream in the centre of the village; it bubbles hot water to a height of about 40cm while the stream covers the entire area,” he said. Mr Somphone said a local official had told him the village was located near an ancient volcano, which explained the hot spring activity.

“He told us that in March to April each year, the hot spring rises to a height of 1m or more,” he said.

“As the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone administration we would like to call on the government to survey the area with a view to developing it as a tourism resource for the province.”

Mr Somphone said access to the stream required taking a 50 minute boat ride along the Mekong River to reach the village, located on the Laos-Myanmar border, followed by a 30 minute walk to the actual hot spring.

“I believe this will be a fascinating tourist destination in Bokeo province after an official survey is completed in the near future,” he said.

“There are a few hot springs in Xieng Khuang province and another one in Borikhamxay province, and this is the latest one waiting to be discovered.”

Mr Somphone was confident a number of natural tourism sites were yet to be found in Bokeo, and it was only a matter of time before they were open to visitors from around the world.

“We plan for the hot spring to be developed in the next two years by local or foreign investors, which will benefit the local people by improving their socio-economic conditions,” he said.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
(Latest Update August 25, 2013)

Would be nice to see pictures this spring