Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani is a province in Northeastern Thailand, sharing the border with Cambodia and Laos. It features plateaus and mountain ranges with the Mun River running through the middle. The province possesses a lot of tourist attractions such as sandy beaches, prehistoric cave paintings, 3,000 natural sandstone cliffs and burrows, and even a glow-in-the-dark temple.
This place remains unexplored, so becomes an ideal place for people who are looking for an off-the-beaten-path destination. There is an airport in this province, making it a perfect destination to fly to for a few days.
Things to do in Ubon Ratchathani
Visit Phu Prao Temple: Wat Sirindhorn Wanaram Phu Prao or simply Wat Phu Prao is a beautiful temple during day and night time. Most visitors coming here will be impressed by its luminous Tree of Life meticulously carved on the back gate of its chapel. The best time to see the tree is from 6 pm to 8 pm when the tree illuminates.
Phu Prao Temple during day time
Phu Prao Temple ay night
Visit Pha Taem National Park: Located right along the Mekong River and the Thai-Laos border, Pha Tam National Park is a peaceful place, and home to renowned red ancient cave paintings and many beautiful waterfalls such as Soi Sawan Waterfall and Sang Chan Waterfall. The renowned red ancient cave paintings are made of quartz and hematite, dating back to more than 3 millennia ago. The park also has bungalows and tents for rent, therefore, you can come to stay overnight here for recharging.
Prehistoric Cave Paintings At Pha Taem National Park
Catching Thailand's First Sunrise At Pha Chanadai In Pha Taem National Park
Enjoy the simple and cozy life in Khemarat: Khemarat is the northernmost district of Ubon Ratchathani Province, where you can stay for a few nights to enjoy the peaceful life here. You can either stroll along the rustic wooden houses or join the local people on walking street, get the cheap but scrumptious food here.
Peaceful Ubon Ratchathani
Visit Sam Phan Bok rock reef: This place is home to countless holes of all shapes and sizes from star, heart, to even Mickey Mouse. These holes scatter more than 5 kilometers along the Mekong River banks, therefore, the best time to see them is during the dry season (October-May). It is reachable by private car or local boat.
Sam Phan Bok Rock Reef
Catch the sunset at Had Hong Sand Dunes: These sand dunes are desert-like sand dunes next to the Mekong River. It only appears during the dry season from January to May. The best time to visit these sand dunes is during the sunset. It is about a 2-hour drive from Ubon Ratchathani.
Had Hong Sand Dunes
How to get there to Ubon Ratchathani
By air: Ubon airport is only a three-kilometre from Thung Si Muang Park. You can fly from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani on Nok Air, Thai Smile, Air Asia, Thai Lion Air, and Thai Airways. It is also reachable from Chiang Mai on Kan Air.
By Train: From Hualamphong station in Bangkok, you can take express trains to Ubon Ratchathani. Ubon’s train station is located across the river in Warin Chamrap, where you can take taxis, tuk-tuks, and songthaews to the city center. Train ticket starts from 95 baht for a hard third-class seat, increasing to 220 baht for a second-class soft seat and 1,080 baht for a first-class air-con sleeper.
By bus: Ubon bus terminal is located on Highway 231 in the city’s far northwestern corner. From here, you can take a taxi, tuk-tuk, or songthaews to the city center. The city is reachable by bus from many other places such as Bangkok (Morchit), Phibun Mangsahan, Khong Chiam, Chong Mek (Laos border crossing), Pakse in Laos, Sisaket, Khorat, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai…
