My last stop in my month on northern and NE Thailand was Nong Khai, site of the first Thai-Laos Friendship bridge and the most popular crossing between Thailand and Laos.
Nong Khai is far more than just a place to cross a border - it's a bustling town popular with domestic tourists as well as a smattering of foreigners and expats.
There's an attractive riverfront promenade, and you can walk for miles from the bridge in the north, past Tha Sadek market, and the Naga statue, down to the sunken chedi of the former Wat Phra That Klang Nam (and it's modern recreation, built safely on the riverbank) in the south.
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| The main waterfront, with the Friendship bridge just visible in the background. |
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| Outside Tha Sadet market |
Beyond walking or cycling the promenade and enjoying the views of the Mekong and Laos, there are enough things to see in town to keep you busy for at least a couple of days, and plenty of worthwhile day trips into the surrounding countryside for those of a mind to stay longer.
Most famous is Wat Sala Kaew Ku, also known as Wat Khaek. The life's passion of one Laos man, he sculpted more than a hundred figures from folklore, animism, Hinduism and Buddhism. It's quite remarkable. What's even more remarkable is that this was his second sculpture park. He built the first in Laos, but left it behind when he moved to Thailand in the 1970s (many Laos royalists and refugees fled to this part of Thailand after the Communist takeover of Laos in 1975).
When you're done with sightseeing and activity, there's plenty of good food in town, from modern cafés, river view restaurants specialising in barbecue fish, plenty of Isan or Vietnamese food, and plenty of night markets.
All in all, it's a pleasant place for a visit.
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| Vietnamese noodle soup with a view of the Mekong. |
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