Northern Thailand - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 876

(Th Sunthon Wijit; 9am-5pm Wed-Sun) This museum fills a beautifully restored 1925
mansion with photos of old Nakhon Phanom, many labelled in English, while in the back
are displays about the Illuminated Boat Procession.

Festivals & Events

Lai Reua Fai
(Illuminated Boat Procession; late Oct/early Nov) The city pays its respect to the Mekong with
the annual Illuminated Boat Procession. Giant bamboo rafts decorated with thousands of
handmade lanterns are set afloat, followed by a week of festivities including boat races
and music competitions. Everything in town gets booked up during this period.

CULTURAL

Sleeping & Eating
You're likely to meet the Vietnamese-style baguette sandwich at some of the river prom-
enade restaurants.

SP Residence
( 0 4251 3500; Th Nittayo; r 450-800B; ) Plain but modern, the rooms here are
less institutional than the exterior and hallways would lead you to believe, and for just a
few extra baht it's better than the city's older hotels in this price range.

HOTEL $

TC Apartment
( 0 4251 2212; Th Sunthon Wijit; r incl breakfast 690B; ) One of many new hotels in
Nakhon Phanom, TC gets our vote as the best of the bunch for its central location and big
river views from the balconies.

HOTEL $$

Indochina Market
(Th Sunthon Wijit; 7am-7pm) The balcony fronting this small food court has choice seats
that frame the mountain views.

THAI $

Luk Tan
(Th Bamrung Meuang; dishes 39-149B; 5-10pm Wed-Sun) This quirky little spot does Thai-
style steaks and fa·ràng favourites including some delicious mashed potatoes. Owner Bai-
Tong is a great source of local advice.

INTERNATIONAL-THAI $