Sadeua Mae Nahm Khong (สะดือแม่น้ำโขง)

Thai. ‘Navel of the Mekhong River’. Name of a spot in the Mekhong River considered to be the point where the Mekong River is the deepest, with a depth that cannot be measured. Here, the current is very turbulent, especially in the rainy season, when it generates a very large whirlpool, which can best be observed when large pieces of floating material or debris get caught in the cone-shaped vortex. It pulls these objects into its empty centre and typically will make them spin for about 30 minutes before they break away from its pull and continue to flow downriver. The Navel of the Mekhong River is about 300 meters wide and located near Wat Ahong Silawaht (วัดอาฮงศิลาวาส) in Beung Kahn, where it can be observed from a viewpoint indicated by wooden sign. It is also believed that the navel is the royal palace of the phayanagaraat, i.e. the Naga King, and statues of this mythological snake are found here abundantly, placed along the river bank in its honour. On the opposite side of the river, in Laos, is a small Buddhist temple with a hall that houses an longated reclining Buddha. See also TRAVEL PICTURES (1) and (2), and MAP. 回