Thailand - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 767

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Ubon's night market on Th Khuenthani, just west of TAT,
is a great place to eat, selling a wide variety of food, inclu-
ding the Isaan classics, grilled chicken, sticky rice and som
tam (papaya salad).
Chiokee 307-317 Th Khuenthani. Long Thai and Western
menu across from the museum, especially popular for
breakfast (rice soup and Chinese doughnut B43). Daily
6am-6pm.
Phadaeng Mansion & Gallery 167 Th Pha Daeng,
5min walk north from the northeast corner of Thung Si
Muang park T 045 254600, W thephadaeng.blogspot
.com. Behind an extravagant colonnaded portico in a
quiet part of town, clean, good-sized rooms, all w ith a/c,
hot shower, TV and fridge. Free wi-fi. Double B500
Sakhon 66 Th Pha Daeng, 2min walk north of the
northeast corner of Thung Si Muang park. One of the
best places in Ubon to sample Isaan food, particularly
recommended for its more unusual seasonal dishes, like
tom yam soup with fish eggs. Most dishes around B80.
Daily 10am-10pm.
Tokyo Hotel 178 Th Upparat T 045 241739. Basic
but acceptable and welcoming hotel, where fan rooms
have hot showers and TV, and it's only an extra B90 if you
want a/ c. It's about a 5min walk north of the museum.
Double B360

buses from Nakhon Phanom's bus station
run across the third hai-Lao Friendship
Bridge, 8km north of the town centre, to
Khammouan (hakhek) in Laos; they'll
wait while you get a Lao visa on arrival
(see p.345). he passenger ferry across
the Mekong is now for Lao and hai
people only.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By plane AirAsia and Nok Air each have a daily route
flying from Bangkok (Don Muang) to Nakhon Phanom; the
airport is 15km from town, and served by a/c minibuses
(B100/person).
By bus The bus station is about 2km west of the centre;
buses arrive here from Nong Khai (6 daily; 6hr), Mukdahan
(hourly; 2hr) and Bangkok (20 daily; 12hr).
Tourist information There's a TAT o ce 700m north of
the ferry pier at 184/1 Th Sunthon Vichit, on the corner
with Th Salaklang (daily 8.30am-4.30pm; T 042 513490,
E [e-mail]).

10

ACCOMMODATION
Grand Hotel 210 Th Sri Thep T 042 513788. The best
budget place to stay is the central Grand Hotel, a block
back from the river just south of the ferry pier and market,
with fa n or a/c rooms all with en-suite hot showers.
Double B280

DIRECTORY
Hospital Ubonrak-Thonburi Hospital, Th Burapanai
( T 045 260300), to the east of the town centre.
Tourist police Th Suriyat ( T 1155).

NONG KHAI
he major border town in these parts is
NONG KHAI , the terminus of the rail line
from Bangkok and the easiest place to
cross overland into Laos, whose capital
Vientiane is just 24km away. he town is
reasonably tranquil and still retains a
backwater charm, but has been developing
fast since the construction of the huge
First hai-Lao Friendship Bridge over the
Mekong to its west. As with most of the
towns along this part of the Mekong, the
thing to do in Nong Khai is just to take it
easy, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and
the stunning sunsets.

NAKHON PHANOM
NAKHON PHANOM , 100km north of
Mukdahan and 313km east of Nong
Khai, affords stunning views of the
Mekong and the mountains behind but is
chiefly of interest as a point of access to
Laos. Every two hours during the day,

INTO LAOS: MUKDAHAN
Buses run to Mukdahan , 170km north of
Ubon Ratchathani, from Bangkok (20
daily; 11hr), Khon Kaen (every 30min; 3hr),
Nakhon Phanom (hourly; 2hr) and Ubon
(roughly hourly; 4hr). Tourists can cross to
Laos here by catching one of the
Savannakhet buses from Mukdahan bus
station over the Second Friendship Bridge,
7km north of town (roughly hourly from
8.30am to 7pm); you can get a thirty-day
Lao visa on arrival (see p.345).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Nong Khai stretches 4km along the south
bank of the Mekong. Running from east
to west, hanon Meechai dominates
activity, with the main shops and
businesses plumb in the middle around
the post o ce and the main pier and
hai-Lao market at ha Sadet. he town