Travels with St Jude: Back in Thailand at Nakhon Phanom

Back across the Mekong into NE Thailand at Nakhon Phanom.

I enjoyed the couple of weeks I spent exploring a few sites in Southern Laos, but I was still glad to be back in Thailand. I always am.

Nakhon Phanom is a pleasant town, spread over quite a long stretch of the river. It's friendly to Western tourists, but it doesn't feel like it sees a lot of them (apart from a steady trickle of visa-runners. FYI, I found the border crossing out of Laos and into Thailand here to be easy, friendly, and professional).

There are a decent selection of guesthouses spread across the town, but Nakhon Phanom definitely isn't a "tourist town" where everything is geared to attracting visitors. Rather it's a prosperous-feeling mid-size town that is just getting on with living.

Domestic tourists do come here, often to make merit at a series of important temples around the town. Vietnamese travellers also come, following in Ho Chi Minh's footsteps (Uncle Ho spent some time in a village just outside the town). But with no "famous" attractions geared to Westerners, few of us visit.

I think that should change.

Views of the mountains in Laos from Nakhon Phanom's riverside walk

Colourful houses and vegetable gardens, seen from the Nakhon Phanom riverside boardwalk

Sure, Nakhon Phanom will never replace Chiang Mai or Ayuthaya as must-sees-on-your-first-trip-to-Thailand. Nor should it feature in the itinerary of someone who has only one week in the country to try and cram in as much fun or relaxation as possible. But for gap year tourists with plenty of time to explore Thailand, this town is well worth a night or two's stop.

The riverside has a long walkway and bike path, going past colourful houses, historic temples, riverside restaurants, and splendid views of the mountains across the Mekong in Laos. You could easily spend half a day just walking or riding a bike along the riverside, mile after mile, taking in the sites and the relaxed vibe.

Head north along the riverside, and you'll find a historic church (Saint Anna Nong Saeng, a testament to the many Vietnamese Catholics who settled in town), and a local history museum in the Former Governor's Residence (including a wonderful exhibit of traditional costumes, demonstrated in miniature versions displayed on Barbie dolls -- kudos to whomever made all those tiny, lovely costumes).

A fabulous, traditional-style house on Chayangkun Road, just south of Saint Anne.

Dolls demonstrating traditional costumes at the Former Governor's Residence Museum

The central part of the riverside houses a handsome old clocktower, Wat Okat (the most important Buddhist temple in town), the Indochine Market, the Naga Monument, and plenty of nice coffee shops and restaurants.

Head south along the riverside, and you'll pass a series of Wats, and more of those fabulous views.

And when you've worked up an appetite, there are plenty of varied places to get your refreshment on, from good quality lattes and bubble teas, to terrific Vietnamese, Isaan, and Thai-Chinese food.

If you're of a mind, you could use the town as a base to visit the various important wats outside of town, or visit the Ho Chi Minh museum in nearby Baan Na Chok. But even if you are not interested in Buddhist merit-making or Uncle Ho, that riverfront walkway is worth a night of your time. At least, I think so.