A picturesque village in the foothills of the Annamite Mountains, 40km from the Vietnamese border, XEPON is a pleasant rural stopover between Vietnam and Savannakhet. The old town of Xepon was obliterated during the war - along with every house in the district's two hundred villages - and was later rebuilt here 6km west of its original location, on the opposite bank of the Xe Banghiang River. The old city had been captured by communist forces in 1960 and became an important outpost on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. As such it was the target of a joint South Vietnamese and American invasion in 1971, Operation Lam Son 719 , aimed at disrupting the flow of troops and supplies headed for communist forces in South Vietnam.

Buses from Daen Sawan/Lao Bao and Savannakhet drop you off in front of the market, from where it's a short walk uphill to the government guesthouse ($1 per bed), a long wooden structure with blue trim, which offers dormitory-style accommodation and an outdoor pump for a shower. If you don't mind a brisk 1.5km walk, the forestry department runs a somewhat nicer dorm-style guesthouse ($1 per bed) at the edge of town. There's no water, so be prepared to bathe in the nearby stream. To get here, take a left at the second road west of the market and follow the road to the foot of the hill. There's an excellent noodle shop on the western side of the market complex, which makes a hearty bowl of fõe. A second option is the small restaurant across from the market (with an English sign) which offers noodles, omelettes and stir-fries. There are no official exchange services in Xepon, but you can try your luck at one of the town's restaurants.