Begin your visit in the small information centre admission free; h8am Growing from his navel is a lotus that branches into several blossoms, on one of which sits the creator god, Brahma. Vishnu is asleep on the milky sea of eternity, here represented by a naga and alongside him are heads of Kala, the god of time and death.
This lintel sits above the eastern gate the main entrance beneath the Shiva Nataraja relief. It likely went missing several years earlier, but nobody had noticed. In it was found on display at the Art Institute of Chicago and Thailand pressed for its return. Phra Narai finally came home in Note that many roads around here are in terrible shape and signage is somewhat erratic.
All of the following sites, restored or stabilised to some degree by the Fine Arts Department, are free of charge and open during daylight hours. Little of Prasat Khao Plaibat is left standing. But the adventure of finding it, along with cool views of both Phanom Rung and the Dangrek Mountains on the Cambodian border, makes it worth seeking out.
From here take the path to the right, and then a quick left up the hill and follow the strips of orange cloth tied to trees. The walk up the. Archaeologists assume that much of the rock used to build these ancient structures came from the widely scattered Lan Hin Dtat Ban Kruat Ban Kruat Quarry. Over one-third of the population of these two closely related provinces is ethnically Khmer and this remains the principal language in many villages.
The capital cities are rather less interesting, although Surin makes a comfortable enough base. VIP seats, which get you closest to the action, English commentary and guaranteed shade, cost between B and B. At the time of press, an admission fee of B looked likely to be introduced in the near future. English-teaching for children, adults and monks and childcare placements. Bangkokbased Starfish Ventures p39 also has a wide variety of projects in Surin.
Even if you pay extra for an English-speaking guide, these are great prices. Simple wooden shared-bath rooms and a shady garden overlook a rice paddy. Aree cooks some pretty good food and Pirom is one of the best sources of information in the region. Rooms are rather plain, but good value. The rooms are nothing special, but good for the price and the hotel has plenty of extras, like a fitness centre. Located one block west of the fountain.
Surin also still has many cheaper pedicabs. You can watch the stars bathe in the river 2km away after the second show. During Visakha Bucha day usually in May all Suai villages in the area host Elephant Parades, with brightly painted pachyderms carrying the men who will enter the monkhood. There are many craft villages in easy striking distance of Surin town. The food and the setting are lovely, especially at sunset. However, these days you can buy both in each village. The residents of Ban Buthom 14km out of Surin on Rte on the way to Sikhoraphum weave sturdy, unlacquered rattan baskets, including some rather flat ones that pack well.
Nearly 1km further on, next to the army base at the end of the road, is the largest site, Prasat Ta Meuan Thom. This Shiva shrine pre-dates the others by as much as two centuries.
Despite a somewhat haphazard reconstruction, this one nearly justifies. Three prang and a large hall are built of sandstone blocks on a laterite base and several smaller buildings still stand inside the boundary wall. Many carvings encase the principal prang, although the best were pried away and sold to unscrupulous Thai dealers by the Khmer Rouge who occupied the site in the s. A stairway on the southern end drops to Cambodian territory. The sites begin You need your own transport to get here and a visit is just as convenient from Phanom Rung p as Surin town.
The ongoing border conflict has forced closure of this area at times, so check on the situation before driving all the way out here. The southern reaches of Surin Province harbour several minor Khmer ruins. The 11thcentury Prasat Ban Phluang admission 50B; h7am-6pm , 33km south of Surin, is just a solitary sandstone prang without its top, but some wonderful carvings including a lintel above the entrance with the Hindu god Indra riding his elephant, Airavata; Erawan in Thai make it worth a stop.
Any vehicle bound for Kap Choeng or the border can drop you nearby 25B, 30 minutes. Prasat Sikhoraphum h7. Built in the 12th century, Sikhoraphum features five brick prang, two of which still hold their tops, including the 32m-tall central one. Below it are the only two apsara celestial dancers carvings in Thailand. Sikhoraphum can be reached by bus 25B to 30B, one hour, hourly or train 7B to 50B, 30 minutes from Surin town. Prasat Phumpon admission free; hdaylight hours , a pre-Angkor Vishnu shrine dat-.
Si Saket is centred on its train station. The bus terminal is about 2km south on Th Kuang Heng and the commercial centre lies between. It now houses an OTOP shop selling locally produced silks and crafts and a little upstairs museum admission free; h9am-3pm with a few antiques. Thankfully, the rooms are more tasteful. Chansoma h8am-5pm has made Ban Tha Sawang one of the most renowned silk villages in Thailand. Four sometimes five women, including one sitting a floor below the others, work the loom simultaneously and collectively manage over heddles.
Not surprisingly, they produce just a few centimetres per day. Many of the finished products are destined for the royal court, but you can custom order your own at an average price of 30,B per metre. Other shops around Chansoma sell typical silks to a steady stream of Thai visitors. The village is 8km west of Surin via Rte , but finding it on your own is tough since English-language signage is scattershot.
Visas are available; see p for details. Although they give the general impression of representing deities, angels or kings, the iconography corresponds to no known figures in Thai, Mon or Khmer mythology. Claimed by both countries because of a misdrawn French map that went unchallenged by Thailand for decades , the temple was awarded to Cambodia in a World Court ruling. In June , as the Cambodian government sought Unesco World Heritage status for the complex, a border conflict over 4. This situation remains unresolved and the park is currently closed.
Renewed access to the temple may be years away — previously the Cambodians charged B and the Thais required a 5B border pass — though the park could reopen earlier. The plus-year-old carving depicts. A truck will cost at least double. The prang, including the main one, which was built of sandstone but restored with brick, have lost their tops, but several lintels and other Baphuon-style carvings remain. Behind the modern temple buildings are some amusing statues depicting what punishments may await people in the Buddhist version of Hell as a result of various misdeeds in this life.
Eight kilometres west of Si Saket on the way to Kamphaeng Yai on the north side. The project would, he believed, have many benefits, including fostering cooperation within the community, encouraging younger people to come to the temple, and saving lots of money on paint. The more you look around, the less the name seems like an exaggeration.
He took the theme one step further by using bottle caps to create much of the adornment. Turn west at the roundabout in the centre of town. Wat Phra That Rueang Rong hdaylight hours is another unusual temple. A previous. He also created a museum admission free; h7. Despite having plenty to entertain the rustic rover,. Few cities in Thailand reward aimless wandering as richly as Ubon. Ubon grew prosperous as a US air base during the Vietnam War era and is now a financial, educational and agricultural market centre.
The nearby Thai—Lao border crossing at Chong Mek generates a small but steady stream of travellers. It sits behind glass high up the back wall, all but out of sight; bring binoculars if you have them. The image directly in front of the largest Buddha is a copy. If you can understand Thai, someone will demonstrate the process used to paint the designs with real gold. These were not just artistic endeavours: the water represents our desires and the boats represent staying above them.
B3 12 Phadang Mansion B2 13 Sri Isan Hotel B4 14 Srikamol Hotel B3 15 Thongcome Mansion C3 17 Chiokee B3 18 Jumpa-Hom D2 19 Krua Ruen Pae C4 20 Moon Lover C4 21 Night Market Some of the jataka reliefs covering its exterior are quite expressive and two groups of four niches on each side of the chedi contain Buddhas standing in stylised Gupta or Dvaravati closed-robe poses.
C2 24 Rung Roj C2 26 U-Bar C2 28 Grass-Root B3 29 Maybe C3 30 Punchard B3 31 Punchard B2 32 Rawang Thang B3 35 Ubonrak Thonburi Hospital D1 38 Ubon Rental Cycle B3 2 City Pillar Shrine B3 3 Ko Hat Wat Tai D4 4 Monument of Merit B3 Thung Si Meuang B3 6 Wat Jaeng B1 7 Wat Si Ubon Rattanaram B3 8 Wat Supatanaram B3 9 Wat Tai C3 10 Wat Thung Si Meuang The humble.
In front is a wooden bell, reputed to be the largest in the world. A makeshift bamboo bridge connects it to the northern shore and floating restaurants set up shop on the river.
The original simple designs have since grown often with the help of styrofoam to gigantic elaborately carved wax sculptures. Construction, also done on temple grounds, begins at least a month before the parade.
The rooms are small and the air-conditioning takes a while to cool them down, but even the cheapest have enough charm to help you forget this. Isan that could hold its own in Bangkok, the Sunee Grand is a stunner; and far less expensive than its peers in the capital.
From the stylish light fixtures to the at-a-snap service, it will meet expectations. The lobby is downright elegant while the rooms are as comfortable as they should be at these prices. But, if you want to spend as little as possible and still be in the city centre, the cheap fan rooms are clean enough. The menu has a full roster of pasta, plus salmon steak and one of the best pizzas in Isan.
The famous monk and meditation master Luang Pu Cha Suphattho, a former disciple of Luang Pu Man, known for his simple and direct teaching method, was quite a name in these parts. During his life he founded the following two well-known forest monasteries and many more around the world. Peaceful Wat Nong Pa Phong hdaylight hours is known for its quiet discipline and daily routine of work and meditation, and some Thai-speaking Westerners live here.
The temple is about 10km past the river. A senior monk is available to answer questions most days after the 8am meal and someone will likely be around until 11am. Guests must follow all temple rules including eating just one meal a day and rising at 3am, and after three days men must shave their heads.
If driving here, exit to the west and then go under the bridge. Enjoy coffee, smoothies and waffles with jazz and river views at this attractive little coffee shop. Asoke group, which has split from mainstream Thai Buddhism, this restaurant has an impressive vegetarian buffet under a giant roof.
Most of the food is grown organically just outside the city. If you go, try a Blue Kamikaze, served out of a sinister-looking slushy machine behind the bar. Isan maybe be silk country, but Ubon is a cotton town. Shops selling natural-dyed, handwoven cotton clothing, bags and fabric abound.
Grass-Root 87 Th Yutthaphan is smaller, but also good. Although not all the cotton at Maybe Th Si Narong; h8am-7pm is made with natural dyes, this store has the broadest selection of clothing styles.
Ubon cotton at this shop, which sells fun and funky T-shirts, pillows, postcards, picture frames and assorted bric-a-brac, most made or designed by the friendly husbandand-wife owners. They can fill you in on all things Ubon. For two days during the Candle Festival, the owner hosts a mini cultural festival at his gorgeous home-workshop-museum just outside town. The Th Ratchabut branch h9am-8pm is mostly home decor. Money Ying Charoen Park Th Ratchathani This shopping centre across from Rajabhat University has banks that open evenings and weekends nearest to downtown.
All trains also stop in Si Saket, Surin and Khorat. Air Asia also does three flights a week direct to Phuket for as little as B. The cross-border bus to Pakse, Laos B, three hours leaves at 9. Vans are the best way to Si Saket 50B, one hour, hourly.
From the airport, two car-hire counters provides rides to anywhere in town for 80B. If the office is closed, ask at the house next door. Ban Pa-Ao is 3. Thais often stop in the dusty town of Phibun Mangsahan to see a set of rapids called Kaeng Sapheu, just downstream of the Mae Nam Mun bridge.
Villages just over the bridge as you drive toward Khong Jiam are famed for forging iron and bronze gongs, both for temples and classical Thai-music ensembles. You can watch the gong-makers hammering the flat metal discs and tempering them in rustic fires at many roadside workshops. Small gongs start at around B and the 2m monsters fetch as much as ,B.
People make drums and cymbals around here too. Countless shops on the highway have piggybacked on its success. After circling thickly forested Don. In the rainy season the rapids lie under water, and toward the end of the dry season naturally cut holes in the rock, similar to those at Sam Phan Bok see boxed text, p , emerge. Beyond the rapids and the adjacent visitor centre h8am-6pm there are good short walks to other waterfalls and viewpoints.
The 1. The sim-. By road, the park is 14km from Khong Jiam. Or, in April, just before the rains begin, you can walk out.
Naga fireballs see the boxed text, p began appearing at Khong Jiam in There are several simple restaurants near the Mae Nam Song Si, including two pricey ones floating on the Mekong.
All transport to town stops at the highway junction. Buses to Bangkok B to B leave at 7. Apple Guesthouse has bikes B per day and motorcyles B per day for hire and Banpak Mongkok also rents motorcycles B per day. The 3rdfloor rooms have the best views. Call when you get to town and someone will pick you up. The most expensive bungalows have terraces looking at the water through a line of trees. To get there, turn right at the school just before the temple.
Down below a trail passes prehistoric rock paintings dating to at least BC. The second viewing platform fronts the most impressive batch. The northern half of the park holds more waterfalls, ancient art and wonderful views. Boat rides beyond Sam Phan Bok are also very rewarding. You can camp there, and a few people even hire tents. The nearest accommodation is in the village overlooking Hat Salung, a lovely stretch of river in its own right.
Definitely book ahead on weekends and holidays during Sam Phan Bok season. Pha Taem is 18km from Khong Jiam via Rte If you get stuck here after hours, there are several cheap guest houses north of the market. Visas can be bought on the spot and buses wait for passengers to complete the paperwork see p for details. Resident fauna includes elephants, tigers, Malayan sun bears, barking deer, gibbons, black hornbills and endangered white-winged ducks. A short trail leads to the top and you can walk down steps to the bottom where you can swim, though the water dries up around March.
Rangers love taking visitors on short bamboo-raft trips B to B above the falls, though water levels are too low from February to April and occasionally too high when it rains. Stargazing is superb here, so consider spending the night. Snacks and drinks are. Chaiyaphum is a bit of a nowhere town used mostly as a base for visiting surrounding attractions rather than a destination in itself.
Fashionistas should head west to the silk village of Ban Khwao and the outdoorsy should hit the mountains. There are several national parks in the province, of which Tat Ton is the easiest to reach. The Buddha figure inside the ku stupa purportedly hails from the Dvaravati period 6th to 10th centuries.
Ask the guard to find the man with the key. The nearby Chaiyaphum. The Jao Pho Phraya Lae Fair starts on 12 January, the date of his death, and takes place around his statue at the entrance to town.
Both events feature an elephant parade. Rooms are less flashy, but fair for the price. Guests get free use of bicycles. C2 2 Tamnak Keeow A2 4 Ratanasiri Hotel B2 5 Siam River Resort C3 6 Tonkoon Hotel D3 8 Jae Hai Tek B2 9 Night Bazaar A2 10 Night Market The partial picture menu gets you through the language barrier. Either ask for your favourite dish or point to the pictures hanging on the gate.
Most visitors to Chaiyaphum make a stop in the silk town of Ban Khwao, 13km to the southwest on Rte , where many shops sell fabric and clothing. Most weaving is now done in other villages, but several families here still have looms under their houses. Actually, these days embroidery is all the rage and many women use their sewing machines as often as their looms. The Silk Development Centre no roman-script sign; admission free; h8. Covering sq km, Tat Ton is best known for its photogenic namesake waterfall, which is only 6m tall but stretches to 50m wide during the May-toOctober rainy season.
Smaller Tat Fah waterfall, about 20km from Tat Ton, functions as a 20m waterslide during the rainy season. Farming and textiles still dominate life in the countryside, while things are booming in the increasingly modern capital city. It features a line of five natural stone pinnacles with tapered bottoms that rise to 15m and in no way resemble their namesake. This hectare lake is the most pleasant place in town to spend some time, and the paths hugging its shore link quite a few interesting places.
It features enlightening murals depicting Isan culture; various historical displays, including a collection of rare Buddha images on the 4th floor; and a 9th-floor observation deck. Khmer-style prang is dedicated to the Hindu god Indra.
During the day there are paddleboats for hire 30B per half-hour. The ground floor is covered with ingeniously sculpted trees, animals and village scenes of people acting out old Isan proverbs. This peaceful temple, 10km north of the city, has many beautiful monuments, including a 23m-tall white walking Buddha image, spread across its vast grounds.
It has become a well-known meditation centre because rather than teaching a formal method, Luang Po Gluai encourages people to find their own path to inner peace. The Educational Museum admission free; h8. Other activities include a parade, Isan music and lots of shopping.
All come with safes and fridges plus most have balconies or porches. All rooms have individual designs and all the mod cons they should at these prices. What seems like an ordinary small Thai hotel sets itself apart in the details. All rooms have high-quality furnishings and the owner, who lives on site, is serious about service. The rooms are worn but clean and the owner is a good source of Khon Kaen advice. This international-standard Accor-run place in the heart of the city has plenty of razzledazzle, including a luxurious spa and gym, a microbrewery and well-equipped rooms.
Definitely pay the extra B to move up to the Superior level which gets you a recently renovated room and a better view.
Rooms are rather bland, but not bad overall. But at both the basic B level and attractively decorated B level the rooms have a fair amount of va-va-voom for the price. Khon Kaen has a good night market Th Reunrom; h5pm-midnight and the easternmost block of the Walking Street Market p is an awesome noshing destination. There are also food vendors at Rim Bueng Kaen Nakhon Market p , though people come here for the atmosphere, not the cuisine.
Naturally, fish features prominently on the Thai, Isan and Chinese menu. Khon Kaen 22 Slove U C4 23 Tasty Chocolat B4 24 Turm-Rom A2 26 Fairy Plaza B3 27 Rad A3 28 U-Bar C3 8 Glacier Hotel B3 9 Grand Leo Hotel B2 KK Centrum C1 11 Pullman Raja Orchid B2 12 Roma Hotel C1 13 Saen Samran Hotel B2 30 Prathammakant B3 31 Rin Thai Silk B3 32 Sueb San C1 33 Talat Banglamphu C2 34 Talat Bobae C2 The Souvenir B3 15 First Choice C1 16 Food Stalls C1 17 Hom Krun B3 18 Night Market C4 20 Pomodoro B2 21 Restaurant Didine C2 38 Narujee B2 39 Ordinary Bus Terminal B1 THAI office Fish is the speciality.
His Italian dishes disappoint. The best Italian in town, bar none. C4 2 Mahesak Shrine C4 5 Wat Pho Ban Nontan The nearby Kosa Hotel has a similar but smaller set-up for half the price. The no-frills rooms upstairs B to B are cheap for good reason. Dancers, musicians and other buskers work strategic corners. Free samples are available. Post Main post office Th Glang Meuang; h8.
Bus Khon Kaen is a busy transport hub and you can ride directly to nearly all cities in Isan and many beyond. The air-con terminal should. You must already have a Lao visa to buy a ticket to Vientiane B, four hours, 7. Some of the handiest all of which pass the air-con terminal on Th Glang Meung are line 8, which goes to Wat Nong Wang and also northwest through the university; line 10, which passes in front of the Lao and near the Vietnamese consulates the latter is m north of the stoplight east of Khon Kaen Hospital ; line 11, which passes the train station; and line 21 orange , which goes out to the National Museum.
Out back is an exhibition hall showing the wooden contraptions devised to spin, tie, dye and weave silk by hand in the village and a large machine used in factories. A room upstairs cata-. During this time thousands of foxtail aka Chang Kra orchids fill the temple grounds. The pavilion sells silk too, but most people buy from the myriad shops on Th Sriboonruang, aka Silk Road, some of which also stock attractive cotton fabrics made in the nearby village of Ban Lawaan.
Or take a bus 30B to 40B, one hour, every half-hour or train 9B, 30 minutes to Ban Phai, where you can get a bus to Chonnabot 15B, 20 minutes, every hour.
By public transport from Khon Kaen, catch a bus 30B to 40B, every half-hour or train 9B, 30 minutes, 7. Follow it and Rte for 24km southeast through the rural countryside to Ban Puay Noi. Uranium miners discovered a giant patella bone in this region in and the palaeontologists who were called to investigate then unearthed a fossilised 15m-long herbivore.
Enclosed excavation sites h8. Those who want to explore further best done by 4WD or mountain bike will find dinosaur footprints, waterfalls and a superb viewpoint. Kids will love it. Wiang Kao, the district inside the horseshoeshaped mountains that comprise the park, is a fruit-growing area and a great place to explore by car, if you want to look at traditional village life.
The park entrance is 90km west of Khon Kaen. Three rivers are sourced here, the Chi, Saphung and Phrom, and there are both evergreen and deciduous forest mixed with some vast bamboo groves. The sq-km Phu Khiaw Wildlife Sanctuary lies adjacent to the park, so wildlife is particularly abundant; however, the animals here are more timid than at nearby Phu Kradueng National Park and.
To start, the weavers string their thread either silk or cotton tightly across a wooden frame sized exactly as wide as the finished fabric will be. Almost always working from memory, the weavers then tie plastic traditionally the skin of banana plant stalks was used around bunches of strands in their desired design. The frame is then dipped in the dye nowadays usually a chemical colour, though natural sources such as flowers and tree bark are regaining popularity , which grips the exposed thread but leaves the wrapped sections clean.
The wrapping and dipping continues for multiple rounds resulting in intricate, complex patterns that come to life on the loom. The more you see of the process, the more you understand how amazing it is that the finished product turns out so beautifully. Most of the patterns, handed down from mother to daughter, are abstract representations of natural objects such as trees and birds, but increasingly designers are working with weaving groups to create modern patterns, which invariably fetch higher prices.
Lucky visitors might spot elephants, Malayan sun bears, banteng wild cattle , Asian jackals, barking deer, gibbons, pangolins and flying squirrels. There are even a few tigers. More than species of bird, including parrots and hornbills, fly through the forest. A fair system of hiking trails branches out from the visitor centre to several scenic overlooks. The visitor centre is 1.
Locals rear hundreds of the reptiles, and most families have some in boxes under their houses. The custom began in when a travelling medicinal herb salesman, Ken Yongla, began putting on snake shows to attract customers.
His plan was a success, and the art of breeding and training snakes has been nurtured in this village ever since.
Today the King Cobra Club of Thailand puts on snake shows donations expected; h8. Medicinal herbs are still sold in the village.
The village is located 50km northeast of Khon Kaen via Hwy 2 and Rte Today you have to dig deep behind its prosperous concrete veneer to find any flashes of its past. Well, you can here. The mature gyrant has long oval leaves, plus smaller ones of a similar shape. If you sing or talk to the plant in a highpitched voice saxophone or violin works even better , a few of the smaller leaves will shift back and forth.
The plants are most active from November to February, the cool season, and from 7am to 9. You can, however, buy Udorn Dancing Tea, made from the plant, along with the more famous Miss Udorn Sunshine orchids and perfumes. Much of the action takes place on the sunset-watching side of the lake, along Th Thesa.
Dozens of streetside massage artists start doing rubdowns around 2pm and paint-your-own pottery shops open two hours later. Restaurants serve all day. The proud local Vietnamese community has recently built a replica of his thatched-roof, mud-wall house and a big museum. Both buildings were largely empty when we visited, though we were told displays would be coming soon. Creative lighting, liberal use of real wood and random splashes of colour craft a unique design while the lovely backyard restaurant features wood-fire pizzas as part of an international menu.
And a friendly welcome from owner Sammie is included. Rooms are a little small, but otherwise excellent and the full range of facilities including a sauna, spa and fitness centre are top-notch. But, the best feature is the neighbourhood full of university students. Udonites take their night markets Th Prajak; hpm very seriously. Eat on the shady deck or in air-conditioned dining rooms. Thai restaurant and three parts English tearoom, this labyrinth has waiters dressed in black tie and a menu stretching from ham sandwiches to wild boar in red-curry sauce.
This open-air Thai-style pub is the kind of place where groups of friends come to eat, drink and eat some more. Most of the fruits and veggies are organic and you can choose to have no added sugar. Besides dining you can shop for clothes, sing karaoke, play snooker, get a tattoo and have your fortune told. On some weekends you can watch football games on the big screen or listen to live bands. Central Plaza p screens some movies in their original English and also has a bowling alley. Look for the sign with the wooden roof.
C2 2 Sanjao Pu-Ya F4 3 Udon Thani Provincial Museum B1 18 The Zirocco E3 5 City Lodge E3 6 Lotus Condotel E4 7 Much-che Manta E4 9 Top Mansion E3 10 Udon Backpackers F3 12 Chai Dun D4 13 Gib Shop B2 14 Irish Clock Post Post office Th Wattananuwong; h8. Udon Thani Map www. Regular promotional fares by the latter two keep prices around B. E3 23 UD Town F4 24 Udon City Walking Street There are buses to Nong Khai 35B to 47B, one hour from both terminals, but the most frequent departures are from Rangsina Market.
Buses arriving from other cities sometimes drop passengers here after stopping at Bus Terminal 1. This was once an important centre of the ancient Ban Chiang civilisation, an agricultural society that thrived in northeastern Thailand for thousands of years.
Archaeological digs here have uncovered a treasure trove of artefacts dating back to BC that overturned the prevailing theory that Southeast Asia was a cultural backwater compared to China and India at the time. Stephen Young, a student from Harvard, tripped while walking through the area and found the rim of a buried pot right under his nose. Looking around he noticed many more and speculated that this might be a burial site. He was right.
Serious excavations began soon after and over a million pottery pieces and dozens of human skeletons were unearthed. The now iconic burnt-ochre swirldesign pottery made between BC and AD is just one of many styles these people created over the years. Researchers also found the earliest evidence of the manufacture of metal tools — they began working bronze around BC — in the region.
The area was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in This excellent museum exhibits a wealth of pottery from all Ban Chiang periods, plus myriad metal objects, including spearheads, sickles, fish hooks, ladles and neck rings. Hidden in back is a room showcasing the culture of the Tai Phuan people, who migrated here about years ago and founded the town. One kilometre east at Wat Pho Si Nai is an original burial ground excavation pit h8.
It shows how bodies were laid to rest with infants placed inside pottery. Phuan Thai House. The awesome childlike murals in the two-story building at the back are both enlightening and entertaining. Some of the items, including Ban Chiang-style pottery, are made in the area. Walk down the road facing the museum to find a couple of touristy pottery workshops. To see pottery made using the ancient paddle-and-anvil method, visit Ban Kham Or. There are also two city buses 10B. Cheaper pedicabs are also still common in Udon.
Many hotels pick guests up at the airport for free, otherwise vans to downtown cost B per person. Lakeside Sunrise Guesthouse provides an outdated, but still helpful map. Ban Chiang from Ban Nong Mek. The simple rooms share a spacious verandah and bathrooms downstairs. The joyful owner speaks good English and hires out bikes 50B per day and motorcycles B per day.
There are several restaurants on the road fronting the museum, one of which stays open for dinner. Like a little Lopburi, this otherwise ordinary town 50km southeast of Udon has a troop of monkeys living alongside its human residents. They live in the city-centre park but frequently wander beyond it to climb and lounge on buildings.
Downtown is a covered market with dozens of shops selling a great variety of silk and cotton from Thailand and Laos. Except at the large shops on the highway, most of the fabrics are handmade. Maa Bah Pah Fai h6. Before leaving, take a peek at Wat Na Ka Taewee hdaylight hours , founded by a wandering monk who found a hole from which bellowed the sound and smoke of a naga. But prehistoric paintings on several rock overhangs, best seen at side-by-side Tham Woau and Thom Khon, show this was probably regarded as a holy site at least years earlier.
A climb beyond these rock formations to Pha Sa Dej, at the edge of the escarpment, ends with dramatic views of the farms and forest beyond. Many of the rock formations feature in a fairy tale about a king Phaya Kong Phan , his stunningly beautiful daughter Nang U-sa , a hermit Ruesi Chanta and a lovestruck prince Tao Baros from another kingdom.
The most striking rock formation, Hor Nang U-sa, an overturned boot-shaped outcrop with a shrine built into it, is said to be the tower where the beautiful princess was forced to live by her overprotective father. Many of these rock formations are signposted with names in Thai and English alluding to the legend, a short version of which can be read in the museum. It also has some odd temple buildings in the general mood of those in the park. The life-size figures around the temple grounds are acting out scenes from Isan culture and fairy tales and demonstrating the punishment awaiting the wicked in the Buddhist version of Hell.
The temple is also home to Luang Po Naak, a very holy year-old Buddha image shaded by a seven-headed naga that locals believe is responsible for many miracles. Occupying a narrow sweep along the banks of the Mekong, Nong Khai Province is a beautiful, intriguing region. But long before the river was spanned, the surreal Sala Kaew Ku sculpture park was a must-see on any jaunt through the region while the towns and temples along the. Built over a period of 20 years by Luang Pu Boun Leua Sourirat, who died in , the park features a weird and wonderful array of gigantic sculptures ablaze with Hindu-Buddhist imagery.
As he tells his own story, Luang Pu tumbled into a hole as a child and met an ascetic named Kaewkoo who introduced him to the manifold mysteries of the underworld and set him on course to become a Brahmanic yogi-priest-shaman. Shaking up his own unique blend of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, mythology and iconography, Luang Pu developed a large following on both sides of the Mekong in this region.
In fact, his original project was on the Lao side of the river where he had been living until the communist takeover in Laos. Some of the sculptures are quite amusing.
The tallest sculpture, a Buddha seated on a coiled naga with a spectacular multiheaded hood, is 25m high. Also of interest is the Wheel of Life, which you enter through a giant mouth. An explanation is available on the back side of the handy map to the sculpture park provided by Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse.
The Mut Mee map shows the scenic route. As a major staging post for those on their way from Vientiane, Nong Khai hosts a steady stream of travellers. A clutch of excellent places to sleep and eat have sprung up to accommodate them, making this the only Isan town with a full-fledged backpacker scene, albeit a modest one. Seduced by its dreamy pink sunsets and sluggish pace of life, many visitors who mean to stay one night end up bedding down for many more.
There are some floating restaurants behind the market and you can arrange boat trips here. Crammed between nations, Nong Khai is both a historic and physical bridgehead between Thailand and Laos. Nong Khai once fell within the boundaries of the Vientiane Wiang Chan kingdom, which itself vacillated between independence and tribute to Lan Xang and Siam.
The area came under several attacks by jeen hor Yunnanese marauders in the late 19th century. Due to a great number of dubious miracles people attribute to it, this royal temple is a mandatory stop for most visiting Thais. A storm sent one of the statues to the bottom of the river where it remains today. It was never recovered because, according to one monk at the temple, the naga like having it. Phra Sai was supposed to accompany it, but, as the murals show you, the cart carrying it broke down here, and so this was taken as a sign that it wished to remain in Nong Khai.
B2 2 Nong Khai Museum A3 3 Sanjao Pu-Ya D1 4 Tha Sadet Market C1 5 Wat Lam Duan D1 6 Wat Tung Sawang C1 8 E-San Guesthouse D1 9 Jumemalee Guesthouse D1 Khiangkhong Guesthouse B2 11 Rimkhong Guesthouse B2 12 Ruan Thai Guesthouse B2 13 Sawasdee Guesthouse D1 14 Thai Nongkhai Guesthouse C1 16 Daeng Namnuang C1 17 Darika Bakery B2 18 Dee Dee Pohchanah C2 19 Hospital Food Court B3 20 Mariam Restaurant C2 21 Nagarina B2 22 Nung-Len Coffee Bar A2 23 Paradise View D3 24 Roti Naihua D1 25 Saap Lah Mekong River Cruises www.
Its week-long voyages between Nong Khai and Mukdahan sail November to March, and sightseeing while lounging on the deck can be as rewarding as the onshore excursions to places like That Phanom, Thailand and Tha Khaek, Laos. Also known as Sanjao Tek-Ka-Ji, it features an eye-catching octagonal tower with murals creatively done in black and white. The chedi was gobbled up by the meandering Mekong in the middle of the 18th century and it toppled over in When the waters drop low enough coloured flags are fastened to it.
Phra That La Nong, a replica erected on land, glows brightly at night. Nine sculptures of celestial deities sit on fanciful pedestals alongside it. These correspond with the October full moon, which is when naga fireballs can be seen. A huge variety of rooms the cheapest with shared bath, the most expensive with an awesome balcony are clustered around. It now boasts a variety of good-quality rooms, from simple sharedbathroom basics to a family room in a little wooden cottage.
Methane gas? Drunken Lao soldiers? Clever monks? Or perhaps the fiery breath of the sacred naga, a serpent-like being that populates folkloric waterways throughout Southeast Asia.
Sometime in the early evening, at the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat October , which coincides with the 15th waxing moon of the 11th lunar month, small reddish balls of fire shoot from the Mekong River and float a hundred or so metres into the air before vanishing without a trace.
Most claim the naga fireballs are soundless, but others say a hissing can be heard if one is close enough to where they emerge from the surface of the river. People on both sides of the Mekong see the event as a sign that resident naga are celebrating the end of the holiday.
So what, you might ask, is the real cause behind naga fireballs? There are many theories. Interestingly, the reaction to the TV program was anger and a storm of protest from both sides of the river.
Some suggest that a mixture of methane gas and phosphane, trapped below the mud on the river bottom, somehow reaches a certain temperature at exactly that time of year and is released. Naga fireballs have become big business in Nong Khai Province and curious Thais from across the country converge at various spots on the banks of the Mekong for the annual show. Little Phon Phisai, the locus of fireball-watching, hosts some 40, guests.
Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse sails its boat there and back B, including lunch and dinner. Because nobody will ever be required to vacate their room people often stay longer than planned , only a few reservations are taken per day. The family runs the business to honour the wishes of their parents that the house never be sold. Use of bikes is free. The cheapest rooms share bathrooms and there are also rooms in a new building. Bikes are free. The B rooms in back, however, are less inviting. If you could judge a hotel by its cover, this charismatic guest house in an old FrancoChinese shophouse would come up trumps.
The owner is quite a character. A simple place with sparse, shared-bath rooms. The owners set a sluggish pace and allow hush to prevail in the leafy courtyard. The Western breakfasts, on the other hand, are quite tasty. But fear not lovers of Thai food, the kitchen of its floating restaurant turns out nothing but the real deal.
It specialises in fish and often features unusual species from the Mekong. Open until 2am. English-speaking outfit will be waiting for you from 5am with hearty egg-and-toast breakfasts, banana pancakes, baguette sandwiches and more. Both the menu and liquor list, the latter among the best in town, go global. Gyros, Weiner schnitzel, fish and chips, lasagne, tuna salad and smoked salmon are some of the most popular options. For B you get three dishes, two roti and one drink.
It often hosts fundraisers for local charitable projects. It looks out over the river, has a free pool table and is popular with both Thais and travellers.
There are some expat-owned bars around here too. Look for the orange building with tables under a blue awning. English is limited. From there regular minibuses 20B ferry passengers across the bridge to the hasslefree, but sometimes busy, Lao immigration checkpoint where day visas see p for details are available. You can also go to Laos by train; though not to Vientiane. The minute ride 20B to 30B, departs 9am and 2. There are immigration booths at both stations. Post Main post office Th Meechai; h8.
Offers Thai visa extensions. A private driver to the airport costs B at most travel agencies. Udon Thani 35B to 47B, one hour, every half-hour is the most frequent destination. For those travelling west along the Mekong, there are five buses to Pak Chom, and the 7. Bangkok buses B to B, 10 to 11 hours are frequent in the late afternoon and early evening, but less so during the day.
Many guest houses let you use bikes for free. The river road. Th Kaew Worawut , lined with floodplain fields of tobacco, tomatoes and chillies, is another option for the first stretch of the route west, though cyclists should note that it has no shoulder. Prosperous Tha Bo is the most important commercial centre between Nong Khai and Loei, and the covered market, which spills out to the surrounding streets, is full of locally grown products.
From about 5am to 10am you can watch people at the factories making the noodles, and then at around 2pm they start the cutting, all by hand. It used to be mostly spring-roll wrappers laid out on the bamboo racks, but noodles are easier to make and sell so people have made the switch. Tha Bo is mostly a day-trip destination, but there are some cheap guest houses, if you want to spend the night. Next, you will make the cuts for the body of the tool rack. These cuts will be made from your 2x8x8.
Make your first cut 36 inches long. Then, make another cut at Place the inch board on your workbench and place the Center the shorter board so that there are 2. After you have them centered, use 2-inch screws to attach the two boards together.
These will be what I refer to as extenders. They will provide space between the body of your garden tool rack and the wall. Set them aside after you make the cuts. They will attach to the extenders and hold the entire garden tool rack to the wall. Take each Then, add an additional pilot hole 2 inches above and two inches below the center hole on each board.
These are represented by the red dots on the center illustration below. Use c clamps to hold the extenders onto the wall plates. I use two clamps, one on each side to do this. Drive 3-inch screws through your pilot holes to attach the extenders and wall plates together. Make sure the screws are flush with or slightly below the surface of the wood. This will prevent problems when you try to mount it to the wall later.
It will be much easier to paint the mounting brackets and rack body before they are assembled. Each segment will need to be inches long.
I used a hacksaw to cut my PVC pipes. After you cut your PVC pipes, you will need to drill holes in them. I drilled three separate holes in each piece of pipe. To ensure that they line up, you will need to mark a straight line down the length of each piece. Place the pipe on your workbench and hold it steady. Then, take a sharpie and lay it flat on the workbench with the tip against the pipe. Slide the sharpie across the workbench, marking the pipe as you go.
This should produce a fairly straight line. After you make your line, mark where you want your holes. I drilled holes at 2, 4, and 6 inches from one end of the pipe. This will allow you to drive screws through your PVC pipes, securing them to the body of your garden tool rack. Use a tape measure or speed square to make these marks. You will need two drill bits for this.
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