Nong Khai Page 2

Accommodation

Nong Khai has several guest houses and hotels as well as a bungalow complex.

Mut Mee Guest House a Place to Stay, a Community, a Place to Eat.

Situated in the middle of Nong Khai town behind the hospital in a beautiful garden spread along the Maekong river. Here we offer inexpensive accommodation 80 - 500 Baht. We have a restaurant open to all, whether they stay with us or not. The garden is a beautiful place to relax beside the Maekong river.
1111/4 Kaeworawut Road, Nong Khai, 43000
Tel : +66 126 126 46 Fax :(66)(0)42-460717
Email: mutmee@mutmee.net
mutmee@nk.ksc.co.th
mutmee@mail.cscoms.com

Food and Drink

There are several good restaurants in Nong Khai serving Thai, Chinese and Lao food. If it is on the menu try the pla deuk (giant catfish) which is similar to tuna in texture. These fish can weigh over 150kg but are becoming scarce. Mut Mee Guest House a Place to Stay, a Community, a Place to Eat
Situated in the middle of Nong Khai town behind the hospital in a beautiful garden spread along the Maekong river. We have a restaurant open to all, whether they stay with us or not. The garden is a beautiful place to relax beside the Maekong river.
1111/4 Kaeworawut Road, Nong Khai, 43000
Tel : +66 126 126 46 Fax :(66)(0)42-460717
Email :Email :mutmee@nk.ksc.co.th
mutmee@mail.cscoms.com

Other areas to try for cheap tasty snacks and meals include the bus station, boat pier and night market.

Shopping

Handicrafts from north-east Thailand and Laos are on sale around the town at quite reasonable prices. Toiletries and other day to day goods are readily available, but don't expect to find any large department stores.

Sight Seeing

Sculpture Park

The strange circle in the south-eastern corner of this seemingly supernatural garden, is an exact diagram of the Wheel of Life. The garden was built by the mystic Luang Po Boun Leua Sourirat. It is just one of the many huge sculptures (some more than 7 storeys high) located in the park six kilometres to the east of Nong Khai. He himself passed away in 1996 and his body now lies under a glass hemisphere in the upper gallery of his weird complex.

Historical Park

Settled since the time of stone age man, these enchanted rocks resemble precariously balanced giant mushrooms each able to shelter a large family. Embellished with ancient cave paintings, they have become the setting of one of Thailand’s best known legends “The tale of Nang Usa” …a young girl’s quest for eternal love (translated into English and available at Mut Mee Guest House).

The Serpent’s Fire

Every year, for as long as anyone can remember, pink points of light arise soundlessly from the Maekong River just after dusk on the last day of Buddhist lent. Oh yes, some may say it’s just a giant hoax …but then how can it be? …for their exact vertical trajectory, their lack of sound and random occurrence (not to mention the thousands of people who have failed in their attempts to expose the hoaxers …if they exist) are hard things to fabricate.

Yet there’s more than this in this pretty town on the banks of the romantic MaeKong River. There are Rocket Festivals in the rainy season, the beautiful Taa Sadej Market with items for sale from Laos, Vietnam, China and even Russia, that offers a better bargain than some of the inflated handicraft prices in Vientiane. 

WatKhaek

Four km outside of town is the rather strange Hindu-Buddhist temple known locally as Wat Khaek. Inside the temple grounds are a large number of bizarre looking statues depicting Hindu and Buddhist deity.

Wat Phu Tok

The work of a Buddhist Mystic who built a ramshackle staircase up a rocky outcrop. It rises in seven levels symbolising the seven steps to enlightenment and affords unparalleled views of the MaeKong river valley.
Adding to the unexpected is even the crazy topiary (trees cut into sculptures) …a loved hobby of many a local of Nong Khai …depicting dinosaurs and elephants, Thai boxers and even the teletubbies! 

Wat Aranbanpot

Prasutam Chedi which is at Wat Aranbanpot some sixty kilometres to the West of Nong Khai and an absolutely outstanding example of modern Thai Buddhist architecture. It is set up above the Meakong river in a perfectly situated position looking across the river towards Laos.
The mausoleum of Luang Poo Tet Tet Lang Si the highly venerated Abbot of Wat Hin Maak Pen just a little further to the west from Prasutam Chedi and is on a rocky outcrop overlooking the river.

Wet lands

Situated to the south east of Nong Khai which make a wonderful cycle route for those interested in getting out into the countryside. Mut Mee Guest House has maps which follow the Maekong river for a little way and then take you through some of the best of the countryside.
It’s worth seeing the giant fishing cranes in the wet lands. These are some of the biggest working bamboo machines in the world.

Phu Pra Bat

The very famous Historical Park at Phu Pra Bat which, though in Udorn Province, is much more often visited from Nong Khai as it is easier to reach from here,

Side Trip to Laos

From Nong Khai you can cross the Maekhong river to Vientaine in Laos. Visas for Laos can be obtained through several travel agents in Bangkok. The visa for Laos is available on the Lao side of the bridge for US$30 and one passport photo. (You can also pay 1500 Baht). If you need a re-entry visa for Thailand this can be arranged in Bangkok or at the immigration office in Nong Khai. 

We are grateful to the Mut Mee Guest House for the information about Nong Khai and the photographs on this page.

Getting to & Around Nong Khai